In today's article, we’ll be talking about the best party compositions that you can have in Final Fantasy 7. Since the game is filled with plentiful combat encounters, it’s important to have the right party composition if you don’t want to see the defeat screen. During the game, you’ll be paired up with Barret, Tifa, and Aerith. 

Each of those companions brings something different to the table and offers the player a change in playstyle. You can also control these companions and use their abilities however you like! We will talk about the best ones and why picking them works, so let’s get into the article!

5. Cloud and Barret

That guy is a huge slab of unstoppable meat.

These guys are a very deadly combination, kinda like mixing coke with mentos. Both of them are cocky and have plenty of dialogue together, but most importantly, they make a great duo. The reason for that is that Barret specializes in long-range attacks, which go well with Cloud's devastating melee attacks. 

Of course, Barret can switch between melee and ranged attacks as well if given the right weapon, and he can be an amazing tank. Barret can make enemies target him, while Cloud can deal the damage and not worry about dodging any of the incoming attacks. That alone is amazing when going against bosses, especially if you build Barret as a straight tank!

Cloud and Barret Strengths:

• Barret's ability to change between ranged and melee attacks.
• The durability of Barret can withstand huge amounts of damage.
• Barret's durability also allows Cloud to perform his magical/melee attacks without being interrupted.
• Barret can make enemies target him while Cloud focuses on dealing the damage.

How Cloud and Barret Works:

• Barret can tank with his abilities, such as Lifesaver or Steelskin, and he can absorb or redirect incoming damage.
• Cloud has balanced stats and is the most powerful protagonist in the game, which allows him to squeeze out as much damage as possible thanks to Barret's tankiness.
• Barret is also a long-distance hitting companion, which is useful if you require ranged damage. 
• Ultima weapon deals the most amount of damage when Cloud's HP is full, which again, synergizes well with Barret's ability to tank.
• Barret can easily deal with flying enemies.
• Cloud doesn’t have to worry about dodging enemy attacks when they are focusing on Barret.

4. Cloud and Tifa

Don’t let them catch their breath!

Cloud does a high amount of damage, but he has a slower attack speed, so pairing him up with Tifa is a quick and sure way to dispatch enemies quickly. Tifa can be picked right from the start of the game in Chapter 3 and will accompany Cloud throughout most of the game. She is an expert in martial arts. 

She likes to go around beating the hell out of everything that moves, can perform some deadly combos, and pretty much annihilates everything with Cloud. She's not too great at dealing AoE damage but excels at dealing high amounts of damage to a single target. She also specializes in attack speed and spamming abilities as much as possible. Which goes a great way with Cloud. Alongside that, Tifa can also quickly stagger enemies. 

Cloud and Tifa Strengths:

• Tifa's ability to deal high amounts of damage to singular targets is especially great against bosses. 
• The fastest and most agile companion that you can pick for your squad.
• Her overall agility makes it very easy for her to dodge abilities and attacks.
• Tifa and Cloud work wonders against opponents and can quickly dispatch a group of enemies.
• Tifa can easily build up the stagger meter of enemies, and then Cloud can kill them easily.

How Cloud and Tifa Works:

• Cloud focuses on high output melee damage
• Tifa can cast some support spells to help out her team.
• Her high speed allows her to cast spells quickly. 
• If necessary, she can easily change spots thanks to her speed.
• Tifa easily builds up the stagger meter of enemies.
• Great against single targets.

3. Cloud and Aerith

I got you with the heals boy.

Aerith specializes in dealing ranged, magical damage, but she also excels at healing her teammates. Thanks to her ability named Arcane Ward, she's capable of double-casting her offensive abilities. While she is an excellent healer and a high DPS dealing character, she is frail due to her low health as well as her slow movement speed. 

However, she stays alive by casting her spells from a very long distance. This synergizes with Cloud's ability to get in the middle of combat and deal cleave damage with his sword, taking most of the aggro. 

Cloud and Aerith Strengths:

• Aerith can heal Cloud if he takes too much damage.
• Aerith has massive damage output thanks to her ranged magical attacks.
• High-range magical attacks can keep her safe from danger.
• Cloud can easily jump into a group of enemies and be fine.

