Final Fantasy/Classes: Difference between revisions

Each of the six base classes can be upgraded once you complete the [[Final Fantasy/The Trials|Citadel of Trials]] quest a little over halfway through the game. Warriors become knights, monks become masters, thieves become ninjas, black mages become black wizards, white mages become white wizards, and red mages become red wizards. Aside from a newer, older, cooler look, each character can now equip stronger [[Final Fantasy/Weapons|weapons]] and [[Final Fantasy/Armor|armor]]. Magic using classes will now be able to learn higher level [[Final Fantasy/Magic|spells]] and some non-magic using classes will now be able to learn low level magic.

For more on various party configurations, see the [[Final Fantasy/Parties|party recommendations]] page.

|Agility: ||♦♦♦♦♦

|Endurance: ||♦♦♦

|Damage: ||♦♦♦

|Accuracy: ||♦♦♦♦♦

|Evasion: ||♦♦♦♦♦

* High HP, Defense, Strength and Agility stats.

* Cumbersome armor will substantially reduce agility. Despite their unarmored Speed, they will often be the last to attack in battle when fully equipped.

* Very expensive to keep fully equipped.

* Knights can use low level (1-3) [[Final Fantasy/White magic|white magic]].

* Aside from being a bit stronger and faster, they are the same as in the original games.

This class does the highest damage over most of the game, and has the highest survivability against both magic and melee attacks for the entire game. They have incredibly high defensive power as well as high HP - high enough that an attack that would do 80+ damage to any other class will only do 1 damage to a warrior/knight. Strength is the highest statistic for the Fighter, with Vitality also being important. In addition to dealing significant damage to monsters, they work as excellent shields for the Mages/Wizards by putting them at the head of the party, since enemies attack the party leader the most often. They also have high agility and evasion (improved even further with shields).

* Weapon: Excaliber (NES: Xcalber)

It could be argued that the Masmune is best for the Knight as it's the strongest weapon in the game.  However, Excaliber gives status enhancements against ''all'' enemies of special type (i.e. Undead, Mage, Giant, etc.).  For the ideal party configuration, it's usually best to give the Masmune to another character.  The Healing Helm does ''not'' protect as well as the Diamond Helmet (NES: Opal Helmet), offering 6 vs 8 points of protection.  However, having available the ability to heal your entire party during a battle makes up for the loss of 2 absorb points, especially with weaker enemies where healing adds more HP than an enemy attack can remove.  The Dragon Armor protects your Knight against ''all'' elemental attacks.  Think of it like Diamond Armor (NES: Opal Armor) with a Ribbon built in.  The Aegis Shield is necessary because while the Ribbon protects against Stoning and other status effects, Dragon Armor does not.  The ProRing guards as well as any gauntlet but with the added bonus of protecting against instant Death spells and minimizing instant Death attacks (typically from the Mindflayer (NES: Sorcerer)).

'''Summary:''' Thieves start off fairly weak, but once they start hitting multiple times per attack, they can do as much damage as a Warrior. However, they have relatively low HP and defense (compared to a Warrior), so they tend to be the first to fall in a fight. After the class change they can learn basic Black magic spells. Both classes have extremely high agility, which increases their hit and evade rates, allows to strike first in combat, and makes it significantly easier to flee from battles throughout the game.

|Damage: ||♦♦

|Accuracy: ||♦♦♦

|Evasion: ||♦♦♦♦

* High Speed and Luck stats. This combination will allow them to easily flee from battles, which is handy in situations where you are not prepared (e.g. out of resources, characters are dead and cannot be revived, or under leveled and attempting to push through a dungeon). For players who prefer not to flee, these stats are also beneficial as it allows them to strike first most of the time.

* A ninja can do almost as much damage as a [[#Warrior/Knight|knight]] during most of the game.

* Ninjas can use [[Final Fantasy/Black magic#Haste|Haste]] and [[Final Fantasy/Black magic#Temper|Temper]], two very useful [[Final Fantasy/Black magic|Black magic]] spells that improve your fighting ability.

* In ''Dawn of Souls'' and ''Anniversary Edition'', Ninjas can equip more [[Final Fantasy/Weapons#Equipment chart|weapons]] than [[#Warrior/Knight|Knights]] and the second most amount of [[Final Fantasy/Armor#Equipment chart|armor]].

