Startin out

[Super Monkey Dancer]

i cant figger out how to get monters so if u can help me out that wud be great. thx

[theundeadhero]

There is a character class called the mediator. A lv 2 Oracle is required to get this class. A lv 2 priest is required to be an Oracle. Once you have it the ability invite lets you capture monsters.

[Super Monkey Dancer]

thx man ur the koolest.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

(SPOILER)You'll also be able to get Boco the Chocobo on your team if you save it later on in the game.

[Despotus]

More info: The probability of success for the Mediator's skills is determined by Magic Attack power (MA) and Zodiac sign compatibility. Aside from 'Invite', they also have a wonderful support skill called 'Train', which automatically invites a monster when the Mediator delivers a physical attack that lowers the monster's HP to a critical level (1-15% of full HP, I think). Be careful not to kill the monster, though, or it won't 'Invite'. Be sure to 'breed' more powerful monsters once you've invited one; just walk around for several days with a monster in your party and you'll see eggs appearing in your 'Formation' screen. Happy hunting!

[BG-57]

Also, if you have the Monster Skill equipped on a character, nearby friendly monsters can use a hidden bonus ability.

[RedCydranth]

All in all, having monsters on your team seemed more of a hindrance than a blessing. The only useful ones are YELLOW chocobos (healing rules, black's choco ball is OK and Red's meteor is great, but heal is awesome because it heals the chocobo and 4 spaces around for FREE) Dragons are decent, and Uribos are good for poaching only. My HUGE problem is that having a monster (besides Byblos and Reis as a dragon) is that they lay eggs and if you move too much you have a team of unwanted monsters and eggs. A bigger pain than the monster is worth.

[BG-57]

How about Tiamats? They can fly, attack in three directions, have a distance attack (Dark Whisper) when used with Monster Skill. Plus they have high attack power. They are the only monsters in my party by the end of the game.

[RedCydranth]

Sure they are decent, but don't monks have a 4 way attack? a distance attack, and after being a TM they too can fly. Besides, putting monster Skill on someone is a waste when gained JP up, or other more useful skills can be used in its place. Oh yeah, Tiamats lay annoying eggs too.

Another thing is, you'll get a monster, name it, be happy with it then 3 eggs later your monster is weaker than the new baby monster. What sense does that make?

[theundeadhero]

Chocobo eggs are just as annoying.

[Despotus]

While we're on this topic... I have found a good reason to keep your party full of monsters (besides poaching them and getting good items, of course). In the past, whenever somebody joined my team, they just took the first empty character slot; and that put some of the more useful characters at the bottom of the formation screen. And it was all so messy and disorganized.
On my current game I am organizing my team. I have Ramza and my generic soldiers in the first row, most useful males (Mustadio, Orlandu, Beowulf, Cloud) in the second, the females (Agrias, Meliadoul, Reis, Rafa) in the third, and the rest in the fourth. By keeping monsters in my party, I can select which unit to dismiss to make room for a new character, and thus determine which slot that character will occupy.
It sounds pretty anal, I know, but just wanted to say that monsters have a use other than poaching. And if you have weak monsters you don't want to poach...KICK THEM OUT!

[UltimaLimit]

All in all, having monsters on your team seemed more of a hindrance than a blessing.

Dragons are decent

You've never teamed up a Blue Dragon or any hydra form with Reis's mastered Dragon job, have you?

I like Sacreds because they can level themselves up easily with Gather Power (not to mention raise their PA even higher). I prefer a Red Chocobo to a yellow later in the game, since Choco Meteor has 100% accuracy even against tough-to-hit classes like Ninja and Knights, and I usually have plenty of healing from human allies. Choco Ball is moderately useful. Choco Cure is very useful (can heal as well as inflict damage to undead), and if I remember right Red Chocobo has Choco Cure with Monster Skill.

A well-trained, well-equipped human can generally beat the crap out of any monster in a one-on-one fight, true. But monsters do come in handy (especially Chocobos for their movement abilities), and some (Behemoths, Tiamats, some Dragons) are so powerful they can take the human out in a single blow. Oh, and their always having Counter is nice.

Monkey, good luck Inviting. Be patient, and try to weaken the monster or use Stop or something so it won't kill the Mediator. Don't put it to sleep or Talk Skills won't work anymore.