[T.G. Oskar]

Originally Posted by LocoColt04

...this is one of the most difficult threads...

Okay, so I'm going to have to break this down into a couple of different groups, because I can't live with just one setup. I guess this is probably an easy topic for a lot of you guys... I don't know how many of you who have responded thus far have actually played through all 14 of the "main" games (I-XII + X-2 + Tactics), but picking four characters out of hundreds, even when limited only to the good guys, is a very difficult task.


THE FAVORITES:
• Setzer (FFVI), the airship pilot with a depressing past and a gambling problem
• Freya (FFIX), the mousy dragoon whose home was destroyed while seeking lost love
• Delita (FFT), the youthful knight-turned-triple-agent who starts a revolution
• Rikku (FFX), the obnoxiously adorable thief with an alchemist's touch


THE TRUE MELEES:
• Sabin (FFVI), the martial arts master with a black belt and a bumrush
• Kain (FFIV), the conflicted dragoon whose mind often belongs to the enemy
• Umaro (FFVI), the Yeti from Narshe who likes to throw allies into opponents
• Zell (FFVIII), the impulsive comic relief with fists of fury


THE RAW MAGES:
• Shantotto (FFXI), the fiesty Tarutaru with a "short" temper and a soul built of black magic
• Terra (FFVI), the half-esper with a magical ancestry and a destructive past
• Yuna (FFX), the young summoner with a kind heart and a library of white magic
• Tellah (FFIV), the old man and learned scholar of black magic and master of white magic


THE TOOL TECHIES:
• Edgar (FFVI), the quirky king with an array of tools and a womanizing attitude
• Cid (FFVII), the airship pilot and aerospace engineer with a vulgar vocabulary
• Balthier (FFXII), the sky pirate with a sly wit and a sweet ride
• Laguna (FFVIII), the man with the machine gun (and Rambo's arsenal)

Don't forget you can mix and match. Even though it'll cause some overlap. For example:

The Way of Multiple Fists

• Yang Fang Leiden: the one that defined the concept of a Monk, though not the original because of Josef's existence in FF2. Has a flying kick, the ability to boost its damage to dangerous levels (as the FF3 Blackbelt), and an oft-forgotten ability to endure damage, a path no other monk class or character in the entire set of role-playing games and MMOs has followed aside from the Monk class from Ragnarok Online.
• Sabin Rene Figaro: more of a wild brawler, albeit not fully embracing chaos. He uses more mystical arts with his ancestral Blitz technique, coupled with some solid physical attacks and oddly, two healing techniques.
• Tifa Lockheart: the only female who takes it to the fisticuffs. Her style resorts to a single combo, tying up hits to unleash a solid final strike. However, she starts with some solid basics, such as a flurry of blows (aka, a Pummel)
• Zell Dincht: the self-taught hot-dog devourer, whose style takes upon Tifa's old style and expands with a fist technique not dissimilar to fighting games. Any more, and you'd have a character whose home would be on a 2D fighter, right between Ryu, Terry Bogard and Kyo Kusanagi.

Or, you could have...
The Dragoon Squad

• Kain Highwind: much like Yang, he's not the first Dragoon; the first mentioned by name and title belongs to sir Ricard Highwind, which is well expected to be Kain's father. Kain holds two important things in his development: first, the Jump charging technique, where the tried and true jousting and combat charging arts blend with the dragon's leap technique to evolve into a devastating combat art. Kain is unique in his landing style, which dives head first instead of a single fall. Currently a Holy Dragoon, which means Paladin-esque spells and the Saint Dive holy lance technique
• Cid Highwind: another Highwind? Yes, and this one trades a dragon for an airship. Still shows some of the classic Dragoon techniques, such as the Jump and the Dragon Lance, which draws blood and drains life from his opponent. However, he goes out in style with his finishing move, which summons the raw firepower of the Highwind. What would he do if he had the Ragnarok's cannon to his disposition...?
• Freya Crescent: another tried and true Dragoon, but she has a few draconic techniques to her disposal. Most notably, although she has the trusty Dragon Lance technique, she shows some quasi-magical abilities with the Wind of Reis, the Six Dragons and the Cherry Blossom arts.
• Kimahri Ronso: the second non-human Dragoon and a Blue Mage to boot. Learns spells through the traditional, age-old Dragon Lance technique, even though his unique spells are limited. However, the ability to use such traditional abilities as Mighty Guard and White Wind make it worthwhile. He even learns the traditional leaping charge of the Dragoon as a Blue Magic, although you can assume he just knows it ingrained in his own spirit.

