Most pointless Final Fantasy character

[Fangu]

Fran has the most average stats in the party. Not the lowest.

Gameplay wise, Penelo makes the best mage in the game. Nobody can do the amount of magick damage she can.

(If we want to talk about the most useless party member in XII, defining one is near impossible because XII's gameplay system lets you mix up things a lot more than the other games since anyone can be pretty much anything. If I was to pick a character, it would have to be Basch, because his stats only matter if you need high HP + do a high amount of Attack damage. Which is, mind you, what a lot of people end up doing when reaching higher levels: They equip everyone with a two handed sword and go full out Attack. But that's not the most economic way to play the game if you don't want to spend xxxxx amount of hours grinding.)

Story wise, as the story is end up being told, Vaan + Penelo are important because without them, the entire subtle class aspect plot is completely erased. But XII is a very quiet game and I can see why people would see Vaan and Penelo as useless. But they're not.

 

[Flintlock]

NO ONE SAID EDWARD FROM FFIV I'M SHOCKED

(and also happy because I liked his character AND found him useful)

Sorry to burst your bubble:

My Ctrl-F skills could be illegit, but I haven't seen Gilbert/Edward yet. That spoony turd deserves at least a dishonorable mention.

Any character who has "Hide" as an innate ability is pretty useless, I'm afraid. Definitely the least valuable party member in FFIV.

I might as well go through the rest of the games I've played.

Every playable character in V has a point because there are so few of them.

I already said that VI has a handful of pointless characters. In terms of story, Umaro is a clear winner, while Gogo, Strago, Relm, Gau and Mog also don't contribute that much. VI is really a game for magic casters, though, which Strago and Relm are both pretty good at, even though their innate abilities aren't so valuable (and can even break the game). Gogo scores points for versatility, but I never found a good use for Umaro, Gau or Mog.

In VII, I'd have to give it to Red XIII, because in terms of the story, he might as well have stayed in Cosmo Canyon. He's a good battle character at low- and mid-levels, but he's pretty much bottom of the heap at high levels.

Irvine is the most pointless in VIII for reasons already mentioned. You had one job, Irvine. Later on he unravels the GF memory loss stuff, but that's a ridiculous plot device anyway. Why didn't he just say something as soon as he met Squall and the others? Fast Shot is a useful limit break, but that still only makes him the fourth most useful character in battle: I always go with Squall-Zell-Selphie by the end of the game because of Selphie's 255% accuracy and Full Cure limit break.

Amarant in IX.

Kimahri in X. I finally found a good use for him on my most recent playthrough (the HD version): by sending him to Rikku's path on the Sphere Grid, he arrives there about the same time as she joins the party, which makes it a good time to use a couple of strength spheres (+4), as two characters will get the immediate benefit instead of just one. Then he becomes the second fastest character and the second strongest for most of the game. But then again, any character would be improved with a couple of stat-boosting spheres, so it's not a fair comparison. In most playthroughs he ends up being my weakest character, and apart from Mt. Gagazet, his role in the story is the smallest of all the main characters. Mind you, compared to the characters in this post from other games, he's not in the same league of pointlessness.

Penelo in XII. Even the temporary characters serve more purpose in the story than she does. Besides being kidnapped, events would still play out in exactly the same way without her. I usually go with two tanks and one spellcaster to control the battle, and she's only my reserve spellcaster. Fran is less useful in battle but contributes much more to the story.

 

[Clement Rage]

I notice nobody's defending Penelo.

*cough*

Penelo is the commoner perspective, one that's not blinded by revenge like Vaan. She's lost all her family to the war, but still keeps her head, working for her keep and trying to stay alive without wasting time with stupid stuff like killing rats. And she's a pretty good mage, without Fran's annoying habit of dropping dead at inconvenient moments.]

And she's got the connection with Larsa, which involves the manufacted Nethicite which is kind of important plotwise.

 

[Flintlock]

Gameplay wise, Penelo makes the best mage in the game. Nobody can do the amount of magick damage she can.

The official strategy guide says that both Penelo and Ashe have 69 magic power at level 99, but that Ashe has a higher value at level 90, 80, 70, all the way down to 10. What's your source?

 

[Fangu]

Their max stats are randomized though. So Ashe can at best have Penelo's stats? At least that's what I thought, but I might be wrong. If you're going for the crit + reflect strategy (which is the fastest way to go through the game), you'll need Penelo.

Edit: She has the highest max MP. You're right.

 

[Roger]

Storywise I'd Strago at least adds a lot of War of Magi lore, which you don't really get anywhere else. When compared with Yuffie who has "Shinra is bad plot" anmids a host of "Shinra is bad" plots, I feel he wins. He also certainly isn't bad gameplaywise. He has lot's of powerful abilities and less random then Gau. As for Relm,

Spoiler

She's Shadow's daughter. If Quina gets a pass cause his father took care of Vivi or whatever, then surely that counts for something. Shadow is more in need of the humanising that Relm's story provides then Vivi.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

He's a good battle character at low- and mid-levels, but he's pretty much bottom of the heap at high levels.

