Cloud is among the versatile members of Avalanche as he can excel in both offense and defense, which may confuse newer players if they're not yet familiar. I've got you covered with some of the most optimized and best builds for Cloud in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
If you're interested in other characters, check out our other Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth builds:
Best builds for Cloud in FF7 Rebirth
Since everyone plays differently, we've created more than one optimal build for Cloud. Test them out and see which one fits you more!
Early Punisher Build
The Default Cloud build provided in the early game is very decent and will get you through most of the Grasslands content. However, we can further optimize the build so you can tank more damage and have a wider range of spells.
| Slots | Equipment Name |
| Weapon | Buster Sword |
| Armor | Woodsprite Armlet |
| Accessory | Bulletproof Vest |
| Summon | Titan |
| Materia 1 (Weapon) | Fire and Ice |
| Materia 2 (Weapon) | Assess |
| Materia 1 (Armor) | HP Up |
| Materia 2 (Armor) | Precision Defense Focus |
| Weapon Skills | Improved Punisher |
| Spell Shortcut 1 (L1 + Square) | Braver |
| Spell Shortcut 2 (L1 + Triangle) | Focus Thrust |
| Spell Shortcut 3 (L1 + Circle) | Triple Slash |
| Spell Shortcut 4 (L1 + X) | Firebolt Blade (once mastered) |
Now you have your gear all set up and ready to go, it's time for the Folio skills. Here are the nodes I recommend getting as early as possible:
- Firework Blade
- Powerful Punisher
- Ranged Blade
- Max HP Up
- Snow Flurry
- Relentless Rush
- Wildfire
With this setup, you'll be the main tank of your team while also exploiting the Ice and Fire weaknesses of enemies. Since most enemies in the early game will mostly have physical attacks, you'll be able to utilize counters using your Punisher mode.
I opted to use both Red XIII and Barret's materials on Cloud (in the meantime) since Cloud can benefit from boosted stats to carry the team through the Grasslands region.
Cloud's default spell shortcuts are already enough as you have Focused Thrust for pressured enemies, Braver to deal a lot of damage once you've maxed the stagger multiplier, and Triple Slash for a much-needed crowd management skill. Firebolt Blade is a nice skill to pick up. However, it's not necessary for this build, as you already have access to a fire spell.
Related: How to reduce stuttering and input lag in FF7 Rebirth
Elemental Exploiter Tank Build
This build utilizes the Sleek Saber, which has a lesser Magic Attack than the Buster Sword, but its Weapon Skill makes up for it. Here's the setup below:
| Slots | Equipment Name |
| Weapon | Sleek Saber |
| Armor | Shinra Bangle Mk.II or Copper Bracer |
| Accessory | Bulletproof Vest or Earrings |
| Summon | Posh Chocobo (if you have it) or Shiva |
| Materia 1 (Weapon) | Fire and Ice |
| Materia 2 (Weapon) | MP Up |
| Materia 3 (Weapon) | Hp Up |
| Materia 1 (Armor) | Lightning or Wind Materia You can replace either materias with a Lightning and Wind Materia later down the line, which gives access to both spells |
| Materia 2 (Armor) | Wind |
| Weapon Skills | Magic Attack Power +20 |
| Spell Shortcut 1 (L1 + Square) | Any Elemental Spell |
| Spell Shortcut 2 (L1 + Triangle) | Any Elemental Spell |
| Spell Shortcut 3 (L1 + Circle) | Any Elemental Spell |
| Spell Shortcut 4 (L1 + X) | Focused Thrust |
Here are the Folio nodes I recommend for this setup:
- Ranged Blade
- Max HP Up
- Snow Flurry
- Relentless Rush
- Wildfire
- Firework Blade
- Wind Current
- Counterfire
- Static Shock
This build turns Cloud into a reliable tank/weakness exploiter during battles. He will be able to take damage from enemies upfront while being able to cast a wide variety of spells to exploit enemy weaknesses throughout the battle.
You do have to be careful with this build as it's only a semi-tank, meaning it can't take too much damage, unlike the previous Punisher Build. I recommend having a main tank in your party, like Red XIII, to help you draw aggro from the enemies in case you need to heal Cloud.
Plasma Discharge Build
If you're looking for the most overpowered early-game builds, this is the one you're looking for. However, you do need to get the enemy skill Plasma Discharge first.
| Slots | Equipment Name |
| Weapon | Sleek Saber |
| Armor | Shinra Bangle Mk.II or Copper Bracer |
| Accessory | Aureate Pinion |
| Summon | Ifrit Materia |
| Materia 1 (Weapon) | Fire and Ice |
| Materia 2 (Weapon) | MP Up (replaceable with ATB Stagger once you obtain one) |
| Materia 3 (Weapon) | Hp Up |
| Materia 1 (Armor) | First Strike |
| Materia 2 (Armor) | Plasma Discharge |
| Weapon Skills | ATB Charge Rate Up |
| Spell Shortcut 1 (L1 + Square) | Braver |
| Spell Shortcut 2 (L1 + Triangle) | Focused Thrust |
| Spell Shortcut 3 (L1 + Circle) | Firebolt Blade |
| Spell Shortcut 4 (L1 + X) | Plasma Discharge |
This is arguably the most broken early-game build. Plus, you can further boost this build using these Folio nodes:
- Firework Blade
- Powerful Punisher
- Counterfire
- Enhanced Attack
- Weapon Ability Damage Up
- Relentless Rush
This build works by utilizing the First Strike Materia and ATB Charge Rate Up, which, in turn, gives you a massive boost in filling up your ATB Gauge. The real damage comes in once the Plasma Discharge procs, which happens once you fill up your ATB Gauge.
Since you have a build centered around charging your ATB Gauge as quickly as possible, you can expect a boatload of Plasma Discharge procs throughout your enemy encounters. Plasma Discharge also imbues your sword with lightning elemental, so you don't even need an Elemental Materia.
For more guides on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, check out Where to find Quetzalcoatl Talon in FF7 Rebirth right here at Pro Game Guides!
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Best Builds for Cloud in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
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