Worst to Best - Final Fantasy 6 Espers

[@Bdewd]

First off, yes I realized as of this morning after the file no longer exists that it says Seraph where Siren's name should be. That's a my bad. Secondly, as of a Pixel Remaster update as of yesterday there were a couple of upgrades. Raiden goes from +2 Strength to +2 Speed which would bump him up a a point or two. Alexander now goes from no level up bonus to +2 Strength which would bring him from bottom to around 3rd. Again, file no longer exists to edit so big sad. With THAT out of the way, who is your favourite esper and why?

[@AT-qm8gv]

Quetzalli goes from no stat update to Speed+1 on PR too.

[@Spectrinse]

No worries mate. This worst to best videos are going to give me a good game on ff6 as soon as I finish the 5

[@Loyyid]

Never used summon in this game 🤡 love the content though

[@AT-qm8gv]

@@Loyyid Only a handful are really worthwhile but they quickly lose their luster. In the GBA, Leviathan and Diablos are definitely some of the stronger summons, especially Diablos.

[@Marinanor]

Ramuh. A weak attack spell but at least he actually has some personality.

[@bentorrey12]

Love how people still post stuff like this, this game was my childhood

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

Some games are timeless

[@TBG497]

I feel the same way. It's 2024 and people are making content about my favourite game from 30 years ago.

[@13blackandblue13]

So Tritoch right? :D

[@joshshin6819]

same. its the only game i would love my lady to play :)

[@plegrassi255]

Don't sleep on ragnarok. Ribbons, genji gloves, safety bits, megalixers, thunder shields (bet for genji shields), miracle shoes, ichigeki/assassins dagger all can be obtained through metamorphosis.

[@matt-fitzpatrick]

Metamorph is god-tier for farming on SNES and Pixel Remaster. God-tier-plus on GBA. Also, hours of fun playing "Will It Jerky?" on random enemies. (Don't forget the dinosaurs!)

[@JindraAG]

The actual trick to getting the most out of Ragnarok? Pairing its user with Gogo, to mimic that until the battle ends, or you need to heal. Very high rate of goodies.

[@Chadius]

Also XP eggs on the bird enemies. But you need to know what enemies morph into what. Also you gave up the Ragnarok sword (& Lightbringer/Illumina) in the process. I can't really rate it. But that's the old Ragnarok debate for ya.

[@plegrassi255]

@Chadius I wish the extended dungeons from the GBA version were included in the pixel remaster. The ability to steal those ultimate swords from the last tier of the monument to nonexistence made it very worth before going to the post game dungeons. Also, those summons were neat.

[@veghesther3204]

its still crap since it never really works and even the VANISH and doom glitch SNES and PS1 version will NOT give the Esper a 100% success rate so Ragnarok is still crap I'll use the Paladin Shield for Ultima. Cure rings/Miracles shoes later game makes HP regen FROM Kirin useless so I'll never really summon Kiren at all.

[@Chadius]

3 ways to get Image: - Summon Fenrir - Shadow uses the vanish edge/shadow edge (Gogo can do this too) - Equip the Mirage Vest, you start off with Vanish. It's honestly one of the better armors in the game.

[@matttyree1002]

Shiva is one of my favorites purely for teaching Osmose, which means infinite free MP for the rest of the game

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

Plus the fact that at that point in the game you want to learn Ice 1 & Ice 2 (as well as Fire and Lightning 1&2).

[@NAzo.]

One of the best spells in the game.

[@streetkingsmagazine]

On top of NEEDING osmose to slay one of the dragons

[@PapaTaurean]

I love Golem. That giant stone hand coming out of the ground to protect you is awesome. Plus... they have him looking like a robot. Who wouldn't love a magic robot??

[@Bdewd]

Robo lovers rejoicing rn

[@0Fyrebrand0]

I never thought about it before, but I guess they designed Golem as a robot in FFVI to fit with the "Magitek" theme?

[@enlongjones2394]

It’s just a shame you can’t summon multiple times in VI. In V, Golem was a summon with basically the same effect. But since you can summon him as many times in one fight as you want, he’s amazing for defensive options.

[@kevingriffith6011]

The only reason Crusader sticks out in my head is that I remember spinning it on the Esper slots and getting sent back to the last save point.

[@zeronightx]

lmao rekt

[@salculd]

When I first played this, I very distinctly remember first getting the "Magicite" item that summons a random esper in the sealed gate cave, immediately using it out of curiosity, and getting Crusader. I never used the item again.

[@Steelflight773]

@@salculdSame thing happened to me.

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

​@@salculd I always try to avoid such random effects in games.

[@veghesther3204]

That's why Caith Sith sucks theirs no FF7 summon that kills its user but FF7 still has Cait Sith's version of Joker doom the One that kills your OWN party that's why in FFF7 I'll never use Slots for his 2nd limit break at all.

[@argentbast]

If nothing gets a 10/10 rating, is there a point to the cap? As it stands, the final scores should be out of 36, since none of the scores, not even the insane +2 speed on level up, manage to achieve it. If the concern is weighting certain things more (which accessibility may be guilty of) then the preferred solution would be to weigh each category differently.

[@Bdewd]

I do agree with this, I was also torn on consistency with the rest of the series. Future ones thats probably the idea going forward

[@StuffedVulture]

Agreed. If the first Esper you get isn't a 10/10 Accessibility, what is the point of a 10 point scale?