Eh, so-so. Gameplay wise he's more useful than Vincent or Cait Sith. Nobody beats Cloud-Cid-Barret in terms of gameplay though, they're by far the best characters in the game.

Fran has the most average stats in the party. Not the lowest.

I am almost certainly positive that while Frans stats are the most average, they're also the lowest. I can pull out the stat chart if I'm wrong, though. I don't think the stats are randomized, and FFXII is a game that favors extremes when it comes to stat performance; someone average isn't as good as someone who specializes.

EDIT: Found it.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps2/459841-final-fantasy-xii/faqs/45900

Story wise, as the story is end up being told, Vaan + Penelo are important because without them, the entire subtle class aspect plot is completely erased. But XII is a very quiet game and I can see why people would see Vaan and Penelo as useless. But they're not.

Useless no, but compared to everyone else in terms of the told narrative? I'd say they're the least important to the plot then, yeah?

Fast Shot is a useful limit break, but that still only makes him the fourth most useful character in battle: I always go with Squall-Zell-Selphie by the end of the game because of Selphie's 255% accuracy and Full Cure limit break.

Eh, her accuracy doesn't mean much; there's no scenario where her accuracy can outpace Shot.

 

[Fangu]

I don't think the stats are randomized

They are to a certain agree. Probably not when maxed, but when you pick up any character iirc, their stats will be randomized within a certain range. I know this because speedrunners manipulate this for segmented runs.

Edit: It appears the randomized stats are limited to HP/MP. A link

 

[Keveh Kins]

Cloud in Final Fantasy Tactics. His cameo is a cool, fun little tie-in, and his limit break abilities are nice, but by the time you get him you're well on your way to maxing out your levels and he starts of at level 1, then you have to grind him up so that he can survive more than one attack which is a chore because you have to protect him from the fight most of the time so you're fighting with a party minus at least 3 characters, Cloud in the corner flanked by two other characters.

I mean, I still do it n' all because hey, it's Cloud, but aside from his limit breaks and the novelty of him being Cloud he does nothing that other already levelled characters don't do

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Spoiler: Not really relevant

I don't think I play FFXII properly. I give Fran a big axe, and she's also my thief. Even though Penelo is a magic caster I just don't feel it suits her personality, which is why I give her knives. I just like to imagine her nipping in, slashing, nipping out again.... Ashe and Vaan end up being my spell casters. I normally put Basch in just so he can be killed and swapped out for someone else. And I never give Balthier guns. It's poles all the way.

 

[Flintlock]

Eh, so-so. Gameplay wise he's more useful than Vincent or Cait Sith. Nobody beats Cloud-Cid-Barret in terms of gameplay though, they're by far the best characters in the game.

I agree, those three (and Yuffie) are the best characters. By the time you've reached very high levels (and maybe used some sources), the only thing that really differentiates the characters is their limit breaks, and specifically, how many times they each hit. Highwind and Ungarmax hit for 18 times each, while Omnislash and Doom of the Living hit for 15 times each. But you're not going to spend the whole game at very high levels, and since Red XIII has the second best average stats after Cloud, he's a solid choice of character.

I am almost certainly positive that while Frans stats are the most average, they're also the lowest. I can pull out the stat chart if I'm wrong, though. I don't think the stats are randomized, and FFXII is a game that favors extremes when it comes to stat performance; someone average isn't as good as someone who specializes.

EDIT: Found it.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps2/459841-final-fantasy-xii/faqs/45900

Yep, that fits in with the strategy guide. To quote the page you linked, "HP & MP Growth in FF12 are a little random", but "the growth for STR, MAG, VIT and SPD are fixed, as there is no random element involved". Ashe has higher max HP and strength than Penelo at every level and she has higher magick power until level 97, after which they are equal. Penelo has higher speed until level 98, after which they are equal, higher max MP until level 81, after which Ashe overtakes her, and higher vitality at every level. That makes Ashe the better character in my eyes, but there's some room for debate.

Eh, her accuracy doesn't mean much; there's no scenario where her accuracy can outpace Shot.

How about when you've run out of ammo?

I know, Shot is much more potent. But with Zell and Squall, there isn't that much need for a third damage dealer; besides Ultimecia and Omega Weapon, the game just doesn't have any enemies that are difficult enough. I like being able to cast Full Cure on everyone at the same time without needing Triple. And I did say Irvine was my fourth most useful character in battle. Quistis is the least useful for me.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

Given that Quistis has an ability that instant kills almost every non boss encounter in the game, I'd say she's more useful than Selphie, hell, even Rinoa before she gets her second Limit. Full Cure is nice, but with two potent damage dealers you never really need that much healing. I'd still bank on Squall, Zell, and Irvine; they disintegrate most encounters before you need to heal, pretty much ever.

