Final Fantasy XVII Wiki: Jobs, Summons, Secrets & Walkthroughs

Final Fantasy XVII Job System: A Complete Breakdown FFXVII returns to a class-based system that feels like a love letter to Final Fantasy Tactics but with real-time combat. There are 12 base jobs you unlock through story progression, plus 4 advanced jobs that require specific job level milestones. ### Base Jobs

**Swordsman** – Starts with a basic sword combo; unlocks "Guardian Stance" at level 10 (reduces damage by 40% for 5 seconds)

**Archer** – Long-range damage dealer; critical hit rate scales with distance (max 25% at 20 meters)

**Mage** – Fire/Ice/Lightning spells; costs 30 MP per cast, regens 5 MP per second

**Thief** – Steals items and has a 15% chance to double loot drops; backstab deals 3x damage

**Monk** – Unarmed combat; each consecutive hit increases attack speed by 5% (caps at 50%)

**Knight** – Tank class; taunts enemies within 15 meters and gains a shield that absorbs 500 damage

**White Mage** – Heals for 200 HP base; Cure II at level 20 heals for 600 HP

**Black Mage** – Focuses on AoE spells; Firaga at level 25 deals 800 damage in a 10-meter radius

**Dragoon** – Jump ability deals 400 damage and stuns for 2 seconds; cooldown 12 seconds

**Ninja** – Throws shurikens (100 damage each) and can teleport behind enemies

**Bard** – Buffs party with +15% attack and +10% defense; songs last 30 seconds

**Ranger** – Uses guns; each shot consumes 1 bullet (max 30 bullets, restocked at camps) ### Advanced Jobs (unlock conditions)

**Paladin** – Knight level 20 + White Mage level 15; combines tanking with healing

**Dark Knight** – Swordsman level 20 + Black Mage level 15; sacrifices HP for 2x damage

**Red Mage** – Mage level 25 + any other job level 15; casts spells faster (cast time reduced by 50%)

**Mystic Knight** – Knight level 15 + Mage level 15; imbues weapon with elemental damage (adds 300 damage per hit) ### Cross-Class Abilities At level 30 in any job, you can equip one passive from another job. For example, a Swordsman with the Thief's "Lucky Strike" gets +10% critical rate. This is where builds get creative.

FFXVII Summon Guide: Stats and Locations Summons in FFXVII are called Eidolons, and they act as temporary party members that auto-attack for 60 seconds. You can summon once per battle. Here's where to find them: | Summon | Element | Attack Power | Special Effect | Location | |--------|---------|--------------|----------------|----------| | Ifrit | Fire | 500 | Burns enemies for 100 damage over 10 seconds | Trial of Flame (Chapter 3) | | Shiva | Ice | 450 | Freezes enemies for 3 seconds | Trial of Frost (Chapter 5) | | Ramuh | Lightning | 400 | Paralyzes enemies (20% chance) | Trial of Storm (Chapter 7) | | Titan | Earth | 600 | Stuns enemies for 4 seconds | Trial of Earth (Chapter 9) | | Leviathan | Water | 350 | Pushes enemies back 15 meters | Trial of Tides (Chapter 11) | | Bahamut | Non-elemental | 800 | No special effect | Trial of the Unbroken (Chapter 13) | **Hidden Summons:**

**Odin** – Requires defeating 100 enemies in the "Colosseum of Memories" (post-game). Attack power 700, instant kill on enemies below 20% HP

**Alexander** – Found in "The Silent Cathedral" after completing a puzzle involving 12 bells. Attack power 550, heals party for 1000 HP Each Trial is a boss fight that scales to your level. I recommend being at least level 25 for Ifrit and level 45 for Bahamut. The fight with Bahamut took me 12 minutes on my first attempt.

