Part 76: The Races of Ivalice

The Races of Ivalice

Races in FFTA2 only influence one part of a character: which jobs that character can use. Base stats, stat growths and equipment are all determined by the character's job. However, every race has a large number of unique jobs, and only some basic and intermediate jobs are shared between races. Oh, and of course there's aesthetic differences.

Hume



The most common of the races, humes can be found throughout Ivalice. In skill and ability they are perhaps the most balanced race. While they excel in no single area, they perform capably in almost any role.

Humes are, well, humans. They're the most populous race in Ivalice, and also the most well-rounded. They have a little bit of everything available to them when it comes to jobs, with a general overall trend towards speed and power. They have the most jobs with 13 total available, only 5 of which are shared with other races.

Humes have some of the best physical options in the game: Paladins, Parivirs, Ninjas and Fighters top the face-punching charts. Magickally, they're eclipsed by Viera and Nu Mou, but the classic Blue Mage and new Seer are interesting and powerful in their own right. But they truly shine when you start mixing jobs together. With little overlap between each job, almost any combination of skill sets is viable, and passive abilities like Dual Wield and Geomancy are welcome additions for any character.

Viera



Oft called the People of the Wood, the viera are a lithe and swift race. Like humes, they can fill a great variety of roles on the battlefield.

Ah, the Viera. To summarize: Rabbit women. One of the female-only races in the game, Viera focus on mysticism and precision. They share only two jobs with other races -- White Mage and Archer -- and have some very powerful abilities. Like Nu Mou, they're heavily connected with magick, but with a very organic approach. Appropriately, they have a lot of unique magick jobs.

The majority of Viera jobs are magickal in one way or another. Barring a few notable exceptions, their jobs also tend to focus on applying conditions. Two of those notable exceptions are Red Mage and Summoner, which combined are the most powerful magick caster in the game. Viera are also famous for the Sniper and Assassin jobs, which ruled FFTA and are still quite powerful in FFTA2.

Moogles



This short-statured race is distinguished by the pom poms on their heads and bat-like wings on their backs. They have no love of water, and will not venture into even the shallowest pools. Moogles are accomplished machinists, and they boast a great many unique and odd jobs all their own.

Moogles are one of the signatures of Final Fantasy, right after Chocobos and belts. This is one of the few games where they play a significant role in combat. The most notable feature of Moogles is their intelligence: they make for powerful mages, but also have a great affinity for machinery and engineering.

Almost every Moogle job is based on a gimmick, which makes them niche at best. But some jobs -- Moogle Knight, Fusilier and Juggler -- are valuable additions to any clan. Of course, they can also learn the extremely good Black Mage and Time Mage jobs. Their two jobs added in FFTA2 are, unfortunately, trash.

Nu Mou



Canine features and long, droopy ears set this race apart. Even-tempered and thoughtful, they possess capacity for great intellect. Like moogles, they shun water and avoid it at all costs. Though ill-suited for the front lines of battle, they make incomparable mages and weavers of magick.

Out of all the races, Nu Mou are the undisputed masters of magick. Every single job focuses on the arcane, reflecting a single-minded pursuit of mystic arts. Nu Mou are the leading scholars and researchers of Ivalice -- it's no wonder that Ezel Berbier, inventor of the anti-law in FFTA, is a Nu Mou.

Nu Mou's job roster is a master class in magick. You know you're doing it right when the description of your spells is just, "Heavy damage." They also bring a fair amount of conditions and team support to the table. Unfortunately, Nu Mou are held back by low speed, though that's less of a drawback these days. Like Moogles, their two new jobs aren't that great. But if you need raw magickal power, call a Nu Mou.

Bangaa



Tough scales cover this reptilian race head to toe. Their violent tempers, powerful physique, and love of battle make them at home on the front lines.

BANBANGAAAA! The strong, proud race of warriors. If Nu Mou are kings of Magick, Bangaas are the Dukes of Facepunching. But they aren't just testosterone-fueled beatdowns: Bishops, Cannoneers and Tricksters round out their job roster with some interesting, if niche, abilities.

Bangaa jobs are basically about finding new and interesting ways to inflict damage. There's little in the way of conditions or buffs, but frankly they don't need all that. Like humes, their jobs tend to complement each other, though there's only so many ways to deal damage. The new jobs, especially Cannoneer and Trickster, offer great alternative play styles that focus on support, ranged damage and conditions.

Seeq



Though one would not think it to look on them, seeq are remarkably quick and agile, making for formidable foes and valued allies. They are not, however, terribly bright, and their moral compass has lost all direction. They lust for gold, jewels, and the like, often adorning their bodies with such, whether ill-gotten or otherwise.

Seeq are one of the two new races in FFTA2. Of their 4 jobs, only one is worth mentioning, and that's only because it brings to the table essential utility and early-game-breaking power. Seeqs' main role in FFTA2 is comedic relief.

Gria



Draconic wings and tail adorn this peculiar race. Able to fly for short distances, they move without hindrance across the battlefield. Gria much prefer a weapon's cold steel to the more subtle arts of magick, eagerly taking to the front ranks.

Gria are the other new race in FFTA2. Like Viera, they're all-female. Like the description says, Gria favor all-out physical jobs, similar to Bangaa. Being able to fly is a great passive ability, too. There are a lot of vertical maps in FFTA2, which Gria can navigate with ease.

Like Seeq, there are only 4 Gria jobs. Raptors and Ravagers are heavy physical damage dealers, while Hunters are ranged physical damage, a job they share with Humes. They can also be Geomancers, a unique magick job whose spells are influenced by the current weather and what tile the unit is standing on. But pretty much everyone just uses Gria for Raptor and Ravager.