Help Some tips plz: The no materia run-through

[Blockinlick]

I've read that FF7 can be beaten without using any materia. I've read lots of stories about people who have done it and recommend doing it to those who like a challenge.

I want to do it, but just to keep things from feeling TOO boringly simple [Because I do love the materia system], I think I'll allow myself to use Independent and Command materia.

So does anyone have any advice/tips on it? Most importantly, I'd like some key weapon locations, as that's going to be important since using regular attack will be my only source of damage [Except Enemy Skill ofc].

 

[Razberry Knight]

I heard of this too...but i find it nearly impossible considering sephiroth is one of the most difficult bosses to fight and thats with materia too. I believe they used a cheat but hard to say. I also love the materia system so maybe you should just stick with it.

 

[.Mosh]

I have heard about this sort of method....I myself couldn't do it without Materia but I personally think you can do it with very minimal materia....say just cure or something like that and possibly one of each elemental magic. Cause I only used summons and elemental based magic......I guess another way could be to use morph on that rhino tank monster in the destroyed reactor and get a ton of power sources and make yourself pretty strong that way.

 

[Ethics]

I don't imagine it'd be very hard. Potions, Hi-potions, X-potions and you got it nailed. It'd take a hell of a lot longer to finish, though.

Actually, that is an interesting idea for a play through. I may consider attempting this type of run as well.

As far as weapon locations, I'm sure you can find the ultimate weapon list somewhere online, so I'll not include those. Only ones that really come to mind is that I think you can get a sword from the parade scene in Junon as a prize. Gold Saucer would likely also be your friend were you able to purchase the high-end items, but I imagine the Battle Arena would wipe the floor with you if you have no materia.

 

[Shaissa]

You can do it without materia, but you will need to make sure you get the ultimate weapons, limit breaks lvl 4 (recommended) make sure you buy alot of potions, eyedrops... ect., level up to at least 70-80 at least when you get to sephiroth... I was at 99 and had to use all three parties and barley made it out alive... so yeah if you do it, best of luck

 

[Rorolina Frixell]

Having personally done a No Materia Run i'd say make sure to keep hold of any elemental drain items (water ring, fire ring etc) and get the Yoshiyuki, it really helps early on. Try to get stuff like Tifa's Premium Heart or the Powersoul and keep the more HP heavy characters around like Barret. As for limits, try to stick with characters who have multi hit limit breaks like Tifa and Barret (personally I used Cloud, Tifa and Barret with the latter going between potion support and limit breaks)

Also, a handy tip is when fighting a damage heavy opponent, back row+sadness is incredibly helpful for minimising damage. If memory serves I managed to beat the game in the level 50 area, managed to thrash Sephiroth with a Premium Heart limit break at Final Heaven, was about 4000+ damage each

 

[Blockinlick]

After reading up a little more and doing some research, I've decided to do it and only use comman materia, however, without Enemy Skill. I'd like to at least use things like steal, sense, and double cut. However, I realize that using Support Materia would kill/change the challenge since HP/MP ups would be overpowered... so I won't be using supports.

In the beginning I will use Cloud, Barret, and Aeris.
When I get Red, I will swap Barret out for him.

Spoiler

When Aeris dies, I will swap Cid in...

...and finish the game with Cloud, Red, and Cid.

As for Final Limits and Ultimate weapons, I will not be using Barrets Ultimate weapon because it relies entirely on Materia levels equipped to it. I wont be using Reds level 4 limit, as 9999 damage is not as good as multiple 1500-3000 hits from Stardust Ray.
One of you brought up a good point that I may have to use my entire list of players to fight sephiroth, so Barret weapon choice is still relevant.

I read that if you really pay attention to detail and prepare, that it's actually fairly easy. In fact, relevant to what one of you mentioned, the same read claimed that once you know what you're doing, you finish the game quicker because you don't spend all your time materia sorting and watching long spell animations.

I look forward to this run. Atm I've already started and am currently on the train on the way to blow up the 2nd reactor. If anything interesting or challenging happens, I'll keep you all updated.

 

[Starships]

I tried to do this once and I got bored pretty fast. You'll start to miss performing magic pretty fast and every single battle just feels like attack, attack, attack.

I got up to Kalm before I couldn't take it anymore and started spamming lightning and cure everywhere.

