Final Fantasy Tactics


 * NB: This page uses the PlayStation localization.

Final Fantasy Tactics is a strategy role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation. Unlike traditional Final Fantasy games, battles in Tactics are fought on a map divided into a grid where characters can move about, and actions can only be executed within a certain range. Obstacles, terrain types, and elevation create further strategic elements. Each character is alloted one move and one action per turn. Order of turns is determined by an "Active-Time" like system, a character's 'Charge Time' filling a bar and deciding when that character gets to act. Spells also have charge times and once cast, will go off when the spell's charge time hits 100. An action's chance of success is best when attacking an opponent from the rear, and is least likely to succeed in frontal assaults. In addition there is Zodiac Compatibility. Characters in the game, including your own, are assigned certain Zodiac signs and opposing pairs are especially effective against each other. For instance a male Pisces and a female Virgo (such as Milleuda) can inflict massive amounts of damage on each other, where as a male Pisces and a male Virgo (such as Wiegraf) will not be able to hurt each other very well. There is even an updated version of this game available for the PSP called Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions.

The Job System
While job systems were familiar to the TRPG community, Final Fantasy Tactics used many classes seen in previous Final Fantasy versions. The localization of the game might have caused some of this to be lost in the translation. The White Mage job was translated as Priest, and the Black Mage job as Wizard, for instance, but this was changed for the PSP version.

As each human character develops, they gain experience, which will increase their overall level. Characters also gain Job Points (JP), which allow them to level up within a job until they have mastered it. As a character gains more experience in various jobs, they gain access to other, more advanced or specialized jobs. Some jobs, like Calculator and Mime, require invested time and experience in several jobs, and require mastery of others to be truly effective. Once learned, skills and job-specific commands can be used even after a character switches jobs, though a penalty may be applied. The game also allows you to collect creatures like chocobos, and although these creatures also level up, they do not gain jobs or skills in Final Fantasy Tactics.

Basic job for all warrior units, with the exception of the characters that possess a special class. Uses Basic Skills. Ramza has a special version of this job class which gives him additional Basic Skill actions to choose from (as well as notably better stats and the ability to equip certain items other squires cannot), as does Delita until he undergoes a class change later. Squires have very useful skills that can be used to quickly level JP (example: Accumulate, Gained JP Up).
 * Squire:

Fine warriors, bold and brave, with etiquette. Use Battle Skill, which allows the destruction of an opponent's weapons, armor, and stats. Their Equip Sword, Equip Shield and Equip Armor abilities allow you to equip your character with these items regardless of class.
 * Knight:

Archers use bows and crossbows and attacks from a distance. Aim allows strengthened attacks by delaying the shot for extra damage, and the Concentration skill increases hit rate.
 * Archer:

Monks are warriors who train their bodies in the ways of Punch Art. Their battle ability has numerous effects, such as striking from a distance or even reviving knocked out allies. They do not equip any weapons, but can deal considerable damage with their bare hands. The brawler ability allows for powerful attacks without weapons.
 * Monk:

Rogues who can steal anything from anyone -- Gil, items, even experience points. Use the Steal command to obtain items from enemies, and possess the Secret Hunt skill for Poaching.
 * Thief:

Warriors who use a different Elemental spell depending on what type of ground they are standing on.
 * Geomancer:

These warriors Jump high and attacks enemies despite heavy arms and weapons with extra damage. They are experts with spears. The drawback of the Lancer is that when choosing to Jump over an opponent, you can't access the number of turns it will take. Therefore, the enemy may be able to move out of the way. A major advantage, however, is that a Lancer is immune to attacks and spells while Jumping.
 * Lancer:

Foreign warriors who strengthen their soul by improving swordsmanship. Use the Draw Out skill to gain different effects from katanas in stock; however, this may cause the swords to break. Also have the ability to hold a single weapon with two hands, increasing its power greatly. Blade Grasp allows for the evasion of non-ranged physical attacks, making this a valuable job.
 * Samurai:

Combatants who hide as a means of fighting. Can Throw weapons at distant enemies (resulting in the loss of the weapon) and hold weapons in both hands, a skill that can be passed to other jobs. Considered one of the best classes in the game, they have superb speed, attack with a weapon equipped on each hand, and have a nice dodge rating.
 * Ninja:

Warriors who dances in battle in charming costumes, their Dance abilities affect all enemies. Only female units may become Dancers. Although they lack attack power, there are some very attractive skills that Dancers and Bards offer.
 * Dancer:

The basic job for all caster units, Chemists prescribe items to restore HP and treat abnormal status. They are the only unit who can administer items at a distance from the target, by means of their special skill, Throw Item.
 * Chemist:

The Priest controls holy magic by borrowing the power of the soul. Often uses recuperative and support magic, i.e. White Magic.
 * Priest:

The Wizard controls the elements which make up this world. Uses offensive magic, i.e. Black Magic.
 * Wizard:

The Oracle has control over elements of life itself, through the manipulation of Yin and Yang, and is dominantly responsible for status-changing spells (Poison, Blind, etc.) This class is loosely based on the "Onmyōji".
 * Oracle:

