My Final Fantasy? Well first off I would make the game for Playstation, but have the graphics of FF6, so that the game could be insanely long. I'd have levels, no FF2 crap, or SaGa Frontier (although I loved SF1).The Magic would be done through Sages. As you progress through the game you meet Sages who can take you on as an apprentice (much like BoF3 but with magic, not interchangable skills). Only one character per Sage. You'd get a total of 8 Characters. You would also have a Secret of Mana style weapon system where you have to "level up" your weapon skills. Not blacksmith the weapon to the next level but FF2 style where each person levels their skills. Enemies will also have resistances to certain weapons like in FFX, so that one person shouldn't be a straight up sword weilder. Oh, since the game will be like 3 CDs, your levels will top out at 5000, not 99 or 100. But level progression won't be like "I'm level 56 only 2 hours into the game" It will be long and gradual. By the end of my game you will know EVERYTHING about every character, Good and bad. I will have the rockingest Chocobo theme song ever, and moogles will play a role too. I'm thinking something along the lines on no summons. They make gameplay too centered on them (especially in 8). Perhaps the story will focus around 8 people, Ifrit, Shiva, Ramuh, Leviathan, Titan, Zephyr, Alexander and Hades. (maybe named different, but by the end they become gods and take on those names.) Just a thought. And the Sages bestow their magical gifts upon each of the 8 people. Fire, Ice, Thunder, Water, Earth, Wind, Holy and Darkness.
Thats it! the solution to over usage of characters! Each character only weilds that type of magic (no heal magic sorry, items only!!) Status effects will be dealt by the weapons or something. Just a loose base to work off of.