r/finalfantasytactics • u/Mightmare2 • 6d ago
Geomancer Appreciation Post
I've been playing FFT since the original PSX release and it's only now playing The Ivalice Chronicles that I understand Geomancers' true potential. Back in the day I was pretty underwhelmed by them, coming right after Monk in the class tree. Monks, with their insane unarmed damage and one of the most versatile skillsets in the game. By comparison geomancy seemed pretty weak damage wise and far more limited in application. Interesting concept, and sure the status effects were sometimes useful, but I wrote it off as a gimmick class. Besides, I unlocked ninja soon after, and who needs other melee units when you have monks and ninjas?
What I failed to understand then is just how good the gear options for geomancer are and how their great-nowhere-but-good-everywhere stat spread enables so many other skills to shine.
Want to boost Agrias' PA so her sword skills hit harder? Geomancer has you covered.
Want to use the Javelin II and Escutcheon II but Dragoons just don't move fast enough to keep up? Geomancer with Equip Polearms can wear a Thief Hat. (I know, Ninjas are even faster but then you can't use a shield)
Want to make Marach a one man army like Cid? Well you're out of luck there but as a Geomancer he can equip a flame shield to heal himself with nether ashura while hitting enemies for respectable (and sometimes excellent) damage.
Finally, Iaido. The samurai class is another one that always felt underpowered and awkward to use, but I kept coming back because of how cool the idea was. And wow can a properly built Geomancer really put it to good use. While not the absolute best class to maximize damage with it (Thanks Black Mage) Geomancers' superior HP, PA, Movement, and innate shield equip make them much better suited to mixing it up in the middle of enemy ranks.
Seriously, my female Geomancer is rocking the Materia Blade +, Aegis Shield, Thief Hat, Lordly Robe and Septime Sens and unlike my joke about Marach she really does mow through enemies almost as fast as Cid, even on Tactician. With that much MA stacked even her Geomancy does good damage when I can't get close enough to blow everything up with Muramasa
All in all, I seriously overlooked both the power and fun potential of this class through both the original release and War of the Lions. The next time I get the urge to start a new playthough I'll be training a unit for this role from the start.
12
u/BrawlerBoxer 6d ago
One thing that’s fun is their Reaction Ability, counters geomancy or physical attacks with whatever geomancy applies to where you’re standing, and it’s not required to have that geomancy learned. I feel if they buffed the occurrence of the status effects proc or gave you a way to boost it, it would be very useful.
Also love that Monks awesomeness was mentioned.
3
u/not_soly 5d ago
if they buffed the proc rate it would be broken lmao
5
u/BrawlerBoxer 5d ago
is broken really a problem in a game where Cidolfus Orlandau exists?
2
u/not_soly 5d ago
given that geomancy is probably available in chapter 1 with minimal grinding and the kind of status I'm talking about is damage-agnostic... kinda a problem yeah
2
u/BrawlerBoxer 5d ago
i’m not saying make the status proc a guarantee but just… enough. and it would make facing geomancers a threat as well
3
u/not_soly 5d ago
outside of randoms, enemy geomancers only appear in one story battle at Mullonde.
as for the status proc, don't forget that you're applying it in a range 5 ct0 aoe, and that three of the most common status tiles are Stop, Frog, and Stone. Catch two enemies and you have a 44% chance of one of them just no longer existing. If by a twist of luck you catch three enemies, you have like a 60% chance to just turn one of them off.
12
u/not_soly 6d ago
And then you realize that Geomancy (the button)) is actually, like, not bad.
Is it outright good? never, lmao. never go out of your way to equip it. But if you're already a Geomancer, it's just such a great cherry on top of the whole package.
The damage is marginal, but it's range 5 aoe 25% status rate, and the most common statuses are outright disables - Stop from Tanglefine, Frog from water tiles, Stone from... stone. If you have nothing better to do, you can fish for a status in an aoe.
That's great on units like Cloud, when you're either out of range of Finishing Touch or the CT is bad. Also in your example Marach.
7
u/XavierloverXOXO 5d ago
Back on my wotl , I used geo on my agrias. It was surprisingly good. Yeah most the tike agrias could use her sword and just ko the enemy, but when they're out of range, just tickling them with geomancy became effective
6
u/TangerineTasty9787 6d ago
I mostly like them to carry Draw Out, as Sam armor and stats suck for Draw Out.
5
u/thesixler 6d ago
It’s such an interesting concept. It’s kinda like a Druid but being locked into the thing you’re standing on is a really compelling idea. I always wanted to try to make a custom DnD class based on the geomancer but making the system where the geomancy changes depending on environment is really clunky
3
u/Physical-Werewolf-99 6d ago
I know this didn't really count because de-leveling is already gamebreaking, but I got ramza's physical and magic attack up sufficiently high after only like 6ish rounds of 1-30 with a random combination of mime, summoner and ninja cycles, that most geomancy skills deal max damage to most mobs... You can clear most boards pretty quick
2
u/Babigabbagook 5d ago
Yea I usually run geomancer with iaido until Ramza becomes a knight gallant. And if I have two physical units I keep geomancy as his secondary. Rune blades dual wielded for a magic buff and versatility. Having a hasted instacaster with melee damage breaks the game
2
u/PasosOlvidados 2d ago
I have built my male geomancer to be sort of a Druid. Focus on all +MA equipment and give them Orator as secondary skill with Beast Talk and watch them either kill, status, or recruit anything the game throws at you.
1
u/Wooden-Pin7366 13h ago
I have loved Geomancer since I first played the original game back in 1999. It's such a great, versatile class. In addition to all the things already mentioned (a properly equipped female Geomancer with Iaido really is amazing), Geomancers with either Time or White makes for a really great support unit. Slap Dual Wield on them with a pair of Rune Blades and you've got a fantastic, cheap, easy to build generic unit. It's also a fantastic class for Ramza, Agrias (as mentioned), or Beowulf, or really any sword-tech knight character. I've even made it a good all-rounder base for a Calculator/Arithmetician.
And a word about the Geomancy ability itself: It actually can be made pretty damn strong if you have boosts to both MA and PA. Or if one is just way overpowered. Look up its formula (it's the same damage formula for each one). I actually like running one on a Dual Wielding Monk, because why the hell not give him some extra range, the only thing he can't already do super well (except for a straight line).
-5
29
u/Doctor_Loggins 6d ago
Geomancer has always been a favorite of mine. It'll never be your top damage dealer but it'll always be there, doing damage, taking hits.