FINAL FANTASY VII | Optional Party Members Guide

This guide will assist you in getting the two hidden party members found throughout FINAL FANTASY VII

Introduction

Throughout FINAL FANTASY VII, there are two hidden party members that are optional. The two characters can be completely missed unless the player randomly comes across them or performs specific actions. In this guide, I will be showing you what you need to do in order to unlock each of these characters, as well as unlock some sweet achievements in the process.

Image courtesy of TheGamer[www.thegamer.com]

Yuffie

Yuffie Kisaragi[finalfantasy.fandom.com] is a ninja and materia hunter hailing from Wutai Village, wielding a large shuriken as her weapon of choice. As a party member[finalfantasy.fandom.com], Yuffie throws her shuriken like a boomerang, making her a long-range character who can do full damage from the back row. While her main stats are below average, she has high Dexterity, causing her ATB-gauge to fill faster. She also has the best Luck stat of any party member.

In order to recruit Yuffie, the player must battle her as a random encounter, where she is known as "Mystery Ninja"[finalfantasy.fandom.com]. This enemy has a low-encounter rate, and is only encountered in forest areas of the world map. She can first be encountered in the Junon Area after getting through the Mythril Mine (as this is the first forest the player encounters).



The following are her encounter rates:

Forest Location	Rate
Junon Area	32/256
Gongaga Area	64/256
Nibel Area	64/256
Rocket Launch Pad Area	255/256
Woodlands Area	128/256
Mideel Area	128/256
Goblin Island	128/256
Round Island	128/256

After defeating Mystery Ninja, a short scene will play starting with Yuffie lying on the ground. There is also a save point on the field—DO NOT USE IT. Using this save point or opening your menu in any capacity will cause the sneaky ninja to make her quick getaway!

Instead, approach the ninja and talk with her. At this point you will have to give the correct responses to her statements. Giving an incorrect answer causes her to steal something and flee. Giving correct answers will also allow you to earn some extra points with her for the date scene[finalfantasy.fandom.com].

The correct answers are:

1. "You spiky-headed jerk! One more time, let's go one more time!"
   Not interested
   
2. "You're pretty scared of me, huh!?"
   ......petrified
   
3. "I'm really gonna leave! REALLY!"
   Wait a second!
   
4. "You want me to go with you?"
   ......That's right
   
5. "All right! I'll go with you!"
   ......Let's hurry on

Yuffie can be recruited at any point throughout the game. Her level when encountered depends on
the player's level, not the location where she is encountered in. If recruited, she appears in several
story moments throughout the game such as the
Sapphire Weapon event in Junon[finalfantasy.fandom.com], and is required for the Wutai Pagoda sidequest[finalfantasy.fandom.com]

Note that there are two specific points in the game in which Mystery Ninja cannot be encountered:

• After resting in the Grandmother's House in Under Junon, but before crossing to Costa del Sol.
  
• After entering Cosmo Canyon, but before completing the Cave of the Gi dungeon.

Player's level	Yuffie's level
1-20	17
21-25	22
26-30	27
31-35	32
36-40	37
41-99	42

Vincent

Vincent Valentine[finalfantasy.fandom.com] is a former member of the Turks with a mysterious past, wielding handguns as his weapon of choice. As a party member[finalfantasy.fandom.com], Vincent uses a variety of guns, making him a long-range character who can do full damage from the back row. While his overall stats are rather low, he excels in Magic, Spirit, and max MP. He also has unique limit breaks; one for each level, with transformations that last for an entire battle.

In order to recruit Vincent, the player must find him in the Shinra Mansion[finalfantasy.fandom.com]. To find Vincent, you must first obtain the 'Mansion Key' item from the safe on the second floor of the mansion. Hints to find the code to the safe can be found near the entrance, though it is not required to find these notes if you know the code already. Luckily for you, you have me!

The code to the safe is:
 Right 🡒 36
 Left 🡐 10
 Right 🡒 59
 Right 🡒 97
You must land exactly on the number. If you go past it, restart.

Once you've opened the safe, you'll have to fight the Lost Number[finalfantasy.fandom.com] boss. After defeating the boss, the key can be picked up from inside the safe. Be sure to pick up the Odin summon materia as well! Proceed on with the story and head into the basement of the mansion. The entrance to the basement is found on the right-side of the second floor (opposite of where the safe is).

Proceed into the basement until you see an off-shoot room. Interact with the coffin here to find the mysterious man. The player must mention Sephiroth to him, piquing his interest. When the coffin closes, interact with it again and ask for his name to learn that he is Vincent. Then leave the area. When leaving the basement, Vincent will stop the party and ask to join.


Vincent can be recruited at any point throughout the game, although it is advisable to get him the first time you go to Shinra Mansion. This is due to several unique scenes that involve Vincent throughout the game, including at the Gold Saucer, during a major boss fight, and also the Vincent-exclusive Lucrecia's Cave scene/quest[finalfantasy.fandom.com]. Ironically, he can still be recruited after defeating the boss, which is his motivation for joining the party. His level when joining the party depends on the formula of [(average party level) + 3].

Conclusion

As a reward for obtaining these two party members, you will receive the following achievements:

	Yuffie Get Yuffie on your team
	Vincent Get Vincent on your team

Obtaining Yuffie and Vincent also allows you to obtain the following achievements:

	Greased Lightning Use Yuffie's 1st limit
	Galian Beast Use Vincent's 1st limit
	All Creation Get Yuffie's last Limit Break
	Chaos Get Vincent's last Limit Break

I hope this guide was helpful in your quest to complete FINAL FANTASY VII. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please leave them down below. Until next time!