More RPGs should use Final Fantasy XII's Gambit system

Jan 13, 2020
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If you are not familiar, the Gambit system is where you can make simple if-then programs for your party members such as "Ally HP<60% -> Cure". It really took the tedium out of mob fights as you don't have to mash the A/X button a hundred times just to get to the next settlement and in boss fights you could focus on the bigger picture and prepare for dangerous moments. It allowed a more sophisticated approach to battles as enemies and non-party allies also ran on the system and could respond to certain tactics used by the player. In a few boss fights there are also restrictions on actions the party members can do (such as disabling basic physical attacks) which forces the player to change their gambits.

Finally working out the right set of gambits is incredibly satisfying as your party works like a well-oiled machine.
 
Have you played Dragon Age: Origins? It got a similar system and it is pretty advanced if you want to go deep. As for a newer game, Pillars of Eternity 2 comes to my mind and even Outer Worlds if you want an extremely light approach. Personally I am somewhere in between, as often the A.I get's quite clunky with too much min-max.
 
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Jan 13, 2020
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I've completed Dragon Age: Origins. I had the most fun avoiding fights entirely as a rogue. The AI is more sophisticated but the battle system doesn't have the same variety.

I have to admit I don't have as much free time any more to broaden my horizons so I may have missed some examples over the past few years.
 
@gsurfer04 Would you say that the XII delivered a smoother experience (better A.I control/behaviour) compared to the gambit system in Dragon Age: Origins? I tended to make the A.I management pretty simplistic in my DA0 runs as I felt that half the things I put the A.I to do, it did not do at all.
 
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Jan 13, 2020
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In XII it's clearer to see what's going on. It also has some failsafes. For example, if you have an "Ally:Any -> Eye Drops" gambit, the gambit will still only activate if an ally has the Blind status effect.
 
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Zloth

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FF12's was pretty sweet. You didn't start out with all the possibilities. Not only did this let them limit it to make it easier to learn, it made the commands you found a "reward" which really encouraged you to go find a problem to solve with them. I could get all my "solutions seeking problems" urges out in the safety of a video game instead of inflicting them on people at work! ;)
 
Jan 31, 2020
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I remember really loving the gambit system. I was upset at first about not controlling the characters like every Final Fantasy game before.

Dragon Age: Origins has a system but it is a lot more complex. I did not like it as much and would usually pause that game to queue up the character skills.

It seems like FFXII was simple enough where the gambit system shined very well.