Turn-based combat has had a long presence in JRPGs, ever since Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy established turn-based rounds as the main method of combat in the '80s. While different styles of combat have appeared in JRPGs over the ensuing decades, turn-based combat remains a classic aspect of the genre.

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Many JRPGs add in unique mechanics or special abilities to spice up turn-based combat to distinguish their combat system from others in the genre. While many games try to make sure these mechanics never get too crazy, several titles allow the player to break the game with careful use of the mechanics given. Here are some JRPGs that let players become incredibly overpowered.

6 Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth

An Endless Cycle Of Evolution

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth has a very complex progression system for the many Digimon that players can obtain and Digivolve into. For many players, their first priority will be to get their starter Digimon to Digivolve into their strongest forms, like Omnimon or Gallantmon. That alone will take quite a long time, even for players who are utilizing the development system as efficiently as possible.

However, this system can also be used to develop incredibly strong Digimon. The key is in De-Digivolution and the ABI stat. Digivolving and De-Digivolving raises a particular ABI stat. The more ABI a Digimon has, the more extra stats it can gain during training. By manipulating the system to maximize a Digimon's ABI, it's possible to create incredibly powerful Digimon with very high stats.

5 Baten Kaitos Origins

Stacking The Deck To Create Absurd Combos

The Baten Kaitos series combines the JRPG formula with deckbuilding, allowing for a unique style of gameplay that uses card game mechanics in turn-based combat. While both Baten Kaitos games have unique aspects to them, they share a focus on creating powerful combos using card sequences.

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In Baten Kaitos Origins, players can have a particular character perform an EX Combo by combining a certain sequence of cards. While many of these combos are strong, there are a couple that are absurdly powerful. The most powerful is protagonist Sagi's The Apotheosis, a 7-card combo that can potentially one-shot most bosses. While it is somewhat difficult to line up the cards and resources necessary, it is nevertheless a potent strategy in the game.

4 Fire Emblem: Genealogy Of The Holy War

Power Gained Through Lineage

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War is a defining entry in the iconic Fire Emblem series. It introduced core concepts like the Weapon Triangle and in-battle conversations between characters, with its most unique addition being the ability to play across two generations of heroes, with the second generation inheriting their stats and skills from the first.

There's not much players can do with the first generation, but the second generation is a different story. Since the second generation units inherit stats from their parents, the stronger their parents are, the stronger they will be. Depending on which characters get which skills and weapons, this can make for some incredibly powerful units.

3 Disgaea: Hour Of Darkness

A Neverending Grindfest

The Disgaea series is a franchise well known for its humorous atmosphere, gothic aesthetic, and complex job system. Many of the games are fairly similar in gameplay, with most involving the player going through a series of stages with a collection of unique and generic units.

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Disgaea: Hour of Darkness is most known, however, for its intense grind, with many mechanics centered around endless dungeons, such as the Item World, in which players can power up an item by going through a dungeon with dozens of floors. In addition, Disgaea characters can reach a max level of 9999, which could make for some incredibly powerful characters provided players have the patience to get there.

2 Persona 5 Royal

The Ultimate In Persona Development

Persona 5 Royal is currently one of the most popular JRPGs of the last decade, with its mixture of jazzy music, flashy aesthetics, and addictive combat making an indelible mark on the gaming world. Progression in Persona 5 Royal, and SMT games in general, generally revolves around fusing and developing Personas, and this game is no different.

While many modern SMT games provide for a variety of ways to develop and improve demons and Personas, Persona 5 Royal takes it to the next level. With Fusion Alarms, Network Fusions, Lockdown, and more, it's easier than ever to customize and create powerful Personas that can trivialize even the toughest battles.

1 Final Fantasy Tactics

A Complex And Comprehensive Job System

Final Fantasy Tactics was the franchise's first foray into the tactical role-playing subgenre, an incredibly popular off-shoot that inspired a whole host of tactical RPGs on its own. The game sported a robust Job System that required players to farm Job Points in order to learn a variety of skills and unlock new jobs.

There's room for experimentation with all kinds of jobs, meaning it's possible to combine all kinds of skills in order to create impossibly powerful units. While not every setup will result in a winner, it's not hard to create some incredibly potent characters so long as the patience to farm JP is there.

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