FINAL FANTASY RPG

INTRODUCTION"The world is veiled in darkness. The wind stops, the sea is wild, and the earth begins to rot. The people wait, their only hope, a prophecy...." - Final Fantasy

Welcome to the Final Fantasy Role-Playing game, 2d6 edition. The FFRPG originally began life as a project founded by Scott Tengelin in February of 1995. Development began with a small initial group of designers and administrators consisting of Tengelin, Martin Drury, Chris Pomeroy, and Matthew Martin. After many years and changing of hands, it became a fully-realized dream the current third edition is hosted at http://www.returnergames.com/ and I highly recommend it. However, I found that the ruleset presented in the Returners FFRPG was too difficult for tabletop use and frustratingly restrictive. Thus, I began a slow conversion of the rules systems into something that I felt was more conducive for casual play. But, as things often do, the more work I put into the system the more complex the rules became, until finally they took on a life of their own and became a total system modification. I forged on ahead. I attempted to replicate combat rules that accurately reflected the feel and style of the Final Fantasy series. I attempted to create a world of epic battles and grand possibilities, but most importantly, a world of heroic action. Titanic struggles between good and evil for the fate of the world is an accurate summary of the typical adventurer's day, and that's just before breakfast. Whether or not I succeeded is up for debate, but I find myself content with this ebook in its current incarnation. At least for now. This work is free distribution and not for sale under any circumstances.

I hope you enjoy playing the Final Fantasy 2d6 as much as I enjoyed creating it.

The Final Fantasy Role-Playing Game is not affiliated with or owned by Square Enix or any of its affiliated companies. Much of the material here is copyrighted by Square Enix and its various contributors such as Yoshitaka Amano. A portion of the copyrighted material that appears here (such as images) are asserted to be Fair Use under international copyright law.

Index

Chapter 1 p.1 Gameplay Chapter 2 p.2 Character Creation Chapter 3 p.21 Jobs.p.23 Black Mage .p.25 Blue Mage .p.28 Dark Knight .p.30 Dragoon .p.32 Engineer .p.35 Entertainer .p.37 Fighter .p.39 Gambler .p.42 Geomancer .p.47 Monk .p.49 Ninja .p.51 Paladin .p.53 Ranger .p.55 Red Mage .p.57 Samurai .p.60 Thief .p.62 Thief .p.64 White Mage / Summoner

Chapter 4 p.67 Defining a Hero.p.67 Shared Abilities .p.71 Skills .p.78 Destiny .p.80 Traits

Chapter 5 p.87 Equipment.p.91 Weapons .p.100 Legendary Weapons .p. 104 Armor .p. 106 Sample Adventuring Gear .p. 109 Accessories and Ammunition .p. 112 Synthesis .p. 114 Cooking .p. 115 Grafts

Chapter 6 p.118 Combat.p.123 Status Effects .p.125 Leveling Up .p. 127 Recovery and Death .p. 129 Limit Breaks .p.133 Non-Combat Challenges

Chapter 7 p.135 - The World.p.138 Magitek .p.141 Judges and the Law .p.142 Distant Places

Chapter 8 p.143 Magic.p.146 Black Magic .p.151 White Magic .p.156 Blue Magic .p.159 Time Magic .p.164 Arts .p.166 Summoning

Chapter 9 p.173 BeastiaryA blank character sheet is provided at the end of this book.

For Lilah

CHAPTER I: GAMEPLAY"Know, and prepare for battle." - Prof. Bordam Daravon

The following section offers an overview of the basic mechanics of the FFRPG, and includes many important concepts and game terms. Although some of these explanations may be familiar to experienced roleplayers, much of the information presented here will be expanded on in the remainder of the Core Rulebook. As a result, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with this material before moving on. Dice Like most pen-and-paper RPGs, polyhedral dice are an indispensable part of the FFRPG experience, determining everything from how much damage a Firaga spell inflicts to whether or not a character is able to swim against the current. This rulebook abbreviates all dice rolls as d[number of sides]; thus a 6-sided die would be called a 'd6'. A number before the 'd' indicates that more than one die is used '2d6' simply means two six-sided dice are rolled and their totals are added together. A number after the type of die, like 'd6+2', means that that number is added to the result of the roll. If the d6 comes up as a 5, for example, the total score would be 7. All youll need to play the FFRPG is this book and a handful of d6susually two per playerand perhaps a single d4 dice to calculate percentile chances. More on this below. Random Targets and Percentile Rolls Often, the FFRPG will call for a random target to be chosen. A fair way to determine this would be to have all eligible targets roll 2d6, with the lowest roller ending up as the target. When the system states that an effect has a 50% or 25% or occurring, you could resolve this by rolling a 1d4 or continuing with your normal 2d6 dice. A 25% chance is 9 or more on 2d6, a 50% chance is 7 or more, and a 75% chance is 5 or more. Use whatever method is easiest for you and your group! Critical Successes and Failures In many game systems which use d20s, a result of 1 is a spectacular, automatic failure, where a roll of 20 is an automatic success. In the FFRPG, which uses a 2d6 Roll for the majority of checks, there is a chance that the result will come up with both dice landing on sixes, for a result of 12. This is known as a critical success. In Combat, this instant success means that the character performs a never-miss Critical Hit and possibly a Limit Break. (p.122 and the Limit Break chapter has more information regarding this) On skill checks, such a roll counts as an automatic success, the strength of which is gauged by a characters skill level the difference between a begrudging admittance of beginners luck and an overwhelming, unarguable success. Simultaneously, when both dice land on 1s, this is an automatic failure. Since Final Fantasy heroes are often beyond beginners mistakes, a critical failure often stems from outside influence - such as the guards coming to investigate what all that noise is about. In Combat, a critical failure is an automatic miss, but very rarely with more dire consequences. Jobs In the FFRPG, every character belongs to a Job which determines their basic abilities, which are as diverse as they are many. Black Mages are fearsome users of destructive elemental energies, where White Mages are healers and protectors. Spear-wielding, gravity-defying Dragoons soar the skies even as Geomancers tap into the very powers of the earth. Job Abilities Each Job is distinguished from others by a unique pool of talents, collectively called Abilities. These range from the capacity to cast magic, to being call forth various effects with a Gamblers dice, or steal from a hapless foe. All Jobs start with four Abilities; two of which are automatic, and specific to each job (known as Epic and Innate abilities), and two of which are chosen upon character creation either from the Job Ability list, or the Shared Ability list which all characters have access to. As they advance in Their adventuring careers, characters may continue to obtain more abilities from these lists.

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CHAPTER II: CHARACTER CREATION"Now! This is it! Now is the time to choose! Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow! Now is the time to shape your stories! Your fate is in your hands! THIS IS YOUR STORY." - Auron

Step One: ConceptThe first and most obvious step is to start giving some thought to the character you are planning on playing. At this point you will probably be painting with fairly broad strokes -- 'neurotic Black Mage with a troubled past' or 'narcissistic, charismatic Thief' are some basic examples of concepts that could be spun out into a well-defined character with a bit of thought. However, a concept is nothing more than the base of a character -- in order to start fleshing out the person behind the idea, details you should settle on as early as possible include: Name In a universe populated by heroes with monikers like Cloud Strife, Zidane Tribal or Laguna Loire, a good name can go a long way towards making a memorable character. Ideally, a good name should be evocative and a little unusual. Age Age nearly always equates to 'experience'; often drawing the fine line between a fresh-faced adventurer brat and a grizzled, world-weary veteran. Most heroes will be of average adulthood for their species, though there are exceptions on both ends. Young characters, as a result of their age, are generally weaker but more charismatic. Conversely, older characters tend to be weaker but more knowledgeable. Aside from the effect this might have on the character's Attributes, characters of either type will encounter serious social discrimination from same-species people around them; comments like 'old-timer' and 'squirt' are likely to follow them everywhere they go, and some will actually refuse to take them seriously, regardless of how many times they prove themselves. Race Humes make up the standard population of most worlds, but there are many other races that populate the worlds of Final Fantasy. Your racial choice can have both obvious and less obvious repercussions and perks; the most immediate effect, however, will be on the character's potential Attributes. Job A character's chosen Job helps determines his or her Abilities, their starting Hit and Magic Points, and a whole slew of other factors. For this reason, choosing a Job is the most important decision a player makes during the character creation process. (Jobs are presented in full detail in Chapter 3) Appearance Although a characters physical features, height, weight, build, and hair, eye and skin color are important, remember that a character's Appearance as a much a measure of their 'style' as anything else. Do they lean towards all-concealing black cloth, or a wardrobe consisting entirely of loud pastels? What about jewelry or other distinguishing features such as tattoos? How does the character carry themselves, and what impression do the character's general posture and expression give others? Quote Just as effective at establishing a character as any number of descriptive paragraphs. This can be

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anything from an often overused catchphrase ('...Whatever.') to a short and pithy comment typical of the character's general outlook on life ('You thought a little thing like the end of the world was gonna do me in?'). At the GM's discretion, simply filling out a character sheet complete with a Quote is enough to award 1 EXP at the start of a new game, as opposed to a full character backstory.

