S Tier Buffing Supports
Similar to healers, the average level of quality among buffing supports is quite high, which can make it difficult to separate a highest tier from the rest of the pack.
That didn’t end up occurring here. Though it may be true that being able to buff and Entrust is good enough to get you near the top, we happen to have a trio of exceptional buffers that stand above the rest.
Onion Knight (FFIII)
Ability Schools: Black Magic 6, White Magic 6, Combat 6, Support 6, Celerity 6, Ninja 5
Estimated Date Activated: Jan. 10th, 2018
Record Spheres: Sword PHY Damage +3%, BLK Damage +9%, WHT Healing +9%
Legend Spheres: BLK Damage +6%, WHT Healing +6%, Minor Blind Resist, Minor Silence Resist
Legend Motes: Wisdom + Bravery
Legend Materia: LM1“Mastery of Weapons”
35% chance to dualcast Celerity abilities, LM2“Mastery of Magicks”
35% chance to dualcast Black Magic abilities, LMR“Nom de Guerre”
Grants Instant Cast 2 at the beginning of the battle
Miscellaneous Notes: Onion Knight
Signature Soul Breaks
BSB “Vessel of Fate”
Grants Haste to all allies, ATK and MAG +30% to all allies for 25 seconds, grants Burst Mode to the user
Command 1: Four single attacks (0,47 each), grants Physical Instant Cast 1 to the user
Command 2: Four single attacks (2,25 each), grants Magical Instant Cast 1 to the user
USB1 “Forbidden Wisdom”
Grants Haste and Magical Quick Cast 3 to all allies, MAG, RES and MND +30% to all allies for 25 seconds, grants EX: Sage“EX: Sage [ID:50046]”
MAG +30%, BLK attacks deal 15% more damage for 15 seconds to the user
USB2 “Forbidden Power”
Grants Haste and Critical Chance 50% to all allies, ATK +50% to all allies for 25 seconds, grants EX: Ninja“EX: Ninja [ID:50047]”
ATK +30%, cast speed x1,30 plus x0,30 for each attack used for the duration of the status, up to x3,40, for 15 seconds to the user
Onion Knight is listed here and not exclusively in the Special Consideration section because while he is so much more, Onion Knight is a buffing support first and foremost.
Onion Knight would be the best support even if his various components weren’t among the best in the game, but they are. All of them. His USBs, Legend Materia, stats, ability selection — it’s as good as it can get.
For what it’s worth, Onion Knight is also the only character in the game with what amounts to two LM2s, though the value in that might be stunted by the limited strength of the Celerity ability school.
Onion Knight is likely the most valuable character in Final Fantasy: Record Keeper.
Sazh (FFXIII)
Ability Schools: Black Magic 3, White Magic 3, Combat 2, Support 6, Machinist 6, Sharpshooter 5
Estimated Date Activated: Dec. 17th, 2017
Record Spheres: Machinist Damage +9%, Gun PHY Damage +3%
Legend Spheres: Support Damage +9%, Minor+Moderate Paralyze Resist
Legend Motes: Bravery + Vitality
Legend Materia: LM1“Cheerful Father”
Support abilities deal 15% more damage, LM2“Love for the Son”
Increases the duration of stat buffs by 40%, LMR“Struggling Father”
Grants Haste and Instant Cast 1 at the beginning of the battle
Miscellaneous Notes: Sazh
Signature Soul Breaks
BSB “Choco-Chick Blues”
ATK and MAG +30% to all allies for 25 seconds, grants Haste, Instant Cast 2 and Burst Mode to the user
Command 1: ATK and DEF -20% for 15 seconds, ranged attack
Command 2: MAG and RES -20% for 15 seconds, ranged attack
USB1 “Gifted Pilot”
DEF, MAG and RES +30% to all allies for 25 seconds, grants Haste and Astra“Astra” [ID:594]
Prevents Poison, Silence, Paralyze, Confuse, Slow, Stop, Blind, Sleep, Petrify, Berserk, Sap, Stun and Frozen once. Lasts 25 seconds to all allies
Sazh distinguishes himself from his counterpart Red XIII in two important ways. Nanaki’s BSB gives High Regen where Sazh’s gives Instant Cast 2 to himself. Their USBs are identical other than +ATK for Red and +MAG for Sazh. These create a world of difference, with the praises of Instant Cast being sung far and wide, and with +30% MAG being the expected return of a mage team buff and +30% ATK more of a secondary benefit to a physical team. This is important with both Ramza and Onion Knight being powerful +50% ATK buffs with Hastega.
Sazh further proves his capability with one of those rare Support LMRs that quickens his fight opening in a way that few others can match. Guess who the others are. (Tyro doesn’t count!)
Ramza (FFT)
Ability Schools: Combat 4, Support 6, Knight 4, Ninja 4, Bard 3
Estimated Date Activated: Current
Record Spheres: Sword PHY Damage +3%, Katana PHY Damage +3%
Legend Spheres: Support Damage +9%, Minor+Moderate Paralyze Resist
Legend Motes: Bravery + Vitality
Legend Materia: LM1“Strength of Conviction”
Support abilities deal 15% more damage, LM2“Beoulve Spirit”
Increases the duration of stat buffs by 40%, LMR“True Hero”
Grants Instant Cast 1 at the beginning of the battle, begins the round with full ATB gauge
Miscellaneous Notes: Ramza
Signature Soul Breaks
BSB2 “Battle Cry (FFT)”
Grants Haste to all allies, ATK +50% to all allies for 25 seconds, grants Attach Holy and Burst Mode to the user
Command 1: Five single Holy/NE attacks (0,54 each), No SB points generated
Command 2: Generate 180 SB points
USB1 “History’s Truth”
ATK, DEF and MAG +30% to all allies for 25 seconds, grants Instant Cast 1 to all allies
Ramza has been near and dear to us for almost two years now. His +50% ATK hastega “Shout” has been the anchor of physical teams and there was no support that could compete.
That changes in the near future, but for now Ramza himself holds the first Shout upgrade. His BSB2 frees up an ability slot as an entruster or debuffer and provides him with the burst mode stat boost. Unfortunately, this is the first upgrade in a string of them which overtake Ramza’s status as the +50% hastega king. Onion Knight and Quina(wow!) lead that pack.
Ramza now separates himself from the average support with his unique USB and LMR. Ramza’s great stats paired with this simple combo is all he needs to be a premier buffer of the future. His BSB2, though no longer the best at what it does, is still powerful due to Ramza’s unique LMR. Instantly casting the USB at fight start is great and saves a remarkable amount of time, but so does essentially having the entire team start with Haste.
Honorable Mentions
Quina
Quina, the real hero of FFIX, is hilarious. It also has a really funny and awesome Trance Mode LM2 where Quina instantly gains 500 Soul Break points when brought to below 20% HP. This makes Quina a great entruster to go along with its powerful USB.