More Playable Characters Please

[Locke4God]

It might just be me, but I'm really pining for a FF game with a larger cast. 7's cast was plenty large, 8, 10, and 12 esspecially have just 6 or 7 characters. I'm hoping for a game like 4 or 6 again with more than 10. What do you think?

[Victoria]

I don't need that many, because you don't use all 10 anyway. You always use those 4 that you level up a lot because they're the good units.

But then again if the story requires split parties and such, then yes, a good amount would be wise to have.

[KeybladerXIII]

This is the reason XIII is bothering me. I think it has fewer characters than XII(Let me check, XII:Vaan, Ashe, Penelo, Basch, Balthier, and Fran and XIII: Lightning, Snow, Sazh, Oerba, and Hope) Six to Five.

Only five?? I would at least like seven or maybe eight. Nothing overboard like FFIV or FFVI. I understand that too many characters will make some characters basically worthless but at least they could make them have a reason for joining the party and contribute(unlike Yuffie and Penelo).

[Victoria]

You forget one thing. Yuffie is an optional character to recruit. You don't have to recruit her. Nor Vincent, even though Vincent is more involved plot wise.

And also, 13 isn't out yet. So don't count the five characters as the final roster. Maybe there will be 1-2 more characters to optionally recruit.

And really, who cares what you would preferably like? The game isn't made for you. It's made for everyone. If it's really that big of a deal to you, don't buy it and miss out on a good game just because it has less than you would like.

And with Penelo's case, Vaan should be in her group also. He has no damn reason to be there. He just wants to be a sky pirate, (same with penelo). So really, as far as actual plot characters, there's only four in FF12.

FF10 had 6. 10-2 only had 3, but it had class changes.
FF9 only had... 6.
FF8 had 6.
FF7 had 6 + 2 Optional

So, where in any FF game was there ever a lot of characters? 5 isn't anything new. IX was a good game and you only had 5 also. (6. ...Forgot Freya.)

[Locke4God]

Agree with both of you. I definately don't want tons of people for no reason. 6 I thought did it very well though. It had by far the largest cast of any game, but there were tons of story segments that required split parties and I always think that's fun for a game to force you to use everybody rather than settling in to just your favorites. Plus they all had interesting back stories. Anyway, a cast of 7 or 8 is plenty sufficient but these string of games with 6 or less is upsetting me a little. I'd like a couple of more.

[Locke4God]

@ Mistress Shena - Good lord, you're reading far too much into what we were getting at. We're not contemplating skipping a game due to character count. I love these games, I think 12 is the best despite it's low character count. It's not as big of a deal as you're implying. I'm just saying I would enjoy even more getting to know a couple of additional characters in games like 8 and 12.

[Unknown Entity]

I tend to only play using three, and the others tend to rot for the majority of the game. They're characters I tend to use on my second play through. The only Final Fantasy game I've played so far which I DID use all the characters during my first run through was FFX, because everyone was good at something different. I think the being able to switch during battle made that easier too.

However, I'd still like to see some more playable characters. Five is just not enough... unless of course the new battle system makes up for it so that you don't need any more. But there is a chance that there are more characters that haven't been revealed yet. I mean, if we knew about all of them now, what would we have to look forward to?

[Locke4God]

@ Unknown Entity - That's interesting that you use the 3. I like that approach, but I can't tear myself aware from leveling everybody up evenly. In 10, I'd get everybody 3 sphere levels and then upgrade them all together. But I'd always go with 3 and would take a character out of combat until everybody had 3, unless I really really really needed them. With all other games, I sit the highest level characters on the bench, but I'll still use my preferred characters first and in key situations. Everybody stays at the same level though as much as I can help it.

[Victoria]

@ Mistress Shena - Good lord, you're reading far too much into what we were getting at. We're not contemplating skipping a game due to character count. I love these games, I think 12 is the best despite it's low character count. It's not as big of a deal as you're implying. I'm just saying I would enjoy even more getting to know a couple of additional characters in games like 8 and 12.

I'm not implying anything. I said "if" it was. Not that it was. Also, as I said in my post, 8 and 12 had only 6 characters. Only one extra than 13.

I could care less how many there are, because the max amount is usually 3-4, and one would only use a certain 3-4 throughout the game anyway.

Edit: And dude, you level everyone evenly? Do you know how much of a waste of time that is? Really?

Edit 2: Also, don't forget about our "don't double post" rule...

[Locke4God]

Ehhh - I'm not concerned about it being a waste of time to level everyone evenly. For a really large game like 6, there are a couple of characters like Gau or Relm that I put on the sidelines, but what I don't like is to end up having to replace a solid character in a game like 10, with a guy who is 15 levels weaker and can't put a dent in a major boss. Plus, I just like using the characters. I even try to team them up based on the storyline and who works better with who. For instance in 12, I rarely seperated Balthier & Fran. They're a pair, so I used them that way.

And to your previous comment, I'm not bitter, but I found it amuzing that you suggested if we didn't like the character count that we could just skip the game, which is waaaay overstating the matter. It'd be akin to saying, if I don't like my job to just quit, as though somehow that's a good idea.

[Materiathief00]

I even try to team them up based on the storyline and who works better with who. For instance in 12, I rarely seperated Balthier & Fran. They're a pair, so I used them that way.

Same, I think the story and relationships characters have with each other impacts my line up too. I think it should be that way though but from what I've seen of XIII, the games goes and pair two characters together in their own plot. I guess it will be better explained when the game is released but am I the only one who finds that a little strange?
As for the number of characters, I think it's weird to have only five when it's possible to have 3 at a time in a battle. I thought it was cool how you could have six so that it was possible to have the same number of characters in a battle as well as in the sidelines.

[Zargabaath]

I don't care if the roster is as huge as IV or VI, but I would like to be able to choose who I want in my party, so I prefer there be more characters than what is allowed in the battle party.

The developers have said that this game will be similiar to FF VI as there won't be a main character, this could easily lead to split parties though not a guarantee. The amount of playable characters do not make a game great or better; I just want a great game that is very fun and different from previous Final Fantasies and I hope that the Paradigm Shift will be a great AI system.