[@DarkEinherjar]

I can't believe you rated Quick (and thus Raiden) so low... Quick is one of the most busted spells in the history of the franchise. Extra turns are overpowered in any turn-based RPG, and Quick not only gives you two extra turns, but also disables anyone from doing anything else until you're done. Jump becomes "instant", Cyan can take his time charging up Bushido... also, enemies can't counterattack. There's a reason why we haven't seen this spell in the numbered games since VI: it's that busted. Also, Raiden increasing Speed is an amazing improvement.

[@theoriginal3362]

He's ranking these summons with speedrunning in mind , quick is game breaking in casual play but when you speedrun it has one of the slowest magic growths imaginable (x1) , and at the point where you'd have unlocked quick you could've already gotten into kefka's tower fully decked out in gear. That's also why ragnarok magicite was placed so low despite ultima being the best spell , it's too out of the way and loses time

[@CosmicCosmo1]

He also had the esper that teaches Ultima basically last on his list. That is the best/most busted spell in the game. This list is completely inaccurate

[@212mochaman]

@@CosmicCosmo1 ultima is fair enough. Just get the paladin shield and enjoy one of the best weapons in the game

[@frozenflame5858]

Quick + gem box + ultima or quick + offering + genji glove are both so completely busted.

[@veghesther3204]

That's because on the GBA onwards remakes that can no longer be done it only works on the SNES and PS1 games.

[@paladinslash4721]

IRC Shadow has a scroll that gives himself image.

[@plegrassi255]

And mirage vests. Applies to anyone but Umaro I think.

[@ModdingNewbie]

Yes. I don't know what Shadow's scroll is called in later versions, but in the Super Nintendo version it's called "Inviz Edge," I think. I thought that was garbage until I saw this video and its comment section! Now I may try buying him some once he joins permanently!

[@MrEvilbyte]

I always keep Odin, at least for a while. Not for the +Speed. But for the Meteor spell. It's a nice spell that sweeps many randoms. Especially in the Cultists Tower (the mobs there have numerous elemental resistances, and some even have innate Reflect, which Meteor simply disregards).

[@Celanoj]

“Wimpy horse is higher than a castle of lasers.” Dead.

[@Bdewd]

So sad, so true

[@cyrusttoille]

@@Bdewd Question..... Not that it matters to ranking but with Kirin being a mandatory story event and first group of espers you get, how is that not a 10/10 accessibility? You literally can't not get Kirin and the others in the group.

[@orelas167]

@@cyrusttoille Seriously. Kirin should teach Vanish for how little presence he has with the player.

[@dynenuitari8930]

@@cyrusttoille 10/10 would be you start with it

[@cyrusttoille]

@@dynenuitari8930 or as soon as you can get it, it's given to you..... If there is not a way to not get it, it should be 10/10.

[@nesoukkefka1741]

You can also get Image statut with Shadow Scroll through the Thrown command with Shadow (or Gogo).

[@Bdewd]

Noted thanks!

[@xXQBirdXx]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the first 4 you get in zozo should be 10/10 accessible since you get them by default. Would love to hear why they are docked a point.

[@GeriatricSmash]

Yeah. He underrated Kirin mad bad.

[@Bdewd]

To me a 10/10 is perfection. So that would mean get it instantaneously. So 9/10 is next best bet. I'm a stickler on 10s tho

[@xXQBirdXx]

@@Bdewd I can see where you're coming from, and thanks for the reply. I still disagree because, in order to earn a 10 in your logic, we would have to redesign the game to have Terra start with one. At that point, it's not the same game anymore. In the context of FF6 as designed, there's no esper more accessible than the zozo 4. The combination of being the first available to be acquired and the fact you cannot miss them makes them a 10. Either way, I enjoy the content. Keep up the good work.

[@willh1655]

The 1st few espers you receive are 10/10 for availability. Plus you under value zoneseek. Osmose is busted and +2 magic is the best by a wide margin.

[@JP54704]

Man, I'm so used to do Natural Magic Only runs that I totally forgot that equipping Espers grants you stat bonusses on Level Ups.

[@zrayburton]

I don’t think I ever realized the stat/leveling bonuses were a thing on any play throughs I’ve done 🤯

[@jaysea5804]

​@@zrayburtoni agree i have NEVER factored stat bonuses in my history of playing the game.... magic only

[@Chadius]

@@zrayburton magic+2 and strength+2 will turn your characters into war gods real fast. You can beat the game at low level 30s if you apply the bonuses correctly. Only your HP and MP increase when you level up, so every boost counts!

[@veghesther3204]

The Pixel version still allows that simply increase exp to a 4x Boost and AP gain to zero.

[@aka1nas]

It's been a very long time since my last playthrough, but getting the slower characters speed up to match Lock's natural 40 was always a priority for me. Cyan is much more formidable when he attacks more often, etc.

[@civilwildman]

Note: Midgardsormr is Norse for “Midgard Serpent.” It refers to Jormungandr, the giant snake which is a child of Loki abd his wife Angrboda, that Odin threw into the ocean. Gradually it grew so big that it itself around Earth (referred to by the Norse as Midgard) and bit its own tail. During the doomsday event in their beliefs, Ragnarok, the serpent would unravel itself and fight Thor to the death at the end of days.

