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"FF IX's learning-through-equipment and ability selection systems added a new dimension of strategy to character setup and equipment customization, while also doing a decent job of keeping higher-level abilities confined to their appropriate sections of the game. However, what I believe is the best part of FF IX's system is that the characters retain their individuality while still keeping a degree of freedom of customization. Having heterogenous characters makes parties of different characters actually behave and strategize differently, while in many other FF games (V, VII, VIII, and X, I'm looking at you guys) very nearly every single important ability could be used by any character, save limit breaks/criticals/overdrives. Under such a system, players will often use the same strategies for every single battle, and what characters they are using won't make a difference. FF IX has elements of FF IV's differentiated characters and of FF VI's shared learnable ability stem, so characters have specific roles with customizable abilities and styles."
I agree that in FF V, VII & VIII (plus X-2 as it seems, just at the beginning) it seems that the characters could be marionettes during the battles, doesn't make any (large) difference.

I voted for FF V for the strategy and customization part, but ofc I like FFTA as well pretty much. I think it migh have been very good if they combined both, more abilities in FF V, especially for warrior classes and so on, and abilities maybe learned through weapons or "techs" fpr warrior (etc. pp.) classes. But also there would be different jobs, I would like that not every character can use any job, so jobs might be restricted to some characters - Just as with the races in FFTA, a hume cannot change to any job the No Mou have available and vice versa. This would garantee some kind of specilisation and more importance of the characters.

What I enjoyed about FF X is that you are able to change your characters, and in X-2 the jobs during the gameplay in battle, which has lead my mind to one word; flexibility. Would also nice to have this in FF V, TBH.
I quiete like the sphere grind, it is fun to use, but you quickly can loose the overview. It is hard to see which paths give which stats and sometimes even how do you get to a certain ability. However, another word stands in my mind for FF X, and this is specilization. Sure, at the end you can have all characters have 255 stats, but during the storyline you have too different stats so you can't have your white mage imba attack pwner yet. Even the additional magic stat Kimahri has compared to the other physical attacks is hard to come by.
I even see a huge part of individuality.

Quote (footbigmike @ 22nd June 2005 22:05)

My favourite is the sphere grid from 10. In ways, it is similar to the Esper's, so they'll go second. FF2's i haven't really got into yet, i'm not very far.

GET INTO IT.

It is one of my personal favorites. due to the development system, and getting better at spells and weapons is genius.

FFIV because you learn Spells at lvl up which is so much better it gives you a reason to lvl grind.

Quote (KasperNinja @ 2nd August 2011 14:25)

FFIV because you learn Spells at lvl up which is so much better it gives you a reason to lvl grind.

True, but that game has about two good grinding spots once you reach the 40s.

Quote (laszlow @ 22nd June 2005 22:40)

FF IX. Long-ish post ahead, may want to stop reading now if one is lacking in attention span.

FF IX's learning-through-equipment and ability selection systems added a new dimension of strategy to character setup and equipment customization, while also doing a decent job of keeping higher-level abilities confined to their appropriate sections of the game. However, what I believe is the best part of FF IX's system is that the characters retain their individuality while still keeping a degree of freedom of customization. Having heterogenous characters makes parties of different characters actually behave and strategize differently, while in many other FF games (V, VII, VIII, and X, I'm looking at you guys) very nearly every single important ability could be used by any character, save limit breaks/criticals/overdrives. Under such a system, players will often use the same strategies for every single battle, and what characters they are using won't make a difference. FF IX has elements of FF IV's differentiated characters and of FF VI's shared learnable ability stem, so characters have specific roles with customizable abilities and styles.

FF VI's Esper system almost certainly my second-favorite, with Magic as a shared ability and each character with their own unique abilities; it's another example of great balance between the extremes of FF IV and FF X.

Ha! I wrote this six years ago, and I 100% agree with myself. I still wish they'd make another FF game with a system like that....

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Quote (KasperNinja @ 2nd August 2011 08:25)

FFIV because you learn Spells at lvl up which is so much better it gives you a reason to lvl grind.

I definitely like the simplicity of this, but first of all, some people hate level grinding.

Besides, i think it depends on what you want the focus of your gaming experience to be.

If you want to the player to focus on the plot and setting, giving them a convenient system where they just learn spells automatically as they gain XP is nice.

However, if you want to produce in-depth strategic gameplay, then we're talking something much more complicated, at least like the classes and ABP of FFV or the espers, magic points, and stat boots of FFVI.

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I voted for FF5's job system. I enjoy having the freedom to make the characters any class I choose and arrange their abilities however I want. Too, having to figure out which abilities work best in which situations involves planning and strategizing rather than straight-up level grinding. And I love all the different costumes the characters get to wear in their different jobs. Always thought that was cute.
A close second is the Esper & Relic system in FF6. You still get the element of customization, but the characters each have unique abilities, which adds to their personality and prevents them from being generic blank slates. The strategy lies in deciding which Espers & Relics to equip the characters with, or which characters to include in your party.

This post has been edited by Psiren on 3rd August 2011 17:02

Quote (laszlow @ 2nd August 2011 17:32)

Quote (laszlow @ 22nd June 2005 22:40)

FF IX.  Long-ish post ahead, may want to stop reading now if one is lacking in attention span. 

FF IX's learning-through-equipment and ability selection systems added a new dimension of strategy to character setup and equipment customization, while also doing a decent job of keeping higher-level abilities confined to their appropriate sections of the game.  However, what I believe is the best part of FF IX's system is that the characters retain their individuality while still keeping a degree of freedom of customization.  Having heterogenous characters makes parties of different characters actually behave and strategize differently, while in many other FF games (V, VII, VIII, and X, I'm looking at you guys) very nearly every single important ability could be used by any character, save limit breaks/criticals/overdrives.  Under such a system, players will often use the same strategies for every single battle, and what characters they are using won't make a difference.  FF IX has elements of  FF IV's differentiated characters and of FF VI's shared learnable ability stem, so characters have specific roles with customizable abilities and styles. 

FF VI's Esper system almost certainly my second-favorite, with Magic as a shared ability and each character with their own unique abilities; it's another example of great balance between the extremes of FF IV and FF X.

Ha! I wrote this six years ago, and I 100% agree with myself. I still wish they'd make another FF game with a system like that....

Rather than explain it myself, I thought I would just quote this for explanation - It's more or less exactly what I would have said.

I voted for IX too, also slightly ahead of VI.

This post has been edited by Stiltzkin on 3rd August 2011 17:24

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