Or even...
Invokers of the Phantom Beasts

• Rydia of the Mist: the favored child summoner of the Land of Phantom Beasts, aside from Terra (the lost child of the Land of Phantom Beasts). Her summoning abilities are quite expanded, capable of acquiring lesser summons that behave as Blue Magic spells; furthermore, she knows a devastating amount of Black Magic, and she still can draw upon her reserves of White Magic if everything else fails. Although, that would be pointless if we have...
• Garnet til Alexandros, aka "Dagger": princess of Alexandria, and perhaps one of the strongest summoners around. Capable of summoning the strongest summon in the region of Gaia, Ark, she is a force to be reckoned...but she holds her power in order to cast benevolent White Magic spells. Oddly enough, she makes more of a summoner than her fellow summoner and partner...
• Eiko Coral: another Summoner who takes the White Magic arts, although her focus is mixed. While princess Garnet uses powerful destructive summons and has a "weaker" form of White Magic, Eiko has a more flexible summoning talent and stronger White Magic. It is of no mistake that she possesses both the second strongest Holy Eidolon, Madeen, as well as the strongest White Magic spells, Full-Life/Arise and Holy.
• Yuna: simple name, right? Oddly enough for the High Summoner of Spira, who can call upon her summons like Ash summons Pokemon. Her summons are pretty strong, capable of using magic, and fighting for her to the extent of giving their own borrowed lives for it. Furthermore, she holds powerful Aeons, as the mighty Yojimbo, the phantasmagorical Anima, and the Magus Sisters.
  As a final point, notice three of the four summoners can summon Bahamut, at least two of them summon Leviathan, and at least three of them have a summon with a sword that cleaves iron!?

However, I solved this a long time ago, in another place, almost like this:

Originally Posted by myself

Well...I'm usually a balance Nazi, trying to minimizing the weaknesses of characters while improving the strengths. This time, though, I shall do a particular exception. This in no means is a Ultimate Team of sorts, I do it because it fits my general idea of combat. I can't seem to be without a sword in one hand, a shield in another (or a zweihander, or even two swords), and a repertoire of spells in yet another. Seven, you say? I think that'll be enough...

1) Cidolfas Orlandeau, the Thunder God: why not? A Kensei in all the sense of the word, a master of his chosen weapon (the sword), this mister of disaster can topple entire armies, while having those under his command. He's suitable for leadership, if it weren't for my next two choices, although he probably takes the lead out of sheer age and experience. Depending on the game, he may have from his original repertoire of techniques, to high-end techniques such as the Renzokuken style and Cloud's home-baked style. Don't say you can't: he's a swordmaster, so it would be against his build to refuse to master the entire set of sword techniques in all Final Fantasies. Which means he has Cloud's techs, Cyan's Bushido, Squall's Renzokuken, Steiner's Sword Technique (and potential to use Magic Sword infusions--read, Double-Teching), Beatrix's Seiken, Leo's Shock, the generic Samurai's asset of techniques, and even Saint Cross, Holy Blade AND Soul Strike. Yep, if he has little in techniques, he can't be a real swordmaster. Also...he has a free slot for an extra class ability list (not that he may need it)

Plus, he wields Excalibur. 'Nuff said.

2) Leo Cristophe, Imperial General: If you thought Shock sold me for this...you're absolutely right. Don't forget, he has Offering, which means he begins play with 4 (yes, that's right, 4) strikes with a normal Fight command. Plus, he's such a gentleman...

