You cannot have an RPG without some form of progression, and classes tend to be the most popular method. Not every game needs to go down this route, but many turn-based RPGs implement traditional or experimental class systems to brilliant effect; crucially, the best ones know how to avoid obvious traps and early-game broken builds, all the while prioritizing class synergy between characters and rewarding optimization over endlessly grinding for stats.
Considering Dragon Quest's iconic archetypes and the influence of tabletop games on the genre, it's not remotely surprising that JRPGs and Western RPGs rely on these systems, but that doesn't mean putting one together is simple. No, most attempts are good but not amazing, and only a few turn-based RPGs have pitch-perfect class systems.
To keep things interesting and varied, I'm going to cover 5 different types of turn-based RPGs, going over subgenres like JRPG and tactics.
No games based on tabletop RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3. Let's prioritize games that have their own class systems.
Finally, I will include sections that discuss each system's flaws, as they are "virtually," not "objectively," perfect.
Admittedly, this one is somewhat of a historical pick, but Final Fantasy 5 deserves to be celebrated for essentially fixing a major issue with early RPGs: starting over. Back in the genre's formative years, switching jobs often forced a stat reset, disincentivizing the process altogether. FF5 turned class progression into a cumulative journey in which everything leads to an end-game build. You don't waste any time invested in your character.
Along with their own moves, most classes have a free slot that can be taken up by abilities from other jobs, which can be either passive or active. Freelancer, the starting class, comes with two of these slots, actively encouraging players to mix and match to create unique builds. More importantly, Freelancer and Mime are designed around mastering as many jobs as possible, as you inherit the highest stats of mastered jobs and passive traits, as well as being able to equip any weapon or armor piece.
In the original version, Final Fantasy 5 includes 22 jobs, all of which have a reason to exist. Even the more gimmicky ones (Chemist, for instance) have skills that can be wildly useful. The class system also ties into the game's difficulty; if you are stuck on a boss, you probably need to experiment with your party's jobs rather than grind levels. That said, you might need to grind ABP.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://gamerant.com/turn-based-rpgs-games-perfect-class-systems/
