Fighter

The archetypal RPG warrior class, it’s your primary physical damage dealer, leading from the front. It has no magic at first, but can later learn low-end White Magic, adding minor support functions. For most people, the Fighter will be the anchor of their team.

• Starting Stats: 35 HP / 10 Damage / 10% Hit / 0 Absorb / 53% Evade
• Promotion - Knight: Can use more weapons and armor, and is able to use low-level White Magic.

Black Belt

In later FF titles, this class becomes the Monk. They miss quite often, and are challenging at lower levels, but the higher level they get, the more devastating they become. While you can equip weapons to them, don’t - they should fight with bare hands. Early on you might find them a bit weak, but picking them pays off in the late game. Key to this is the Absorb stat, which allows the Black Belt to nullify incoming damage an increasing amount as it levels up.

• Starting Stats: 33 HP / 2 Damage / 5% Hit / 1 Absorb / 53% Evade
• Promotion - Grand Master: Obtains no new moves, but is drastically more powerful.

Thief

A defining class for the series, the Thieves are held back by their choice of weapons - which kinda sucks. However, the Thief has the highest chance at escaping from battles, which is really useful early on. In the late game, Thief promotes to Ninja - and the Ninja gets much more access to weapons, armor, and even some magic - which immediately transforms it into a fast, hard-hitting powerhouse.

• Starting Stats: 30 HP / 2 Damage / 5% Hit / 0 Absorb / 58% Evade
• Promotion - Ninja: Can use many weapons and perform low-level Black Magic.

Black Mage

The archetypal mage, later in the game it’s promoted to the Black Wizard. It can learn all of the black magic spells in the game. It’s multi-target attack spells can help you to quickly mop up large enemy mob groups in random encounters, while powerful spells can blast down bosses. Just be warned it’s the squishiest class, with the lowest HP.

• Starting Stats: 28 HP / 2 Damage / 5% Hit / 0 Absorb / 53% Evade
• Promotion - Black Wizard: Unlocks the most powerful Black Magic spells.

White Mage

Unless you’re doing some sort of novelty run, a White Mage is a must-have for your class, as they’ll be your primary healer, promoting into the White Wizard later in the game. As well as healing and buffs, the White Mage can use their spells to annihilate undead monsters.

• Starting Stats: 28 HP / 2 Damage / 5% Hit / 0 Absorb / 53% Evade
• Promotion - White Wizard: Unlocks the most powerful White Magic.

Red Mage

A jack of all trades but master of none, the Red Mage can use both Black and White magic, plus some heavy armor and weapons. They’re all-rounders, a combination of the two mages and fighter, but not as good in any single area as any of the three. A truly physically-based party could swap their mages for a Red Mage, however - you’d just have a more limited spell list.

• Starting Stats: 30 HP / 5 Damage / 7% Hit / 0 Absorb / 58% Evade
• Promotion - Red Wizard: Enables the use of a wider range of equipment and spells.

The Classic Party - Fighter / Black Belt / Black Mage / White Mage

This setup is one of the most iconic in Final Fantasy I, representing a balanced team that covers all the essential bases. While it may not be the absolute strongest combination, it’s a classic for a reason, providing a solid foundation for tackling the game’s challenges.

At the start, the Fighter will be your primary physical attacker, leading the charge with superior strength and defense. The Black Mage quickly catches up, providing crucial offensive magic to handle multiple enemies and deal significant damage in tough battles. However, the real late-game powerhouse is the Black Belt. Once promoted to Master, the Black Belt’s raw, gear-free strength allows them to surpass even the Knight in physical power.

One key benefit of the Black Belt is their minimal gear dependency. This frees up money to be spent on upgrading the Fighter’s armor and weapons and investing in spells for both the Black Mage and White Mage. In the late game, the Level 4 Black Magic spell Fast/Haste becomes critical, allowing you to boost the attack speed and damage output of both the Knight and Master, making them even more formidable.

This party setup provides a nice balance between physical and magical power, with a focus on building up the Black Belt over time to create a strong, cost-effective team for both early and late game.

