Originally Posted by
VeloZer0
0 Extremely Poor Choice
* Poor Choice
** Somewhat Useful
*** Good Choice
**** Highly Recommended
Lancer
Equipment:
Weapon: Spears, Shields
Helmet: Armored
Body: Armor, Robe
Recommendations:
There is extremely little variety in Lancer equipment, so just equip the Spear with the highest WP and armor with the highest HP. Also note that having a spear equipped increases the damage of Jump by 50%, otherwise it just deals normal attack damage.
For accessory a Bracer can increase Jump damage significantly, and since mobility is not essential to the Lancer there is little tradeoff in not equipping a movement-increasing accessory. Sprint Shoes can also help by increasing the speed at which Jump is preformed. The downside to this is that often cases Lancers with unmodified speed will have their AT occur just after the bulk of the enemies, allowing several targets to chose from for Jump. Having the Lancer attain AT just before the majority of enemies can be devastating to the classes effectiveness.
Class Abilities:
Level Jump #
****
Increases the maximum range of Jump. Since the maximum range is 8 the Lancer has the ability to Jump most targets on the map. Purchasing a range will extend the range of jump to the range purchased, so it s advisable to just save JP and only purchase Level Jump 8.
Vertical Jump #
****
Increases the maximum height differential between the target of Jump and the Lancer. When used in conjunction with increasing Level Jump the Lancer will be able to target most foes on the map. As with Level Jump it is advisable to skip all the lower ranks and only purchase Vertical Jump 8.
Reaction Abilities:
Dragon Spirit
****
Dragon Spirit has a % chance per point of Brave to add the Reraise status to the character. This is extremely useful as a backup skill on any class which finds themselves on the receiving end of physical attacks, as you will not have to worry about reviving them should they fall.
Support Abilities:
Equip Spear
*
Allowing another class to equip spears is limited in its usefulness, as most classes don’t benefit enormously from the weapon type.
Move Abilities:
Ignore Height
***
Equipping this skill effectively sets the character’s Jump to Infinite, which allows for moves that would otherwise be impossible. Equipping this can grant a greatly increased range of moves on maps with large height differences. The only drawbacks of this ability are that equipping Move increasing abilities will general increase move range more effectively on normal maps, and the fact that Teleport and Fly do everything this ability does and more.
Secondary Abilities:
Basic Skill
***
Basic skill is an asset to any class due to Accumulate giving you the opportunity to get JP and EXP on every turn no mater what. Since the Lancers damage is also directly proportional to PA, turns where you are unable to act otherwise will lead to increased damage.
Item
***
Since the Lancer is one of the most resilient classes, putting them in a position to heal and resurrect others is advantageous. Additionally items heal equal well when used by all characters the Lancer’s poor MA does not hamper the use of Item. Usefulness of the ability is seriously diminished without the Throw Item support ability equipped.
Battle Skill
*
Although breaking weapons can turn the tide of battle, with Battle Skill’s limited success rate Jump or Attack is usual a superior option. Additionally to use Battle Skill you must be in melee range.
White Magic
***
The Lancers has extremely low MA, making all heals cure for an extremely low amount. However, success of status altering (Shell, Shield, Wall) and resurrection spells is primarily dependant on Faith, meaning the Lancer can perform resurrections almost as effectively as a Priest with similar Faith. This is advantageous as Lancers are extremely rarely killed, putting them in an excellent position to be the party’s emergency resurrector.
Charge
*
The lancer should rarely be in range to melee an enemy, and if there is sufficient time to charge the higher ranks Jump provides a higher damage output.
Black Magic
*
Lancers have extremely low MA, meaning all damaging magic spells will have extremely little effect
Steal
*
Rarely useful in regular battle, and additionally Steal is more successful when used by faster classes.
Time Magic
***
Because Time Magic is based primarily on binary effects a Lancer with high Faith can use it somewhat reliably. Don’t Move and Slow can ensure a target is viable for Jump attacks. Haste, however, does not affect the speed of Jump, so it is primarily useful for support of other classes if the Lancer has no opportunity to successfully Jump on its turn.
Punch Art
***
The ability Revive can be useful on a Lancer, as the Lancer is very unlikely to be killed prematurely. Additionally Earth Slash can be used to hit faraway targets that would have moved before being jumped on. Equipping Martial Arts to strengthen this skillset is also a viable option.
Yin Yang Magic
*
Because Yin Yang Magic is primarily binary a Lancer with high Faith can cast it with reasonable certainty, however the affects of Yin Yang magic are largely inferior to the damage Jump would inflict.
Elemental
**
Elemental damage is derived from PA and MA, however the MA favors more prominently into the equation, meaning the high PA of the Lancer will do less to boost its damage than other classed. Additionally Elemental’s primary selling point of non-mana ranged damage is not as valuable since the lancer already possesses ranged attacks, and often the Lancer will be out of range of elemental (5) while keeping in range of Jump. This ability, however, can be moderately useful if AT timing prevents Jumping and there is still a desire to keep the Lancer at range.
Talk Skill
0
Talk skill is a poor choice as it rarely produces an effect more beneficial than Jump or Attack, and other classes can perform the recruitment and stat manipulation abilities with more success.
Jump
Summon Magic
0
Since the Lancer has such low MA Summons will do extremely little damage, and additionally drain the Lancers miniscule MP inexordinately quickly.