How Cloud and Aerith Works:

• Aerith is more of a long-distance spellcaster.
• Cloud benefits from Aerith thanks to her damage output.
• Cloud can stay in combat for longer thanks to Aerith's limit breaks and heals.
• She deals purely magical damage, and she's locked into this playstyle.
• Cloud can easily dispatch a group of enemies thanks to his AoE abilities. 

2. Yuffie and Sonon

Time to show them the power of Wutai!

These two are both partners, and their abilities synergize pretty well. Yuffie wields a massive shuriken that can be thrown; dealing impact damage. And she can also be deadly in melee combat if she needs to go that close. Sonon, on the other hand, is a ninja warrior who specializes in melee combat and is capable of dealing high amounts of damage. 

Additionally, Sonon is considered a tank who can make enemies aggro on him, while Yuffie deals with them from afar. It's worth mentioning that he deals physical, as well as magical damage and is capable of reviving Yuffie if she kicks the bucket. Also, they can do synchronized attacks together. That alone will put a boss or anyone out of active use for a long time. 

Yuffie and Sonon Strengths:

• Both can deal serious physical damage.
• Sonon can revive Yuffie if she sustains too much damage.
• Yuffie can deal melee and ranged damage thanks to her massive shuriken.
• They can do synchronized attacks together.

How Yuffie and Sonon Works:

• They both deal massive physical damage in a short time.
• Sonon is durable and allows Yuffie to deal damage from afar.
• Bloodbath is Yuffie's limit break, which causes her to jump into a group of enemies and attack everything in sight.
• Bloodbath also deals massive amounts of damage to single targets.
• They can combine their attacks.
• Sonon can make enemies only attack him.
• Yuffie is great in melee and ranged combat.

1. Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Barret and Red XIII

The squad has pulled up.

Oh boy, here comes the firing squad... In this lineup, you have a combination of all the other companions previously mentioned, with the addition of Red XIII. Cloud, being the main protagonist of the game, deals tremendous amounts of damage up-close, both to single targets as well as multiple enemies at once. 

Barret excels at being a tank that allows the rest of his companions to squeeze out as much damage as they possibly can, and any damage they take is redirected to Barret himself. He can always swap to ranged attacks if you want to prioritize damage output above all else.

Aerith, while she's a powerful spellcaster with low-cooldown casts, thanks to her limit breaks, she's capable of healing her teammates, which can be a massive lifesaver if things go south. In terms of boss fights, she specializes in dealing vast amounts of magical damage to singular targets.

Tifa is primarily a melee character but can be changed into a battlemage if you want her to be one. While not exactly durable, she's the fastest companion that you can have in your squad, capable of dodging projectiles and other attacks. Her combos can deal serious amounts of damage.

Red XIII looks like a hyena or a cat, maybe a dog... who knows, but he's an agile companion that can join you in Chapter 17. While his attacks are nothing special, he can support you in staggering your foes, which stuns them and causes them to be vulnerable for a couple of seconds, giving Cloud and his allies enough time to deal some serious damage. Red can also heal his teammates at a specific rate and damage his foes over time.

Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Barret, and Red XIII Strengths:

• It has the potential for tanking, thanks to Barett.
• Massive damage output from Tifa, Aerith, and Cloud.
• Red XIII staggers enemies and can also heal his companions.
• Perfect for any situation in the game.
• Great against bosses.
• This composition has everything from tanks to spellcasters.

How Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Barret, and Red XIII Works:

• Barett is the primary frontline, who directs most of the damage with his Lifesaver ability and absorbs everything because of the Steelskin ability.
• Cloud is a high-DPS melee character that can deal with multiple foes at once.
• Aerith excels at dealing high amounts of damage to single targets (bosses, especially) and healing her teammates.
• Tifa, similarly to Cloud, runs around and beats the living hell out of everything she sees, except with her fists, and she can easily stagger her foes.
• Red XIII, while not a major character, is useful as he can heal his teammates a little bit and stagger foes occasionally.

You may also like: 

• [Top 25] Best Japanese Games Made By Japanese Game Developers
• FF7 Remake Best Accessories For Each Character
• [Top 10] FF7 Remake Best Weapons For Each Character
• FF7 Remake Best Armor For Each Character
• [Top 5] FF7 Remake Best Materia For Each Character