Enemy Skill Locations & Guide - FF7 Walkthrough
In almost every Final Fantasy game there is a way for you to learn some of the skills that the enemies use. Also for most Final Fantasy games the strength of these skills greatly varies. For Final Fantasy 7 these skills are insanely useful and they make beating the game almost twice as easy. I cannot recommend enough that you go out of your way to acquire these throughout the game.
All you have to do to learn an enemy skill is be hit by that skill while equipped with the Enemy Skill Materia. There are a total of four Enemy Skill Materias in the game and there is no way to duplicate them, mastering them does nothing but make you feel good about your achievement.
Here is a list of where you can find each of the four Enemy Skill Materia:
Materia #1: Shinra Building in the specimen tank that Red XIII was held captive in (appears after defeating the boss)
Materia #2: Found in the basement of a building in Junon
Materia #3: Behind the bed in the 'Inn' of Forgotten Capital
Materia #4: Chocobo Sage's house after you obtain the Highwind during Disc 2
On this page I also have two lists for each of the enemy skills that you can learn. Just below these paragraphs you'll find a succinct list of all the enemy skills in the order of which they are able to be acquired throughout the game. Technically Beta/Midgar Zolom is out of order because when you first run into him you most likely won't be able to get Beta from him.
There's only two enemy skills in this game that you can permanently miss and they are Trine as well as Pandora's Box. If it makes you feel better I think both suck and aren't even worth getting. Aqualung and Magic Breath do more damage than Trine and Pandora's Box is just stupidly complicated to get, it'll probably have you waste a few hours reloading save files.
1. Matra Magic: Area around Midgar
2. L4 Suicide: Grasslands around Midgar
3. Chocobuckle: Any Chocobo
4. Flame Thrower: Mythril Mines
5. Laser: Corel Prison
6. Aqualung: Desert around Gold Saucer
7. Big Guard: Costa del Sol beach
8. White Wind: Junon Area
9. Beta: Midgar Zolom
10. Frog Song: Gongaga Forest
11. Death Sentence: Cave of Gi
12. ????: Shinra Mansion
13. **Trine: Mt Nibel (Materia Keeper Boss)**
14. Death Force: Wutai Beach
15. Magic Hammer: Around Wutai
16. Bad Breath: Gaea's Cliff
17. Magic Breath: Inside Gaea's Cliff
18. Goblin Punch: Goblin Island
19. Shadow Flare: Ultimate Weapon (Boss) & others
20. Dragon Force: Northern Cave
21. L5 Death: Northern Cave
22. Roulette: Northern Cave
23. Angel Whisper: Northern Cave
24. **Pandora's Box: Northern Cave**
As for the second list, I have provided pictures of each enemy that gives you a certain enemy skill so you know exactly what it is you're looking for.
Matra Magic Enemy Skill
This Enemy Skill is first available around Midgar but you most likely won't pick it up until Corel Prison later. You can return to the area around Midgar at any point later in the game to acquire this enemy skill, it's the easiest location to access.
Custom Sweeper A: Area around Midgar
Bullmotor: Corel Prison
Death Machine: Junon Path
Corel Prison - Bullmotor
L4 Suicide Enemy Skill
Mu: Around Chocobo Farm
Trickplay: Icicle Area
You can acquire this Enemy Skill at the same time as Matra Magic. In the area surrounding the Chocobo Farm on Disc 1 look for the rabbit enemies hiding in a hole. These enemies will only use the L4 Suicide ability if you have a character in your party whose level is a multiple of 4.
Chocobuckle Enemy Skill
To acquire this Enemy Skill you'll first need the Lv 4 Suicide Enemy Skill. You will also need to purchase Mimett for Sylkis Greens, I have personally tested it with Mimett and Reagen Greens and it only worked with Mimett but I have ready Sylkis works too.
Fight Chocobos around the Chocobo Farm area until you get into a battle with a Chocobo and two of the bird (Mandragora) enemies (pictured above). This Chocobo is level 16 - every other Chocobo with every other pairing of enemies is level 13, this is how you can tell them apart. Once you're in battle with one, feed it Mimett Greens or Sylkis Greens then use Lv 4 Suicide on it, it'll retaliate with Chocobuckle.