The Time Mage controls time and space, adding such status changes as Haste, Slow or Stop. This sorcerer toys with the laws of the universe with Time Magic.
 * Time Mage:

Warrior who fights battles by talking to the enemy. Uses clever Talk Skill, affecting their stats and even enabling them to change sides. Also the only other unit able to normally equip guns, making them very valuable.
 * Mediator:

Warrior who can call illusionary monsters, spirits of the highest rank, to deal massive damage to enemy units or restore health to friendlies. Uses Summon Magic, a special contract with the spirits. Most powerful caster class in the game. Unlike any other caster class, the Summons do not damage friendly units.
 * Summoner:

Warrior who uses his voice as a weapon. Can Sing songs that protect allies. Male units only.
 * Bard:

Scholarly warrior who creates phenomena through math. Uses Math Skill to target all units with known spells who meet his or her conditions with no casting time or MP cost. Can be extremely powerful if the right Math Skills are utilized. Hard to use, as there is a high risk of damaging friendly units or healing unfriendly units.
 * Calculator:

Warrior who can Mimic others. When an ally takes action, he or she mimics it completely.
 * Mime:

Special Classes
Certain unique characters have equally unique job classes which replace the "Squire" option. They are essentially Squires with different battle commands, as getting them to level 2 will result in the Knight job opening. Ramza's revised Squire class, with a few extra abilities appropriate to his leadership role. Also able to equip knight swords and armor, and exchanges the Job Ability Basic Skill for Guts.
 * Squire (Ramza):

Agrias and Delita. The Holy Sword skills inflict elemental damage with no charge time and 100% hit rate. White Knight Wiegraf also possesses the power of the Holy Sword.
 * Holy Knight:

The elusive Gafgarion. His Fell Sword can drain HP and MP from its victims and replenish himself simultaneously.
 * Dark Knight:

Ovelia the Princess, Alma the Cleric and Zalmo the Holy Priest all use Holy Magic to give large amounts of protection and remove almost any status affliction.
 * Cleric:

Mustadio and Balk. Uses Aimed Shot to inflict immobility and disable on enemies. Can also petrify undead enemies. Rafa's Truth and her brother Malak's Un-Truth deals a random number of magic strikes on random squares (within a 5-square, (horizontal & vertical,) X-shaped target zone).
 * Machinist:
 * Heaven Knight and Hell Knight:

Olan Durai. Calls upon the Starry Heaven skill Galaxy Stop to afflict enemies with Stop, Don't Move and Don't Act.
 * Astrologist:

Meliadoul, Rofel, and Vormav, The Mighty Sword skills damage enemies and destroy equipment, a step above the average Knight. However, since Orlando is already in the party when you receive Meliadoul, this may be a relatively unused job.
 * Divine Knight:

Orlandu only. Possesses all sword abilities of the Holy Knights, the Divine Knights, and the energy-draining Dark Knights. He is arguably so overpowered that some players feel the game loses all challenge once this character becomes available for use. You must have a sword equipped to use them.
 * Holy Swordsman:

Arc Knight Marquis Elmdor can draw out the Sword Spirits, much like a Samurai, to engulf enemies, while Arc Knight General Zalbag uses his Destroy Sword to damage and weaken the stats of enemies, similar to the Knight's rend abilities. The dark influence of these powers allow them to Blood Suck enemies and turn them into Vampires.
 * Arc Knight:

Celia and Lede can instantly stop or kill anyone in their path with one touch. These attacks always hit.
 * Assassins:

Beowulf's basic job class. His Magic Sword takes the status-afflicting power of the Oracle to cripple single enemies with increased success rates. These abilities also require no charge time, a significant improvement over the similar Oracle spells. Ex-Dragon Reis. Utilizes Dragon skills to utilize the breath attacks she used as a Dragon. Posses all breath attacks, rush and the new Holy Breath which has a Holy elemental attribute.
 * Temple Knight:
 * Dragoner:

Cloud Strife only. His Limit command allows him to perform skills based on the Limit Breaks he uses in Final Fantasy VII, including a new one, Cherry Blossom. To activate them, he must have the Materia Blade equipped. 100% success rate, but has a slow CT for the most powerful limits.
 * Soldier:

Plot
The hero of Final Fantasy Tactics is Ramza Beoulve, initially a member of the Hokuten just before the outbreak of the Lion War. He deserts after his best friend Delita Hyral's sister, Teta Hyral is killed. Two years later, war erupts between the Hokuten and the Nanten, but Ramza has become a sellsword outside of conflict. While on a mission to protect Princess Ovelia, Ramza discovers that the Murond Glabados Chuch plans a sinister plot to use the legendary Zodiac Stones to conquer Ivalice while the War of the Lions distracts the populace. These supposedly holy orbs are in fact conduits allowing the Lucavi demons to invade Ivalice. The demons plan on resurrecting their leader Altima, and it is up to Ramza and his party to stop them. The Lucavi work outside of even the Church, and secretly control the Church's military arm, the Temple Knights. Ramza is labeled a heretic by the Glabados Church, hounded by figures from his past, and shunned by his family. However, Ramza deals with all these many troubles as he tries to rescue his sister, Alma Beoulve from the clutches of the Lucavi.