Best Arithmetician Build Guide – FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles

Categories: Final Fantasy Tactics, Best FFT Builds

This guide covers the best abilities, gear, and stat growth to make the most of the Arithmetician job (class) in Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster!

Table of Contents

1. Arithmetician Job Overview
2. Job Progression Path
3. Ability Progression
4. Key Abilities to Take
5. Best Gear Choices
6. Best Party Members
7. General Tips and Combat Strategy
8. Recommended Stat Growth Path
9. Frequently Asked Questions

Arithmetician Job Overview

The Arithmetician (formerly Calculator) is one of the most broken and fascinating jobs in Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles. This mathematical mage manipulates battlefield geometry to cast any learned spell instantly and without MP cost across multiple units at once. Instead of targeting individuals, the Arithmetician uses formulas based on factors like level, height, experience, or CT count, allowing area-wide spellcasting with devastating precision.

When mastered, the Arithmetician can combine Math Skill with powerful magic from other jobs (like Holy, Flare, or Arise) and deliver instant, map-wide effects with zero cost. However, the class is extremely slow, squishy, and has a tedious unlock path. To use it effectively, you’ll need to prepare strong supporting jobs and carefully plan your stat growth before switching over.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because the Arithmeticks ability itself doesn’t provide spells, only the formulas to cast them, your secondary ability determines what the Arithmetician can actually use through their math formulas.

Related

• All Builds FF Tactics Remaster
• Ultimate Jobs Guide FF Tactics Remaster
• FFT Best Abilities To Learn First
• Best Party Composition in FFT Remaster
• Best Stat Growth for FFT Remaster

Arithmetician Job Progression Path

The Arithmetician requires you to reach level 5 with White and Black Mage, and level 4 with Time Mage and Mystic. However, there are many steps to take and critical abilities to unlock before moving on. Don’t expect to rush to unlocking the Arithmetician because it will be weak overall with limited spells. Therefore, below we outline a plan and important things to unlock as you go:

• Squire: seems odd, but it’s helpful to start as a Squire because you can learn JP Boost and Movement +1. Once you learn these two, move on to the Chemist.
• Chemist: this is a great job and you don’t need to move off right away. Learn potion, phoenix down, then auto potion. You can stay and learn many other abilities including Throw Items which will help you heal and revive at range or you can move on to White Mage.
• White Mage: Stay here for a long time! White Mage is the best to combine at end game because you can revive your entire team or wipe the enemy team with Holy. Start off learning Cure, Shell, Protect, and Revive. You can either move on from this point just make sure to come back and learning Holy.
• At this point you need to double back and learn Black Mage and Time Mage. These both are powerful in their own right but you can quickly move IF you know Holy already. Reach level 4 and make sure to grab Magick Boost support ability.
• Time Mage: you can spend a lot of time leveling here due to the stat growth and awesome spells. Get Teleport and Meteor before moving on after reaching level 4.

Now you unlock the Arithmetician, so let’s give you some ideas of the best abilities to unlock.

Arithmetician Ability Progression

Below are your priority unlocks for the Arithmetician in FFT Remaster:

1. Target Level: Targets all units whose level is a multiple of your chosen factor.
2. Target CT: Targets units whose current Charge Time (CT) matches a multiple.
3. Target Exp: Targets based on Experience level multiples.
4. Target Height: Targets based on the vertical terrain height.

If you want to learn reaction, support, and movement abilities, it’s mainly for grinding. Remember, leveling as a Arithmetician won’t be good since your stats are bad. Therefore, you can learn quickly and swap to Time Mage or Black Mage as a better leveling job.

Arithmetician Key Abilities to Take

The most important aspect of your Arithmetician abilities is your secondary ability set. White Mage’s White Magick is often considered the best because you gain healing, revives, and Holy. Therefore, you can do damage, heal, or revive your entire team depending on your abilities. Black Mage is more for faster kills but less utility.

Additionally, your skills still scale off of MA. Therefore, Magick Boost is your go-to choice for optimal damage and raw spell power. We will list alternatives below, but keep these things in mind as you swap in and out abilities and experiment.

Best Arithmetician Action Abilities

• Arithmeticks – keep this in mind, these are your primary abilities BUT because Math Skill itself doesn’t provide spells, only the formulas to cast them, your secondary ability determines what the Arithmetician can actually use through their math formulas.
• Time Magic / Black Mage / White Mage – general spellcasters that you should level as. Time Mage for buffs and stats, Black Mage for damage spells and stats, and White Mage for healing and more defensive stats.

Best Arithmetician Secondary Abilities

• White Magicks (White Mage) – the best because it has damage, healing, and revival skills.
• Time Magic (Time Mage) – Used to buff and debuff with haste, slow, and damage with Meteor.
• Black Magicks (Black Mage) – easy to learn elemental AOE damage and good to pair with high MA Mystic.
• Summon Magic – AOE without friendly fire though long cast time.
• Items (Chemist) – great early or when you need a revive without a cast time.

