I'm playing my current FF2 game straight. The first thing I did was categorize the spells into four types, white magic instant, black magic instant, white magic lasting, and black magic lasting, based on whether the effect is active for more than the round it was cast or not. I assigned each category to the four starting/final party members, based on expected need. Each character can learn 16 spells, and I wanted my party to have character. Firion got 11 spells - the instant white - such as cure, holy, life and dispel. Maria got the instant black such as fire, ice, doom and drain - 8 spells. Guy got 9 spells like Blink, Protect, Silence and Mini - white lasting. Leon will get black lasting - 12 spells such as berzerk, blind, curse and haste.
I kept the weapon proficiencies the way the game starts them - again, for a sense of individuality of characters. Firion starts with a sword and shield, and I gave him the heaviest of armors. He can cure and revive - a natural tank. Maria wears only cloth weight materials. Guy wears the mid weight armors and dual wields axes. Leon will also dual wield, but likely two different weapons. I guess he gets an ultimate weapon like all the characters, and its name leads me to believe it's not a sword or axe, since SE is usually pretty historically saavy when it comes to names of things - he'll probably be sword and spear. I won't be capping every single weapon. I want the stats that come from being themselves.
I moved Maria to the front row so that she gains stats on par with the others. Other than that, I just never run from battles and try and juggle my skills with a sense of purpose so that they don't fall behind. My characters don't sit around and whack each other off. Battles don't get prolonged. I don't abuse any systems. I'm staying well equipped and trying to use character skills instead of items or trips to the inn. I only sleep when Firion can no longer cure. Considering he only casts cure when one's HP is red, I get a lot of mileage.
It's a lot more fun than exploiting. Not that exploiting isn't a valid game choice - I just oddly enough, find it more frustrating than anything. I hope my four heroes don't end up perfect - just like my game of FF1. I don't want the best party. I want the most likely party if the heroes pursued the plot like real people. My new take on RPGs is more on doing things that make sense. Just playing the game.