Step Two: StatisticsAttributes Attributes represent a character's physical and mental prowess, and serve as a general indicator of their capabilities in and out of combat. Characters have a total of five Attributes, each with a numerical value ranging from 1 to 30 the higher the value, the better the characters abilities in that particular category. The highest maximum value a normal character can possess in any attribute via magical or physical enhancements is generally 30. Truly powerful and experienced characters can bypass this attribute cap, no longer restricted by a maximum rating. (See the Limit Break chapter for more information on this) Following is a brief description of each Attribute and its functions. Strength (STR) - This score is a representation of how much you can physically lift, move, or how much force you can exert. It reflects overall vigor and muscle mass, and determines how much damage melee weapons inflict in the characters hands. Vitality (VIT) - This score represents endurance and general stamina. Characters with higher Vitality are naturally more resistant to disease and fatigue. The higher a characters Vitality, the more Hit Points he will possess. It also helps characters use the heaviest types of armors. Dexterity (DEX) - Dexterity measures speed, physical agility and hand-eye coordination, as well as factoring into damage caused by ballistic weapons such as Guns. A character with a high dexterity score will evade more attacks than someone with an average dexterity. When multiple characters are racing towards a goal, the one with the highest Dexterity stat will arrive there first. Intelligence (INT) - This score represents your capacity for knowledge, your speed of understanding, and general mental agility. It is used primarily in resolving the effectiveness of spells and granting a higher MP stat, and it is also used to determine starting number of skill points. Attribute Score Rating Charisma (CHA) - Charisma represents a sense of self, and an 1 0 understanding how you fit in with the world. Characters with higher 2 0 charisma may be attractive or suave, but they also are more confident 3 1 and driven. They have a bloody-mindedness that characters with a lower 4 1 5 1 Charisma simply do not possess. This score is useful for a myriad of 6 2 abilities and skills, as well as helping the character shake off detrimental 7 2 status effects. 8 2 Each starting character has a total of 30 Attribute Points to divide between the five Attributes - Strength, Vitality, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Charisma - as the player chooses. Attribute Points are spent at a one-toone ratio and start at 0; by placing 6 Attribute Points in Strength, for example, a character would start with a Strength of 6, and a STR Rating of 2. Your Attribute Rating is the always-positive number which will be used in Skill checks for a given attribute, and is also used to determine things like how many times per session certain abilities can be used but generally, your attribute SCORE is the stat that will matter the most. You receive a point in an attribute rating for every three points you possess in the associated attribute. Consult the table to the right for clarification. A character cannot have a starting attribute score of less than 1. Attributes in the 1-2 range represent a character who is extremely subpar in some way, because in game terms you're going to have a lot of trouble doing something with Attributes that low. Remember, every point counts!9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Etc... 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 Etc...

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Characters have a maximum cap for their attributes upon character creation, known as Racial Maximums - no starting character may begin the game with any Attribute's rating exceeding these. For instance, Humes have a maximum starting Strength of 10, and Moogles have a starting racial maximum of 14 Charisma. Things such as equipment or Grafts, which provide straight attribute bonuses, allow the character to have a higher-than-maximum value in a given stat upon creation. After initial character creation, these attribute maximums can be calculated by adding together a Races attribute maximum by your chosen Jobs racial maximum. For example, An Elvaan Monk wants to be the strongest character she can possibly be. So upon character creation, she allocates as many points to strength as she can which is 12, due to the Elvaan racial maximum for that attribute. Monks have a maximum of another +15 STR, giving her a theoretical maximum STR of 27 throughout the entire game. Upon hitting level two, this character is sure to continue adding more points to Strength, giving her 13 points total still with a maximum cap of 27 in that category. Keep in mind that generally, all Attributes have their uses regardless of your chosen Race and Job.

Step Three: RaceThe world of Final Fantasy is populated by an odd assortment of humanoids and monsters. Over the course of many games, the mantle of world-savior has variously fallen on the shoulders of rat-girls, catrobots, feral sasquatches, moon-people, and other creatures too strange to describe in just a handful of words. However, for the purposes of the tabletop game, only seven race choices are generally available at character creation. The following pages go into more detail on each of the seven core races. Racial Maximums Race Hume Android Elvaan Galka Viera Tarut Moogle STR 10 10 12 10 10 8 6 VIT 10 10 10 12 8 8 6 DEX 10 10 10 8 12 10 10 INT 10 10 8 10 8 12 12 CHA 10 6 10 10 12 12 14

Bonus Abilities Humes: Additional HP Elvaan: +1 EVA, Military Training Galka: +2 Synthesis Skill Viera: +2 Awareness Tarut: Additional MP, Small Size Moogles: Limited Flight, Small Size Android: Start play with biomechanical Grafts. No need to eat/drink.

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HUMEWildly diverse and infinitely tenacious, their ability to make a home in even the most inhospitable of environments has made them the standard against which all other races are measured. Resourceful, stubborn and proud, their goals and desires are as diverse as they are. Typical Height 1.6 1.8m (Male) 1.5 1.7m (Female) Typical Weight 68 102kg (Male) 52 91kg (Female) Hair Colors Blond, black, brown, auburn, white Eye Colors Brown, blue, green Habitats Any Lifespan Young is 5 -16 years old. Average is 17 - 59 years old. Old is 60 - 90 years old.

Society As it develops, Hume society inevitably gravitates towards government of the masses headed by a single leader. In primitive societies, this may be an elder or high priest; in more advanced circles, a President, King, or Emperor. As a result, the aspects of a given Hume society tend to reflect in its leadership; an altruistic king begets a benevolent populace, whereas power-hungry emperors typically breed a harsh and militaristic one. Stratification is a common feature of Hume civilization, pitting rich against poor, believers against nonbelievers, aristocracy against peasantry, education against ignorance. This often leads to deep and powerful inequalities; class can be as much of a identifying and motivating factor as a spark for conflict. Roleplaying Hume personalities are largely shaped by upbringing and social backgrounds, and can be as varied and complex as the cultures that spawned them. Background, too, affects choice of profession; characters from rough-and-tumble surroundings may turn to the sword or a life of crime to make ends meet, while those with wealth and education seek out loftier callings. Interaction between different social strata can be

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fraught with tension; for rich sophisticates, the lower classes are ignorant boors, while the poor view the wealthy as arrogant and utterly detached from reality. Language Humes invented the Common Tongue, with regional accents ranging from the mild to the incomprehensible; a trained ear can often pick out a speakers nationality and education with only a handful of sentences. Hume scholars often dabble in various other languages, and point out how the Common Tongue has picked up a smattering of slang, curses, and exclamations from different languages altogether, and incorporated them into everyday speech. Bonuses They are adaptable, and there are no doors closed to them. They may pursue any Job choice, and their attributes suffer no exploitable weaknesses. Furthermore, Humes are a tough and hardy people. All Humes add an additional +2 HP at first level, and another +2 HP every level thereafter whenever they level up and calculate maximum hit points. In addition, they never suffer the effects of racial discrimination or automatic social stigmatism when traveling other races have come to the conclusion that Humes are as diverse as they are many, and one cannot judge a single member of the race by the actions of another. Common Jobs Humes run the gamut from sly and crafty to noble and virtuous, and theres no distinct Job that the race favors over any other. Gamblers are more commonly Hume than any other race perhaps this is a direct link to the carefree, chaotic lives they lead. Restrictions None.

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ELVAANThough they resemble Humes, Elves are taller, slightly thinner, with more muscle definition, long necks, and oval faces. Their skins are darker than the average mans, ranging from light tan to a bronze or copper color. Their best-known features, however, are their pointed ears, which protrude from their heads at lengths between fifteen and twenty centimeters. These proud humanoids have been involved in bitter civil wars and protracted conflicts with other races since the dawn of time, and it is only now that they have finally laid their swords to rest and allowed themselves the luxury of several generations of peace.

Typical Height 1.8 2.1m (Male) 1.7 2.0m (Female) Typical Weight 51 87kg (Male) 45 69kg (Female) Hair Colors Blond, black, gray, white Eye Colors Gray, green, blue Habitats Any Lifespan Young is 12 -20 years old. Average is 21 - 80 years old. Old is 81 - 120 years old.

