Can Cloud's lvls be upgraded?

[L5Death]

Pardon the question but I haven't had a chance to play through Tactics yet (although that will change very soon) & a friend had told me that he unlocked Cloud but couldn't upgrade his levels. Is this true because I don't think it could be, could it?

Oh, this is regarding the PSP version if there's a difference.

[Victoria]

You mean go from level 1 to 2, etc? Uh.. yes he can. But to use the Limit Breaks, you need the Materia Sword. I would tell you where to get it, but I don't remember where off-hand. I'd have to research, but as long as I have to do that, you can do that in my stead, since you're the one wanting to know. =P

[Fate]

Yeah, Cloud is just like any other character. But like Sheena said, you need to equip his Materia Blade to use his Limit Breaks. It's at Mount Bervenia. Get a random encounter there and during battle, send someone with the Move-Find Item to the highest point atop that mountain and you should find it.

Though, Cloud can equip Ribbons if I'm not mistaken. Just saying.

[L5Death]

Thanks for the help!

[T.G. Oskar]

Cloud has, always, been capable of getting exp. and job levels (both in the PSX version and in War of the Lions). Mostly, your friend was scared that you couldn't use the Limit skills with any other weapon, aside from the already-mentioned Materia Blade (which is pretty much a forced acquisition, not to speak a bit weaker than most weapons)

I'd also like to point out that Cloud has some degree of skill in other classes, mostly White Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage and Summoner. You might be capable of giving him some decent magic ability, a high-MP hat (equipment doesn't give you defense but rather raises your HP and MP directly, just so you know), and raise his levels with the use of those abilities.

Also, in case of job levels (and this applies to everyone), you can place him with other special characters (such as Beowulf, Reis, Agrias, Mustadio, Orlandeau, and in the WotL's case Luso and Balthier) and he'll get some JP from them, so as long as they are on their special classes. This also works if you have a Squire with you, or if you have Ramza in his Squire job. The amount of JP gained is roughly equivalent to 10% of the JP the character originally got (so if, say, Ramza as Squire got 40 JP, Cloud as Soldier would get 4 JP; note that it only considers the original JP, and it can't be heightened with JP Boost) This also works for other classes, so if you don't want to raise a specific class but need an ability of theirs (such as the Time Mage's Swiftness/Short Charge ability), you should get someone of the same class and use it.

[V_Translanka]

Maybe his friend heard about how Cloud is gotten at what, Chapter 3? 4? But starts out at Level 1, which means you'll have to grind it out for a while until he can lift his own weight with your already awesome characters...Though Finish Touch is so good its practically broken once you counter Cloud's slow speed with that Time Mage ability Oskar mentioned (even before that the Limit has decent enough speed, really). Like most characters that need a Speed boost, put em at Thief or Ninja to help out (though Cloud will need Equip Sword from Knight to continue to use his Limits)...