Happy Birthday Ramza!

Final Fantasy Tactics is an undisputed classic, if a bit obscure. Still, those who have played it are sure to remember Ramza Beoulve, the game’s protagonist, who has become the template for all Matsuno protagonists – strong, yet kind, and always trying to do what’s right, even if he has to suffer for it. While Ramza’s name and birthday can be changed at the start of the game, his default birthday is, apparently, January 12th! And that’s today!

So happy birthday, Ramza! Here’s a couple pieces of trivia to commemorate this occasion.

• Though Ramza’s appearance does not change base on class, it does change over the course of the story twice. This is the most out of any Final Fantasy, excluding other titles with job systems.
  
• Despite him sporting three outfits, the added FMV cutscenes in The Wart of the Lions in chapter 4, where he should be wearing his final outfit, still present him as wearing the black armor from chapters 2 and 3.
  
• His Squire class is unique. Not only does he start with more, very useful abilities than a regular squire, every time his outfit changes, he gains access to new ones. In his final outfit, he can learn Ultima, which can be acquired in the same way Blue Mages usually learn their skills.
  
• Reinforcing the notion that Basch was meant to be the main character of Final Fantasy XII, there are many similarities between him and Ramza. Both are branded traiters, yet they’re still undaunted in their task of bringing the world to rights, prioritizing that over clearing their names.
  
• Marche from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance’s attire and hairstyle is very reminiscent of what Ramza’s sporting at the beginning of the game.
  
• There is only one cutscene in the entire game (excluding FMV's from The War of the Lions) where Ramza draws his sword, and that is when he witnesses the terrifying power of the magicite while confronting Wiegraf outside Orbonne Monastery. In all other cases, he uses negotiation.
  
• Ramza can be renamed, but the voiced cutscenes in The War of the Lions will always refer to him as Ramza.
  
• Though Matsuno has conceded that the ending is up to interpretation, it is his firm belief that Ramza and Alma survive the final battle and simply flee to live out the rest of their lives peacefully in another country.

What are your favorite scenes involving Ramza? Any other interesting bits you’d like to share about the character? Let us know!