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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Folios: Unlocking Synergy Abilities

By
Nathan Garvin

Each character in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has a wide array of attacks they can make use of, including unique abilities like Cloud’s Operator Mode and Punisher mode, Barret’s Overcharge, Aerith’s Wards or Tifa’s chi levels and weapon abilities like "Focused Thrust" iconFocused Thrust, "Divekick" iconDivekick and "Arcane Ward" iconArcane Ward… and that’s before you consider any materia! If that’s not enough, characters can learn various abilities they can perform in tandem with their companions: Synergy Abilities and Synergy Skills. In order to unlock these synergy abilities you’ll need to delve into the magical world of Folio customization, and this page will explain what Folios and Manuscripts are, how to earn Skill Points (SP) and how to unlock new skills at Maghnata Books locations in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

(1 of 2) Early in the game you’ll be introduced to Maghnata Books, a store that allows you to customize your Folios.

Early in the game you’ll be introduced to Maghnata Books, a store that allows you to customize your Folios. (left), Fortunately there are also automated field branches, for your skill-tree adjusting needs. (right)

Folio Customization and Skill Points Explained

Folios in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth are, effectively, skill trees unique to each character. A rose by another name… you’ll be introduced to the concept at the beginning of the game, in "Kalm" iconKalm, but the idea is fairly simple despite the unorthodox terminology used: level up and you’ll earn Skill Points (SP), which can be spent to unlock skills. Each character earns SP independently as they level up, and each character has their own Folio, which is populated with numerous “Skill Cores”. Think Sphere Grid nodes in Final Fantasy X, except way less complex. Spend SP to unlock a Skill Core and the route to adjacent skill cores may appear, although which Skill Cores connect isn’t readily apparent when you unlock them.

Skill Cores can have a wide variety of effects, including unlocking new Synergy Abilities, Synergy Skills, giving you the ability to freely cast elemental magic, and good, old fashioned passive stat boosts.

(1 of 2) Level up and read Manuscripts to earn Skill Points (SP),

Level up and read Manuscripts to earn Skill Points (SP), (left), which can then be spent to unlock Skill Cores. (right)

Manuscripts Explained - FInal Fantasy VII Rebirth

In addition to leveling up you can find [Manuscripts] via various means. Manuscripts permanently award bonus SP when obtained, and each character has their own exclusive series of Manuscripts:

Character Manuscript
Aerith Telluric Scriptures
Barret Sharpshooter’s Companion
Cloud The Art of Swordplay
"Red XIII" iconRed XIII Tale of the Red Warrior
Tifa Way of the Fist

In order to customize your Folios (i.e. purchase and refund Skill Cores) you’ll need to visit a Maghnata Books location. Fortunately, there are mobile branches of these stores you can find in nearly every civilized locale (and then some!), so while you won’t be able to fiddle with your Folios while in the middle of the dungeon, any other time is pretty much a go. You can refund spent SP any time you visit a Maghanata Books location for no cost, just hold down DualSense-ButtonTriangle while selecting the offending Skill Core and you’re golden. Since there’s no penalty to investing, you might as well customize your Folios as the situation demands. Fight an enemy weak to fire? Unlock Wildfire Skill Cores for free fire magic casts. End up having to use specific party members? Make sure their Synergy Abilities/Skills are unlocked.

(1 of 2) Complete side quests and other optional content to earn Manuscripts, which permanently boost a character’s SP.

Complete side quests and other optional content to earn Manuscripts, which permanently boost a character’s SP. (left), Some Skill Cores require you to increase your Party Level, effectively progression locking them. (right)

Party Level and Folio Customization

In addition to Skill Points and purchasing adjacent Skill Cores, there’s one other requirement for Folio customization in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Party Level. Simply put, the more heroic acts you perform, challenges you overcome, and the greater your group cohesiveness, the more your Party Level will increase. This levels up like anything else - by earning XP based on your actions. Many Skill Cores are gated by Party Level requirements, and most of the Skill Cores in a Folio won’t even appear until you’ve increased your Party Level! This effectively serves to gate your progression, locking it behind main quest and side quest completion, among other sources of Party Level. Generally speaking, the more you advance through the game the higher your Party Level will get, and the more Skill Cores you’ll have access to.

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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Square Enix
  • Platforms,
    PS5
  • Genre
    Action RPG
  • Guide Release
    15 February 2024
  • Last Updated
    31 August 2024
    Version History
  • Guide Author

Share this free guide:

The second in a trio of games, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth continues with the epic retelling of the original Final Fantasy VII story. Follow Cloud Strife and company, as they chase Sephiroth, after the events that unfolded in the city of Midgar. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will contain the same action-based combat system introduced in Remake, with additions to keep it fresh. To help you along the way, this guide plans to contain the following content:

  • Breakdown of gameplay elements and combat mechanics
  • Detailed guides on how to play every playable character
  • Boss strategies for those who might be struggling
  • Walkthroughs for the harder-to-complete Side Quests
  • Locations of any and all Collectibles
  • Extensive list of all Minigames, with thorough guides on all of them
  • Roadmap and guide on how to unlock the coveted Platinum Trophy

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