How to Beat Crab Warden | Boss Fight Guide (Normal & Hard Mode)

This is a guide to beating the Boss Crab Warden in the game Final Fantasy 7 Remake. This article explains Crab Warden's attack patterns, weaknesses, and tips and strategies for defeating it on both Normal and Hard Mode.

Crab Warden Stats and Information

Basic Information

Crab Warden
Species	Movement	Type
Mechanical	Grounded	Boss

Description

A large sentry weapon manufactured by Shinra's Advanced Weapon Division. It is an outdated model used during the last war, so it is kept in storage in the corkscrew tunnel. Slow but heavily armored and bristling with powerful weapons.

Assess (Tips)

Crippling its parts significantly fills its stagger gauge.

Crab Warden Stats

	Easy	Normal	Hard
HP	14755	26828	89604
Attack	124		463
Magic Attack	124		463
Defense	114		379
Magic Defense	115		385

Crab Warden Weaknesses & Resistances

Weakness / Status Ailments	Lightning
Lesser Resistances	Stop
Greater Resistances	-
Immunities	Poison, Silence, Sleep, Slow, Berserk, Proportional Damage
Absorbed Elements	-

Stagger Rates

Melee	Ranged	Magic	Fire
×1※	×1※	×1※	×1
Ice	Lightning	Wind	-
×1	×1	×1	-

Stagger Length

Phase 1	Phase 2	Phase 3
15 seconds	15 seconds	4 seconds

Rewards

	Easy/Normal	Hard
Gil	400	2250
AP	10	30
Exp	400	4500
Items Dropped	Metal Knuckles (100%)
Rare Items Dropped	-
Steal	Molotov Cocktail (12%)

Learnable Enemy Skills

No Enemy Skills can be learned from Crab Warden.

List of Enemy Skills

Crab Warden Boss Fight Guide

Crab Warden Abilities and Attack Patterns

Name	Element	Blockable?	Knockdown?	Status
Stomp	-	Yes	Yes	-
	Raises its front legs and slams them on the ground. Will stomp with its back legs shortly after during phase 3.
Wildfire		Yes	Yes	-
	Shoots orbs of fire leaving patches of fire that persist for 10 seconds (20 seconds on Hard) while spinning in a circle. The fire goes further during phase 3.
Revolving Volley	-	Yes	No	-
	Rotates from left to right while firing its guns for 5 seconds. Rotation speeds up during phase 3.
Missile Assault	-	Yes	No	-
	Fires missiles from its top gun. Missiles fired increase during phase 3.
Missile Barrage	-	Yes	No	-
	Fires missiles in an arch. Missiles fired increases during phase 3.
Reverse Cannon	-	Yes	Yes	-
	Launches missiles from its backside, causing it to charge forward.
Flamethrower		No	No	-
	Sprays fire for 2 seconds in the direction it faces.
EM Field	-	Yes	No	-
	Releases an electric wave into the surrounding area.
Target Lock	-	No	No	-
	Targets a party member.
Air Support	-	-	-	-
	Summons 3 Slug-Rays.
Charge	-	Yes	Yes	-
	Charges at a target.
Surge	-	No	Yes	-
	Channels electricity through the rails on the ground for 8 seconds, 6 seconds on consecutive uses (3 seconds on Hard), resulting in an explosion.

*Status Effects and Ailments Guide

Best Characters for This Boss

Available Characters

Cloud

Barret

Tifa

The Crab Warden is encountered during Chapter 5. In this chapter, Cloud. Barret, and Tifa are available.

Best Equipment for Characters

Cloud	Role: Attacker & Healer Weapon: Iron Blade Armor:Star Bracelet Accessory: Power Wristguards
Barret	Role: Support Weapon: Gatling Gun Armor: Star Bracelet Accessory: Crescent Moon Charm
Tifa	Role: Attacker Weapon: Leather Gloves Armor: Leather Bracer Accessory: Power Wristguards

Best Materia for Cloud

Weapon (3 Slots)
Lightning	Healing
Assess
Armor (2 Slots)
HP Up	Cleansing
Summon
Ifrit

Use Triple Slash to damage multiple legs or Thunder or Thundara to deal massive damage to one leg. Summon Ifrit as soon as possible and spam Radiant Plume to cripple each of Crab Warden's parts one by one.