I heard that Blue Magic can help though. Aqua Lung can be pretty deadly and Trine.

 

[C i d]

*Moved to FFVII help booth*

 

[Blockinlick]

*Moved to FFVII help booth*

Oh thanks... now the thread will die in a forum no one watches. Sigh

 

[C i d]

Oh thanks... now the thread will die in a forum no one watches. Sigh

1. It is my job to ensure threads are in the right section. It is in the forum rules. Therefore we apologize if the rules are not to your advantage.
2. I doubt thread movements will have any effects on the people who will click on the link. This is because, the thread will appear in 'newest replies' for members who haven't viewed it.

Thanks for your understanding =)

 

[Blockinlick]

1. It is my job to ensure threads are in the right section. It is in the forum rules. Therefore we apologize if the rules are not to your advantage.
2. I doubt thread movements will have any effects on the people who will click on the link. This is because, the thread will appear in 'newest replies' for members who haven't viewed it.

Thanks for your understanding =)

I understand... it just sucks. lol

Let's try to keep the thread on topic please. Any further off-topic posts will be deleted.

No worries... there wont be any. Again, no one watches this forum.

 

[Ilyena]

Let's try to keep the thread on topic please. Any further off-topic posts will be deleted.

 

[Blockinlick]

Well, just in case any is reading at all, I've already run into a problem.

I've reached the "Tank Boss" at the end of the road mini-game after you exit the Shin-Ra headquarters. I had several Hi-Potions and many Potions stocked up, however, I had no choice but to exhaust all of my potions and all but 2 Hi-potions on the elevator boss.

I tried and died quickly the first time around.
The second attempt I rethought out my strategy and used Barret instead of Red. I also used Phoenix Downs wisely and Defended Aeris every time, as keeping my primary source of healing alive is first priority. However, I still lost.

The real problem here is that Clouds damage output is terrible, only doing 28 damage per hit. So with Aeris not attacking at all and Barret doing 51 damage a hit, he simply tanks [Pun intended] for too long and we exhaust all of our potions and phoenix downs too early. Each character has barely 400-500 life and his spinning fire attack does 180-190 to all. It's really too much to handle when you cannot use Bolt on him to kill him before he causes too much damage.

I really did give it my all the second time, I'm pretty confident I cannot do much better than I did then, but I think I'll give it a few more attempts.

 

[Ethics]

Ahaha, my first reaction was to type "Equip bolt, duh" but...


Anyhow. Are you able to buy grenades in that shop before the mini-game? I'm not sure how much damage they would do against the boss, but it may be better than cloud current output. Also, beforehand, why not train some limit breakers if possible? I see your problem, but I think they only solution I can think of at the moment is to train. I'll get around to starting a materia free run tonight as well, and will let you how that pans out if I get to this part before you move on.

 

[Blockinlick]

Ahaha, my first reaction was to type "Equip bolt, duh" but...


Anyhow. Are you able to buy grenades in that shop before the mini-game? I'm not sure how much damage they would do against the boss, but it may be better than cloud current output. Also, beforehand, why not train some limit breakers if possible? I see your problem, but I think they only solution I can think of at the moment is to train. I'll get around to starting a materia free run tonight as well, and will let you how that pans out if I get to this part before you move on.

The problem is, I saved at the first opportunity after I beat the elevator boss... and from that point, there is no way to train without some healing source and to my knowledge no where to buy any items whatsoever. Also, I could train cloud... and again there is no infinite source of healing and he's at low life at the point. So training really isn't an option, neither is buying items. I've got to figure out a way to pull it off with what I've got.

I knew I should have leveled up a bit when I was at Shin-Ra HQ. Bleh.

On my third attempt, I tried out Tifa instead of Barret and her damage is even worse than clouds. It looks like Barret is the obvious best option. I guess I'm just going to have to keep trying until I get a lucky break. Also, I tried attacking with Aeris this time around [She does a surprising 44 dmg a hit too] and I think when she's not guarded her limit goes up faster, so I get more healing in the end that way. So there is hope in that, if I try Barret out again.

 

[Ethics]

Tifa's limit break may more than make up the difference, depending on where you have her with limits now.

Why not have Cloud focus on healing and Aeris/Barret attack? Keep Cloud on the back row, ofc. Aeris' limit would simply alleviate some(a lot) of the healing required.