Society Elvaan civilization is highly developed, yet regimented to extremes a draconian perfection achieved centuries ago, and perpetuated ever since. For its citizens, lawfulness, order, and obedience to the state are the cardinal virtues; to this end, most Elvaan nations sport an extensive army as well as a well-staffed civil police force. Both of these depend heavily on levies, with all able-bodied Elvaan citizens receiving at least some level of training in arms; should the time come for an Elvaan nation to march to war, the line is held not by the knights of the royal families but by the citizens militias. Leadership within Elvaan society is strongly aristocratic, divided clearly into the Haves and Have-Nots. Prodigious Elvaan lifespans mean that rulers reigns can stretch fifty years or more, leaving eligible regents and heirs with plenty of time to engage in courtly intrigue over the succession. In most cases, these squabbles are invisible to the general population, but when the participants choose to fight with weapons instead of words, civil war is almost inevitable. Though the king theoretically derives his divine right to rule from his ancestry, frequent in-fighting among the aristocracy means that rulership can quickly fall to an heir or relative. This deep-seated instability coupled with the dangers of the world at large has contributed significantly to the Elvaans mastery of warfare. It was the Elvaan who first turned their attention to the

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properties of mythril and adamantite, and created a series of powerful weapons and relics, and were also the first to domesticate the Chocobo, and can field exceptional cavalry in times of crisis. Roleplaying Pride is at the root of the Elvaan psyche. From early on, Elvaan are taught to be proud of their race's accomplishments, the culture and achievements in warfare that predate other races' by centuries at a time. As a result, they treat other races with a haughty condescension one that turns to out-and-out fury should that 'Elvaan superiority' ever be challenged. Tellingly, Elvaan have just as little patience for their own kind; duels over slights and insults both real and imagined are a common occurrence in their society, and can set the stage for family feuds destined to last for a century or more. Duelists usually favor the honorable sword over more modern implements of war; for this reason, Elvaan Fighters are both numerous and impeccably skilled. Language Elvish is a needlessly complicated language, but an oft-spoken one, though years of study are required to utter even a single word without deeply offending any Elvaan listeners. Bonuses The Elvaan are powerful combatants, with great strength that is virtually unrivaled. They have almost all received intensive military training, which grants all Elvaan characters the ability to use the Medium Armor skill regardless of their starting Job. Furthermore, this training provides them with greater speed and ferocity in combat, and Elvaan characters receive a permanent +1 bonus to their EVA score. Having been deeply integrated into Hume culture, many racial mannerisms and characteristics are beginning to dwindle and fade however, all Elvaan are still members of a noble and proud race, and they take care of their own. While wayward Viera who leave the woods are generally shunned, and Humes care little for their own bretheren, Elvaan have started wars over even the smallest of racial insults; to anger one Elvaan is to anger all of them. Common Jobs Elvaan are renowned for their martial combatants Samurai, Fighters, Monks, Dragoons, and Dark Knights primarily. Very few Elvaan choose the aesthetic life that comes with a magical upbringing though those that do often avoid the pure schools of Jobs of White and Black, and choose Red Magic instead. Restrictions No self-respecting Elvaan would ever allow himself to dedicate his life to be an amusement to others. An Elvaan may not choose the Entertainer Job.

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GALKAThe heavyset Galka are quite an interesting sight. Standing two and a half meters tall and weighing almost triple that of an average Hume, Galkas sport smooth, greenish-gray skin and a rigid, mediumlength tail a counterweight for their top-heavy frames with a hint at reptilian ancestry, but their expressive faces are covered with a short fur. They are consummate Craftsmen; despite a brutish outward appearance and loud, overpowering natures, they are not stupid by any stretch of the imagination, excelling in mining, metalwork and other matters of engineering. Unlike most other races, Galka have no gender, though their outward appearance and manner is distinctively male. Many cultivate lavish facial hair in their later years, often styling it in a wide range of outlandish shapes.

Typical Height 2.5 2.8m Typical Weight 160 220kg Hair Colors Black, brown, gray, red Eye Colors Blue, green, brown Habitats Deserts, Towns, Underground Lifespan Young is 16 -24 years old. Average is 25 - 50 years old. Old is 51 90+ years old.

Society The Galka may have once had a culture to call their own; if so, it has been lost to history since the race's glory days, leaving a nomadic people that makes its home in any society willing to accept them. Finding such hosts is rarely difficult; as architects, artisans or simple physical labor, Galka have the potential to easily drive an entire economy. Unfortunately, their generally passive nature has made them a prime target for exploitation by other races; it is not uncommon to see Galka pushed too hard for too little pay and only the barest regard for their well-being. They have a legendary reputation as craftsmen; equipment of Galkan manufacture is both prized and sought-after, and in the right hands may outlast its creators by centuries. Due to a lack of written language, the passage of history and culture is entrusted to Talekeepers who act as a repository of ancestral memory. Outsiders see Talekeepers as shamanistic fossils, spreading their superstitions and fairytales in hushed tones. In truth, however, these wizened Galka are key to a complex process that ensures their races continued survival. Few are aware that the Galka undergo a cycle of reincarnation; the details of this process are nebulous even to the Galka themselves. Though they visibly age and readily succumb to war, disease, or starvation, actual deaths of old age are almost unheard of. Rather, upon reaching a certain age, a Galka simply bids his friends and fellows farewell, giving away what possessions and wealth he acquired over

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the course of his life, and sets out into the wilderness. The timing of this journey is carefully calculated through consultation with the Talekeeper over a period of several weeks, during which time the leavetaker is invited to speak freely and at length of his life, his insights and achievements in the spirit of closure. Thus unburdened, the Galka goes on his way, keeping only the clothes on his back and the little he needs to keep his strength up on the march. Though the departing adult is never seen again, in time, a juvenile Galka will arrive to seek the Talekeepers counsel, still innocent to the ways of the world and his people. It is the Talekeepers responsibility to ensure the newcomer is suitably indoctrinated, to dispense the knowledge he needs to eventually fill his predecessors shoes. An elder Galka will be assigned to act as the boys father,' providing practical guidance and shelter. As the juvenile grows, he meets with the Talekeeper time and again, gleaning more of his purpose until he is at last a full member of Galkan society. For their part, Talekeepers seem to be possessed of almost unnatural longevity, reliably serving their purpose for generation after generation. Roleplaying Though sometimes seen as slow-witted or apathetic, Galka are creatures of deep emotion and rigid selfcontrol. From early on, they are taught to bottle up negative feelings such as anger, frustration, and hatred, releasing them only in their final meeting with the Talekeeper. In this manner, Galkan wisdom goes, the race is protected from feelings that could ultimately destroy it. Faced with a potentially infinite lifespan, Galka try to adopt a detached world-view, outwaiting and outliving hardships instead of tackling them head-on. To this end, most grievances are simply swallowed and disagreements rarely voiced a fact that encourages other races to callously exploit the uncomplaining Galka. Fighting is seen as an acceptable, albeit temporary outlet for pent-up anger. Inevitably, Galka that choose to take up arms are the most troubled of their kind, permanently torn between reason and rage. The fear of death is an unknown terror; though Galka felled by war or disease are forever gone in both body and memory, with no possibility of replacement, the concept of true and absolute Death is still a foreign concept for most of the race. For the adventuring Galka, conflict is rarely avoided and often plunged into head-first, and their self-control after a lifetime...or potentially multiple lifetimes....finally gives way to unmitigated, ragingly powerful emotions. The majority adopt their names from the nicknames and epithets given to them by other races rather than choosing their own, taking monikers such as Vicious Eye,' Hound, or Earth Drinker often the first act of submission a young Galka undertakes. Only a small portion are named by their adoptive parents in accordance with the old traditions. Language Though they have a complex spoken tongue, no written Galkan language exists. When living among other races, Galka rarely use their own tongue; those who speak it tend to do so in a halting, awkward manner. Bonuses Galkan are enormous and possess a stamina from lifetimes of labor that other races can barely comprehend. In addition, they are legendary artisans, and receive a +2 bonus modifier to Synthesize checks. Common Jobs Galkas are a bit of an oddity despite their peaceful nature and massive bulk, these gentle giants are common as warrior Jobs such as Samurai and Monk, as well as casters of all types despite their low INT especially White Mages. Restrictions Galka cannot take the Androgynous trait, as there are no females of their kind to impersonate. Nor can they take the Sexy trait. They suffer large penalties to Disguise to impersonate other races. The ever level-headed Galkas also cannot take levels in the Gambler Job class.

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VIERAThe Viera are an almost exclusively female race composed of slender, silver-haired forest-dwellers. They have slim, limber legs and long fingers, and are almost physically identical to Humes save for one notable difference; the Viera exhibit animalistic features such as rabbit or feline characteristics. In fact, the race is split evenly between two sub-races, each exhibiting one set of these animal-like appearances; the temperate forest-dwelling Viera sport a pair of rabbit-like ears sprouting almost a foot from their heads, where the jungle-dwelling, amazonian Mithra are possess cat-like ears, eyes, noses, and tails. Both subraces have bodies which are smooth-skinned and entirely humanoid in proportion. The Viera and Mithra are also distinguished by their deeply skewed gender ratio; out of every ten births, only one on average will be male. Centuries of imbalanced breeding have left the females toned and slender, physically superior to their male counterparts in every respect. Face-paint and tattoos, marks of status and accomplishment in Viera tribes, are common among older females. Even Viera living in more civilized countries use these decorative devices; traditions die hard.

Typical Height 1.6 1.8m (Male/Female, excluding ears) Typical Weight 49 66kg (Male/Female) Hair Colors Universally silver or red. Eye Colors Silver, red, green, blue Habitats Forests, Plains Lifespan Young is 8-17 years old. Average is 18-90 years old. Old is 91-180 years old.