 

[Flintlock]

Given that Quistis has an ability that instant kills almost every non boss encounter in the game, I'd say she's more useful than Selphie

...who has an equivalent ability (Rapture) plus an ability that instant kills every enemy in the game, including bosses (The End).

Not that they show up much. At least Disintegrator can be used reliably every time Quistis has a limit break. I'm willing to admit defeat here: Selphie is one of the weaker battle characters, and I probably use her too much. Mind you, I don't go into every fight in critical HP and start off by casting three Aura spells; I often just hold down attack until it's over because my strength junctions are so overpowered.

 

[Lex]

Eh, so-so. Gameplay wise he's more useful than Vincent or Cait Sith. Nobody beats Cloud-Cid-Barret in terms of gameplay though, they're by far the best characters in the game.

Up until I watched a speedrun I would have agreed with you. Speedrunners use Cait as their default magic caster because he has the highest magic stat of all the characters at lower levels, second only to Cloud. He also has high HP. When I did a speedrun I went for Cid though, as he also has a good magic stat and I love using him.

Also Cloud-Cid-Barret isn't as OP as everyone seems to think it is unless you're abusing limit breaks constantly. And the meter takes ages to fill.

Tbh, damage output is kind of irrelevant in VII if you know what you're doing. You can coast through the game with the 3 weakest characters and not notice the difference in normal play.

EDIT: I should say you COULD coast through the game with the 3 weakest characters, if you weren't forced to take Cloud/Tifa/Cid XD. (I'm still working on that mod)

EDIT2: Looks like Ultimaespio made some progress a while ago

 

[Cat Rage Room]

...who has an equivalent ability (Rapture) plus an ability that instant kills every enemy in the game, including bosses (The End).

Not that they show up much. At least Disintegrator can be used reliably every time Quistis has a limit break. I'm willing to admit defeat here: Selphie is one of the weaker battle characters, and I probably use her too much. Mind you, I don't go into every fight in critical HP and start off by casting three Aura spells; I often just hold down attack until it's over because my strength junctions are so overpowered.

If Selphie could reliably perform The End, yeah, she'd be up there, but pressing Confirm while the enemy pounds on you isn't exactly top tier

I'm going to have to revise a little bit; now that I think about it, with Armageddon Fist, Zell is the most powerful party member (gameplay wise) in the game by far. Yes, even above Squall and his Lionheart. His potential to do upwards of 700,000 damage per turn can't be ignored.

Up until I watched a speedrun I would have agreed with you. Speedrunners use Cait as their default magic caster because he has the highest magic stat of all the characters at lower levels, second only to Cloud. He also has high HP. When I did a speedrun I went for Cid though, as he also has a good magic stat and I love using him.

I'm not quite so sure unless Magic is consistently more powerful than physical attacks; the Elemental Materia isn't as strong as Elemental magic in other FF titles.

Also Cloud-Cid-Barret isn't as OP as everyone seems to think it is unless you're abusing limit breaks constantly. And the meter takes ages to fill.

But it is, though; statistically they have by far the highest damage potential in the game, that can't be denied. Limit Breaks aren't too bad to fill with the Fury status, and Barrets Ungarmax is a Level 3, making it easier.

 

[Lex]

^On a speedrun physical attacks are useless aside from Tifa with the powersoul (low health 2x damage, 2x that again for death sentence, 2x that again if deathblow is successful, this is the main strategy for speedrunning). Magic far outweighs the damage potential of physical attacks.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

True; but I'm not so sure if speedruns and normal gameplay can be put on the same metric. While Magic outweighs physical attacks in many circumstances, its mathmatically true that the most hard damage potential is Cloud/Barret/Cid, in circumstances that aren't achievable in a speedrun, but definitely doable in normal gameplay.

EDIT: End game, however, physical attacks still do more damage per second than magic, though!

 

[Celes Chere]

oh oops SORRY NULL I MISSED THAT POST ABOUT EDWARD B)

also I will defend Penelo because I kept her in my party from start to finish and I had no issue with her. And I adore her character and didn't think she was useless at all so... tbh I'll defend Vaan too because he gets too much shit as well and I'm not really sure why. People always say he is useless simply because his part in the story doesn't appeal to them. ( I also kept him in my party start finish.. my party was pretty much Vaan, Penelo, and Balthier the whole way through. sometimes I put Fran in )

THEY WERE BOTH USEFUL IMO SO WHAT IF VAAN WAS THE RIFF RAFF WHO WANTED TO BE A SKY PIRATE AND CAME ALONG FOR THE RIDE follow ur dreams son

Also the attacks on Selphie and Yuffie are rude. >B( Both of these fabulous ladies were in my party until the end as soon as I encountered them. And I will never forget the time where I almost beat Sephiroth with Yuffie ALONE. I knocked out Cloud and Tifa and she survived A LONG ASS TIME my yuffie was op

 

[Cat Rage Room]

People always say he is useless simply because his part in the story doesn't appeal to them.

