This page will introduce you to the basics of playing Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. More in-depth coverage of the topics on this page can be found on that topic's respective page.
Jobs[edit]
Gameplay in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is centered around it's Job system. Knowledge of how this system works helps you become a master on the battlefield. For example, you'll want to have strong physical jobs on the front line and weaker jobs, like White Mage, along the rear. A good blend of jobs in any given battle will help you strike at your enemy's weakness and prevent them from exploiting yours.
There are 34 different jobs in the game, and they are limited by the character's race and knowledge of abilities. You can change jobs at any time without a penalty, but some stats rise and fall depending on the job that is taken.
Abilities[edit]
If jobs are the most important aspect, abilities come in close second. You can learn abilities by equipping weapons and armor. These items can have between 0 and 3 abilities. Each ability can be learned by a certain job. A character just needs to equip a weapon while playing the respective job to be able to use that ability. Each mission and battle completed will result in gaining ability points (AP) and earning enough AP will result in that character learning that ability and be able to use it after choosing a different job. Most abilities are linked to an ability type that you can choose as a secondary ability type while using another job.
Missions[edit]
Progress through the game is made by accepting missions at a pub and completing them. There are 300 total numbered missions and a few unnumbered missions that the game does not track completion of. The main story is told through the missions numbered 1 through 24. All other missions are considered subquests. All of the story missions are ones where you have a tactical battle where you directly control your troops on the field and complete the objectives to complete the mission.
Subquests can be field battle missions as well, but they can be another type of mission called a dispatch mission. For a dispatch mission you send a single clan member on their own for a number of days and success is determined randomly. When choosing a clan member to send on the dispatch mission, if they are jumping there is a high percentage chance of success, walking is 50%, and if they fall down they have a low percentage chance of success. Both walking and falling members will result in bonuses to rewards if they do succeed so you shouldn't always write them off.
You can sign up for missions at a pub, but certain missions may only be available in certain cities or in certain moons.
Laws[edit]
A twist added to the battle missions are the Laws that are constantly changing as you move around the map and finish encounters. Laws penalize the use of certain actions, and grant bonuses for some others. If you break a law, there is a chance that your character will be thrown in prison. If your main character gets jailed, it is a game over, so don't break the law.
As the game progresses, you'll have access to Law Cards, which allow you to remove and add laws at will (providing there isn't a law against the use of them). These Law Cards can come in handy when you are thrust into an engagement that you know you cannot win without breaking a law. Law Cards are obtained by completing missions and also by trading with Ezel.