Society Viera come together in small tribes dominated by a matriarchal government, usually in the form of a tribal Chieftainness or village wise-woman. The tribe's day-to-day affairs, too, are entirely in the hands of its females; theirs is the lot of the hunter, the fisher, the crafter, the breadwinner. This structure is a product of simple necessity; due to their scarcity, a tribes males are too valuable to expose to the dangers of the world at large, and are generally forbidden from leaving the village. Viera tend to be distrustful of advanced technology, particularly anything that involves the use of nonrenewable resources; to them, maintaining harmony with nature is more important than fleeting comfort or convenience. In fact, their rigid laws demand that nature be treated with care and respect, and thus, visitors to Viera villages are spurned, out of concern for outsiders damaging their homelands. Driven by longing or curiosity, many Viera pursue adventuring paths, seeking to better themselves and

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see the world beyond their villages. Due to their physical beauty, Viera have little trouble melting into Hume societies; though they rarely strike up relationships with other races. Many Viera believe that other races are weak, and by establishing friendship or even staying too long in the company of such creatures, they, too, will become inferior. Some Viera have been known to become romantically involved with other species; Such relationships are extremely frowned upon by other members of the Viera race. Roleplaying Viera are natural adventurers, combining natural curiosity and energy with a wise, thoughtful nature that makes them amenable company on long journeys. Viera society is low-key, but not uncultured by any stretch of the imagination; they love games and stories, have an affection for dancing and the theatre, and a deep-seated respect for skilled raconteurs and artisans. Though their animalistic nature may lead some to believe that Viera hate water, they are excellent, nimble swimmers. Language Due to the relative simplicity of their own language, Bhasa Mithra, most Viera tend to need a running start when it comes to learning Common Tongue. Bonuses In addition to their unnatural agility, charisma and grace, Viera possess unusually sharp senses that allows them to track movement with unerring accuracy, and receive a +2 bonus to all Awareness checks involving sight or sound. Common Jobs As one may expect, Viera are at home with Jobs that allow their incredible nimbleness to shine. Thieves and Rangers are common, as well as Ninjas and Dragoons. Viera Geomancers tend to be the only ones that rise to positions of power within their tribes. Restrictions Viera cannot take the Androgynous trait, as it is difficult for them to blur the gender line not because male Viera cannot disguise themselves to appear as the other gender, but because most individuals assume that any far-from-home Viera they may encounter are likely female. They may also not take Face In The Crowd or Machine Savvy.

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TARUTA diminutive race of magically active beings. The Tarut are characterized by babyish faces, large eyes, pronounced Elfin ears and bear-like features. Their bodily proportions are equivalent to those of Hume children, with large heads atop a pudgy, short-limbed body, a combination that appears utterly harmless up until the point the fireballs start flying. Some speculate the small creatures' mastery of magic is a kind of acquired survival trait; as most lack the endurance and strength to be serious warriors, they have little else to protect themselves from the dangers of the world. For their part, the Tarut call it a mark of divine favor, proof that some higher power is watching out for them.

Typical Height 0.8 1.0m (Male / Female) Typical Weight 34 38kg (Male) 32 36kg (Female) Hair Colors Brown, blond, red, blue, grey, green Eye Colors Brown, blue Habitats Forests, Towns Lifespan Young is 2 -6 years old. Average is 7 - 20 years old. Old is 21 - 40 years old.

Society The Tarut live in a geniocracy, a society ruled by scientists, sages, thinkers, and other experts on worldly matters. In the eyes of the Tarut, what one knows defines everything prestige, social standing, and privileges. Accordingly, competition for wisdom is fierce and those in positions of authority live in constant fear of being usurped by younger, more knowledgeable individuals. This in turn creates enormous pressure to pursue new ideas and innovations, setting up the intellectual 'engine' that allows Tarut society to progress. While Tarut scholars turn their attentions to many subjects, the study of magic is by far the most prestigious; spellcasters are the geniocracy's first line of defense, revered for their martial prowess and respected for their intellectual accomplishments. Tarut travel mainly for social advancement, lured by the prospect of lost spells, rare alchemical ingredients, or ancient relics of legendary power. As competitive as they may be, however, Tarut are also firm believers in the mantra strength in numbers. Tribes often band together into larger federations for protection, surrendering individual sovereignty to a ruling council composed of the wisest members of each tribe. Leader of the council is the member regarded as the most knowledgeable by mutual consensus; this role is generally prized more for its prestige than its attached powers, which are minimal

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at best. Because of this, tribes actively jockey for the leadership role, recalling and replacing their representatives whenever a more suitable candidate emerges. As may be expected, magic is an everyday fact of Tarut life; it powers mechanical constructs, gives new life to worn-out fields, enhances crops, and even protects tools and clothing from wear and tear. Though somewhat menial compared to the glamour of hurling offensive magicks in the name of the Tarut nation, many able mages make profitable careers out of these mundane applications. Only metalworking is generally shunned; as a rule, Tarut favor organic materials such as wood and cloth, finding such resources far easier to alter with magic than their intractable metallic counterparts. As a result, almost every metal item used by the Tarut tends to be the work of outside hands. Roleplaying Though childlike in body, Tarut are highly intelligent beings, albeit ones possessed by an inexhaustible curiosity about anything and everything in life. No self-respecting Tarut will miss the chance to obtain new knowledge or show off the fruits of their studies whenever opportunity allows. Though they make little distinction between the trivial and the life-saving where information is concerned, the little creatures' intellectual posturing generally comes through when it's most needed. While not as outright distrustful of advanced technology as the Viera, Tarut do tend to be wary in the presence of non-magical machinery; to them, grinding gears, steam, and clockwork are ruthless, soul-less things, lacking the innate warmth and vitality of a magic-driven device. Language Many scholars and collectors of ancient lore have dabbled in Tarutaru, despite the convoluted intricacies of the language. The Tarut themselves use it almost exclusively, finding Common to be simply too lacking in description for their purposes. Bonuses Tarut are a collective of prodigies and intellectuals, and boast a potential IQ that surpasses all other races. Due to their Small Size, Tarut gain a +1 Modifier on Stealth rolls and other skill checks in situations where their small stature is beneficial. More importantly, Tarut are born mages. Any job that uses MP adds an additional +2 MP at first level, and another +2 MP every level thereafter whenever they level up and calculate maximum magic points. Common Jobs Magic is the Tarut way, and accordingly, they boast an impressive array of most types of spellcasters Black and White, Red and Summoners. Geomancers are far more rare, but still exist. Restrictions Tarut, despite the warriors among them, are never capable of performing truly amazing feats of strength. They may not take the Inhuman Might trait. In addition, Blue Magic is an abomination to the Tarut people. Finally, due to their Small Size, a Tarut cannot use Massive weapons unless they also take the Special Training ability in order to do so.

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MOOGLEMoogles are furry little semi-magical creatures - one-part cat, one part bear cub; a race for which the words disarmingly cute are all but tailor-made. Though they sport tiny, bat-like wings that allow them to perpetually hover, only the smallest and slightest of Moogles can use them for flight. Wings aside, the Moogles' most distinguishing characteristic is the curious 'pom-pom connected to the top of their heads by a small, thin stalk, referred to by the Moogles as a 'Deely-Bopper.' Its true purpose is unknown, though some speculate that it may have reproductive or telepathic properties. Moogle fur is generally white and downy, though many mutations and variations exist in the world; striped, brown and purple are among the most common, but many others have arisen over the years. Some Moogles also sport a thick 'ruff' of fur around their neck; this feature tends to evolve in colder climates, and is usually accompanied by a correspondingly denser coat of fur.

Typical Height 0.9 1.2m (Male / Female) Typical Weight 24 30kg (Male / Female) Fur Colors White, grey, brown, purple Deely-Bopper Colors White, green, red, yellow, purple Habitats Forests, Mountains, Underground, Towns Lifespan Young is 1 -10 years old. Average is 11 - 24 years old. Old is 25 - 30 years old.

Society Traditionally, Moogle tribes seclude themselves in small villages hidden away in forests or caverns, subsisting on foraged nuts and roots, their locations known only to those select outsiders who have earned the tribe's trust. Such groups number anywhere between ten and fifty; the oldest Moogle in the tribe usually acts as a nominal leader, though group consensus guides most decisions. This bucolic, carefree existence is balanced by a love of travel and adventure. Once they come of age, many Moogles leave the safety of their villages, embarking on journeys that can easily span the breadth of the globe. What happens next depends on the individual. Some find the outside world too chaotic, too confusing for their liking; disenchanted, they return to the stable familiarity of their villages. Others are captivated by the sights and opportunities of their wanderings, and settle down in the company of other races. Moogles have an innate genius for social adaptability no matter how alien the society they find themselves in, it is only a matter of time before they learn its ins and outs, picking up all the trappings of civilization along the way. Out of respect for those who have turned their backs on the outside world, however, 'civilized' Moogles make no effort to bring the marvels of progress back to their native villages. As a result, every Moogle is given the rights to pursue its own idea of happiness, whether bliss is found in the boughs of an ancient tree or the guts of an airship. Because Moogles settle according to their personal pilgrimages, these small beings can be found almost

