Final Fantasy VII Enemy Skills Guide

In Final Fantasy VII, there are a total of 24 "enemy skills" that can be learned from various creatures and bosses throughout the game. Some of these skills are invaluable, especially in the earlier stages in the game and before you acquire or level up certain magic materia. I'm personally a huge fan of enemy skills and make sure all three of 
my main party members are equipped with it at all times.

There are four empty enemy skill materia in the game, and they are as follows:

• After fighting the boss in Hojo's lab, an enemy skill materia will be dropped in the sample tank (Disc 1)
• In the Respectable Inn in Junon; go down a ladder where a soldier is standing and the materia is right beside the entrance (Disc 1)
• In the corner of the house in the Forgotten Capital where your party rests before fighting Jenova Life (Disc 1)
• Speak to the Chocobo Sage's green Chocobo, and he will give you a materia (Disc 2)

Here's a little video guide I've put together of the quickest, easiest and most straightforward method of getting all of the enemy skills on at least one of your materias. For a more in depth guide, scroll down - I have compiled a list of all of the enemies in the game that can teach skills, as well as methods of finding rare and miss-able skills.

Matra Magic

Non-elemental damage to all opponents - 8MP

The first enemy that can teach you Matra Magic is the Custom Sweeper, which are found just outside of Midgar. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Custom Sweeper

The second enemy that can teach you Matra Magic is the Death Machine, which are found in a corridor in Junon where a group of soldiers are practicing - simply hit the alarm button on the wall to make enemies spawn. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Death Machine

The third enemy that can teach you Matra Magic is the Bullmotor, which are found on your trip to Corel Prison - so you have a limited time to fight these enemies. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Bullmotor

L4 Suicide
Causes [Critical/Small] with levels in multiples of 4 - 10MP

BEWARE: Characters' whose levels are a multiple of 4 (16, 20, 24 etc.) will be hit with critical damage and small status when hit by L4 Suicide.

The first enemy that can teach you L4 Suicide is the Mu, which are found outside of the Chocobo Ranch. They cannot be manipulated, so you will have to wait until they use the enemy skill.

Mu

The second enemy that can teach you L4 Suicide is the Trickplay, which are found in the Forgotten Capital and the grassy areas around Icicle Inn. They cannot be manipulated, so you will have to wait until they use the enemy skill.

Trickplay

Flame Thrower
Causes Fire damage to any single opponent - 10MP

The first enemy that can teach you Flame Thrower is the Ark Dragon, which are found in the Mythril Mines. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Ark Dragon

The second enemy that can teach you Flame Thrower is the Dragon, which are found in Mt. Nibel, the same area in which you fight the Materia Keeper boss. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Dragon

Chocobuckle
Non-elemental damage on any one opponent - 3MP

NOTE: In order to learn Chocobuckle, you must have some Mimett Greens in your inventory and have already learned the L4 Suicide enemy skill.

The only enemies that can teach you the Chocobuckle enemy skill are Chocobos whose levels are divisible by four (i.e. 12, 16, 20 etc) - the easiest method to find one of these Chocobos is to walk on the tracks outside of the Chocobo Ranch until a battle spawns with a Chocobo and two Levrikon (see below) - feed the Mimett Greens to the Chocobo and have the person you wish to learn Chocobuckle cast L4 Suicide on it.

Beta
Fire damage on all opponents - 35MP

NOTE: It can be difficult to learn Beta during the first potential encounter with the Midgar Zolom, as it is a very powerful attack that has the potential of instantly killing your whole party.

The only enemy in the game that can teach you the Beta enemy skill is the Midgar Zolom; the huge serpent creature that is found in the marshes on the east continent. The Midgar Zolom will use Beta when it is low on health, after it enters its standing upright pose. The method I used to learn it at an early stage of the game was let Aeris kill lots of enemies to allow her to learn the Planet Protector Limit Break - which granted the party invulnerability. The Midgar Zolom cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Midgar Zolom

Aqualung
Water damage on all opponents - 34MP

The first enemy that can teach you Aqualung is the Harpy, which can be found in a Chocobo battle in the Gold Saucer area, or can be found as a random encounter in the desert area when using the buggy. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Harpy

The second enemy that can teach you Aqualung is the boss Jenova Life; which is fought in the Forgotten Capital at the end of disc 1. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Jenova Life

The third enemy that can teach you Aqualung is the Serpent, which are found in the storage area of the crashed aeroplane the Gelinka, accessible on disc 2 after you acquire the submarine. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Serpent

Laser
Lessens one opponent's HP by 1/2 - 16MP

The first enemy that can teach you Laser is the Death Claw, which are found on your trip to Corel Prison. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Death Claw

The second enemy that can teach you Laser is the Dark Dragon, which are found in the Northern Cave. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Dark Dragon

Big Guard
Adds [Barrier/MBarrier/Haste] to every ally - 56MP

While there are two enemies in the game that know this skill, only one of them can teach you the skill, and that is the Beachplug, which are found on the beach area near Costa Del Sol. In order to learn the skill, you MUST manipulate them.

Beachplug

White Wind
Restores HP and status to every ally - 34MP

There are two enemies in the game that know White Wind, however only one of them can be manipulated, while the other must be confused - which is less reliable. The enemy that can teach you the skill is the Zemelett, which are found on the grasslands area outside of Junon. In order to learn the skill, you MUST manipulate them.

Zemelett

Frog Song
Causes [Sleepel/Frog] on one opponent - 5MP

NOTE: I recommend equipping your party members with items that protect against being turned into a frog, such as the White Cape or the Ribbon.

