Summary
Turn-based combat has had a long presence in JRPGs, ever sinceDragon QuestandFinal Fantasyestablished turn-based rounds as the main method of combat in the ’80s. While different styles of combat have appeared in JRPGs over the ensuing decades, turn-based combat remains a classic aspect of the genre.
Many JRPGs add unique mechanics or special abilities tospice up turn-based combatto distinguish their combat system from others in the genre. While many games try to make sure these mechanics never get too ridiculous, several titles allow the player to break the game with careful use of the mechanics given.
Updated on June 29, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Most JRPGs make turn-based combat as viable as possible so that players can have a great time strategizing for each combat encounter without having their party members eat the dirt over and over again. So, it’s inherently satisfying when some games let players completely break any notion of balance to make their playable characters as overpowered as possible. This can reach ridiculous heights in some JRPGs, with every encounter turning into a joke as long as players know what they’re doing.
Many gamers are well aware of how downright brokenthe Junction system is inFinal Fantasy 8. Despite this mechanic being quite complex and ambitious, it was clear that Squaresoft didn’t have the time they needed to balance this system, leading to players farming 100 units of a particular spell and Junctioning it onto their character to ensure that their stats are juiced up to kingdom come. This can lead to broken builds where many bosses barely pose a threat to the player and can be downed in a few hits.
While this has been a huge grievance for manyFinal Fantasyfans, there’s no denying that players can have a lot of fun decimating most foes that come their way as long as they spend the time required to draw the magic they need to boost their stats extensively. Enemies scale to the player’s level in this game, making it all the more important to game the system so that players have no issues beating the toughest foes and bosses that come their way. With spells like Aura, players can spam Limit Breaks and watch all their hard work come to fruition as their favorite characters unleash powerful attacks that can take out the strongest enemies in one fell swoop.
Octopath Traveler 2is one of the best sequels fans can get their hands on, improving on a ton of aspects from the first game to make for an enjoyable adventure that is lengthy and full to the brim with some iconic moments that fans will remember long after they’re done playing. Withthe job system being expanded upon in this title, it’s easy to see why fans can figure out some configurations to ensure that their party is more than prepared for whatever threat comes their way.
Players can find the perfect jobs that synergize with their chosen character, leading to moments where an enemy doesn’t even get a word in edgeways as their turns are pushed to the end, allowing the party to unleash a wave of powerful attacks that will floor the boss before they can even the playing field. It helps thatOctopath Traveler 2’s battles are notably easier than its predecessor, making players feel incredibly overpowered as they tackle each chapter’s boss.
Bravely Default 2isn’t connected to its predecessors from a narrative standpoint, meaning that players should have no problem jumping into this title and checking out the impressive depth of its job system. It allows for endless combinations of jobs that make the most of a character’s strength and can turn the majority of the game’s bosses and enemies into a joke.
Jobs like Beastmaster are notorious for letting characters gain stats at such an incredible pace that players will have no problems walking through the game’s encounters. While it requires a fair bit of grinding, the job system ofBravely Default 2is a great example of how to make players feel overpowered without taking away from the fun factor.
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuthhas a very complex progression system forthe many Digimon that players can obtain and Digivolve into. For many players, their priority will be to get their starter Digimon to Digivolve into their strongest forms, like Omnimon or Gallantmon. That alone will take quite a long time, even for players who are utilizing the development system as efficiently as possible.
However, this system can also be used to develop incredibly strong Digimon. The key is in De-Digivolution and the ABI stat. Digivolving and De-Digivolving raise a particular ABI stat. The more ABI a Digimon has, the more extra stats it can gain during training. By manipulating the system to maximize a Digimon’s ABI, it’s possible to create incredibly powerful Digimon with very high stats.
TheBaten Kaitosseriescombines the JRPG formula with deckbuilding, allowing for a unique style of gameplay that uses card game mechanics in turn-based combat. While bothBaten Kaitosgames have unique aspects to them, they share a focus on creating powerful combos using card sequences.
InBaten Kaitos Origins, players can have a particular character perform an EX Combo by combining a certain sequence of cards. While many of these combos are strong, there are a couple that are absurdly powerful. The most powerful is protagonist Sagi’s The Apotheosis, a 7-card combo that can potentially one-shot most bosses. While it is somewhat difficult to line up the cards and resources necessary, it is nevertheless a potent strategy in the game.
Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy Waris a defining entry inthe iconicFire Emblemseries. It introduced core concepts like the Weapon Triangle and in-battle conversations between characters, with its most unique addition being the ability to play across two generations of heroes, with the second generation inheriting their stats and skills from the first.
There’s not much players can do with the first generation, but the second generation is a different story. Since the second-generation units inherit stats from their parents, the stronger their parents are, the stronger they will be. Depending on which characters get which skills and weapons, this can make for some incredibly powerful units.
TheDisgaeaseries is a franchise well known for its humorous atmosphere, gothic aesthetic, and complex job system. Many of the games are fairly similar in gameplay, with most involving the player going through a series of stages with a collection of unique and generic units.
Disgaea: Hour of Darknessis most known, however, for its intense grind, with many mechanics being centered around endless dungeons, such as the Item World, in which players can power up an item by going through a dungeon with dozens of floors. In addition,Disgaeacharacters can reach a max level of 9999, which could make for some incredibly powerful characters provided players have the patience to get there.
Persona 5 Royalis currently one of the most popular JRPGs of the last decade, with its mixture of jazzy music, flashy aesthetics, and addictive combat making an indelible mark on the gaming world. Progression inPersona 5 Royal, andSMTgames in general, generally revolves around fusing and developing Personas, and this game is no different.
While many modernSMTgames provide a variety of ways to develop and improve demons and Personas,Persona 5 Royaltakes it to the next level. With Fusion Alarms, Network Fusions, Lockdown, and more, it’s easier than ever tocustomize and create powerful Personasthat can trivialize even the toughest battles.
Final Fantasy Tacticswas the franchise’s first foray into the tactical role-playing subgenre, an incredibly popular off-shoot that inspired a whole host of tactical RPGs on its own. The game sported a robust Job System that required players to farm Job Points in order to learn a variety of skills and unlock new jobs.
There’s room for experimentation with all kinds of jobs, meaning that it’s possible to combine all kinds of skills to create impossibly powerful units. While not every setup will result in a winner, it’s not hard to create some incredibly potent charactersso long as the patience to farm JP is there.
