With the exception of certain special characters, party members (or "units") can change job class at will. Each job can learn a variety of special skills, and the skills learned are retained even after a job change. With careful selection of skills, players can build custom units with a unique balance of abilities suited to the player's engagement style, and tailor each unit to a specific situation. Each race is limited to a specific set of jobs, with some jobs overlapping multiple races, and many skills shared between different jobs and races.
Nu Mou Alchemists use powerful magic to deal massive damage to enemies and inflict devastating status ailments. They are also unique in that they can always access Items, even when their alternate A-ability isn't set to Items! Alchemists equip Maces and light armor.
Animists are Moogles who employ various magical effects based on animals to inflict status ailments, deal damage, and heal allies. Because of the seeming silliness of their abilities, Animists are often overlooked as useless joke units, but their abilities are not to be underestimated: an effectively utilized Animist can reduce an enemy party to sleeping berserker frogs! Animists equip a variety of Instruments and light armor.
Archers are masters of ranged combat, preferring to take the high ground and rain arrows down on their foes from above. They lack in power compared to the more aggressive close-combat units and mages, but they make up for their lack of power by using their skills to inflict various status ailments on their targets, including immobilization! Archers equip Bows and light armor. This job is available to Humes and Viera.
Viera Assassins are agile, deadly, and a serious threat to any party unfortunate enough to encounter them in battle. Possessing a variety of skills with the sole purpose of ending the life of their targets, and even more skills that render hapless foes infirm and insensate, a clan with an Assassin on their side has the upper hand in any engagement. Assassins can wield Katanas and Greatbows, and wear light armor.
Beastmasters are Nu Mou who have learned to tame and control the wild beasts of Ivalice. While the usefulness of temporarily controlling monsters in battle is debatable, Beastmasters are in fact vital allies for any clan with a Blue Mage, as only Beastmasters can ensure the "cooperation" of monsters in "teaching" their special skills to Blue Mages. Beastmasters equip Instruments and light armor.
Bishops are what happen when Bangaa decide they want to use magic. As Bangaa have no innate affinity for magic, they're not very good at it, and the magical skills of the Bishop are all over the map. However, perversely, they are the only mages in Ivalice capable of casting Holy, the ultimate White Magic spell. Bishops equip Staves, light armor, and robes.
The Black Mage is an iconic staple of the Final Fantasy series. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance presents a stripped-down but nevertheless highly effective version of this classic character. In FFTA, Black Mages are limited to the nine most basic Black Magic spells in the franchise: three spells each of Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard. In short, the most useful and common spells of Black Magic. Though they lack Flare, they are a crucial element of any successful clan, and it's a good idea to have at least three units skilled in Black Magic. Three races can become Black Mages: Humes, Moogles, and Nu Mou. Black Mages equip Rods, light armor, and robes.
Humes in Ivalice have long been fascinated with the variety of strange powers employed by the beasts and monsters that roam the land. Those who take this fascination to its extreme become Blue Mages, strange fighters who can copy abilities used against them by monsters. While a repertoire of useful Blue Magic is difficult to accrue, and the full talents of a Blue Mage can only be realized with the aid of a Beastmaster, those with the patience to endure the complexities of this obscure branch of magic will be greatly rewarded. Blue Mages equip Sabers,light armor, and robes.
Mighty Bangaa knights who stand strong and immovable as mountains. Defenders are powerful, durable, and capable of dealing tremendous damage. They are also able to use their Aura to imbue themselves with Auto-Life, making them difficult to finish off. Defenders can equip Knightswords and Broadswords, and wear heavy armor and robes.
Dragoons, also known as Dragon Knights, are legendary lancers known for their famous ability to leap high into the air and deliver devastating damage from above. Bangaa who take up the mantle of the Dragoon bring an extra set of abilities to the table, duplicating the deadly breath attacks of wild dragons. Dragoons can equip Swords and Spears, and wear heavy armor.
Elementalists are Viera whose communion with nature has granted them the power to channel the forces of nature. Their spells inflict damage and status ailments on foes; they also possess healing magicks. Elementalists equip Rapiers, light armor, and robes.
While Viera usually eschew close combat in favor of ranged weapons and magic, those who are more adventurous become Fencers. Fencers take advantage of their speed and agility to strike at enemies while avoiding damage, and employ an array of techniques to debilitate foes. Fencers equip Rapiers, light armor, and shields.
Fighters are strong, battle-hungry Humes who hone their skills, developing a variety of special moves geared toward inflicting as much damage to their enemies as possible. Fighters can equip Blades and light armor.
Gadgeteers are curious Moogles with very bizarre abilities. Harnessing the power of lost machina, they can spread different effects to all units in a party...but there's a catch: the flip of a coin decides whether their Pandora Arts hit the enemy party...or their own. The uncertainty may make many pause before utilizing this double-edged unit, but risk is its own reward, as Gadgeteers can utterly devastate unwary enemy parties...if fortune favors them. Gadgeteers equip Knuckles and light armor.
Gladiators are Bangaa who learn the art of infusing their weapons with magic to strengthen their attacks. While their skillset is decidedly limited, they are still handy units to have on hand. Gladiators can equip Blades and light armor.
Gunners are exactly what the name implies: Moogles who use guns. Besides simply shooting enemies with a gun, they also learn gunmanship skills that allow them to make shots that would normally be impossible, as well as specially targeted shots that debilitate their opponents. Gunners can equip Guns and light armor.
