FINAL FANTASY XII: THE ZODIAC AGE – Esper Licenses

In Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age there are 13 different Espers (or Summons) that you can defeat and Unlock the License for you can use them in Battle. These Esper Licenses also Unlock certain other Special Licenses for your Characters depending what Jobs you chose. However you can only obtain each Esper License with only ONE Character, so you may be wondering which Esper should I obtain with which Character/Jobs. Don’t worry, I will help you. Its what I live for, lol. Below I have listed all the Espers, what special Licenses they Unlock for which Job and what I believe the best choice(s) are. Here you go.

Belias, the Gigas

KNIGHT: Potion Lore 1
FOEBREAKER: Horology
BUSHI: Libra
BEST CHOICE: Bushi OR Knight – As Belias is the first Esper in the game, his License Board unlocks are not great and will not add much to your skillsets. Since I have Vaan as my Bushi I gave Belias to him for the Libra Technick, since I always have a few unused Gambits with him, adding a Libra Gambit at the very bottom works out for me. This frees up another Gambit Slot for my Mage Jobs which I want to use for Magicks. However, Libra  is found in many other Jobs already so perhaps Unlocking Potion LOre 1 for your Knight might make more sense. Horology is an awkward Technick based on your game clock, so I don’t recommend that one.

Adrammelech, the Wroth

WHITE MAGE: Souleater, Battle Lore
UHLAN: Battle Lore
TIME BATTLEMAGE: Cura, Raise
FOEBREAKER: Battle Lore
BLACK MAGE: Fumarole, Tumulus
BUSHI: Souleater
SHIKARI: Shades of Black
BEST CHOICE: Uhlan OR Time Battlemage – Since I have Vaan as a Bushi/Uhlan, and Katana Damage output in my thing, the extra Battle Lore is what I usually pick. Unlocking Souleater on the Bushi side is ok, but not really needed. However, I have Ashe as a Black Mage/Time Battlemage and Cura and Raise also looks really good, however if your Time Battlemage is also a White Mage OR Red Battlemage, it would be a waste because those Jobs already get Cura and Raise normally.

Zalera, the Death Seraph

MONK: Traveler
TIME BATTLEMAGE: Ether Lore 3
BLACK MAGE: Steal, Poach
BUSHI: Blood Sword, Karkata
SHIKARI: HP +435
BEST CHOICE: Black Mage OR Shikari OR Bushi – Ok, so for my main team I have Vaan as a Bushi/Uhlan, Penelo as a Machinist/White Mage and Ashe as a Black Mage/Time Battlemage. I wanted to be able to Steal AND Poach with all of them, so I chose to give Ashe those Technicks, since Vaan starts with Steal and Unlocks Poach with Uhlan, and Penelo already gets Steal and Poach with Machinist. However, you might also consider the +435 HP with your Shikari to help him TANK. However if you want to use Karkata with your Bushi, that might be the better option, however thats not for me.

Cúchulainn, the Impure

WHITE MAGE: Libra
UHLAN: Wither
RED BATTLEMAGE: Firaga, Thundaga, Blizzaga, Sleepga
KNIGHT: Battle Lore
FOEBREAKER: Shades of Black
BUSHI: Stamp [Also unlocked by Ultima] SHIKARI: Protectga, Shellga
BEST CHOICE: Red Battlemage OR Knight OR Shikari – Having the 3 main Elemental, “GA,” Spells for your Red Battlemage makes the most sense here, however if your Red Battlemage is also a Black Mage, (which I don’t recommend,) it would be a waste because Black Mage already gets those Spells. So, giving your Knight an ectra Battle Lore might make more sense. My Balthier is a Shikari/White Mage so picking Shikari here doesn’t make sense for me, but it might make sense for you if you paired Shikari with a different Job.

Mateus, the Corrupt

UHLAN: Magick Lore (x2)
KNIGHT: Curaga, Esuna, Cleanse, Regen
TIME BATTLEMAGE: HP +230
BLACK MAGE: Caldera, Volcano
SHIKARI: Gil Toss
BEST JOBS: Knight OR Time Battlemage – Knights do not gain access to White Magick on their own, and another character able to use Esuna/Cleanse/Regen is probably your best option (unless your Knight is also your White Mage). However, if you don’t use a Knight (highly unlikely,) or if your Knight is also a White Mage, then the +230 HP for your Time Battlemage is your best bet.

Hashmal, Bringer of Order

UHLAN: Bonecrusher
RED BATTLEMAGE: Steal
KNIGHT: Curaja, Bravery, Faith, Confuse
MONK: Cura, Raise
TIME BATTLEMAGE: Channeling
FOEBREAKER: Swiftness
BLACK MAGE: Makara
SHIKARI: Bonecrusher
BEST CHOICE: Knight OR Foebreaker OR Time Battlemage – Like Mateus, it is probably best to give Hashmal to your Knight in order to give them some White Magick abilities. If your Knight is also your White Mage, then the next best choice is Swiftness for your Foebreaker OR Channeling for your Time Battlemage.

