Final Fantasy V

📜 HISTORY & IMPACT

Final Fantasy V (1992) took Final Fantasy III's job system and perfected it to absurd levels. With 26 job classes and the ability to mix-and-match abilities, Final Fantasy V became the most customizable mainline Final Fantasy ever made.

Released on Super Famicom in Japan, it didn't reach the West officially until 1999 (PlayStation port). Western fans played fan translations on emulators, making Final Fantasy V a cult classic before its official release.

→ 26 job classes with ability mastery system
→ Mix abilities from multiple jobs for broken combos
→ Lighthearted tone compared to FF4's drama

⚔️ THE JOB MASTERY SYSTEM

Final Fantasy V's job system is legendary among customization enthusiasts:

Learn abilities by gaining Ability Points in each job
Master jobs to unlock their innate traits
Equip abilities from mastered jobs onto other jobs
Create hybrid builds: Ninja with White Magic, Knight with Summons, Berserker with Time Magic

The depth is staggering. Want a Geomancer who dual-wields swords and casts black magic while countering attacks? You can do that.

👥 CHARACTERS & STORY

Four Warriors of the Crystals:

Bartz Klauser - Wanderer with his chocobo Boco, orphaned and adventurous
Lenna Charlotte Tycoon - Princess who abandons her throne to save the crystals
Faris Scherwiz - Pirate captain with a secret past (spoiler: she's Lenna's long-lost sister)
Galuf Halm Baldesion - Amnesiac old man with mysterious power (later replaced by his granddaughter Krile)

ExDeath - The villain, an evil warlock sealed in a tree who breaks free. His goal: return the world to the Void, erasing existence itself.

The story is lighter than FF4 but has emotional beats - Galuf's heroic sacrifice is one of FF's most tearjerking moments.

💼 THE 26 JOBS

Base Jobs: Knight, Monk, Thief, Dragoon, Ninja, Samurai, Berserker, Hunter, Mystic Knight, White Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage, Summoner, Blue Mage, Red Mage, Beastmaster, Geomancer, Bard, Dancer, Chemist

Advanced Jobs: Gladiator, Cannoneer, Oracle, Necromancer (GBA version)

Ultimate Jobs: Freelancer (gains all mastered abilities innately) and Mime (mimics any action for free)

Mastering all jobs as Freelancer creates god-tier characters. This is where FFV speedrunners and challenge runners thrive.

🌍 TWO WORLDS & THE VOID

Midway through the game, two worlds merge - Bartz's World and Galuf's World become one. This doubles the map size and completely changes exploration.

ExDeath's endgame plan involves opening the Interdimensional Rift, a chaotic space where reality collapses. The final dungeon is a gauntlet through the Void, fighting manifestations of past villains.

The Void became a recurring FF concept - representing nothingness, erasure, the end of all things.

🔄 REMAKES & LEGACY

PlayStation (1999) - First official English release
Game Boy Advance (2006) - Added four new jobs and bonus content
Mobile/Steam - HD sprite remasters
Pixel Remaster (2021) - Definitive version with orchestral music

Final Fantasy V's job system directly inspired Final Fantasy Tactics, Bravely Default, and countless other RPGs.

💭 Veteran's Reflection

Final Fantasy V is the "gamer's Final Fantasy." The story is fun but not groundbreaking - what makes Final Fantasy V legendary is the gameplay.

Speedrunners break it with insane combos. Challenge runners impose restrictions (Four Job Fiesta, anyone?). Casual players experiment for hundreds of hours.

No other mainline Final Fantasy gives you this much freedom to build your party. Want four Mimes copying Dual-Wield Rapid Fire? Want a team of Berserkers? A Chemist who can solo ExDeath? Final Fantasy V lets you live your best broken-build life.