Best Materia for Barret

Weapon (3 Slots)
Fire	Auto-Cure
Barrier
Armor (2 Slots)
Healing	Luck Up

Cast Barrier to your main attacker (Cloud or Tifa) and try to conserve as much MP as possible for Auto-Cure's emergency healing. Remember to use Overcharge for a huge ATB boost.

Best Materia for Tifa

Weapon (3 Slots)
Ice	Deadly Dodge
Revival
Armor (2 Slots)
First Strike	Chakra

Use Unbridled Strength until you reach Chi level 3 (unique ability becomes Rise and Fall) for damage boost then spam Divekick. Use Rise and Fall before it expires then use Unbridled Strength again to return to Chi level 3.

Crab Warden Attack Phases

Phase 1

	Objectives
1	Attacks are slow but deal a lot of damage
2	Weak to Thunder
2	Uses EM Field, an AOE attack
2	Take out Legs to Stagger it
3	When Staggered, aim for the Generator

Phase 2

	Objectives
1	5 Slug-Rays will join the fight, get rid of them first
2	Crab Warden open with Missile Barrage
3	It also uses Wildfire, a flamethrower attack
4	You can summon from this phase
5	Use Thunder and go for the Legs again

Phase 3

	Objectives
1	Instead of Legs, you can target Auxiliary Weapons
2	It uses Surge to electrify the metal bits and wires on the ground, damaging all characters and destroying objects to hide behind
3	Staggering it will expose the Pilot
4	Cripple the Pilot to immobilize it
5	Keep up healing and Thunder magic attacks

Tips & Strategies for Beating Crab Warden

Crab Warden is the first multi-phase Boss since Scorpion Sentinel. As they are both based on shelled insects, they seem to be part of a set. Be aware of the differences between each of its three Phases before fighting it.

★ Strategy Checklist ★ (Click to jump)
Prepare Materia Before Battle Destroy One Leg After Another Fight Away From the Track Heavy Guns Come Out at the End

Prepare Materia Before Battle

Crab Warden is weak to Thunder, so prepare or purchase and equip Lightning Materia.

Destroy One Leg After Another

The Crab Warden can be Staggered by destroying its Legs, so aim for those and take out one at a time. If you use Cloud's Abilities or Thunder magic, it should be fairly easy.

Once you Stagger it, the Generator will appear so hit that weak spot with your most powerful attacks.

Fight Away from the Track

In Phase 3, the Crab Warden uses the Surge attack to electrify the rails and wires, so make sure you and your party members are standing on the tiles.

Heavy Guns Come Out at the End

Also in Phase 3, the Crab Warden will bring out two Auxiliary weapons. The attacks from these are hard to dodge, so just keep on attacking and destroying them with Thunder.

Crab Warden: Hard Mode Guide

Best Characters and Equipment

Cloud	Role: Mage Weapon: Mythril Saber Armor: Force Bracelet Accessory: Circlet
Tifa	Role: Attacker Weapon: Metal Knuckles Armor: Force Bracelet Accessory: Champion Belt
Barret	Role: Healer & Tank Weapon: Gatling Gun or Big Bertha Armor: Supreme Bracer Accessory: Survival Vest

Cloud as the Mage

Cloud has the best Magic damage output and potential with his Mythril Saber combined with the Circlet. You will want to use him whenever you need to stagger with the help of Lightning magic.

TIfa as the Hitter

Once Airbuster is staggered switch to Tifa and let her rip. Make sure you have max Chi lv. when you stagger it. Use Rise and Fall and Omnistrike to increase the stagger bonus damage and use True Strike for maximum damage.

Barret as the Healer

With Barret's large health pool and ability to fight from afar, he has the best chances of living the longest, making him an effective healer. Switch to him whenevery you need to heal, revive or simply need to attack from afar.

Best Materia to Use

The number of slots in your Weapon may vary depending on your Weapon Level.

Cloud

Weapon (6 Slots)
Magnify+ Lightning		ATB Stagger
MP Up	Healing	Chakra
Armor (3 Slots)
HP Up	HP Up	Steadfast Block
MP Up
Summon
Leviathan

Tifa

Weapon (6 Slots)
Steadfast Block	First Strike	ATB Stagger
Healing	Time	Revival
Armor (4 Slots)
Fire + Elemental		HP Up
HP Up
Summon
Fat Chocobo

Barret

Weapon (6 Slots)
Lightning	Steadfast Block	MP Up
MP Up	Healing	Revival
Armor (4 Slots)
Magic Up	HP Up	HP Up
Magic Up
Summon
Shiva

Hard Mode Basic Strategy

Fire Linked with Elemental to Negate Fire Attacks

When Crab Warden uses its Wildfire attack it will cover the battlefield in fire. This can make it hard to approach the Crab Warden and can deal a lot of damage. Having Fire linked with Elemental Lv.2 will completely negate the damage and having it at Lv.3 will even heal your party member equipped.

