Bodyguard is a synergy skill in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, used by Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough, and Cait Sith. The skill causes the user's partner to jump in front of them to guard an attack, rendering them immobile temporarily, while the user is free to roam. The skill is unlocked from each party member's folios at different points.
In the ability's animation, the partner leaps in front of the user and guards, while the user dodge rolls backward.
For Aerith, Bodyguard is her only defensive synergy skill. For Tifa, it is one of two along with Slip and Slide. For Cait Sith, it is one of two along with Magic Megaphone.
Obtained
For Aerith, Bodyguard is available on her folio when the party level is 1. It costs 5 SP.
For Tifa, Bodyguard is available on her folio at party level 3. It costs 10 SP.
For Cait Sith, Bodyguard is available on his folio and costs 10 SP.
Combinations
With Aerith, it is used with either Cloud Strife, Barret Wallace, Tifa, Red XIII, Yuffie Kisaragi, or Cait Sith.
With Tifa, it is used only with Barret or Red XIII. Cait Sith can use it with Barret, Red XIII, or Aerith.
Use
Bodyguard serves effectively as an alternative to guarding, by allowing the partner to guard in Tifa, Aerith, or Cait Sith's place. Doing so frees them up to move, which can help Aerith in the case of using her ranged attacks or spellcasting while defended, and helps Tifa or Cait Sith, both mobile party members, move around to perform another combo. The move is purely defensive. When used, it will render the synergy partner immobile temporarily, and using it pulls them away from whatever they were doing.
Bodyguard should be used when Tifa, Aerith, or Cait Sith are being controlled by the player as their main damage output. They should be careful about using it as it will pull their partner away from battle. In the case of Barret and Red XIII, both are defensive party members who are effective in absorbing damage from others, and these are Tifa's only choices. For Aerith, among her other choices, Cloud is durable and can guard her effectively, but she should be careful about relying on pulling other party members in for Bodyguard. She can also do it to pull a party member quickly to her wards. Cait Sith also has the choice of pulling in Aerith to guard, which should only be used against magic attacks where she is defensively stronger.
For Tifa, Bodyguard is one of two choices, along with Slip and Slide. Slip and Slide is less solid defensively as it will evade rather than block, giving it some chance to fail to avoid damage, but includes a counterattack and makes Tifa more fluid in battle. In situations where players prefer defensive solidity, Bodyguard is better suited.
For Cait Sith, Bodyguard is one of two choices along with Magic Megaphone. Magic Megaphone is simply used to command the partner to attack an enemy, which is less about defending and more about summoning them to distract them from Cait Sith, giving it an entirely different use case.