The Zodiac Age

[mrz84]

I played the original release on PS2, getting as far as right before the end boss and wanting to get all the side quests/etc before my memory card got total; wiped. As in I couldn't use it again. Ever. Don't kno how/why it happened to this day, but it discouraged me from just getting a new one for fear of doing it again (plus since it was a total wipe, all of my other game save, totaling to about 1000+ hours of total game time kinda heavily contributed to the discouragin part)

After hearing of its PS4 remaster, its been on my to-buy-eventually list (somehwere in the top 5, but not at the top). I'd normally say feel free to add me on PS4, but after having randoms on Fortnite bombard me with friend requests with the message "you have awesome guns and stuff, can we be friends" (or something similar that put an emphasis on what come off as wanting to be carried instead of putting in actual effort) I set my setting to only others on the Friend List of my Friends can send them so, if ya wanna be PS4 buddies lemme know and I'll add ya.

[Gleeok]

I played the original release on PS2, getting as far as right before the end boss and wanting to get all the side quests/etc before my memory card got total; wiped. As in I couldn't use it again. Ever. Don't kno how/why it happened to this day, but it discouraged me from just getting a new one for fear of doing it again (plus since it was a total wipe, all of my other game save, totaling to about 1000+ hours of total game time kinda heavily contributed to the discouragin part)
.

I'd say the PS4 version is by far the best one. Vanilla had the terrible license board and chest nonsense, and IZJS had a few silly classes in weak mode (more on this later). I'm loving the 2x speed though. With the slow walking speed annoyance gone the game is so much better.

As far as losing your progress it actually doesn't matter. All the jobs and items/spells/etc. are different. I guess I could write up a quick "How to beat Trial Mode quickly and unlock Weak Mode FAQ" if anyone wants.Weak Mode is so much better.

Anyway, I started a NG- with the following generated jobs:
Monk
Red Mage
Black Mage
Knight
Time Mage
Machinist

I did it a few times until I got Time Mage and Monk, because I wasn't 100% sure about these jobs. After the fact I can now say that Time Mage in Weak Mode is practically useless, and Monk is just terrible. I've redone the Tier list to what I believe is the most accurate:

- Shikari
- Machinist
- White Mage
- Red Mage
- Black Mage
- Knight
-----------------------------
- Archer
- Uhlan
- Monk
- Breaker
- Bushi
- Time Mage

Shikari is the best job for synergy (Machinist is not OP as a job per-se, it's the guns that make it top-tier), and can also equip the best guns and ninja swords + protectga/shellga. Also the best tank in the game.
White Mage in Weak Mode is just a monster, and Red/Black Mage will be your strongest damage dealers.
Knight is very good all around so this is our basis for comparison.
Archer and Uhlan are both good, yet less useful and less often than the top-tiers.
The remaining four are less good. Monk and Breaker have some uses as they can tank, but Bushi and Time Mage are practically useless.
Bushi: Gets MP and MAG but no spells. Without end-game gear they are crap for a LLG.
Time Mage: No HP and no MP from Mystic armor means they can't cast many spells. No MAG means the spells will always miss.... No HP also means balance is useless. What's worse is that Time Magic as a whole is better used as items, meaning that any job other than a Time Mage can cast Time Magic better! Yes, there is no redeeming factor unfortunately.

So, this puts the best Party as the top 6 jobs, and the worst as the bottom 6 jobs:

I'm actually trying to re-balance some of the best and worst of them right now, if anyone has any suggestions. Here's what I have so far:


- Shikari (Shikari no spells/ninja swords)
- Shinobi (Shikari no shields/shield lores/guns)
- Machinist
- White Mage
- Red Mage
- Black Mage
- Knight
- Archer
- Uhlan
- Monk
- Breaker
- Judge (Breaker + weapons from another job)
- Bushi
- Time Cop (Time Mage/[Bushi w/ HP Lore 6,8 + Mystic Armor])
- Time Mage

*Note: In TZA each character can have 2 jobs.