Greatest Ability/Magic System

July 3, 2007, 7:17 PM

I was just wondering what other people thought was the best magic or ability system in any final fantasy game. for example the junction system from FF8 or the sphere grid from FF10.
My personal opinion is the materia from........well you can guess which game!

My Character Profiles · July 3, 2007, 7:48 PM

I think they're all great in their own little way. The only magic and ability system that bugged me was FFIX...I hated having specific characters with auto-assigned abilities. I like being able to build my characters however I like.

I liked FFVI's idea for learning abilities; by having Espers junctioned to your characters. Espers are magical beings; learning magic from them seems very reasonable.
FFXII's version of Espers was ruined. That and I hated buying magic at shops...that made virtually no sense to me.

FFVII's ablility and magic system was satisfactory. I won't be biased and say "omgomg it was my favorite". But I loved the whole idea of allotting materia to your weapons and allowing growth.

As much as I loathe FFVIII as a Final Fantasy title, I did think the junction system was very unique. It reminded me of FFVI with the idea of junctioning espers to each character...only you had more options. The only bad thing about this system was that it made the game too easy; it should have had disadvantages as well.

I liked the sphere grid in FFX as well. It was a mediocre challenge; only because level 4 spheres were so rare. Other than that, it was terribly easy to build your characters statistics.
The battle system was amazing, but again...it was just too easy. And the weapon alteration...something I think should be a bigger part of FF.

FFXII had a good battle system. The license grid was too easy...way too easy to fill out. With a golden egg or whatever equipped, I could rake up a good 2k license points in under an hour. I was semi disappointed that the espers only had a few moves and no special magics. And I'm a little upset that there was no earth magic.

July 3, 2007, 7:56 PM

I thought that FFVIII's Junction System was done quite well. I liked having Magic used as health boosters and whatnot.

XII's License board was too easy. I didn't like how easy it was to fill out. I thought there were going to be more added onto the boards. Ya know, hidden pieces of the board.

X's sphere grid was done quite well too. yes, it was easy and people say it was one of the most diffulcult to understand at first. =/.

My Character Profiles · July 3, 2007, 8:01 PM

The sphere grid was only difficult because Lvl 4 spheres were hard to come by...but later on in the game I think you can refine them, can't you? I haven't played in ages.

I thought FFVIII was too easy of a game. I managed to get my characters up to level 100 before disc 3 and it was still easy with lvl 100 enemies. The final boss was horrendous, but for the most part...the game was easy. Having the junction system boost your attack, health, defense, vitality, and luck to 255 made my characters like invincible. The only way to get a challenge out of this game was to level up to 100 and equip the weakest weapons/ don't junction magic to your stats.

July 3, 2007, 8:05 PM

Same with me. I had once gotten to level 100 before disc 3 if not on disc 3. lol.

It is quite simple to become "invincible" on this game. I still liked the Junction system somewhat. I hated junctioning magic though. It was so damn time consuming.

I never played IX, but I do like characters having certain abilities set to that certain person. I've heard that IX is too easy though.

My Character Profiles · July 3, 2007, 8:09 PM

In FFVIII, it only takes 1000 Exp to level up...no matter what level your currently at. It was just too simple. XD

I do like the idea of having certain characters with auto-assigned abilities but...I think it would be better off with a job system instead so that you can choose which characters to be your white mage, fighter, dragoon...etc.
In this game I always wound up with the exact same party:
Zidane as my support character
Steiner as my fighter
Garnet as my white mage
Vivi as my black mage

I would have loved to have the other characters in my party; namely Eiko and Freya, but the other characters pretty much ruled them out.

July 3, 2007, 8:12 PM

Ohhh, I see. So you'd rather choose the character Job and do it that way.

Like...X-2? I actually liked the % System. It was a nice touch. I think X-2 had the best System.

My Character Profiles · July 3, 2007, 8:16 PM

Yes. As much as I loathed X-2 as an FF title. XD
I loved the job system. I like being in control of who is in my party and who isn't. It sucks when my favorite characters are left out like that. =[

FFX kind of had a similar system...since you could roam the sphere grid in any direction.

July 3, 2007, 8:18 PM

I guess so. I just liked X-2's system better than X's. =p. If only X-2's story line wasn't so shitty.

My Character Profiles · July 3, 2007, 8:22 PM

I wish they would make the ultimate ability system. Like a mixture of them all.
And what would be better...would be if they would give you the easy, medium, and hard options. XD
Or a universal mode that's SUPER challenging but with extra sidequests, magic, weapons, and dungeons!! =D