These are the top Summoner abilities in Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster, ranked based on usefulness, synergy, JP efficiency, and power!
The Summoner is your massive area (AOE) damage dealer in Final Fantasy Tactics. Unique to the Summoner is it’s offensive abilities don’t hit friendly targets. This makes their raw damage more powerful than a Black Mage and is often used through the mid to end-game in Final Fantasy Tactics.
Moreover, Summoner’s have buffs, healing, and defensive skills as well. Making them the most well-rounded spellcaster in the game. In this guide, we explain the 8 best Abilities, which you should prioritize, and why. Let’s get started with our best Summoner abilities ranked!
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Best Summoner Abilities Rank – Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster
Here are the top 10 Summoner abilities, considering Action, Reaction, Support, and Movement abilities, ranked by overall utility and impact:
- Bahamut: the most powerful AOE summon and a classic in Final Fantasy.
- Leviathan: the biggest AOE though elemental damage.
- Cyclops: an alternative to Bahamut just with less range.
- Golem: a protective barrier and critical for boss fights.
- Faerie: area based heal.
- Moogle: small heal but easy to acquire early.
- Ifrift / Shiva / Ramuh: basic summoning spells with different elemental damage.
- Halve MP: makes it much easier to cast spells consistent.
8. Halve MP
- Type: Support Ability
- JP Cost: 800
- Description: Reduces MP cost of all abilities by 50%.
- Why it’s good: Lets you cast expensive summons like Bahamut and Leviathan more frequently. Great for extended fights and synergy with Mana Shield or high-cost spell builds.
- Best used with: Any Summoner or caster running high-MP spells, especially in Deep Dungeon or boss fights.
One issue you will run into with a Summoner is lack of MP. Halve MP, well as the name implies halves the cost of MP. This is extremely useful early on when you have zero way to get MP back. Oftentimes without the right build, you are tapped out of MP within two to three turns, but not with Halve MP.
However, as the game progresses, you’ll have more ways to get back MP. Chakra from the Monk can give allies back HP and MP along with Ether consumable item from the Chemist. Additionally, gear plays an important role in maximizing MP. After mid to end game, you should have tons of MP and more fire power using a support ability that increases raw damage.
7. Ifrit / Shiva / Ramuh
- Type: Action Ability (Summon Magic)
- JP Cost: 200 each
- Description: Fire, Ice, and Lightning-elemental damage spells with moderate AoE.
- Why it’s good: Your core elemental toolkit for the early and mid-game. They’re cheap, fast to cast, and help you learn positioning.
- Best used with: Elementally focused parties or those learning Summoner tactics.
These three are the bread-and-butter elemental summons. They are learned relatively early and are great for exploiting elemental weaknesses. While they might be outclassed by the later, more powerful summons, they are essential for getting through the mid-game and are still very effective.
You will want a spellcaster with a wide variety of spells that can handle any type of enemy. Also consider learning Flare from the Black Mage so you can have a single power DPS spell that is non-elemental.
6. Moogle
- Type: Action Ability (Summon Magic)
- JP Cost: 100
- Description: A low-cost healing summon with a modest area of effect.
- Why it’s good: Learned early and allows your Summoner to act as a backup healer. Great for the midgame or maps with heavy attrition.
- Best used with: Low-level Summoners or MP-conservation builds.
One of the first abilities you’ll likely learn is Moogle because it cost so low JP. This is a great starter skill for low HP healing when in a pinch. Moreover, it can be used if you cannot reach enemy targets but want to earn JP and help your allies with some healing. However, there are better support skills in the Summoner’s kit, but this is a good start ability to learn.
5. Faerie
- Type: Action Ability (Summon Magic)
- JP Cost: 300
- Description: Restores HP to all allies in an AoE.
- Why it’s good: Huge healing. Unlike White Magic, this has no Faith check on targets, so it always heals the same amount.
- Best used with: Clumped allies and units that can’t or won’t use items.
When it comes to AOE healing, the Faerie Summoner ability is one of the best. This does area based healing but a hefty MP cost. This is what makes the Summoner so versatile, you can heal and DPS seamlessly when needed. The downside of the ability is it’s very long cast time that can be interrupted. Oftentimes, your allies will move out of the area anyways, and only healing one or two instead of a massive group. Though Faerie is a great ability to pickup to do massive AOE healing in a pinch.
4. Golem
- Type: Action Ability (Summon Magic)
- JP Cost: 600
- Description: Creates a barrier around the entire party that absorbs incoming physical damage.
- Why it’s good: One of the only full-party defensive spells that works instantly and passively. Crucial in fights with hard-hitting melee enemies.
- Best used with: Tanky compositions, boss fights, and turn-stalling strategies.