3)Beatrix (of Steiner? von Steiner?), General of Alexandria: I didn't liked much what they did to Cecil as a Paladin, considering that my predilect class is effectively Paladin. But, boy, they changed that with such a fine lady. She's ruthless, effective, has a varied set of skills (which may or may not include the Holy Sword and Chivalry sets), and to topple it off she has very high-level White Magic. Say, I think I saw this somewhere...oh yeah, the fabled Lord class of Tactics Ogre, which means she's a Warlady. Oooh, boy...now that's a classy name for a profession. Plus, she has Save the Queen. Legendary sword is legendary.

Big whoop for fixed Paladin!!!

4) Terra Branford: Why, if I neglect her appearance, I should be ashamed of myself. She is probably my favorite female character in all FF history, ever. EVER. Not because of skills, but because of her story...I'm a sucker for sad stories. Yep. So, having a girl that essentially is an armored magician (she's more magician than warrior, yet she wears pretty heavy armor and potent blades, maces, and even long-range weapons). Need more heavy firepower? Just go Trance; problem solved. I mean, with her natural Magic growth rate, her Esper heritage, and her set of spells, she's a natural choice, considering she's also a mecha pilot, and a darn good warrior at it.

Plus...she is the only character in the entire universe that can learn Ultima by herself. Who else, you ask? Well, Trance Kuja, BUT ONLY TRANCED. Tellah? He went for Meteo (bad bad Tellah, choosing Time Magic over Black Magic).

One final thing...if she grew too strong, would she be able to summon herself?

5) Auron, former

SPOILER!!:

Sword-monk of Yevon

: Yep, Auron. I need a good debuffer, and hoo boy, I find one of the few people that actually chooses to have debuffing skills in his set. Yeah, Steiner has it too, but Auron couples that with Zombie Attack, which makes Beatrix scream in joy!!! (For she can one-hit those bastards with FULL-LIFE, of course!!!). Sadly, he lacks that useful Drain Attack that Wakka has...but he wields massive blades, the likes that block those wimpy Buster Blades that Cloud wields, or those vibrating blades that Squally calls "Gunblades". Plus, he just oozes coolness on his veins. Oh, wait, that's...nevermind~~~~

6) Olan Durai, Astrologist: Wait, what? I chose a load of warriors, yet I end up getting a frail Astrologist in play? Well...may I remind you of Galaxy Stop? (Please instruct me on the new name, I can't seem to recall it properly...). Stop, Don't Move and Don't Act on virtually all enemy opposition, even if the rest of the skills are crappy. Well, since it is instantly cast and uses no MP, I can for sure tell it will be spammed until infinity. And, with a veritable wall of meat shields at his disposal, why he shouldn't. He should be wary of gun-men and anything ranged, but be sure that when he unloads his unique ability, the battle's over. Yep, over.

Plus, he has that nifty slot unused...

7) Zidane Tribal, Genome rogue of the Tantalus troupe: well, well, this is probably a weird choice. I tell you, even when I try to be a munchkin, I get my balancing nature to work. He's the fast rogue you want in the party (much more than Locke), because he does something more than Steal and Attack. Like Detecting what you have, inflicting status effects, dealing a bunch of damage with a trap...and going Super-Genome and blasting Grand Lethal on the sorry buttocks of the opposition. He needs to get Tranced to get his Super-Genome morph, but still, when you have a load of powerhouses like the first 5, you'll want to take the petty larcenist down, and then it happens...you get wasted big time. Big time, I tell you, big time.

So yeah, I decided to skip the over-used Cloud, the equally overused Squall, mostly because they are way too overrated. They need their Materia/GFs to work, when some of these guys only need a good sword on their hands. Just that. And most of the skills they have require no Limit Break to execute...perfectly spammable (sans Zidane, but then, he's saving that for a rainy day). I can't but help realize I lack a ranged attacker (which often recalls on Vincent or Irvine for being the only guys that would rather use a gun than a melee weapon, or even Rosa for her Bow/White Magic useful combo), but considering they will be little wasted by long-range characters, it adds up to overpowering the melee zone.

