Best Squire 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 Squire job (class) in Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles!

In Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, players start out as either a Squire or a Chemist Job which is their class. Your job has abilities that unlock with Job Points (JP) and you also gain Experience (EXP). As you increase in power, you want to prioritize the right abilities and the right job. Moreover, having a clear path of progression is critical, because not all jobs give the same stats. Each job has a hidden stat growth and progression, so spending four to five levels on a non-optimal class can set your build back in power.

Check Our Ultimate FFT Jobs Guide!

Table of Contents

Squire Job Overview

For the FFT Squire Build, the Squire is your starting Job. The squire job serves as the basis for physical damage dealers. After you advance one level, you can then choose Knight or Archer. However, the Squire has important abilities you should take before moving on. Moreover, you should focus on a specific path to progress this class so you reach the end-game with an optimal build.

The strength of creating a Squire Build is they have utility, decent equipment options, and the abilities you learn are helpful throughout the game. At first, you will lack range damage and healing. Therefore, it’s best to augment the build with some Chemist skills so that you can use potions. Complement the Squire’s weakness with range by bringing a Chemist or eventually some White and Black Mages who can do deal damage and heal at range.

Lastly, the main character in FF tactics is Ramza. He starts with the same job as a regular Squire but has a unique skill set called Mettle. Moreover, Ramza’s stat progression as a Squire job is different than any other character. As a first step, he’s meant to progress and stay as a Squire long term and his stats won’t be diminished if you level in that Job. Therefore, don’t feel like you need to rush out of Squire with Ramza specifically. Later, Ramza can choose the Gallant Knight.

The end game goal for a Squire build is to unlock the Ninja and progress as that Job in order to learn Dual Wield. Then, you can revert to a Monk, which has the best stats for physical damage dealer leveling. Therefore, expect to level at least somewhat in all the classes but mainly sticking with the Monk and Ninja for long-term progression.

Squire: learn most of the abilities for the Squire before moving on, including JP Boost, Move +1, Counter Tackle, Throw Stone, and Focus. Must reach level 2 in Squire Job before unlocking Knight.
Knight: from here, learn Rend Power, Rend Weapon, and Equip Swords. Must reach level 3 in Knight Job before unlocking Monk.
Monk: This is where you will spend most of your leveling at the start of the game. Learn Aurablast, Shockwave, Chakra, and Revive. You’ll be able to self-heal, revive allies, range damage, and AOE now. Next, you want to unlock the Ninja, so you need to double back and level other classes.
Archer: only use this to reach level 2 and unlock the Thief. Archer 4 is required for Ninja so you can stay until then. Concentration is a decent ability to unlock as well.
Thief: reach level 5 and grab Steal Heart and Movement +2.
Geomancer: reach level 3 and with all the above done, unlock the Ninja. However, stay for 400 JP and get Attack Boost reaction.
Ninja: spend a lot of time leveling this, grab the Dual Wield support skill which allows you to do two attacks only any class!

Squire Job Progression Tips

If you’re on a weak Job, head back to the start of the game to power level JP and EXP. Mandalia Plains is one of the easiest, which usually contains Chocobos. Kill all the enemies and surround the Chocobo without killing it and spam abilities like Focus from the Squire.

For story content, make sure you’re on a strong Job like Monk or Knight. Monk specifically will be your strongest and most versatile overall without requiring you to spend gil on weapons. Revert back to the early game if just power leveling, and make sure to stay on Monk, Knight, or Ninja for optimal stat growth with your Squire Build.

Lastly, you can swap to Chemist for a few levels and unlock a ton of utility abilities. Phoenix Down, Potion, and Auto-Potion will increase your survivability dramatically until you unlock and level the Monk. While not optimal for stat growth, make the swap and power level some JP to get these abilities if you struggle to survive.

Check the Best Squire Abilities in FFT!

Best Squire Ability Progression

Below are the Jobs and priority abilities to take. You can always take extra or forgo to power level to better Jobs, but stick with Monk and Ninja the majority of the game. Also keep in mind Ramza has additional abilities to unlock that normal units will not have.