This is a fantastic defensive summon. Golem creates a protective barrier for all allies on the field, which absorbs a set amount of physical damage for each character. It’s an incredible spell for protecting your party from powerful physical attackers and is a must-have for tough battles.
Moreover, the shield is equal to the caster’s max HP. Therefore, if you have higher HP Summoner build, the entire party has a huge shield that is not easily dropped. The major downside of this ability is the MP cost and that you won’t be using a Summon to do damage. But, it’s a great buff to use before charging into that tough boss fight.
3. Cyclops
- Type: Action Ability (Summon Magic)
- JP Cost: 1400
- Description: Non-elemental AoE damage similar to Bahamut.
- Why it’s good: Same role as Bahamut but slightly different animation and timing. Some players prefer Cyclops for visual clarity or reaction manipulation.
- Best used with: MP-efficient builds and high-Faith casters.
Another high-damage, non-elemental summon. Cyclops is a fantastic alternative to Bahamut, and some players prefer it for its unique animation and similar power level. It’s technically stronger that Bahamut in terms of damage, but has a smaller range. Therefore, consider using this summon on more close together targets or when an elemental effect isn’t needed.
2. Leviathan
- Type: Action Ability (Summon Magic)
- JP Cost: 1400
- Description: Summons a water-elemental attack over a very large area.
- Why it’s good: One of the largest AoEs in the game. If enemies are weak to Water (rare but valuable), this spell wipes maps clean.
- Best used with: Elemental reaction setups or Rain Weather maps. Great secondary to Time Mage for positioning.
A devastating water-elemental summon. Leviathan has one of the largest area of effects in the game and can absolutely clear a battlefield if the enemies are weak to water. When AOE, not top tier damage is needed, consider using Leviathan. But be aware, it’s elemental damage, and can be mitigated or avoided by certain enemies.
1. Bahamut
- Type: Action Ability (Summon Magic)
- JP Cost: 1600
- Description: Deals massive non-elemental damage in a huge area.
- Why it’s good: Bahamut hits like a truck and can strike large groups of enemies without worrying about elemental resistances. It’s perfect for late-game battles, story missions, and Deep Dungeon.
- Best used with: High-Faith casters using Swiftness (Time Mage), Half MP, and Arcane Strength.
This is a classic for a reason. Bahamut is a high-damage, non-elemental summon with a massive area of effect. It’s a reliable choice for dealing heavy damage to a large group of enemies, especially in the late game. Bahamut cost 60 MP and has a long cast time, but deals area damage in a massive radius. This is the classic AOE summon, and one of the best abilities in FFT overall.
Not, their is another summon which is called Zodiark. However, this is learned from the secret boss in the deep dungeon. Technically this is the most powerful, but it’s at the very end of the game where you already have the most powerful team and abilities and are likely level 99.
Honorable Mentions
Silf / Carbuncle / Titan: These summons have niche use cases like Reflect, Earth damage, or Silence. Not must-haves, but they fill out your toolkit if you like flexibility or need specific counters.
Abilities to Skip
Odin: While stylish, Odin’s damage and AoE don’t match up to Bahamut or Cyclops. If you already have better non-elemental nukes, this becomes redundant.
Lich: the Lich summon offers high undead damage but suffers from low utility and inconsistent results compared to Bahamut or Leviathan.
How to Prioritize JP Spending on Summoner
- Moogle (10 JP) – Early healing and fast JP grind.
- Ifrit / Shiva / Ramuh (24 JP each) – Core elemental damage spells.
- Faerie (30 JP) – Strong AoE healing for the midgame.
- Golem (60 JP) – Must-have for physical defense.
- Cyclops / Leviathan (140 JP) – Heavy AoE damage.
- Bahamut (160 JP) – Endgame nuke.
- Halve MP (800 JP) – Optional, but highly recommended for boss content.
Summoner Abilities Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Summoner abilities in FFT?
Bahamut, Leviathan, and Golem are top-tier for damage and protection. Faerie and Moogle are essential healing options. Halve MP makes the whole kit more viable over long fights.
Which Summoner abilities should I unlock first?
Start with Moogle, then learn Ifrit/Shiva/Ramuh to gain reliable damage. Fairy and Golem should come next, followed by Cyclops and Bahamut as you head into late-game.
Are Summoner abilities still good in the late game?
Yes. Bahamut and Cyclops scale extremely well, and Golem remains relevant through the hardest content. Faerie and Halve MP keep your sustain intact even without a White Mage.
Should I spend JP on every Summoner ability?
No. You can skip lower-tier or niche summons like Slyph, Lich, and Odin unless you want flavor or full completion. Focus on the most damaging and most useful spells first.
