Final Fantasy XII version differences

This article lists all version differences for Final Fantasy XII.

Release

 * Japanese release on March 16th, 2006.
 * North American release on October 31st, 2006.
 * European/PAL region release on February 23rd, 2007.

Version Differences

 * Original release of the game.
 * The North American version features a 16:9 widescreen mode.
 * The North American and European versions of the game use to confirm and  to cancel. It's been the other way around in the original Japanese version.
 * The Crystalbug enemies have significantly more hitpoints in the North American and European versions of the game.

Release

 * Japanese release on August 9th, 2007.

System

 * Addition of a "Zodiac Job System" featuring twelve jobs with individual License Boards corresponding to twelve Zodiac signs.
 * Addition of a 16:9 widescreen mode.
 * Addition of three new game modes:
 * Trial Mode - a 100 stage gauntlet unlocked after clearing the original game. Features a new battle against all five Judge Magisters was also added.
 * New Game+ Strong Mode - unlocked after clearing the original game. All characters start at level 90 and level up normally. Nothing but configuration settings are carried over.
 * New Game+ Weak Mode - unlocked after clearing Trial Mode. All characters start at level 1 and never level up. Nothing but configuration settings are carried over.
 * Pressing will speed up gameplay. Conversations and events continue to play at normal speed.
 * The game features English voices. Some previously unvoiced event scenes now feature voices and new scenes have been added.
 * Quickening doesn't consume MP. Now they use their own Mist gauge similarly to Limit Breaks from previous Final Fantasy titles.
 * Several changes have been made to the UI. Windows that were previously blue with a white border are now a solid 'moss blue' color.
 * In the battlefield menu, character job names are now displayed next to character portraits and the LEADER text has been replaced. The charge time gauge is green instead of orange when filling. There is a new, separate mist charge gauge in place of the HP and MP gauges, which have been removed.
 * The party menu screen now features Job names and LP amounts. Overflowing status icons are displayed over top of them. Mist charges are rectangular instead of round and change color when filled.

Characters

 * Playable characters' starting LP, consumables, gil, gambits, equipment, and licenses have been modified.
 * Playable characters' base stats have been altered
 * Guests have undergone a number of changes
 * They can gain EXP and level up like normal characters.
 * They come equipped with better equipment. For example, both Lamont and Reddas can now attack flying targets with their basic attacks.
 * In general, guests are now capable of using a wider variety of magicks and abilities.
 * The player obtains consumables and gil from guests who join the party.
 * Guests consume the player's items.

Battle System

 * Many magick spells and technicks have been tweaked, renamed and recategorized. Also, Green Magicks spells can only be purchased from the Clan Provisioner.
 * The following magicks and technicks are only found inside treasures chests:
 * White Magicks: Renew, Cleanse, Dispel, Despelga, Protectga, Shellga, Bravery, Faith, Regen, Holy.
 * Black Magicks: Flare, Scathe, Blind, Blindga, Silence, Silencega, Sleep, Sleepga, Poison, Toxify.
 * Time Magicks: Haste, Hastega, Countdown, Float, Vanish, Reflect, Reflectga, Balance, Warp.
 * Arcane Magicks: Death, Ardor.
 * Technicks: Telekinesis, Numerology, Sight Unseeing, Charm, Achilles, Infuse, Gil Toss, 1000 Needles, Revive, Stamp, Shades of Black, Bonecrusher, Wither, Addle, Expose, Shear.
 * Certain gambits have been renamed and sixteen new gambits are available and all can be bought after leaving the Barheim Passage. Also, gambits can no longer be found in treasure chests.
 * Obtaining Quickenings no longer affects max MP and mist charges do not diminish when MP is consumed (unless the player is affected by a reversed Elixir or Megaelixir). The player's MP is also unaffected by the depletion of mist charges. However, effects that recover the player's MP will also restore mist charges. One mist charge is granted each time the amount recovered totals the player's maximum MP. Effects that fully restore a player's MP recover all mist charges.
 * Espers' have been tweaked and their summon durations have been increased from one minute and thirty seconds to four minutes and ten seconds. Adjustments have been made to stat parameters, gambits, augments, and actions. Also, they now require MP to cast magicks.
 * Certain Concurrences now require fewer Quickenings to activate.
 * Certain status effect and item relationships have been changed.
 * Certain status effects have had their duration formulas adjusted.
 * Almost all attacks now break the damage limit by default.
 * Unarmed combat has been adjusted.
 * Battle chains begin at 2 instead of 1. The first monster defeated is considered the first chain, although nothing is displayed until a subsequent monster is defeated. Drop rate modifiers associated with chains have also been adjusted.
 * Many enemies have been slightly tweaked but new ones have not been added (aside from Trial Mode). Changes include adjustments to parameters, magicks, technicks, augments, movement patterns, as well as steal and drop items. In some cases, players will need to adopt new strategies against monsters.
 * For example: Safety no longer nullifies Numerology, Wither, and Addle.
 * Poles and Spears can now hit flying-type monsters.

Items

 * New items have been added.
 * Several equipment pieces were added, while some available in the original release were removed or tweaked a little.
 * Many shops had their assortments changed.
 * Treasures respawn by moving just one area away as opposed to two. Many treasures were moved around, changed the items they can give, or were removed altogether.

Missions and Sidequests

 * Rewards for hunts underwent minor changes.
 * Numerous sidequests feature different rewards.

Locations

 * Treasure chests are now in different locations and contain different items.
 * IZJS has 753 more chests, bringing the total number of chests to 1,676.
 * With the Diamond Armlet equipped, the chance of obtaining gil instead of
 * Certain weather effects occur under different conditions.
 * There are more traps throughout the map.
 * The Baknamy merchant in Necrohol of Nabudis is located in the Cloister of the Highborn instead of the Hall of Effulgent Light.