Levels?

[joleine taylor]

I have been wondering for a while now. Why do you start on level 7 (I actually think it is the very end of level 6 if my memory serves me right) when you begin ff7 and ff8? Why don't you start from level 1 like you do in ff9? Never understood this. Any idea on what the reason this is?

[Kurt Zisa]

Maybe because the main characters in VII and VIII have had some prior experience and training in battles and combat situations. I can't say the same for IX because I haven't played it.

[HeroZero]

Maybe because the main characters in VII and VIII have had some prior experience and training in battles and combat situations.

That is pretty much what I have always assumed for any game that a character starts above level 1.

[Kurt Zisa]

Come to think of it I'm pretty sure Vaan starts out at level 1 in XII, which says quite a bit about him.

[Michael Swayne]

The first four characters (Zidane, Vivi, Steiner, Garnet) in Final Fantasy IX all start at Level 1. Then, the other four (Freya, Quina, Eiko, Amarant) are dependent upon the first four characters levels when they first join the party. I forget the actual links, but I do remember that Freya always joins my party at Level 9, 10, 11, or 12; depending on what level the others are when they reach Lindblum. I tend to keep my characters at the same level, so I don't know who Freya is linked with.

Here's something that questions the prior experience theory. Steiner in IX has been in service to the royal family for eighteen years when the game begins, so him starting at Level 1 is a bit odd. The same could be said about Yuna and Rikku in Final Fantasy X-2. It seems strange that Yuna has re-learn all of the White Magic spells when she begins her journey in X-2. Not only that, her and Rikku's HP/MP levels begin at such a low amount. Maybe in the two years between Sin and Shuyin made her unable to retain the magical knowledge within. Maybe if you don't regularly go out and look for a fight the experience, skills, and spells goes away.

[loaf]

The leveling aspect of the games having nothing to do with the actual character. Cloud can do Omnislash whenever he wants, just not in battle. It's proven at the final battle.

[noxious.sunshine]

In 8, I don't think it really matters that Squall starts off at level 7.. Simply because the beasts and stuff level up as you do.

Steiner, while having been with the Alexandria Knights of Pluto for however long, is a part of the "B Team" army. And from what I gather, Alexandria wasn't in the throes of war for quite some time until the start of 9. They're a rag tag group of fairly crappy soldiers. Maybe Once Upon A Time they were something to behold, but in the time frame of 9, nope.

[the_savior21]

Cloud is infused with mako energy so that covers him and squall is training to become elite special forces.

[loaf]

Wait so what's the point of my Squall being level10 at the final battle? He must have not trained enough, but wait, he still killed Ultimecia? What? No.

Cloud, dude my Cloud is level7, he just beat Safer-Sephiroth. But wait, he didn't level up except for that initial starting battle. Wait?

They make them those levels to add to their character, but it really has nothing to do with the character.

[Zargabaath]

I took Cloud levelling up after the first battle to as signifying the metaphysical transition between FFVI & FFVII. Implicitly stating that the previous game is done, its era over, now begins this game's time.

[markandrewkinzett]

Worst thing about levelling is that FF9 takes the piss takes forever!