Archers get the maximum number of speed boosts in the game, as well as lots of augments that make their items even more potent. Plus they even get Cura and Raise, two very good white spells that allow your Archer to be an emergency healer, should the need arise. With all these positives, any job would benefit as an Archer’s second in Final Fantasy XII. But there are a few that not only benefit an Archer, but fit perfectly and create a job that’s much better than the sum of its parts. Let’s discover what those few exalted jobs are.
3. Archer + Red Battlemage
The archer can use just two spells: Cura and Raise. Despite this low number, they get six magic boosts on their license board. Let’s not let those go to waste. And the Red Battlemage is the perfect secondary job to put them to good use, as well as adding some of its own magic boosts. Aside from the increase in magic power, the Red Battlemage also brings along its variety of spells. With the Archer’s naturally good speed, these magics can be used with excellent effect. Everything from curative white magic to the buffs of time magic, it’s all here. It’s not all the magic, of course. But this kind of variety is more than enough. The Red Battlemage can also equip mystic armor and some heavy stuff. If you play your cards right and unlock the right Espers, you can open up even more armor possibilities, should you feel the need for all that extra protection. Furthermore, the Archer is one of the few jobs in FFXII that can equip something that boosts fire damage: the Burning Bow. This weapon will make the Red Battlemage’s exclusive fire spell, Ardor, super powerful. When this is all tied together, the Archer + Red Battlemage combo becomes quite appealing.
2. Archer + Time Battlemage
Even though you can see “mage” right there in the name, pairing up Archer with Time Battlemage is much more of a physical play than magical. The Time Battlemage can equip heavy armor, as well as use swords, and has a bucket full of strength increases – as well as lots of license board panels that increase item potency too. And what about the other weapon that a Time Battlemage can use? Crossbows. These are a great supplement to your ranged armory as an Archer. There comes a time when crossbows start to wane in power, and when that happens, bows will come to pick up the slack (and vise-versa). It’s always nice to have that choice, especially when it comes to the different ammunitions. Between arrows and bolts, you’ll have a fine selection of elemental and enfeebling to pester your enemies with. But don’t forget about the magic! More magic is always nice to have. And getting both Addle and Shear to lower your enemy’s defenses certainly doesn’t hurt this combo either.
1. Archer + Foebreaker
A bow’s damage formula uses both strength and speed to determine the total damage output. As such, any other job that specializes in either of those stats would be a great choice. As it would happen, the Foebreaker does nothing but specialize in those two stats. But the power that Foebreaker brings is actually only part of its appeal. The other part is what tools it has access to. Aside from being able to equip heavy armor and the Genji Gear, the Foebreaker has a collection of technics that can lower an enemy’s defense, magic defense, strength, and magic attack. This makes the Archer suddenly somebody who can quickly sneak across the frontline, debilitate the enemy, and then get back to the safety of ranged battle before anybody even notices something happened. An Archer + Foebreaker combo also gets quite a bit of extra HP, as well as the option to use hammers and axes, should you desire to take a break from bows and dish out some really heavy DPS.
