You've Been Playing Aerith All Wrong In Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Aerith is so much more than just a flower girl. She is a key part of your party in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake; a mage with some seriously useful spells. Sure, she's great at healing, smiling and offering up optimism, but Aerith can also be used in a way that will maximize your offensive abilities in battle. The average gamer will rely on her for heals, but there are some other ways you can get the most out of your mage, too.
Yes, Aerith is undeniably a support character, but consider how best to use her buffs. First, players should try to boost her skill points. This can be done by purchasing items like Telluric Scriptures Vol. 1 from the Moogle Emporium in Chapter 8. Until then, her default build is actually pretty effective. Her first weapon, a simple Guard Stick, can cast the Arcane Ward. This doubles each attack cast inside the misty ward zone.
Once you get to the Moogle Emporium, trade in the Guard Stick for a Silver Staff. This will focus on increasing Aerith's magical abilities, but will sharply decrease her defense and physical attack. That's okay, because you shouldn't be putting her in the line of fire anyway. While Aerith is no shrinking violet, she is — for lack of a better word — squishy.
To make up for this, equip her with Healing Materia to suit her role as support. Supplement this with Magnify Materia and you'll be able to heal the whole party, and keep Aerith herself healthy by linking her to HP Absorption. Once you have the Silver Staff, Aerith can deal some serious damage herself. Because of the weapon's boosted magic stats, offensive magic like fire, lightning, and ice can be incredibly effective especially when paired with that aforementioned Arcane Ward.
To make it simple: boost Aerith's magic as much as possible with the right skill points and weapons. Use Arcane Ward as much as you can, and protect your mage even if it comes to using offensive magic. You'll be surprised at how well this little flower girl can hold her own.