Now, if I were to have my really balanced team of characters...I would need some time to balance it, but well...that's my general pick.

That thread had seven picks instead of four, but you can determine which ones I'd choose: from my avatar and because he's awesome, Orland(ea)u. Because she's my girl, Terra. Because she's a Paladin on Steroids, Beatrix. And the last goes between Auron, Olan/Orran or ol' Leo. I'd make little change.

Originally Posted by LocoColt04

THE ULTIMATE:
• Cidolfas Orlandeau (FFT), the "Thunder God" himself, mecca of amazement
• Celes Chere (FFVI), the once-General of the Empire with a Runic Blade and a knack for opera
• Cecil Harvey (FFIV), one part Dark Knight, one part Paladin, one part redeemed soul
• White Mage (FFI/III/XI), the little lady who heals all ailments

Your ultimate team doesn't blend well with mine, it seems. I tend to find Cecil as a weak choice, even though he has attempted to pump up a bit ever since. However, my Paladin tastes have evolved ever since: in between D&D Paladins, Diablo II's Paladins, WoW Paladins, RO Paladins, FFXI Paladins, Wizardry Lords, Etrian Odyssey's Protectors, The Dark Spire's Paladins and Class of Heroes' Paladins, Cecil becomes quite the weak choice (can't smite, spells are subpar, no auras, no shield skills, no Grand Cross, no anti-element spells, no reflective damage...the list has grown, Cecil...) I'd say Beatrix beats Cecil by the classical mile, since she knows where her power lies (strong techniques, nigh unbeatable defense and the strongest White Magic, plus a strong sword and some sexilicious curves); her choice makes having the White Mage slightly redundant, so you can choose a stronger spellcaster. I agree with Celes, though: with her Runic Blade tactic, the other two can go straight for sword techniques, and only area of effect spells can work their arts; furthermore, while Terra goes for Merton/Meltdown and Ultima, Celes goes for Holy and Flare, as well as Enfeebling Magic. All you'd need is a good Time Mage and you'd be set for sure...or Gogo. Because Gogo is awesome and overrated.

[H.U.N.K]

As stated before, this is a tough.

I would probably make a sort of holy knight based team.
1st would be Cecil Harvey. (While I do see T.G.'s point on how cecil is weak in comparison to Paladins that have come after him, I need a person who can basicly serve as a white mage. Cecil has almost all the white magicks I need.)

2nd would be T.G. Cid! (Orlandu has enough abilities to keep himself alive and if he is given abilities like cover, he would protect his team well.)

3rd would be Warrior of Light. (While I don't understand how Square got this out of warrior,thief,monk,W.M,B.M and Red mage, I still like this character.)

4th would be Setzer. (Quite honestly I just wanted to include him. )

[Josh_R]

I would pick my 4 fav of course

1.Vincent
2.Sephiroth
3.Auron
4.Zell

[lionsqau]

people.....you make a battle party...with no cook?!?!???
How are you gonna eat? after killing Bahamut you all will die because you don't have food to eat...

My party would be:
Cloud, this guy is just a freaking killer.
Auron, another killer in the team.
Lulu, raw black magic support(for flying bastards).
And last but surely and suprisingly not least......
Quina...for cooking a nice meal! and for throwing heal, haste, death and all sort of blue magic in the battle. Like auto-life, mighty guard, white wind, angels snack and bad breath!

And after they defeated the boss then Quina makes from the boss a nice meal to get full power for the next challenge

And if someone dislikes Quina then change him/her with Odin and zantetsuken everyone

[T.G. Oskar]

Originally Posted by H.U.N.K

1st would be Cecil Harvey. (While I do see T.G.'s point on how cecil is weak in comparison to Paladins that have come after him, I need a person who can basicly serve as a white mage. Cecil has almost all the white magicks I need.)

