FFXII is definitely not a deep game but I enjoyed the time I spent with it and will probably play through it again at some point in the future. Despite making it all the way through VIII and getting 30 hours into IX this is the first Final Fantasy game since Tactics that I've actually liked. Part of it is the story/characters, part of it is the battle system that allowed me to explore maps with little to no fuss. I was in god mode most of the time so it actually felt a lot like playing Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance where I didn't have to mash the attack button.
My gambit setup was fairly simple even at the end. I never used offensive magic, quickenings (why bother?), or espers.
Vaan was my party lead and gambits were 1. attack closest enemy 2. cast cura if a party member's health was lower than 70% (after battle is over, heal everyone up to conserve primary magic user's MP) 3. cast shell on Basch 4. self buff with haste/shell
Basch played the part of God (deserving of capitalization). He was my offense. 1. was attack party leader's target which he never followed because after the 20th hour there were only 3 minutes where he wasn't berserk. 2. cast cura if a party member's health is lower than 70% (never used) 3. Cast Libra on self after berserk wears off and before Ashe can recast it
Ashe was my primary magic user although she only used offensive magic a handful of times. 1. cast curaja if a party member's health was under 30% 2. cast cura if party member's health under 50% (70% on bosses) 3. Berserk/Haste buff Basch 4. attack party leader's target
I controlled Vaan. Most of the time I just explored and watched Basch 1 or 2 shot everything on the map. For boss battles I cast dispel on the boss whenever necessary to keep haste/faith/bravery/shell off of them, secondary healed, took status effects off, and attacked. Most boss battles were 30 second affairs, though. I had trouble with the first demon wall, the dragon in the woods that is a status effect nightmare, and the bomb boss on the way to Archadia and that's it.
