In Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, most stats are straightforward—HP, MP, and Speed all make intuitive sense. But two of the most misunderstood mechanics, Bravery and Faith, play crucial roles behind the scenes. They affect everything from reaction triggers to spell potency, and mastering how they work can give your squad a powerful edge.

How Bravery and Faith Work in Final Fantasy Tactics
Both Bravery and Faith are numerical attributes ranging from 0 to 100.
- Bravery represents a unit’s courage in battle.
- Faith measures their belief in magic and the divine.
While they don’t appear to change as often as HP or MP, these stats directly impact how your units perform—especially under extreme values.
Bravery: The Measure of Courage
Bravery determines how likely a unit is to stand its ground and react effectively in combat. It influences three major gameplay systems:
- Reaction Abilities
- The higher a unit’s Bravery, the greater the chance that a Reaction Ability will trigger. These include essential defensive and counter mechanics like Counter, First Strike, or MP Shield. For physical jobs that rely on survivability and counterattacks, high Bravery is essential.
- Physical Damage Output
- Bravery also boosts the damage of certain weapon types—particularly Knight Swords, Katanas, and bare-handed attacks. Monks and Samurai gain tremendous value from maintaining a high Bravery stat.
- Treasure Hunting
- When using the Treasure Hunter (formerly Move-Find Item) ability, Bravery works inversely.
- High Bravery = higher chance of finding common items
- Low Bravery = higher chance of uncovering rare treasures
For players farming rare items like the Javelin II or Escutcheon II, keeping a low-Bravery “Treasure Hunter” in the party is a smart move.
- When using the Treasure Hunter (formerly Move-Find Item) ability, Bravery works inversely.
Risks of Low Bravery
Bravery doesn’t just affect damage—it also influences loyalty and behavior:
- Below 10: the unit gains the Chicken status, automatically fleeing each turn until their Bravery rises above 10.
- Below 6: the unit deserts your army after battle.
- Between 10–15: the character may threaten to leave the party.
This makes it vital to keep your frontline fighters above safe thresholds, or you may lose key units entirely.
How to Raise or Lower Bravery
Bravery can change dynamically during battles and partially carry over afterward (every 4 points changed = 1 permanent point).
Abilities that Raise Bravery:
- Steel (Ramza) – +5 Bravery
- Shout (Ramza) – +10 to self
- Praise (Orator) – +4 Bravery (may miss)
- Bravery Boost (Dancer) – +3 when attacked
Abilities that Lower Bravery:
- Intimidate (Orator) – –20 Bravery
- Trepidation (Mystic) – –30 Bravery
- Chicken (Beowulf) – –50 Bravery
Story events can also influence Bravery. For example, saving or abandoning allies in early battles like Mandalia Plains can grant or reduce it permanently.
Faith: The Power of Belief
Faith governs how effective a unit is with magic—both when casting and defending against it. Like Bravery, Faith scales from 0 to 100 and affects several key elements.
- Magic Damage and Healing
- The higher a unit’s Faith, the stronger their offensive and restorative magic becomes. Black Mages, Summoners, and Priests thrive with high Faith values.
- Spell Accuracy
- Faith affects a spell’s chance to succeed—higher Faith means both better accuracy for the caster and higher susceptibility to enemy spells.
- Damage Taken from Magic
- Faith cuts both ways: while powerful casters benefit from high values, frontline warriors with high Faith will take more magic damage from enemies.
Risks of High Faith
Faith also influences loyalty. If a character’s Faith rises too high, they may abandon the party:
- Faith ≥ 95: the unit leaves after battle to “follow their beliefs.”
- Faith status (100): temporary buff that does not cause desertion.
Keeping your spellcasters around 70–90 Faith offers the best balance between power and reliability.
How to Raise or Lower Faith
Faith changes follow the same semi-permanent rule as Bravery (4:1 ratio).
Abilities that Raise Faith:
- Preach (Orator) – +4 Faith
- Faith Boost (Bard) – +3 when struck by magic
- Belief (Mystic) – Applies Faith status (100) temporarily
Abilities that Lower Faith:
- Enlighten (Orator) – –20 Faith
- Disbelief (Mystic) – Applies Atheist status (0) temporarily
Both Faith and Atheist statuses reset after battle and do not affect permanent stats.
Best Bravery and Faith Strategies
- Physical Attackers: Keep high Bravery (80–97) and low Faith (30–50) to maximize counters and resist magic.
- Mages and Healers: Aim for moderate Bravery (50–70) and high Faith (70–90) for effective spellcasting.
- Treasure Hunters: Use low Bravery units to farm rare items safely between battles.
Mixing these attributes across your party ensures balance between offense, defense, and utility.
See also: How to Recruit Cloud in Final Fantasy Tactics: Complete Ivalice Chronicles Guide
Bravery and Faith are among Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles’ most subtle yet impactful systems. Managing these stats thoughtfully can mean the difference between an average team and a finely tuned squad capable of clearing the toughest maps. Whether you’re optimizing Ramza’s Shout boosts or building a low-Faith Dragoon immune to spells, mastering these hidden mechanics deepens both your strategy and your control over Ivalice’s battlefield. Play Now!