How would you fix FFVI?

[The Man]

Even those of us who love the game agree that it's got one of the less intricate battle systems of the series (though far from the worst) and more importantly could be a lot more challenging. While the customisation system is pretty deep, there are simply too many parts of the battle system that are just completely broken.

[blackmage_nuke]

Edgar should only be allowed to equip female espers
(Likewise, bear man Sabin should only be allowed to equip male espers)

[Greatermaximus]

To take an idea from FFT, have the enemies/game level up with you. The game can recognize your highest leveled character. I know the newer versions created more bosses. Now the question is should all games give you the option to buy the best equipment at a huge price.

Lets say the Paladin Shield's price is one million gold in the game?

Genji Helmet 100,000?

Get from special town?

[Wolf Kanno]

Enemies - Largely I would beef up some stats, make some of the damage algorithms better and make more enemies (most bosses) exploit a retort system to punish players more often. There are a few enemies that have counters if you use Tools and Blitzes for instance and I feel that should be exploited to keep those characters in check. Here's some examples of redone bosses.

Kefka (Frozen Esper Fight)

Give him the additional skills of Drain Touch(with a higher than normal damage algorithm), Hi-Potion, Shell, Reflect, and Protect

• Kefka's weak physical attack now has a 25% chance of inflicting Silence when it lands.
• If Blitz/Tool/Bushido/Cat Scratch is used on him, Kefka will counter with single target Blizzara on target, regardless of it being his turn.
• If Runic is activated counter regardless of his turn with Drain Touch on character with lowest HP amount
• If HP<50% Use Hi-Potion skill and cast Protect, Reflect, and Shell.

Kefka (Final Boss)

• Kefka now takes half damage from all magic, even non-elemental spells* (Flare, Ultima) and skills that use Magic power to determine damage (Lores, some Rages/Blitz/Tools/Bushido/Slots)
• Trine, in addition to silence and blind, now inflicts Sap, Confusion, Imp, and Slow.
• Vengeance, in addition to dispelling all Buff effects on party, and grants them to Kefka except Reraise/shell/protect/reflect which if present heals Kefka instead for 1000hp per status per character that had the status.
• Forsaken now ignores defense and split damage, meaning it will most likely be a party wipe skill, though Shell status will reduce damage by 25% and Jump/Hide status will be immune.
• Havoc Wing has a 10% chance of ejecting the character from the battle field.
• Kefka now has four hit box placements on his sprite. Only one can actually have damage inflicted on him but its also the only one the player can target normally. Unfocused attacks from Blitzes, Rages, and X-Fight can still target these dummy hit boxes, but they have no HP and will count as a miss.

Boss Phases

Phase 1
Full HP to 41,000 HP

• Kefka starts the battle with Heartless Angel/Fallen One
• Kefka Immediately casts Barrier Change
• In this phase only one elemental spell will hurt him of the 8 elements. He still only takes Half Damage from the spell though.
• Non-elemental spells used on him in this phase will be countered with Ultima
• All non-magic attacks will miss
• If Quick is used, Kefka will counter with Fallen One followed by an immediate use of Ultima.
• Kefka will alternate between the three -aga spells, Havoc Wing, Vengeance, and Fallen One

Phase 2
40,999 to 20,000

• Kefka will drop the Magic Barrier ruse and start charging Forsaken
• Kefka takes half damage from all magic and has a 50% evasion to all physical skills. Kefka will not be hit by any unfocussed spells (Quake, Meltdown, Tornado) that he casts.
• Kefka will counter any physical hit with Havoc Wing
• Kefka will dual cast all magic spells and adds Bio, Graviga, Quake, Meltdown and Tornado to the list. Kefka will still use Fallen One, Vengeance, and Havok Wing though only 33% of the time.
• If Barrage/X-Fight is used with a physical attack, Kefka will immediately counter with Vengeace, then Fallen One followed by Ultima even if the player attack reduces his HP to zero.

Phase 3
19,999 to 0Hp

• Kefka will use Vengeance whenever ReRaise is active on a party member except when his algorithm has him casting Ultima next.
• Kefka takes half damage from all magic and has a 50% evasion to all physical skills. Kefka will not be hit by any unfocussed spells (Quake, Meltdown, Tornado) that he casts, but is still susceptible to any the party uses.
• Kefka will now have an irremovable status effects of Haste/Protect/Shell
• Kefka will counter any physical hit with Havoc Wing
• Kefka will replace Havoc Wing with Hyperdrive in his normal repertoire of attacks.
• Kefka will now triple cast Flare, Holy, and Meteor. He will single cast Ultima.
• Kefka can now also use Curaga which will restore 9999hp, if Kefka's HP somehow returns to Phase One status, Kefka will enact the Barrier Change tactic again but still retain all of his abilities from Phase 3.
• Kefka will still charge up and use Forsaken though its casting time is faster.
• When HP is reduced to zero, Kefka will use the attack Light of Judgement as a final attack. LoJ will be just a recolored version of Forsaken, Kefka will also use his trademark laugh as he disintegrates.

[NeoCracker]

Mosty, smurf the 10% chance to knock a guy off the battle field. That is a bit extreme. Just go for a 20% Instant death rate. Higher odds of happening, as well as not having a chance of just smurfing you entirely with no real way to overcome. It works quite well since VI only has one relic equip-able by two people which prevents Instant death.

Also, he possesses the ability of the gods of Magic themselves, so I propose the following attack.

Sever Connection - 1 Target
--Effect 1: Removes all Magical buffs, including ReRaise
--Effect 2: Halves the accumulative total of all stats that have been boosted due to Per Level Esper Bonus's.
--Effect 3: Randomly eliminates half of targits Active Spell List.
---Notes: Does not register as a Status Effect, much like Charm in the original version of FF VI. No Duration. Stays on even after revive.

[Wolf Kanno]

If I made it so ejected character could be replaced by remaining party members mid-battle a la FFVIII, it wouldn't be so bad, besides the point of it was to make you the player choose whether to try a high risk strategy or play the boss' game.

Course looking at it again, I do feel that MegaTen has seriously influenced me.

[NeoCracker]

I think perhaps instead of replacing in battle party members, the last fight should actually go the route of the rest of the last dungeon and have different segments all together rather then the 12 man set up used. That way you actually do need to use everyone, except the extra 2 people that is.

[Sephiroth]

Phase 3
19,999 to 0Hp

• Kefka will use Vengeance whenever ReRaise is active on a party member except when his algorithm has him casting Ultima next.
• Kefka takes half damage from all magic and has a 50% evasion to all physical skills. Kefka will not be hit by any unfocussed spells (Quake, Meltdown, Tornado) that he casts, but is still susceptible to any the party uses.
• Kefka will now have an irremovable status effects of Haste/Protect/Shell
• Kefka will counter any physical hit with Havoc Wing
• Kefka will replace Havoc Wing with Hyperdrive in his normal repertoire of attacks.
• Kefka will now triple cast Flare, Holy, and Meteor. He will single cast Ultima.
• Kefka can now also use Curaga which will restore 9999hp, if Kefka's HP somehow returns to Phase One status, Kefka will enact the Barrier Change tactic again but still retain all of his abilities from Phase 3.
• Kefka will still charge up and use Forsaken though its casting time is faster.
• When HP is reduced to zero, Kefka will use the attack Light of Judgement as a final attack. LoJ will be just a recolored version of Forsaken, Kefka will also use his trademark laugh as he disintegrates.

Sounds overpowered in case you don't deal ridiculously high damage like it is normal in Final Fantasy VI.

I would just make him immune to (damage) magic during the whole battle. And yes, I would give him Light of Judgment.