I've been visiting here for a while and just decided to join. I have noticed that people stick to classes with their characters. I have so many level points that all my characters are pretty much the same. They all can interchange weapons, magics, and armor. Do other people do this? I call it Character Class "On Demand". So if I want to run with a one healer and two attackers I'll just license them up. It also saves money cause I don't need to buy armor/weapons for each different class. I just switch them between characters coming in.

Also, I've also read people saying they have certain characters using guns. I've found guns to be super weak (basically worthless) early in the game, are they worth getting later on?

Also, anyone have a particular place they like to level up at? Somewhere where there are easy beasts, high exp points, and no/minimal status effects?

I choose certain weapons and armor, but I give everyone all the magic and the augments.

I also have more LP then i could ever need - enough to make all my characters have all skills, but i still prefer to designate classes between them. I will never allow Fran to use a sword, for example. Certain heroes seem like they shouldnt be using certain weapons, it just doesnt look right to me.

As for guns: In the beginning they seem weak as hell, yes, but they do get better later on. They ignore defense and tend to crit a lot, so even though the atk power number is usually half of other weapons of the same level, it hits just as hard. My only problem with them is that they attack pretty slow.

lol, you pick weapons based on asthetics. guess you gotta base it on something.

Guns are awesome, particularly against high defense mobs (like the tortiose-type mobs and certain bosses). The thing about them is that they do very consistent damage and as someone else said, they ignore defense.

Downsides are 1. they cannot get multiple attacks 2. they will do lower than average damage against enemies with low armor because of their low attack rating and 3. they are the slowest ranged weapon.

Your strategy is fine, but it will require either over leveling, farming LP against weak foes or wearing Golden Amulets all the time to get enough LP. Personally I find over leveling ruins the game and farming LP is hella boring but to each his own... I generally used classes. I found that more fun myself.

I know this will sound crazy, but just try putting a katana on fran. It actually looks really cool, and also, katana damage is based on a combination of strength and magic power, which means early on Fran is just as good as anyone else with a katana (this changes later on).

There is one gun called a Formulhaut. Trying to get it by beating Antlion at low levels is actually kind of fun, because that thing is tough as coffin nails until you're halfway through the game or so. Or maybe it's the opposite of fun, i forget.

I love guns. I keep putting other things on Balthier (crowssbows and stuff) but then I always find him doing more damage with a gun. Sometimes I'll switch out. But they rule. And they never miss!

I stick to "classes" myself, but I think of them more like assignments. I've assigned Vaan, Basch and Ashe as melee characters while Balthier, Fran and Penelo are ranged/magic support characters. I typically have Balthier equipped with a gun (mainly for the reasons mentioned above) while the girls use bows. Also, having only one character setup to use a gun allows flexibility with your ammo - you can easily switch between aqua shot and wyrmfire shot, etc, from one fight to the next based on the enemy - I find the elemental effect on gun ammo is much more effective than it is on arrows as well.

Ashe and Vaan have decent magic power and MP even though I have them setup for melee, so I provide them with all of the spells as well. Bash is almost strictly used for melee/quickenings/espers - aside from key white magic and a few attack spells - as his MP and magic power are so low compared to the others.

As for augments, yes, all characters have all augments - love the augments - get them as early in the game as possible.

I stick to weapon classes.(Balthasar will never touch a sword for example) I make sure everyone has healing magic and support magic. That way everyone is covered for the most part. Black magic is. . .meh. Haven't really found a use for it except to break the boredom of hack 'n slash(or shoot as the case may be.)

For the most part this is how I have the weapon setup so far-

Vaan: Spears
Ashe: Staffs/Rods
Basch: Swords/Axes
Penelo: Daggers/Staffs
Baltheir: Guns/Bowguns
Fran: Bows

I just do whatever. You get heaps of LP points anyway. when i get a strong weapon, then I just do whoever I feel like it.