Although FFXII is not everybody’s cup of tea, it introduced some great characters with unique combat abilities.
Some are better than others, and here we’ve aimed to rank the best Final Fantasy 12 characters from worst to best. Read on for more.
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Vossler – FF12
Vossler York Azelas used to be a captain of the Order of the Knights of Dalmasca, before joining the Resistance to take down Imperial forces in Ivalice.
The knight joins the party only twice throughout the game – once aboard the Leviathan, and the other in the Tomb of Raithwall.
Vossler is not a bad character to play as, and has the very handy Technik ability, but the fact that you only get to use him on two occasions means that Vossler can’t be any higher on the list of best Final Fantasy 12 characters.
Reddas – Final Fantasy 12
Reddas, whose full name is Foris Zecht, is a mature pirate with a thickset build and white beard (despite being only 33…). Reddas is haunted by his past, and carries a great deal of remorse on his shoulders for his past actions.
He joins as a guest member after Treaty-Blade is gained, and is available to use throughout the Pharos and Ridorana Contract dungeon quests.
Despite being strong and quick, a lack of HP makes Reddas not a particularly great addition to the team, and he can easily be overlooked for better characters in FF12.
Larsa – FF12
Larsa Ferrinas Solidor is the son of Emperor Gramis who first appears in Bhujerba when the party is searching for Penelo. He introduces himself to the group as Lamont, his alias, and subsequently becomes a temporary playable character.
Larsa joins the team as a very strong character, with his level being made up of the average of your two highest party members at the time +2. Yet, despite being a popular character in FF12 fandom (rightly so, too), the fact that he is playable for such a short time in the game makes it difficult to rank him higher. What did you think about Larsa? Let us know in the comment section below!
Penelo – FF12
Penelo’s childlike persona should not trick you into thinking she is weak. In fact, Penelo is one of the strongest playable characters in FF12. After learning martial arts from her brothers, Penelo becomes involved in issues that involve the most important people on Ivalice.
Of all the characters in the game, Penelo has the highest potential MPand Magick Power. Despite this, though, Penelo also has the lowest HP and Strength growth. There are no two ways about it, though, a well equipped and geared-up Penelo is a force to be reckoned with.
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Fran – Final Fantasy 12
Fran belongs to the race of Viera, and is the only non-Hume playable character among the main cast of FF12. As is typical of her race, Fran is wise, graceful, and an exceptional craftsperson. She is also stoic in nature, and perhaps the most mysterious of all the main cast.
Fran joins the party after the Royal Palace of Rabanastre, and initially wields a long-ranged weapon. Despite having relatively low stats across the board, what makes Fran one of the best Final Fantasy 12 characters is that she can easily be tweaked and modified however you like without any setbacks. This means that Fran doesn’t have to be a long-range specialist, but you can outfit her with melee weapons and she will become equally adept over time.
If you are a fan of Fran’s personality, you can easily find a way to fit her into your main party.
Vaan – FF12
Vaan generally gets a hard time when the best Final Fantasy 12 characters are discussed, but personally I think Vaan is a great character and an asset to the game. All too often, protagonists are depicted as being uniquely special or chosen in some way or other, but Vaan is merely a commoner with an aptitude for combat, and that makes him stand out from the rest.
Throughout the game, Vaan also shows a tremendous amount of growth in character, from coming to terms with his brother’s death, to maturing in the increasingly corrupt and dangerous world of Ivalice.
Perhaps Vaan’s greatest strength, though, comes in his stats. He has the best overall stats in the game, with his Strength, Speed, and Vitality outranking all other playable characters in the game. Add to that some of the best Quickenings in the game, and Vaan is easily one of the best Final Fantasy 12 characters to play as.
Basch – FF12
Basch usually ranks among the favorites when the best Final Fantasy 12 characters are discussed. It’s easy to see why, too. The once disgraced knight is a strong, muscular warrior whose main character traits are loyalty, professionalism, and selflessness.
He has the highest HP and joint-highest strength of all of the characters and, despite having low MP and Speed, Bash is one of the strongest playable characters when properly equipped. When he joins the party, his level will be 2 higher than whatever Vaan’s level is at the time.
Ashe – FF12
Ashe, whose full name is Ashelia B’nargin Dalmasca, is the heir to the Kingdom of Dalmasca, and she plays a major role in the game’s main narrative. The 19 year old is both driven and independent, and her sense of loyalty is demonstrated by her determination to restore power to her family name.
Ashe’s character growth is very much centred around her Magick abilities, and she has the highest potential MP growth and joint highest Magick Power. Despite being the last of the main cast to join the party, Ashe joins with more licenses than any other character starts with, and her level is determined by the average of all party members.
If you model Ashe as a mage-like character and take advantage of her stat growth, there is no question that Ashe will become one of the best playable characters in Final Fantasy 12.
Balthier – Final Fantasy 12
It’s perhaps no surprise to see Balthier at the top of this list, as many regard him to be one of the strongest characters in the entire franchise, let alone in Final Fantasy 12.
Balthier, whose real name is Ffamran mied Bunansa (good luck pronouncing that…), is charming, cocky, and cynical Sky Pirate, who believes that the whole story revolves around him. Yet, despite this, his backstory brings players closer to the character, and over time you can’t help but fall for his theatrical charm.
As a playable character, Balthier has the highest Speed attribute and also has high Strength. Despite initially wielding a gun, Balthier is best when equipped with melee weapons that take full advantage of his speed and strength. If you do this, Balthier becomes a real asset to the party and you may find it hard to remove him from the team.
Who do you think is the best Final Fantasy 12 character? Do you agree with our ranking? Let us know in the comment section below!
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For more info about recommended jobs for each character in The Zodiac Age, check out the great video below by Declarify.