Role are considered as class of this games. There are total 6 roles that you can use in game, they are Commando, Ravager, Medic, Synergist, Saboteur, and Sentinel.

A Commando's primary duty is to make use of strong non-elemental attacks to deal massive damage. Commandos are also the best at maintaining the constantly depleting Chain Gauge, buying you more time to work your way towards Staggering the enemy.

Bonus boost note: Commando Bonus Boosts increase the damage inflicted by all attacks and spells.

Ravagers excel at raising enemy Chain Bonuses, thereby increasing the damage done with each subsequent blow and leading the party to quicker Staggers. To achieve this, Ravagers have access to a wide variety of elemental spells and physical attacks. On the other hand, they are extremely poor at maintaining the Chain Gauge on their own. Ravagers can also deal appreciable damage when striking elemental weaknesses. This can be especially effective in combination with a Saboteur's Imperil spell.

Bonus boost note: Ravager Bonus Boosts cause all attacks and spells to affect the Chain Bonus more significantly.

Sentinel act as "tanks", drawing the attention of enemies and withstanding attacks that might disable party members in other roles. Their -guard abilities enable them to increase their (already high) resistance to damage. It's important to remember that when you switch your Sentinel to another role, the Provoke effect wears off. freeing enemies to attack other party members immediately.

Bonus boost note: Sentinel Bonus Boosts further increase resistance to both physical and magic damage, as well as Wound damage.

A Medic focuses on healing duties, which include restoring the HP of party members, reviving fallen allies, and removing status ailments. Knowing that your party will be fully healed and cured after each battle, you will find yourself making frequent judgment calls on your chances of survival. It's often possible to continue attacking if you believe you will be able to finish off your enemy without the Medic's recuperative powers but when this seems unlikely, you will need to rely on this role to return your party to good shape.

Bonus boost note: Medic Bonus Boosts increase the effectiveness of healing spells, as well as the Sentinel's Mediguard ability.

The Synergist empowers your characters with magic that enhances the party's effectiveness. These spells can provide improvements to damage output, defense, and resistance to action interruptions and status ailments. Some special abilities can protect your party against strong elemental attacks, or imbue non-elemental attacks (such as physical blows dealt by a Commando) with elemental power, enabling allies to exploit weaknesses to devastating effect.
Synergists are most effectively employed at the beginning of a battle, enabling your party to make the most of these enhancements. However, buffs have a limited duration of effect, so you may find it prudent to call on the Synergist intermittently during protracted battles to refresh them as needed.

Bonus boost note: Synergist Bonus Boosts increase the duration of all status enhancements cast.

Saboteurs work to weaken your opponents by inflicting status ailments, or "debuffs". They can also remove status enhancements, either by using Dispel ability or casting the opposing status ailment. For example, casting Deprotect can negate an active Protect status on an enemy. It is important to fill out an enemy's Libra information to determine which status ailments may be ineffective against an opponent, which also the efficiency of Al-controlled Saboteurs.

Saboteurs are also rather good at stabilizing the Chain Gauge, much like Commandos. Unlike Commandos, however, their spells are not particularly damaging, but they have the unique ability to inflict Wound damage on enemies, making them especially good in battles of attrition, where you are forced to chip away at particularly resilient enemies (especially those that can heal themselves).

A special property of debuffs is that every successful "stick" counts as an additional hit towards the Chain Gauge, further improving Chain Bonus and Chain Duration. This effect is not always easy to see, but is very useful in almost any situation.

Bonus boost note: Saboteur Bonus Boosts increase the success rates of inflicting debuffs.

These paradigms are available if your party was Serah & Noel only.
-Double Trouble:COM+COM
-Slash & Burn:COM+RAV
-Misdirection:COM+SEN
-Divide&Conquer:COM+SAB
-Supersoldier:COM+SYN
-War & Peace:COM+MED
-Dualcasting:RAV+RAV
-Arcane Defense:RAV+SEN
-Undermine:RAV+SAB
-Archmage:RAV+SYN
-Yin & Yang:RAV+MED
-Twin Shields:SEN+SEN
-Stumbling Blocks:SEN+SAB
-Building Block:SEN+SYN
-Lifeguard:SEN+MED
-Havoc:SAB+SAB
-Tide Turner:SAB+SYN
-Sap&Salve:SAB+MED
-Rally:SYN+SYN
-Symbiosis:SYN+MED
-Double Dose:MED+MED

