What the Force is to Star Wars, the Mist is to Final Fantasy XII. And just like the Jedi of Star Wars, certain individuals and races within Final Fantasy XII are senstive to the balance of the all-encompassing mystical energy.

This sensitivity helps some to channel the Mist in order to perform extraordinary combat maneuvers, sometimes referred to as a quickening. Powerful Espers can also be summoned to fight alongside those proficient with the Mist, though the Esper must first be defeated before this opportunity becomes available.

However, the Mist isn't solely a combat aide. For example, the Viera warrior Fran is able to navigate dungeons by following the flow of the Mist.

Belias, one of the Espers found within Final Fantasy XII.

Wrapping up the last of Final Fantasy XII's main cast, we have Balthier and Fran. Together, the duo operate Balthier's airship, the Strahl.

In keeping with the Star Wars analogies, Han Solo and Balthier have a lot in common. The Final Fantasy XII equivalent of a smuggler, Balthier is a sky pirate. He's always looking out for number one, and seems to be driven solely by greed. It's something that's got him in trouble a few times, and may just explain why there's a large bounty on his head, complete with an assortment of bounty hunters combing through Ivalice in pursuit.

Furthermore, whereas Han Solo has Chewbacca, Balthier has Fran, who is bound to be the object of much oogling for many throughout the game. Her skimpy outfit doesn't leave much to the imagination, a fact the in-game cinematics and cutscenes don't shy away from.

But visible assets aside, Fran also plays an important role in the story. As a Viera, she is quite sensitive to the ebb and flow of the Mist. As Balthier's trusted companion, she handles repairs and maintenance on the Strahl. And as a warrior, Fran is rather deadly with her bow and arrow. In conclusion, she's not one to be messed with.

Balthier and Basch battle Mateus.

Similar in concept to Final Fantasy X's Sphere Grid, the License Board of Final Fantasy XII determines what abilities and technicks a character has available to them. However, Final Fantasy XII furthers this idea a bit beyond its predecessor. In fact, the License Board literally controls every aspect of a character, from the types of weapons and armor they can equip to the magicks and Mist technicks they can use. To put it another way, buying a new weapon or magick spell is only half of the equation. For a character to actually use that particular spell or weapon, they must also have the license for that particular item. To do that, the license must be found and purchased on the License Board.

Laid out like a checkerboard, the License Board is split into two halves. The top section focuses on magick and related abilities, such as HP and MP bonuses. Meanwhile, the bottom chunk is all about equipment, both offenseive and defensive. Buying a particular license will consume a preset amount of License Points, or LP, which are earned by defeating enemies. The more powerful or useful the square, the more LP it requires. After a license is purchased, the squares located above, below, right, and left of the license will be then been available for purchase, complete with details explaining the propeties of each one.

The License Board also brings with it some pros and cons. The actual magick spells only have to be bought or found once, after which they are automatically accessible to any character that obtains the required license. The License Board also allows a great degree of character customization, the player is able to take any character in any direction they please. But that customization can be a tricky thing, as seen with the ability to summon Espers. The license of a particular Esper can only be purchased (and therefore used) by one character, so it's not a decision to be made without thought.

On that note, it looks like we've come to the end of our special. That's not to say the Final Fantasy XII updates are over though. Check back early next week for our final thoughts on the game, just in time for its Tuesday, October 31st release.

The all-powerful License Board.