Synergy Abilities and Synergy Skills
Rebirth bolts two new mechanics onto FF7 Remake's combat: Synergy Skills (free, always available) and Synergy Abilities (limited, build up over a fight). Both are on the L1 wheel and players confuse them constantly.
Synergy Skills (free, anytime)
- Hold R1 / L1 to open the wheel.
- Two skills per partner, no ATB cost, fills both characters' ATB on use.
- Free damage and utility. Use them constantly.
- Cloud + Aerith Counterfire blocks ranged projectiles in Punisher mode.
- Cloud + Aerith Spellblade is one of the strongest free hits in the game.
- Tifa's offensive skills get her airborne instantly.
Press the touchpad while the wheel is open to read skill descriptions.
Synergy Abilities (limited, build up)
- Open the command menu — those small bars next to a partner are the Synergy gauge.
- Filled by spending ATB on abilities, spells, or items.
- Once full, the duo executes a Synergy Ability — a powerful cinematic that grants one of four bonuses:
- Infinite MP for a short duration
- Extended stagger window
- Limit break level up — unlocks higher-tier limit breaks
- Three-bar ATB split — more actions, faster
Which bonus to pick
Arekkz's recommendation, which lines up with the community: limit-break level + ATB split are the strongest. The MP bonus is wasted unless you're a magic-heavy build, and the stagger extension is okay but the others scale better.
Synergy Support materia
- Equip on a character → they generate extra Synergy gauge bars when other party members use Synergy Abilities. Stack on Aerith, who's ATB-spamming spells anyway.
If stuck: if your Synergy Ability bars never fill, you're not spending ATB. Synergy gauge requires abilities, spells, or items — auto-attacks alone don't fill it.