[@Clouded-Logic]

Imma level with you, Crusader needs extra points taken off for every time I died to it in my first play through's early game by using a magicite shard. EDIT: Other sources of image include Shadows scroll (forget the name) and the mirage vest (which I have never seen a single person use).

[@RadishDoctor]

Or slots 💀

[@Mrdantheman510]

Yeah, I died to Crusader once. Never summoned it again.

[@taylorw3019]

I'm sorry, but this is hella funny.

[@jasontai7730]

I'm pretty sure Shadow can inflict the Image on himself if he used a scroll. Forget what it's called though.

[@fyretech0603]

You're 100% correct, it's the Shadow scroll

[@shebakoby]

IDK if anyone else knows this, but using Gogo to mimic Ragnarok summon (which can be done infinitely) you can actually morph the entire bunch of enemies in an encounter (where there are more than 1). The only thing you have to remember, is Gogo "wastes" a morph turn right after a successful morphing because it doesn't re-target right away after an enemy has been morphed for some reason, but the next turn, it will lock on a new target and you can lather, rinse, repeat. While it's still tedious, it does make the chances of getting an item greater than not doing that.

[@GaIeforce]

There is two other ways you can apply Image status other than Fenrir: 1. Using Shadow Edge through the Throw command. 2. Mirage Vest Both of which only work on one character, while Fenrir works on *the entire party.*

[@Castapher]

You are going to need an update of this video, because after the update a few days ago, Alexander now gives +2 STR bonus and Raiden gives +2 SPD, which is awesome.

[@NAzo.]

There was an update? EDIT: Holy shyt there was! I been waiting for this for a long azz time. Thanks for the comment.

[@dannysimion]

As a kid playing this game, I never bother with the level up bonus for Espers. I used them all just to learn spells for everyone. Some had faster spell rates to learn. Otherwise, my favorite espers to use is the bird that makes us all dragoons! Fun one that is!

[@Calintares]

If the first available espers don't get a 10 in accessibility then your methodology is off.

[@mattsully2238]

Fair point

[@matthewbarabas3052]

its his video... and his ranking. that being said, only the first four should get a 10 in accessability.

[@lachlank.8270]

It's not a scientific paper

[@BonesMoses]

Quick isn't just a "pretty good spell", it's essentially game-breaking. If you also farm and equip Economizers, it costs 1mp. Can we say "infinite turns" boys and girls? I did this back in the SNES days, and Kefka only got one turn per phase. The rest was all constant Genji / Master Scroll attacks and Mime, then re-casting Quick... lol

[@Bdewd]

I go in under leveled and he gets no turns. Maybe it's a bad spell :) (this is for last phase, not sure if you mean the tiers as well)

[@timepassesbye]

well, i had taken the time to make a comprehensive list to add to yours, and i misclicked and closed the page and it's gone >.> overall, a solid assessment, but I would recommend you adjust the way you judge spells and more uniformly judge the level up bonuses. the stats are always more impactful than the hp/mp considering at max level, you'll all have 9500+hp and 950+mp. I do recognize they would possibly benefit a low level run more, but so would the stat increases. my list put bismark at the top because his bonus is the earliest way to raise str effectively, and he's the earliest way to get access to raise, additionally, despite his damage being largely unimpressive, he's one of the very few sources of water damage, making him critical in the house fire. summons like palidor are also overlooked because their damage isn't amazing, but against single targets, he's one of the best for many reasons- firstly, it makes all your characters un-target-able for several attacks, then causes 4 instances of high damage as each player comes crashing down, well exceeding the 9999 damage cap on any other esper against a single target. ragnirok is also the only way to obtain some very rare gear, which you mentioned, but it boost his (best) status considerably.

[@mb8226]

I did a run where I didn’t spend any money unless absolutely necessary and Unicorn’s x4 Cura was worth its weight in gold there. That’s about what it takes to make the esper useful. Also, Shadow can set Image using the Vanish Edge.

[@WesleyWyndam-Pryce]

Now there's an idea. I'm always up for new challenges. No gil spent would be interesting, especially stacked with a few other handicaps like low level run or something.

[@mb8226]

The minimum gil you have to spend is 151 (you’ve gotta purchase Dried Meat for Gau at 150 gil and you have to sleep in the Thamasa inn to the tune of 1 gil). I haven’t found a way around either of those.

[@dustinwegener3403]

The Mirage Vest also gives the wearer image.

[@zqrahll]

Generally agreed with most of this tier list, but the Str +2 & especially Mag +2 level up bonuses should be worth 10/10.

[@timepassesbye]

agreed, I did my own list, giving speed +2 a 10, mag +2 a 9, and str +2 an 8

[@giellesfairon1745]

I really can't stand how they altered the names of so many things with the Pixel Remaster game. Not sure why someone would want to play a worse version of the original.

[@imphalberd]

Came here to say this, what are half these spells?! These weren’t the spell names on the snes

[@-Keith-]

Fenrir isn't the only source of image. You can get unlimited Mirage Vests from the colosseum which are equippable by everybody except umaro.

[@dansmith1661]

Mirage skean? I think one of Shadow's scrolls casts it.

[@-Keith-]

@@dansmith1661 Shadow edge, yeah. Only usable by Shadow and Gogo sadly.

