Mastering the job system in Bravely Default 2 separates smooth playthroughs from brutal boss bottlenecks. With 24 distinct Asterisks to collect, knowing which classes deserve your Job Points (JP) early saves hours of grinding. Some jobs shine in the early chapters with high base stats or essential utility, while others break the game wide open in the late-game chapters through passive stacking and BP manipulation.
This tier list ranks every job from top-tier powerhouses to niche support roles, breaking down why they work, how their specialties function, and what passive skills you need to unlock.
S-Tier: Game-Breaking Powerhouses
These jobs sit at the pinnacle of the game. They warp combat mechanics in your favor, offering infinite healing, massive passive stat boosts, or absolute control over Brave Points (BP).
Spiritmaster
The Spiritmaster is arguably the strongest support job in Bravely Default 2, completely overshadowing the traditional White Mage by the mid-to-late game. Its healing spells float over several turns, meaning your party receives automatic healing and revival buffs without needing manual command inputs every round.
- Why it is S-Tier: The Spiritbringer specialty and auto-revive skills make party wipes nearly impossible. Furthermore, its passive immunities protect the user from almost every major status ailment.
- Best Uses: Pair it with a White Mage or Red Mage sub-job to create an unkillable healer.
Swordmaster
If you want raw physical damage output, look no further than the Swordmaster. It relies on stances like Solid Stance to double physical attack power with zero downside, dwarfing the risk-heavy modifiers found on classes like the Berserker.
- Why it is S-Tier: It combines supreme single-target burst damage with counterattack setups that punish enemy turns.
- Best Uses: Equip it as a main job or secondary command set for physical powerhouses alongside Square Enix release strategies.
Freelancer
Do not underestimate the humble starting class. While its early command list is modest, mastering the Freelancer unlocks Late Bloomer, a passive skill that boosts your character's stats for every other job you master.
- Why it is S-Tier: It houses the essential JP Up and JP Up and Up passive skills. Equipping both multiplies your earned JP by 1.5x, cutting your overall grinding time in half.
- Best Uses: Max out the Freelancer on all four party members early to accelerate your mastery of every subsequent job.
Salve-Maker
The Salve-Maker transforms basic consumable items into tactical nukes via its Compounding mechanic. Phoenix Downs turn into full party revives, and standard Ethers can be thrown to restore resources across the entire team.
- Why it is S-Tier: It provides utility that no other class can replicate, bypassing standard MP costs and casting restrictions.
Bravebearer
Unlocked late in the game, the Bravebearer is designed to manipulate the core Bravely and Default mechanics.
- Why it is S-Tier: Its specialties, Adrenaline and True Grit, reward you with free BP when defeating enemies or simply starting a new turn. It lets your entire party chain consecutive actions without waiting.
A-Tier: Essential Pillars and Elite Strikers
A-tier jobs might not rewrite the rules of combat on their own, but they form the backbone of reliable party compositions and lethal sub-job combinations.
Phantom
The Phantom functions as Bravely Default 2's high-speed ninja class. It specializes in critical hits, evasion, and swift multi-hit strikes.
- Key Strength: Paired with the Thief's Godspeed Strike, the Phantom's critical-hit modifications turn a fast attack into a boss-melting execution tool.
Shieldmaster
When bosses start hitting your squishier magic users, the Shieldmaster steps in to absorb the punishment.
- Key Strength: It can equip two shields simultaneously, boasts massive HP scaling, and uses skills like Bodyguard to take hits meant for vulnerable allies.
Red Mage
While its end-game healing falls short of dedicated support classes, the Red Mage earns its A-tier placement entirely due to Chainspell.
- Key Strength: Chainspell forces magic attacks to cast twice for the price of one turn, creating incredible burst damage potential when paired with high-tier magic jobs.
Beastmaster
The Beastmaster rewards players who capture and release monsters in battle.
- Key Strength: Its versatility is unmatched during the mid-game, letting you deal elemental damage of any type and access monster-specific abilities long before unlocking traditional magic classes.
B-Tier and C-Tier: Situational and Early-Game Tools
These jobs offer strong tools during specific chapters, but they tend to fall off or get outclassed once you unlock late-game Asterisks.
- Monk: Outstanding in the early hours thanks to Bare-Knuckle Brawler, but requires strict equipment stripping to maintain peak damage scaling.
- Vanguard & Berserker: Excellent physical options early on for crowd-clearing with Crescent Moon and Level Slash, though their defensive penalties hurt during late-game boss fights.
- Black Mage: Essential for hitting early elemental weaknesses, but its offensive scaling drops off sharply after Chapter 2 compared to physical multi-hit setups.
- Pictomancer: A dedicated debuffer whose paint skills weaken enemy stats effectively, though it requires setup time that fast boss encounters rarely allow.
Common Job Building Mistakes to Avoid
Players often fall into traps that tank their team's efficiency. Keep these missteps in mind as you construct your builds:
- Neglecting Freelancer Passives: Skipping the JP Up passives means you will spend triple the amount of time grinding standard encounters for Job Points.
- Ignoring Weight Limits: Equipping heavy armor on lightweight mages or ignoring shield weights drops your speed and evasion stats, leading to avoidable party wipes.
- Over-relying on Single Jobs: Sticking strictly to a job's base command set limits your potential. The real power of the system comes from mixing passive abilities from mastered jobs with powerful active sub-jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best sub-job combinations for physical attackers?
Pairing a physical main job like the Thief or Swordmaster with the Phantom sub-job maximizes critical hit rates and speed. Alternatively, matching a Vanguard with Shieldmaster gives you a frontline fighter that hits hard while absorbing damage for the team.
When should I start grinding JP?
You don't need to grind heavily in the early chapters. However, as soon as you reach Chapter 1, dedicate time to maxing out the Freelancer on all four characters to secure the double JP passive skills.
Is magic viable in the late game?
Yes, but raw Black Magic falls behind physical multi-hit builds unless augmented by Red Mage's Chainspell or combined with the Arcanist and Oracle classes to bypass enemy resistances.
How do I unlock hidden jobs?
Most hidden and optional jobs require exploring side quests marked on your world map after major story progression milestones. Check back in towns after completing main chapters to find missed Asterisk holders.