I don't mind Vaan, but I guess my issue with him would be that if you replaced him with literally anyone else (i.e., a talking Dalmascan Chocobo) the overall plot would be almost exactly the same. I understand his role though; the commoner eye. However I am dubious to whether that was the intent since Vaan was never supposed to exist in the design documents in the first place!

I like Yuffie gameplay wise, and storyline wise she never bothered me, even though I'm not a fan of her DoC version. Selphie is cool too, but other than The End she's not too useful compared to the others.

 

[Ⓐaron]

I already said that VI has a handful of pointless characters. In terms of story, Umaro is a clear winner, while Gogo, Strago, Relm, Gau and Mog also don't contribute that much. VI is really a game for magic casters, though, which Strago and Relm are both pretty good at, even though their innate abilities aren't so valuable (and can even break the game). Gogo scores points for versatility, but I never found a good use for Umaro, Gau or Mog.

Umaro is useful in the Fanatics' Tower because he can still use physical attacks. Meanwhile, if you get the right Rages for him, Gau is one of the most powerful characters in the game, especially on; Stray Cat in particular is one of the most powerful attacks you can have at that point in the game. Mog's Dance is also fairly useful in some environments, and he's the only character who can equip the Moogle Charm, which gets rid of all random battles for the party he's in. So there aren't any characters in FFVI who are useless in battle.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

Nobody in FFVI is totally useless, but there are some members who are comparatively useless.

Umaro is useful in the Fanatics' Tower because he can still use physical attacks.

This is only useful in a last ditch scenario if you're completely and totally caught with your pants down in the Tower, which shouldn't be the case as the same effort it takes to even obtain Umaro in the first place should be enough to clear the Tower. At the upper levels Umaro's physicals are pretty much a detriment considering its at the cost of a member who is actually controllable against the onslaught of status tossing master magicians.

So there aren't any characters in FFVI who are useless in battle.

Besides for Umaro, Cyan is pretty close. There is no scenario in which Bushido outperforms, well...anything. The attacks themselves aren't bad, but having to charge them up in a game where everyone else can do everything else instantly kills him.

 

[Flintlock]

Mog's Dance is also fairly useful in some environments, and he's the only character who can equip the Moogle Charm, which gets rid of all random battles for the party he's in.

Oh yes, the Moogle Charm. I take it all back: Mog is super useful. Because FFVI has waaay too many battles.

I could never be bothered to make Gau learn any Rages because it's so difficult to know which ones are worthwhile without consulting a guide. Easier just not to use him.

 

[Drax]

Off-topic, but the clipping around that gif is magnificent

Hm, this is kind of hard. The last time I finished a Final Fantasy was 2010 (XIII)-- I, II, III, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII being on that list as well. I'm still halfway through IV, V, and VI.

I guess the party members that I keep on the backburner are Mimics. V is really the only one that I'm experimenting with as a Blue Mage, but it still feels like I'm doing it just to 100% the battle system.

Every time I restart VI I hate having to retrieve Gau. So him. He can go jump in that river (for whatever reason) while I spam Sabin.

 

[Ⓐaron]

I can't really imagine needing control over characters in the Fanatics' Tower in most cases. There aren't any enemies you need to refrain from killing to steal things or whatever. Mostly you just want to kill those motherfuckers as quickly as possible.

I'll grant that Bushido is pretty useless in the original game. They did revamp it for the iOS/Android remake, and it doesn't suck in those.

Consulting a guide for Gau isn't really that difficult (there's a very thorough one here, and another pretty good one here), but offhand, some good ones to learn early are Stray Cat, Over-Mind/Over-Soul, Bomb, Hazer, Templar, Anguiform, Aspik, Primordite, and Grenade. Later on you'll want to learn Retainer/Samurai, Magic Pot, Wooly, and Nightshade.

 

[Cat Rage Room]

I can't really imagine needing control over characters in the Fanatics' Tower in most cases.

I can't imagine not wanting/needing control over any character in any case. Really? Any character you can't control is a character you're unable to utilize for anything reliably, damage, support, reviving, etc.

The enemies in the Tower are pretty strong, and dangerous, and Umaro just isn't powerful enough to justify him being uncontrollable; any, literally any, other character has the potential to kill everything in the Tower much faster than Umaro.