[@breathstealer5486]

I'm confused how the first summons both siren and Cait sith only have a 9/10 accessibility?

[@FOXHOUND874]

They are the first summons you get as the story progresses

[@PineappleFlau]

Came to comment something similar. I got to Shiva and saw it's 8/10, but there's so little of the game in between getting the first pieces of magicite and getting Shiva and Ifrit. Basically just the Opera House and then the first part of the Magitek Factory. The first four you get should be 10/10 accessible, and AT LEAST Shiva and Ifrit should be 9/10, if not all the espers from Magitek Factory.

[@WillRennar]

Because the 10/10 slot for Esper accessibility goes to Terra.

[@-Keith-]

@@WillRennar Terra should only get 5/10 accessibility because she's only half esper. Joking aside, her esper form is only available after the magitech facility so... shouldn't she be 8/10 or 7/10?

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

​@@-Keith- That makes her 9.5/10 😂

[@NeoArashi]

Love how you call then the Magitek Factory "Survivor" given that an Esper has to die ti become a magicite.

[@leighharvey2837]

Ragnarok has the ability to give you infinite genji gloves as well as the cursed ring without wasting the cursed shield. Sounds like a good deal to me!

[@DrMechano]

I have to ask, you listed the initial Zozo espers as 9/10 for accessibility - the first espers in the game that you can get, who are all unavoidable. So is a 10/10 even possible? And what would that even look like?

[@GeriatricSmash]

Kirin is #1 if you ignore lvl up bonus, easy. 5/10 is a huge underrating on his summon. It's the only all cast of regen in the game (very OP in WoB). Summon should be 7 or 8. There is absolutely no way Carbuncle is better than Kirin. Insanity.

[@slickzeitgeist]

I don't understand your scoring scales. You rate everything out of 10 but nothing gets a 10/10. Shouldn't the best summon ability get a 10/10 and the first espers you get are 10/10 for access? That aside great video!

[@chocobitties2595]

Not sure which version of the game you were basing this off of, but Meltdown/Merton was originally fire-based and you could equip flame shields to recover HP when casting it.

[@fargoretro]

The most important tier list in the history of mankind

[@xPhoenixAshx]

Sorry. I stopped the video to ask. I am not trying to be a jerk I am just curious. Why did you give the unicorn a 7/10 accessibility when it is part of the Magitech Factory batch when it is like one of the first espers you get and also very hard to miss? --- I just looked it up and apparently you CAN miss it, but still why the 7/10? I feel like if the first ones you get without any major trial gets a 7/10 I don’t know how you would get higher unless it was REQUIRED for plot reasons. Yet again. I am just wondering what qualifies at a 10/10 for accessibility to you. Anyways… thank you for this content. I am a random jackass from rural America eating peanuts and watching your video because my insomnia is playing up. I scrolled through my feed for like 240 videos but this is the one that caught my eyes. I truly appreciate the work you did on this even though it is stopped at 4:59 currently lmao.

[@GoeTeeks]

You know, it occurs to me that maybe your "Accessibility" category really should be replaced with something like "Usefulness Time". As in, rather than rate how long (potentially) you have something, rate how much of the game overall you are going to use it. IE: With Gau, if you use him, you can get Stray Cat right away with him, and you'll probably be using it for most of (if not all of) the entire game. Some of these Espers you get later game, you're going to be using the entire rest of your playthrough (especially if they have a good Level Up bonus), while others you get early, you probably won't use much (if at all) outside of teaching a few spells to a a character or two. So your overall use time for them (even if they're useful early, like Maduin) might not be very high.

[@Bdewd]

Its a bit awkward and I'm def open to ideas for improvement. Ty!

[@taylorw3019]

I think perhaps doing a plus 1 2 or 3 points for accessibility and level ip bonus would have made for a more fair ranking system.

[@DisasterSquad]

Man there's a lot of errors where the numbers don't match what you're Reading.

[@Bdewd]

Its a test. Memes aside, I did put in a small thing that's not INCORRECT for what the video is showing but also not completely correct. See if it gets caught

[@shebakoby]

There was a bug in the SNES version (and I think the PS1 version) where if you did the Vanish + Xzone trick on any monster (ESPECIALLY Doomgaze), you wouldn't get any dropped items. That included the Bahamut magicite. So then I never really used Vanish + XZone, but rather Vanish + Doom instead (unless undead monster, then I just threw a phoenix down at it lol).

[@Tarrot]

Osmose is booty? Really? It's one of the best spells in the game since it lets you use your other spells with reckless abandon. No idea how Zoneseek's spells are rated so low.

[@Selgeron]

Also, a huge amount of monsters instantly die if you reduce their MP to 0, including bosses.

[@benc.5558]

Seconded. Especially in the late game when your casters have access to multiple MP-fueled nuke spells like Tier 3 elemental spells, Meteor, Grand Train, Ultima, etc., not having to dedicate items to MP recovery or precious relic slots to cost mitigation items and just spamming nukes with wild abandon because you can refill on command is huge. That plus the coveted Magic +2 put Zoneseek high on my list, and mitigating incoming magic damage with fewer downsides than reflect make the summon not half bad either.

