Number Of Party Members In Battle

[xain]

It has probaly been asked before but why not.

Personally I prefer 4 member battle, like in IX as there seems to be more strategy.

[crono_logical]

If it's strategy you want, then FFX's is probably more than FF9's even though it only has 3, because you can swap characters in and out and do funky stuff with the time guage (assuming you're not already at a high enough level to brute force your way through everything) :p Or FFT/FFTA, I can't remember how many you use in FFT, but it's up to 6 in FFTA :p I guess the type of battle system affects what the best size team would be :p

[The Man]

I like six, like in Suikoden. *doesn't vote* ;)

[crono_logical]

Large teams work well in Suikoden because of the combo system, I think, especially in 2 :p I've not played 3 so don't know how it works in that one.

[Xander]

I like 4 as opposed to three as I like to have people doing different roles - Something like 2 fighters, black mage, white mage. If you did this with three members then you'd have two who would be weak..so..it's better with four, like in FFIX.

Although I liked FFX, being able to switch members in and out, but it made it kinda too easy. Oh it's got a shell - switch to Auron, it's flying - switch to Wakka, and so on..but it was fun.

[Psychotic]

Originally posted by Xander
I like 4 as opposed to three as I like to have people doing different roles - Something like 2 fighters, black mage, white mage. If you did this with three members then you'd have two who would be weak..so..it's better with four, like in FFIX.


*agrees*

Also, I liked the 6 member thing of FFTA, but I guess that was suited to the game as you had 20+ characters to choose from.

FFIV had 5, which I thought was pretty good, however, not once did you choose your characters, so I suppose that was suited to that sytem.

[zacks_clone]

i like 7 and 8s battle style: not having an extra healer or fighter makes the game abit more of a challenge(and so doesnt not being able to swap in and out.)...though...X's swap system was nice...

[The Man]

the more the merrier, I say.

[Garland]

Tank, Speedy, Healer, and Nuker - a four person party has the best balance.

[Herbz7]

I like FFX's swapping system too, but having 3 to use at one time without it is a challenge, and time consuming to lvl every1 up, but if we bought the game we knew how much time to put in... over 40hrs hopefully to beat it quickly, let alone 100hrs+ for lvl 100 characters, all ultimate weapons ect... so i voted 3... but the swapping system should of been a choice too

[eestlinc]

four is the best. incidentally, the best ff games (1,5,9) all use four member parties.

[Strider]

You forgot FFVI, eest. :(

[m4tt]

Four.

Or maybe five like FFIV? ;)

[escobert]

I dont really care.

[Breine]

I don't care that much... Just as long as I have characters in battle...

[eestlinc]

Originally posted by El Mariachi
You forgot FFVI, eest. :(

because it isn't as good as the three I mentioned.

[Proxy]

i like 3, cause most of the time, the exp is split up among the number of battle members, so 3 = good = more exp for everyone.
i liked the FFX switching members though. very good idea

[Sefie1999AD]

I guess it varies. Normally I prefer 4 party members, and it works very well in games like FF1, FF3j, FF5, FF6 and FF9 where everyone is an individual who has some unique abilities. In games with real-time battles, such as KH and SD3, I think 3 characters is enough. Imagine beating the living out of a group of Heartless with 4+ characters. That's a massacre! But in games like FF4 and FFT, it sometimes feels that even 5 characters isn't enough. As for FF7 and FF8 where you can turn everyone into all-powerful tanks who can attack, heal, cast spells, summon et cetera (read: do everything) and nobody stands a chance against you, I think the game would become too easy if I had over 3 characters.

Conclusion: I prefer having 4 characters, but there are times when 3 characters is just enough.

[Aphelion]

I want 4 party members! It's very fun. More skills, variety, power, HP, everything! I want 4 party members in every FF!

[The Man]

Originally posted by Sephiroth1999AD
As for FF7 and FF8 where you can turn everyone into all-powerful tanks who can attack, heal, cast spells, summon et cetera (read: do everything) and nobody stands a chance against you, I think the game would become too easy if I had over 3 characters. ff6 is the same way and it has four characters. which makes it the easiest entry in the series i've played yet. so yes, you're right.

[Sefie1999AD]

Originally posted by The Man
ff6 is the same way and it has four characters. which makes it the easiest entry in the series i've played yet. so yes, you're right.

You have a point there. Actually, FF6 might be even easier than FF8. That's because FF8 still has Malboros, Ruby Dragons, Omega Weapon and a couple of other things that can beat you up, but with FF6 and its 4 party members, there are loads of things to make you invincible: Osmose, Offering/Genji Glove, Economizer (the game's easy without it, but Economizer makes it a total cakewalk), Magic Box and the fact that even if you die, you get returned to the previous save point with all the EXP you managed to get before dying.

I really hope FF12 goes back to 4-5 party members who are all varied and have their unique abilities. Recently there's been so many FFs where the party consists of 3 semi-invincible characters.

[Bahamut2000X]

I like 4 members because with 4, I get added strategy. Besides it makes it easier to decide between which charcters to bring and not have to go crazy when you like 4 party members but are only allowed 3 in a fight.

[xain]

FF12 will have three players, look at the screenshots

[The Man]

Originally posted by xain
FF12 will have three players That makes me sad. :( However the screenshots also look HELLA AWESOME so I'm not TOO sad.

[Big D]

A three-member team allows you to send the game's mandatory love-triangle into combat without unnecessary extras, which is certainly an advantage in VII and VIII.

Four people is good from a tactical point of view, but it's less realistic, since the 'formation' is always spread out quite wide, and characters often stand around idle for long periods while the other three do their stuff.

FFIV's five-strong team was nice because it allowed virtually the entire core cast to fight together.

Meh, usually whatever is chosen for a particular game is what works. FFVI is just dandy with a party of four, X-2's battles are fast and frenetic with a party of three.