Paradigm

A Paradigm (Japanese: オプティマ, Optima) is a combination of one to three roles in Final Fantasy XIII. The player can preset up to a maximum of six Paradigms when outside battle. During battle the player can freely switch between the preset Paradigms using the L1/LB button, also known as a Paradigm Shift (Japanese: オプティマチェンジ Optima Change). If used properly, Paradigms may help the player by ending the battle sooner, resulting in the TP gauge filling up faster and a higher chance for enemies to drop materials.

Role
Roles (ロール, Rōru) are a gameplay element unique to Final Fantasy XIII. The system is akin to past Final Fantasy job systems, however major changes have been made so that each role resembles a mix of different jobs. Names have been changed between the English and the Japanese releases.


 * Commando (COM) / Attacker (ATK)
 * Ravager (RAV) / Blaster (BLA)
 * Sentinel (SEN) / Defender (DEF)
 * Saboteur (SAB) / Jammer (JAM)
 * Synergist (SYN) / Enhancer (ENH)
 * Medic (MED) / Healer (HLR)

Setting each role to a character is made by default, although after a point, the player can freely switch between roles for each character outside of battle.

Settings
With six roles and three maximum playable party members, it is possible to set up to 83 Paradigms. Possibilities are shown in the table below.

''Note: Names shown in brackets are direct translations from Japanese.

Trivia

 * Some of the Paradigms in both, Japanese and English versions, are referring to various terms in the series, e.g.: Delta Attack (both) refers to signature attack of Magus Sisters, Tri-disaster (both) refers to another ability of the same name of multiple elemental damage, Dualcasting (EN) to ability to cast two magic spells at row, Mighty Guard (JP) to magic that grants positive status effects on the target, White Wind (JP) to spell restoring certain amount of HP, as well, removes negative status effects.
 * The only time the player can see Twin Shields, Stumbling Block, Havoc, or Rally without using a cheating device is the battle against Hecatoncheir. Stumbling Block is put into the Paradigm Deck by default, but to see the other three, the player need to get a Game Over on the fight or Retry it. Furthermore, Twin Shields requires the player to teach the Sentinel Paradigm to Vanille, and Rally requires the player to teach the Synergist Paradigm to both Fang and Vanille.

Etymology
A paradigm shift describes a fundamental change in ideology, usually in the field of science. For example, Darwin's theory of evolution replacing Lamark's theories and creationism is a paradigm shift.

Paradigma Paradigm