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anywhere in the world. In spite of their scattered nature, Moogles still manage to maintain a close-knit social network by regularly trading news and gossip from city to city. Roleplaying Though mischievous, sassy, and occasionally sarcastic, Moogles are incapable of genuine malice or cruelty a rarity among intelligent beings. Base emotions such as hate, greed, and violence are generally unheard of among the 'primitive' Mogri, and extremely uncommon in expatriates. Because of this, Moogles are perhaps a little more trusting of others than is strictly warranted, though 'trusting' doesn't translate to 'stupid' they have no patience for cheaters and frauds, and will take steps to get even with anybody who tries to take advantage of their good nature. Language Despite the fact that their native tongue uses just a single word, Moogles have a superb aptitude for languages, and many speak Common Tongue. Their only trouble is a tendency to slip in the word kupo in at random intervals, a linguistic quirk that even experienced speakers can't seem to shake. Bonuses Moogles possess an intense likeability, an unusual sense of empathy, and natural affability that allows the Moogles to make themselves welcome anywhere, and their natural Charisma is unmatched. Due to their Small Size, Moogles gain a +1 Modifier on Stealth rolls and other skill checks in situations where their small stature is beneficial. And finally, though most cannot fly, Moogles are able to hover and Float when unencumbered. Doing so while holding any objects is a tiring process, limiting the amount of time a Moogle can feasibly spend airborne. When wearing equipment or holding any items, a Moogle may Float for a number of rounds per session equal to their Vitality attribute rating. Common Jobs Entertainers make up the VAST majority of the fun-loving Moogle race, especially the sort that focuses on mystical dances. The charismatic Moogles make exceptional thieves, much to the chagrin of other races, and they boast an aptitude for Geomancy, Red, Black, and Blue magic. Restrictions Moogles are inherently alien to concepts such as hatred and vengeance, and thus, they are unable to take levels in the Dark Knight job, or take the Vengeful trait. They may also not take the Inhuman Might trait. Furthermore, a moogle who becomes too Shadow Affiliated may be removed from play. These innocent, joyous creatures cannot mentally coexistent with malevolence in any of its forms. And finally, due to their Small Size, a Moogle cannot use Massive weapons unless they also take the Special Training ability in order to do so.

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ANDROIDAndroids are the result of mad experimentation between man and machine, and are empty shells fueled by a functional brain. Most have proportions similar to that of a normal Hume, though many sport obviously mechanical appendages or features, such as conduits and wires peeking through their skin. Their clothes are often little more than rags, and their eyes cannot disguise their true natures; empty and often pupilless black pools, they offer no reflection, and belie no spark of life.

Typical Height Varies. Usually 1.6 1.9m. Typical Weight Varies. Generally 200kg+ Hair Colors Any Eye Colors Black Habitats Any Lifespan All Androids were constructed at roughly the same time, and are 200-205 years old.

Society Androids are the result of Magitek tinkering from two hundred years ago, during the time of the Great War. The cadavers of soldiers who had fallen in battle were taken en masse to secret laboratories and factories, and their badly-mutilated bodies were reinforced and rebuilt with cold iron. Holy energy was pulsed through their bodies as their minds were wired with electrodes and conduits, connecting them mentally to what were essentially man-shaped M-Tek Armors. These Androids were built with various weapons and devices, and sent back into the fires of war over and over again. Those that survived the war learned that their designated functions had begun and ended there, and, with no further directive, found themselves mostly unable to cope. As the world recovered from the war, the Androids found themselves beginning to travel, seeking purpose and meaning for their lives. To be fair, some did indeed find a purpose. Some developed feelings of affection, a semblance of love, for a person, or place, and found themselves as guardians and protectors. But with the passage of time, their loved ones passed on, and the cities they called home either crumbled to dust, or began to evolve far too quickly for the warforged minds of the Androids to comprehend. And with the passage of time, the things they found themselves attached to were lost.

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These days, most remaining Androids can be found working for a Guild known as the Unwanted Legion a collective of mostly-mechanical soldiers with nothing to live for. They fiercely defend the poor, the sick, and the empty, but can be found just as often acting as hired muscle, cutting down their foes with emotionless, robotic efficiency. Many other Androids can be found working almost as slaves in major metropolitan areas, are to handle levels of heat, pressure, and severe workloads that other races simply couldnt deal with. The death of an Android in an unsafe work environment, as well, is a little-mourned occasion. Roleplaying The drives and goals of an Android are always peculiar. Some seek love, others, a place to call home. Some seek to learn more of the Great War, why they were created, and then abandoned. Some have lost memories, and seek their own pasts. Some adventure simply for the thrills of doing so, to be free of monotony, no matter how briefly. Still others find themselves filled with a cold rage at their creators, at the people who have left them to rust. To love, and then, to inevitably lose, often takes its toll on the remaining psyche of an Android. Many lose themselves to their own natures, and become callous and hollow, and truly robotic. Language Androids speak Common, but many pursue additional languages in attempts to fit in with polite society no matter where they go. The Binary language, being little more than a series of zeroes and ones, may be spoken by highly-trained linguists, but never as nearly as fluently as when utilized by an Android. Bonuses The perks to being an Android are as many as there are detriments. They do not need to eat or drink, and the biomechanical Grafts that they each possess allow them to have truly unique weapons and tools at their disposal. An Android character starts play with 5 points worth of Grafts see Chapter 5: Equipment. Common Jobs With so few options available to them, most Androids choose the path of the Fighter or Thief, though there are a surprising number of Android Blue Mages. Restrictions Having been forever torn from the embrace of the lifestream, Androids are unable to take levels in the following Jobs; Red Mage, White Mage, Black Mage, Paladin, Dark Knight, and Geomancer. (An Android may take levels as a Blue Mage, but he must integrate bits and pieces of slain enemies to use monster abilities instead of merely learning them.) They suffer a great deal of social aversion, with other races almost instantly distrustful or dismissive. Finally, an Android may never take the Famous trait. He's just a robot; who cares what he's done?

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Step Four: Calculating Combat StatisticsAs their name suggests, Combat Statistics gauge a character's performance in battle, including their ability to deal and receive damage. FFRPG characters have six Combat Statistics: Hit Points (HP): A reflection of the character's general physical condition. Damage done to a character reduces their Hit Points; if their HP is ever reduced to 0 or lower, they fall unconscious or worse. To calculate initial HP, the Formula is HP = 10 + VIT score + Your Jobs HP Modifier On each level up, you add a permanent value equal to your Jobs HP score, plus your total VIT score. (Not the VIT rating!) Magic Points (MP): Magic Points represent a character's reservoir of spellcasting energy. Spells and other magical powers reduce a character's MP when used. To calculate initial MP, the Formula is MP = 10 + INT score + Your Jobs MP Modifier On each level up, you add a permanent value equal to your Jobs MP score, plus your total INT score. (Not the rating.) Note that any Job without an MP Modifier will always have zero MP, regardless of INT. Evasion (EVA): The character's affinity for reflexively dodging or parrying incoming physical attacks. Evasion is your Dexterity rating combined with the bonus granted from your Job. Some equipment and abilities grant bonuses to your EVA score temporarily. Whenever an attack roll is made, it must equal or surpass the targets Evasion score to have any effect at all. If the total attack roll including Accuracy is lower than the targets Evasion score, the attack misses and nothing happens. Certain attacks and status effects are capable of ignoring or nullifying your EVA score temporarily, but characters retain their Evasion score even if they dont know the attack is coming, or where its originating from. Accuracy (ACC): The base likelihood of a character being able to land a blow with a conventional weapon. Accuracy is your Weapon Skill rating with the equipment you are trying to use (such as Axes or Katanas), as well as a bonus granted from your Job. Some equipment and abilities also grant bonuses to your ACC score temporarily. Armor (ARM): A sum of the character's protection against physical attack. The higher the rating, the less damage they will suffer. Whenever a character would take physical damage, their ARM score is subtracted from the amount they would be dealt for example, a character with 5 ARM would reduce 30 damage down to 25. This attribute is simply calculated by adding up the total ARM granted by your equipment. Magic Armor (M. ARM): The characters protection against magical attacks. The higher the rating, the less damage they will suffer. Whenever a character would take magical damage, their M.ARM score is subtracted from the amount they would be dealt for example, a character with 20 M.ARM would reduce 60 damage down to 40 instead. This attribute is simply calculated by adding up the total M.ARM granted by your equipment.

Affiliation The concepts of Good and Evil are merely moral standpoints, subject to endless debate. Therefore, in the FFRPG, they represent a character's lean towards one of the two Cosmic Elements; Shadow or Holy. Holy is generally a benign, benevolent and selfless force, where Shadow is often self-serving, deceptive, and prone to vices and indulgence.

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All characters start at Neutral unless decided otherwise with the GM, or if automatic alignment points shift you one way or another. Having a high-end affiliation on either end of the scale will result in taking different amounts of elemental damage. When a characters Affiliation hits certain points on the bar, they will start to develop weaknesses and resistances to both Holy and Shadow magic. -10 Shadow: Weakness to Holy, Immunity to Shadow -5 Shadow: Vulnerable to Holy, Resistance to Shadow Neutral: No change 5 Holy: Vulnerable to Shadow, Resistance to Holy 10 Holy: Weakness to Shadow, Absorbs Holy A Weakness means the character takes 200% damage from attacks of that element. Vulnerable means the character takes 150% damage from attacks of that element. Resistance means the character takes only 50% damage from attacks of that element. And Immunity means the character takes no damage or effects from attacks of that element. And Absorbs means that the character gains HP instead of taking Damage. Furthermore, a character who has reached the maximum level of Holy or Shadow affiliation does additional damage with all spells, abilities and effects of that elemental type. Treat such a character as having the Holy or Shadow-Enhancer weapon ability at all times (see p.93 for more information on this), meaning they do 150% damage with all Shadow or Holy based elemental attacks. They also receive an inherent Immunity to Fear, representing a commanding, unshakable presence that even the most dangerous of monsters cant disturb. A character who has achieved -10 Shadow affiliation can no longer gain EXP. Unlike other elemental immunities and weaknesses, these effects cannot be lost or altered by any other means, including powerful boss abilities. Such high Affiliation scores represent an innate connection with the fundamental powers behind the cosmos.

