Eyes on Final Fantasy Forums > Final Fantasy: Nerds in Paradise > Final Fantasy IV > Five Members at a Time in FFIV

[Evastio]

Basically this thread is for discussing five member parties and the weird row system in FFIV.

Personally I liked it. It's one of the things that made FFIV stand out from other FFs. The row system made it quite challenging (yet not challenging) at the same time. Having to force 2-3 members to be in the front/rear row meant that you couldn't maximize all of your characters' attack power or defense. In a way, it made FFIV easier since you could change your whole party's row adjustment just by using the Change command once.

As for having 5 characters at a time it helped make the story really good by having more characters (compared to other FFs) go through the same experiences and knowing the feelings and reactions of each of them during those experiences. Having five characters usable in battle was also really useful (especially having 3 fighters and still having room for a strong white and black magic caster).

[oddler]

I pretty much agree with everything you brought up. It's cool and sometimes painful at the same time. Overall, it's different and I approve.

[Vermachtnis]

I like what you said, but having them in a two triangles all the time wasn't my favorite part. Almost like it forced you to go with three physical attacker and two mages or three mages and two attacks.

[Roogle]

I felt that other Final Fantasy games could have benefited greatly from the five person party concept.

I remember constantly getting annoyed in later games when the storyline would come up with an excuse for a party member to not travel with you, or for the party to split up constantly, just because the party was at its limit of four — or later, three — characters. I think I would have been more attached to a few characters in Final Fantasy VII, for example, if I had been allowed to choose five characters in combat or if the story chose which characters are acceptable to be in the party for me at more points.

[Crossblades]

I love the 5 row system. It would give a lot more variety in a party. I was a bit surprised that it wasn't used in later FFs. VII would've greatly benefitted this as it was a bit hard to switch in and out characters just to level all them.

[Yaridovich]

Roogle cried aloud with mirth and merriment:

I felt that other Final Fantasy games could have benefited greatly from the five person party concept.

Crossblades cried aloud with mirth and merriment

VII would've greatly benefitted this as it was a bit hard to switch in and out characters just to level all them.

The thing is Final Fantasy IV's characters were concrete in development, unlike, say, using materia in VII or a job system in V. That is why I chose option four.

[Mirage]

The row system in FFIV worked fine for FFIV, because you always had members in your party that fitted into the system. I don't know how that will work now that you can switch in any members in the GBA version. Might be hard with more than three melees, or more than three squishy mages.

[Vermachtnis]

Mirage cried aloud with mirth and merriment

The row system in FFIV worked fine for FFIV, because you always had members in your party that fitted into the system. I don't know how that will work now that you can switch in any members in the GBA version. Might be hard with more than three melees, or more than three squishy mages.

Yea, Cecil leading Palom, Porom, Rosa, and Rydia won't get you very far easily. I know I tried.