The first enemy that can teach you this skill is the Touch Me, which can be found in the forest areas around Gongaga Village. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Touch Me

The second enemy that can teach you this skill is the Toxic Frog, which can be found in the Temple Of The Ancients. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Toxic Frog

The third enemy that can teach you this skill is the Christopher, which can be found in the Northern Cave. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Christopher

Death Sentence
Pronounces death sentence on any one opponent - 10MP

The first enemy that can teach you this skill is the Sneaky Step, which are found in the Cave Of The Gi. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Sneaky Step

The second enemy that can teach you this skill is the Gi Spector, which are found in the Cave Of The Gi. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Gi Spector

The third enemy that can teach you this skill is the Boundfat, which are found at Coral Valley Cave. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Boundfat

????
Does damage equal to user's MaxHP/HP - 3MP

The first enemy that can teach you this skill is the Jersey, which are found in the Shinra Mansion. They will not use ???? if they are attacked, however - so be patient and don't attack (including counter attacks) until you've learned the skill. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Jersey

The second enemy that can teach you this skill is the Behemoth, which are found in Sector 8 during your return to Midgar. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Behemoth

Trine
Lightning damage on all opponents - 20MP

NOTE: Trine is a MISSABLE enemy skill; it is relatively simple to get it on one, two or three of your enemy skill materia - but getting it on all four requires some planning ahead.

The first enemy that can teach you this skill is the Materia Keeper boss that you fight in Mt. Nibel. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Materia Keeper

The second enemy that can teach you this skill is the boss of the Wutai Pagoda, Godo. If you want to learn the enemy skill on all four materia - wait until disc 2 to complete the optional Wutai quest - or do not fight Godo on disc 1, instead return after getting the Highwind and the 4th enemy skill materia. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Godo (Beast Form)

The third enemy that can teach you this skill is the Stilva, which are found in the Gaea Cliffs. In order to learn the skill, you MUST manipulate them.

Stilva

Death Force
Makes any one ally immune to death - 3MP

There is only one enemy in the game that can teach you this skill, and that is the Adamantaimai, which are found on the beaches outside of Wutai. In order to learn the skill, you MUST manipulate them.

Adamantaimai

Magic Hammer
Drains 100 MP out of every opponent - 3MP

There is only one enemy in the game that can teach you this skill, and that is the Razor Weed, which are found on the grasslands area outside of Wutai. In order to learn the skill, you MUST manipulate them.

Razor Weed

Bad Breath
[Poison/Confu/Sleepel/Silence/Small/Frog] on all - 58MP

There is only one enemy in the game that can teach you this skill, and that is the Malboro, which can be found in the Gaea Cliffs on disc 2 and in the Northern Cave on disc 3. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Malboro

Magic Breath
[Fire/Ice/Lightning] damage on all opponents - 75MP

The first enemy that can teach you this skill is the Stilva, which are found in the Gaea Cliffs. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Stilva

The second enemy that can teach you this skill is the Parasite, which are found in the Northern Cave. In order to learn the skill, you MUST manipulate them.

Parasite

Goblin Punch
Non-elemental damage on any one opponent - 0MP

There is only one enemy in the game that can teach you this skill, which is the Goblin, which are found only on Goblin Island, a small island in the north-east corner of the map which is covered with forests. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Goblin

Dragon Force
Raises the Defense and Magic Def. level of one ally - 19MP

There is only one enemy in the game that can teach you this skill, and that is the Dark Dragon, which are found in the Nothern Cave. In order to learn the skill, you MUST manipulate them.

Dark Dragon

L5 Death
Causes [Death] on levels in multiples of 5 - 22MP

BEWARE: Characters' whose levels are a multiple of 5 (50, 55, 60 etc.) will be hit with instant death when hit with L5 Death - so cast Death Force or equip a Safety Bit as protection.

There is only one enemy in the game that can teach you this skill, and that is the Parasite, which are found in the Northern Cave. In order to learn the skill, you MUST manipulate them.

Parasite

Angel Whisper
Revives, restores HP and status to any one ally - 50MP

There is only one enemy in the game that can teach you this skill, and that is the Pollensalta, which are found in the Northern Cave. In order to learn the skill, you MUST manipulate them.

Pollensalta

Pandora's Box Big damage on all opponents, ignores defense - 110MP

NOTE: You have ONE chance and only ONE chance to learn this enemy skill in the game; so I suggest equipping all four enemy skill materia on one character and having that character deliver the final blow.

There is only one enemy in the game that can teach you this skill, and that is the Dragon Zombie, which are found in the Northern Cave. It will use Pandora's Box as a final attack - but due to variables in the game, this attack will only ever be used ONCE per save file, so it is a MISSABLE enemy skill. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Dragon Zombie

Roulette
Pronounces death on any one opponent or ally - 6MP

BEWARE: Characters will be hit with instant death when hit with Roulette - so cast Death Force or equip a Safety Bit as protection.

There is only one enemy in the game that can teach you this skill, and that is the Death Dealer, which are found in the Northern Cave. They can be manipulated, but it is not necessary to learn the enemy skill.

Death Dealer

Shadow Flare
Big non-elemental damage on any one opponent - 100MP

NOTE: Several enemies use the Shadow Flare enemy skill, but I would only recommend trying to learn it from two. Safer Sephiroth uses it, but he is past the point of no return - Ruby Weapon also uses it, but the less time fighting Ruby Weapon, the better.

The first enemy that can teach you this skill is the Ultimate Weapon itself; which you can fight on disc 2 or disc 3. Ultimate Weapon uses Shadow Flare as a final attack, so I recommend equipping a character with all 4 enemy skill materia and having them cast the final blow. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Ultimate Weapon

The second enemy that can teach you this skill is the Dragon Zombie, which is found in the Northern Cave. It cannot be manipulated, so you must wait for it to use the skill on you.

Dragon Zombie