[@Bdewd]

Osmose always hit me as a "im bad at mp management, the spell" hahahaha

[@Kruggov]

​@@Bdewd Maybe in other games, since you either get it late, or it's weak. In FF6 it's basically "MP management? What MP management?". You can just go wild with magic and recharge for a cost of a single turn off a random non-undead schmoe.

[@veghesther3204]

In FF 6 their great in FF5 Osmose barely drains even 1 MP off enemies that have 50+ of it its useless and for Rydia in FF4 not worth using in the final dungeon it would barely drain any MP IF at all.

[@ww6372]

The typo in the phantom scorecard got me more than it shouldve

[@Bdewd]

I apparently was looking at the wrong stuff during the "its done, make sure stuff is all right" part D: lolol

[@ww6372]

@Bdewd you did well. Typos happen we all know editing can get mind numbing lol

[@FrankDux-uo7ig]

And unicorn. Just way off

[@taylorw3019]

To be fair FF6 is notorious for misspelling everything. So if anything it's keeping things consistent.

[@quinkelly1441]

Bismark was always on Cyan for that plus 1 or 2 on strength on level up Cyan is who I used the most at that Coliseum.

[@Bdewd]

We don't use Bismark for spells thayd for certain haha

[@ryanchurchill5081]

Honestly I use him for fast learning on subs because your mains should already know the basics on that lvl but mainly I use it for the STR boost after that. Currently Edgar has him because I am going dragoon build on him.

[@TheLyre3]

Bismark is absolutely crucial during a Max Stats 100% completion playthrough.

[@veghesther3204]

But for 9999 damage Physical hits or Ultima spells most party members only need the 2 stats around 50 to 60 points but Rage doesn't really use stats so Gau with only like 50 to 60 magic using the Mover Rage may only get 5000 damage out of the Meltdown spell casting the spell NORMAL with 50 to 60 magic and Gau may actually get 9999 damage/healing with Fire shields out of it. So for the Mover rage to actually do 9999 damage/healing 50 to 60 magic isn't good enough he needs around 120 magic to do 9999 damage/healing party with it Same with the 2 Quake using rages.

[@andywhite5284]

Great list, but why rate out of 10 if nothing ever hits 10?

[@barnabusdoyle4930]

What’s the point of having a possible score of 10 in any category if nothing gets a 10? That seems really odd, especially in spell usefulness and summon power where some of the summons are monsters.

[@TheNN]

Fun list, here's my personal thoughts on some of the choices: With the right setup, Crusader can barely touch you while demolishing foes (same with other similar spells in the game) Don't ignore what Ragnarok can do, though I do feel like it is also worth noting the great Ragnarok debate: The sword, or the summon Shiva also grants Rasp if memory serves, which can be an alt way in the WoB to defeat at least some bosses. Cait Sith is actually REALLY powerful, especially WoB when a lot of enemies are vulnerable to confuse. It's also good to help learn some Lores as well. Zone Seek is probably the most consistently useful (or very close to it) Esper in the game: It's summon effect is always useful, it's magic isn't bad, and it's level-up bonus is arguably the most useful (along with the other +2 magic ones) in the game. Raiden is probably the most amusing Esper in the game from a purely "I did this because it sounded stupid"-sort of way. Quick is way too good, even if it's not 'as' good as it was in FFV simply because the damage output of your party members can get utterly ridiculous, even in the mid-game, let alone the end. Thus you can turn any char with high damage output into an utterly ridiculous behemoth of raw power and cheese the hell out of most encounters. Depending on circumstance, Golem can be better over Fenrir. Image can be dispelled, or pierced if memory serves, and some enemies can and do attack multiple times to overcome that as well. Golem however is more consistent, and will block an attack even that exceeds it's "HP", and thus can stop even a death-blow in a lucky situation, but if someone's focused down, once Image runs out, that's it. Quezacolli is my 2nd fave in the whole game purely for the wild shit you can do, like 'Jump only' (which is "technically" not possible unless you allow for a lot of required exceptions). But it is hilarious, and Jump is surprisingly strong in this game.

[@Paigejr207]

As a newcomer of FF6 Pixel Remaster, here’s my list from least to most favorite 27: Crusader 26: Cait Sith 25: Phantom 24: Ragnarok 23: Odin 22: Unicorn 21: Lakshmi 20: Siren 19: Carbuncle 18: Shiva 17: Ifrit 16: Kirin 15: Rahmu 14: Catoblepas 13: Midgardsormr 12: Seraph 11: Phoenix 10: Maduin 9: Golem 8: Bismarck 7: Alexander 6: Raiden 5: Zona Seeker 4: Valigarmanda 3: Bahamut 2: Fenrir 1: Quetzalli

[@0Fyrebrand0]

Just discovered your channel recently, and I am loving your Final Fantasy videos. One minor bit of advice I wanted to offer: I noticed that when you speak about your evaluation criteria, you seem to refer to the categories as "rhetorics" (at least that's what it sounds like to me). I think perhaps the word you're looking for would be "rubric," or maybe "metric," which both can refer to grading systems. Just my two cents, anyway. Looking forward to checking out more from your channel!

[@TsarDragon]

So what does it take for a 10/10 accessibility?

[@danfrongillo8238]

If you have a 10 scale, then something needs to be 10, the first 4 espers should have 10 accessibility. They're the earliest you can get them and they're mandatory. But good list!

