FFT class review #6: Samurai

[The Amazing Spiderman]

Hey everyone...

Well, I have some bad news, I guess.
The thing is that the reviews won't be weekly anymore, instead, I think we'll review every two weeks, because I don't have much free time anymore with the University.

Let's get to the review, anyway. Today's turn is the Samurai.

Let's start with the basics:

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Samurai

Foreign warrior who strengthens the soul by improving swordsmanship. Uses skills that 'Draw Out' the spirit of the sword.

Job Requirements:
PSX: Level 3 Knight, Level 4 Monk, Level 2 Lancer.
PSP: Level 4 Knight, Level 5 Monk, Level 2 Dragoon.

Sprites: Male Samurai has a red armor, like a traditional samurai. The Female samurai has the traditional clothes, a bandana, and some kind of gloves that reaches the elbows.

Weapons: Katana.
Helmet: Helmets
Armor: Heavy Armor.

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I'll start with BG-57's review:

Samurai

Prerequistes: Level 3 Knight, Level 4 Monk, Level 2 Lancer.

Role: Offensive

Sprites: Red samurai armor (male) kendo style attire (female)

Default Weapons: Katana

Default Helmet: Helmet

Default Armor: Armor, Robes

Compatible: Works well with any support skill such as Item or Math Skill.

Draw Out

Key: Must Have Useful Pass

Asura: Small HP damage. Useful early on.

Koutetsu: Small HP damage. Also useful early on.

Bizen Boat: Small MP damage. Useful against mages.

Murasame: Restores HP. This is great to have!

Heaven's Cloud: Moderate HP damage. Adds Slow.

Kiyomori: Adds Shell, Protect to allies. Good alternative to white magic.

Muramasa: Moderate HP damage. Adds Confusion, Death Sentence.

Kikuichimoji: Moderate HP damage. Works in a straight line, like Earth Slash. Nice range attack.

Masamune: Adds Regen, Haste to allies. Great to use if you have several copies to spare.

Chirijiraden: Large HP damage. Great to use if you have several copies to spare.

Meatbone Slash: Critical character does damage equip to max HP. Devastating in power but dangerous to implement.

Blade Grasp: Evade physical attacks other than arrows. Nice for meelee.

Equip Knife: Equip Katanas in any job. Not especially useful since Draw Out depends on spare Katanas in the inventory, not in equipped weapons.

Two Hands: grab a weapon with two hands to increase attack power. More useful to carry two weapons or a shield.

Walk on Water: you can walk on the suface of water. Great in battles involving bodies of water. Otherwise useless.

Setups:

Tale of the Genji

It's fun to outfit your favorite Samurai with the ill-gotten gains from Eldor. Orlandu is a perfect choice since he can naturally equip Katanas, even as a Holy Knight.

Draw Out
Math Skills
MP Switch
Equip Shield
Move +2/3

Chirijiraden
Genji Shield
Genji Helmet
Genji Armor
Genji Armlet

Overall Rating: 8.

Samurais can do tremendous meelee damage and their Draw Out allows them to inflict damage to several enemies at once or heal several allies at once. In addition their attacks recognize friend from foe, so will work even in a tighly bunched group of both.

Having said that, Samurais are hampered by the expense of of buying replacement Katanas that randomly break and the rairity of the best two Katanas.

This second problem can be remedied by one of two methods:

1) The legit method involves equipping Catch and venturing into Deep Dungeon until you encounter a group of enemy Ninjas. They randomly throw high powered weapons at you. Catch 'em all!

2) You can cheat using the item duplication glitch to copy Katanas, using a character like Orlandu as a Holy Knight with Two Swords equipped.

Either way, the value of this class goes up considerably when you have a large inventory of the best Katanas.

[The Amazing Spiderman]

Here's my review.

(From now on, my reviews will be shorter, and I'll be adding comments below, and very soon, I'll be using the PSP names for the abilities as well. In this case, just wait so I can get all the samurai's.)

The Samurai's job has a variety of unique abilities for a warrior class.
With the "Draw Out" skill, you are capable of using the katana's "inner power" which can be either an offensive attack, some of them may even cause negative status effects, or a support skill for your party, making the samurai pretty versatile.
But probably the gem of this class is Blade Grasp.

Things you should know about the samurai class:

- You can't use the Draw out skills unless you have at least one katana of that ability in your inventory.
- There's a 15% chance of breaking the katana after the ability is casted. Watch out for those Masamunes and Chirijiradens.

