Final Fantasy Type-0: Nine Breakdown

Welcome to the Type-0 Breakdown. Over the next couple of months, I’ll be giving a rough breakdown on the characters and other aspects of Square Enix’s upcoming release, Final Fantasy Type-0. While these won’t be in-depth guides that will tell you how to gear or exploit the game, they will be brief introductions to the characters, as well as character stat rankings. I’ll be telling you what’s going to be good for beginners, a challenge for advanced players, and which character personality might drive you nutty. All of it will be spoiler-free, so fear not. This will just be a quick glance to get you geared up and pumped to play!

Please note that there is the possibility that abilities or other small changes may be made in the translation of the game. The information in the guide is based upon the existing Japanese terms and controls used. Very little is expected to change in the released game. 

Last time we took a quick look at Eight, the Monk. This time, we’re going to be jumping to conclusions with Nine, the Dragoon.

A brash, impulsive character, Nine has a reputation for being rude and coarse. Because of this, as well as his foul mouth, he is considered stupid by fellow classmate Queen. Nine sees the world in black and white and does not waste time dwelling on matters. To him, time spent thinking is time wasted. He listens to his instincts and believes that if someone isn’t going to do something useful, then they should get out of the way. Many consider him careless, but he rarely loses a fight and his courage boosts the morale of others on the battlefield.

What, did Fang and Snow have a kid together? Just kidding. I won’t open that can of worms again after Seven.

Nine wields the lance in battle and fights in a style similar to that of the Dragoon in earlier Final Fantasy titles. Like Eight, his play style is close-range and aggressive. His play style comes close to Queen’s, but with a greater emphasis on Strength. Like Cinque, Nine has excellent stats that make him ideal for a tank for most enemies. Unlike Cinque, however, Nine has the second-lowest Magic Defense, something to take in consideration when planning out your battle.

Another downside is Nine’s MP pool. Nine has the lowest MP pool out of all of the characters. To add to this, his speed is slow and his attacks have a delay. You’re well familiar with this phrase by now, but timing is key. Using Nine means having to be economical and more precise with abilities that use MP, as well as preparing to take hits if you don’t time one of his swings correctly.

Nine is one of the two characters I would recommend for tanking. Pair him with some of your ranged characters like Deuce and make sure to keep him healed, and you have a great meatshield. But remember to factor in his low Magic Defense. If you’re going against a magical enemy, I would recommend using Cinque instead.

Let’s jump to a sneak peek of Nine’s abilities:

• Jump – Nine leaps into the air and does damage to surrounding enemies upon landing. (As far as I can tell, this ability does not take two turns like previous installments.)
• High Jump – Nine leaps off-screen and deals high damage to an enemy upon landing. (That’s the Dragoon delay we’re used to in a Final Fantasy game.)
• Safety Guard – Nine creates a barrier that consumes the Ability Gauge to restore his HP.
• Spiral Lance – Nine pulls his enemies in to strike at them continuously. This ability can be used as a defensive maneuver.
• Strike Lancer – Nine throws his lance to deal high damage to a distant enemy.
• Howl – Nine inflicts Stop on an enemy.

Nine’s stats heavily favor the physical end of the scales, leaving him rather lacking in the magical department.

Nine’s stats are ranked as the following among all the characters:

• HP – 1st
• MP – 14th
• Strength – 7th
• Defense – 1st
• Flame Magic – 8th
• Cold Magic – 13th
• Lightning Magic – 14th
• Defense Magic – 13th

Overall, Nine has a great tank build if you’re facing an enemy that doesn’t favor magical strikes. His high Strength makes him fantastic against stronger foes as well, but overall, it’s clear that Nine doesn’t study the magical elements of school very well. A low MP pool also means that you have to be economical when using his abilities. His low speed also makes him tricky for newer players, as it will require timing to ensure that Nine isn’t down for the count. I’d strongly recommend getting your bearings with the game first before jumping into the fray with Nine, but practice will pay out in the end when you master a fantastic Tank and Dragoon.

Don’t cut out on us just yet, because next time we’ll be taking a slice at Jack, the Samurai!

What else would you like to see me cover before the game’s release on March 17th (NA), March 19th (Japan re-release and Australia), and March 20th (Europe)? Comment down below and tell me what you would like to see covered after I tackle the characters! 

Checking out the Type-0 Breakdown for the first time? Here’s a list of everything you’ve missed!

• Ace, the Gambler
• Deuce, the Bard
• Trey, the Archer
• Cater, the Gunmage
• Cinque, the Tank
• Sice, the Reaper
• Seven, the Ravager
• Eight, the Monk

Kayla Swenson is an aspiring author and former DJ from Seattle, WA that procrastinates far too much with video games to get a book out. When she’s not gaming until carpal tunnel sets in, she’s working on dreams of being a voice actor as well as a published writer. Fond of RPGs, she will happily disappear into the void to tackle whatever bad voice acting awaits. Contact her at the email above, or on all major systems/networks as Beltravi.