Best Arithmetician Reaction Abilities

• Auto Potion (Chemist) – Consumes potions after being hit, best for overall survival because its melee or range this triggers.
• Critical Quick (Time Mage) – if you go to critical HP you get an instant turn. Great to counter if you are low HP.
• Magick Counter (Black Mage) – reflects back magic spell, offensive minded.
• Mana Shield (Time Mage) – Converts incoming HP Damage to MP loss.

Best Arithmetician Support Abilities

• Magick Boost (Black Mage) – increases power of offensive and defensive spells.
• Swiftspell (Time Mage) – lowers cast time so your spells fire out almost instantly. Combine with high speed to go sooner, and confuse or status effect enemies.

Best Arithmetician Movement Abilities

• Teleport (Time Mage) – can move anywhere on map but it has a chance of failing.
• Movement +2 (Thief) – great all around movement ability though Move +1 from Squire easier to learn
• Treasure Hunter (Chemist) – this can be used in Deep Dungeon to find treasure or if you don’t have anything else.
• Manafont (Mystic) – gains MP when moving.

Best Equipment Choices for Arithmetician Job

You want to spec towards speed and MA with your gear choices. The Arithmetician’s low Speed makes defensive positioning vital regardless of your gear. Make sure to use Time Mage allies to cast Haste early in battle, and equip the Magic Ring to prevent Silence from completely shutting down your unit. Swap your accessory, head, and chest for more HP and immunity to status effects. You must survive turn one and don’t expect to go soon in combat order.

Beginner Equipment / Mid-Game Equipment (Chapter 1–3)

Advanced Equipment / End-Game Equipment (Chapter 4+)

Best Party Members for Arithmetician

The Arithmetician thrives in melee dominate teams. You need to push other units to the front-lines to keep pressure off your build. You won’t be taking a turn immediately, so Ninja or Thief with high speed early is great to push the lines. Then, when it’s your turn, you can cast without MP or cast time. Below are our recommendations for your Arithmetician in FFT Remaster:

• White Mage / Time Mage: this unit provides healing, revives, and buffs like Haste since your build is slow. You will need two or more units to revive just in case.
• Time Mage / Black Mage: this combination helps with not only buffs but AOE damage via the Black Mage. Another option is Summoner for AOE and healing.
• Ninja / Monk: this is your turn one monster that can close the distance and strike at an enemy nearby.
• Dragoon / Monk: your tank melee unit that is nearly impossible to kill.
• Flex: usually a special unit is best here with Sword abilities like Agaris.

General Tips and Combat Strategy

Arithmeticians require careful setup before battle. Begin by mastering core magics like Holy, Araise, Haste and Curaja. Then, equip Arithmeticks Skill and use Level or CT targeting to hit large groups simultaneously. Since Math Skill ignores line of sight, elevation, and charge time, you can instantly cast devastating effects across the map.

In normal combat, stay near the backline and avoid exposing your Arithmetician to melee attacks. Because of their abysmal Speed, other units may act multiple times before they can move, so prioritize Speed-boosting accessories or Haste support. They shine in longer, controlled fights, especially against bosses or large enemy formations.

Use Height and Exp targeting on irregular maps, or Level on groups of similar-level foes. Be mindful of friendly-fire when casting wide effects, and disable allies’ “Auto Potion” if you’re frequently using map-wide Holy or Flare.

Recommended Stat Growth Path

Arithmeticians have terrible stat growth, so avoid leveling in this job whenever possible. Instead, level up in strong magic or balanced hybrid classes, then switch to Arithmetician after you’ve developed Speed and MA.

Level in Time Mage (for Speed), Black Mage (for MA), or White Mage (for balanced growth).

Arithmetician Job Build Frequently Asked Questions

How does Math Skill work?

Math Skill calculates targets using parameters like Level, CT, Exp, or Height. Anyone matching your chosen multiple is affected. The spell cast is any you’ve learned from other jobs.

Does Faith affect Arithmetician spells?

Yes. Since the spells themselves are magic-based (e.g., Holy, Fire), Faith influences their success and damage, even though Math Skill removes charge time and MP cost.

What’s the best spell to use with Math Skill?

Holy, Flare, and Araise are the top picks, instant global AoE damage or revival with no drawbacks except potential friendly fire.

Can Math Skill target only enemies?

No. Math Skill hits all units that meet the formula criteria, including allies. Plan your targeting carefully.

Is Arithmetician worth leveling?

Not for stats, but absolutely for its ability. Level elsewhere, then switch to Arithmetician for skill use only.

Can Ramza use Math Skill effectively?

Yes. Ramza’s versatile stat growth and access to Time/White/Black Magic make him one of the best Arithmeticians in the game.

More Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster Builds

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