Final Fantasy 9 acts as a bit of a love letter to the entire series as a whole. It harkens back to a simpler time when technology wasn't a major focus of Final Fantasy and provides nostalgic glimpses into why the series has become so iconic.
The game has an eclectic group of characters, each with their own distinct backstories and motivations that propel them forward. Although some characters are only a part of your party for a limited time, each one brings something new to the table, whether that be because of their compelling personality or powerful skills in battle.
Updated on May 4, 2023, by Casey Foot: Final Fantasy 9 is still a classic RPG, full of lively characters. When it comes to choosing which characters to have in your party, it's difficult to go wrong, as each offers something different. However, if you want to optimize your party to include the strongest characters possible, it's important to consider their abilities and what each one can offer in battle. While some characters only join your party temporarily, here's how the strength of each playable character stacks up.
12 Cinna
The group that Zidane is a part of in the early goings of Final Fantasy 9, the Tantalus Theater Troupe, also happens to feature as party members in the initial moments of the story. However, none of them are particularly strong — or memorable — enough to warrant a strong mention, to be perfectly honest. Cinna, unfortunately, ranks the lowest in that initial trio.
This slow brute wields a hammer that allows him to access the highest attack power in the Tantalus group but at great cost to his defense. What's more, his HP is significantly lower than that of Blank's or Marcus', even after the events of disc one. Of course, Cinna can't even hold a candle to the other playable characters for obvious reasons.
11 Blank
Blank garnered lots of fans thanks, in part, to his brave sacrifice in the Petrified Forest that allowed Zidane and the party to escape. His charm was undeniable from the beginning, and he clearly has a trusting relationship with Zidane and the rest of the Tantalus Theater Troupe.
It's a real shame that he doesn't have more abilities and can only attack and steal during the game. If he ever got a prequel or sequel title, perhaps Square Enix could develop his very limited battle powers.
10 Marcus
Marcus doesn't leave much of an impression from his time in your party. He attacks using a broadsword and steals but not much else. However, he is very useful for the parts of the game where he is a character, thanks to his high speed and reasonably decent physical attacks.
If he had been given the full party member treatment, perhaps Marcus could be a stronger playable character. But as he appears in the game, he is fairly weak and limited in battle.
9 Adelbert Steiner
The Knight or Warrior of any Final Fantasy game is known for being an absolute rock from both an offensive and defensive point of view. Steiner fits this, and his kit and damage output can change depending on his equipment and junctioned abilities. But, in terms of raw power, Steiner offers great physical prowess and command of swordplay.
His abilities can mean the difference between a good boss fight and severe frustration. Of course, one can't talk about Steiner without mentioning the excellent partnership he shares with Vivi, allowing him to access his Spellblade skills and deal devastating damage to his enemies. While this partnership is great in battle, it does mean that Steiner, by himself, is a little lacking in the power department.
8 General Beatrix
General Beatrix has some of the most imposing moments in the entire game as an adversary for your party. The party faces her three times in the title, and Beatrix completely wipes the floor with them all three times.
Ideally, this should be enough for Beatrix to take the top spot on this list. However, points need to be deducted since her actual use in the party when she teams up with Steiner — while impressive — lacks in comparison to her performance during her boss encounters.
7 Garnet Til Alexandros XVII (Dagger)
Garnet is the party's White Mage and has access to a variety of summons, similar to Eiko, but unfortunately, Garnet's magic is less powerful. Although Garnet can take advantage of enemy weaknesses with elemental magic, and she does have access to strong Eidolons such as Ark and Bahamut, her attacks simply don't measure up to that of other characters.
Unlike Eiko, Garnet doesn't learn the magic spell Holy, so if you're looking for a magic user and healer, Eiko is typically the better option. Garnet's Eidolons are powerful assets but can become redundant when you have other, stronger attack-dealing party members.
6 Quina Quen
It's almost a trend at this point for the Blue Mage of any Final Fantasy game to be laughably weak for some reason or other. In FF9, the role of Blue Mage is adopted by a party member who is a chef by training and lineage.
Let's be clear that Quina is not useless. In fact, if you take the time to have Quina learn Blue Magic skills, they can actually prove to be an incredibly valuable party member. However, their base power isn't all that great, and the grind required to make them a halfway-decent participant in battle is something that most people might not opt for. They can be one of the most powerful party members, but it takes a lot of effort to get them there.
5 Zidane Tribal
As the protagonist of Final Fantasy 9, it's unsurprising that Zidane is up there with the most powerful playable characters. Zidane's combination of speed and power makes him a party regular for most FF9 players, even when he's optional. He puts out consistent damage, has useful abilities, and offers excellent Trance abilities on top of that.
Couple this with his Flee ability, and he makes for a respectable party member in a tough situation. He is an especially useful party member in the early game because of his ability to Steal; however, he is surpassed in the late game, as other characters are more versatile.
4 Eiko Carol
Eiko is one of the two White Mages in your party that dishes out a fair bit of damage if need be, along with healing others. Her power is limited by her low MP pool, but you can't deny the fact that Eiko can easily become a stalwart member of your party thanks to her powerful Eidolons and spells like Holy.
If you're looking for a reliable healer that can also deal good damage, then Eiko is your best choice. Her Trance ability, Dbl Wht, also allows her to use two White Magic spells in a single turn, meaning you can heal your party and use Holy in one fell swoop.
3 Amarant Coral
Fulfilling the role of the Monk class in FF9, Amarant can dish out some pretty decent damage if he's built up nicely. He can also heal party members for HP and MP with Chakra. Combine this with his Trance ability, which allows him to hit multiple targets, and he can heal your entire party in one turn.
Amarant can also use the No Mercy ability to deal much more damage than his regular attack, using Chakra once again to recover the MP used. It's a powerful combination that makes Amarant a versatile party member.
2 Freya Crescent
Freya fulfills the role of the Dragoon in the party, and you might expect her to be a force to be reckoned with, and you'd be right. She has a diverse set of skills, dealing high damage and providing boosts to the party, increasing both attack and defense. Freya's Jump ability is incredibly useful, too, allowing her to evade incoming attacks and deal damage upon descent, slamming her spear into enemies.
If you defeat 100 dragon enemies, she can consistently hit enemies for 9999 damage using Dragon's Crest, the game's maximum damage count. This is one of the easiest ways to guarantee 9999 damage, making Freya a powerful member to have in your party.
1 Vivi Ornitier
The Black Mage that everyone loves is also one of the best members to have on your team. For starters, Vivi is the only pure Black Mage in FF9, making it imperative for you to use this character in your party basically at all times, especially because of his Doomsday spell. His Trance ability to double cast is also incredibly useful in boss fights.
But more than just his basic abilities is Vivi's synergy with other team members like Steiner. With Vivi in the party, Steiner can access Sword Magic, which means he can support other party members while being a strong magic user. It's difficult to deny how powerful Vivi is, which makes his short life span all the more tragic.