Class

Job classes, also known as simply jobs or classes, are roles assigned to playable characters that determine the character's proficiencies. They are a core feature of many Final Fantasy games. Classes can be loosely categorized into physical classes, which specialize in using weapons and techniques; magical classes, which are proficient in magic; and mixed classes, which combine elements of both classes in addition to other special abilities.

Many Final Fantasy installments deviate from the class system by allowing flexibility in character growth, or featuring pre-determined jobs. In Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, and Final Fantasy VIII, for example, characters begin with equipment and attack proficiencies similar to character classes, but the player can allocate magic and statistical bonuses. Job class representatives also appear as unlockable characters in Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and Mario Sports Mix and as enemies in Kingdom Hearts II.

Final Fantasy
In Final Fantasy, the player allocates permanent class selections to the four playable characters at the beginning of the game. Each of the six starting classes can be upgraded to a corresponding advanced class midway through the game.

Final Fantasy III
In Final Fantasy III, the player is given the ability to change a character's class, as well as acquire new and advanced classes.

Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy IV introduced characters already locked into a class; abilities related to the character's class are learned as the character gains experience points. The only exception to this is Cecil, who changes class from a Dark Knight to a Paladin for story reasons. While jobs are not part of the game mechanics, they are part of the setting; the playable characters include a White Mage, a Dragoon and a Dark Knight, and the town of Mysidia is populated mostly by Black and White Mages.

Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy V returned to the system used in Final Fantasy III, allowing players to change a character's class and acquire new and advanced classes. Furthermore, Final Fantasy V added ability slots, allowing a character with one class to use abilities learned with another class.

Final Fantasy VI
In Final Fantasy VI, each playable character has a locked class from the beginning of the game, and a signature command, such as Dance, Steal, or Lore. The one exception is Gogo, a Mime who can choose its commands from any the party can use. The magicite system lets every character learn almost every magic and summoning spells.

Final Fantasy VII
In Final Fantasy VII, characters were designed around traditional classes which affect base stats, stat growth and weapon type of the character (ex: Tifa was designed around the Monk class, giving her strong physical stats, low HP growth and hand to hand weapons). Due to the materia system letting the player assign any magic or special command (ex: Steal, Mimic) to any character, they can all be customised to play the same in battle; nevertheless, each character is differentiated by their stats and unique limit breaks.

Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy VIII adopted a similar system as Final Fantasy VII, Although here it is linked the development of the game's Summoned Monsters (called Guardian Forces), by choosing which abilities they learn through combat and boosting character stats, damage and resistances by equipping spells to those abilities through a system called Junctioning.

Final Fantasy IX
In Final Fantasy IX, characters have predetermined "dormant abilities" similar to Final Fantasy IV; however, the characters in Final Fantasy IX learn abilities by wearing equipment instead of gaining levels.

Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X introduced the Sphere Grid. Characters began at certain areas of the grid, which represent traditional character classes by their statistical bonuses and abilities. Character classes were re-introduced in Final Fantasy X-2 as "dresspheres"; these classes are gradually acquired and can be changed at any point, including battle mode.

Final Fantasy XI
In Final Fantasy XI, classes have certain unique implementations that more closely follow convention. A player can equip a secondary job, called a subjob, and have half the abilities of that class. Extensive backstories are often given to the games' job classes to add to the setting's lore.

Final Fantasy XII
In Final Fantasy XII, abilities are unlocked through the "License Board" system, which allows the player to mold characters into anything, without restriction of traditional classes. In the international version and in Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, the growth system is modified to have more clearly defined classes.

Final Fantasy XIII
In Final Fantasy XIII, characters can switch class mid-battle and in the field, utilizing the Paradigm system. Final Fantasy XIII-2, in addition to Serah Farron and Noel Kreiss using a modified Paradigm system from the prior game, players can recruit monsters into their Paradigm Pack, where they fight along the player characters in battle in one of the Paradigm roles. Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII uses the Schema system, where the player assigns and customizes three Schemata to use in battle.

Final Fantasy XIV
In Final Fantasy XIV, player classes vary by what weapon they are wielding (i.e. wielding a sword turns that player into a Gladiator, while wielding knuckles turns the player into a Pugilist etc.). Additionally, abilities learned from other classes may be junctioned onto the player's current class (i.e. a Pugilist may use Red Lotus from the Gladiator class)

Final Fantasy Tactics series
In Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, classes are chosen by the player from one of several starting classes; however, characters must meet prerequisites before changing classes.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
In Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light all characters can use any piece of equipment or magic spell available at one point in time. However, equipping a different crown alters a character's battle performance to a certain extent, raising the power of some weapons, spells and abilities and decreasing those of others, as well as providing special abilities unique to that crown, so the concept of classes can still be used in this case.

Physical classes

 * Warrior
 * Monk
 * Samurai
 * Dragoon
 * Thief
 * Ninja
 * Dark Knight
 * Paladin
 * Hunter
 * Viking
 * Berserker
 * Mystic Knight
 * Onion Knight
 * Machinist
 * Freelancer
 * Gunner

Magical classes

 * Black Mage
 * White Mage
 * Devout
 * Magus
 * Summoner
 * Time Mage
 * Scholar
 * Green Mage
 * Sage
 * Alchemist

Mixed classes

 * Red Mage
 * Blue Mage
 * Geomancer
 * Bard
 * Beastmaster
 * Dancer
 * Gambler
 * Mime
 * Puppet Master
 * Memorist

Summary table
The following table summarizes the names of the jobs in the various Final Fantasy video games. The columns are sorted from pure physical (Fighting) jobs on the left to pure magical (Healing) classes to the right. Since jobs names can vary slightly between different versions of the same video game, the version where names are taken from is written under the video game title in the first column.