Essential Jobs to Master First in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles revitalizes the iconic tactical RPG for contemporary gaming platforms, offering players a chance to engage in its challenging early battles. To navigate these tough initial moments successfully, choosing optimal job classes and leveraging their distinct capabilities is essential.

In this game, Ramza Beoulve plays a crucial role in most battles, making him a prime candidate for prioritization in leveling. A melee-focused build for Ramza is generally advisable since he often needs to take the frontline in several encounters.

With a maximum of five units permitted in battles, this means that players must fill the remaining four slots with generic characters. It’s essential to establish a robust foundational team in the early game because stronger optional members become available only later in the narrative. Therefore, a balanced combination of melee warriors, spellcasters, and ranged attackers along with backup healing options is vital, especially considering the risk of permanent character loss if they remain down for multiple turns.

While the allure of classes like the Mime and Bard may be tempting, players will find that far more effective choices exist to bolster their party during the opening phases of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles.

This guide focuses exclusively on the job classes specific to Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, distinguishing them from those found in the original game and the remaster, War of the Lions. The enhanced port features subtle adjustments that enhance gameplay.

1 Monk

The Best Melee Class for the Opening Phase

Final Fantasy Tactics The Ivalice Chronicles Monk

The Monk class stands out as one of the finest options throughout much of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. Players should prioritize transforming Ramza and one generic character into Monks early on to significantly enhance their survival potential.

What makes the Monk particularly advantageous? For starters, Monks rely on their fists as weapons and don’t wear heavy armor, ensuring low maintenance costs—an important factor during the game’s early stages when finances are tight.

Monks deliver impressive damage per strike and possess abilities that allow them to engage effectively from a distance. For instance, Aurablast has commendable range without interfering with allies, while Shockwave can damage multiple foes aligned in a row.

On the support front, Monks excel as well. Their abilities like Purification cure ailments, Chakra heals allies and restores MP, and Revive can resurrect a fallen comrade adjacent to them. Importantly, these abilities require no MP and activate instantly, freeing players from the concerns of resource depletion and lengthy action times.

Moreover, Monks boast the excellent First Strike Reaction Ability, enabling them to retaliate when attacked, making it ideal for Ramza to equip immediately and maintain throughout the game. Similarly, the Lifefont Movement Ability allows them to heal while moving, offering tactical advantages for keeping ranged characters safe.

With an array of versatile skills, mastering the Monk early on can significantly impact your gameplay.

2 Chemist

The Most Economical Healers in Ivalice

Final Fantasy Tactics The Ivalice Chronicles Chemist

In the demanding world of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, proficient healing is critical. Many new players might assume that the White Mage reigns supreme in healing roles, given its esteemed legacy in titles like Final Fantasy 14, but this is a misconception.

The Chemist class emerges as the superior healing option for a significant part of the game due to their unique capability to utilize all healing and restorative items, including X-Potions and Phoenix Downs.

While other jobs can learn to use items, the Chemist’s innate ability to throw them permits mid-range healing, combining both accessibility and speed. This ability circumvents the lengthy charge time of the White Mage’s spells. Players can stockpile items, allowing for continuous healing without depleting MP resources.

Additionally, as guns become available, Chemists can equip these powerful ranged weapons, further elevating their offensive capabilities, especially with the addition of elemental attack spells in some gun types.

While the White Mage gains substantial power in later stages with spells like Reraise and Wall, the Chemist often outperforms in terms of both effectiveness and cost efficiency in the initial story arc.

3 Mystic

Disable Opponents Before They Can Attack

Final Fantasy Tactics The Ivalice Chronicles Mystic

The Mystic, previously known as the Oracle, is an indispensable class for players seeking to harness the power of spells effectively. A highlight of their skill set is the Manafont Movement Ability, which restores MP with every move, akin to the Monk’s Lifefont—particularly valuable in the early game when conserving MP is critical.

In terms of offensive capabilities, Mystics wield a diverse range of debilitating spells. One of their top assets is Hesitation, which can incapacitate enemies by preventing them from taking action. Also noteworthy is Induration, which can petrify foes, effectively removing them from combat.

Be careful, though: using Induration against enemies with Chemists can backfire, as they can counteract it using items. Moreover, the Absorb MP Reaction Ability helps them regain mana whenever affected by spells, enhancing their spell-casting longevity.

Although the Mystic’s efficacy diminishes against later bosses who might be immune to their status effects, they shine in the early game by neutralizing formidable threats.

4 Summoner

Vital Mana Reduction

Final Fantasy Tactics The Ivalice Chronicles Summoner

The Summoner job has seen significant improvements in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, particularly with shortened spell charge times. However, the real gem of this class is the Halve MP Support Ability, which substantially enhances the effectiveness of all spellcasters by effectively doubling their spell output.

The summons themselves also offer tremendous advantages due to their sizable area of effect (AoE), allowing players to target large clusters of enemies. Among support summons, Golem excels by providing a protective shield to the entire party, ideal against physical attackers, while Carbuncle reflects spells directed at the team when confronted by magic users.

For damage-dealing summons, Cyclops stands out for its non-elemental damage, making it difficult for enemies to resist. Players should be wary, as this summon is frequently utilized by one of the game’s most notorious bosses.

Mastering the Summoner class can require time, so players are encouraged to focus on acquiring Halve MP initially, as its impact cannot be understated.

5 Ninja

Dual Wield: The Ultimate Skill

Final Fantasy Tactics The Ivalice Chronicles Ninja

Unlocking the Ninja class can be a challenge, requiring advancement through multiple other classes with specific level achievements. Nevertheless, the rewards are exceptional, as it provides the unrivaled Dual Wield Support Ability, which allows characters to wield weapons in both hands.

While Ninjas have naturally reduced weapon options, this Dual Wield ability is best utilized by combos with other classes, particularly the Knight and Samurai, who can wield more robust arms.

Equipping powerful melee weapons such as Excalibur and Ragnarok on characters like Cid transforms them into formidable adversaries capable of unleashing devastating damage in a single attack, streamlining the path to victory against the game’s toughest foes.

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