Getting Started: Character Development 2

Learn about Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age's job system, licenses, and License Boards to make informed character development decisions and create powerful party combinations.

The Zodiac Age introduced a significant change to Final Fantasy XII's gameplay: the job system. Unlike the original game's universal License Board, this system features twelve distinct License Boards, each tied to a specific job or class. Characters are now assigned jobs, forcing them into specialized roles rather than allowing universal access to all licenses. In The Zodiac Age, characters can select two jobs, enabling greater diversity and interplay between License Boards.

While most job and character combinations are viable, some are demonstrably more powerful. This guide aims to help you understand character aptitudes, job licenses, synergistic job pairings, and make informed choices for your characters. A sample party is also provided for those who prefer a ready-made solution.

Licenses and License Boards

In The Zodiac Age, each job is essentially a License Board, a grid of licenses with varying LP (License Point) costs. As you defeat enemies, you earn LP, which are spent to purchase licenses. The more advanced the license, the higher its LP cost.

Licenses grant access to nearly everything in the game. The most common are for weapons, armor, magicks, and technicks. Even if you own an item, a character needs the corresponding license to use it. The primary difference between jobs lies in the licenses they offer, dictating equipable gear and usable abilities. Licenses also enhance stats like HP, melee damage, magick effectiveness, shield blocking chance, Potion potency, Remedy effectiveness, unarmed damage, and ATB bar fill rate.

Island Hopping

All characters begin with a few unlocked licenses reflecting their innate aptitudes. For example, Vaan, Balthier, and Fran can use the Steal technick, while Penelo, Fran, and Ashe start with Cure magick. After assigning a job, characters can purchase progressively superior licenses adjacent to their existing ones.

The Zodiac Age features a unique synergy called "island hopping." Some licenses on a License Board are not connected to the main grid. These may require purchasing Quickenings or obtaining new Espers to access. Importantly, licenses purchased on one License Board are also applied to the character's second License Board.

Quickenings

Quickenings are Final Fantasy XII's equivalent of Limit Breaks. They play a minor role in License Boards. Each character has four Quickening licenses on every board. A character can only purchase three licenses on a single board; after this, the fourth Quickening license vanishes, making any licenses behind that "Quickening Gate" inaccessible.

This becomes an issue in only a few cases. Remember that a Quickening license purchased on one board is automatically applied to all other boards the character gains. For instance, if a Monk/Black Mage purchases the 50, 75, and 100 LP Quickening licenses on their Monk board, these are also purchased on the Black Mage board. The licenses behind each Quickening Gate on each License Board are detailed below:

Only the Shikari class has licenses behind all four Quickening Gates, and the choice is straightforward. Most players can manage without the Ninja Sword licenses, except perhaps the Yagyu Darkblade & Mesa. Many HP, Battle Lore, and Magick Lore licenses are also found behind these gates.