I thought about going back in time and embark on an old school FF challenge. I felt V would give me the best chance to try something different, because the job system is so unique in this installment. Here's the rules I came up with for myself.
1. No character can be freelancer or mime (until the final or secret bosses) 2. Each character will be given a main job chosen at random (out of a hat). Krile will obviously have Galuf's innates, but I felt she needs her own class. 3. If that job requires waiting for a crystal, that member will be given a tentative job at each crystal waypoint (through the same selection process) 4. Characters that complete their main job will be given another occupation. 5. Any member can overlap jobs (tentative or main) with another (imagine 4 white mages at once...eww).
I originally tried my Anthology version, but it kept freezing during save files. This was my initial setup.
Interpretation: Offensively gifted for the first half, but dropping the Ninja for the Geomancer renders me in a mixed bag. I can use Lenna or Krile as support. Bartz being Berserk will screw me up in terms of flexibility. I have to hope to God he doesn't come up as the only White Mage beforehand. Otherwise, I've got to master it in a hurry.
I tried using emulation, but I suffer numbness in my hands playing games on my laptop. Good thing too, cause here's what I drew for that playthrough.
Interpretation: Sheer torture...I can think of a few worse combinations, but those dual bards; just horrible. Let's just hope my final picks pan out.
With my copy and emulation out the window, I had to fork over money and buy the PSN release (my $10...). I felt it fair to return to the hat and pick one more time. Especially to throw that terrible second choice out the window.
Main Job Choices (3rd and Final Try)
Bartz: Blue Mage Lenna: Black Mage Faris: Blue Mage Galuf: Black Mage Krile: Samurai
Interpretation: Well...it's demonstronably better than option #2, but lacks serious physical punch until midgame. The best part is I should be able to have attack flexibility and the ability to quickly master it. Getting past the defensive fragility will be a *****. Also, I won't merely stop at Level 6 Magic. I need mastery to make this count.
Current Position: Ship Graveyard (Complete)
I have yet to be completely overwhelmed. Both mobs and bosses have taken tremendous damage from the dual black mage combination. My fears over the blue mages' defense still persists, but they at least do considerably more offensive damage with their equipment (and have shields to protect themselves). I'm stuck using Tonics; that is my biggest concern moving forward
Back to work
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
Faris and Bartz leaned !Blue, Lenna and Galuf are still at Black 3.
Magissa and Faltzer whipped my ass, but I haven't died yet. Dual casters still trump all...but just barely. I sure hope that healing staff works as an item, because none of my characters can equip it.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
With no Phoenix Downs and solely relying on Tonics, I've gotten farther than I thought. Elemental damage is insane. Doom Claw better be worth wasting three retries getting it.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
It can't come soon enough, because I can't bypass the gun turret. I finally met a boss that merits a healer or physical tank to bust through. I have to say I I'm shocked it took this long.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
I threw back three other jobs...I had others, and I let them go for that.
Pros: situational buffs/debuffs, minimal decrease in magic power...I can also use a healing spell (Regen) Cons: No equippable items (I'm stuck in a dungeon) and stuck in the back row.
Faris: Blue Mage -> Hunter
That's much better: mastery of the previous class with no downgrades.
Pros: Vastly attack power, same equipment, attack from back row Cons: Slight magic downgrade (if any)
Yeah, bards have improved since Edward's time...still, I'm a damn bard.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
I need an exorbitant ring (flame or coral) to stand a chance against the last meteor boss. That or luck that he won't throw AoE spells like the plague.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
After an hour of grinding hapless statues, I've undergone tons of changes.
Bartz: Blue Mage -> Bard -> Red Mage
Pros: Practically everything...at least the bard went quickly. Cons: LONG wait till Dualcast
Lenna: Black Mage -> Red Mage
Pros: Access to healing (along with Bartz and endless potions, my problems are gone) Cons: Red means very little when I already have mastered Black.
