The Job System is incredibly deep, and understanding how to optimize your AP gain and ability inheritance is crucial for creating powerful characters. Don't just stick to one job!
Key Optimization Strategies:
- Early AP Grinding: In World 1, the Ship Graveyard and the area around Karnak are good spots for early AP. Later, the North Mountain (World 3) and the Sunken Worus Tower (World 2) offer excellent AP opportunities.
- Prioritize Key Abilities: Focus on mastering jobs that grant universally useful abilities early on.
- Thief: 'Steal' (essential for items), 'Dash' (world map speed).
- White Mage: 'Cure', 'Cura', 'Poisona'.
- Black Mage: 'Fire', 'Blizzard', 'Thunder'.
- Monk: 'Barehanded' (for powerful physical attacks without weapons), 'Counter'.
- Red Mage: 'Dualcast' (game-breaking for magic users).
- Ninja: 'Dual Wield' (game-breaking for physical attackers).
- Freelancer/Mime Strategy: Once you've mastered several jobs, switch to Freelancer or Mime. These jobs inherit all mastered job stat bonuses and can equip multiple abilities, making them incredibly versatile and powerful.
- Back Row for Mages: Keep your magic users in the back row to reduce physical damage taken. Equip them with ranged weapons or ensure their magic output is high enough to compensate.
- Experimentation: Don't be afraid to try unconventional combinations. A Knight with 'White Magic' can be a surprisingly durable healer, or a Black Mage with 'Two-Handed' can deal massive damage with a staff.
The more jobs you master, the stronger your Freelancers and Mimes become, making the late game significantly easier.