Best Mage Jobs In Final Fantasy

Summary

• Blue Mages, while appealing, tend to be weak in parties due to lackluster abilities.
• Red Mages are versatile early on but become liabilities in the mid to late game.
• Sages offer great magical abilities but have low physical stats and limited MP, making them less effective.

Magic is a huge part of any Final Fantasy game. Along with regular attacks and physical abilities, casting magic can turn the tide of battle as long as players can target an enemy’s weakness consistently.

Other kinds of magic fulfill healing and support roles in a party, which is a must in tougher battles where players implement complex strategies to come out victorious. With the sheer number of excellent mage jobs that can be used in the Final Fantasy series, it’s easy to see why some fans have their favorites.

7

Blue Mage

The Franchise Has A Notorious History With This Job

• Notable Named Blue Mages: Strago Magus, Quistis Trepe, Quina Quen

Blue Mages look great on paper. After all, most players would love the idea of stealing an enemy’s powerful spell and using it for themselves, with spells like White Wind and Mighty Guard serving as some quality support magic that Final Fantasy games love to use.

However, dedicated Blue Mages have a notorious track record of being a bit too weak in their respective games, making them surplus to requirements in parties that are already full of quality talent. Strago is arguably the worst magic user in Final Fantasy 6, Quistis’ Limit Break pales in comparison to other party members, Quina’s stats are notoriously low and the one notable attack she has can only be improved after a hellacious grind, and Kimahri Ronso starts at such a compromised spot on the Sphere Grid that he’ll always lag behind the other party members.

6

Red Mage

A Jack Of All Trades But A Master Of None

• Notable Named Red Mages: None

The Red Mage is a good job in the early game that loses its potency later on. The idea of being able to wield both Black and White Magic with a party member who also has decent offensive options at their disposal may sound nice, but this job’s weaknesses get exposed in the mid to late-game.

With high-level White and Black Magic locked away for this job, players will find this party member becomes less effective as the adventure draws to a close. In fact, they become a downright liability later on, especially if players replaced a Black or White Mage with this job.

5

Sage

Proficient In All Kinds Of Magic, But This Comes At A Cost

• Notable Named Sages: Tellah, Fusoya

A Sage is essentially a better version of the Red Mage, since they usually have no restrictions when it comes to the magic they can wield. Some Final Fantasy games let Sages summon too, which may seem downright broken.

However, this magical superiority is balanced with low physical stats and a laughable MP pool. Sages like Tellah came with a ton of promise, but the low MP meant that players couldn’t access some of the game’s strongest spells because Tellah caps out at 90 MP.

4

Time Mage

Controlling The Flow Of Battle Is Surprisingly Rewarding

• Notable Named Time Mages: Ashe (Revenant Wings), Tidus

At a glance, a Time Mage doesn’t sound like the greatest spellcaster around. Their main source of damage is gravity magic, which only shaves percentages from an enemy’s HP and isn’t worth the high MP cost.

However, these mages come equipped with magic like Haste and Slow, which can completely change the flow of battle and let the heroes get a silly number of hits in before the boss can even respond. Characters like Tidus show just how powerful a Time Mage can be, with abilities like Hastega and Quick Hit being absolute gamechangers that turn most battles into a joke as long as the protagonist has enough MP to cast these moves.

3

Summoner

The Most Impactful Mage Job In The Entire Series By A Country Mile

• Notable Named Summoners: Rydia, Yuna, Garnet Til Alexandros XVII AKA Dagger

Summoning magic is one of the most satisfying ways that players can beat down their foes. While the MP cost may be ridiculously high, this is offset by the cinematic spectacle of these summons and how players can unleash a ridiculous amount of damage with these moves.

This is why players always prefer to have a summoner in the party, even if it may not be the most practical role around. Shaving off a ton of MP from a character is worth it to see iconic summons like Bahamut, Ifrit, Shiva, Ramuh, and Odin wipe out a battlefield with their powerful attacks.

2

White Mage

An Iconic Support Role That Is A Must-Have In Grueling Fights And Lengthy Bosses

• Notable Named Blue Mages: Rosa Farrell, Eiko Carol

It’s a shame that healing roles don’t get their chance to shine compared to the more offensive roles in video games. Thankfully, the White Mage is so iconic that most Final Fantasy fans will consider it a downright crime to not use this job against the franchise’s toughest bosses and enemies.

What makes the White Mage so integral to a party’s makeup is how well it scales for endgame conflicts, especially when this Job unlocks magic like Holy. Wiping out a fearsome mob of enemies with a single cast of this powerful White Magic is a satisfying moment that makes up for the many times a player’s White Mage fell in battle after being targeted by a physically dominant foe.

1

Black Mage

Utilizes A Bunch Of Powerful Elemental Magic To Obliterate Foes

• Notable Named Blue Mages: Palom, Lulu, Vivi Ornitier

The iconic Black Mage is one of the best Jobs in Final Fantasy that players seek out time and time again. Nobody cares about their lack of physical might once players get access to iconic high-level elemental spells that can target enemies and take them out in a flash.

To make things even better, this class gets access to the strongest offensive spells in Final Fantasy in the late game. Spells like Meteor, Flare, and Ultima may cost a lot, but their ability to wipe out enemies in a single cast can’t be ignored.