* With low HP and a poor selection in armor (though still better than Wizards), they can be killed quickly if enemies gang up on them.

* Low magic resistance. Not as bad as the [[#Monk/Master|monk/master]], but expect them to take 1.5x to 3x as much damage from a spell as a [[#Magicians|wizard]] or [[#Warrior/Knight|knight]].

* Their HP is much lower than a Knight's, and will eventually drop below that of a [[#White Mage/White Wizard|white wizard]].

* Thieves are not very useful in the early game when your levels are still low.

* Ninjas can use low level (1-4) [[Final Fantasy/Black magic|black magic]].

* They have been slowed down. They will strike first considerably less often.

* In exchange, they are significantly stronger and can do as much damage as a Warrior.

A Ninja makes a good secondary fighter, especially when teamed up with a [[#Warrior/Knight|Warrior/Knight]]. Don't put him at the front of the party, even as a Ninja he cannot take that much damage. Battles in ''FFI'' tend to be challenging, so you will be grinding a lot, solely for the purpose of having enough HP and MP to fight the boss at the end of the dungeons. The major use for them over a second Knight is that they can learn Haste and Temper, which boosts attack by quite a bit (although a Red Wizard can learn those spells as well).  

As with the Knight, it could be argued that the Masmune is best for the ninja as it's the strongest weapon in the game.  Sasuke's Blade does not offer status enhancements like Excaliber so the Masmune is simply the more powerful weapon.  However, for the ideal party configuration, you'll have to determine if it's worth giving the Masmune to another character.  There is some debate surrounding which Armor to use.  You could equip your Ninja with the Heal Helmet but then you'd lose the protection of the Ribbon. You could attempt to compensate with the Flame Armor and Ice Shield but you'd still be vulnerable to Gas, Lightning and Stoning.  The gain to the party isn't worth the risk and exposure to your Ninja.  It ultimately would cost your party more.  The Diamond Armlet offers the strongest protection at the lowest weight.  This allows your Ninja to dodge attacks more readily than heavy armor.  The Ice and Flame shield offer the same protections but with no additional magical protection if you have the ribbon.  However, fire attacks are more likely before you find the Ribbon. Since the Ice Shield protects against fire, it's the one to keep.  It's found in the Ice Cavern and will dramatically help your character in the Citadel of Trials against the Rakshasa (NES: ManCat) who cast potentially lethal Fire2 spells.  The ProRing guards as well as any gauntlet but with the added bonus of protecting against instant Death spells and minimizing instant Death attacks (typically from the Mindflayer (NES: Sorcerer)).

'''Summary:''' They can fight as well as a [[#Warrior/Knight|Warrior]], except they have much lower Defense. Not too far into the game they will be able to do more damage unarmed than even a Warrior/Knight equipped with the best available weapon. They also use very little armor and no weapons so they are very cheap to maintain.  While their defense is low, they actually earn a defense bonus by not wearing any armor at all.  Even still, it is not recommended that you put them at the front of the party.  Their lack of need for armor and weapons make them a very inexpensive choice.

|Endurance: ||♦♦♦♦♦

* Lower evasion and magic resistance. A Master may take 2x-5x as much damage from a spell as a [[#Magicians|wizard]] or [[#Warrior/Knight|knight]].  

* HP is low in early levels, but does raise considerably later on. No magic at all.

* Absolutely nothing.

* Masters gain less magic defense per level as opposed to their non-upgraded class.

The major advantage of the class throughout most of the game is that they cost nothing to maintain, saving valuable gold that can be used to upgrade other characters. They would be even better than the Knight if not for their lower defense, which keeps them from being a good person to put in the front slot. That said, the Master is great in the second slot, with a Warrior/Knight in the front row taking most of the damage.  Around level 20 or so they will get more hits in than any other character resulting in more damage. When Haste and Temper are cast on the Master, he can kill most bosses in one hit. He will take a fair amount of damage, so it is recommended that you also take a White Mage/Wizard with you to heal, or at least stock pile Hi-Potions.

