Table of Contents

Party Composition

Abilities & DPS

Orb Chart

Character & SSB evaluation: Mages & Supports

Character & SSB evaluation: Celerity & Spellblade

Character & SSB evaluation: Job Classes

SSB Rankings

Banner Evaluation: Intro & Cloudy Wolf

Note: A couple players ('Shout' out to u/pintbox and u/Izlude91) have suggested that equipping a Bonus Dmg RM rather than Ace Striker on your Lifesiphoners is a more optimal setup (assuming you have enough applicable ones to give your fighters). The theory being that you build up enough SB gauge for weak phase burst with just Lifesiphon, so getting higher damage output is more useful. I've adjusted the relevant sections in Parts 1 & 2 of this guide, and recalculated the LS+SSB DPS to lower values in Part 2 as well. Also added Tauntaliators (how could I forget?) as an option for the flex slot character in Part 1.

Orb Chart

I thought an orb chart comparing the orbs required for the recommended 5* abilities from Part 2 would be helpful in planning your honing, so here it is.

Ability	Event	Blk	Wht	Sum	Pwr	Non	Fire	Ice	Lit	Earth	Wind	Holy	Dark
Full Break	now				10			6	6
Bahamut	now			10		6							6
Thief's Raid	Minwu								6		10		6
Saint Cross	Tactics									6	6	10
Break Fever	Vincent		6									10	6
Dark Zone	Kuja	6				6							10
Full Charge	Braska				10					6	6
Chainstarter	Braska		6		10						6
Dragonfire Dive	Rydia					6	10		6

As you can see, Power and Wind are in highest demand, and Dark is up there as well.

It's hard to make recommendations, since everyone's account is different, but I'll try to make some general suggestions anyways.

• Full Break R2 should be priority #1.

• I don't recommend Bahamut since for U/U+ fights you want it at R5 (230 MSOs, 138 Non & Dark) which is too resource intensive for the number of uses you get, and unrealistic for most players. Instead, you can consider breaking down MSO's and honing 2 Maduins. (Don't hone Valefor. Wind Orbs are too valuable.)

• I would skip Thief's Raid when it arrives since its main orb is Wind, unless you have a 170 SPD Thief you intend to equip it with. (Locke will be the only one for a good while.)

• I recommend honing Saint Cross to R2/3 when it arrives. There are many good Knight characters, so the likelihood you'll have a SB for one is higher. Plus, you'll be pulling on the Tactics banner, right? So hopefully you'll have Agrias' shield.

• Break Fever: Hone to R2 if you have a Dancer 5 to use it with.

• Dark Zone shouldn't conflict with much so I recommend honing. Having a SB for your Dark Mage is nice, but you don't necessarily need one to use it.

• Full Charge: Save your Power Orbs and Wind Orbs for this after you hone Full Break. Its easy equipability is very helpful, especially for full-synergy party Cid's Missions later on.

• Chainstarter: Whether you decide to hone this or Thief's Raid depends on your orbs and whether you have a Thief SB, or one for Lightning, Tidus, Zack, or Gau. (This is under the assumption that you want to bring a team of characters who all have soul breaks.)

• Dragonfire Dive: Doesn't conflict with much, which is nice. Hone if you want to use a Dragoon.

Finally, below is a chart tallying the total number of orbs needed to hone the recommended abilties to R3 (R2 for Full Break/Break Fever). It also assumes you have R1 already for the ones obtainable as event rewards.

Ability	Rank	Blk	Wht	Sum	Pwr	Non	Fire	Ice	Lit	Earth	Wind	Holy	Dark
Full Break	R2				30			18	18
Thief's Raid	R3								36		60		36
Saint Cross	R3									36	36	60
Break Fever	R2		12									20	12
Dark Zone	R3	36				36							60
Full Charge	R3				60					36	36
Chainstarter	R3		36		60						36
Dragonfire Dive	R3					36	60		36
TOTAL		36	48	--	150	72	60	18	90	72	168	80	108
If you wanted to reduce the total number of Power Orbs and Wind Orbs (and Dark Orbs) needed, I think the likeliest cuts would be Thief's Raid and/or Chainstarter since they're the most niche for those orbs.

Additional Note: Obviously, our ideal teams would have a (S)SB for each party member. However, the look into abilities in Parts 2 & 3 also show that you can include 1 or 2 characters (perhaps your fave?) who don't have a SB, if they can bring one of these high-DPS skills. (The combos: Chainstarter + Full Charge, Memento Mori + Dark Zone, Dragoon Combo. Or even Thief's Raid or Saint Cross.) Just remember, you need good hones for these abilities. This is how players in JP who don't have many SB's for a particular realm's Cid's Mission party complete those quests.