[@Sir.Catsanova]

The first esper you can get has a 9 accessibility that means it's a 1 - 9 scale instead of 1 - 10...

[@timepassesbye]

I had thought the same thing, but since you learn magic in ways before obtaining them, I feel it's somewhat justified

[@burtblando8806]

I think you mean to say "rubric" and not "rhetoric".

[@Bdewd]

i r stoopid

[@provostroar]

okay good now i don't have to say it, thanks

[@DarkEinherjar]

Actually, the key to Ultima Weapon's damage is level, rather than HP... all characters, with no level up bonuses, will have around 9700-9900 HP at LV99, so a couple of levels with high HP bonuses is all it takes to ensure maximum HP.

[@MrEvilbyte]

Behamut at number 1? Interesting. I don't care about Flare that much. But the summon spell Mega Flare is another option that can mindlessly obliterate Cultist Tower mobs (it's basically a weaker Ultima). And to kill Doom Gaze faster, buy a bunch of Pearl/Holy Rods from Thamasa, then use them as items in battle for a crapton of damage (especially if Morph Terra does so). Using Fire Rods as items can work too, for almost as much damage.

[@desro026]

can you even use Espers in the Cultist Tower?

[@veghesther3204]

yes only Lores you can't use.

[@enlongjones2394]

If the first set of Espers have a 9/10 for accessibility, what would it take to get a 10/10 there?

[@joshthefunkdoc]

Think he's comparing to other videos where stuff can be gotten earlier

[@piplh]

Love the vid, but what's the point of scoring out of 10 if you never go above 9?

[@Bdewd]

10 is perfection. Nearly everything has a downside. The big take away is if something is a 10, it's a big deal imo :)

[@bladefighter64]

i wondered the exact same thing lol

[@K2NOPS]

I'm having a stroke with some of these final scores not being correct lol

[@Bdewd]

thats ok i apparently had a stroke making them loooooooooooool

[@deazee2288]

Ragnarock was such a huge disappointment to me because from the name you'd assume it's out there with Bahamuth, Odin, and Alexander, then my disappointment was doubled after I learned that having it as equipment is much better

[@planescaped]

Buh... Ultima!

[@dansmith1661]

Ragnarok can grant you incredibly powerful items. Your guys can always use magic that hits the cap quickly enough.

[@coolbugfacts3953]

why do the first espers you unlock only get a 9/10 accessibility? like why not a 10 lol?

[@shebakoby]

There is another way to get "image" on your characters: Mirage Vest (armor). Also Shadow can get Image status early on, if you buy him some Shadow Edge/Scroll item for him to throw (like in front of Gau's dad's house in Sabin's scenario). How to get Mirage vest? First, you take Gogo with you to the veldt after killing the Senior Behemoth in the cave of the veldt, and use Ragnarok to morph Senior Behemoths until you get a Thornlet (your two other possible results of morph are Cursed Ring and Lich Ring aka Relic Ring). Take that Thornlet to the Coliseum, fight an Aspidochelon (Opinicus) with any Character wearing Gaia Gear (like Gau) for an EZ win, and there you have it, Mirage Vest. It's probably a good idea to give Gogo a Wall ring or toss a Reflect on him first before you multi-morph so the sucker can't Death him to death and interrupt the mimic chain.

[@gabrieladerre2862]

I usually run and raid loot from Kefka's Tower, after I got Mog and his Moogle Charm. I always ice the two dragons while Im there too. It doesn't take that long! And then you get Crusader quite a bit earlier!

[@TheFF7Encyclopedia]

Don't forget how good Carbunkle is offensively with bouncing off 4 spells off of yourself

[@CranberryFo]

Good morning Bdewd! Just to let you know, I noticed a small error on your "chapters" so to speak in the video bar. It looks like you forgot to add the "Bismark" part and his part of the video is still labled along with Sirens.

[@Bdewd]

Ty fixed!

[@rosscarlin700]

This list is a bit goofy. Outside of occasional golem usage, I don't use summons. Tey mostly don't matter; the only ones worth anything are the niche ones. Further, how you end up with Catoblepas in your top five is because you aren't weighting your metrics. the summon spell matters far less than the magic the esper teaches (with its attendant speeds), and that list matters less, for the majority of the game, than its level bonus. for that reason, Cait Sith is waaay ahead of a bunch of the ones you listed. Magic is the most important stat to everyone except Cyan, and nobody should be using Cyan (gotta love that theme, though). even a +3 in any other stat matters less than a +1 in magic.

[@droolcup_commando8487]

There is an armor that gives the image buff (Mirage Vest) that you can get via colosseum battles i believe. Shadow may have a skean/scroll he can use to give himself the image buff as well but can't recall for sure on that one.

[@meektheghost]

Raiden for the heavy speed boost. I usually transform Ragnarok into a sword because you can get the second best sword in the game by betting it in the coliseum and you can learn Ultimate by equipping the Paladin Shield once you break its curse. Genii Glove/ Master Scroll/ Illumina/ Ultima Weapon= highest damage output in the game at late levels usually around 60k per turn with an additional chance to may cast Pearl. The espers IMO are mostly for visuals.