These paradigms are available if your party was Serah & Noel with 1 monster.
-Cerberus: COM+COM+COM
-Agression: COM+COM+RAV
-Offensive Screen: COM+COM+SEN
-Devastation: COM+COM+SAB
-Strike Team: COM+COM+SYN
-Tireless Charge: COM+COM+MED
-Relentless Assault: COM+RAV+RAV
-Delta Attack: COM+RAV+SEN
-Ruthless: COM+RAV+SAB
-Decimation: COM+RAV+SYN
-Diversity: COM+RAV+MED
-Guarded Assault: COM+SEN+SEN
-Dirty Fighting: COM+SEN+SAB
-Strategic Warfare: COM+SEN+SYN
-Solidarity: COM+SEN+MED
-Exploitation: COM+SAB+SAB
-Builly: COM+SAB+SYN
-Scouting Party: COM+SAB+MED
-All for One: COM+SYN+SYN
-Hero's Charge: COM+SYN+MED
-Discretion: COM+MED+MED
-Tri-disaster: RAV+RAV+RAV
-Mystic Tower: RAV+RAV+SEN
-Smart Bomb: RAV+RAV+SAB
-Malevolence: RAV+RAV+SYN
-Thaumaturgy: RAV+RAV+MED
-Patient Probing: RAV+SEN+SEN
-Matador: RAV+SEN+SAB
-Riot Shield: RAV+SEN+SYN
-Entourage: RAV+SEN+MED
-Assasination: RAV+SAB+SAB
-Guerilla: RAV+SAB+SYN
-Variety: RAV+SAB+MED
-Supernatural: RAV+SYN+SYN
-Coordination: RAV+SYN+MED
-Perpetual Magic: RAV+MED+MED
-Tortoise: SEN+SEN+SEN
-Overcaution: SEN+SEN+SAB
-Conservation: SEN+SEN+SYN
-Consolidation: SEN+SEN+MED
-Countermeasure: SEN+SAB+SAB
-Premeditation: SEN+SAB+SYN
-Attrition: SEN+SAB+MED
- Prudent Planning: SEN+SYN+SYN
-Protection: SEN+SYN+MED
-Combat Clinic: SEN+MED+MED
-Infiltration: SAB+SAB+SAB
-Espionage: SAB+SAB+SYN
-Safe Subversion: SAB+SAB+MED
-Superiority: SAB+SYN+SYN
-Evened Odds: SAB+SYN+MED
-Perseverance: SAB+MED+MED
-Rapid Growth: SYN+SYN+SYN
-Recuperation: SYN+SYN+MED
-Convalescence: SYN+MED+MED
-Salvation: MED+MED+MED

To truly grasp the complexities of FFXIII-2's combat and optimize your battle strategy, it is important to know what exactly drives the behavior of your Al-controlled allies.

In general, the AI will try a variety of different abilities the first time it engages an enemy (or when the Bestiary information for a foe is incomplete) in order to determine the extent of an enemy's resistances. This is why most first encounters wil l involve the AI (and the Autobattle option) selecting a mixture of Attack and Ruin as a Commando, or a seemingly random barrage of spells as a Ravager or Saboteur. Once an enemy's affinities have been assessed, the AI will proceed to select abilities that are most effective.
• Commandos will always opt for the attack that deals the most damage, based on their stats and the target's resistances.
• Ravagers will queue abilities that serve to maximize an increase to the Chain Bonus. If Enemy Intel indicates that an opponent can nullify or absorb certain elemental abilities, Ravagers won't use related attacks.
• Saboteurs will make use of Enemy Intel to weaken opponents. If you identify an enemy susceptibility to a particular ailment under the "Notes" section (as revealed in the Bestiary of both the game and this guide), the AI will attempt to inflict that de buff first When all possible ailments have been inflicted, the Saboteur will default to the Wound spell if it is available- or in the case of certain monsters, use Endless Nightmare to sustain existing ailments.

For these roles. the AI follows patterns that are, in general, less dependent on Enemy Intel.
• Sentinels will always use Provoke unless the enemy is immune. They will use their -guard abilities after enemies have been successfully Provoked and will continue to do so for as long as Provoke is active. The AI will favor counterattack abilities such as Entrench and Vendetta when HP is high, and more defensive abilities such as Steelguard and Mediguard when HP is low.
• Synergists, like Saboteurs, will make use of Enemy Intel to strengthen allies. If an enemy sheet lists a favored type of attack under "Notes", the AI will prioritize the bestowment of a corresponding buff. For example, if an enemy "delivers devastating physical attacks", the AI will first cast Protect on allies. It will then proceed to cast other buffs, giving priority to defensive statuses when the enemies are numerous and to offensive statuses when you face single targets. Synergists in Normal formation will first apply any all-target enhancements before refreshing them with single-target variants. Synergist monsters with the very useful Endless Blessings ability will use it to refresh enhancements automatically before they expire.
• Medics will always prioritize the restoration of HP to over 70% (the point at which the HP gauge turns green) before reviving KO'd allies or removing ailments. They will always prioritize the party leader over other allies. If everyone is alive and healthy, a Medic will continue to heal by using only a single Cure spell at a time. Medic monsters can also employ the Cheer ability when there are no injuries to address. The gradual accumulation of Wound damage in difficult battles can make AI control of Medics less than efficient during protracted combat encounters; its focus on restoring party members to over 70% HP can lead it to cast Cure spells that restore inconsequential sums of HP and ignore more pressing concerns. such as status ailments. In these instances. manual control can make a big difference.