Step Five: Traits, Job Abilities, and MagicChoose your Traits to give a little personal flavor to your character (and gain some great bonuses in the process). Each newly-created character receives two character Traits of your choice, which are Destinyactivated abilities with various effects. Traits can change over the course of a game, but its not a likely occurrence. Youll gain two more additional traits as the game progresses. Then, consult your Job ability list. You automatically receive the Innate ability and the Epic ability listed there. Then choose two additional abilities of your choice these may be either from the list of Jobspecific abilities, or the list of Shared Abilities found on p.67. Finally, most MP-using classes begin the game with at least one spell, which can be found listed in Chapter 8. (see p.143) A typical Job may have a magic-using chart that appears similar to Spell Rank Level the one seen here. This means that at levels one the character begins play with two Rank one spells of his choice. At levels two, 1 1, 1, 3, 2, 4 three and four, the character receives another Rank one spell from 2 6, 9, 12 their list. And levels six, nine, and twelve, they can take a Rank 3 15, 18 two spell instead if they so choose, and so on. 4 21, 24 5 28

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CHAPTER III: JOBS"You've all heard this before. How life has infinite possibilities. I don't believe that one bit. There weren't many paths for me to choose. Sometimes, there would only be one. From the limited possibilities I faced, the choices I made have brought me this far. That's why I value the path I chose... I want to hold true to the path that HAD to be taken." - Irvine Kinneas

There are a total of 18 Jobs, and you may choose any one Job you like at Character Creation unless restricted by your race. Each has their strengths and weaknesses; use the brief descriptions below to familiarize yourself with the different options available to you.

Black Mage - A spellcaster who possess few tricks only unmatched destructive capability. He assaults his foes with overwhelming elemental attacks and a variety of negative status effects. As they grow in power, the devastation they can unleash is globally feared. Blue Mage - A strange hybrid of both melee and spellcaster, Blue Mages are enigmatic power-seekers better known as the Immortals. They are renowned for both their bizarre magicks stolen from the very foes they slay, and their rapidly dwindling sanity. Dark Knight - Combining vicious black magic that drains life and slams their enemies with vicious status effects, these heavily-armored warriors go to every means necessary to exploit their target's weaknesses and fill their foes with terror. Dragoon - The masters of the lance leap into combat with a unique and fitting companion; a young dragon. Between their unique aerial maneuvers and their familiar's powerful breath attacks, Dragoons are tacticians and commanders of the highest degree. Entertainer - These artisans, mimics and minstrels contribute far more than just swaying hips to an adventuring troupe. With a unique brand of magic that is channeled through their expressive Arts, they can inspire their allies to new heights of greatness.

Engineer Masters of clockwork contraptions and peculiar inventions, Engineers keep themselves and their allies outfitted with fantastic if improbable weapons, armor and gadgets. Armed with explosive substances created from defeated enemies, these brilliant heroes can replicate even the most powerful of magicks without ever needing to learn a single spell. Fighter - A warrior who can wield any weapon with ease. His combat abilities allow him to adapt to any situation, and his aggressive style spells disaster for anyone who gets in his way. Gambler - Tempt fate, roll the dice, and shoot first and ask questions later. These card-wielding swashbucklers taunt the powers-that-be with their unique support abilities that spell disaster for a party slightly less often than they save the day. Geomancer These peaceful casters have formed a strange connection to the powers of Creation, able to call forth the very terrain to do their biddingwithout requiring the use of magical energies. As their influence grows, they are able to perform feats that few others could ever hope to match.

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Ninja - A subtle warrior who is famed for his ability to fight flawlessly with two weapons. These swift and stealthy assassins assault their foes with a nonstop barrage of attacks ensuring that their victims can neither run nor hide. Paladin - Though these knights have harnessed the power of White Magic to provide additional healing and restorative abilities, don't expect them to be sitting on the back lines. With inherent leadership abilities and unrivaled defense, Paladins are holy swordsmen who are often the first to kick down a door and charge into the fray. Ranger - Most comfortable in the wilderness, these selfreliant warriors use bows and guns to deliver accurate and deadly long-ranged attacks to unsuspecting foes. Red Mage Also known as Rune Knights, and perhaps most infamous as the Jack-of-all-Trades. Eschewing the belief that they need to choose only one path in life, these romantic mages dabble in swordsmanship, Black and White magic, and a peculiar power all their own, capable of draining the magical energies out of the very air. Some Red Mages have even unlocked the secrets to Time Magic and Summoning, calling themselves Sages and wielding a magical strength that few others can match. Samurai - A noble warrior who follows the strict code of Bushido, turning simple skill with a blade into an art-form as exotic and beautiful as it is deadly. Their supernatural attacks tear through the physical and magical defenses of foes, and allow them to perform amazing feats as they travel the land, spreading hope to the downtrodden.

Monk - A melee combatant who seeks to make their body the ultimate weapon, eschewing the use of armor. By channeling Ki through their bodies, they are resilient, powerful warriors on the way to attaining physical perfection. Thief - These fleet-of-foot combatants walk on the wrong side of the law and possess a variety of dirty tricks. As comfortable exploring ancient ruins and dungeons as they are in an urban setting, Thieves have taken the fivefingered-discount to a whole new level. Time Mage Able to reshape the forces of time and space, these unpredictable cosmic dabblers are as powerful as they are scarce. Shrouding themselves in magical barriers, they can cast formidable spells that stretch seconds into hours. White Mage - This dedicated healer is not nearly as fragile as his Black Mage opposite, but still prefers to remain in the back lines as he tosses out nigh-endless healing and resurrection abilities. White Mages are welcomed with open arms to any adventuring party they join. White Mages are also able to follow the call of the Summoner though in these troubled times, few would choose to answer. Still, they may bring forth powerful beings known as Espers into combat and fuse with them, to wield otherworldly magic the like of which lesser mages can only dream.

Once youve selected a Job, heres several phrases youll see and what they mean. Hit/level: Upon leveling up, add this number + your VIT to your current maximum HP. MP/level: Upon leveling up, add this number + your INT to your current maximum MP. Job Abilities: A description and effects of all the Job Abilities possessed. How they work and what they do. Epic Ability: When the going gets tough, the tough get tougher. When in times of dire need, the truly destined can tap into the inherent, hidden reservoir of magical energy within every person, and perform feats of an incredible nature. Each Job possesses a truly powerful ability that requires 3 Destiny Points to activate, and can only be used once per game session. Activating an Epic Ability is an Instant Action which is unaffected by the Seal status effect, though several, such as the Black Mage's, still do require the user to be able to cast spells on their own power in order to function. (See chapter 4 for more information regarding Destiny) Innate Ability: Upon choosing a Job, you automatically gain access to one power. This might be as simple as the ability to use magic or as complex as a Dragoons wyvern companion. This automatic power does not count toward the two other job abilities you get to choose for your character. Special: Some Jobs have additional notations, bonuses or penalties associated with their abilities, which are explained here.

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BLACK MAGEMasters of elemental and destructive magic, Black Mages can stop even an army in its tracks. Black Magic, while not practiced with any degree of secrecy, is a dangerous art. There are far too many who have lost themselves to madness or fully given in to the destructive forces they command. These wayward practitioners must live a reclusive life or find themselves the target of city-wide manhunts, seeking to dispose of the growing threat before lives are lost. Though the power of Ultima has not been seen in many decades, many believe it is a force far too powerful for any one man to command.

Max Attribute Modifiers STR: +5 DEX: +10 VIT: +10 INT: +15 CHA: +15 HP/level: +2 MP/level: +3 Weapons: Daggers, Staves Armor: Light Skill Points: 14 ACC Bonus: 0 EVA Bonus: 5 Automatic Affiliation:Though very few Black Mages are evil, the art in which they dabble in is invariably tainted, and it is sometimes easy for them to begin the slippery descent into darkness. All Black Mages start the game shifted one point to Shadow.

Spell Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Level 1, 1, 3, 4, 5 6, 8, 10, 12 14, 16, 18 20, 22, 24 27, 30

Epic Ability: Manafont - Instant, SelfThe Black Mage is an untapped reservoir of power, able to tap into the secrets of magic itself and draw forth spells of inexpressible potency. Upon using Manafont, the Black Mage can now cast spells that are one Tier higher than he actually has access to; for example, a level 10 Black Mage could access Tier 3 spells. In addition, they have access to all spells their Tier or lower, even if they did not choose to learn these spells previously. The character must still be able to pay the MP cost of any spell cast in this method, and they must still possess any prerequisites for the selected spell. If the character has access to Tier 5 magic, then Manafont increases the damage of all spells cast by 50% and increases the difficulty to resist status effects by +4, instead of granting access to a new, sixth Tier.

