The hardest fights in FF7 Rebirth live here
The Combat Simulator's Brutal Challenges and Legendary Bouts are where Final Fantasy VII Rebirth stops playing nice. These aren't optional cleanup content you can stumble through with a decent build. They're Hard Mode gauntlets designed to punish underprepared parties and solo characters alike, and the rewards, including the Gotterdammerung accessory and the Ribbon, are some of the best in the game. This guide covers every challenge, how to unlock them, and exactly what you need to bring.
Brutal Challenge select screen
How do you unlock Brutal and Legendary challenges?
Neither tier of challenge is available from the start. The unlock path runs through Gilgamesh Island, which only becomes accessible once you've collected all Protorelics and gained access to the Tiny Bronco for sea travel. Head to the island, clear three boss fights that each pit you against two Summons simultaneously, then defeat Gilgamesh himself. Beating Gilgamesh is the single trigger that opens both Brutal Challenges and Legendary Bouts in the Combat Simulator.
Some individual Legendary Bouts have additional requirements beyond completing the main scenario. Barret vs. The Colossi requires defeating the classified foe in the Junon region, Tifa vs. The Martialists needs the Cosmo Canyon classified foe, Aerith vs. The Magi requires the grasslands classified foe, Red XIII vs. The Beasts needs the Gongaga classified foe, and Yuffie vs. The Wronged requires the Nibel classified foe. The two multi-character Legendary Bouts, Bonds of Friendship and To Be a Hero, require completing all solo Legendary Bouts and obtaining the corsair's compass accessory.
You cannot access Brutal Challenges or Legendary Bouts without first defeating Gilgamesh on Gilgamesh Island. Rushing to the Combat Simulator before completing that sequence will lock you out entirely.
How to prepare: what actually matters before you enter
These fights run on Hard Mode rules, which means resource management is real and underpowered gear will end runs fast. After testing all six Brutal Challenges back to back, here's the preparation order that makes the biggest difference.
Max out party and weapon levels first
Every character has a Folio skill tree that only unlocks fully when their Weapon Level is maxed. Weapon Level caps require Manuscripts, and you won't have enough from Normal Mode alone. Beat story and side quest bosses on Hard Mode to collect the necessary Manuscripts. Each character also needs their individual Legendary Bout cleared to receive the final Manuscript for their weapon. No shortcuts here.
Fully upgrade your Materia
Maxed Materia star levels are non-negotiable for Hard Mode fights. Spells like Curaga hit significantly harder and Pray restores more HP at higher levels. Farm AP before entering the simulator so your loadout is operating at full power.
Assess every enemy in the challenges
The Assess ability lets you check enemy weaknesses and pressure conditions mid-fight. Running it on every enemy you encounter during the main game means you'll have that data available instantly when the same enemies appear in the simulator. Skipping this step costs you time and ATB when you're already under pressure.
Recover HP and MP before ending each round
Here's the mechanic most players miss: the Combat Simulator restores 50% of your HP and MP between rounds. That means ending a round at 20% HP only restores you to 60% for the next fight. Use Curaga, Pray, or Soul Drain while the last enemy in a round is still alive to top yourself off before the round ends. Going into round 5 at full HP and MP versus half is a massive difference.
Recover before each round ends
Cast Curaga or use Pray on the last enemy of a round while it's still alive. The healing lands before the round ends, giving you the full 50% restoration on top of a higher base.
What are Brutal Challenges?
Brutal Challenges are full-party Hard Mode gauntlets spread across 10 rounds each. The six challenges unlock sequentially, with each one requiring you to clear the previous. The final challenge, Rulers of the Outer Worlds, rewards the Gotterdammerung accessory on completion.
Army of the Damned throws 52 standard enemies across 10 rounds. Requiem for the Scorned drops that count to 43 but increases individual enemy difficulty. Unending Nightmare cuts to 30 enemies but the fights are noticeably tougher. Hellions' Intonement and beyond use named enemy lists per round rather than standard enemy pools.
Rulers of the Outer Worlds is the hardest fight in this tier. Rounds 1 through 3 pit you against paired Summons (Kujata and Phoenix, then Titan and Bahamut Arisen, then Alexander and Odin), round 4 is a rematch with Gilgamesh, and round 5 ends with Virtual Sephiroth. Your party needs to be fully optimized before attempting this one.
Rulers of the Outer Worlds round 3
What are Legendary Bouts?
Legendary Bouts flip the format entirely. Instead of your full party, each bout locks you into a single character for all 5 rounds. The solo bouts cover Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith, Red XIII, Yuffie, and Cait Sith. Clearing all seven solo bouts plus obtaining the corsair's compass unlocks two additional multi-character bouts.
Solo Legendary Bouts at a glance
Each Vol. XVI reward is the final Manuscript needed to max out that character's weapon level. This is why clearing Legendary Bouts isn't just about the challenge itself. It's a prerequisite for fully upgrading your roster.
The Legendary Bouts scale to your character's solo capabilities. Characters like Cait Sith and Aerith require a solid understanding of their specific mechanics since you won't have party members to cover weaknesses or provide ATB support.
The two multi-character Legendary Bouts
Bonds of Friendship and To Be a Hero are 10-round challenges that unlock after completing all solo bouts and obtaining the corsair's compass. Both run through a gauntlet of major bosses including Titan, Phoenix, Alexander, Bahamut Arisen, and Odin across their final rounds.
Bonds of Friendship ends with Odin in round 10 and rewards the Ribbon accessory on completion. To Be a Hero also ends with Odin in round 10 and rewards The Art of Swordplay Vol. XVI, the final Manuscript for Cloud's weapon. These two fights are the endgame of the entire Combat Simulator.
The unique element in the last two Legendary Bouts is that Cloud fights alongside Zack and Sephiroth. Outside of specific story sequences, the Combat Simulator is the only place where you can directly control both characters in combat.
Zack and Sephiroth playable here
Completing all Legendary Bouts gives you the Vol. XVI Manuscripts for every character, which are required to reach maximum weapon level. If you're aiming for 100% completion, these bouts are mandatory.
Quick reference: full challenge and bout list
For a broader look at every Combat Simulator battle and its rewards, the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth guides collection has individual breakdowns for each fight. If you're still working through the main game or building toward these challenges, the full strategy guides for FF7 Rebirth cover builds, party composition, and Materia setups in detail.
For players newer to action-focused jrpg games in general, FF7 Rebirth's Combat Simulator represents the sharpest end of the genre's skill ceiling. The fights are designed to test everything the game has taught you across 14 chapters, and they reward players who understand every character's toolkit rather than just their main.