The License Board

[dappa]

What do you guys think about the license board then?

I quite like it.

I haven't cleared the game yet but am I right assuming the the abilities and accessories side of the board is different for each character apart from the teckniks?

 

[Phoenix Flame]

No - both sides are identical except for the espers and MQs you choose - they (obviously) disappear from the other character's boards.

Honestly - I didn't like the board much. While it allowed you to choose how you developed your characters, I still thought the end result was a party that was all-too similar again (Like in X.) I appreciated the different classes in VI - or even the job classes better than the LB.

 

[dappa]

Ok so you more or less have identical characters again when the board is completed which sucks a little, but what about the characters themselves?

Do their stats when they level up go up differently per different character, or will you still have a bunch of characters who are the same ability wise and who have the same stats?

 

[zen la]

I like it while you are playing the game there is so much flexabillity i havent finished the game yet so i dunno if i will like the end result we shall see

 

[Phoenix Flame]

Do their stats when they level up go up differently per different character, or will you still have a bunch of characters who are the same ability wise and who have the same stats?

There are minor differences - such as: Basch has the highest base strength, Fran (I believe) has the highest base HP....and so on. But the differences are miniscule at best - hardly noteworthy.

 

[ThroneofDravaris]

It was a neat idea that was botched due to severe balancing issues. Licenses are for the most part far too cheap, allowing you to make every character good at everything rather then forcing you to specialize in only one or two areas. In addition, offensive magic is significantly less useful then physical attacks as they are slower to use, cost MP that could be used more efficiently and are generally weaker. The only situation where magic is more useful is when fighting large groups of enemies and since this is a situation that only occurs occasionally a dedicated black mage or summoner is a useless endeaver. Dedicated healers are unnecessarily due to the aforementioned issue with licenses being too cheap, resulting in a rather no-brainer situation of either building a character that's only good at white magic or building a character that's good at white magic AND physical combat AND whatever else you feel like throwing in.

What you're basically left with is a set of six character that only really differ in what weapons you decide to give them.

 

[zen la]

So there you go, i do like it but everything you said is damn true there is no individuallity

 

[dappa]

Ah well my questions been answered then, but i was hoping that at least the license board would be slightly different for each character.

Never mind.

 

[Doctor]

But there IS individuality, BECAUSE of the freedom on the liscence board. You can customize each character all you want, and assign them the roles YOU want them to have. From what you observe (or at least what you can get the gist of) about the character's personalities can even help you determine what you really want them to do. You can have everyone learn everything just for the benefit, but you don't really HAVE to think of it as something that's not unique enough, because you can make the experience as unique as you want to make it.

And, just as an add-on, I believe that the liscence board in FF12 is merely a step-up from FFX's sphere grid system. Wouldn't you say? =}

 

[Phoenix Flame]

But there IS individuality, BECAUSE of the freedom on the liscence board. You can customize each character all you want, and assign them the roles YOU want them to have. From what you observe (or at least what you can get the gist of) about the character's personalities can even help you determine what you really want them to do. You can have everyone learn everything just for the benefit, but you don't really HAVE to think of it as something that's not unique enough, because you can make the experience as unique as you want to make it.

And, just as an add-on, I believe that the liscence board in FF12 is merely a step-up from FFX's sphere grid system. Wouldn't you say? =}

You want individuality...? Here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/file/459841/45802

*puts on Forrest Gump tone* "...and that's all I have to say about that." = 3

 

[Spec Highwind]

I still thought the end result was a party that was all-too similar

Yes. Just like Final Fantasy VII. The only difference between them were the Limit Breaks, in the end.

FFI/III/V/X-2 Job System is good.
Final Fantasy IV/VI system is great, where the story chooses the jobs of the characters for you. They all have different abilities, making them unique.

 

[ThroneofDravaris]

But there IS individuality, BECAUSE of the freedom on the liscence board. You can customize each character all you want, and assign them the roles YOU want them to have.

Except there is no point in giving them specific roles, because by default you can make them good at everything without suffering any penalties.

 

[Zeromus_X]

Yeah, it starts out great, but by the time you decide you're going to do end-game sidequests everyone has already unlocked everything.

Although thankfully it seems they're actually putting the whole job system idea with the License Board in International.

 

[dappa]

I have kept my characters the same way as when they first joined my team

I have fran and balthier as long range fighters and everyone else as close combat.

 

[Phoenix Flame]

I'd like to try a NLB playthrough...be a LOT more of a challenge than just playing through the game normally

 

[dappa]

I wonder if that challenge is possible? Wouldn't surprise me if someone had.

That enforced class FAQ is interesting too but i'd never do it.

 

[ThroneofDravaris]

Technically it isn't possible: you have to at least activate Belius to continue past a certain point. Otherwise I think there are a few people who have completed it with that exception.

 

[Phoenix Flame]

ToD is correct - but other than this minor use of the LB (Belias is right next to the beginning section of the augments/technicks section of the LB and doesn't really effect anything else) youcan complete the game w/o using it...and several people have tried it...what unique *cough insane cough* challenges will people come up with on the International version I wonder. = ]

 

[evil_resident]

I like it way more than the sphere grid in X

 

[Phoenix Flame]

How so?

I prefer the Sphere Grid. Although both the Sphere Grid and the License Board make it so you have a team of characters with the same skillsets (other than Summoned monsters...and O.D.s/Quickenings) it still afforded you way more customization than the LB...except if you strictly followed an Enforced Character Challenge.