Innate Ability: Black Magic - Standard, VariesBlack Magic can be defined as the destructive power of the elements themselves, with effects ranging from the ability to call forth flame, to cataclysmic, earth-shattering spells, capable of leaving entire cities in utter ruin. Though others may boast the ability cast a selection of spells from this magical school, only Black Mages have true mastery over the full breadth of devastating power that it offers.

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Job AbilitiesElemental Seal Instant, SelfBy activating this ability, a Black Mage is capable of ignoring a foes magical resistance. Treat the target of your next spell as though he had a M.ARM of zero and ignore the effects of Shell. This ability may be used a number of times per session equal to the Black Mages CHA rating.

Personal Element Instant, SelfThe character has a deep, personal connection and familiarity with one of the world's elements, and is capable of wielding it with fierce power. When taking this ability, choose one of the six standard combat elements Fire, Ice, Water, Wind, Earth, or Lightning. By spending a moment to concentrate, he will instantly negate the damage he would receive from the next offensive spell of the chosen element that would affect him. This ability may be used a number of times per session equal to the Black Mages VIT rating, and this ability may be taken multiple times, choosing a new element each time.

Coldhearted - PassiveThe Black Mage specializes in freezing his foes in subzero temperatures. The damage step has increased by one for all Ice elemental damage dealt by the character. (If an attack or spell was to do (INT x 1) points of Ice damage, it would now do (INT x 2) instead, and so on.) This ability may be taken multiple times, increasing the damage step by one each time.

Pyromaniac - PassiveThe Black Mage is at his most potent when wielding Fire magic, controlling infernos and blazes with his will alone. The damage step has increased by one for all Fire elemental damage dealt by the character. (If an attack or spell was to do (INT x 1) points of Fire damage, it would now do (INT x 2) instead, and so on.) This ability may be taken multiple times, increasing the damage step by one each time.

Fluid Thought - PassiveThe Black Mage is naturally drawn to Water-elemental spells, and has mastered their use. The damage step has increased by one for all Water elemental damage dealt by the character. (If an attack or spell was to do (INT x 1) points ofWater damage, it would now do (INT x 2) instead, and so on.) This ability may be taken multiple times, increasing the damage step by one each time.

Earths Embrace - PassiveThe caster is as stoic and patient as the earth itself; his studies reflect this magical preference. The damage step has increased by one for all Earth elemental damage dealt by the character. (If an attack or spell was to do (INT x 1) points of Earth damage, it would now do (INT x 2) instead, and so on.) This ability may be taken multiple times, increasing the damage step by one each time.

Obliterate SlowThe Black Mage is destruction incarnate, capable of imposing his will on colossal inanimate objects (and even truly powerful magical artifacts and wards), turning them all into piles of rubble. Normally a character must make a STR check against the objects Hardness score to destroy it (see p.133 for more information on this). Upon using Obliterate, the Black Mage may make such a check but with a +4 bonus to the roll, and may use his CHA attribute instead of STR. Obliterate can target objects up to Long Range.

Resist Curse PassivePowerful spells exist than can place a hex on enemies and turn their most powerful attacks into pathetic annoyances. The Black Mage has researched these spells extensively, and is now immune to the negative status effect Curse. Whenever the Black Mage would normally become Cursed, they may make an immediate physical or magical Counterattack.

Eye of the Storm - PassiveThe Black Mage concentrates on the control of pure electrical currents. The damage step has increased by one for all Lightning elemental damage dealt by the character. (If an attack or spell was to do (INT x 1) points of Lightning damage, it would now do (INT x 2) instead, and so on.) This ability may be taken multiple times, increasing the damage step by one each time.

Unnecessary Force - PassiveThe Black Mages spells are so powerful that they can literally blast their opponents away. Upon taking this ability, the Black Mage may now also add a Medium Range knockback effect to all Tier 3 or higher spells that deal damage.

Counter Magic - PassiveWith his supreme mastery of the magical arts, the Black Mage is capable of striking back when hes the target of an enemy spell. If the Black Mage takes damage from a spell he knows, cast on him by an enemy, then he may return fire with the same spell automatically as a Counterattack. The spell still costs MP, but is considered an Instant action. The Black Mage can use Counter Magic even if he is occupied with a Slow action of his own, but not if the spell was Reflected. (see p.122 for moreinformation on this)

Astral Echoes - PassiveThe Black Mage is capable of harnessing the natural elemental strength in an area to fuel their craft. When casting an elemental spell in the appropriate Elemental Terrain (for example, an Ice spell in a raging blizzard or a thunder spell during a severe storm), the character can choose to spend double the standard MP of the spell in order to increase their damage by an additional 50%. This ability may be taken multiple times, increasing the damage percentage by 50% each time.

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BLUE MAGEMonsters have a form of magic unknown in standard magic academies. Blue Mages make a living of learning their craft from these monsters. They're trained in melee combat to survive encounters with the ferocious beasts, but their true power shines once the unique magic has been acquired. However, true power comes at an unspeakable cost, and many advanced Blue Mages find themselves rapidly descending into insanity.

Max Attribute Modifiers STR: +10 DEX: +15 VIT: +5 INT: +10 CHA: +15 HP/level: +3 MP/level: +2 Weapons: Daggers, Katanas, Swords, Staves Armor: Light Skill Points: 14 ACC Bonus: 0 EVA Bonus: 7 Spell Rank 1 2 3 Level 1, 1 10 11 20 21 30

Epic Ability: Azure Lore - Instant, SelfThere are spells that exist in the universe that cannot ever be truly learned and harnessed by the Immortals; though the greatest of these mages still retain the ability to replicate them. After using Azure Lore and seeing a powerful monster spell or ability used in the current combat, the Blue Mage may return fire with the same spell. Damage is calculated with the Blue Mages statistics, and he is subject to any penalties that may exist for the usage of such a powerful attack such as fatigue or self-damage. The Blue Mage need not know the name of the attack; just a simple description will suffice.

Innate Ability: Blue Magic Standard, VariesTo Learn a Blue Spell, a Blue Mage must be able to understand it. Without tomes or teachers to fall back on, 'understanding' mostly boils down to just one thing: experiencing the Spell's effect first-hand. A Blue Mage will, if he so chooses, automatically acquire any Blue Spell cast on him by a monster (not another Blue Mage!) during a battle in which the Blue Mage is an active participant. The Spell cannot be learned if it reduces the Blue Mage to 0 or fewer Hit Points. Unlike regular magic (in which mages select their spells from a list at each level), Blue Mages may only ever choose one spell the one they begin the game with at level one. From then on, they must encounter monsters in order to learn such spells. Rank 2 spells require level 11+, and Rank 3 spells require level 21+. There is no maximum or minimum to the number of spells a Blue Mage will Learn as the game progresses. Players are encouraged to speak to their GMs outside of the game to discuss spells that particularly appeal to them, so encounters may be planned accordingly.

Special: MetamorphosisBlue Mages constantly walk the fine line between power and madness, and this ability reflects that. If the character ever reaches -10 Shadow Affiliation, they are immediately removed from player control as the beast within takes over. Their bodies undergo a rapid biological change that leaves them completely unfamiliar in appearance, and they become a ravenous brute of pure evil. In game terms, this means that the Blue Mage is finished, and the player will need to create a new character. The Blue Mage may still make an appearance as a monster within the game simply triple the characters hit point maximum and add a handful of Monster properties such as Large or Multiple Parts, and set the creatures reaction to Hostile.

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Job AbilitiesChimeras Blood Self, PassiveThe elements flow deep in the Blue Mages monstrous blood, and provide him with additional weaknesses and protections. Upon taking this ability, choose one of the seven basic combat elements - Fire, Ice, Water, Wind, Earth, Shadow, or Lightning. The Blue Mage now has Immunity to that Element, and takes no damage from spells or effects of that type. However, he must then choose a second element from the list, which he will forever have a Weakness against, taking 200% damage from attacks of that elemental type. The Blue Mage may take this ability up to three times, choosing new elements for the Immunities and Weaknesses each time. He may never obtain a resistance or immunity to the element which he is now weak to, even through equipment or other job abilities.

Sapphire Seal Instant, SelfThe magic wielded by a blue mage is not to be trifled with, and is difficult to divert or absorb. After activating Sapphire Seal, the next spell cast will ignore the effects of Reflect, as well as any elemental Resistances, Immunities or Absorbencies the foe may possess. This ability may be used a number of times per session equal to the Blue Mages CHA rating.

Immortal PassiveBlue Mages are renowned for being extraordinarily difficult to kill. Some say this is because of the beast blood that runs through their veins, others attribute it to divine ordinance. Whatever the reason, its a well-known fact that, ever since the first Blue Mage adopted the title of Immortal, the name has proved to be frighteningly accurate. Whenever a Blue Mage uses Destiny points to Cheat Death as described in chapter 4, the costs for doing so is reduced by 2. This ability may be taken multiple times, but the costs for Cheating Death can never be reduced to less than 3.

Observe PassiveDurability aside, keen observation and a sharp analytical mind are the Blue Mage's best friends. By carefully watching the magic woven by an opponent, they can gather enough information for a kind of mystical reverse engineering, allowing them to Learn monster magic without putting themselves in harm's way. A Blue Mage with this ability no longer needs to be targeted by a Blue Magic spell to acquire it only see it used during a battle in which the character is an active participant. Observe has no effect if the Blue Mage is Unconscious or affected by any of the following Status Conditions: Berserk, Blind, Charm, Confuse, Sleep, Stone, Stop, or Zombie. And again, a Blue Mage may not learn a spell from another Blue Magic user only from the original monster. Several Blue Magic spells are defensive instead of aggressive, and are much easier to obtain by someone with the Observe ability.

