Espers

Overview

This entry contains esper information for Final Fantasy Zero. In FFZ, Espers are part of every character's repertoire. Espers function something like a piece of equipment: you can "junction" one at a time to you. When junctioned, you and the Esper become one, piggybacking on each others' souls. Similar to equipment, there are also five "ranks" of espers (using a scholastic letter grade, from D to Star).

Junctioning Espers

When an esper is junctioned, it has several effects:

  1. Summon Break: An esper has it's own limit break that you can use in place of your own. In most cases, this is the esper's most famous ability (for instance, Ifrit's Hellfire).
  2. Junction Support: While junctioned, an esper gives you a particular support ability. In large part, this is where their "ranks" come from: Espers with higher ranks will have more potent support abilities.
  3. Esper Abilities: When an esper is junctioned to a character, that character gains special action abilities that they can use during combat, much like job abilities. Typically, espers don't have much in the way of abilities, but there are a few.

Summoning

Unlike in some FF games, Espers do not remain around after summoned. Thus, they don't have much in the way of stats themselves: they act more as augments for the characters than as characters in their own right. Espers have their own Weapon Power and Magick Power, but otherwise have no stats. Summoning, in FFZ, takes the form of a Limit Break, and so tends to be quite powerful. However, all "summon breaks" are of roughly equal power themselves, distinguishing themselves by different effects, elements, targets, and mechanics.

Summoner Abilities

Like a piece of equipment, espers grant a support ability that depends on their tier. This ability is constant on a character who is junctioned to the esper. Like a job, espers also grant action abilities that improve while a character levels up. Thus, even a level 15 character might consider having an D-rank Esper if the support and action abilities are appealing, even if they aren't, strictly speaking, powerful.

Why no Summoner Job?

Because summoning is such a fun part of the FF games, for FFZ, it was determined that no player should be left out of the loop for it. There is precedent in the games for universal summoning (FF6, FF7, FF8, FF12), so it isn't wholly a new invention. It also allows GMs to hand out espers like treasure, rewarding clever or unusual tactics to find some of the rarer or more powerful espers, without disturbing the game balance. It is assumed most parties will find at least one esper, but the game is entirely balanced without it, since Espers don't do anything truly unique: they just add to what the party can already do. Because of this, GMs are as free to mess with the esper concept as any FF game is: they can be anything from totema of certain races, to representatives of certain jobs, to enshrined in crystal shards or given as weapons.

Esper List

Boco.jpg

Bobby Corwen

Rank: D- (Level 1)
Weapon Power: 1d10 + Level
Magick Power: 1d6 + Level
Element: Wind
"Bobby Corwen" is the name of a legendary chocobo who traveled multiple worlds, serving many masters. He is considered a spirit of travel, speed, and wanderlust, and is often junctioned to those who also travel the world(s), either by choice or force. As he levels up, he transforms into different colors of chocobos, and comes at the behest of his summoner when they use his powers. Sometimes, his name is abbreviated as "Boco." Characters junctioned to Bobby Corwen will find their swiftness increased and all of chocobokind at their beck and call. They may feel the need to travel more often, to see more new sights, and to not stay in the same place for more than a few nights.

Chocobo Kick

(Summon Break)

Chocobo Kick
Deals 16 x (Weapon Power) physical damage to one target.

Chocobo Dash

(Junction Ability)

Chocobo Dash
+2 to Escape attempts.

Bobby Corwen's Abilities

White Chocobo Restore

Level 1, 7 MP Targets One Ally
~Spell, Cosmos~

White Chocobo Restore
Restores (Magick Power) Magick Points.

Black Chocobo Meteor

Level 6, 17 MP Targets All Enemies
~Spell, Wind, Immobilize~

Black Chocobo Swoop
Deals One-Half (Magick Power) wind damage to all enemies and inflicts the Immobilize ailment.

Gold Chocobo Meteor

Level 11, 27 MP Targets All Enemies
~Spell, Cosmos~

Gold Chocbo Meteor
Deals 2 x (Magick Power) non-elemental damage to all enemies.

Fat Chocobockle

Level 15, 35 MP Targets All Enemies
~Tech~

Fat Chocbockle
Deals 3 x (Magick Power) non-elemental damage to all enemies.

RW_Shiva.JPG

Shiva

Rank: B (Level 8)
Weapon Power: 1d4 + Level
Magick Power: 1d12 + Level
Element: Ice
Shiva is a goddess of ice whose anger and vengeance are legendary. She is considered stately yet fierce, quick to take offense and also quick to deal with those who offend her violently. Offerings made in her name by travelers in the winter wish to stay her hand, placate her fury, and acknowledge her power, terrified by the possibility of offending her. She is sometimes considered a goddess of vengeance, with a veneer of calm but a wrathful blizzard hiding just below the surface. Characters junctioned to Shiva may find themselves responding to slights with a pitiless comeback, and gain a host of ice-related powers.

Diamond Dust

(Summon Break)

Diamond Dust
Deals 12 x (Magick Power) Ice damage to all enemies.

Statuesque Grace

(Junction Ability)

Statuesque Grace
+6 to Evade

Shiva's Abilities

Heavenly Strike

Level 5, 15 MP Targets One Enemy
~Spell, Ice, Slow~

Heavenly Strike
Deals One-Half (Magick Power) Ice damage and inflicts the Slow ailment.

Mesmerize

Level 10, 25 MP Targets All Enemies
~Spell, Ice, Sleep~

Mesmerize
Deals One-Half (Magick Power) Ice damage and inflicts the Slow ailment to all enemies.

Osmose

Level 15, 35 MP Targets One Enemy
~Spell, Shadow, Drain~

Osmose
Drains2 x (Magick Power) MP from the target.


List of Espers by Rank

D- (Level 1)

  • Bobby Corwen

D (Level 2)

D+ (Level 3)

C- (Level 4)

C (Level 5)

C+ (Level 6)

B- (Level 7)

B (Level 8)

  • Shiva

B+ (Level 9)

A- (Level 10)

A (Level 11)

A+ (Level 12)

One Star (Level 13)

Two Stars (Level 14)

Three Stars (Level 15)

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