Let's go with the reviews:

Rating:

* -----to----- *****
Lowest Highest


Main Skill: Draw Out / Iaido.


Asura
Damage = MA * 8

***

Kotetsu:
Damage = MA * 12

***

Bizen Boat:
MA * 4 (Mp damage)

***

Murasame:
Healing ability - (MA * 12) HP
- Ignores Zodiac signs.

*****

Heaven's Cloud
Damage = MA * 14
- 25% chance of adding slow.

****

Kiyomori
Adds: Protect, Shell - 100% success.

*****

Muramasa
Damage = MA * 18
- 25% of adding either Death Sentence/Doom or Confusion.

****

Kikuichimoji
Damage = MA * 16
- Linear Damage, long ranged.

*****

Masamune
Adds: Haste, Regen by a 100% of success.

*****

Chirijiraden
Damage = MA * 30

*****


Well, as you can see, the samurai main abilities are very simple, either cause damage, or gives support to your allies.
All of them are good, and have their uses.

But keep an eye on the Murasame, Kiyomori and Masamune. Those three katanas are very handy to have, Murasame for its capability of healing all you party, and both kiyomori for their status effects. Masamune is the hardest katana to get in the game, so keep in mind that you either catch it with high leveled ninjas, or go the cheap way and clone it.

Chirijiraden and Kikuichimoji are the best ones to deal damage.
With Kikuichimoji, you can even deal damage to those targets that are very far from you because of it's long, linear range. Also, keep in mind the chirijiraden is the second hardest to get katana in the game. You can get more with the same methods as the masamune.
Anyway, Heaven's Cloud and Muramasa are pretty good too, and they can inflict a negative status effect with a 25% of chance.

On a bad side, The samurai has pretty LOW MA. Try to boost with accesories or some robes or more significant damage.

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Reaction Abilities:

Meatbone Slash
Damage = Total Unit's Hp - Current Hp.
**
This counter ability is triggered when you receive damage. If the attacker is within your attack range, you'll deal damage equal to the damage you've received.
I can see it working, but it's pretty risky to land a heavy blow. You can do the same heavy blow with only "Counter" on high levels, anyway.

Blade Grasp:
Prevents physical attacks.
Evasion = Brave Level.
***********

Absolutely one of the best reaction abilities in the game. Blade Grasp will work on all the physical commands of both humans and monsters alike! It even works on bows, all the "Steal" Commands, Jump, and throw.
Get this ASAP.

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Support Ability:

Equip Katana
Allows the unit to equip a katana.
**

Nothing spectacular.

Two hands:
Use your two hands in your one-handed weapon, dealing double damage.
***
It's good, but overshadowed by Two Swords. =/
Keep in mind that you can't use this ability with guns and crossbows. And that it only boosts the ATTACK command.


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Movement abilities:

Walk in Water
****
Ignores water depth; and all water is treated like it is 1h deep,
regardless of actual depth.

It's pretty useful on those levels where water panels are abundant. Try to use it sometimes. It is useful.

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Setup:

Miyamoto Musashi

Male Unit

Chirijiraden
Masamune
Genji Helmet
Robe of the Lords
Genji Gaunlet

Draw Out
Battle Skill / Guts if he is Ramza.
Blade Grasp
Two Swords
Move + 3

A unit in tribute to this great Swordsman and his Go Rin No Sho . In his work, he suggest to use one sword in each hand, one smaller than the other, and you both of them offensively and defensively, depending on the range and the area where you're fighting. Also, Battle skill or guts are in part of this unit because of his teachings. If using Battle skill, it's his strategy of using effective blows against the enemy, either to kill them or render them useles to assure victory. If you're using Guts, it's his suggestions of using taunts in battle to confuse the enemy, either by screaming, staring, yelling...hey, there's even one on smelling odd to distract your enemies.
The equipment tries to boost the MA and PA as well, both swords may be even same lentgh, but the diference in their WP is for the "Short sword, long sword." thing.

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Overall rating:

8.5

The samurai is a pretty versartile class, can equip armors, decent weapons. It has a variety of good skills, and all of them are useful nonetheless. BUT, the dependance of having katanas in stock to use the Draw Out abilities, alongside his low MA limits the samurai from becoming an excellent class.

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Well, that's all.

Thank you for reading.

Please post anything you can add: Comments, suggestions, etc. All of them are welcome.

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See you around!