Do you think FFVI's large playable cast helps or hinders the game?

I think the only weak links in characters in terms of the story are very strong characters in terms of interesting and unusual gameplay. Since this is a game, I'm happy for three of the nineteen-thousand playable characters to exist purely for fun. :D

The main strengths of these weak links, other than their gameplay benefits, are that one is a feral child, one is an enigma in fancy robes, and one is a smurfing great yeti. Sure, it'd be interesting and make some sense for Bannon to return in the WoR as a beserker, but he's not a badass yeti.

I definitely prefer larger playable casts in my JRPGs (or any RPGs really). Although, I stress larger, not necessarily large. 9~12 seems about right, as long as each character is unique in some way, gameplay or story-wise.

The main thing I don't like about smaller casts is that it limits character personality archetypes - honorable hero, ladies man, idealistic playful girl, tough hardened girl, crazy dude, sulker, the self-doubter, etc etc. In FF6's case, the variety of characters' personalities is what I like most. Granted, I could see the attraction to a smaller cast as it could streamline the story a bit better?

Even though I never used most of the characters it was fun finding the optional ones. Does it help of hinder? Well it helped me put more hours into the game which is good because I love VI :) I'm playing it again now, so I'll mix up my party a bit when I get all the characters.

It's definitely an asset of the game. You'd think with this many characters, there wouldn't be enough breathing room to do them all justice. This is however not the case. Contrast with FF5, which only has five playable characters, and in spite of that there isn't much to any of them. This game however, despite having fourteen of them, gives them all very rich backgrounds and character nuances. Well, except the three optional ones (Mog, Umaro and Gogo), which is probably why they're optional. Not to mention, we can thank this uncommonly large roster for Phoenix Cave, Kefka's Tower and the Dragon's Den.

Also, something that is rarely pointed that is the fact every single one of them plays so differently that your party composition directly affects the gameplay style of the battle system to a small extent. Even FF4 and FF9 didn't quite go there.

Helps and hinders in my opinion. The more you have, the more you can choose from, sure. But also the more you want to delve into and learn about. Their personal stories outside the little that is shown. I mean I like playing with Shadow, but I'd like more to go on about him than the bit that is directed at him vaguely and only in bits. Or Umaro. Etc.

I like having more of a choice but I'd also like to know more about them so I understand they aren't just another character skin able to use the more frequent weapons and armor.

For the most part, Final Fantasy VI's large (by RPG standards) cast of characters helps the game. As a first time FFVI player, I can tell the depth of the majority of the characters as a crucial aspect of the games plot and an element that compelled me to progress further and further into the game. Even the few exceptions (Mog, Umaro, and Gogo) do not hinder the depth of the overall plot as the other established characters have their personalities and actions indented into the plot firmly.

I am currently 30 hours in and this is shaping up to be the first Final Fantasy game that I will beat (XIII was the first that I played). All that is left is The Ancient Castle, Ebot's Rock, Doom Gaze, 4 Dragons, The Fanatic's Tower, and Kefka's Tower.

I know I've posted here but it's open to interpretation. To speculate someone could have asked the same thing here with half or twice the number of characters.

The large cast helps out a lot due to every character being different in battle as well with their own personalities outside. I fell for the Suikoden series due to the lengthily character list. The only argument I have ever seen for the con is that there is not a true main character, which I find silly because with such an awesome line up how can you just pick one?