Which is why Beatrix serves that purpose. Her HP is spectacular, her other stats are well-rounded, and she has a pretty strong assortment of White Magic spells to complement her sword skills. As I said, she's a Paladin on steroids; the reason I speak of this is because she has the strong qualities of a Paladin (slight White Magic, superb defense, excellent attack, heavy armor, and even some special techniques) and she ups the ante of said abilities a notch (and in the case of White Magic, perhaps too much of a notch). Her only weakness would be MP, but that can be fixed pretty easily. Still, the ability to use the strongest Cure spell, the strongest Life spell and Holy far surpass the weak spells that Cecil acquires (even if he got boosted in DS with Protect and Shell, which I find to be something they should have added to him on first instance)

Originally Posted by lionsqau

people.....you make a battle party...with no cook?!?!???
How are you gonna eat? after killing Bahamut you all will die because you don't have food to eat...

Assume a food system like Tales of... You have food pre-packaged, and you eat a bit after battle to heal some HP and SP.

Or, a system like Star Ocean. Suddenly, not just one person can cook; everyone can cook.

So I wouldn't worry in adding a sub-par Blue Mage in order to have some food; after all, Quina is known for having bizarre tastes...

[Josh_R]

Originally Posted by lionsqau

Lulu, raw black magic support(for flying bastards).

Hate to be the one to say this but Lulu sucked only thing she had going for her was mondo tits

[Locke4God]

I'm going to go with

1st Team
Auron (X) - brute force Warrior
Vivi (IX) - Black Mage
Cloud (VII) - quick/skilled Warrior
Terra (VI) - White Mage/Summoner

2nd Team
Yuna (X) - White Mage/Summoner
Cecil (IV) - Dragoon
Sabin (VI) - Monk
Squall (VIII) - Warrior

3rd Team
Locke (VI) - Thief
Rydia (IV) - White Mage/Summoner
Barret (VII) - guns Warrior
Edgar (VI) - specialty weapons Warrior

[MakotoKin]

Garland
Zidane
Mog
Freya

[Locke4God]

@ Kisuke Hellsing - But I like mondo tits!! ;-)

[ViviMasterMage]

I would chose:
Zidane
Vivi
Tidus
Bartz

[Lionhearted]

I would choose:

Squall
Vivi
Cecil
Terra

[shadowhighwind]

i choose:
Cloud- Omnislash owns
Terra- Killer Red mage with morph
Kain - Most badass dragoon
Auron - Mega tank

[Rnin]

Cloud Strife
Squall Lionheart
Vincent
Tidus

[Josh_R]

Originally Posted by Locke4God

@ Kisuke Hellsing - But I like mondo tits!! ;-)

Of course who doesnt like mondo tits

[TehRealDinnin]

What's up with all the Clouds in this party forming? Not only that but Sephiroth? We don't even know Villians true potential, just what they are as a boss at whatever level they were set to (Exceptions are in FFVIII and FFIX since they scale to your level) No one really knows how powerful they are, we don't see all their possible moves, magic, and special attacks. We just assume they have a bit more than what they have shown us.

[EthanElephants]

mine would be:

Bartz - ever since dissidia came out ive fallen in love with him lol
balthier - one of my favoratecharacetr givin his attitude and coolness
rydia - no answer needed
noah/ gabranth - he is just so awsome

[Josh_R]

Originally Posted by TehRealDinnin

We don't even know Villians true potential, just what they are as a boss at whatever level they were set to. No one really knows how powerful they are, we don't see all their possible moves, magic, and special attacks. We just assume they have a bit more than what they have shown us.

in VII you witness Sephiroths true power in Clouds flashback I dont know about you but he was pretty powerful....

[lonley summoner]

yuna, garnet, rinoa, and................... rikku!!

[WilsonDean1990]

Cloud (Nice Powerful Sword Action)
Zell (Combination of Punch's and Elements)
Firion (Awesome Long Range Power)
Aeris (Perfect Healer and Offensive Magic)

My Perfect 4

[NeXtadi]

vincent, sephiroth, cloud, and zack