All this changes however at higher levels, however.  Since the master's damage and to-hit rating continue to increase significantly with each level, past level 40 or so they become the strongest damage-dealers, and by level 50 will do more damage than an entire party of other characters - enough to kill even the final boss in one swing, with a lucky hit.  Unfortunately for this class most parties will not reach that high of a level, but for a player that does a lot of leveling-up late in the game or wishes to maximize out your party, a high-level master is the strongest character by far.

The Master is so strong that equipping the Masmune would only slow him down.  The ultra light ribbon detracts only 1 point from your Master's evade.  This small loss ability to dodge attacks is virtually unnoticeable while the Ribbon's ability to help him withstand powerful elemental and status attacks will be invaluable.  The Diamond Armlet offers the strongest protection at the lowest weight.  With an added 34 points of protection, it is the only device that exceeds the Monks natural Absorb increase.  However, be warned: strategically you will ''hurt'' your Master's defense if this is not applied before either the Ribbon or the Protect Ring!  Once you've collected the Diamond Armlet, then you get the other equipment for his added protection.  With nothing in his hands, like a shield, you can put another piece of Armor in this slot.  This is especially useful in the original NES version where each character is limited to 4 slots. The Zeus Gauntlet is by far the best choice here.  The Power Gauntlet is not worth the power gained for the round of attack lost.  The extra Healing Helmet isn't worth it since this will be your primary attack fighter towards the end of the game.  You'll also have another Healing Helm and the Heal Staff.  The Zeus Gauntlet will add to the Master's only weakness; his inability to attack multiple enemies at once.  The ProRing guards as well as any gauntlet but with the added bonus of protecting against instant Death spells and minimizing instant Death attacks (typically from the Mindflayer (NES: Sorcerer)).

There are two types of magic in the game: [[Final Fantasy/White magic|white]] and [[Final Fantasy/Black magic|black]], and a mage that can use each type exclusively. A third class of mage, the [[#Red Mage/Red Wizard|Red Mage]], may use both types of magic, but they are restricted from casting the strongest levels of magic as a consequence. All wizard classes have low attack, low HP, and low defense. If the magic users are in the bottom two rows they will not be targeted as often. It is still necessary to have a physical attacker or two since you cannot use magic all of the time.

Later on in the game you will start finding equipment that can cast spells an unlimited number of times, however they are no replacement for magicians as the items can only cast low level spells, and the effectiveness of the item-spell is determined by the wielder's magic stat. Mages have much higher magic power than a fighter, so these items will be more effective when used by them. Besides, it's usually preferable to keep your fighters attacking the enemies, not using items.

* They can use (most) level 1-7 [[Final Fantasy/White magic|white]] and [[Final Fantasy/Black magic|black]] magic.

* They can equip many of the same [[Final Fantasy/Weapons|weapons]] and [[Final Fantasy/Armor|armor]] as a [[#Warrior/Knight|Warrior/Knight]] until late in the game.

* Significantly better defense than either of the two other wizards, about on par with a [[#Thief/Ninja|Ninja]] or [[#Monk/Master|Master]].

'''Summary:''' The White Mage is a sorcerer devoted to the restorative power of white magic. She is often considered a female, while the other five jobs are usually considered males. She is capable of casting many powerful spells that can restore allies to combat readiness even after sustaining grave wounds.  The White Mage is also able to cast a limited number of offensive spells, mainly targeting the unholy creatures that are classified as undead.

* She can use level 1-8 White magic, including Life, Cure, and Harm.

* She can use magic that enhances the stats of the rest of the party.

* She cheap to maintain in terms of equipment.

* She have low Defense and Strength stats. Her low Strength isn't much of a problem if you have two [[#fighters|fighters]], but their low Defense means they need a lot of protection.

* Except for ''Holy'', her attack spells only work against the undead, so she can do next to nothing against other types of enemies,

* She has a very limited choice of usable equipment.

* White Wizards can use all [[Final Fantasy/White magic|white]] magic.

* White Wizards can equip a few [[Final Fantasy/Weapons|weapons]] with decent power.

Throughout most of the earlier part of the game, a red wizard would be a superior substitute to this class.  But without a white wizard you will lack the extremely powerful Cure4 and Life2 spells which will make the endgame far harder. Even with a [[#Warrior/Knight|knight's]] incredibly high defense and HP, they will require a lot of attention from White Wizards later on in the game.

