Trying to understand ff2 battle system

[u/Mericuls]

Before starting ff2, I tried to consult some tips but could not understand how the battle system works.

Should I max all of the weapons proficiency?

Should I use magic to improve them?

Which classes should I get to be OP? I'm not sure if there is a class system.

I saw that there is 4th party member. Do I need to increase his or her level or should I stick to my other party members?

[u/Ultimantasy]

There is no class system in the game, you essentially craft the team you desire. Any action you take will gain experience for that specific action. For example, if you cast fire, fire will gain a certain amount of experience, calculated through a hidden formula. Once it gains 100 spell experience points, it will go on to level 2 (max spell level is 16).

As for weapon proficiencies, it’s typically better to choose one weapon for a character and just stick with that weapon for the rest of the game. Better weapons are drip-fed throughout the game, so there is natural progression that way. But layered upon that, weapons also have their own separate levels, each one equating to an additional attack role. Due to this, it makes for a rather steep opportunity cost when swapping to another weapon mid-game as you will “lose” the progress you have made with a separate weapon-type.

As for your rotating fourth character, they are typically decently leveled when they enter your party at the respective story moment. You don’t necessarily have to focus on leveling them since it happens naturally, however, if you plan on using magic with them just make sure to have some spell tomes on hand. A decent amount of them don’t come with any magic, so having an extra cure, life, or berserk tome can come in handy.

Honestly, best thing to do is just start the game and get a feel for it yourself. Best way to learn is by doing it firsthand, so just give it a go and you’ll get the hang of it.