I get the general basics of how it works... but there is SO much to it that I don't know for sure if there are things I'm forgetting, neglecting, missing... etc. Also, I'm not sure I understand how the progression relation or rather, synergy, works between GF's and Characters.

So to break it down, here are some key questions I need answers.

-When a character levels up, what progresses exactly?
-When a GF levels up, what progresses exactly?
-When you have magic equipped/junctioned between a GF and character, what impact does that have on the above progressions?
-There are two open slots at the bottom of my characters ability screen. I cannot figure out how to use these... the options are always empty no matter how I junction.

The way I seem to understand [And it's really just a shot in the dark to me, because the game's tutorial is vague] it is, if you have say, Ifrit junctioned to Squall and Firaga junctioned to Squall's Str... then every time Ifrit levels up, Squalls attack is increased and becomes partially fire? Or if I junction Firaga to his Defense instead, it will give him fire resistance each time Ifrit levels up? It sounds shaky to me, I'm thinking that's way off, but it's the best guess I have.

________Anything beyond this point is sort of irrelevant and is just my opinion____________
Honestly, I hate this Junction system with a passion... I am only playing FF8 because my friends and I are sort of gaming rivals, I'm sort of the FF7 God among them, and Josh challenged me to beat FF8. My friend Josh criticized FF7 saying it was too easy and that FF8 was better because it's challenging. He said that he has never beaten Omega Weapon or Ultimecia and is betting $50 that I can't do it either. I'm betting I can, I know I can... I just have to get a good grasp of how EXACTLY this crappy, overrated, pile of crap that is FF8's Junction system, works.

There are so many different ways that you've got to micromanage your junctions... GF's, their abilities, magic, junctioning magic to stats, relation between GF abilities, magic, and those stats, resistances via junction... BLAH... I liked the Materia system. FF7 #1 IMO

Really, the only thing that I praise about FF8 at all so far is the Card Game. It's a great side-game and it's a damn shame SE has never expanded on it. I'd love to see a game that revolves entirely around it.

1. When a character levels up, that character's core stats (HP, Str, Vit, Mag, Spr, Spd, Eva, Hit, Luck) slightly increase.

2. When a GF levels up, that GF's HP, and attack power slightly increase. In some cases, your GF won't be able learn a certain move until it's a certain level (e.g. Ifrit can't learn Ammo-Refine or Mad Rush until it's level 10).

3. For core stats (HP, Str, Vit, Mag, Spr, Spd, Eva, Hit, Luck), the only things that matter when junctioning magic is, basically, what level that magic is (i.e. how powerful it is), what stats it increases the most, and how many spells you have of them. It doesn't make a difference whether you junction Fire or Blizzard to Strength, the only difference it will make is how many of them you have. So if you have 100 Fires and 50 Blizzards, junctioning 100 Fires to Str will increase the stat by a greater extent than the 50 Blizzards. But let's say you have 100 Demis. Demi is a more powerful spell than Fire, so junctioning 100 Demis to Str will increase it greater than 100 Fires. The same principle works when junctioning the same category of magic to the same stat: for instance, 100 Firas will increase a stat greater than 100 Fires, and 100 Firagas will increase it even greater than 100 Firas. Also, you have to experiment around with different magic spells and different stats: 100 Meltdowns will increase your vitality to a greater extent than 100 Protects, for example. Elemental spells like Fire and Blizzard work better for Str and Magic than for Vitality and Spirit. The official strategy guide contains a chart that tells which spells increase which stat by what extent. Maybe you can find that online.

Likewise, it doesn't matter at all what GF you have junctioned to your character. All that matters is what ability it knows (e.g. HP-J, Str-J, Mag-J, Vit-J, Spir-J). You don't need to correspond elemental magic with the GF you have junctioned.

4. The two slots below your abilities are for Character Abilities or Party Abilities. You will teach these to your GFs as you fight more monsters and once they learn certain abilities, they will gain more of these to learn. Examples of these include HP+20%, Str +40%, etc. To select an ability for your GF to learn, select its profile and move the cursor to the desired ability. Once it knows the ability, the character to whom the GF is junctioned can select the ability. Your GF will gain AP after most battles, and once it gains a certain number of AP, it will have learned the ability. The reason you're seeing two empty spaces now is because the GF you have junctioned to your character doesn't know any character abilities yet, but once it learns them, they will appear.

1. When a character levels up, that character's core stats (HP, Str, Vit, Mag, Spr, Spd, Eva, Hit, Luck) slightly increase.

2. When a GF levels up, that GF's HP, and attack power slightly increase. In some cases, your GF won't be able learn a certain move until it's a certain level (e.g. Ifrit can't learn Ammo-Refine or Mad Rush until it's level 10).

3. For core stats (HP, Str, Vit, Mag, Spr, Spd, Eva, Hit, Luck), the only things that matter when junctioning magic is, basically, what level that magic is (i.e. how powerful it is), what stats it increases the most, and how many spells you have of them. It doesn't make a difference whether you junction Fire or Blizzard to Strength, the only difference it will make is how many of them you have. So if you have 100 Fires and 50 Blizzards, junctioning 100 Fires to Str will increase the stat by a greater extent than the 50 Blizzards. But let's say you have 100 Demis. Demi is a more powerful spell than Fire, so junctioning 100 Demis to Str will increase it greater than 100 Fires. The same principle works when junctioning the same category of magic to the same stat: for instance, 100 Firas will increase a stat greater than 100 Fires, and 100 Firagas will increase it even greater than 100 Firas. Also, you have to experiment around with different magic spells and different stats: 100 Meltdowns will increase your vitality to a greater extent than 100 Protects, for example. Elemental spells like Fire and Blizzard work better for Str and Magic than for Vitality and Spirit. The official strategy guide contains a chart that tells which spells increase which stat by what extent. Maybe you can find that online.

Likewise, it doesn't matter at all what GF you have junctioned to your character. All that matters is what ability it knows (e.g. HP-J, Str-J, Mag-J, Vit-J, Spir-J). You don't need to correspond elemental magic with the GF you have junctioned.

4. The two slots below your abilities are for Character Abilities or Party Abilities. You will teach these to your GFs as you fight more monsters and once they learn certain abilities, they will gain more of these to learn. Examples of these include HP+20%, Str +40%, etc. To select an ability for your GF to learn, select its profile and move the cursor to the desired ability. Once it knows the ability, the character to whom the GF is junctioned can select the ability. Your GF will gain AP after most battles, and once it gains a certain number of AP, it will have learned the ability. The reason you're seeing two empty spaces now is because the GF you have junctioned to your character doesn't know any character abilities yet, but once it learns them, they will appear.

Tyvm... that was really helpful. More helpful than I expected :D

So I've been wasting my time junctioning just 1 of each magic to each character LOLOL. Now I know I need to open up all the GF's +Stat abilities and to majorily stock up on as many magics as I can. I also now got a general idea of what magics to look for and which ones to just drop.

You're welcome. :) Also, welcome to the Shrine.

If you really want to stock up 100 of each magic, be prepared to experience the pain of drawing magic (unless you want to get magic from cards by having Quezacotl learn Card-Mod). I actually don't recommend stocking up 100 spells because it kind of ruins the gaming experience and greatly lessens the challenge. When you go up against major bosses later in the game, though, it's pretty essential, but by that point you'll have a lot more variety in ways to get them (such as refining from items or cards).