I got this game for Christmas last year and never really got around to playing it much. I've finally started to play and this new battle system gives me this feeling theres a whole lot to it I'm missing. Is there a way to avoid getting hit? I'm in these sewers to get into the castle and I'm having to constantly use potions on Vaan because of rats! There must be something I'm not getting because I find it odd to just sit there taking hits until I can attack again. I try strafing around them but even if it looks like they are missing me I take damage. I'm stumped and I'm not really seeing any good online guides for the battle system. Anyone got any advice?

First of all i'm no FF master.. i've played it once or twice.. In saying that, its just the way it works as far as i'm aware, its a turn based system. So you have one turn, then the other enemies have their turn, there are alot of different things that are taken into account, such as energy, quickness of attack, strength and all that stuff.

There should be alot of information about it, maybe a FF vet can provide some more information or correct me if i'm wrong :P

This one isn't turn based, you are able to run around freely and there are enemies just walking around rather than popping up in random encounters. There is a bar that needs to fill up before you can attack again sort of like in FF7 and the enemies just go nuts on me while I'm waiting for the bar to refill.  To me this seems odd that I have to take such a beating during every fight.

Hmmm.. Combining both elements of Turn based and Normal Attacking systems? Not too sure mate. Sorry :(

If you take a step back, you'll see that it is turn based. Its more like the timing system in FFX, where characters can be faster than each other, and thus take more turns, but everyone still has a time meter that fills up, they perform an action, wait for the time meter to fill up again etc.

I can see how it might seem odd to people use to real time combat and action games, but if you play it like a tactical puzzle, it makes more sense. Just set up gambits that leverage healing and attacks, try learning cure and having a gambit that casts it when Vaan HP drops below a certain %. Same thing works with potions, but its a bit better with magic.

Walking is pretty much pointless in battle, except for when you want to escape from a battle using R2 (which I do encourage you to use sometimes. if the enemies are too strong, sticking around won't do any good). Like Psytek said, as soon as you can buy a license for Cure, get it, and teach it to all your party members. Then set up a few auto-healing Gambits.

I always have the habit with RPGs of waiting a few hours before actually messing around in the menu, but doing so won't really get you far in FFXII. This game is hard. Probably the hardest game in the series (though I've never played FFIV Hard Version).

If you find the game too hard, you may want to switch to Wait mode (if you were in Active mode) and lower the battle speed. I like to play on Active mode with maximum battle speed because I just don't have the patience for anything else, but it does make the game a whole lot harder.

Thanks for the help guys, I knew the GB community would be helpful. I did already buy the license for Cure, so I guess I have to buy that spell in a shop? I also don't remember how to set Gambits, I did when I played a little bit after Christmas but couldn't figure it out yesterday. I also have it set to Wait for the moment but I plan on changing it later on since it defeats the purpose of Active Time Battle.

I'm also probably just going to grind for a while until I feel comfortable with my stats and my understanding of the battle system. Better to learn on some rats and bats than a boss.

Edit: I didn't have gambits available before, now that I do things make way more sense. The game practically plays itself now which is good and bad.

Yeah, while the battle are difficult it feels ok, but there's a point in the game where you become overlevelled just by following the main path, and you can win most fights just with attack gambits.

ok ff12 is only for super hard core ff fans the only mini game i found was more fighting wich was depressing this is the only game i never finished i liked the licence board system
butif your not a super hard core fan just walk away watch the clips on youtube

i hate that pile of shit  they call a final fantasy game fuck square enix

Think Mass effect, even though its all real time, you still gotta play it like an RPG.

I realize this is an ancient thread, but someone earlier mentioned that there is no point to running around in battle except to escape an enemy. I have to disagree. Against many of the bosses, there is an advantage to running around.

Examples that come to mind up to the point I'm at in my game now include the Mateus, King Bomb and Judge Bergen fights.

Running around both increases MP and can help avoid getting hit immediately with attacks as well as preventing AOE from hitting your other party members. AOE spells can be detrimental if your main tank (party leader, usually) is standing close enough to your other fighters that they get hit with it. in contrast, if you run the enemy away from them when the opponent is charging an AOE, he'll still cast it on you, but it will only hit you while your other party members stand there and hit him or cast spells in relative safety.

Anyway, it's definitely more "hardcore" than other FF games. It rewards you if you treat the non-random battles like random battles, though. In other words, if you see an enemy on your way to the next area, don't try to avoid it, but instead kill it.