Side Quest Walkthrough: The Weeping Wastes (Missable!) The Weeping Wastes zone appears in Chapter 5 and becomes inaccessible after Chapter 8. There are 8 side quests here. Here's the critical path: 1. **"The Lost Caravan"** – Talk to Merchant Niko at the oasis. He wants 3 Desert Cactuar Needles (drop from Cactuars, 20% drop rate). Reward: 2000 gil, 1 Phoenix Down 2. **"Ancient Relic"** – Examine the glowing pillar near the ruins. Requires a Sunstone (found in a chest guarded by a level 28 Sand Worm). Reward: Access to the secret shop that sells Elixirs for 5000 gil each 3. **"Echoes of the Past"** – Listen to 3 ghostly voices at grave markers. The third voice triggers a fight with a level 30 Ghost Knight. Reward: 3000 EXP, "Spectral Blade" (sword, 120 attack) 4. **"Water for the Dying"** – Collect 5 bottles of water from the oasis pond. Takes 30 seconds each. Reward: 500 gil, 1 Hi-Potion 5. **"The Last Stand"** – Defend a wounded soldier from 3 waves of enemies (levels 25-28). Reward: "Guardian's Amulet" (boosts defense by 50) 6. **"Message in a Bottle"** – Find a bottle near the eastern cliff. Contains a map to a hidden treasure (20000 gil) 7. **"Rare Flora"** – Collect 3 Moonblooms from behind waterfalls. One is guarded by a level 32 Basilisk. Reward: "Moonbloom Extract" (cures all status ailments) 8. **"The Fading Light"** – Light 5 torches in a specific order (clockwise from the entrance). Reward: "Eternal Flame" (key item for a later quest) **Pro tip:** Save before attempting "Echoes of the Past" – if you fail to listen to all three voices, the quest fails and you can't retry.

Secret Boss Locations FFXVII has 5 secret bosses, all tougher than the final story boss (level 55). Here's where to find them:

**The Nameless King** – Appears in the "Abyssal Arena" after completing all 47 side quests and reaching 100% bestiary. Level 70, 250,000 HP. Drops "King's Crown" (accessory, +100 all stats) and "Nameless Blade" (weapon, 500 attack, 20% chance to instant kill)

**Omega Weapon** – Found in the "Forgotten Laboratory" in Chapter 14. Requires a key from the "Ancient Relic" side quest. Level 65, 200,000 HP. Drops "Omega Badge" (accessory, +50% critical damage)

**Cactuar King** – In "The Great Desert" after defeating 500 Cactuars. Level 60, 150,000 HP. Drops "King's Needle" (dagger, 300 attack, +30% steal rate)

**Tonberry Lord** – In "The Sewers of Altissia" after killing 200 Tonberries. Level 68, 180,000 HP. Drops "Tonberry's Chef Knife" (knife, 400 attack, 100% backstab damage)

**Ultima Weapon** – In the "Chamber of the Elders" after collecting all 12 summon stones. Level 75, 300,000 HP. Drops "Ultima Blade" (sword, 600 attack, all elemental damage +50%) **Strategy for The Nameless King:** Bring a party with at least 2 healers (White Mage or Paladin). He uses a move called "Void Wave" that deals 500 damage to everyone and removes all buffs. I found the Dark Knight with the Mystic Knight's imbue ability works best – jump attack then dark magic combo.

FAQ **Question: Can I change jobs mid-game?** Yes, you can change jobs at any save point. Each job has its own level, so if you switch at level 30 Swordsman to level 1 Mage, you start from scratch. However, cross-class abilities carry over once unlocked. **Question: Are there any missable summons?** No, all 6 main story summons are obtainable regardless of choices. However, the hidden summons Odin and Alexander are missable if you skip the Colosseum of Memories or don't solve the bell puzzle before the final boss. **Question: What's the best job for a first playthrough?** I recommend starting with the Knight. It's forgiving (high HP, taunt keeps enemies off you), and you can later unlock Paladin for healing. That combo carried me through the entire game without grinding. The Swordsman is also solid if you prefer damage. *Last updated: Based on version 1.04 of Final Fantasy XVII.*