The Classic Party II - Fighter / Thief / Black Mage / White Mage

This party setup is a variation of the classic lineup, offering a balanced mix of physical strength and magical power. With both Black and White magic available from the beginning, you can handle both offensive magic and healing effectively. The Fighter, as always, remains your go-to physical attacker, leading the charge in battle.

However, this setup comes with a higher cost. The Thief, while fast and nimble, is frail and requires constant gear upgrades to stay effective in combat. Meanwhile, maintaining spell progressions for both the Black Mage and White Mage adds to your expenses. Early on, this party may feel like a slow burn as you carefully manage resources to keep everyone equipped and powerful.

Where this party truly shines is in the late game. Once promoted, the Thief evolves into the Ninja, gaining access to a wider variety of weapons, armor, and low-level magic. The Fighter’s promotion to Knight also allows for some White Magic use, making this party highly versatile. By the end, all four characters will have access to magic, turning this initially challenging team into a well-rounded, formidable force.

Consider this setup a strategic investment—while it may take time to reach its full potential, the payoff is a highly capable party that can adapt to most challenges in the game.

Low Healing Powerhouse - Fighter / Thief / Black Mage / Red Mage

This setup takes a slight deviation from the classic party by replacing the White Mage with a Red Mage. While you won’t have access to the strongest healing spells, you still retain some healing capabilities thanks to the Red Mage, and later in the game, the Knight (evolved from Fighter) can also pick up some healing magic.

The Fighter serves as your mainstay throughout the game, tanking hits and dealing consistent physical damage. The Thief will start off weaker in terms of offense but grows into a powerful asset once promoted to Ninja, gaining access to better gear and magic. Until then, you’ll need to focus on keeping them well-equipped to contribute to the team effectively.

Much of your resources will be invested in spells for your Black and Red Mages, so scavenging gear from dungeons will be crucial to save money. This setup truly shines in the late game when the Thief becomes a Ninja and the Knight unlocks its full potential, turning this team into a damage-dealing powerhouse, even with its limited healing options.

All Out Attack - Fighter / Fighter / Fighter / Red Mage

If you're looking for a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to combat, this class setup is all about brute force. With three Fighters leading the charge, you'll have unrivaled attack power and strong defense from the start of the game. This party setup is designed to overwhelm enemies with raw physical strength, meaning you won’t need to worry much about magic until later in the game.

The Red Mage plays a supporting role, providing just enough magic to cover healing and utility spells. While the Fighters dominate in battle, the Red Mage helps balance things out with basic healing and buffs. However, you’ll need to be mindful of your resources early on, as equipping all three Fighters with strong gear can get expensive, especially in the mid-game.

By the time you reach the endgame, your Fighters will have evolved into Knights, capable of using White Magic, making them even more versatile. This setup transforms into a powerhouse that can steamroll through most encounters with ease. Though it may lack the tactical complexity of other setups, it offers an undeniably strong and effective way to play—perfect for players who want to focus on pure strength. Just be aware that it can become a bit repetitive for some.

The Magicians - Red Mage / Red Mage / Black Mage / White Mage

This party setup focuses heavily on magic, offering a different approach compared to the more physically-based parties like ‘The Classic.’ Instead of relying on brute strength, you’ll be using two Red Mages to balance between offense and defense, while still keeping a Black Mage and White Mage for specialized magic duties.

In the early game, the abundance of magic gives you an edge, allowing you to tackle enemies with spells that target multiple foes. However, as the game progresses, you’ll start to see the limitations of the Red Mage class, especially in terms of physical attack power. This party setup can also be expensive, as you'll need to continually invest in equipping and upgrading spells for all of your magic users.

The Red Mages can hold their own early on, but as you move deeper into the game, the gap between them and true physical attackers like Knights or Black Belts will grow. That being said, this party setup can be incredibly satisfying when executed well, particularly when you unleash a coordinated barrage of powerful spells to annihilate bosses in record time. However, be mindful: this setup is not for everyone and requires a careful balance of resources and strategy.