Bravely Default’s lack of a Switch port, or better yet a sequel on the Switch, is a crime against humanity. It is the medieval spiritual successor to Final Fantasy. So, of course, there are jobs characters can change into. 24 in fact. So let’s go through how the job system works. Let’s say a player wants to make Tiz a Swordmaster.
When that happens he will gain two things that cannot be changed. The Fixed Command is Bushido, which aligns to that class’ abilities such as Free Lunch, which when cast, reduces MP cost to zero for two turns. The Specialty is Counter, which adds a choice to strike back against physical attacks. Every job has these two things, but that’s not all a character has at their disposal. Heroes can also be equipped with a secondary Job Command like Summoning from the Summoner class.
Tiz, as an example again, can only use as many spells as he has learned as the Summoner though. Also, leveling up classes unlocks Support Abilities such as increasing defense, or HP. Based on all that criteria, these ten jobs are the most essential to max out as soon as possible. In reality, there are no bad jobs in the game. Some are redundant, or not as strong as others, but each one has at least one great worthwhile ability.
10 Freelancer
This is the first job players start out with and is super boring. However, there are a few abilities worth leveling this class up for. They can learn to increase HP and MP by 10%, which are different skills, but the biggest boon of all is JP Up.
With this ability players will earn more JP, or Job Points, thus making every progression into a new class faster. The Freelancer is basically the foundation that makes all other jobs stronger.
9 Black Mage
The Black Mage is also kind of a boring, or obvious pick, but classics never get old. Every good party has to have a Mage of some sort. There are other magic classes in the game, but a lot of them rely on building up the Black Mage in order for them to be useful.
Or, in the next case, some classes help the Black Mage become even better. That’s the great thing about Bravely Default. There’s an awesome flow to character customization via classes.
8 Arcanist
The Arcanist basically makes the Black Mage better. It has an ability to lower the cost of black magic by 25%.
It also has a pretty great defensive skill called Absorb M. Damage, which heals the character for a fourth of the magic damage received. Its last ability, Interment, casts a super strong dark magic spell that costs 210 MP! So yeah, that’s a sure sign of something mighty.
7 White Mage
Hey, healers are important too. There’s no getting around a good White Mage. Not only do they have great healing and buff techniques, but these iterations can also do some decent damage as well.
Of course they only get better later on because of the next entry. Let’s give it up for the underdogs of every RPG!
6 Spiritmaster
Same with the Arcanist, the Spiritmaster is the equivalent to make the healer more robust. It can lower the cost of White Mage skills by 25%.
Maximize HP is a support skill that doubles HP, but only during battle. Isn’t that the only time HP matters? Eh, the semantics of that one doesn’t matter. It’s still a great skill. There are also several great defensive magic support abilities.
5 Ranger
Most Rangers in games are segmented to being just the bow user and are thus not that cool. This version is like something straight out of Monster Hunter.
They wear pelts and masks from foes and also have hunting abilities like Plant Slayer and Beast Slayer. These do increased damage to certain types of enemies that correlate to their monster types. These might be the best Rangers in any of Square Enix’s games, or for that matter, RPGs in general.
4 Monk
There’s something just so mesmerizing about Monk classes. Maybe that’s because we have affection for martial arts movies of the 80s and 90s, but bare-knuckle fighting techniques are fantastic.
Plus Monks can also get a support ability they can then pass on to increase HP by 30%. Of the entire base, classic jobs, Monks have always been a favorite.
3 Ninja
It doesn’t matter if it is called Final Fantasy Tactics, or Bravely Default, because the Ninja class is OP in both games. First of all, who doesn’t want to be a ninja?
Secondly, and more seriously, they gain the ability to wield two weapons at once without any penalties aptly titled Dual Wield. Another great support skill is Cleave, which grants characters a chance to hit another enemy after a kill just like in Dungeons and Dragons.
2 Dark Knight
Like Ninjas, the Dark Knight class, or characters that take on this persona in any of these related titles, is just awesome. Dark Knight Cecil in Final Fantasy IV is the cooler version. In all Final Fantasy games Gaffgarion from Final Fantasy Tactics might be the best.
Anyway this class works the same as any of the other iterations. It has great dark magic attacks that sacrifice HP for great strength. Toward the end players can also get the support ability P. Attack 30% Up. The effects of which should be pretty obvious.
1 Spell Fencer
The best class in Bravely Default is the Spell Fencer. This job has gone by other names in Final Fantasy such as Sword Mages, but they all boil down to the same thing. These sword-wielding warriors can infuse their blades with magic like fire, ice, wind, and so forth.
It has the defensive and attack stats of something like a mighty Knight, with magical prowess of a Black Mage as well. Any party without one is sorely missing out.