Vivi Ornitier
Black Mages have been a thing since the very beginning of Final Fantasy. They are typically the most offensive-magic oriented class, and historically have been identified by their tall hats, blue cloaks, and bright eyes shining out of a shadowed face.
Final Fantasy IX took the Black Mage job, personified it, then unravelled it back to its origins with Vivi Ornitier, one of the most tragic characters in the Final Fantasy universe. From the very first time we meet Vivi, tripping over his long blue jacket on the street, we know he's a Black Mage. And from pretty much that point on, it's punch after punch for the little guy – including the harrowing revelation that he is a creation, intended as a weapon.
As a Final Fantasy fan, seeing Vivi for the first time was very fun; a Black Mage personified. To have the idea of a powerful magic user then be upended in the tragedy of the character was unexpected and great.
My Final Fantasy parties are pretty straightforward. In the entries that offer a four-person party, I go Tank, White Mage, Black Mage, Melee Damage. I always have the most fun with the Black Mage, especially finding different combos to stack onto them as sub-jobs and alt abilities. Usually that is a Time Mage, or other complementary magic.
Keys to the Character
You're My Prototype
It's tough to find out you're a clone-like creation, meant to be used as a weapon of mass destruction. But it might make it a little easier to find out you're the FIRST clone-like creation, meant to be used as a weapon of mass destruction.
Staff Discount
In Final Fantasy IX, characters earn their skills through using equipment. Vivi gets most of his spells from different staves. Maybe if he used it as a walking stick, he wouldn't trip so much.
Sword + Sorcery
Vivi's teammate Steiner has a lot of reverence for the Black Mage. When they're on the same lineup, Vivi returns the favor by giving him Sword Magic to power up his strikes.
Trance Trance Revolution
Call it a Limit Break, call it a Overdrive, call it a Desperation Attack... When Vivi reaches his limit, he goes into a Trance and can cast his spells twice.
Compared to some of the complex builds here, Vivi was a breeze. Take a clone-like ancestry, make them a Wizard, then try to figure out Sword Magic and Trances.
That last part was the only nuance. There is not that much "enchanting an ally weapon" magic available in Pathfinder, so Vivi needs to make a lot out of a little.
Similarly, the Echoing Magic metamagic is available for high-level sorcerers, not wizards. Luckily, it is available as part of the Time Magic archetype, which fits the Final Fantasy flavor perfectly.
On the battlefield, Vivi focuses as many rounds as possible blasting enemies to oblivion – sometimes twice.
Build OVERVIEW
Ancestry
Poppet - Stuffed Poppet
Vivi makes a shocking discovery about his own ancestry – he's a creation, meant as a weapon. A stuffed poppet is the next best thing.
Background
Magical Misfit
Magic is somewhat rare in the world of Final Fantasy IX – rare enough that people generally are either afraid of Black Mages or revere them (like Vivi's pal Steiner). As a Black Mage learning to fit in, Magical Misfit is perfect.
Class
Evocation Wizard - Staff Nexus Thesis
A Wizard focusing on the Evocation School is about as Black Mage as you can get. They go pew pew, turn after turn.
The Staff Nexus Thesis gives Vivi his own staff to begin crafting with at level one, which improves over time.
Finally, adding a Time Mage dedication at level six will fill out his feats toward his eventual trance double-spell blast powers.
Skills & General Feats
Bad news for the rest of the team, Vivi is NOT that skilled. He isn't athletic, or acrobatic, or even diplomatic.
What he does is blast things with Arcana, and he does it better than most.
Legendary: Arcana, Crafting, Occultism
Master: -
Expert: -
Attribute Increases
Equipment
Suggested Starting Equipment
Key Spells
Changelog