[@CosmoRetroGaming]

Always lookin forward to every video! We are all learnin' so much! Great, great video, once again, buddy! Hell yeah! FF6

[@Bdewd]

Hecking ff6 lessgoooo

[@burningsnow1234]

Why you count Odin/Quetzalli PR Bonus but count Raiden Original bonus? He should Got 9(Or 10 point for best Stat bonus in the game) like Odin Quick Should be TOP 3 best spell in this game and you score 5 while flare you score 7 I think Odin/Raiden is the earliest obtain at WoR or I miss something ? (Seraph can obtain af WoB right?) if so it should score higher than Quetzalli is'n it ? Poor Zona Seeker you score his Osmose/Rasp 3. Not only it can Full-fill your MP but it can cancle non-undead enemy spell and keep your vanish last longer I always use this method to grind LV with T-Rex by cut it MP

[@jamesthompson2329]

So, would you rather have the Ragnarok sword instead of the magicite?

[@ben2972]

Mirage Vest that you can win in the arena auto casts Image on the wearer. I love this armor for Locke.

[@NAzo.]

Don't forget for those learning Ultima. Uncurse the Curse Shield and add it alongside the esper with Ultima (I forgot who has it) and you'll learn it x 2 instead of 1. I usually wait to upgrade Odin to Raiden once I am done with Odin's speed stat at level up. I don't recall but I think I did HP 50% bonus using Bahamut at level up till I reach near 9999 HP (probably around level 75? I forgot) then switch to stat bonus depending on char. If it's any of the girls speed > magic attack > magic def for guys it's speed > physical attack > magic def. I hate when I use Crusader that shyt always hits my party for over 9k or even 9999. I always gotta do life 3 on me so I can have fun using the spell. I think it's dumb how Square put the dragons in Kefka's tower instead of somewhere else since it's a waste of having to go there twice ruining the experience when I want to finish the game and get the ending.

[@dumdumchord]

Idk of it's just me, and I never played FFVI Advance long enough to get to the new summons but what I have seen of them is that the graphics for them look so out of place stylistically.

[@BJGvideos]

These are the Pixel Remaster graphics and yes it's very jarring

[@dumdumchord]

@@BJGvideos I was aware the video wasn't using GBA footage, I was just using it as an opportunity to air my grievances lol

[@magitek09]

I'll never forget that one time Ragnarok insta killed one of the 8 dragons. In case you're curious, it turned it into a cristal mail

[@Bdewd]

Iirc it will randomly pick any of the crystal gear with success upon a dragon :)

[@frozenflame5858]

How did ragnarok not get an 11/10 for spells learned?! Imo it’s a top 3 esper for ultima alone. Honestly probably number 1, since the only other way to get ultima is the paladin shield which is a major pain in the ass.

[@drewferguson8324]

Today you earned my sub. Keep these coming!

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

I'm surprised you gave Phoenix such a high summon rating. For getting it so late in the game, it wouldn't be on my list of 4 magicites to equip (unless learning the spells).

[@SaanMigwell]

use the moogle charm and get the dragons as soon as you have the airship. It's three trips, you'll need to abuse the system, switch to wait for the two dragons but it's a fun mid-game challenge and having crusader for the rest of the WOR is fun.

[@rafaeldasilvaromero3362]

Since I trained my characters, some of the best espers for me are Quetzal, Phoenix, Golem and yes, Bahamut, because I only use their abilities if it gives me more options in the fight. Phoenix is situacional, but with equipment you can literally choose who survives till the end, Quetzal allows to dodge and counter migthy attacks, and Golem is a good defense with some bosses.

[@stilelits]

12:00 wasn't gonna say anything the first time, but i think maybe you mean "rubric"...?

[@sanshustlebones4632]

fun vid! as someone else mentioned in the comments, shadow has a scroll he can throw to give himself image. I believe there is also a relic in the coliseum that gives an image... could be wrong about that one though

[@GoeTeeks]

The Mirage Vest is an armor that grants Image to the wearer.

[@Bdewd]

Mirage vest....makes sense!!

[@chaosprime1629]

HP boost is not a good thing for the ultima weapon because the damage is based off HP percentage and level. theoretically if you have 1/1 HP at level 99, then the damage is the same if HP is 9999/9999 however this is from the snes version. also in the snes version bahamut does not ignore split damage but he does ignore defense.

[@markb1170]

Loved the list and your ranking system. There were quite a few mistakes in terms of video production, but I think that‘s something you can improve on in future videos. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 I also share your disdain against gravity magic!

[@levthelion71810]

Are you not going to mention how Shiva and ZoneSeek are the 2 espers that teach Osmose? It's basically the spell that unlocks full spellcasting potential

[@21stcenturyrambo16]

Osmose and rasp are amazing. Shame they get no love in this vid.

[@dansmith1661]

The Steam PR finally got that patch and some magicite changed level up bonuses.

