Mystics

Mystics are a race that exist primarily in SaGa Frontier and are partially based on the Esper race from the Game Boy SaGa games.

Overview

Mystics are a long lived race unique to SaGa Frontier that often live in their own societies separate from the civilizations occupied by monsters, humans, and robots. Mystics often have humanoid forms but their race can often take forms that can be mistaken for monsters but they always maintain some humanoid form such as Were Rhinos or the mermaid like water Mystic Mesarthim. The most powerful Mystics tend to be human-like in their appearance. Mystics believe in a might makes right society and so Mystics often follow Mystic Lords who are deemed to be the most powerful of their race. This is likely due to the fact that while Mystics are resistant to age and disease unlike other organic life, they can still be killed by a powerful force and Mystic Lords tend to be some of the strongest beings within the story setting. This is not to say that all Mystic Lords rule, some like Time Lord and Dr. Nusakan separate themselves from their own kind to pursue their own interests. Likewise, while the race rarely mingles with the other races, members like Silence from IRPO show the race is not above with working alongside other races.

Mystics have a strong talent for magic, exclusively possessing the Gift for Mystic Magic and even possessing access to rare schools of magic such as Time, Mirage, and Evil magic. While mystics can't grow like humans can, they instead possess the essence of defeated foes which they can use to augment their own physical abilities and use their abilities. Mystics also have the ability to access hidden powers from magic objects.

Gameplay

Mystics are one of the more unique races in the series. They only have four slots that can be customized for magic and they have three Mystic Armor slots which are used to house the essence of a defeated foe. While Mystics can equip weapons and armor like a human, they cannot learn weapon arts. Instead they must use one of their three mystic armor slots to defeat an enemy and gain their essence. Each enemy in the game will grant one of three skills based on whether they are housed in the sword, glove, or boots. The monsters essence will also augment the mystic's stats. This is the only means to make a mystic stronger. The only stats a mystic gains from winning in combat is HP, WP, JP, and Charisma. All other stats need to be absorbed by enemies. If a new monster is absorbed by a mystic armor, the old one is removed along with their skill and stats and replaced by the new one.

With rare exception, Mystics do not start with all three of their mystic armors available also they will need to be unlocked through gameplay. Another interesting element of Mystics is that they can sometimes unlock a special skill from some of the regular accessories they wear.

The challenge of Mystics is properly balancing their stats with their skills. With only four slots for magic, a player should think in the long term of what they want their mystic to do in combat. Likewise, as a balancing measure, monsters that give the best stat gains like Suzaku and the Dragon races, also tend to grant the weakest of skills whereas monsters with so-so stats gains often have better skills to use. So while Mystics have the potential for a jack-of-all-trades role in combat, it's better to decide early if you want them to focus on magic by outfitting them with powerful spells and powerful monsters that score high stats, or to go melee where their spell list is more augmentative and their absorbed monsters offer a balance of good melee options and stats. While mystics may start off weak until better monsters and more mystic armor appear, but mystics like Time Lord can be built into some of the game's strongest characters.

List of Mystics

• Orlouge
• Time Lord
• Virgil
• Princess White Rose
• Dr. Nusakan
• Silence
• Mesarthim
• Lion Princess
• Ciato
• Zozma
• Ildon
• Rastaban

Trivia

• Their nature in the story is similar to stories about vampires and the Fae.