Switch to Tifa After Staggering

Take advantage of Tifa's damage output after staggering the Crab Warden. Make sure you have max Chi level and immediately use Rise and Fall and Omnistrike to maximize the Stagger damage.

Switch Character When Locked-On

The Crab Warden will lock-on to the character you are controlling at the moment, you will know when this is happening with a red circle over your character. It is better to switch to a different character as whoever is locked-on will be blocking most of the time to tank the attacks. While they tank the attacks you can use your other party members to continue the assautl!

Tips & Strategies

★How to Beat Crab Warden on Hard Mode★
Obtain Barret's Manuscript as a Reward] Equip Healing and Revival Materia Basic flow is the same as Normal Mode Handle the weaker enemies with Magnify + Lightning

Obtain Barret's Manuscript as a Reward

Beating the Crab Warden on Hard Mode will reward you with Barret's Manuscript: Sharpshooter's Companion Vol. V. Make sure to fight and beat this boss if you want to collect all the manuscript for each character!

Equip Healing and Revival Materia

On Hard Mode, the battle with Crab Warden is not significantly different from on Normal Mode. Its attack power is significantly higher, and it will use more bullets, making it impossible to fight back under heavy fire. Equip the Healing Materia and Revival Materia to at least two of your party members to make sure you can continue the fight and attack when you have an opening.

Basic flow is the same as Normal Mode

Stick to the same major strategies you employed when fighting Crab Warden on Normal Mode, destroying its legs to Stagger it. Its defensive stats are higher this time around, so you'll need to focus more directly on the legs to yield a Stagger.

Handle the weaker enemies with Magnify + Lightning

Crab Warden will summon Slug-Rays to serve as a nuisance during the battle. Take these out in one swoop by using the Magnify Materia together with the Lightning Materia to hit all of them in a single attack. Even with a Magic Attack of 285, Thunder wasn't enough to take these out, so use Thundara to make sure you can finish them off in one hit.

How to Get the Magnify Materia

Boss Fight Related Articles

List of Boss Battles

Major Story Bosses

All Major Story Bosses
Chapter 1	Scorpion Sentinel
Chapter 4	Roche
Chapter 5	Crab Warden
Chapter 7	Airbuster
Chapter 8	Reno Rude
Chapter 9	Hell House
Chapter 10	Abzu
Chapter 11	Ghoul Eligor
Chapter 13	Failed Experiment
Chapter 14	Abzu (2nd Fight)
Chapter 15	The Valkyrie
Chapter 16	Specimen H0512
Chapter 17	Jenova Dreamweaver Rufus The Arsenal
Chapter 18	Motor Ball Whisper Harbinger Sephiroth

VR Mission Bosses

All VR Mission Bosses
Chapter 8	Shiva
Chapter 9	Fat Chocobo
Chapter 13	Leviathan
Secret Boss	Bahamut
Superboss	Pride and Joy Prototype

Story Sub-Bosses

All Story Sub-Bosses
Chapter 2	The Huntsman
Chapter 3	The Hoodlums
Chapter 4	Enigmatic Spectre
Chapter 12	Enigmatic Spectre
Chapter 17	M.O.T.H. Unit Brain Pod Swordipede

Monster Variants & Optional Sub-Bosses

All Monster Variants & Optional Sub-Bosses
Chapter 3	Doomrat Cerulean Drake Wrath Hound
Chapter 8	Hedgehog Pie King Mark II Monodrive Venomantis Chromogger
Chapter 14	Rust Drake Tonberry Trypapolis Type-0 Behemoth
Chapter 17	Malboro

Intergrade and INTERmission Bosses

Intergrade and INTERmission Bosses
Chapter 1	Levrikon Gigantipede
Chapter 2	Scarlet & The Crimson Mare Projector Nero the Sable
Optional	Ramuh Weiss the Immaculate Pride and Joy Mk. 0.5 (Top Secrets)