The Job System

Final Fantasy III, like Final Fantasy V after it, relies on a job system which opens up a wide array of choices in your party's configuration. This part of the basics section covers these jobs. They are listed below in alphabetical order, with a little blurb after each explaining just what to expect with the job, as well as other information.

Bard

[[File:|File:]]The Bard job class likely conjures up images of Edward from Final Fantasy III's successor, Final Fantasy IV. In that game, Edward was fairly useless in battle though he had a fairly cool ability in using a Harp to do damage in battle. In this game, the class remains relatively the same. Bards attack with their Harp and can also Sing to inflict enemy party's with a hodgepodge of status ailments that will frustrate their abilities to subdue your party. However, they are weak and unbalanced, lacking defense or versatility. Try them out to get a feel for what the job is all about, but don't go into a serious endeavor with one in your party. That spot would be better occupied by almost any other class.

Black Belt

[[File:|File:]]An upgrade to the Monk class, Black Belts attack with their hands, primarily using claws affixed to both hands to do amazing damage. Although their defense is low, just like their Monk cousins, Black Belts have ridiculously high offensive capabilities due to their heavy hitting nature and their quick speed, the latter of which allows them to get multiple hits with each claw equipped. However, Monks and Black Belts collide at a time in the game where the difference between a high level Monk and a beginner Black Belt are negligible. If you're a game-long Monk user (like we were here at IGN Guides), you may want to stick with your Monk. By the time the Black Belt and Monk arrive on a level playing field, the results don't necessarily matter. 9,999 damage done is realistic with both classes at that point.

Black Mage

[[File:|File:]]There's a sad truth to Final Fantasy III - with a notable exceptions, black magic has less general use than white magic in the game. However, do not be discouraged from using this class. It has access to nearly all black magic, and  can be particularly useful against enemies with magic weaknesses, possibly being one of the best classes in the game. The Black Mage specializes in using black magic, and while it has an extremely high potential, it's not always a necessary dimension to add to most battles, although it can be useful. Since the Black Mage has no physical capabilities in battle and can't equip weapons of substance, it's magic or guarding for the duration of most battles. Magic can come in handy against bosses or more difficult enemies, and especially against enemy parties of high numbers, but it's not absolutely nessesary for most of the game. Having one in your party is a good idea to try out the class, but if you choose to use one, make sure to keep him or her in the back row with the best spells available to maximize the class' effectivness.

Dark Knight

[[File:|File:]]If you're a completionist at heart (and so many RPG gamers are), you'll want to play as a Dark Knight simply to have know you did so. Otherwise, the Dark Knight is fairly useless and provides very little to a party you should develop to be as powerful as it can possibly be. Dark Knights have the strange and intriguing ability to sacrifice their own HP to damage the enemy party, essentially hurting themselves in order to hurt another, but when you get past the novelty of that concept, you'll find very little that you won't find with the already-powerful Knight that likely occupies a spot in your party.

Devout

[[File:|File:]]If you have a White Mage in your party, which you probably should, than upgrading to a Devout as soon as it becomes available is absolutely recommended. Devouts (and White Mages) are probably the most useful and vital classes in the entire game, as their ability to use healing spells, especially Cure, Cura, Curaga and Curaja make them an integral member of the team, even if their offensive abilities are essentially nil. Devouts are also the only characters that can use the highest level of white magic (other than Sages), which does travel into the offensive realm, but not to the degree their Magus counterparts delve. Almost every party combination imaginable should contain a White Mage; therefore, the same holds true for the Devout, as well.

Dragoon

[[File:|File:]]Dragoons will likely remind Final Fantasy veterans of Kain in Final Fantasy IV, but in the game previous to that in the release chronology of the series, Dragoons appeared as well, and their skills remained the same. Dragoons like to attack with weapons like spears and lances, and their special ability to Jump - to literally jump away from battle, safe from attack, only to come raining back down on the enemy to do massive damage - makes them a fairly useful addition to the party. They can use heavy armor and have a high defense as well. But as a novelty job, Dragoons might be overlooked, and they shouldn't take the permanent place of any character in the party who could be more effective as another job. However, it is possible for a dragoon to be a suitable knight replacement on a second playthrough, but this is not recomended for a first play. 

Evoker

[[File:|File:]]Do you like to summon monsters in battle? If the answer is yes, then the Evoker class is definitely for you. The Final Fantasy tradition of summoning help in battle essentially starts with Final Fantasy III, and the Evoker class is the weaker of two classes with this exact ability in the game. Unfortunately, Evokers can't use any white or black magic, and their physical abilities are nonexistent, so their use in battle is one-dimensional. However, many gamers won't be able to ignore the overall coolness factor of an Evoker… and when it comes time to fight that difficult boss or crawl through that long dungeon, you will likely find an Evoker equipped with the latest and greatest summons more useful than you think.