 

[Blockinlick]

Tifa's limit break may more than make up the difference, depending on where you have her with limits now.

Why not have Cloud focus on healing and Aeris/Barret attack? Keep Cloud on the back row, ofc. Aeris' limit would simply alleviate some(a lot) of the healing required.

No because I hit 2 Yeahs [I'm not very good at her limit] on her limit only did 120 dmg. However, Barrets Big Shot does like 160.

On a promising note,

I took a look at my inventory and I noticed I've overlooked two Elixers and 2 Tents. I could try training cloud using the two tents, but I'm sure I wont get any more than 1 level out of that. It's still better than not being able to advancd in the game at all though, so I'm going to try it.

Also, I'm going to try using Mind Blow instead of Big Shot because hopefully that tanks big attacks rely on MP. If I can drain it's MP enough, we wont need to worry about frantically healing so much after fire attacks.

Cloud +1 level, Barret Drains MP, +2 Elixers... let's see if I can pull this off.

 

[Ethics]

Let me know how that goes, I'll think on this a bit to see if I can come up with something else.

 

[Blockinlick]

Let me know how that goes, I'll think on this a bit to see if I can come up with something else.

Paused atm.

This 4th try is a failure so far but I discovered something that important though lol.

-I can't train Cloud it seems. The monsters in the only area I can train in do a whopping 90 dmg a hit, and with barely 500 life, I can barely manage half a bar of xp, so that's a no go.
-It turns out this tank doesn't use MP, as Mind Blow says "0 MP".

However, I did realize why Cloud was only doing 28 dmg a hit. I had their positions backwards lol. I had Aeris and Barret front rowed and Cloud Back Rowed. I switched them to the correct positions and now Barret somehow does a couple more dmg, Aeris does only 20, but Cloud is doing 60.

I had to waste a whole turn just to put it to normal, I wasted one of Barrets limits trying Mind Blow, and I let Barret take too many hits in the mini-game. So although I'll lose this time around, I'll be better suited next attempt.

...Scratch that... the fourth attempt was somehow successful. I'm amazed. I didn't do half as good as I should have and I somehow pulled it off. I guess the front/back row thing was 90% of my problem lol. I didn't even have to use either of my elixers. Kind of dumbfounded tbh.

I'll sum up how I did it for those who are going to try this run too.

-Use Barret & Aeris.
-The tank attacks you from the rear, so you've got to reverse your front/back lineup. Doing this is key to winning. So keep Barret and Aeris in the Back Row and Cloud in the Front Row. Again, this will be reverse from what you usually do though since it attacks from the rear.
-Attack with Aeris. Although her damage is insignificant, she will gain her limit break faster if she isn't defending.
-Do not use Mind Blow, this machine doesn't need MP.
-Start defending with someone as soon as their limit is really close [Like 1 hit away].
-Keep Barret alive at all costs, he's your biggest gun [Pun intended].

You know, it's battles like these that makes me appreciate the strategic aspect of this game. There are so many angles and tactics that you can resourcefully use to enhance your parties overall effectiveness. People say the No Materia game is just boring "Attack attack attack" spam, but really, it actually forces you to be more resourceful and tactical because you can't use powerful magic as crutch in every hard battle. When I used materia, it was ironically boring because all I needed to spam Lightning on him, heal, and nothing else.

I like it so far. I only failed because I made some fatal mistakes. [Mistakes I wont make again lol].

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

EDIT,

I just beat the sea monster at Junon and it was pretty difficult too, as just like the elevator boss, Barret was the only character who would hit it [As it was a Flying creature].

I won by
-Using Barret
-Using up most of my Hi Potions and all of my Phoenix Downs with good timing
-Using Mind Blow 3 times, which emptied out his MP so that he could not use that annoying Orb attack.
-Never healed or revived Cloud, I stuck to keeping Aeris and Barret alive. Cloud was mostly useless because every time his limit was close, the monster would just annoyingly Orb him. Aeris only really got to use Healing Wind twice, but that was all I needed.

Key issues with the boss
-Flying, so only ranged attacks and Limit breaks could hit him. Making Barret my only real offense.
-It's Orb prison makes a character inert [Does not get any turns] as they lose life at a fast rate until they die. To make matters worse, I think the Orb can only be removed with a magic attack... which ofc. can only be done with Materia and further complicates things.

If it wasn't for the above issues, this boss would be easy.