Flame Thrower Enemy Skill
Arkdragon: Mythril Mines
Dragon: Mt. Nibel
The easiest enemy to find to learn Flame Thrower from is the Arkdragon in Mythril Mines. From my experience their encounter rate is higher in the final room of the dungeon, just before the Junon area. Dragons are found in the same area of Mt. Nibel that you found the Materia Keeper boss. Use Manipulate if needed to force the enemy to use Flame Thrower.
Laser Enemy Skill
Death Claw: Corel Prison
Dark Dragon: Northern Crater
If you miss the Laser Enemy Skill from Corel Prison then you'll have to wait until Northern Crater to get it again. Once you're able to access Northern Crater though obtaining this item is a piece of cake, Dark Dragons are common and easy enemies in the entrance portion of the dungeon.
Big Guard Enemy Skill
Beachplug: Area around Costa Del Sol
There's only a single enemy in the entire game that will teach you Big Guard and that's the Beachplug enemies on the beaches around Costa Del Sol, Gold Saucer and Gongaga. Out of all the Enemy Skills in the game, this one is probably the best and it's highly recommended you learn it ASAP.
Aqualung Enemy Skill
Harpy: Desert Around Gold Saucer (ride around in it with the Buggy)
Jenova Life: Fought at the end of Disc 1 in the Forgotten Captial
Serpent: Found in the Sunken Gelnika dungeon
You can first learn Aqualung from the Harpy enemies in the desert area around Gold Saucer on Disc 1. After that you'll have to wait until Disc 2 when you gain access to the Sunken Gelnika. Serpents in the Sunken Gelnika are the best way to learn Aqualung if you're already on Disc 2 or later.
White Wind Enemy Skill
Zemzelett: Found in the area around Junon
Wind Wing: Found in the Whirlwind Maze during Disc 2
Zemzelett enemies are the best way to learn White Wind. The Wind Wings are found in the Whirldwind Maze which is only accessible for a very short time during Disc 2, making them an unreliable way to obtain this Enemy Skill.
Beta Enemy Skill
Only a single enemy in the entire game teaches the Beta Enemy Skill and that's the Midgar Zolom just south of Chocobo Farm. You can learn this your first time in the area with a proper strategy or if you wait until you get the Big Guard Enemy Skill - at which point the blast from Beta will be easy to survive.
Frog Song Enemy Skill
Touch Me: Gongaga Forests
Toxic Frog: Temple of the Ancients
Christopher: Northern Cave
Touch Me and Toxic Frog both commonly use this ability, and Touch Me is the easiest way for you to obtain this Enemy Skill for a majority of the game. Toxic Frogs you only encounter for a short period of time while you're in the Temple of the Ancients.
Christophers are found in the Swamp area of the Northern Crater and you'll have to Manipulate them in order to get them to use the Frog Song ability, they don't use it naturally.
Death Sentence - Enemy Skill
Sneaky Step: Cave of the Gi
Gi Specter: Cave of the Gi
Bound Fat: Corel Valley
The first and easiest location for you to learn this ability is in the Cave of the Gi. However this dungeon can only be accessed for a short period of time and once you complete it you can never return... Thus, if you miss Death Sentence here your next best option for learning it is from the Bound Fat enemies in Corel Valley.
For more information about exactly where you can find the Boundfat enemies I recommend checking out my How to Farm Dazers Guide. That will lead you straight to these enemies. You'll have to use Manipulate on the Bound Fats to get them to cast Death Sentence.
???? Enemy Skill
Jersey: Shinra Mansion
Behemoth: Sector 8 (Disc 2)
The Jersey enemy inside Shinra Mansion is the best way to obtain this ability since you won't have steady access to the Behemoths in Sector 8. You'll want to wait until the Jersey enemies use this ability during battle - don't damage them too much or they will change forms and won't use the ???? Enemy Skill.
Trine Enemy Skill
Materia Keeper: Mt. Nibel
Godo: Wutai Pagoda
Stilva: Inside Gaea's Cliff
This is one of the few Enemy Skills which you can permanently miss in the game. Both Materia Keeper and Godo are bosses and you can only fight them a single time. Stilva you can fight as many times as you want but once you complete the dungeon you can never return.
It's recommended that you save Godo until you have all four Enemy Skill Materia (if you're trying to learn all Enemy Skills with all the Materia). He'll be your last opportunity in the game to learn Trine depending when you complete the Wutai Pagoda Side Quest.
Death Force Enemy Skill
Adamantaimai: Wutai Beach
Only a single enemy in the game uses the Death Force ability, the Adamantaimai enemies on the beaches around Wutai. You'll have to Manipulate the enemy and use Death Force on whomever has the Enemy Skill Materia equipped to learn this ability.
Magic Hammer Enemy Skill
Razor Weed: Wutai Area
These enemies are found in the grassy areas surrounding Wutai. They do use Magic Hammer during battle but it'll make things much easier if you just Manipulate them and use it on yourself.
Bad Breath Enemy Skill
Marlboro: Gaea's Cliff & Northern Cave
Only a single enemy teaches this Enemy Skill but you can encounter them in two different locations. First you'll find them in Gaea's Cliff during Disc 2 and later on during Disc 3 in the Northern Cave/Crater.
Magic Breath Enemy Skill
Stilva: Inside Gaea's Cliff
Parasite: Northern Crater
Your first opportunity to learn Magic Breath in the game is from the Stilva enemies inside Gaea's Cliff. You can also learn Trine from this same enemy - both of which are highly recommended you do while in this dungeon. Magic Breath is a beefed up version of Aqualung and is extremely useful to learn.
If you miss out on learning this Enemy Skill from Stilva then you'll have to wait until the Northern Crater during Disc 3 and Manipulate a Parasite to learn it from them.
Goblin Punch Enemy Skill
Goblin: Goblin Isle
You'll find Goblin Isle in the northeastern most portion of the map, it's an island to the south of the Materia Cave with Knights of the Round. Just roam around in the forests on this island and you'll bump into a Goblin in no time, Manipulate them and use Goblin Punch on whomever has the Enemy Skill Materia equipped.
Shadow Flare Enemy Skill
Ultima Weapon: Cloud's Ultimate Weapon Side Quest
Ruby Weapon: Ruby Weapon Side Quest
Dragon Zombie: Northern Crater
The easiest enemy to learn this from is Ultima Weapon, he uses this Enemy skill when he's defeated on one of your characters. You may have to reset the game and give this a few attempts but equip all your Enemy Skill Materias to one character and cross your fingers!
An alternative to Ultima Weapon is fighting Dragon Zombies in the Northern Crater. Get the Pandora's Box Enemy Skill from them first then you can get Shadow Flare next.
Dragon Force Enemy Skill
Dark Dragon: Northern Crater
The only enemy in the game that uses Dragon Force is the Dark Dragon enemy in Northern Crater. In order to get him to use this ability on you or your group you'll need to first Manipulate him and then target a group member.
L5 Death Enemy Skill
Parasite: Northern Crater
Use Manipulate on the Parasite enemies at the entrance to Northern Crater and use L5 Death on a member of your group that has the Enemy Skill Materia equipped. In my experience the Parasites very rarely use this ability naturally.
Roulette Enemy Skill
Death Dealer: Northern Crater
In the Dragon Graveyard portion of the Northern Crater you'll find Death Dealer enemies that can use the Roulette Enemy Skill. This targets a random enemy or player in the battle and may take a few attempts to actually land on the right character. Use Manipulate to force him to spam the ability to better our odds.
Angel Whisper Enemy Skill
Pollensalta: Northern Crater
Only one enemy in the game can teach you Angel Whisper and that's the Pollensalta enemies in the Dragon Graveyard portion of Northern Crater. You'll have to Manipulate them then use the ability on whomever has the Enemy Skill Materia equipped.
Pandora's Box Enemy Skill
Dragon Zombie: Northern Crater
This ability is only used a single time per playthrough by the Dragon Zombie when it is defeated. If you see the message "Dragon Zombie's skill power has been used up" you'll want to reset your game too because that means it tried to use the ability but failed.... This counts as using it.