Final Fantasy XII

Final Fantasy Series

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Gambits

Learning how to utilize the Gambit system in Final Fantasy XII is absolutely critical to a successful (and painless) playthrough of the game. More Gambits become available to use throughout a playthrough of the game – a full list is included below – which allow you to customize and configure the actions of your party members.

Balthier asking how much Vaan knows about Gambits

Some of the most important Gambits include the following:

Libra Gambit

You should set up a Libra Gambit as soon as you have access to the Libra Technick. A Gambit can be used to ensure that Libra is always active on a least one party member. The Technick itself is useful for two reasons:

  1. It provides a notification on the screen indicating key information about an enemy.
  2. It identifies invisible traps in certain areas of the game.

Enemy Target Gambits

You will gain access to a number of Gambits for targeting Foes. These include:

  • Foe: party leader’s target
  • Foe: nearest visible
  • Foe: any
  • Etc.

Most players can get through a playthrough of the game using one or two of the most common Foe Gambits (Foe: Any or Foe: Nearest Visible), but it is important to switch between these when the situation calls for. Generally speaking, the best Gambit to use, when it becomes available is Foe: lowest HP and Foe: party leader’s target before that. This ensures that all of your party members are focused on bringing down one target at a time and as quickly as possible.

Ally and Foe Gambits during the tutorial from Balthier

Flying Targets

Flying enemies can be particularly troublesome if you don’t have a character regularly equipped with a ranged weapon or have a character focused on using Magick attacks. Setup each of your characters with the Foe: flying and an ability that will effectively take down flying enemies. Specifically, you can use the Telekinesis Technick later on in the game to have melee characters use regular attacks on flying enemies.

Balthier showing how to select a Gambit action

Status Adding/Removing Gambits

Use the Ally: status = ______ to target party members with a specific status and use the proper item to remove that status (Alarm Clock to remove Sleep, Chronos Tear to remove stop and slow, etc.)

You can switch this Gambit to Esuna later on in the game, but be cautious about doing this. It can be extremely costly in using up MP and may be troublesome if it requires multiple casts to constantly remove status effects.

They can also be used to keep a negative status effect on an enemy, such as Blind, or a positive status effect on a party member, such as Protect.

Balthier showing which Foe gambits are available

Gambit List

  • Ally: any
  • Ally: party leader
  • Ally: Vaan
  • Ally: Ashe
  • Ally: Fran
  • Ally: Balthier
  • Ally: Penelo
  • Ally: Basch
  • Ally: lowest HP
  • Ally: strongest weapon
  • Ally: lowest defense
  • Ally: lowest magick resist
  • Ally: HP < 100%
  • Ally: HP < 90%
  • Ally: HP < 80%
  • Ally: HP < 70%
  • Ally: HP < 60%
  • Ally: HP < 50%
  • Ally: HP < 40%
  • Ally: HP < 30%
  • Ally: HP < 20%
  • Ally: HP < 10%
  • Ally: MP < 100%
  • Ally: MP < 90%
  • Ally: MP < 80%
  • Ally: MP < 70%
  • Ally: MP < 60%
  • Ally: MP < 50%
  • Ally: MP < 40%
  • Ally: MP < 30%
  • Ally: MP < 20%
  • Ally: MP < 10%
  • Ally: status = KO
  • Ally: status = Stone
  • Ally: status = Petrify
  • Ally: status = Stop
  • Ally: status = Sleep
  • Ally: status = Confuse
  • Ally: status = Doom
  • Ally: status = Blind
  • Ally: status = Poison
  • Ally: status = Silence
  • Ally: status = Sap
  • Ally: status = Oil
  • Ally: status = Reverse
  • Ally: status = Disable
  • Ally: status = Immobilize
  • Ally: status = Slow
  • Ally: status = Disease
  • Ally: status = Lure
  • Ally: status = Protect
  • Ally: status = Shell
  • Ally: status = Haste
  • Ally: status = Bravery
  • Ally: status = Faith
  • Ally: status = Reflect
  • Ally: status = Invisible
  • Ally: status = Regen
  • Ally: status = Float
  • Ally: status = Berserk
  • Ally: status = Bubble
  • Ally: status = HP Critical
  • Ally: 2+ foes present
  • Ally: 3+ foes present
  • Ally: 4+ foes present
  • Ally: 5+ foes present
  • Ally: item AMT ≧ 10