Squire:

Focus: so you can buff your physical attack and gain JP at any extra turns. Use this instead of the defend command
Throw Stone: attack a far off foe with basic damage and can push back the enemy’s body off cliffs
Movement +1: Mobility is lacking at the start
JP Boost: boosts your JP earned at all times – extremely helpful for power leveling
Counter Tackle: filling in missing reaction ability does decent damage
Tailwind: buffs you or others’ speed
OPTIONAL: Shout which is Ramza specific and some others become available in later chapters

Knight:

Rend Weapon: helpful debuff against weapon users
Equip Swords: can use on Ninja later for two sword damage

Monk:

Chakra: restores HP and MP to allies on neighboring tiles
Revive: can now revive allies without the Chemist’s Phoenix Down
Aurablast: good range damage
Shockwave: line of AOE damage
Counter: improved counterattack
First Strike: end-game great reaction but massive JP Cost
OPTIONAL: Purification, Doom Fist and Lifefont

Archer: Concentration can be useful for high evasion jobs

Thief:

Steal Heart: Charm enemies at range though with a low success rate
Movement +2: useful the entire game to increase your movement

Gemoancer: Attack Boost, 400 JP great when using Ninja

Ninja:

Throw Shuriken: throws this item from inventory, useful range damage
Reflexes: great reaction ability to avoid attacks
Dual Wield: equip this as Monk for double attacks

From here, you can take other Jobs to get better Support or Reaction abilities. However, stay on Ninja for increased speed stats or Monk for overall best stat growth. Typically you use Monk’s Martial Arts as your secondary abilities or if playing a Monk use Fundamentals Squire abilities (Mettle on Ramza)

Squire Build Key Abilities to Take

Type	Ability	Reason
Action	Fundamentals (Mettle for Ramza)	Basic skill set for Squire
Secondary Ability	Martial Arts	Healing, range damage, AOE
Reaction	Auto-Potion	Automatic healing on being hit
Support	JP Boost	Leveling up ability
Movement	Movement +2	great movement easy to get

Action Ability: Shockwave, Aurablast, Focus, or Shout (Ramza only)
Reaction Ability: Frist Strike, Auto-Potion, Counter, Reflexes
Support Ability: JP Boost, Dual Wield, Equip Swords
Movement Ability: Movement +1, Movement +2, Lifefont

Best Squire Build Action Abilities

The best action abilities for the Squire are Shockwave, Aurablast, Focus, or Shout (Ramza only). Shockwave is the Monk’s AOE damage skill that shoots out damage in a line. What’s nice is this attack avoids most counters, hits multiple targets, and has high chance to hit. The Aurablast Monk skill is also great because it also avoids counterattacks and has decent range so you can consistently do damage. Lastly, either Focus or Shout should be used as a buff when you cannot reach a target and you want something to do. You can also consider Salve to cure status ailments.

Best Samurai Secondary Abilities

Martial Arts (Monk) – By far the best secondary ability set. Once you learn Chakra and Revive, you mainly use Monk as a secondary job the entire game when not playing the Monk. Alternatively, you can use Fundementals and Focus when power leveling and grinding.
Arts of War (Knight) – the Rend and destroy equipment option is helpful in certain encounters. A good Thief who can steal is also helpful as an alternative.

Best Squire Build Reaction Abilities

The best reaction abilities for the Squire are Auto-Potion, First Strike, Counter, and Reflexes. While you start with Counter Tackle from the Squire, you can quickly swap to Chemist and grab Auto-Potion. It’s expensive at the beginning of the game, but later on it will use your lowest potion and a good chance to heal you after being attacked. Therefore, you clear out your inventory of low level potions so you get massive healing every time you’re hit. Below are some reactions you should take:

Auto-Potion (Chemist) – triggers a potion of lowest quality when hit in combat. Massive auto-heal makes you much harder to kill. Use X-Potions on Wiegraf fight to survive initial attack.
First Strike (Monk) – this will absolutely shred any attacker with damage before they attack. Also, they won’t activate their attack! So even if you don’t kill them outright, it’s a 100% counter to any melee attacker. Downside is, it won’t work on range spells or spellcasting so you need additional options.
Blade Grasp (Samurai) – Allows you to evade nearly any physical attack with high Brave. One of the best defensive reactions in the entire game.
Dragonheart (Dragoon) – Auto-Reraise makes you one of the hardest units to permanently take down.
Counter (Monk) – returns damage to user helpful at start. This is a better alternative to Counter Tackle and it’s worth the 300 JP early on.
Counter Tackle (Squire) – grab this right away and move onto Counter with Monk quickly.

