The magic system in Final Fantasy VII hinges on small crystalline orbs called materia. Materia is highly condensed mako, an energetic fluid that courses through the entire FF7 planet. Most of the time, materia is made synthetically in mako (power) plants, but every once in a while it can be found in the wild near a mako fountain.

Types of materia

There are five types of materia in the FF7 world, each corresponding to a type of magic:

In addition to the 'normal' materia in the green, yellow and red groups, these three have a special materia called 'master' materia. When a master green (magic) materia is equipped, the character will have at his command all the spells available in the game. The same is true of the master red (summon) materia. The master yellow (command) only comes with seven of the commands, but these are plenty.

Growth

Yes, materia grows. The rate depends on the weapon or armor it is equipped in (only equipped materia grows). All of the summon materia have five growth levels each, while the other materia groups have no set number of levels, ranging from 2 to 5. All growth is logarithmic in scale: each level requires more than the previous one did. Once a materia reaches its highest level it is said to be 'mastered', and it splits. The mastered materia remains, and a fresh level 1 materia of the same name as the original is generated. With support materia like all and elemental this is a very good thing, because there are few of either to be found in the game.

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