Possibly more than any other playable class or job in the series, people associateFinal Fantasywith Summoners. Eidolons, Primals, Guardian Forces, whatever you call them the ability to call down gods and monsters to fight for you is evocative.
The history of the Summoner job in Final Fantasy is a fascinating one, but it’s time to settle once and for all which ones in the series are the best. Every example in the series has a shot, so read below to see which ones have been summoned.
Rather than which characters can do the most damage with their abilities, this will be based on the impact on the series as a whole as well as narrative excellence.
8Summoner Job
Final Fantasy 3
It might come as a shock but the Summoner didn’t make an appearance in the series until Final Fantasy 3. It was a job class, and it focused on combining high-level Black and White Magic.
Despite feeling different from later Summoners in the series, it laid the groundwork and also established the aesthetic of Summoners wearing a large horn on their foreheads. If nothing else, it deserves credit for being first.
7Final Fantasy Tactics
With A Twist
Final Fantasy Tactics stands out from the rest of the series for not only being a game of a different genre but also defining that genre. It also put a spin on the Summoner job, by giving it features of another Final Fantasy job.
The Final Fantasy Tactics variety of Summoners has a chance to learn a new summon by being hit by it, like how Blue Mages learn the abilities of monsters by experiencing them. It was a fresh take and one the series could feasibly use again.
6Rydia
Final Fantasy 4
Rydia, from Final Fantasy 4, was the first true Summoner in the eyes of many fans. She was able to call upon Eidolons like Ifrit and Bahamut and was part of an entire culture of people known as Summoners.
Her importance to the story of Final Fantasy 4 can’t be overstated, and she introduced many of the themes that would be associated with Summoners in later games in the series. Despite being overshadowed by fan favourites like Yuna, Rydia deserves real reverence.
5Squall And Co.
Final Fantasy 8
Final Fantasy 8 introduced the idea that summons, called Guardian Forces, carried a consequence for their use. Despite offering great power, they would also cause increasing memory loss in the people who wielded them.
This isn’t just a throwaway piece of lore but a central conceit of the plot and a real issue the leading characters have to make their peace with. It is, perhaps ironically, a memorable part of the game’s story.
4Cloud And Friends
Final Fantasy 7
The leap in graphics from Final Fantasy 6 to Final Fantasy 7 made the use of summons a visual treat, a graphical spectacle that fans of the series came to expect as a standard going forward. Collecting all of the summon materias is a must for any playthrough.
It’s easy to forget that you don’t even get your first summon materia in Final Fantasy 7 until after you’ve left Midgard, which is a sizable portion of the game, but the wait is well worth it. Just ensure to give them all to Yuffie when you’re done with them.
3Dagger
Final Fantasy 9
The summons ofthe excellent Final Fantasy 9, called Eidolons, are given center stage for almost the full duration of the story. Their prominence is backed up, and enhanced, by not one but two Summoner party members. No offense Eiko, but it has to go to Dagger.
Dagger, or Princess Garnet, or Sarah if you want to go deep into her lore, is one of the best-written female leads in the series. In many ways, the hero’s journey is much more about her than it is Zidane.
2The Warrior Of Light
Final Fantasy 14
Acclaimed MMO Final Fantasy 14lets you take on the role of some of the most iconic jobs in the series. Dragoons,powerful Black Mages, holy White Mages, and more are all on offer. But for many the most enticing of all is the Summoner.
Summoner is easy to play, pays tribute to the series' history, ties in perfectly to the overarching main story quest of the game Primals, and perfectly fulfills the fantasy of what playing a Summoner should feel like.
1Yuna
Final Fantasy 10
Final Fantasy 10 is very possibly the best game in the entire series, so it stands to reason it has the best Summoner. Yuna is an amazing character and her role as a Summoner is vital to the entire story.
Final Fantasy 10 also lets you control the summons, called Aeons, as they replace your party in battle rather than just launching an attack and vanishing. Memorable gameplay and an unbelievable story comfortably secure Yuna her position as the best Summoner in Final Fantasy.
In her honour, the Ronso people offer to carve a statue of Yuna, with the addition of the signature horn the Ronso have on their foreheads. This is a fun nod to Summoners in other Final Fantasy games having those horns, or wearing artificial ones as part of their outfit.
