Unlike a lot of other classic Jobs in the series, there are no iconic representations of Samurai in theFinal Fantasyseries. For example,Cecil fromFinal Fantasy 4is both a good example of a Dark Knight and a Paladin while Zidane is a great Thief fromFinal Fantasy 9. There are a few characters that sort of have Samurai traits but they are not as overt.
Sephiroth fromFinal Fantasy 7uses a long katana but he’s no noble warrior. Auron uses techniques called Bushido inFinal Fantasy 10and there’s also a Summon that Yuna uses, Yojimbo, that has Samurai-like vibes. Beyond named characters though, whatFinal Fantasygames have good Samurai Jobs to inhabit?
Final Fantasy 5was not the first game to include a Job systemplayers could swap between but it was the first to include ways to cross-class. When players progressed enough in one Job, they could bring abilities over. One of the best abilities was tied to the Ninja, Dual-Wield, which allowed players to equip a weapon in each hand.
Another first forFinal Fantasy 5was the inclusion of Samurai which unlocked after getting to the Earth Crystal. Even though Samurai are basically Eastern warriors with heavy armor traditionally, they have good evasive skills in the game along with a solid attack power. Samurai also had the unique ability to throw money, Gil, at enemies which would later be combined into most Throw commands in laterFinal Fantasyentries.
Final Fantasy 10-2was a direct sequel to the first game that whittled the party to just three characters. Yuna and Rikku were joined by the new character, Paine, and a twist on theJob system was formed via Dresspheres. Most Dresspheres were obtained throughout the story but some were hidden away.
The Samurai inFinal Fantasy 10-2is another version that excels at attacking. LikeFinal Fantasy 5, it has a money-throwing technique called Spare Change, which is useful in a pinch. Their costumes look a bit like they’re trying to pay homage to Auron, and overall, it’s an okay Job.
Final Fantasy 12has a Job-like system but characters do not put on a traditional garb when changing between roles. Instead, players can move icons around a skill tree called the License Board. Each area of the board is dedicated to a traditional Job from thefranchise like Black Mageand there’s also a Zodiac sign attached.
A Bushi is the Samurai equivalent which is tied to Aquarius. The Bushi excels at katana-based combat and it’s a good role to give someone like Basch who is built like a warrior in the group. Without the traditional costume, the Bushi lacks flair next to other entries butFinal Fantasy 12still belongs on the list.
Final Fantasy 11andFinal Fantasy 14share a lot of the same Jobs as each are the only two MMOs in the series. While their Job listings begin small, each new expansion brings new gameplay elements and Jobs to the table. They both got Ninja Jobs, for example, along with another Japanese influenced Job: Samurai.
Samurai unlocked inFinal Fantasy 11’sfirst expansion, Rise of Zilart, which is also when Ninjas and Dragoons were unlocked.Final Fantasy 14fans had to wait until the second expansion, Stormblood, to play as a Samurai which is also when players gotto create Red Mages. Samurai inFinal Fantasy 14are a bit stronger with more abilities and equipment as opposed to its predecessor’s version.
Final Fantasy Tacticsrequires leveling up Jobs to create new ones. It can be one of the biggest thrills of the game: discovering new Job unlocks after leveling up. To get a Samurai, players have to level up a character’s Knight, Monk, and Dragoon Jobs and those have requirements too.
Now, theSamurai of Ivaliceare more like magical warriors than straight-up offensive swordsmen. They call upon the spirits of their katanas to unleash attacks like Ashura which can slice an event with a concentrated slash attack. It’s a cool twist on a classic Job and it’s one of the more special versions.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originwas a collaboration between Koei Tecmo’s Team Ninja and Square Enix. Team Ninja made two of the most celebrated Soulslikes outside of FromSoftware, Nioh, which featured samurai prominently. Coincidently, Samurai is also a Job inStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and the game overall is aSoulslike but one aimed at beginners.
Getting new Jobs required players to level up others and Jack, the protagonist, could become a Samurai after progressing into the Ronin Job. Besides Jack, Jed can become a Samurai along with the other Japanese inspired Job, Ninja. Samurai are strong attackers in the game with some decent katana-based skills.
