This chapter is much like Chapter 7, oddly enough, in that you’ll be using Cloud as your blaster caster to tear through enemies. For part of the chapter you’ll use Fire + Magnify and Fire + MP Absorption, while later you’ll swap Fire Materia out for Lightning Materia. Tifa and Barret should always keep Lightning Materia handy, as the sturdier foes in the chapter are weak to lightning, otherwise they’ll equip whatever element Cloud has on attached to Elemental on their weapon.

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(1 of 2) With Cloud as your blaster caster, you’ll be able to dispatch most foes on the map with Fira + Magnify,

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With Cloud as your blaster caster, you’ll be able to dispatch most foes on the map with Fira + Magnify, (left), or Thundara + Magnify. With MP Absorption, you won’t even deplete your MP much doing so. (right)

• Despite the advice above, the start of this chapter involves fights with foes that aren’t weak to either lightning or fire, three Byobapolis enemies followed by two Cerulean Drakes. Fira + Magnify works just as well as it ever did against the Byobapolis enemies, while for the Cerulean Drakes we equip Ice + Elemental on Barret’s armor and just have him shoot the two fliers down. Not the most elegant or quick solution, but it’s easy enough. If you take damage, don’t be afraid to climb back down and use the rest bench - no need to waste MP on healing magic so early into the chapter.

• Next you’ll be fighting 2x 3-C SOLDIER Operators. They’re… surprisingly similar to Sahagin, strategically. Use Fira to soften them up (it may be worth using two, given how sturdy they are) then “Omnistrike” to finish them off while being wary of their wide array of spells.

• Next up you’ll encounter numerous foes, including 2x Elite Security Officers and a Guard Dog, 2x Elite Security Officers and a Helitrooper, 2x Elite Grenadiers and 2x Elite Security Officers and finally 2x Elite Security Officers, 2x Elite Grenadiers and a Helitrooper. They’re all weak to fire, and often cluster up, so Fira + Magnify will work wonders here, and with MP Absorption on a second piece of Fire Materia it won’t bankrupt Cloud to spam it… so long as you only use it when there are enough targets. The more damage you deal, the more MP you’ll recover, so you’ll only be suffering a major MP loss when hitting one or two foes.

• Once you reach the rest bench, heal up, then swap out Cloud’s Fire Materia for Lightning Materia, as your next foes are largely mechanical. Head into the building and defeat two mixed groups of Slug-Rays and Shock-Rays, which is largely a matter of hitting them with Thundara and having Barret finish off any stragglers.

• Outside you’ll encounter a Blast-Ray. While weak to lightning, you don’t really need to waste MP fighting this thing. Just build up Barret’s ATB by attacking, then use Tifa to inflict damage until it’s Staggered, at which point shoot it down with Barret.

• Next you’ll have to fight a mixed group of Byobapolis enemies joined by a Cerulean Drake, after which a lone Byobapolis will waste your time. Switch to Fire + Magnify and give Barret Ice + Elemental, if you wish to make this easier.

• The segment where you have to run between cover while The Valkyrie shoots at you is more painful, as its bullets can deal 150 damage per hit - and you rarely get hit by just one. Be more patient with your time and when it comes to the stairs… well, the camera will probably cause you to take damage, regardless.

• Downstairs after the segment with The Valkyrie is the most annoying fight in the chapter, as you’ll have to fight two Blast-Rays. One was trivial, but together they’ll be an absolute chore, as their attacks knock you out of animations. Charge Barret’s ATB by blocking, then switch to Cloud and build his ATB in the same way. When you have full ATB, hide behind pillars and hit the Blast-Rays with Thundara, and when one is Staggered, sic Barret on it with “Maximum Fury” and pelt it with more Thundaras. When only one Blast-Ray remains it’ll be joined by a Slug-Ray and a Shock-Ray - another obvious target for Thundara + Magnify.

• Climb a ladder and switch back to Fire + Magnify, as your next fight will be with two Elite Helitroopers. Wait for them to get close to each other, then hit them with two blasts of Fire + Magnify.

• All that’s left for the chapter is the final fight with The Valkyrie, which, as usual, will have its own Hard difficulty boss page. For defeating this boss you’ll earn the Sharpshooter’s Companion Vol. XII Manuscript.