They are excellent for supporting your other party members because of their healing magic. However, their low Defense and usually weak armor will make them easy targets later in the game. Since Red Wizards and Knights cannot cast Life 2 or the more advanced Cures, you will have to rely on items for healing if you don't have a White Wizard. While they will always be weak, when equipped with [[Final Fantasy/Weapons#Thor's Hammer|Thor's Hammer]] they can do about half the amount of damage as a [[#Thief/Ninja|ninja]]. They can also use the Harm/Dia series of magic, which is quite powerful against the undead - which you will be facing a lot of in the game.

The White Wizard can suddenly become an attack warrior with the Masmune in her hand.  However, if you're playing with a Red Wizard, you should give her the Masmune and keep Thor's Hammer.  It's more likely the Red Wizard equipped with the Masmune can kill an enemy in 1 round, especially at the higher levels.  This is increasingly important when dealing with powerful enemies.  In any case, keep Thor's Hammer as an item. Mindflayers are vulnerable only to Lightning spells and they will be the biggest thorn in your side at the end of the game.  Having someone able to cast Thundara who ordinarily cannot will be of great advantage.  The Ribbon is the obvious choice for this magic user. She cannot wear helmets and they need all the physical protection she can get, especially from powerful magic.  The White Robe offers as much protection as the Ruby Armlet (NES: Gold Bracelet).  However, the added benefit of being able to autocast Invisara (increasing your entire team's evade) is not only more valuable than simple Absorb points but also allows you access to ALL level 6 spells, making it clear which 3 you should buy.  The Protect Cloak offers additional protection at low weight which can be beneficial against enemy attacks.  This adds 8 absorb points to the White Robe, giving you a total 32 absorb points.  This doesn't match the 34 absorb points of the Diamond Armlet but it comes very close.  The ProRing guards as well as any gauntlet but with the added bonus of protecting against instant Death spells and minimizing instant Death attacks (typically from the Mindflayer (NES: Sorcerer)).

'''Summary:''' Black Mages are wielders of the destructive black magic and use the elements of the world, poison, and mental attacks to destroy their foes. They are great to have because of their spells but, like the [[#White Mage/White Wizard|white wizard]], they have very low offense, defense, and life (lower, actually). When used properly, [[Final Fantasy/Black magic|black]] magic can do more harm than any of the [[#fighters|fighters]].

* They have a limited amount of weapons and armor that they can use.

* They have lowest HP and Strength of all the classes.

* Black Wizards can use all [[Final Fantasy/Black magic|black]] magic.

* Black Wizards can equip a few [[Final Fantasy/Weapons|weapons]] with decent power, including the [[Final Fantasy/Weapons#Cat Claw|Cat Claw]].

A very useful class, though not quite a valuable as the [[#White Mage/White Wizard|white wizard]] and [[#Warrior/Knight|Knight]]. They are excellent for clearing out large groups of enemies (which you will frequently encounter). Once you get the [[Final Fantasy/Armor#Gauntlets|Gauntlets]], anyone can "cast" Bolt2/Thundara so their usefulness in this regard is diminished. However, they still have the highest magic power and can cast some very powerful spells, including the most powerful spell, Flare. Once you get their strongest weapon they are surprisingly powerful and can kill many weaker enemies in a single hit. If you are willing to sacrifice a little offensive magic ability for more physical power (and a character that can survive repeated hits), a [[#Red Mage/Red Wizard|Red Wizard]] makes a suitable replacement for a Black Wizard.

You'll need the [[Final Fantasy/Key items#Rat's Tail|Rat's Tail]] which you can find in the [[Final Fantasy/Locations#Citadel of Trials|Citadel of Trials]]. Once you acquire it from the chest, you have to take it to [[Final Fantasy/Locations#Cardia Islands|Bahamut's Cave]] in the [[Final Fantasy/Walkthrough#Cardia Islands|Cardia Islands]], the chain of islands between the North Eastern and North Western continents.

