Final Fantasy 7 Remake is filled to the brim with amazing boss fights and interesting encounters. One of which is the adrenaline-pumping battle with the rush-junky and motorcycle-rolling madman, Roche. FF7 bosses are almost always entertaining, but Roche is a different animal entirely. There isn’t a single second of boredom here—Roche is a boss fight for the books. His energy is palpable and it translates very well to the encounter.
So, how do you defeat Roche? Here is our in-depth guide on how to defeat the glorious motorcycle-loving SOLDIER, Roche.
Who is Roche?
Fans of the original Final Fantasy 7 game should be perplexed at who Roche is. Well, he is an original character solely created for the remake. Roche is a SOLDIER 3rd Class in the Shinra Electric Power Company, the overpowering corporation controlling Midgard and most of the world’s resources.
He is a skilled swordsman and an expert motorcycle rider. However, what seems to be his most prevalent personality trait and what he would be most known as is his obsession with competition and breakneck speeds. As soon as he shows up on your screen, you’d fall in love with what he brings and his overflowing energy albeit to the point of annoyance. Just ask Cloud.
With all that said, Roche’s background isn’t as fully explored as other FF7 bosses. Despite being an original character for Final Fantasy VII Remake, there isn’t really much in his backstory rather than he just came from a wealthy family. His father is a high-ranking executive in Shinra and he is very close with him. As a matter of fact, Roche’s father is very proud of him, and he expects Roche to become a great SOLDIER.
Another thing to note is that Roche loves nothing more than a good challenge. He loves testing the might of others for his entertainment. And he found just that with the game’s main protagonist, Cloud Strife. He is a good person at heart, but he is also capable of great violence.
All in all, Roche is a complex character, but he is still underdeveloped, to be honest. It would certainly be fascinating to see more of him in the upcoming sequel/s. Now with that out of the way, let us now head to the guide on how to defeat him.
How to Defeat Roche?
Players will battle Roche twice, first during an intense biking minigame and second in a standard battle. Since the first section of the game is pretty straightforward (you just need to finish the mini-game using the attacks presented to you in the section), we will go straight to the traditional boss fight with this guide.
Before proceeding with the fight, make sure that you equip Cloud with both Fire and Healing Materia. Roche is weak against the fire element, so using Fire magic just makes sense. Furthermore, the encounter is a solo fight between him and Cloud. This means that you won’t have any part members to handle the healing while you wail at the opponent. Make sure that you have Healing Materia equipped to ensure yourself of some survivability.
FF7 bosses always send minions to fight for them, and Roche is no different. Thankfully, they are quite easy to dispose of. As soon as he sends enemies in your way, use Cloud’s “Triple Slash” move to quickly take them down. Do this every time he summons them. After that, turn your attention back to Roche.
Pay close attention when Roche does a samurai-esque move. As soon as he goes for it, make sure to guard and counterattack using the Punisher mode. This does not only deal heavy damage to Roche, but it will also drastically increase his stagger meter, exposing him to further big damage.
This is also the best time to use any Fire spells and any stored Limit Breaks. Once Roche is staggered, wail at him with your strongest attacks.
It is also worth noting that you shouldn’t be afraid to run away. If you’re in trouble, don’t hesitate to distance yourself away from Roche. Give yourself a chance to heal or recover your ATB gauge every now and then.
Final Words
The key point in this is to be patient. Roche is a tough opponent that certainly belongs in the list of excellent FF7 bosses. Don’t expect to defeat him quickly. Take your time, learn his attack patterns, and use your resources wisely. With these tips, you should be able to defeat Roche and claim victory.