Best Squire Build Support Abilities

The best support abilities for the Squire are JP Boost, Dual Wield, Attack Boost. JP Boost will be used when you are power leveling other Jobs and unlocking abilities. This skill you want to acquire very early in your Squire build progression and use in support slot unless doing a hard fight needing a boost. Dual Wield from the Ninja is great to pair with any melee Job because it will allow you to attack twice! However, if you’re using the Ninja Job then Equip Swords can be helpful in the Support slot to boost damage via Swords. Below are some ideas:

JP Boost (Squire) – purely for grinding and power leveling JP. Use this mainly when grinding or playing fights that aren’t that difficult to beat.
Dual Wield (Ninja) – allows you to attack twice if you have two weapons equipped.
Attack Boost (Geomancer) – decent support ability if you don’t have access to Dual Wield or don’t want to grind.
Concentration (Archer) – ensures, attacks always hit their target. This is 100% useful on boss fights where they have extremely high evade chance.

Best Squire Build Movement Abilities

The best movement abilities for the Squire are Movement +1, Movement +2, Lifefont. Movement +1, 2, 3 come from Squire, Thief, and Bard. The +3 bonus is nice but extremely hard to unlocked and annoying. Therefore, it’s likely you will stick with +2. The Teleport ability from Time Mage is great at moving long distances but it can fail. Lastly, the Monk’s Lifefont gives you a little health when you move and it can be helpful if you don’t have any healing.

Movement +3 (Bard) – by far the best, but super annoying to unlock. Teleport from the Time Mage is another option but also 3,000 JP and a spellcaster Time Mage required. Therefore, you’re likely to use Movement +2.
Movement +2 (Thief) – great all around movement and it’s not annoying to get in the progression chain of Dragoon.
Lifefont (Monk) – helpful to get some HP back pure turn.
Teleport (Time Mage) – massive movement, but it can fail and cost 3,000 JP.
Ignore Elevation (Dragoon) – Negates terrain restrictions; excellent quality of life.

Best Gear for the Squire Build – Final Fantasy Tactics

The Squire might start as a humble foot soldier, but with the right gear, it can become a resilient frontline unit or a flexible support thanks to its broad equipment access. While the job lacks flashy stats or standout abilities later in the game, gearing your Squire properly lets it contribute meaningfully all the way into Chapter 4—especially if you’re optimizing for tanking or support roles.

At the very start, your Squires will be quite squishy and deal modest damage. Your focus should be on getting your Squire build functional and building up JP (get JP Boost) to unlock better jobs and more impactful abilities.

Prioritize Offense (Early Damage):
- Broadswords: As soon as you can buy them from the Outfitter, upgrade your Squires’ Knives to Broadswords. This will significantly increase their damage output. Check outfitters constantly post battles or as you level.
- “Accumulate / Focus” (Squire Ability): early self-buff boost physical attack.
Basic Defense:
- Best Available Hats & Clothes: Always buy the best available Hats and Clothes from the Outfitter. While they don’t offer heavy protection, every little bit helps. Look for items that boost HP or Speed.
- Positioning: Since Squires can’t use shields, good positioning is even more critical. Keep them out of direct harm when possible, or focus fire on enemies quickly.
JP Grinding Focus:
- JP Boost (Squire Support Ability): This is arguably the most important ability for a Squire to learn first (250 JP). Equip it on everyone as soon as possible. It increases JP gained by 50%, speeding up all future job progression.
- Move +1 (Squire Movement Ability): Another excellent early ability (200 JP). Increased movement range allows your Squires to get into position faster, reach enemies, or grab treasure.

Below is a full gear breakdown by slot, including early recommendations and the best endgame gear for Chapter 4.

