Just another JRPG topic.
I'm curious about what YOU find the best statistics/spells/skills accrual system.
So, nothing about story, graphics, audio or even combat mechanics, just the mechanic used to strengthen your characters: equipment and leveling and all that jazz.
One of my personal favorites is the mechanic in Shadow Hearts: Covenant. It uses a standard leveling and equipment system - in combination with a Judgement Ring customization option - but the manner in which new spells are acquired, is quite ingenious. On one hand you have the Crests, which can be equipped to any character, offering a fully customizable magic load-out (like FF VII and FF VIII) while also offering character-unique skills to make sure every single one of your allies has an individual significance. The cool thing is that every characters learns new personal moves in his or her own unique way.
Also, to keep things even more varied, there are two characters than can't use Crests, but instead have the ability to transform into a selection of demon-like entities. These can also be upgraded individually.
Others I really like are the mechanics from Final Fantasy X and X-2. Like I said, we're not here to talk about story and design choices. I really liked the refreshing concept of the Sphere grid, converting "levels" as some sort of usable item on a grid filled with stat boosts, skills and spells. My only problem with this is that near the end, every character loses his individuality, except for Yuna.
I liked X-2's mechanic because it was an ingenious throwback to the old job system. It had tons of jobs which you could place on grids, allowing your characters to switch between jobs in-battle. You had everything from the Blue Mage (Gun Mage) to the White Mage, from the Dark Knight to the Berserker, all of them with a big list of moves to learn. The only problem I had with this, is that the the large freedom given to you - letting you play with all the jobs - often caused some imbalance near the end.
I'm curious about what YOU find the best statistics/spells/skills accrual system.
So, nothing about story, graphics, audio or even combat mechanics, just the mechanic used to strengthen your characters: equipment and leveling and all that jazz.
One of my personal favorites is the mechanic in Shadow Hearts: Covenant. It uses a standard leveling and equipment system - in combination with a Judgement Ring customization option - but the manner in which new spells are acquired, is quite ingenious. On one hand you have the Crests, which can be equipped to any character, offering a fully customizable magic load-out (like FF VII and FF VIII) while also offering character-unique skills to make sure every single one of your allies has an individual significance. The cool thing is that every characters learns new personal moves in his or her own unique way.
Also, to keep things even more varied, there are two characters than can't use Crests, but instead have the ability to transform into a selection of demon-like entities. These can also be upgraded individually.
Others I really like are the mechanics from Final Fantasy X and X-2. Like I said, we're not here to talk about story and design choices. I really liked the refreshing concept of the Sphere grid, converting "levels" as some sort of usable item on a grid filled with stat boosts, skills and spells. My only problem with this is that near the end, every character loses his individuality, except for Yuna.
I liked X-2's mechanic because it was an ingenious throwback to the old job system. It had tons of jobs which you could place on grids, allowing your characters to switch between jobs in-battle. You had everything from the Blue Mage (Gun Mage) to the White Mage, from the Dark Knight to the Berserker, all of them with a big list of moves to learn. The only problem I had with this, is that the the large freedom given to you - letting you play with all the jobs - often caused some imbalance near the end.
