Final Fantasy 13 introduced a new battle system that wasn’t like previous Final Fantasy games. Instead of one character being great at one role, they had multiple roles they could excel in. Lightning is a well-balanced fighter who can use physical and magical attacks as well as healing. Sazh might not seem impressive when looking at his stats, since they’re a little low, but he can be one of the most versatile characters in combat if FF13 players have the patience to work on him.

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These party compositions known as Paradigms are determined by what role each member is. With plenty of Paradigm combinations, there are plenty of ways to use each member to their max potential.

Tireless Charge: Physical Attack While Being Healed

For anyone who just wants to defeat enemies the old-fashioned way, this Paradigm is it. With two physical attackers and one focusing on healing, the battle can get done quickly. Fang is a must-have for this Paradigm to be at its best since she is the strongest physical attacker out of the whole party.

The other Commando spot can be filled with Lightning, Sazh, or Snow. Lightning is a better balanced fighter compared to Snow and Sazh, but both men have higher HP and are excellent Sentinels. Sazh also has his trusty Blitz ability, the strongest attack in the game.

Diversity: A Balance Of Physical & Magical Attacks With Healing

One of the most balanced Paradigms in FF13. Fang would be the best choice for the Commando if players want the strongest raw physical attack power. Sazh is also a great choice thanks to Blitz, and he’s also a good Saboteur and Ravager. Snow would be good if players feel they’ll need a strong Sentinel later on in the fight.

Hope is the best Ravager out of the whole group and has the strongest spells in the game. If players want a Ravager with faster cast time and higher HP, Lightning is the superior choice. Vanille is a strong Ravager too, but she would be better in the Medic role since she has higher HP. Since there’s no Sentinel taking most of the hits, her higher HP means she’s less likely to get KO’d.

Protection: Shield While Buffing And Healing

If players are looking to buff and heal their party, this Paradigm can help with that. Thanks to their high HP, Sazh and Snow can be the Sentinel and taunt the enemies so they can take the hits. Snow is the slightly better Sentinel thanks to his weapons providing bonuses for this role. Hope is the better Synergist once he learns all of his spells, but Sazh learns useful spells like Haste and Bravery pretty early in the game.

Thaumaturgy: Overwhelm Enemies With Spells Without Fear

When it comes to using spells, Hope is the best choice. He learns all of the Ravager passives and has the highest magic stat. To get the most out of this Paradigm, he is needed. Vanille seems like she would be the obvious choice for the second Ravager spot, but Snow and Lightning aren’t slouches. Thanks to having the fastest casting animation and having Vigor, Snow can become one of the best Ravagers in the game. However, if enemies absorb or are immune to Water, Ice, or Wind damage then Snow won’t be useful.

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Lightning has a slightly better advantage since she learns all of the “-strike” attacks and elemental spells up to the “-ra” rank and Thundaga. If Vanille is used for the second Ravager spot, Lightning is the best choice for Medic.

Delta Attack: A Twist On A Classic Final Fantasy Attack

When most Final Fantasy players think of Delta Attack, the Overdrive of the Magus Sisters from Final Fantasy 10 might be one of the first images to pop to mind. While this Paradigm isn’t like that at all, it pays homage to the sisters’ balance in combat. Sazh or Snow can taunt the enemies while other party members focus on attacking enemies to end the battle as quickly as possible.

Premeditation: Protect While Strengthening Allies And Weakening Enemies

If players need to boost the party and debuff enemies then this Paradigm is a good one. Although Hope is the better Synergist, Sazh is also a good choice. He has higher HP and shorter casting time. For Saboteur, Vanille is the overall best choice for the role. Fang is another great choice since she specializes in hindering enemy movement. Sazh is also a pretty good Saboteur since he learns all the single-target spells for the role.

Mystic Tower: Stand Strong To Protect The Mages

Hope and Vanille are the strongest spellcasters, but they have slow casting animations that put them at a disadvantage. Thankfully, Sentinels like Sazh and Snow are there to help dampen the damage. Hope is a must-have for this Paradigm. Lightning would be the slightly better choice since she has a faster casting animation, but Vanille is stronger with magic.

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This Paradigm is perfect for Hope and Vanille. With a Sentinel taking most of the hits, they will have an easier time casting their spells without fear of interruption.

Ruthless: Attack And Weaken Enemies At Different Ranges

This Paradigm is all about attacking and weakening the enemies at the same time. Fang is the obvious choice for the Commando role, but Sazh, Snow, and Lightning are also great choices. The Saboteur is going to depend on what the party is fighting. If fighting against enemies that need to be slowed down, Fang is the best choice. For overall and general use, Vanille would be the better choice for the Saboteur role. Sazh is solid if going up against a single enemy that way Vanille or Fang can fill other roles.

Hope would shine as the best Ravager, but his low HP might prove to be a problem. With no Sentinel taking most of the hits, he could be in danger of getting KO’d easily. Vanille is just as good as him, but Lightning casts spells faster.

Offensive Screen: The Shield Protecting The Swords

To let the Commandos of the group shine, a strong shield is going to be needed. Fang’s raw physical power makes her needed for this Paradigm. For the second Commando, Snow is a great choice because he’s just behind Fang in physical power. Sazh is also excellent because of his Blitz ability. Lightning is also a valid candidate even though she’s not as strong as Snow and Fang, however, she is slightly better than Sazh in this area.

Evened Odds: Buff Allies And Weaken Enemies While Staying Alive

Buffing allies and weakening enemies make fights a lot easier. Vanille is the best overall Saboteur and knows a lot more spells than the other characters. Fang is also a dependable Saboteur and can slow enemies down. Sazh is better when it comes to handling a single target. He would also be good in the Synergist role. Hope is a slightly better Synergist, but his low HP and slow casting time put him at a disadvantage.

For the Medic role, Hope and Vanille are the best ones in the game. Hope is slightly stronger, but Vanille has more HP than him. Lightning is also a pretty good Medic even though her magic isn’t as high as theirs.

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