Best Weapon

Ragnarok
Stats: 16 WP, Holy Element, +2 MA, +2 PA
Why Use: Excellent balance of power and stat bonuses. The Holy element can be abused with certain setups or units.
How to Get: Found in deep battle rewards in Midlight’s Deep or stolen from Elmdor.
Brave Blade
Stats: 30 WP, but reduces Brave permanently when equipped
Why Use: Raw power. If you’re not worried about Brave (or have ways to restore it), this is your best damage option.
How to Get: Found in the Deep Dungeon with specific pathing.

Runner-Up: Defender – 14 WP, +2 PA, Protect on equip. Easier to obtain and a strong defensive choice for frontline Squires. Note, you can get Excaliber from another NPC character, though it’s best if he uses it as a party member.

Best Shield

Escutcheon II
Stats: 75% physical evade, 50% magic evade
Why Use: The best shield in the game. Massive evade makes your Squire a wall.
How to Get: Rendezvous battles (PSP) or Deep Dungeon via poaching.

Alternative: Aegis Shield – 30% magic evade, blocks status. Safer pick if you’re worried about debuffs.

Best Helmet

Grand Helmet
Stats: +150 HP, +1 PA
Why Use: Huge HP boost and a minor PA buff make your Squire more durable and dangerous.
How to Get: Late Chapter 4 shops or Deep Dungeon.

Budget Pick: Circlet – If you’re mixing magic support with a hybrid build, consider the +MA boost.

Best Armor

Robe of Lords
Stats: +60 HP, +60 MP, +2 PA/MA, +20% magic evade
Why Use: Versatile and powerful on almost any unit. Works great if you’re running Item or magic secondary skills.
How to Get: Stolen from Elmdor or through multiplayer battles (PSP).
Maximilian
Stats: +240 HP
Why Use: If you want a pure tank, this is the highest HP option.
How to Get: Deep Dungeon.

Note: The Squire’s ability to equip both heavy armor and robes lets you customize your role. Use Maximilian for tanking, Robe of Lords for hybrid builds.

Best Accessory

Bracer
Stats: +3 PA
Why Use: Best raw physical damage accessory. Ideal if you’re going for a DPS melee Squire.
Ribbon
Why Use: Blocks all negative status effects. A defensive powerhouse if your Squire needs to stay on the field no matter what.
Note: Only equippable by females or with special gear access.
Genji Glove
Stats: +2 PA, +10% physical evade
Why Use: Great mix of offense and survivability.

Best Party Composition for a Squire Build – Final Fantasy Tactics

The Squire is often overlooked as a throwaway starter class, but when paired with the right party composition, it becomes a surprisingly effective contributor—whether as a JP battery, utility support, or even a tanky frontline unit. This guide walks through the best allies to pair with a Squire build in both the early game and the endgame, maximizing the job’s flexibility at all stages.

Early Game Party Composition (Chapters 1–2)

At the start of the game, you’re limited to generics and Ramza. In this phase, Squire shines as a support/tank role thanks to access to Guts (especially Focus, Shout, and Tailwind) and broad weapon/armor options.

Ramza – Squire with Item or White Magic
Why: Buff allies with Tailwind/Focus and act as a frontline sponge.
Generic Black Mage – Offense and crowd control
Why: Early-game spells like Fire and Thunder clear mobs fast.
Generic Archer – Ranged chip and elevation abuse
Why: Squire’s buffs help make the Archer more effective with Focus stacking.
Generic White Mage – Support healer
Why: Keeps Ramza and your Squire alive while they bait enemy melee.
Monk or Knight – Frontline bruiser
Why: Early access to good physical damage and durability. Monks pair well due to Chakra support and self-healing.

Tip: In early chapters, the Squire is at its best when boosting others. Use Focus or Tailwind to give damage dealers a leg up while tanking hits with high HP gear.

Endgame Party Composition (Chapter 4)

By Chapter 4, your party should be built around synergy and flexibility. With late-game NPCs like Reis and Orlandeau, the Squire can step into a pure support or tank role while these heavy hitters do the damage.

