The Job system
Units belong to a Job (class), earn JP (Job Points) by acting, and spend JP to learn that job's abilities. Mastering jobs and meeting prerequisites unlocks new jobs along a branching tree.
- Each job has its own level (driven by JP) and its own ability list.
- Advanced jobs require levels in prerequisite jobs (climb from Squire/Chemist into combat and mage lines, then into elite hybrids).
- A unit's stat growth depends on the job it levels up in — so the class you grind matters for the final build, not just the abilities you learn.
Ability slots
This is the actual build system and where the depth lives. A unit equips:
- One Job (primary) — its full action set.
- One Secondary command — the action abilities of any other job you've learned. The cross-class engine: a Knight with Black Magick, a Monk with White Magick.
- One Reaction — auto-triggers on a condition (counterattack when hit, auto-heal on damage).
- One Support — a passive (equip heavier weapons, two-hand, boost a stat, dual-wield).
- One Movement — movement/positioning passive (+Move, +Jump, move through tiles, teleport).
The game is won in these slots. Build identity comes from the combination, not the primary job alone.
Enhanced"Remove All Equipment" was added to the status screen, and locked job-unlock conditions are now shown clearly — planning these builds is much faster.
Job tree and progression
Broad shape of the tree (names follow the Ivalice Chronicles localization):
- Base: Squire and Chemist — everyone starts here; Squire's JP-up and Chemist's items are foundational.
- Physical line: Knight (armor, break equipment), Archer (ranged, charge shots), Monk (high HP/PA, healing punches), Thief (steal, speed), Geomancer (terrain attacks), Dragoon/Lancer (jump), Samurai (draw-out elemental hits), Ninja (dual-wield, throw, very high Speed).
- Magick line: Black Mage (elemental nukes), White Mage (heal/buff), Time Mage (haste/slow/quick, the turn-economy class), Summoner (big AoE MA), Oracle/Mystic (status ailments), Orator/Mediator (recruit, persuade), and the Mathematician/Calculator class.
- Elite/hybrid: Mystic Knight/specialty hybrids and the unique story jobs.
Climbing the tree is the long-game project: grind prerequisite jobs not only to unlock the next class but to pick up cross-class abilities your final build wants.
Standout jobs and why
- Time Mage — Haste, Slow, and Quick weaponize the turn economy. Some of the strongest action economy in the game.
- Ninja — innate dual-wield and top-tier Speed; a fast attacker and a premier stat-grind class. Throw adds ranged burst.
- Monk — huge HP and PA, weaponless, with healing and AoE punch arts; strong early and a great secondary on bruisers.
- Mathematician (Calculator) — the notorious build-breaker: cast certain spells free on every unit matching a numeric condition (Height/CT/Level/EXP). Slow to set up, devastating once online.
- Orator/Mediator — recruit enemy humans and some monsters; how you grow a roster of special units and rare classes.
- Samurai / Summoner — top MA and physical-magick burst for clearing groups.
- Knight — equipment/stat breaks neuter dangerous enemies; sturdy frontline.
The "best" job is always relative to the combination you build around it — see the build archetypes.