Sing
*
Sing performs identically regardless of the class on which it is equipped. However, Sing also offers far less than any of the Lancer’s normal actions.
Dance
*
Dance performs identically regardless of the class on which it is equipped. However, Dance also offers far less than any of the Lancer’s normal actions.
Draw Out
*
Draw Out damage is based on MA, and as such the Lancer will never produce sufficient damage with this ability.
Throw
**
Primary use of throw is for a ranged attack to substitute in the event that Jump is unusable. Throw’s range is based on MOVE and its damage is based on SPD, both of which the Lancer does not specialize in.
Reaction Abilities:
Counter Tackle
*
A chance to do token damage when attacked, and inferior to Counter in every way. Slightly better than nothing.
Weapon Guard
**
Lances don’t have miraculously high W-E, so the effectiveness of this skill is somewhat limited. Other skills can increase your evasion chance by a far greater margin
Speed Save
***
Speed Save can be a double edged sword for the Lancer. On the plus side it may enable you to execute Jump quicker. However, the downside is if your Lancer is in a good place in the AT rotation it may make future turns less opportune.
Arrow Guard
**
Excellent at reducing damage from arrows. However the Lancer’s high HP makes arrows less of a threat than to caster classes, and blade grasp will provide greater protection.
HP Restore
***
The Lancer has a large pool of health, meaning there is a far greater chance that critical hp will be reached before death, allowing the ability to activate.
Counter
**
Though inferior to Hamedo in every way, Counter is significantly cheaper meaning it can usually be purchased without spending any time in the Monk class.
Hamedo
***
Ultimate in enemy damaging reaction abilities. Only downfall of this skill is that Lancers are a ranged class, and as such avoiding ranged damage is more relevant than melee counters.
Caution
0
I won’t even start with this.
Gilgame Heart
0
Doesn’t help protect you and the amount of GP gained is trivial.
Catch
0
Damage from thrown weapons is extremely sparse, and can be avoided just as well with Blade Grasp. It’s only use is when it is systematically used to acquire items from enemies.
Counter Flood
*
The damage Counter Flood deals is minimal; its only saving grace is that it has a range to its affect, allowing counters against bow wielding foes. Keep in mind it is still and area affect like the ability Elemental, so if your positioning is unlucky your allies my get damaged as well.
A Save
**
PA does help improve the Lancers damage, but if damaging enemies is the goal other counter abilities can inflict far more immediate danger. Its usefulness increases the more protracted the battle is.
Brave Up
**
Brave is an excellent stat to have, however Ramza’s Cheer Up ability raises Brave extremely faster and easier.
Auto Potion
***
Auto Potion automatically uses the smallest potion in your possession, so if you keep a full stock of potions you will only ever heal yourself for 30 damage when it hits. If you only keep X-Potions in stock, you will heal yourself for 150, not no shabby indeed.
Regenarator
**
The net effect of Regen is ~25-38% of a characters HP healed. This is typicaly one average enemy attack, so at best it could be equivelent to avoiding the attack entirely
Counter Magic
0
Lancers extremely low MA makes the countered magic extremely weak
Absorb Used MP
0
Why do Lancers need MP again?
Critical Quick
**
Though getting a quick turn can be nice, it is usually far more beneficial to be healed to full, seeing as if your Lancer is critical that should usually be your priority.
MP Switch
***
Damage taken is first deducted from MP, which is good since Lancers don’t have to rely on MP. Even if the damage taken exceeds your current MP, HP damage will not occur unless your current MP is 0. This means so long as you have 1 MP you can absorb the next attack that is made against you. Used normally it would absorb the first hit made against you, but combined with ability such as Move-MP UP it can be quite formidable indeed.
Finger Guard
0
I can count the number of times I’ve been attacked with Talk Skill on one hand.
MP Restore
0
Why would you want to restore your MP?
MA Save
0
Lancer MA is useless, do not try to fight fate.
Face Up
*
Somewhat useful if you want to try and passively raise your faith as you play, thought I would recommend to power level it if you want it raised. Also keep in mind that if your Faith gets to high your character will leave, and it would really suck to have that happen because this ability activated.
Meatbone Slash
*
Far more useful to restore your health while critical.
Blade Grasp
****
One of, if not the, best reaction abilities in the game. This sets your chance to evade physical attacks by whatever your brave is. With 97 brave you only have a 03% chance of being hit by enemies. Even better is this ability is broken and works to evade guns and jump attacks.
Sunken State
*
Sunken State is a skill, which is only advantageous against any attacks following the first after the characters AT. Since a Lancer is rarely played in a manner where large numbers of foes are in melee range, it makes the skill not particularly useful.
Abandon
****
Abandon doubles the evade percentages of the equipped character. On a character that only possesses C-Ev, such as the ninja, it is of limited usefulness. However, in the hands of a shield bearing class it becomes quite formidable. The Crystal Shield goes from 45% physical evade to 90%, the Aegis Shield goes from 50% magic evade to 100%, and the Escutcheon II goes to 100% magic and physical, enemies don’t even try to attack you anymore. (Keep in mind you are always still vulnerable to physical attacks from behind.)
Distribute
*
How often are you over healing yourself?
Damage Split
***
Damage Split reduces the damage taken by and non leathal attack by half and inflicts the corresponding half to the attacker. Because of this it is neither the best damage reduction or damage dealing reaction, but it is a balance that is quite adept at both.
FFT weekly class review #1: Lancer / Dragoon.
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