Hunters are Hume archers who have honed their skills in order to track and capture wild monsters. Without their unique services, Nu Mou Morphers would be powerless. In addition to their hunting skills, Hunters also have powerful bow techniques that inflict heavy damage on their targets. Hunters equip Greatbows and light armor.
The Illusionist is an unusual mage whose usefulness is highly debatable. The visually impressive spells they cast do roughly as much damage as the lowest-level Black Magic. The only difference is that they hit every enemy unit on the battlefield. This means you can park an Illusionist in the corner of the map farthest from the actual fighting and spam moderately useful spells that hit every enemy unit. Furthermore, Illusionists' spells ignore Reflect and Return Magic, making them ideal for inflicting magical damage upon foes normal mages dare not attack. Illusionists equip Rods, light armor, and robes. Humes and Nu Mou can access this job.
Carrying on the fine tradition of sociopatic clowns, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance serves up the Juggler. These obnoxious little Moogles throw things at their foes. Most of them do damage. Some of them cause status ailments. They can also give their allies the next turn after theirs, regardless of turn order. While on the whole Jugglers are more a nuisance than a threat, they can still cause a lot of trouble. Jugglers can equip Knives and light armor.
Mog Knights are stalwart, hardly Moogles who have mastered the way of the blade. With skills not unlike the Paladin, Mog Knights are useful to have around...if you don't have an actual Paladin or a Hume Fighter. Mog Knights can equip Blades and shields, and are the only Moogles who can wear heavy armor.
Morphers are mysterious Nu Mou who possess the ability to transform into captured monsters and use their abilities in battle. While quite versatile, they are only useful in conjunction with Hunters. Morphers can equip Souls, light armor, and robes.
Ninja are speedy, stealthy Humes who train in the art of Ninjutsu, enabling them to debilitate opponents and remove protective spells. They are also the only job class who can learn to dual-wield weapons, a truly dangerous skill indeed. Ninja can equip Knives and Katanas and wear light armor.
The noble order of Paladins are a Hume society of holy knights, whose skills are centered around the aid and protection of their allies. Though they are guardians and protectors first and foremost, there can be no question they are also formidable combatants, whose swords can decimate entire enemy clans in short order. Paladins can equip Knightswords, Greatswords, and shields, and wear heavy armor and robes.
Red Mages are Viera who have studied the magic arts of other races and learned the basics of casting magic that is normally unavailable to Viera. Because they have spread their studies too thin, none of the spells they learn are very powerful, but they've compensates for this shortcoming by developing the ability to cast two spells at once. Red Mages can equip Rapiers, light armor, and robes.
The wisest of Nu Mou with the greatest knowledge of magical learning may choose to become Sages, thereby gaining access to some of the most powerful magic in Ivalice. Sages possess distinct and formidable magical abilities, and are also capable physical combatants. Sages can equip Maces, light armor, robes, and shields.
Elite Viera Snipers utilize more powerful bows than Archers, and develop advanced, powerful bow techniques. Their arrows can shatter weapons and armor, poison fows, and even bestow gradual, certain death. Snipers can equip Greatbows and light armor.
Humes who have just begun to engage are usually employed as basic Soldiers. While this is solid job class for weak, inexperienced units, most clanners quickly choose a less limited job after a few engagements. Their skills are largely unimpressive. Soldiers can equip Swords, Greatswords, shields, and both heavy AND light armor.
By communing with the great spirits and learning to call upon their aid, Viera can become Summoners. The great creatures Summoners can call upon are able to attack groups of enemies, heal groups of allies, imbue certain enhancements, and revive fallen allies. Summoners can equip Staves, light armor, and robes.
Magic is regarded as the bane of all Bangaa, who lack innate magical affinity. It is therefore only natural for there to be a Bangaa soldier whose skills are geared toward the debilitation and destruction of mages. Enter the Templar, physical powerhouses who can rob mages of their power by silencing them and negating their mana. Templars can equip Knightswords, Spears, and heavy armor.
Thieves are experts in the art of plundering, capable not only of relieving enemies of their possessions and gil, but even of their experience and abilities! Humes and Moogles can become Thieves. Thieves can equip Knives and light armor.
Time Mages control the flow of time around units, ally and foe alike. They can speed or slow time, stop time entirely, and control the forces of gravity to reduce foes' health. Moogles and Nu Mou can be Time Mages. Time Mages can equip Rods, light armor, and robes.
Warriors are Bangaa sellswords with limited battle experience and only the most basic skills. Warriors can equip Swords, Broadswords, heavy armor, and shields.
White Mages are the go-to healers of Ivalice, with the ability to recover health, cure status ailments, and revive the fallen. They can also cast protective magic to shield allies from harm. While their main purpose is battlefield support, they can cause more damage to the undead than even the mightiest Bangaa. White Mages can equip Staves, light armor, and robes. Humes, Viera, and Nu Mou can become White Mages.
White Monks are Bangaa skilled in martial arts. By focusing their chakra, they can inflict damage on foes from a distance, heal their own wounds, and even revive fallen comrades. They can also banish the undead from existence! All in all, they are very versatile and reliable allies. White Monks can equip Knuckles and light armor. However, they cannot equip any form of head protection.