Freelancer

[[File:|File:]]At the beginning of the game, your entire party will be made up of Freelancers. This is the only choice available at the beginning of the game, before options for more jobs opens up to you, so becoming somewhat capable with a Freelancer is important. However, it doesn't take much to do just that. Freelancers are fairly weak compared to most other jobs, but they are still well-balanced for early game exploits. They can also use level one magic of both varieties, so getting out a spell like Cure with them in the early going can be the difference between life and death. When the option finally comes to you to change jobs, however, you should never give Freelancer a second glance.

Geomancer

[[File:|File:]]Geomancers are extremely unique in their abilities, and if used properly, can be one of the most powerful classes of character in the game. However, most players of the game won't give the Geomancer job a real chance, and they shouldn't really be blamed. Mastering a Geomancer's abilities is a difficult task, and their usefulness is often limited by their surroundings and the particular enemy they are battling at any given time. However, the class' upside is that they can use a random "magic" spell in battle with no MP cost. Their offensive abilities apart from their Terrain-based skills are limited as well, but still reasonably powerful. The Geomancer job should be explored, to be certain, but it definitely isn't going to fit into every player's style.

Knight

[[File:|File:]]Knights are the heavy hitters in the game, wielding both heavy weapons and wearing heavy armor. Since you can equip either two weapons or a weapon and a shield on a Knight, there's added customization added to what you want to do with your character. If you prefer a higher defense and are willing to sacrifice some offensive punch, you have that option. But if you need to deal some serious damage, you have that option as well. Our party here at IGN Guides had a Knight in it for the duration of the game as soon as it became available, and wielding two swords, the character (coupled with our Monk) basically took care of enemy parties single-handedly. Ignoring the largely-useless fact that Knights can cast level one magic (and level one magic only), they can also defend in a special manner that raises their defense.

Magus

[[File:|File:]]The Magus class will be a huge upgrade available to any player using a Black Mage in their party, since their magical abilities in the black arts are much higher, and they are the only class that can use level eight magic (other than Sages), the most powerful and useful level, especially in the late period of the game. However, as we mentioned earlier, black magic isn't a necessity in Final Fantasy III like white magic is, and if you didn't have a Black Mage in your party in the first place, a Magus probably isn't for you. But if you have a Black Mage in your party, especially as a permanent fixture, you should immediately upgrade to Magus when given the chance. Their added skill and ability can only help your party and give it additional strength, and the MP bonus they have is a ridiculous boost to the simple act of using magic, which was otherwise limited to low numbers without healing or using an Elixir.

Monk

[[File:|File:]]When it comes to offensive strength, you'll be hard-pressed to find a job that outmatches a Monk's. The Monk can equip only claws, but these claws, combined with high battle speed and multiple hit abilities, means extremely high damage dealt. When we played this game through to write this guide, a Monk stayed in our party the entire time. Stronger, similar classes come through later, such as the Black Belt, but you may want to stick with the Monk strictly based on job level. After a while, doing around 8,000 damage could become commonplace with a properly leveled and equipped Monk, and since 9,999 is the highest damage able to be dealt in the game, what use would it be to change?

Ninja

[[File:|File:]]What Final Fantasy job system would be complete without the Ninja class? Ninjas in Final Fantasy III, as you may expect, can throw items and weapons in battle, doing devastating damage. They also have a high physical attack power and can wield some of the most powerful small swords in the game. However, not everything is so positive. Ninjas have low defense, and since they must be in the front row of battle to do the maximum melee damage, they are always susceptible to massive attack and always stand a step away from death as a result. Keep these characters healed and take advantage of the ridiculous damage they can deal, especially by throwing items like the expensive and rare Shuriken.

Ranger

[[File:|File:]]A novelty job, Rangers are characters in the game with the highest aptitude with a bow and arrow. However, keeping them stocked with arrows can be a frustrating endeavor, when every attack whittles away your precious stock. Rangers are interesting because they can be put in the back row in battle and still meet their maximum damage potential, being unaffected by the distance. But when looking at the big picture, Rangers are largely useless, and should be used only in an experimental fashion. They won't necessarily damage a party or make the game difficult, but they will damage your party's potential to reach its maximum strength and ability.

Red Mage

[[File:|File:]]Ah yes, the Red Mage. Red Mages are interesting characters simply because they have both magical and physical capabilities in battle. This makes them amazing early in the game, since their ability to wield both white and black magic all the way to level five alone makes them invaluable to any party. When you throw into the mix that these characters can also wield a sword in battle and fight alongside Knights, Warriors and Monks, characters of a physical nature, your interest will no doubt be piqued. However, there are limits to this particular job's capabilities. High level magic is off-limits to Red Mages, and their magical abilities are lesser in quality compared to straight-up White or Black Mages, sacrificing some of their magical aptitude for physical strength (which is also, by the way, somewhat below average, but still decent). Nonetheless, Red Mages are suggested for use, but not necessary by any means.

Sage

[[File:|File:]]Another Final Fantasy IV connection - in that game, an old man Tellah was a Sage, and he could use black and white magic of all kinds. The Sage class is the same in this game, with Sage characters having access to all levels of white and black magic. However, what afflicted Tellah also afflicts Sages in Final Fantasy III, as both have lower MP than their Black/White Mage and Devout/Magus counterparts. This means that while they have high magic power and can use the entire spectrum of the magic catalog in the game, in the long haul they can't do both for any length of time without the type of healing that can only come from an Inn bed or an Elixir. You may want to mess around with Sages to get the best of both worlds, but we recommend using a Devout (and maybe even a Magus as well) in lieu of a Sage, simply because of the MP bonuses they receive that the Sage doesn't.

Scholar

[[File:|File:]]A unique job to be sure, Scholars are characters that have studied the ways of your enemies and can easily ascertain their weakness, and exploit those enemies accordingly. By learning an enemy's weakness (especially if that enemy happens to be a difficult boss), your party gains the upper hand in battle, but Scholars shouldn't really be considered for a permanent place in any party. They have no real offensive power (attacking with books) and even though they can cast low level magic of both varieties, Scholars will simply take the place in your party of a more useful job. And there are many.

Summoner

[[File:|File:]]Like their Evoker brethren, Summoners can summon enemies to help in battle. They are basically a stronger version of Evokers, and can summon monsters of a stronger breed, and with more devastating results. Their offensive abilities in the physical realm remain non-existent, and just like the Evoker, they are one-dimensional and not always needed. Therefore, having one in the party, occupying one of four valuable spots, is often more of a questionable practice than a recommended one. Summoners should be used simply to see the various summons in the game, as a lot of them must be fiercely fought for and sought after, and hence should be enjoyed, but you may not want to walk into a situation like the Crystal Tower with a Summoner in your party. It's a party member who could be a more valuble class. However, as an offensive magic caster, Summoners have some potential.

Thief

[[File:|File:]]Thieves aren't the most useful characters in the grand scheme of things. Their low offensive capabilities make them, at times, more of a liability in battle, but they should be tolerated by players who want to steal from enemies in battle. This is the only way to get some items and equipment in the game, including Gungir (the second-most powerful spear), and Thieves are the only job class with the ability to steal in battle. However, their usefulness shouldn't be understated in one important regard - they can open locked doors throughout the game (found in castles, towns, and dungeons) that can otherwise only be opened with Magic Keys. Changing a character in the party temporarily to a Thief to do just that is sometimes a great option, but be cautioned that this job is not the most useful job, but is still a good class to have.

Viking

[[File:|File:]]Vikings are big, powerful characters that can wield the heaviest weapons in the game, axes and hammers. However, Vikings aren't necessarily the strongest characters; they just use weapons that will be more powerful than anything else your party could possibly use. Their usefulness is scattered, however, with their speed in battle being slow and their abilities being somewhat one-dimensional, with an over-emphasis on offensive attack via physical means and no special abilities or magical abilities other than their specialized Provoke skill, which is fairly useless. Try Vikings out if you want to deal heavy damage, but be warned that as the game rolls towards the end, the job class will be largely moot.

Warrior

[[File:|File:]]An early game job, Warriors will be your offensive powerhouse at first (at least in the physical sense). They can't use any magic, but they have a decent defense and a high-powered offensive punch. Physical damage will be done mainly with swords if you're using a Warrior, though if you choose to use them towards the middle of the game, you'll find they can wield other weapons, like axes, as well. Once other physically strong jobs open up to you (like Knight, for instance), the Warrior job should probably be left behind, but in the early going, you should definitely use this class for at least one character in your party. Chances are you won't be disappointed.

White Mage

[[File:|File:]]Having a White Mage in your party is somewhat of a necessity, though some people will choose to play the game without one. Their abilities are not of the offensive ability whatsoever. Instead, White Mages heal the party and otherwise protect them with status ailment spells such as Protect. Their abilities to cast Cure, Cura, Curaga and Curaja alone make them vital party members, but when you throw in their ability to throw an occasional curveball by casting offensive spells such as Aero, a more well-rounded character begins to emerge. But don't be mistaken - having a White Mage in your party generally means you'll be defending a whole lot instead of doing anything in battle. But when you need to be healed in the heat of battle, boy do they come in handy!

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