World of Final Fantasy Champion Summons Guide: Where and how to unlock the classic FF heroes
World of Final Fantasy has a pretty solid story all of its own, but one of the most enjoyable things about the game is how it gives you a glimpse at some classic FF heroes in a new setting.
Several classic FF favourites are featured in the game as Champions. Champions basically work a lot like summon or eidolon beasts in previous FF titles. Once you get Cloud as a champion, for instance, you can summon him to battle and have him go to town on an enemy with Omnislash.
Champions are unlocked throughout the course of the game's main story. After an encounter with a champion in the story their medal will become available for purchase at the Girl's Tearoom in Nine Wood Hills from Chapter 5 on. The medals are purchased using 2 arma gems, and once you own a medal you can carry up to three different medals with you into battle - allowing you to go into battle with three potential Champion Summons.
Champion summoning is governed by a meter that fills. FF fans might want to think of it as most akin to a limit break, trance or overdrive meter. You'll find in the center of the basic battle menu. Once it fills you'll earn a star, and depending on the strength of a champion summoning them will cost you either one or two stars.
Here's our guide to when and where you unlock all of the champions in World of FF.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Warrior of Light
The iconic hero of Final Fantasy as featured on the box art and logo of the very first game in the series, it wouldn't be an FF game without the Warrior of Light - and he's appropriately the first champion you encounter in Chapter 5 of the story, The Girl Who Forgot Her Name.
Once you have his medal, the Warrior of Light can be summoned for one star. His attack, Oversoul, deals a lot of damage and also provides a boost to your defenses.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Refia
Final Fantasy III's cheery white mage type Refia appears at the very start of Chapter 8 when you enter an inn.
Refia costs 1 star to summon. Her move is Healing Light, and it's basically a really good cure-all: it restores all friendly characters' HP and also removes any status ailments you might have.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Tifa
We jump forward a number of years now from FF3 right the way up to Final Fantasy VII's bar-owning badass martial artist Tifa... who is distinctly more cutesy in design here as a Lilikin. You'll be able to buy her medal after the end of Chapter 10.
Tifa comes complete with her classic Final Heaven limit break move. It hits one character, dealing out physical damage while also giving all allied characters a boost to their strength. She costs 1 star to summon.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Snow
From one monk-type FF hero to another, Final Fantasy XIII's Snow is up next. He'll be able to join you not long after Tifa, at the end of Chapter 12.
Snow's Sovereign Fist attack hits all enemies with magical ice damage. He also offers a defense boost for allies after his attack. He costs one star to summon.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Lightning
Where there is snow, an annoyed Lightning can't be far behind... and Lightning will be available to join you as soon as you finish Chapter 13 and can access the Girl's Room again.
Lightning costs two stars to summon, and her Gestalt Drive attack deals physical damage to one enemy while giving allies a strength boost.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Squall
The champion unlocks are coming thick and fast now. Squall's the latest, and he will be available to pick up from the Girl's Room after Chapter 14.
His Lion Heart move is a classic, and it functions here a bit like in Final Fantasy VIII, inflicting a good chunk of physical damage to one target. It also - you guessed it - offers a strength boost. It costs one star.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Shelke
This is a weird one, and less dedicated fans might not even know Shelke - she appeared as a fairly major character in FF7 spin-off Dirge of Cerberus. In World of Final Fantasy, she shows up and her medal will be available after Chapter 15.
Shelke's Countertek ability can be pretty useful if you find yourself in a pinch, and it only costs one star. It restores HP while removing negative status effects from allies, but it'll also strip positive buffs from enemies.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Bartz
We all still wish he was officially called Butz, of course, but Final Fantasy V's Bartz puts in his WOFF appearance in Chapter 16. After that his medal becomes available.
His Clash on the Big Bridge move hits a single foe with a nasty physical attack while also buffing the party's evasion and accuracy. He costs two stars to summon.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Cloud
FF's most iconic hero takes his sweet time to show up, but Cloud finally makes an appearance in Chapter 17 and is then available via his medal from the Girl's Room.
Cloud uses Omnislash, of course, a devastating attack that hits one opponent. It also boosts the strength of the party - all for a two star cost.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Celes
Celes is the secret best character in Final Fantasy VI. No arguments! The imperial soldier turned freedom fighter is available in medal form via the Girl's Room after Chapter 17, like Cloud.
Her Runic ability is a useful attack that hits with magical ice damage and inflicts the oblivion status effect. She also restores AP to allies, which is vital. She costs two stars to summon.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Tidus
King of laughter Tidus puts in his story appearance in Chapter 18, and after that fact you'll be able to nab his medal from the Girl's Room.
He costs a single star to summon and will use his Blitz Ace move to deal damage and boost the evasion stat of the party.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Shantotto
Shantotto has finally garnered a bit of fame as Final Fantasy XI's official representative in the rest of the series. You'll be able to pick up her medal from the start of chapter 19 on.
Her Magic Burst attack does exactly what you'd expect - it dishes out a blast of magic damage to one of your foes while also giving you and your allies a boost to your magic stat for the cost of two stars.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Yuna
Yuna shows up a little earlier in World of Final Fantasy's story, but her medal will finally unlock for purchase after you receive the airship in Chapter 20.
Yuna uses The Sending, her iconic ritual dance from FF10. In this instance, the move revives all KOed allies with full HP - quite a significant little helping hand if you end up in a pinch. She costs 1 star to summon.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Terra
It does seem sort of appropriate that Terra is the final on-disc character on our list - she is, in a sense, the quintessential Final Fantasy hero. Like Yuna, you'll be able to pick up her medal from the Girl's Room after you get the airship in Chapter 20.
Terra's Magitek Laser move damages a single enemy with magic damage while also offering up a boost to the magic power of all allies. She costs 2 stars to summon.
World of Final Fantasy Champions: Sephiroth
Here's an extra bonus champion, and the fourth from the FF7 universe (which is kind of messed up when there's no champion from 2, 4 or 9) - Sephiroth! FF's number-one edge lord returns here as the only summonable villain.
Sephiroth is currently only available as DLC - and specifically as part of the Day One Edition of the game. If you pick up this early print run of World of FF you'll get a bonus day one download code. That'll get you access to him - he'll be available for unlock as soon as you reach the Girl's Room in chapter 5. He uses his powerful Super Nova move, though in this game it involves a touch less planetary destruction.