  • Foe: party leader’s target
  • Foe: nearest visible
  • Foe: any
  • Foe: targeted by ally
  • Foe: not targeted by ally
  • Foe: targeting leader
  • Foe: targeting self
  • Foe: targeting ally
  • Foe: targeting Vaan
  • Foe: targeting Ashe
  • Foe: targeting Fran
  • Foe: targeting Balthier
  • Foe: targeting Basch
  • Foe: targeting Penelo
  • Foe: furthest
  • Foe: nearest
  • Foe: highest HP
  • Foe: lowest HP
  • Foe: highest max HP
  • Foe: lowest max HP
  • Foe: highest MP
  • Foe: lowest MP
  • Foe: highest max MP
  • Foe: lowest max MP
  • Foe: highest level
  • Foe: lowest level
  • Foe: highest strength
  • Foe: lowest strength
  • Foe: highest magick power
  • Foe: lowest magick power
  • Foe: highest speed
  • Foe: lowest speed
  • Foe: highest defense
  • Foe: highest magick resist
  • Foe: HP < 100,000
  • Foe: HP < 50,000
  • Foe: HP < 10,000
  • Foe: HP < 5,000
  • Foe: HP < 3,000
  • Foe: HP < 2,000
  • Foe: HP < 1,000
  • Foe: HP < 500
  • Foe: HP < 100,000
  • Foe: HP < 50,000
  • Foe: HP < 10,000
  • Foe: HP < 5,000
  • Foe: HP < 3,000
  • Foe: HP < 2,000
  • Foe: HP < 1,000
  • Foe: HP < 500
  • Foe: HP = 100%
  • Foe: HP ≧ 90%
  • Foe: HP ≧ 70%
  • Foe: HP ≧ 50%
  • Foe: HP ≧ 30%
  • Foe: HP ≧ 10%
  • Foe: status = Petrify
  • Foe: status = Stop
  • Foe: status = Sleep
  • Foe: status = Confuse
  • Foe: status = Doom
  • Foe: status = Blind
  • Foe: status = Poison
  • Foe: status = Silence
  • Foe: status = Sap
  • Foe: status = Oil
  • Foe: status = Reverse
  • Foe: status = Disable
  • Foe: status = Immobilize
  • Foe: status = Slow
  • Foe: status = Disease
  • Foe: status = Protect
  • Foe: status = Shell
  • Foe: status = Haste
  • Foe: status = Bravery
  • Foe: status = Faith
  • Foe: status = Reflect
  • Foe: status = Regen
  • Foe: status = Berserk
  • Foe: status = HP Critical
  • Foe: fire-weak
  • Foe: lightning-weak
  • Foe: ice-weak
  • Foe: earth-weak
  • Foe: water-weak
  • Foe: wind-weak
  • Foe: holy-weak
  • Foe: dark-weak
  • Foe: fire-vulnerable
  • Foe: lightning-vulnerable
  • Foe: ice-vulnerable
  • Foe: earth-vulnerable
  • Foe: water-vulnerable
  • Foe: wind-vulnerable
  • Foe: holy-vulnerable
  • Foe: dark-vulnerable
  • Foe: undead
  • Foe: flying
  • Foe: character status = Blind
  • Foe: character status = Silence
  • Foe: character status = Bravery
  • Foe: character status = Faith
  • Foe: character status = HP Critical
  • Foe: character HP = 100%
  • Foe: character MP ≧ 90%
  • Foe: character MP ≧ 70%
  • Foe: character MP ≧ 50%
  • Foe: character MP ≧ 30%
  • Foe: character MP ≧ 10%
  • Foe: character MP < 90%
  • Foe: character MP < 70%
  • Foe: character MP < 50%
  • Foe: character MP < 30%
  • Foe: character MP < 10%
  • Foe: character HP ≧ 90%
  • Foe: character HP ≧ 70%
  • Foe: character HP ≧ 50%
  • Foe: character HP ≧ 30%
  • Foe: character HP ≧ 10%
  • Foe: character HP < 90%
  • Foe: character HP < 70%
  • Foe: character HP < 50%
  • Foe: character HP < 30%
  • Foe: character HP < 10%
  • Foe: 2+ foes present
  • Foe: 3+ foes present
  • Foe: 4+ foes present
  • Foe: 5+ foes present
  • Foe: 2+ allies present
  • Foe: 3+ allies present
  • Foe: item AMT ≧ 10


  • Self
  • Self: HP < 100%
  • Self: HP < 90%
  • Self: HP < 80%
  • Self: HP < 70%
  • Self: HP < 60%
  • Self: HP < 50%
  • Self: HP < 40%
  • Self: HP < 30%
  • Self: HP < 20%
  • Self: HP < 10%
  • Self: MP < 100%
  • Self: MP < 90%
  • Self: MP < 80%
  • Self: MP < 70%
  • Self: MP < 60%
  • Self: MP < 50%
  • Self: MP < 40%
  • Self: MP < 30%
  • Self: MP < 20%
  • Self: MP < 10%
  • Self: status = Petrify
  • Self: status = Doom
  • Self: status = Blind
  • Self: status = Poison
  • Self: status = Silence
  • Self: status = Sap
  • Self: status = Oil
  • Self: status = Reverse
  • Self: status = Immobilize
  • Self: status = Slow
  • Self: status = Disease
  • Self: status = Lure
  • Self: status = Protect
  • Self: status = Shell
  • Self: status = Haste
  • Self: status = Bravery
  • Self: status = Faith
  • Self: status = Reflect
  • Self: status = Invisible
  • Self: status = Regen
  • Self: status = Float
  • Self: status = Bubble
  • Self: status = HP Critical
  • Self: 2+ foes present
  • Self: 3+ foes present
  • Self: 4+ foes present
  • Self: 5+ foes present
  • Self: targeted by foe
  • Self: targeted by ally
  • Self: item AMT ≧ 10