Best Tank Party Members in Final Fantasy

Summary

• Players rely on tanks in Final Fantasy for hard-hitting physical attacks and to absorb damage for weaker party members.
• Umaro from Final Fantasy 6 can be powerful with the right equipment and accessories for dynamic movement.
• Powerful tanks like the Gladiolus from Final Fantasy 15 can absorb damage while helping party members and adding tactical value.

Final Fantasy is a series known for letting players control many party members in battle, using their unique abilities to turn the tide of battle and win against enemies in a dominant fashion. Given how hard some enemies can hit in the games, it's easy to see why players rely on a tank more often than not to absorb damage for others and give weaker party members a fighting chance in battle.

As you might expect, some players will have their favorite tanks in it Final Fantasy series they can rely on for particularly grueling battles where enemies love to pounce on the heroes with fierce physical attacks. Without these thoughts in a party, players may have to endure an inevitable loss, further proving how important thoughts are throughout Final Fantasy series.

The characters will be ranked based on how useful they are in battle.

8 Umaro

A berserker that can take a hit but cannot be controlled

Most people write off Umaro as one of the weaker party members in Final Fantasy 6as players cannot control him. This may be true to some extent, but this Berserker can still be equipped with useful accessories and equipment to turn him into a force to be reckoned with in battle.

This yeti can crush enemies with hard-hitting physical attacks and use the Blizzard Orb and Berserker Ring attachments to become more dynamic in battle with an enhanced moveset. He can also take a ton of punishment and let players exhale when hit with a particularly damaging attack.

7 Warrior of Light

Can use the warrior job to become an effective tank

The four Warriors of Light can choose from one of six jobs that become more powerful after a certain point in the story. Most players would be wise to choose the Warrior job for one of their characters, who can use the strongest equipment and defeat enemies with a few hits.

This warrior can eventually become a knight, improving their abilities as a tank while also gaining access to some basic White Magic spells. Players who want a tank to rely on for particularly challenging boss battles should make it a point to turn at least one of their party members into a warrior early in the game.

6 Knight Job

Present in the first set of jobs players can use in battle

Final Fantasy 5 takes a while before players are allowed to switch jobs from the default freelancer, with the game opening after the first set of jobs is unlocked. This includes the knight, one of the most important jobs to trust in the early stages of Final Fantasy 5.

Not only is a character with this job capable of carrying powerful equipment, but they also serve as an effective tank that can use both Cover and Guard to either protect a party member or nullify a physical attack entirely. Knight is a job that a party member should master before players move on to more advanced roles for their party.

5 Nine

A tanky dragon that can help class zero in battle

A dragoon who can take tons of hits without getting shot down, Nine is one of many Class 0 classmates who can draw enemy attention while other party members take advantage of a distracted enemy. He has high HP and defense to make him more suitable for this role.

While this comes at the cost of low MP and magic defense, most players don't mind if they just want to use this character to spear enemies with spear attacks. He is easier to control than some of the slower damage dealers in Class Zero, making him a favorite for players who are slow to get used to Type-0s real-time combat.

4 Gladiolus

Hits like a truck and can absorb a lot of damage

Gladiolus is a party member that will slowly grow on players as they become immersed in the world of Final Fantasy 15. The fact that players can control this character in later versions of the game makes this tank more tactical to use in battle against tough enemies.

If players want Noctis to avoid unnecessary damage, a good way to use Gladiolus to aggro enemies is to give the party leader time to heal up and restore his MP. In addition to being a tank in battle, Gladio is in many ways the big brother of the group, striving to protect their bonds when they are particularly strained.

3 Steiner

A fun character who is a very powerful and tanky knight

Steiner takes no time at all to establish himself as one of the most endearing characters in Final Fantasy 9. He is not a big fan of Zidane and clashes with him regularly throughout the game, only to develop a grudging respect for this trick as they both begin to understand each other.

His adorable crush on Beatrix makes their team-up a hype moment that lets players control this deadly warrior in Alexandria for the first time. Steiner's abilities as a knight make him the hardest damage dealer in the game, and it helps that he can take some hits to take the heat from other party members.

2 The barre

Not only can he take a solid hit, but his ranged attacks mean he can be placed in the back row as well

Barret is one of the most overpowered characters of all Final Fantasy. Not only can this character use his gun arm to gun down enemies with ease, but his ranged attacks allow players to comfortably stab him in the back row.

This increases his defense and makes him a great option for a tank if players want to assign materials to help him take the role with ease. This AVALANCHE member may seem rugged, but his love for Marlene and the Planet makes it clear that he has a soft side that makes him one of the best party members in Final Fantasy VII.

1 Auron

A hard hitter who can take powerful hits and remain standing

Right from the start Final Fantasy 10Auron wastes no time in establishing himself as the coolest character in Final Fantasy 10. The simple way in which he uses a massive blade to knock down his enemies makes him a must in the party if players want to wipe out enemies with high damage attacks.

Along with this, Auron has a great HP pool and defense, which allows him to battle without too many problems. His main draw may be his monstrous physical damage, but his potential as a tank should not be ignored either.