Combat System
The combat system for Final Fantasy IX is comparable to the
system from Final Fantasy 7. Also character classes return to Final
Fantasy 9. Battling parties can consist of up to four characters, and
you'll be able to make use of front and back rows, depending on the
weapons and abilities a character can use. A new option called ‘Trance
Mode' replaces the Limit Breaks, although it servers the same purpose
(this is a very good thing because well lets face it we all like Limit
Breaks). When a character takes a certain amount of damage, they will go
into a trance, which allows them to make use of previously inaccessible
abilities. Each character will gain skills based on their character alone,
such as Zidane having a steal command (Mug like in FF8) since his
character class is Thief. Magic returns to being used via magic points
(MP) because so many people complained about the Junction System in Final
Fantasy 8. The choice of spells available to a character will be limited
by what their class is.
Spells
To completely understand the availability of skills and spells
to characters in Final Fantasy IX, you must understand the equipment
system. The availability of equipment for characters is similar to the
SNES Final Fantasy titles - equipment will not be limited to one person,
but one class type. Thieves and warriors will be able to equip light
armor, while knights will wear heavy armor and mages will be able to equip
robes. The same basic pattern applies for weapons, and it is then from
these different equipment classes that the abilities and spells a
character can use is determined. Every item and piece of equipment in
Final Fantasy IX has its own set of skills it can teach to certain
characters. When equipped, the items and weapons a character uses will
allow the character to use its selected abilities. One example given is
Vivi's Black Mage Staff (cool a Black Mage Staff! And it’s all mine!).
When equipped, Vivi will be able to use the magic spells
"Osmosis" and "Fire" (burn baby, burn) in battle. Each
of these spells has its own Action Points (AP) gauge, which when full,
allows Vivi to continue using the spells even after he unequipped the
Black Mage Staff. (*Note* this AP is not for Guardian Forces). AP is
gained merely by battling with the equipment on, which means you'll need
to use all equipment and items available to a character for a certain
amount of time if you wish to learn every spell and ability that the
character can learn.
Action Abilities and Status Abilities
The abilities themselves come in two different classes, Action
Abilities (AA) and Status Abilities (SA). Action abilities give your
character in-battle commands, such as extended stealing abilities or the
power to use summoned Guardian Forces (Which know so far the returning GFs
are Leviathan and once again Bahamut). Status Abilities can raise a
characters statistics or can increase a character's resistance to status
changes, such as poison, or blind.
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