Early on, the best way to level up is to battle the enemies at the [[Final Fantasy/Walkthrough#Power peninsula|Power peninsula]] near [[Final Fantasy/Locations#Pravoka|Pravoka]]. From Pravoka, on the world map, go a little south to find the path that goes immediately east.  After a short walk you will come to a fork in the road, with the option of going north or southeast.  Go north, past the dock, around the mountains, until you cannot go any further.  The 2 x 2 section that makes up the edge of the peninsula has enemies from the continent across the strait. Enemies include:

* [[Final Fantasy/Enemies#Necrotaur|Necrotaurs]] (usually in groups of 1-4)

* [[Final Fantasy/Enemies#Hill Gigas|Hill Gigas]] (usually in groups of 1-4)

* [[Final Fantasy/Enemies#Winter Wolf|Winter Wolves]] (usually in groups of 4-9)

* [[Final Fantasy/Enemies#Troll|Trolls]] (usually in groups of 2 with 1 or 2 Necrotaurs)

Before even attempting to fight in this area, you should get the [[Final Fantasy/White magic#Cure2|Cure2]] and [[Final Fantasy/Black magic#Steel|Steel]] spells, and the best weapons and armor you can buy from Pravoka. [[Final Fantasy/Locations#Elfheim|Elfheim]] sells [[Final Fantasy/Weapons#Mythril Sword|Mythril Swords]], however they cost 4,000 Gil a piece. You should buy them as soon as you can since they make fighting a lot easier. If you have a [[Final Fantasy/Classes#Red Mage/Red Wizard|Red Mage]] or [[Final Fantasy/Classes#Black Mage/Black Wizard|Black Mage]], get the [[Final Fantasy/Black magic#Fire2|Fire2]] spell as well.

* '''White Wizard:''' white robe (casts Invis2)

* '''Black Wizard:''' black robe (casts Blizzard2)

** Healing: Heal2/3, Cure4, Life2,  

** Support: Soft, NulAll,

** Attack: Dia1/3/4, Holy.

** Attack: Death, Quake, Break, Doom, Flare, Warp.

!width=18%| FF1 !!width=16%| Description !!width=14%| [[Final Fantasy 2]] !!width=19%| [[Final Fantasy 4]] !!width=19%| [[Final Fantasy 6]] !!width=14%| [[Final Fantasy 7]]

| {{n/a|-}}            ||'' Physical fighter <br /> with no magic            ''|| Gordon, <br /> Ricard, <br /> Leon || Kain (Dragoon), <br /> Cid (Engineer) || Edgar (Machinist), <br /> Cyan (Samurai), <br /> Umaro (Berserker)    || Barret, <br /> Cid

| '''Warrior/Knight    ||'' Physical fighter <br /> with healing spells      ''|| Guy                                || Cecil (Paladin)                      || {{n/a|-}}                                                            || {{n/a|-}}

| '''Thief/Ninja      ||'' Physical fighter <br /> with attack spells      ''|| Leila                              || Edge (Ninja)                          || Locke (Thief), <br /> Shadow (Ninja), <br /> Setzer (Gambler)        || Yuffie, <br /> Nanaki

| '''Monk/Master      ||'' Barehanded fighter <br /> with no magic          ''|| Josef                              || Yang (Monk)                          || Sabin (Monk), <br /> Gau (Feral Youth)                                || Tifa

| '''Red Mage/Wizard  ||'' Balanced character                              ''|| Firion, <br /> Scott              || Edward (Bard)                        || Terra (Magitek Elite), <br /> Celes (Rune Knight), <br /> Gogo (Mime) || Cloud

| '''White Mage/Wizard ||'' Magician specialized <br /> in healing          ''|| Minwu                      || Rosa (White Mage), <br /> Porom (White Mage) || {{n/a|-}}                                                            || Cait Sith

| '''Black Mage/Wizard ||'' Magician specialized <br /> in attacking        ''|| Maria                        || Rydia (Summoner), <br /> Palom (Black Mage) || Relm (Pictomancer) <br /> Mog (Geomancer)                            || Vincent

| {{n/a|-}}            ||'' Full-range magician                              ''|| {{n/a|-}}                        || Tellah (Sage), <br /> Fusoya (Lunarian) || Strago (Blue Mage)                                                    || Aeris