Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age / FFXII - License Board Mechanics

License Board

The License Board is the ability system in Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age. Similar to its predecessor in Final Fantasy XII, the license board appears similar to a chess board. Each tile si a specific ability available to learn. This particular grid style began with Final Fantasy X where Sphere Grids are used for abilities. Unlike the former games, once a party member joins up, one can assign them to a specific class. Here, they will learn the abilities for that specific class. To learn a skill, one must spend LP (License Points) to unlock that particular skill.

The Licenses have different groups. The License groups are Magicks, Augment, Technicks, Gambit, Accessory, Armor, Weapons (1-3), Summon, and Quickening. There are two methods to opening a specific license. Players can complete a quest or spend LP to obtain the ability. After the ability has been acquired, the license board’s square will appear solid. Final Fantasy XII only allowed one job per character. However, this new remaster allows a character to have two character boards after learning “L Board Plus” on the License Board.

Licenses

Magick

Magick is the very soul of the Final Fantasy series. In this case, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age classifies Magicks as a license. While all classes can learn magicks, some skills are restricted to certain job classes. For example, the White Mage learns the most White Magick under the Aries License Board. If you’re looking for Black Magick, become a Black Mage. Some of these abilities can also be obtained from treasures.

Technick

Technicks serve as “command skills” for each character. Some of these Technicks are command skills like “Steal” which allows you to rob an item from an opponent. However, in order to unlock the Technick, you have to buy it from the shop. Before you can use it, make sure the party member you’re trying to teach the Technick to has the License Board that allows them to learn the skill.
Technicks

Accessory

Accessories are equipable items in Final Fantasy XII. Similar to armors and weapons, accessories grant stat bonuses to the wearer. These can vary from increasing your base stats to increasing your damage when attacking a specific enemy. Some of the accessories also correspond to a particular augment. Unfortunately, the effect doesn’t stack. Therefore, it’s pointless to equip an accessory with an ability the character has on their license board.
Accessories

Gambit

Gambit is the famous system of Final Fantasy XII that allows the player to give commands to their teammates. It allows you to easily send out commands to your allies with minimal effort. Considering that battles happen in real-time, using the Gambit system will allow you to focus more on fighting. This system also grants your allies a form of intelligence.
Gambits

Armor

Armors are equipment your character wears to further their abilities. Each armor has its own augment which furthers the wearer’s fighting abilities. Also, armor allows characters to equip a shield. If using a single-handed weapon, the character will be able equip a shield.
Armors

Weapon

For your character to equip a weapon, the character must have a particular license in order to use it. These weapons enable you to fight against your enemies, depending on what you’re fighting against. Some weapons have high critical hit rates. Others increase your base damage output. Another kind of stat placed on the weapon is elemental affinity, allowing its wielder to deal elemental damage.
Weapons

Summon

Final Fantasy XII adopted some of Final Fantasy VIII’s summoning style. In this style, you have to fight enemies in order to summon them. However, in Final Fantasy XII, you must fight an Esper for its license.
Summons

Quickening

Quickening is similar to Overdrive, Limit Break, or the Trance system of former Final Fantasy games. Normal gameplay stops and a blue bar appears that needs depleting. As the bar begins to shrink, you’ll have to press a variety of buttons to create a combo. The Quickening is split over three levels and each character has their own signature Quickening.
Quickenings

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