The Saboteur role functions very similar to the Synergist role except that, instead of applying status enhancements to team members, Saboteurs apply status ailments (also known as debuffs) to enemy targets. These debuffs can have a number of effects including:

• Increasing the effectiveness of attacks made against enemies
• Reducing the effectiveness of attacks that enemies make against your party members
• Preventing the enemy from taking certain actions
• Slowing the enemy down

Additionally, attacks from a Saboteur have the added benefit of preventing an enemy’s Chain Gauge from depleting too quickly, just like a Commando does. Knowing this, you can make use of more advanced strategies of juggling between having a Saboteur or Commando active at different times during a battle in order to get an enemy Staggered more quickly.

The most effective time to use them though is at the start of the battle so that you can get the most use out of any status ailments applied. Like buffs, any debuffs that a Synergist casts will eventually wear off and need to be reapplied. And, like Synergists, once their status effects have been applied, a Saboteur will just stand around doing nothing, so switch them into a more effective role once they’re no longer casting.

Role Bonuses

Increasing the Role Level of a Saboteur (by activating Role Level crystals in a character’s Saboteur Crystarium) will increase the likelihood that debuffs are applied to enemies both by the Saboteur and any other party members accompanying. This will allow you to reduce the time spent casting according to the following chart:

Role Level	Effect (Self)	Effect (Allies)
1	x1.20	x1.04
2	x1.24	x1.04
3	x1.28	x1.08
4	x1.33	x1.08
5	x1.40	x1.12

Check out the Role Bonuses section for a full overview of the different Role Bonuses that are available in each of the Crystarium using the link below:

AI Controlled Characters

The Saboteurs, like Ravagers, are greatly impacted by the information that have been revealed about an enemy, either through having defeated that enemy previously or revealed by having one of your characters cast Libra on the target.

AI Controlled Saboteurs will apply debuffs that have the greatest impact on the target. Knowledge about an enemy’s physical or magical defense, speed, or elemental weaknesses and immunities will change the spells being cast by the Saboteur.

Saboteur Abilities

A full list of the abilities available to a Saboteur can be found in the Abilities section of the guide or by using the link below:

Vanille has access to an ability that is unique to her in her Saboteur Crystarium, Death. Her Death spell has a chance to instantly kill the target that it is cast on, and this ability can prove extremely helpful for taking down powerful enemies when your party is lower leveled. Check out the Tips and Tricks section for more information: