FFTA

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is a strategy role-playing game for the Game Boy Advance. All though it shares a similar name to the game Final Fantasy Tactics, it is not a sequel or a remake, but it does share its setting, Ivalice. The gameplay, however, is quite similar with a few exceptions. The player is free to put together their own group of fighters known as a "clan", and control their actions over grid-like battlefields. For the most part, players are free to decide the classes, abilities, and statistics of their characters, which grow throughout the game. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance has a sequel, called Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift.

The Game offers Units which can be customised by the player. Each Unit falls under a Race Category of a Hume, Bangaa, Moogle, Nu Mou or Viera. Within each Race there is a set of classes that can be unlocked by learning certain skills as a Primary Classed Unit. Each class is unique in its own way, different classes equip different types of weapons and armor (e.g. The Soldier class for the Hume can equip Swords and Greatswords as their weapons and Hats, Helmets, Heavy Armor, Clothing and Shields as their Armor.), different classes learn different abilities which can be used on the battlefield. There are 3 different types of abilities that a unit can learn, Action Abilities (A-Abilities) such as First Aid which can be used to heal the user, Reaction Abilities (R-Abilities) such as Counter which can be used to counter enemy attacks and Support Abilities (S-Abilities) such as Shieldbearer which allows shieldwielding, regardless of the Unit's Job.

Job System:
There are 25 Job classes in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance that govern a character's stats, equipment, and abilities. Most items that can be equipped have various abilities assigned to them, each available for use by characters of a certain Job while the item is equipped. When a battle is completed, characters that took part in that battle will receive Ability Points (AP), these Ability Points will be distributed over their currently equipped abilities. Once a target amount of AP has been accumulated for a given ability, the character will master that ability, allowing the character to use them at any time, regardless of items equipped and Job chosen. Mastery of abilities in different Jobs will eventually allow the character access to more Jobs.(e.g. Learning 2 Soldier Action Abilities (A-Abilities) for the Hume will unlock the Fighter Class and the Paladin Class.)

Units have a primary Job which determines the stat boosts they receive when they level up and the attributes associated with that class. A unit may also have a Secondary Job, where they can use any abilities of the selected Job, but with the stat profile of the Primary Job. (e.g. an Assassin with a Sniper secondary Job could use abilities from both Jobs, but has the stat profile and appearance of an Assassin, its primary Job.)

The Five Races:
As briefly touched upon above, there are five races in the land of Ivalice. Humes (also referred to as Humans) are some of the most adaptable characters and they are the only race able to get the Support Ability Doublesword, which allows a unit to wield two weapons Moogles are small and friendly, their Jobs inflict status effects and have surprisingly high defensive stat growth despite not actually having a class like the Paladin or the Defender. Nu Mou specialize very much at magic, and have one melee Job, the Morpher. Bangaa are the most physically tough, specializing in melee. Viera are an entirely female species. They can be ranged, melee, or magic, with all their Jobs speed-based, and are probably the most versatile race along with Humes.

Each race has a certain list of Jobs they can be, many of which (although not all of them) will be unique to them, and shops in various towns will have discounts on items for particular races. Each race is tied to a Totema, which can be called for an attack, providing the user has defeated the Totema and has ten Judge Points.

The Five Totema are:
 * Famfrit, the Totema of the Moogles.
 * Ultima, the Totema of the Nu Mou.
 * Adrammelech, the Totema of the Bangaa.
 * Exodus, the Totema of the Viera.
 * Mateus, the Totema of the Humans.

The Law System:
In a battle, a judge is present on the map. The Judge will not fight for either side, but will merely move about, keeping himself as out of the way as possible. At times, he will also move the unconscious bodies, of enemies and allies alike, from one space to another. Laws are set by Judges, invincible arbiters present at each battle, with some exceptions. Laws may forbid the use of certain weapons, items, elemental spells, or status changes. Breaking a law results in punishment by Carding, the receipt of a red or yellow card. Imprisonment happens if a character infringes a law twice or knocks out another unit with a forbidden ability or weapon.

To offset the difficulty of having things forbidden for use, there are certain things that are recommended by the Judges, and therefore grant Judge Points. Judge Points (JP) are used to carry out combos with nearby allies or to summon a Totema. JP are also received upon killing an opponent.

Law and Antilaw Cards:
After Marche rescues Ezel Berbier, he will have access to Law and Antilaw Cards. These can be used to change the laws in effect on any battlefield. Law Cards (white) impose new laws, though the maximum number of Laws can never be exceeded. Antilaw Cards (black) nullify laws that are already in effect. These can be used to grant a tactical advantage during battle, as enemies must also obey the law or they will suffer the same penalties the heroes do (assuming they are not wearing Hero Medals).

Jagds:
Although Laws govern the majority of Ivalice, there are three lawless locations called Jagds, which judges avoid. Thus, no actions are forbidden, nor can judge points be earned. However, a character that is KOed in these locations will, unless revived before the end of the battle, permanently leave the party (and in the case of Marche, a Game Over will occur). This applies to Montblanc and any other "storyline characters", including Ritz Malheur. The Three Jagds are: Jagd Dorsa, Jagd Helje, and Jagd Ahli.