One of the most distinct things about the Final Fantasy series is its job systems. Technically, the first game had a job system. Players could choose between several classes and mix and match their four party members. A classic example would be a Fighter, Thief, White Mage, and Black Mage
However, fans have taken it upon themselves to experiment in ways that the developer may not have intended. For example, it’ll be hard, but a party of four White Mages is a viable possibility. That’s what makes the best Final Fantasy job systems so enjoyable for series fans.
7 Final Fantasy 14
Final Fantasy 11 was the first MMO in this long-running series. It was a bit archaic even for an MMO at the time. There was a Job system and it allowed players to multiclass. However, doing so in that game took a lot of patience as well as many gameplay hours.
While things also started out rough for Final Fantasy 14, once it rebooted everything felt better. The ability to change Jobs was much easier than in its predecessor and the wealth of options was greater too. With each expansion comes a new wave of Jobs from the Samurai to the Dark Knight. Final Fantasy 14 has to be the biggest MMO right now.
6 Final Fantasy 13
Final Fantasy 13 gets a lot of flack for not living up to expectations. Instead of an open-world RPG, the game was instead linear for about 3/4 of the experience. However, one of the better things that most fans liked about it was the Job system.
Each character started with a specific role in battle from damage dealers to mage-like classes. These Jobs could be upgraded via a skill true to unlock further potential. What made Final Fantasy 13 truly unique was the ability to swap out Jobs during battle. This was an essential strategy, especially for boss fights. It was turn-based, but this switching ability kept things very active.
5 Strangers Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins
Strangers of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins is the latest game in the franchise. It is a Souls-like action RPG that can best be described as a reimagining of the original Final Fantasy. It takes some leaps in the story to retcon a few things, but, by the end, things will start to make a bit more sense as odd as it all is.
The main character, Jack, will unlock new Jobs as players encounter the fabled Crystals. This is one of the best things about Strangers of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins. Players will also unlock Jobs by progressing through their old ones. For example, if they master a portion of the Black and White Mage abilities then they can eventually unlock a Sage. The combinations of Jobs are endless and there is a lot to see.
4 Final Fantasy 3
Final Fantasy 3 was the first game in the series that allowed players to change their Jobs. It was not, however, the first game in the franchise that introduced the idea of Jobs to the West. Final Fantasy 3, in its original NES form, has still never been translated officially. It was released in 1990 in Japan.
Though fan patches do exist, Western players had to wait until 2011 for an official release when the game was remade for the DS. The port for the PSP was even better. Overall, was the wait worth it? It lacked the intricacies introduced in future Job systems but it was still interesting to be able to see the origins of this mechanic.
3 Final Fantasy 5
It also took a long time for Western fans to get their hands on an official copy of Final Fantasy 5. It was released on the SNES in Japan in 1992 but not until 1999 for the PS1 in North America. This version also came packaged with Final Fantasy 6.
The emulation on both games is not the best because of the load times. Still, fans finally got to play the game, which improved a lot of what Final Fantasy 3 introduced with Jobs. It was easier to manage them, there was more to customize, and the story was better integrated. For those curious, the best version to check out is on the GBA.
2 Final Fantasy 10-2
Final Fantasy 10-2 broke the mold for the series forever. Up to this point, only spinoffs received sequels. The idea of making a sequel to a numbered game sounded ridiculous. Since then, Square Enix has made several more games in this style such as Final Fantasy 13-2.
As for Final Fantasy 10-2, the world was dialed back to a more closed-off set of maps. Yuna and Rikku were aided by a new character, Paine, and the three of them teamed up in a Charlie Angels-like RPG adventure to find Tidus and heal Spira. The girls could swap classes outside and during battle via Dress Spheres. It was kind of a girl power-focused experience that might have made some shy away. However, those that opened their hearts to the possibilities loved the Dress Sphere system. It was a silly game but that’s arguably what made it endearing.
1 Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics is the be-all and end-all for spinoffs. It was the first game in which Westerners were able to try the Final Fantasy Job system out firsthand. For many, it might also be the first tactical RPG they ever played. Final Fantasy 7 was huge, paving the way forward for future entries in the series. As this was the next game, many players gravitated toward it naturally.
It was different in many ways and more challenging for one big reason. The idea of the grids and the Jobs was not as easy to grasp as the simpler combat in Final Fantasy 7. However, those that took the time to master the game's mechanics were eventually able to break Final Fantasy Tactics in ways the developers probably never thought possible. That’s how open the Job system is. For example, the Calculator Job may seem lame at first, but soldiers in that Job can easily become gods.