What do you think about the classes/Job system?

[masamune]

I've read in some thread here that FFXIII will feature a classes system, so i start thinking about this. For me the classes system is much better than the "everybody can do everything". At least in FFIX the classes allowed each character to be really usefull in the game, like the summoners or the mage (vivi could be back hehe, just kiding)... In FFIX magic was really usefull and the summons much more necessary than in others FFs.
I'm happy that the classes are back in FFXIII and can't count the days for E3 and maybe a revelation of another character.

[TEA TOWEL HOLDER]

Nothings really been mentioned about that I dont think. You might be thinking of Final Fantasy XII Job system. :P

[Allen Walker]

I'm not that big of a fan on Job Systems because for example, say you start a boss fight and the jobs on your characters is blah,blah,blah. If your job doesn't do that muh damage to it, you might as well cut the game off cause your basically dead. Plus if the boss is VERY hard, you'll have to do extra training to level up that job.

DX it gets very annoying at times. Play FF5, you'll see what I mean.

[Terros]

I wouldn't mind a job system if we're able to change characters in-battle.

[Desi]

There is already a little thread about this you could have bumped. http://forums.finalfantasy-xiii.net/showthread.php?t=673

But more on the topic at hand:

They already said that every character will have a role in the party in an interview somewhere. So a FFIV/FFIX type set job is pretty likely (even though Lightning has awkward qualities) and I hate that. I enjoy having full development over my character, everybody in FFXII could do everything if you wanted them too but they all weren't equal at it. The only fault with that system other then you/me/the player wanting to be efficient is that there weren't many negative affects. There wasn't a max amount of spendable points so you didn't have to pick more wisely unless you wanted to challenge yourself aka not being as efficient as possible. So the real problem is people wanting their characters to be as close as possible and not the developers forcing you to make them different.

I do like the job system but I hate not having any choice in what they are. Final Fantasy: Tactics does the job system the best in the FF series. Being able to combine main skills, movement, and reaction skills from multiple jobs made leveling more then one job worth so much.

[masamune]

I understand, but as i said before, when you don't have jobs magics become useless soon, and many things are lost in strategy. If every character have a specific Job you'll need all your party to be strong, and not only 3 people. I agree with Desi that it would be good if FFXII forced you to choose between jobs (if i understood well what you meant), but by selecting your equipments, weapons, and gambits you can do what you want from a character. About this Job system made by the player (FFXII) i think FFVIII were the best to feature it, cause with the junctions you could do this, but somewhat you were forced one way or another cause the characters were so different in status and especially in their limits.

[Desi]

I agree with Desi that it would be good if FFXII forced you to choose between jobs (if i understood well what you meant), but by selecting your equipments, weapons, and gambits you can do what you want from a character.

No you didn't. I said if FFXII had a max amount of points you could use on the grid people wouldn't complain even though the characters already had tons of differences. It is more the fault of the player trying to be 100% efficient not the game, you can make use of anything if you really tried but most don't and just go with the most efficient path. Offensive magic was useless in VII and VIII as well, X it wasn't great but you were forced to use on some enemies so I don't see how they were much different, Squall being naturally stronger then Rinoa is the same as Basch and Penelo. You can even see things like that in magic casting. I could do much more damage faster with physical combat so I did that to be efficient, I didn't have to though. Also offensive magic has really only obtained pure "needed" value in 1-5 and 11.

[Flint]

I'd like to see a system that is similar to the one in FFVI, where each character still has their own unique class and abilities - so each has a defined role, but it's also possible to have them learn any additional spells etc that you choose yourself.

I'd prefer it if they didn't use the same system as in FFIX as that was too restrictive - all the abilities a character could learn were predefined and limited and so you couldn't really put your own personal stamp on each party member.

[masamune]

No you didn't. I said if FFXII had a max amount of points you could use on the grid people wouldn't complain even though the characters already had tons of differences. It is more the fault of the player trying to be 100% efficient not the game, you can make use of anything if you really tried but most don't and just go with the most efficient path.

Thats what i meant... having a max amount of points to cast would force the player to choose a job, cause its really usefull having a stronger magic casting in the party, even if its only for healing. Without this limited amount of points its wise to have everybody doing everything efficiently.

Offensive magic was useless in VII and VIII as well, X it wasn't great but you were forced to use on some enemies so I don't see how they were much different, Squall being naturally stronger then Rinoa is the same as Basch and Penelo.

Offensive magic was useless, thats sure, but having a character with strong magic power wasn't. I've said that cause of the different limits were based in different status, and they were usefull, so thats the difference. Bash is really stronger than Penelo, but the difference is almost null with the ultimate equipments and tat doesn't make difference in the mists cause all of them deal physical damage. Oh, and black magic was really strong in FFIX, or didn't you ever used self reflected magic to deal maximum damage with Vivi? This way you can do 9999 damage early game with a FIRA!!!!!!!!!!

[Desi]

Offensive magic was useless, thats sure, but having a character with strong magic power wasn't. I've said that cause of the different limits were based in different status, and they were usefull, so thats the difference.
The difference also is the in FFXII Mist knacks are all attack based(which I prefer) over just random abilities that the creators decide to put(why the fuck does Selphie have random? and Quistis/Kimarkri could only use blue magic as a limit, come on). Now different stats effecting damage I don't mind. examples. FFXI weaponskills have modifiers based on stats like str, vit, agi, dex, int, mnd, chr that affects the damage and additional effect(poison, silence) some may have.
Bash is really stronger than Penelo, but the difference is almost null with the ultimate equipments
The game had equipment, which is much more then what you had choices on in a lot of recent games in teh series. This also goes to my arguement of you the player trying to be efficient.
Oh, and black magic was really strong in FFIX, or didn't you ever used self reflected magic to deal maximum damage with Vivi? This way you can do 9999 damage early game with a FIRA!!!!!!!!!!
If you noticed I didn't mention IX.

[masamune]

If you noticed I didn't mention IX.

You're right, i just wanted to show that in FFIX offensive magics were usefull since you only mentioned I-IV and XI as having usefull offensive magics.

[Desi]

That was because magic was very useful but physical attacks were very powerful as well (much more then they were before). So you weren't losing three party member damage if you decided to not use my man Vivi at all times because Zidane could still do respectable damage. Which can't be said with the older ones were melee had such a hard time.