Galuf: Black Mage -> Time Mage
Pros: Access to buffs/debuffs Cons: None (mastered black means death to all)
Updated Party
Bartz: Red Mage (subsets: singing/blue) Lenna: Red Mage (subset: black) Faris: Hunter (subset: blue) Galuf: Time Mage (subset: black)
Interpretation: What a difference an hour makes. My party has bent to become offensively efficient, has multiple healers, and versatility in nearly every magical area. If I get Dualcast in a reasonable time (not likely), I could be unstoppable.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
Pros: Better defensive equipment, a viable user of Rapid Fire Cons: Weaker than a lot of other physical jobs, Suffers severe agilty issues
Galuf/Krile: Time Mage -> Samurai
Pros: Physical attacker (subset in Time, since most skills aren't reflective on magic power), $Toss is overkill Cons: None
I'm starting to get annoyed that Bartz and Lenna are both tied to that insane ABP sink Dualcast (regardless of its worth). Galuf is about to switch to Krile, so I shifted Galuf over to Samurai to get a headstart.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
I'm glad to be out of the Pyramid. Those forced Mechahead battles pissed me off. Krile turned into a Dancer. I should be annoyed, but her physical and magical skills seem unfazed. I've made a proposal to eliminate from contention any job obtained twice. I want to experience different things while in the third world...most of all, a challenge.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
Even with a souped up party, I think I'll skip Leviathan. I haven't used a summoner, nor do I necessarily need one with dual black mages. I also had to bend my stern rules one time. Those damage floors in the trench were total *****. A Geomancer IS needed, lest you waste a fortune in potions and die in seconds. Bleh.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
After countless job completions via the Phoenix Tower (excluding one bastard pot that took 7 Elixirs and STILL wasn't happy), I'm ready to get this over with.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money
Faris survived. After spending ALL day in the N-Zone, I'll keep Omega and Shinryu in the rear view. I've died enough for one playthrough.
Summary
Classes I wish I picked early: Monk, Summoner, Thief, Ninja
Monk totally abused everything it touched (or maybe that was cause Faris had Rapid Fire). Summoner changed the game. Golem+Bahamut turned the tables in the final battles. Thief: SPRINT MOTHER****** DO YOU SPEAK IT? His other skills pale in comparison. Ninja's dual swords gave Bartz total killing power with Rapid Fire.
Underrated Classes: Bard, Dancer, Geomancer
I thought Edward's curse would doom me. Instead, Power Song and Requiem burned through everyone (it's easy to master) Dancing skills and Ribbons are enough to use dancers (or the dancing dirk) for at least a little while Geomancer has some power, so long as Wind Slash, Stalactite, or Branch Spear come up every turn
Killer Classes: Hunter, Summoner, Monk, Samurai
Rapid Fire is the one skill I would get on everyone...*must remember that* Once again, Summoner would have been great (stupid random choice) Monk > fleshy monsters GP toss still fits the bill as "cheat code." Just wish I had money to spare in the N Zone.
Classes I'll Never Use Again: Black Mage, Red Mage, Berserker, Dragoon
Summoner makes Black Mage look like a pansy Red Mage...what a bust. 1000+ ABP is no price to pay, even though Dualcast saved my ass. For that price, I could have had Rapid Fire+Dual Swords...and something else. Berserker and Dragoon are outclassed with ease.
Tough Spots: Soul Cannon, random Dragon ambushes, Later N-Zone, Damage Floors
Souped up AoE really killed me, even when I could use White Mage skills. I got frustrated and torn to pieces by mobs of "doom users." Don't take anyone lightly. You'd think I would have remembered "Summoner Cave" in FF4...I had Float, didn't use it, wasted 200 potions in 20 minutes.
Weak Spots: Lithograph Bosses, Phoenix Tower
I forgot how weak some bosses really were. Trench Goblins (BWI!) blew hot air, and I cruised up the tower (barring that ******* pot).
All in all, I'm glad I played this again.
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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money