Escape the Garamsythe Waterway in final fantasy xii with Balthier and Fran. Learn advanced Gambit customization from Balthier.
After a series of scenes, Vaan finds himself back in the Garamsythe Waterway, now accompanied by the rival thieves Fran and Balthier, who are after the stone Vaan stole. While unfortunate for Vaan, this provides you with much-needed assistance as the sewers are more dangerous than before. You can control Balthier and Fran like any other character, including taking direct control of them (press [Up] or [Down] on the D-Pad), assigning them License Board classes, and changing their equipment.
Balthier's low Magick Power makes him less suitable as a primary caster, but his other stats allow him to function competently as a Shiraki or Uhlan. If Vaan is not filling one of these roles, consider assigning Balthier to the Uhlan/Time Battlemage or Shiraki/Foebreaker classes. Fran is generally average but can serve as a fine tertiary caster. For lore enthusiasts, a Red Battlemage/Archer build is fitting, as Fran starts with a bow and Viera are associated with the Red Battlemage role. She can also be a White Mage if Penelo is not already assigned that job.
Head south to save at the Save Crystal, then proceed down the stairs to the north for an advanced tutorial on Gambits from Balthier. After the tutorial, the Gambits and Party options will be added to the Party Menu.
- 1In the Party menu, enter the Gambits menu. You can toggle Gambits on and off via the Gambit menu by selecting "On" or "Off" near the character's name, though it's easier to change this on the fly via the Battle Menu.
- 2To clear all of a character's Gambits, press the [Touch Pad] while the cursor is over the On/Off text above their Gambit list. To clear a specific Gambit line, press [Touch Pad] while the cursor is on any part of that line.
- 3Each Gambit line has three parts. At the far left, you can press [X] to select the entire line. Pressing [X] again turns off the specific Gambit command. You can scroll [Up] or [Down] to change its priority. Gambits are executed in order from top to bottom, with the top-most Gambits being the most likely to occur.
- 4Scroll right to the Target section (the - symbol) to select the target for the command. You can cycle through pages by pressing [Left] or [Right] on the D-Pad. For a general healing Gambit, you might set the target to "Ally: HP".
- 5Move the cursor to the next part of the Gambit line to access the commands. This section lists all available commands, technicks, magicks, and items. Press [Square] to see magicks, [X] for technicks, and [R1]/[L1] to cycle between characters.
- 6For now, simple commands like “Target: nearest visible -> Attack” or “Target: party leader’s target -> Attack” can be assigned to ensure your allies are active.
- Gambits are most effective when customized to your needs. While general commands work for weak enemies, consider specific setups for dangerous foes in late-game dungeons or for Rare Game and Marks.
- Be flexible and willing to change Gambits often.
- Do not rely on Gambits exclusively; direct input commands are carried out immediately and are crucial for critical situations.
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