[@Bdewd]

Dude I knooooooooooo

[@Chadius]

I'm ranking based on the Esper's effects and not the spells they teach, I've played too many randomizers to remember how spells affect them. My bias is mostly for the final battle. S - Always makes me smile when I find these, always useful Bahamut (weaker Ultima without needing the Ultima grind) Golem, Fenrir (stops repose/calmness during the final battle) A - Mostly for the final battle Unicorn (counters Trine/Train uh the silence + dark effect from Tier 3 and Kefka) Quetzalli/Palidor (Jump over Heartless Angel/Fallen One! Emergency against final attacks if you can count their HP) Kirin (great during the final battle or any long battles) Siren (silences Magic during Tier 2) Phantom - (gotta count the enemy HP, but great against Tier 3) B - Rare/barely resisted damage types Alexander (Holy damage!) Bismark (Water damage!) Midgarsormr/Terrato (Earth attack without the Quake prep) C - Mostly situational or beaten by the spells they teach/imitate Zona Seeker/Zone Seeker (how many times do you need Shell? Magimaster?) Carbunkle (how many times do you need Reflect?) Seraph, Lakshmi/Starlet (worse than Cura? It ignores Reflect) Cait Sith/Stray (highly situational) Phoenix (you'll never cast this, be honest) Odin & Raiden (Only good when you need an instakill... and they still miss) Catoblepas/Shoat (A weaker instakill... yeah OK) D - You could just cast the attack spell and deal more damage instead. Maduin - At least dad is non elemental Ramuh, Ifrit, Shiva Valigarmanda/Tritoch - If the target absorbs fire, ice OR lightning it absorbs ALL damage. F Crusader - End game esper, Meltdown requires equipment setup, never summon Crusader! Ragnarok Ragnarok gets its own tier, as you have to give up the sword and the Lightbringer/Illumina. Morph is only good if you know what to morph into what. Flare is great, especially in later versions where the animation is much, much faster (SNES Flare is slooooooow)

[@felman87]

Wait, after all that none of the Espers hit a 30/40 on your list? Maybe you're being a bit stingy with those points. Maybe things would be a bit more fair if the points maxed out at 5? I do agree that magic is the superior stat in this game. There are some characters where it's better to focus strength (like Sabin with his bumrush) but magic is just insane, especially since with those early magic bonuses. If you play things right, you'll be nuking everyone with 9999 dmg with Ultima by the end game, easily. The world building and magic system shows that even some chumps like Setzer can become a god. It's why the Emperor valued those espers. But it also kind of makes those special abilities useless. Like, who is using slots in the World of Ruin? By then, your magic will far outclass anything the slots would be able to give you.

[@AdamW-eo2yq]

What I do find funny about the localisations of these games is that Midgardsormr was spelt correctly in this game but in FF7, somehow the translation became ‘Midgar Zolom’

[@felman87]

I was so irked by Ifrit and Shiva with those level-up bonus. Why didn't the devs give Shiva +1 to magic. It pairs well with Iftrit being her opposite. She teaches ice and healing, he teaches fire and drain. She should give +1 to magic to compliment Ifrit's +1 to strength. I do like how Golem and Zoneseek are both in the auction house. Shell and Protect for the party. I just like espers that compliment each other. I'm weird like that.

[@barnabusdoyle4930]

I would score all the Espers on only 3 categories instead of the 4 he is doing. Spells learned and the summons and the primary 2, and the other category that would combine the stat bonus, usefulness in where in the game you got it along with whatever little other things there are. Main 2 powers of the Espers are the spells and summons. The stat bonus does become a far third as that’s not overly important for this game as it’s not very difficult

[@METR0lD]

Why do the earliest espers in the entire game not receive a 10/10 for accessibility? Why even do the ratings out of 10 if it's not possible to achieve it with the most accessible espers?

[@AlemtoMage]

Fun fact in case nobody knew you can put vanish on enemies and almost all bosses and use x-zone! Works like a charm. 😊

[@residentgrey]

Fave Esper??? oooOOooo...and here I am still wondering how to get the yeti to equip the gear you get for it...the rom for some reason did not let me. Getting them in Zozo was the best part of all. I love that setting above even the ghost train! I need to play the second world more to tell you a good assessment there. I have an unfinished file on my laptop.

[@Bdewd]

you know your mission, all you need to do is complete it now :D

[@residentgrey]

@@Bdewd Pricking Kefka with a PEENIX Down can be Bucket list worthy. Hmm...I just have issue with the ROM because Umaro's gear the relics won't successfully equip, making him quite weak. I played 20 years ago and never got the character but finally did a few years back, always wondering if it is a character to actually get.

[@ImFangzBro]

So Alexander is a "Don't use until your stats are where you want 'em" kinda deal? That's fine.

[@MrEvilbyte]

As for Ragnarok, half of the player's pass it up for the Ragnarok sword (which can be bet for an even better sword). You can still get the spell Ultima from the Paladin Shield (just gotta grind a lot to uncurse the Cursed Shield). From a pure completionist standpoint, the sword is better then the esper.

[@dettloff7]

I forget which Esper gives a +Vigor, but i would always assign it to Cyan (my fav character). Well, by mid-game, his quadra slam would be taking away 9999 FOR EACH SLICE!! It was insane!

[@desro026]

Magic +2 is 10/10. the magic stat multipliers are absurd in FFVI. Stamina is useless and could even be a 0.5/10 and 1/10 for +2. if i level with Stanima equipped, it feels like i leveled with a no-bonus equipped. HP and MP bonuses do not have a big impact if you look at the math of what you get below Level 45. they should all rank really low. It’s starts to be just ok from Bahamut and Crusader, but it’s not worth it vs more Str/ Mag/ Spd.

[@frozenflame5858]

Fun fact about Crusader. Its name in the original Japanese version is ジハード, pronounced ji-hā-do. It’s supposed to be Jihad.