Ravager (Final Fantasy XIII)

Ravager (aka "Blaster" in the Japanese version) is a Paradigm/Optima role in Final Fantasy XIII. This role's main function is to increase the foe's chain gauge so that damage inflicted to the foe is increased.

Computer-controlled Ravagers tend to attack the same target as the player. If the player controls a Ravager and there are computer controlled Commando(s), usually one Commando will attack the player's target.

Merely being in the Ravager role boost the person's chain gauge bonus. The benefits also extends to other party members to a lesser degree. The amount increased depends on the role level of the Ravager.

The command abilities of the Ravagers primarily consist of offensive elemental spells, granting them a stereotype of being Magical attackers, similar to Black Mages. Some Ravagers can also learn elemental Physical attacks ("blows"), similar to a weaker version of Mystic Knight.

While elemental spells of Fire, Ice, Lightning, Water, and Air are all present in their traditional three-tiers (normal, -ra, -ga), the Ravager is notably unable to deal any Earth elemental damage. Instead, Quake can only be found as a TP Ability.

Role Levels
The Crystarium Levels when each character can advance in role level.

Abilities
The right-side columns show the Crystarium Level when the character can learn the skill, if at all.

Character Analysis
''Note: this section mostly applies to the point after you can freely choose party members. Member limit and role restrictions in the earlier stages of the game makes much of the analysis moot.''

Every character, with the exception of Fang, majors in Ravager.

Hope has the highest Magic Attack stat when maxed out, and can learn every single elemental magic spell. Once reaching Crystarium level 9, he can learn a special spell Last Resort which is a non-Elemental Magical attack, which comes quite handy when there are enemies resistant to all elements. Thus Hope is easily the best Ravager possible... unless the enemy is resistant to magic.

Lightning has the second highest Magic Attack (tied with Vanille). While she only knows one ga-rank spell (Thundaga), for all other elements she can get to at least ra-rank. Additionally, she can learn all four elemental Blow attacks. Thus while not as numerically powerful as Hope, Lightning nonetheless is the most balanced versatile Ravager possible, whether the enemy is resistant against any (or all) elements or against either Physical or Magical attacks. She also has a special attack, Scene Drive, that deals multiple non-Elemental Physical damage.

Vanille, like Lightning, ranks second place in terms of Magic Attack. Like Lightning she can learn all elemental spells up to at least ra-rank, with fire and ice being Vanille's ga-rank specialty. The lack of the auto ability High Tension makes her slightly less efficient in building up enemy Chain gauge compared to Hope and Lightning, although the bigger issue is the lack of a Ravager special attack.

Fang, while not majoring in Ravager, can learn all blows, spells from each element up to the ra-rank, with Water and Air being her ga-rank specialty. Her balanced versatility nearly matches that of Lightnings, and only loses out due to Fang's notably lower Magic Attack stat compared to the top three. Useful as a second Ravager mostly if you need more than one blow or ga-spell users at once.

Sazh specializes in the Fire and Lightning elements, being able to learn all spells and blows for those two. He also knows the entire line of Wind elemental spells. Unfortunately, having the lowest Magic and Physical Attack and the lack of High Tension makes him not a very good candidate. His special attack and the choice of weapon abilities helps a little with building up the Chain gauge, but not quite enough compared to the top three. Even when fighting enemies with matching elemental weaknesses, Sazh would only be an optimal choice for a three-Ravager Paradigm all using blows or ga-rank spells.

Snow specializes in the Ice and Water elements, being able to learn all spells and blows for those two. He can also learn Wind up to the ra-rank. However his low Magic Attack (second lowest) makes him a not-very-useful Ravager. Even when fighting enemies with matching elemental weaknesses, Snow would only be an optimal choice for a three-Ravager Paradigm all using blows or ga-rank spells.