Deadened Nerves PassiveCapable of shrugging off pain that would stop any normal warrior, Blue Mages are almost globally renowned for their determination in battle. Upon obtaining this job ability, the Blue Mage may ignore any effects of permanent injury. If he sustains a broken arm, he may still fight normally with it. If he suffers from a pierced lung, no ill effects will be shown. It is entirely possible for a Blue Mage to be killed from pushing himself too hard while in such an injured state. Furthermore, the Blue Mage now also automatically succeeds at any non-opposed VIT check, and are Immune to effects from a Rangers Disabling Shot ability.

Absolute Power SpecialLong hours of study and experimentation with monster magic has left the mages body physically weaker, but the power that the character gains in trade is perhaps enough to forever deny the grip of death. Once per game session when a Blue Mage would gain one or more points of EXP, a Blue Mage can choose not to take any experience points and receive one point of Destiny instead.

Resist Death PassiveAn Immortal defeated by a single attack? Laughable. Upon obtaining this Job Ability, the Blue Mage gains Immunity to instant-Death-inducing magic and attacks, including Doomsday and Lv.? Doom, and many special abilities performed by Summoned Espers. Whenever the Blue Mage would normally be afflicted with an InstantDeath attack, they may now make an immediate physical or magical Counterattack.

Aura Magic Instant, SelfMonstrous spells, whilst powerful, are often limiting most notable in the fact that all Blue Magic is designed to battle individual foes and not large groups. With this ability in his repertoire, the Blue Mage is no longer limited in such a fashion. After using Aura Magic, a Blue Magic spell becomes Group target, allowing their normally one-foe attacks to affect the entire enemy group. However, the Blue Mage loses 25% of his maximum HP after the usage of this ability. This may be used a number of times per session equal to the Blue Mages VIT modifier.

Chimeras Soul SpecialThe Blue Mages suffer deep emotional changes on a day-by-day basis, and their personalities are in a state of constant flux. After obtaining this ability, the character Traits of the mage are no longer static they can be changed at will. Before a game session the player may replace any or all of their Traits, and they are no longer denied by racial restrictions.

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Mutation SpecialBy adopting the magical traits of monsters and learning how to best defeat them, some blue mages have even begun to succumb to bizarre physical changes. Whenever you take this ability, choose one of the 11 monster categories below. You are treated as being that type of creature in addition to Humanoid for the purposes of job and weapon abilities. You also receive the bonuses listed. This ability can be taken multiple times. Whenever the Mutation ability is taken, however, the Blue Mage is moved two steps closer to being Shadow Affiliated, represented by moving further and further away from the standard morals of humanity. Aerial Whether through wings or other means, the character is capable of flight. Although you cant hover in place as per the Float status, short-range weapons suffer a -4 penalty to hit you while airborne. The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Aerial Killer property, dealing 200% damage to flying foes with attacks and spells. Amorph The Blue mage begins to lose discernable anatomy and their internal organs begin to liquefy as they become more slime-like. An Amorph-mutated character acts as if they have the Small Size racial ability (gaining a +1 Modifier on Stealth rolls and checks in situations where the ability to reduce their size would be beneficial) and are capable of squeezing through openings one-tenth of their normal body size such as putting an arm through a keyhole. The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Amorph Killer property, dealing 200% damage to bloblike foes with attacks and spells. Arcana Raw magic flows through the characters bloodstream. They are immune to opponents spells, abilities and weapon properties that destroy or drain their MP (Aspir, Rasp, Osmose, MP Drain, and so on). The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Arcana Killer property, dealing 200% damage to purely magical foes with attacks and spells. Aquan The Blue Mage is as comfortable in water as he is on land, able to breathe and move normally without penalty. The character receives +2 to his Swimming skill and never needs to make skill checks to hold his breath underwater. The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Aquan Killer property, dealing 200% damage to underwater foes with attacks and spells. Beast After becoming more bestial, the character may use his Awareness skill to track down humanoids or creatures he has met at least once before, able to follow their scent at incredible distances up to hundreds of miles. The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Beast Killer property, dealing 200% damage to animalistic foes with attacks and spells. Construct The character is as much machine as human, and receives any one Graft of their choice as well as the Auto-Repair Graft. (see p.115 for more information on this) The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Construct Killer property, dealing 200% damage to machine foes with attacks and spells. Dragon The mage is capable of casting and moving when clad in layers of protection; even the heaviest armor feels like a second skin. The Blue Mage now treats both the Medium and Heavy Armor skills as though they were Job skills. The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Dragon Killer property, dealing 200% damage to Dragons with attacks and spells. Fiend A Blue Mage with the Fiend type has completely lost his humanity, sacrificing all remaining integrity and righteousness for power. The character moves five more points towards Shadow Affiliation, and all monsters with the Hostile attitude treat the Blue Mage as if they were Wary instead a representation of the unnatural kinship such evil beings now feel with the mage. Without provocation, very few monsters will attack the character on sight. The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Fiend Killer property, dealing 200% damage to Fiends with attacks and spells. Lizard The Blue Mage is capable of falling into a deep, hibernal state, healing even the most grievous wounds while he sleeps. Whenever the character regains HP and MP through Travel Rest, they recover as if it was a Full Rest instead. (IE; 50% recovery is now 100% recovery. See p.127 for more details on this.) The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Lizard Killer property, dealing 200% damage to reptilian foes with attacks and spells. Plant The characters skin takes on a greenish tint, allowing them to photosynthesize nourishment. For every hour the Blue Mage spends outside of combat in direct sunlight, they recover 10% of their total maximum HP and MP back passively, and never need to eat food to keep up their strength. The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Plant Killer property, dealing 200% damage to vegetative foes with attacks and spells. Undead - After an Undead blue mage is killed they return to 100% HP and MP after 24 hours. Certain white magic spells such as Banish can prevent this. However, they are also afflicted with the curse of the Undead; Cure spells, restorative items and Healing abilities will now instead deal damage instead of restoring HP. The Blue Mage also automatically gains the Undead Killer property, dealing 200% damage to undead foes with attacks and spells.

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DARK KNIGHTEven as there is good in the world, so must there be evil. Thus, even as the Paladins are the chosen of Light, so there are the chosen of Shadow to match them. Unlike the Paladin, the Dark Knight does not have to go through tests of spirit and emotion to prove their worth, and in that respect they often claim their superiority to their light brethren. The powers of darkness gladly aid those who wish to serve them. Thought not all Dark Knights are corrupt, many possess a cold, calculated hatred that simmers just beneath the surface. Dark Knights channel the unholy energies of the masters of the darkness through their blades, and are fearsome foes in combat.

Max Attribute Modifiers STR: +15 DEX: +10 VIT: +15 INT: +10 CHA: +5 HP/level: +4 MP/level: +2 Weapons: Massive, Brawl, Axes, Swords Armor: Light, Medium, Heavy Skill Points: 14 ACC Bonus: 1 EVA Bonus: 6 Automatic Affiliation:The truly despicable and unwholesome drives Dark Knights onward, serving forces of shadow and despair, and no matter the cause you fight for, your every action is tainted. All Dark Knights start the game shifted three points to Shadow.

Spell Rank 1 2 3 4 5

Level 1, 2, 4 6, 9, 12 15, 18 21, 24 28

Epic Ability: Soul Eater - Instant, SelfThe name of this truly feared and rarely-spoken of ability is neither embellishment nor metaphorical. The ability to devour the souls of their fallen foes is the ultimate expression of a Dark Knights ruthlessness and utter lack of mercy. For the remainder of combat, any foe brought to 0 HP by the Dark Knight is instantly killed and cannot be resurrected in any manner short of expending destiny to Cheat Death. Furthermore, the Dark Knights combat prowess is temporarily augmented for every fallen foe. The user of Soul Eater receives a +1 increase to ACC and their damage step per enemy killed in this manner. The effect is cumulative for example, a Dark Knight who normally has 4 ACC and deals (STR x 2) damage will have 10 ACC and deal (STR x 8) damage after killing 6 opponents.

Innate Ability: Black Magic Standard, VariesThough they will never achieve the level of dominance over the black arts as their Black Mage brethren, Dark Knights are capable of casting their share of spells from the same school.

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Job AbilitiesLast Resort Passive, SelfDark Knights become stronger as they near death - not weaker - and are capable of making truly tremendous attacks even when they may be too injured to stand. When the Dark Knight is at 25% or fewer HP he deals additional damage with all physical attacks. If a weapon was to do (STRx1) points of damage, it would now do (STRx2) instead, and so on. In addition, all damage dealt while the Dark Knight is at 25% health or less is treated as ARM Shadow damage. This ability may be taken multiple times, increasing the damage step by 1 each time.

Darkside Standard, SingleThe Dark Knight strikes his target, his blade burning with a black fire, fueled by his ceaseless rage. Make a normal attack action. If successful, 200% ARM Shadow damage i