More Final Fantasy

[Sofis]

Just berserkers would be dreadfully boring, and pointlessly hard. The fun in these variants is thinking up clever strategies to get past obstacles. With berserkers, you don't get that, because you have no influence on what they do in battle.
What could have potential would be some variant where you have berserkers plus a support character (with a rule that you're not allowed to just kill off the berserkers and go solo ). Butz and the Brawny Berserker Broads [SIZE="1"]and Galuf[/SIZE].

[T-hawk]

Ooh, I really like that idea, Sofis. One character trying to nanny three Berserkers. Are you taking it or can I have it?

[Sofis]

Good question. I was considering it. I actually tried a similar variant a few months back, but without a rule regarding killing the berserkers, and with a class restriction on Butz (to bard, since I figured that's the most supporty class of them all). I pretty quickly decided it was a badly designed variant and gave it up. But a new (and better designed) try is tempting.

But I don't think there is a terribly strong reason we can't both do it. Comparing, after all, is fun.

[Selrahc]

with a rule that you're not allowed to just kill off the berserkers and go solo

Maybe something like "All damage must be done by berserkers"

[Jowy]

play some ff9 noobs

[T-hawk]

I pretty quickly decided it was a badly designed variant and gave it up. But a new (and better designed) try is tempting.

I think these rules cover it:

1. Choose three characters to always be berserkers.
1a. Just for convenience, one of the berserkers may become a Thief just long enough to learn Find Passages and equip that ability. There's no combat effect and this helps those of us that haven't memorized the entire game yet.

2. The fourth character may not damage or kill enemies. (he shouldn't be using Shoat or L5 Death or similar.) Enemy debuffs like Slow and Stop and Dark Spark are okay.
2a. Just for convenience, the fourth character may damage enemies in random fights with the plain Fight command. This means we won't violate the variant just by inattentive clicking.

3. If any of the three berserkers has Stone or Dead status, the support character must repair that. If the support character is a Mime and lacks the Items command, he/she must have White Magic at least level 4 for the Raise and Heal/Esuna spells.

4. Other than rules 2 and 3, the fourth character has no restrictions on jobs or items or actions.

[Sofis]

I think Atmos would be completely unworkable with those rules. How about

3. All berserkers must enter each battle in good health (alive and with HP full or close to full). If at any point all berserkers are out (dead, stoned, zombie, erased) this shall be considered a game over.

And regarding 4, does that mean the mellow character can use any class, or only those classes that have been properly unlocked? Since we'll have to unlock the berserker class out of turn anyway...

[T-hawk]

Atmos, good point. Atmos could be a one time exception to the rule (like he is for solos), but yours is simpler and better. I do think the support character should be able to revive the berserkers if they all die, or run away. So I think just the first part of your rule 3 is fine. The intent is just to prevent the nanny from playing as a solo or adding levels alone, which that accomplishes.

And you're right, only jobs unlocked in normal sequence should be available for the support character. I was thinking it that way, just didn't write it.

There is a loophole that the support character can damage monsters by learning the Monk's Counter ability. Should we plug that or leave it open? I don't see how to plug it other than forbidding Monk entirely which seems overkill, and it doesn't seem powerful enough to be a problem.

[Sofis]

Sounds good on rule 3. Also, it strikes me that the second half of my proposed rule would make Omniscient quite the problem.

I'd lean towards banning Monk, though I agree it probably won't matter. If you want it allowed that's fine by me. One thing that I think should be made explicit is that aiming damaging spells against a walled character is against the rules. But how do we feel about poison? The Black Mage spell does not inflict any damage, just a status effect.

[T-hawk]

Omniscient will be beaten by the chaperone character going it alone wearing a Wall Ring. I don't see any other way to do it even in spirit without writing an exception for that fight. Good point about poison status. I'll agree with you on banning Monk; it's a bit heavy-handed, but the support character ever being one really doesn't match the intent. I also want a slight clarification to my 2a to emphasize what that's supposed to do - just save a bit of time and effort in random fights that pose no threat or challenge. So to rewrite and tighten up the rules:

1. Choose three characters to always be Berserkers, using a code device to gain the job as soon as possible.
1a. For convenience, one of the berserkers may become a Thief just long enough to learn Find Passages and equip that ability.

2. The fourth character may not damage enemies (including by reflecting damage spells off a walled character) or inflict Stone, Dead, or Poison status on enemies, or the Berserk status on himself/herself.
2a. The fourth character may, in random fights and long as all three berserkers are in good health, use the plain Fight command to damage enemies.

3. All berserkers must enter each battle in good health (alive and with HP full or close to full).

4. The fourth character may not use the Monk or Berserker job. He or she may use any other jobs at any time after they are unlocked normally, and all abilities and items other than as listed in rule 2.

(Edited with Sofis's suggestions below. Enough rulesing, I want to start playing it now. )