I’ve been playing the Pixel Remaster version of Final Fantasy IV and using Edge as my ninja, but he feels really weak compared to ninjas in earlier FF games like FF3 and FF5. Despite supposedly dual wielding two weapons, his physical attacks hit for less damage than characters like Cecil and Kain who have better defensive gear, and his magic attacks are practically useless because his magic stat is so low. He also seems very fragile and dies easily, which makes me feel like keeping him in the front row hurts him more. Ninjas in earlier titles were powerful damage dealers thanks to dual wielding and strong weapons, but Edge just seems like one of the weakest characters in FFIV. Am I missing something about how to use him effectively or is he really just poorly designed in this game?
4 Answers
I know it might feel disappointing, but Edge was never meant to be a traditional tank or big hitter in FFIV. His role is more about utility and speed. Using the throw ability and keeping him in the back row helps him survive and stay effective. Unlike the classic ninja class in earlier Final Fantasies, the character Edge’s design is a bit underwhelming because you get other stronger characters in your party, but if you focus on his throwing and speed, he’s actually pretty useful in the late game and boss fights.
Edge’s real power shines later in the game once you can afford to throw old weapons instead of just relying on his melee hits. He’s squishy, sure, and losing a shield for that second weapon means lower defense, but the tradeoff is that his speed lets him attack twice for every one of Cecil’s hits eventually. Also, equipping things like the Protect Ring can help his survivability. So yeah, he starts weak but levels up to be solid if you invest in him properly.
Edge is definitely designed differently in FFIV than the ninjas in FF3 or FF5. He’s meant to be really fast with high evasion, but not necessarily a tank or your strongest damage dealer upfront. The best way to use him is actually in the back row throwing weapons like swords or shurikens. This lets him avoid damage and still deal decent damage by throwing those items which ignore enemy defense sometimes. Treat him more as a dodge-focused character rather than a frontline fighter.
If you stock up on full moon swords and put Edge in the back row, he can be a great consistent damage dealer using Throw and some good shurikens. His magic sucks, but with enough throwing weapons he’s one of the best at chipping away at enemies even if his standard attacks are underwhelming. Back row + Full Moon swords + Throw = Edge dominating fights quietly while staying safe.
Yeah, I get that but I don’t want to waste my throwing weapons on regular fights. They feel too valuable to use only in boss battles, especially since Edge gets taken out so quickly otherwise.