Orlandeau (Sword Saint) – Broken-tier damage dealer
Why: Comes with full skill set and can carry fights solo if needed.
Reis (Dragonkin or Holy Dragon) – Magic tank or physical nuke
Why: Insane stat growth, wide spell access, and synergizes with Ramza’s buffs.
Balthier – Range damage
Why: can break gear at range
Generic Summoner with Items – AoE damage or Item support
Why: Summoners complement tanks with huge spell coverage; Chemists offer instant revives and healing.
Squire (Ramza or Generic) – Mettle or Fundementals with Martial Arts
Why: Shout grants +1 PA, MA, Speed, and Brave per use. Keep casting it to buff your entire team. Combine with Item or Chakra to sustain.

Ramza’s Shout stacks +1 to all stats and Brave every cast. In long fights, this turns him or anyone else into a late-game amazing.

General Tips and Strategy

Use skills like Focus, Tailwind, and Shout allow you to buff allies (or yourself) with Speed, Attack, and Magic stats, all for zero MP. In longer fights, this can stack up quickly, turning a support Squire into a frontline threat. Always start combat by using Tailwind or Focus on key allies like mages or ranged units to give them an early edge.

Positioning is crucial for the Squire. With access to shields, heavy armor, and Move+ skills, the Squire can act as a durable buffer on the frontline or reposition to support allies as needed. Equip Move-HP Up, Move +2, or Equip Shield to increase survivability and utility. If you’re using a support build, prioritize gear that improves speed or durability to let the Squire continue acting each round consistently.

Later in the game, Ramza’s unique Shout ability is one of the best self-buffs in the game. Each cast increases PA, MA, Speed, and Brave—making it essential to stack early in boss fights or high-difficulty encounters. Combine Shout with high-end gear and the Squire becomes more than just a starter job—it becomes the backbone of your long-term battle strategy.

Recommended Stat Growth Path

The Monk offers some of the best all-around physical growth in the game. It provides excellent HP per level, one of the highest PA growths among all jobs, and decent Speed. By leveling in Monk from levels 2–40 or beyond, your unit will become a durable, hard-hitting powerhouse—even when returning to a lower-tier class later. Monks are also relatively easy to unlock and train early in the game, making them a go-to stat growth job for beginners and veterans alike. If you’re aiming to create a Squire that can tank and hit hard with minimal gear, Monk growth is your best foundation.

The Ninja, on the other hand, is the undisputed king of Speed growth. It also has strong PA gains, but it shines by increasing the number of turns your unit can take in combat. Every level you gain as a Ninja increases Speed faster than any other class in the game, making it a critical job for optimizing turn economy. Leveling from 40–99 as a Ninja will result in a unit that acts first—and more often—than nearly any opponent. For Squire builds that rely on frequent buffs like Tailwind or Shout, or want to toss Items and revive allies before enemies can finish them off, Ninja-level Speed is game-changing.

For the best balance, many players choose to level early in Monk for the raw HP and PA boost, then transition to Ninja mid-to-late game to ramp up Speed. This hybrid growth path gives you a physically durable, fast-acting unit with top-tier stats in the Squire class, without needing magic. Avoid leveling in caster jobs like Time Mage or Bard if you’re focused on physical performance, as these classes will tank your PA and Speed growth.

Squire Job Build Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Squire job viable in the late game?

Yes if you’re playing Ramza since the stat growth is better than the base game job.

How does Squire job perform in late-game or Deep Dungeon?

Poor unless using Ramza and Mettle. Generic units should focus on Monk or Ninja for optimal gameplay.

What’s the best secondary job for a Squire build?

The Monk is the best secondary job because you can heal, revive, and deal range damage.

Can Ramza make good use of the Squire build?

Yes, Ramza’s unique version of Squire (if applicable) often includes extra abilities or access to equipment that makes him especially effective in this role.

Channel Log and Updates

v1.2.0 – October 9, 2025 – added more options to abilities and images.
v1.1.0 – October 1, 2025 – update ability names, progression tips, and images.
v1.0 – September 30, 2025 – originally posted upon FFT Remaster Release.

More Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster Builds

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