How to Upgrade Summons in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

This article is part of a directory: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: Complete Guide & Walkthrough

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Those who played the original release of Final Fantasy 7 will know that the game allowed players to increase the level of their Summon Materia by gaining a certain amount of AP. Although this wasn't a thing in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, players are once again able to upgrade Summon Materia in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth; albeit using a very different method to the one found in the PS1 classic.

The full party in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Sephiroth walking into the flames in Nibelheim

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Burning Questions

Those hoping to learn more about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth have come to the right place, as we have answers to all the most frequently asked questions.

It's important to note that not all Summon Materia can be upgraded in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, nor does increasing a Summon's rank allow players to use it more often in battle like it did in the original game. There are still plenty of benefits to improving Summon Materia though, from making their respective simulator battles a little easier to bulking up their already impressive strength.

How to Upgrade Summon Materia in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

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In order to upgrade their Summon Materia, players will need to gather Divine Intel. Each open-world region has three Divine Sanctuaries that are tied to the Summon Materia obtained there. By finding all three of these Sanctuaries and successfully completing a memory/rhythm mini-game in each of them, players can improve their Summon Materia up to three times. Only Summon Materia obtained through the combat simulator can be upgraded, meaning that DLC and starting Summons will be locked at level 1. Players will be able to find Divine Sanctuaries by breaking the glowing crystals nearby and then following the ball of light that doing so releases.

How Do Divine Sanctuaries Work in FF7 Rebirth?

In order to complete a Divine Sanctuary puzzle, players will first need to watch and memorize a sequence of button presses that appear on the screen in front of them. These sequences become more complex in the game's later chapters, but by focusing on the rhythm, the button order, and the starting position of the first symbol, players should be able to master them pretty quickly. Even if they don't, there's no limit on the number of times that players can retry, so it's really a matter of when rather than if they get it right.

What Does Upgrading Summon Materia Do?

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Upgrading Summon Materia through crystal analysis will allow players to face off against weaker versions of the Summon in the combat simulator, making it much easier to unlock them in the first place. As such, some may want to seek out all three Divine Sanctuaries before actually obtaining the Summon Materia from Chadley. For each additional star that the Summon Materia gains, it will also gain a new ability, ranging from stat boosts to new attacks.