Famfrit, the Darkening Cloud

WHITE MAGE: Orichalcum Dirk, Platinum Dagger, Numerology
UHLAN: Potion Lore 3
MACHINIST: Hastega, Slowga, Vanishga, Reflectga, Warp, Graviga
RED BATTLEMAGE: Battle Lore (x2)
MONK: Arise, Dispelga
TIME BATTLEMAGE: Battle Lore
FOEBREAKER: Magick Lore
ARCHER: HP+390, HP+435
BLACK MAGE: HP+190, HP+230, HP+310
BEST CHOICE: Machinist OR Black Mage – Machinist DEFINITELY, Hastega is one of the BEST Spells in the game and normally ONLY Time Battlemage can use it. If you don’t use a Machinist (highly unlikely,) or if your Machinist is also a Time Battlemage, then all that extra HP for your Black Mage is your best bet.

Exodus, the Judge-Sal

WHITE MAGE: Battle Lore
MACHINIST: Oil, Decoy
RED BATTLEMAGE: Platinum Helm, Giant’s Helm, Dragon Helm, Platinum Armor, Carabineer Mail, Dragon Mail
KNIGHT: HP +350
MONK: Souleater
TIME BATTLEMAGE: Battle Lore
FOEBREAKER: Magick Lore (x4) [Also unlocked by Zeromus] BLACK MAGE: Platinum Helm, Platinum Armor
SHIKARI: Stamp
BUSHI: HP +500
BEST CHOICE: Bushi OR Knight – +500 HP for your Bushi is your best bet, however, if its already Unlocked by your Bushi’s second Job, then +350 HP for your Knight would be better.

Zeromus, the Condemner

WHITE MAGE: HP +270
MACHINIST: Makara
RED BATTLEMAGE: Channeling
MONK: Sight Unseeing
TIME BATTLEMAGE: Addle, Shear
FOEBREAKER: Magick Lore (x4) [Also unlocked by Exodus] BLACK MAGE: Giant’s Helm, Carabineer Mail
BUSHI: Magick Lore (x2)
BEST CHOICE: Bushi OR White Mage – The 2 extra Magick Lores for Bushi would be your best bet, as Magick Power boosts Katana Damage, however to +270 HP for your White Mage is also enticing.

Chaos, Walker of the Wheel

WHITE MAGE: Defender, Save the Queen, HP +310
UHLAN: Aeroga, Bio, Blindga, Silencega
MACHINIST: HP+350
RED BATTLEMAGE: Ultima Blade
KNIGHT: Excalipur, Revive, HP+390 [Also unlocked by Zodiark or a Quickening node] MONK: Esunaga, Protectga, Shellga, Holy
TIME BATTLEMAGE: HP+270
ARCHER: Magick Lore
BUSHI: Brawler
BEST CHOICE: Monk OR White Mage OR Time Battlemage – Monk is your best bet, those Magicks are really good, especially if your Monk is also a Black Mage. However you may want the +310 HP for your White Mage OR +270 HP for your Time Battlemage.

Shemhazai, the Whisperer

WHITE MAGE: HP+230
MACHINIST: Caldera, Volcano
RED BATTLEMAGE: Cleanse, Esuna
KNIGHT: Potion Lore 2
MONK: Potion Lore 3
ARCHER: Dragon Helm, Magepower Shishak, Grand Helm, Dragon Mail, Maximilian, Grand Armor
BLACK MAGE: Steel Mask, Mirror Mail
BUSHI: Shield Block
SHIKARI: Spica, Antares, Arcturus, Fomalhaut
BEST CHOICE: Archer OR Shikari OR White Mage – Giving Shemhazai to your Archer will allow them to wear the best Heavy Armors in the game. Giving your Red Battlemage status removing skills will also be sure to come in handy. If your Red Battlemage and your Archer are the same character, like my Fran, then this is an easy choice to make. None of the other selections come close, however the +230 HP for your White Mage may also be good.

Ultima, the High Seraph

UHLAN: Expose
MACHINIST: Magick Lore (x3) [Also unlocked by a Quickening node] RED BATTLEMAGE: Claymore, Defender, Save the Queen
KNIGHT: Telekinesis, Battle Lore
MONK: Swiftness (x2)
TIME BATTLEMAGE: Diamond Sword, Runeblade, Deathbringer, Stoneblade
FOEBREAKER: Swiftness
ARCHER: Infuse, 1000 Needles [Also unlocked by Zodiark] BLACK MAGE: Telekinesis
BUSHI: Stamp [Also unlocked by Cúchulainn] SHIKARI: Phoenix Lore (x2)
BEST CHOICE: Monk OR Foebreaker – Swiftness is the best passive node in the game (reduces action by 10%). If your Monk does not already have Swiftness, then give them Ultima. If Foebreaker needs the Swiftness, then give them Ultima.

Zodiark, Keeper of Precepts

WHITE MAGE: Claymore
MACHINIST: HP+390
RED BATTLEMAGE: Ragnarok
KNIGHT: Excalipur, Revive, HP+390 [Also unlocked by Chaos and a Quickening node] MONK: Renew
TIME BATTLEMAGE: Durandal, Simha
ARCHER: Infuse, 1000 Needles [Also unlocked by Ultima] BUSHI: Giant’s Helm, Dragon Helm, Magepower Shishak, Carabineer Mail, Dragon Mail, Maximilian
BEST CHOICE: Monk OR Bushi OR Machinist – Renew is the highest level White Magick that fully heals your team, so you may want that for your Monk, however if your Bushi is paired with a Mage or Light Armor Job, you may want some Heavy Armor for them. Also the +390 HP for your Machinist looks good.

There you have it, my Guide for what to Unlock for which Jobs with every Esper. Hope this helps. HAPPY HUNTING!!