This guide explains the Zodiac compatibility system in Final Fantasy Tactics. This mechanic functions in the background, modifying the effectiveness of actions based on the Zodiac signs of the acting and targeted units. A functional understanding of this system provides a significant tactical advantage, particularly in difficult encounters.

Source - FF Fandom Wiki[finalfantasy.fandom.com]

Every unit in the game is assigned a Zodiac sign. The interaction between the attacker's sign and the target's sign modifies the outcome of most actions, including damage, healing, and the success rate of percentage-based abilities.

The compatibility between two signs results in one of four ratings:

• Best: 1.5x effect multiplier (50% increase)
  
• Good: 1.25x effect multiplier (25% increase)
  
• Worst: 0.5x effect multiplier (50% decrease)
  
• Bad: 0.75x effect multiplier (25% decrease)

These ratings are determined by the following rules:

• Good/Bad compatibility is a fixed relationship. For example, Capricorn and Virgo always have Good compatibility.
  
• Best/Worst compatibility only occurs between signs that are opposite on the Zodiac wheel. The final rating is determined by gender.
  
  • If the units have opposite genders (Male vs. Female), they have Best compatibility.
    
  • If the units have the same gender, they have Worst compatibility.
• Most Monsters are treated as gender-neutral. In a matchup that would normally result in Best or Worst compatibility, the rating defaults to Bad.

So, how can you use this to your advantage? Many of the toughest bosses in the game are Virgo, including Wiegraf, Gaffgarion, Argath, and Milleuda.

This means you can pick Ramza's sign at the start of the game to get a huge edge in these fights. There are two main strategies to choose from:

• The Glass Cannon (Pisces): As Virgo's opposite sign, Pisces creates a high-risk, high-reward fight.
  
  • The Trade-off: You will deal 1.5x damage to Virgo bosses, but you'll also take 1.5x damage from them. This works the same for both male and female characters.
• The Safe Bet (Capricorn or Taurus): These signs have 'Good' compatibility with Virgo.
  
  • The Advantage: You get a reliable 1.25x damage bonus without the huge defensive risk of the Pisces matchup. It's a safer, more consistent way to win. If Ramza is male, he'll also take slightly less damage, making it an even better deal.

If you want to see exactly how these numbers play out, I made a simple spreadsheet that calculates the damage for each scenario. It's designed to help you see the difference between the strategies we just discussed.

I've already set it up to simulate a fight against a Virgo boss. The chart below comes from the sheet and gives you a quick visual comparison of the damage dealt vs. damage taken for each choice. It still references Male/Female because I worked with outdated assumptions, but the rest of the information should still apply.


As you can see in the chart, the Pisces build is a true "Glass Cannon"—it deals the most damage by a long shot, but it also takes the biggest hit in return. The Capricorn and Taurus builds are the balanced options, giving you a solid damage boost without making you an easy target.

You can check out the full spreadsheet with the link below. To play around with the numbers yourself, just save your own version by going to "File > Make a copy".

Zodiac Strategy Calculator[docs.google.com]

Here’s a quick cheat sheet for all the Zodiac sign matchups in the game:

• Aries: Good with Leo & Sagittarius. Bad with Cancer & Capricorn. Opposite: Libra.
  
• Taurus: Good with Virgo & Capricorn. Bad with Leo & Aquarius. Opposite: Scorpio.
  
• Gemini: Good with Libra & Aquarius. Bad with Virgo & Pisces. Opposite: Sagittarius.
  
• Cancer: Good with Scorpio & Pisces. Bad with Libra & Aries. Opposite: Capricorn.
  
• Leo: Good with Aries & Sagittarius. Bad with Taurus & Scorpio. Opposite: Aquarius.
  
• Virgo: Good with Taurus & Capricorn. Bad with Gemini & Sagittarius. Opposite: Pisces.
  
• Libra: Good with Gemini & Aquarius. Bad with Cancer & Capricorn. Opposite: Aries.
  
• Scorpio: Good with Cancer & Pisces. Bad with Leo & Aquarius. Opposite: Taurus.
  
• Sagittarius: Good with Leo & Aries. Bad with Virgo & Pisces. Opposite: Gemini.
  
• Capricorn: Good with Taurus & Virgo. Bad with Aries & Libra. Opposite: Cancer.
  
• Aquarius: Good with Gemini & Libra. Bad with Taurus & Scorpio. Opposite: Leo.
  
• Pisces: Good with Cancer & Scorpio. Bad with Gemini & Sagittarius. Opposite: Virgo.

If you don't like the word salad above, here's an easy to digest summary:

• Every character has a Zodiac sign. Good matchups = more damage; bad matchups = less.
  
• Many of the game's toughest bosses (like Wiegraf) are the Virgo sign.
  
• You can pick Ramza's sign at the start to give yourself a massive edge against them. Your best choices are:
  
  • Choose Pisces for the "Glass Cannon" route. You'll deal huge extra damage, but you'll also take huge extra damage in return. High risk, high reward.
    
  • Choose Capricorn or Taurus for the "Safe Bet." You get a solid, reliable damage bonus without the risk of getting one-shotted.
• The spreadsheet linked in this guide is just a visual tool to show you how big these damage differences really are.

In short: Pick Pisces, Capricorn, or Taurus for Ramza to make the hardest fights in the game MUCH easier.

P.S. A huge thank you to user Elfaron for confirming that the male/female compatibility rules don't apply to opposite signs anymore! The guide has been updated with that key info.