Am I going about this the wrong way?

[larphenflorp]

I don't know if there's really an objective answer to this question, but I'd like to get some opinions of people who've played Final Fantasy V for a substantial amount of time (or any of the FF games, perhaps, as long as it included the Job System). Just so you know, I am playing the GBA version.

I started out making my characters a Black Mage, a White Mage, a Knight, and a Monk. Once the Mages got to level 6 I decided it was best to switch their jobs to something else so they can learn different abilities rather than taking up all the time early in the game to master. My first question is basically: is that a good idea/strategy?

My characters are currently in their 20s and I'm still not far at all in the game. I've purposefully hung back and leveled up a few times. So I switched a few jobs and got to level 4 with a Summoner then changed it to the Time Mage. I'm leaving the jobs early because I see no real advantage in mastering them this early in the game. My next question I have for you experienced players is this: is this way of thinking flawed in some way that I'm not seeing?

Also--and this may sound like an idiotic question--but I'm a little fuzzy on what exactly "mastering" a job entails. I know that once you learn the abilities you can switch to a different job (or no job whatsoever) and use those abilities, but I'm unsure as to the benefit of mastering aside from simply gaining the last ability left, even if it is really awesome (e.g., Dualcast). Is there any other incentive?

Basically I'd like to know if I'm going about getting the ability points and mastering the jobs the wrong way (or less efficient way) or if what I'm doing is going to hurt me much later in the game. Any and all advice appreciated.

 

[Bambi]

I wish I'd done it that way, you can't really lose by trying to learn as many jobs as possible early on inthe game, I kinda muddled through and I had such a nightmare with it

And it is worth mastering jobs becuase the bare character learns something to do with the mastered job...although Im fuzzy on that but it IS worth it

I sruggled lots becuse Ileft job levelling far too late...

 

[Kitab]

Mastering jobs has a huge advantage, because the 'Bare' class inherits the core features of all the jobs you've mastered, and you can also set two abilities rather than just one. I think the same goes for the Mimic class, when you obtain it, and you can set three abilities with Mimic!

The thing is, this means that mastering jobs is only useful when you've mastered at least two. I didn't know about this when I first played the game so I ended up just switching jobs at all sorts of times and not mastering any. It might be a better strategy to focus on one job per character at a time, i.e. stick with your black mage, white mage, knight and monk and only switch jobs when they're mastered.

 

[Prince Oberyn Martel]

Btw the 'Bare' job they are refering to would be 'Freelancer' in your GBA version.

Building up the mages early on is good but alot of that AP could have done with going else where, as you only really need to level a mage up with the level of spells avalible to you. What I tend to do is level up a mage upto or just above the level of the latest magic and then switch to something else, Like Monk for White Mage for example, and build up that ability as I go along instead.

Mastering is a very good idea, but isn't necassary for most of the game so don't worry. Wait until you face enemies that give higher AP before attempting to 'Master' tho's jobs, but it is something you should definitly do. Like said before, mastering a job will pass on certain effects and abilitys to the Freelancer without needing to set them. Ability's like HP10% and Counter etc. Mastering jobs makes your otherwise boring Freelancer a GOD!

 

[Sora_lion_heart]

laugh and cry

I'm leaving mine on to master maybe when I take breaks to level up I'll switch classes but for main story I stay the same,.

 

[Zeromus]

I stuck with monks most of the time.
Somehow made it though the game. Once I had access to the save point on the last floor right before Exdeath, that's when I started mastering a whole bunch of Jobs.