You have the option to "tune" your Paradigms at the Customize screen. which can be employed to engender slight modifications to AI behavior. Note that you can only tune each Paradigm as a whole, and not the algorithms of individual roles within that Paradigm.
• The "Cross" formation, denoted by a suffix of" -X," instructs AI allies and the Auto-battle command to focus on single targets. This is useful when you want to apply status enhancements on a single ally, or build Chains and inflict status ailments on a specific enemy.
• The "Wide" formation. denoted by a suffix of "-W." causes AI allies and the Auto-battle command to more frequently employ area-effect abilities targeting multiple allies or enemies. For Commandos and Ravagers, this option is very effective in fights against large groups of enemies. It can also be useful in short fights in which you opt to use a Synergist's -ga buffs. which bestow enhancements to all alliesb.ut a short time. An AI Medic in Wide formation will focus on healing the entire party at once, which can be preferable in certain battles.

FFXIII-2's Paradigm system focuses on the dynamic duo of Serah and Noel, and an optional supporting entourage of up to three monsters. Because each monster is restricted to a single role, you cannot access every single three-ally Paradigm with any one party configuration. Given this restriction, a good way to build your Paradigm Deck is to start with a core of two-ally Paradigms for Serah and Noel, then round out your team with a trio of monsters capable of augmenting the desired tactics or effects.

-Slash & Burn (COM, RAV): The combination of Commando and Ravager is an offensive mainstay, particularly against individual enemies. The Ravager increases the damage dealt by the Commando, who in turn stabilizes the Chain Gauge.
-Double Trouble (COM, COM): The power of two Commandos is especially effective at clearing out groups of weaker enemies in very little time. You can also make use of Double Trouble to pile on damage in a battle against a single foe, especially at very high post-Stagger Chain Bonus percentages.
-Undermine (RAV, SAB): Similar in theme to Slash & Burn, this is best employed during a longer battle, or when you face a more resilient foe. The Saboteur applies ailments in preparation for a later switch to a Commandobased Paradigm to exploit inflicted weaknesses, amplified by the Chain built up by the Ravager.
-Dualcasting (RAV, RAV): This Paradigm focuses on building Chains as quickly as possible. With only a party of two, this is not an advisable opening Paradigmyou will find it difficult to maintain the Chain Gauge- but it can be employed effectively after an initial dose of Slash & Burn or Undermine. You should note, however, that Staggering enemies in this fashion can reduce the overall duration of a Stagger period.

-Relentless Assault (COM, RAV, RAV): is the most reliable way to build Chains against tough enemies with high Chain Resistance. You will need the stabilizing effect of the Commando to maintain the gauge over a long period of time, not to mention the benefits of slowly but surely chipping away at their health. This is also an excellent Paradigm against enemies with relatively low Stagger Points, as the Ravagers will continue to ratchet up the Chain Bonus while the Commando enjoys the post-Stagger bonuses to damage output.
-Ruthless (COM, RAV, SAB): provides the added benefit of weakening the enemy's defenses as the Commando-Ravager dyad work their craft.
-Cerberus (COM, COM, COM):adds the potency of another damage dealer. For long fights in which you expect to be able to reach the peak Chain Bonus of 999.9%, it makes sense to reserve a slot tor Cerberus.
-Aggression (COM, COM, RAV): is a good post-Stagger Paradigm against a single enemy. Your Commandos will wreak havoc while the lone Ravager continues to raise the Chain Bonus steadily. In addition, Aggression-W is a great choice for defeating groups of enemies; the Ravager can increase the damage dealt by both Commandos by making effective use of area-effect spells.
-Tireless Charge (COM, COM, MED): enables your Commandos to persist in their attacks in the face of enemy retaliation. This is another good post-Stagger Paradigm, especially against enemies that cannot be Launched. It is important to make the most of your offensive capabilities during a Stagger, and a pinch of quick healing may let you to do just that.
-Smart Bomb (RAV, SAB, RAV): is an excellent Paradigm for building .Chains in harder fights, especially against enemies that weaken substantially post-Stagger. You can then unleash Commandos to devastate your opponent's HP gauge.
-Assassination (RAV, SAB, SAB): places a heavier emphasis on inflicting your enemies with ailments. Assassination-W can be employed to weaken groups of enemies in a short time. A pair of Saboteurs can also be useful against foes who are particularly resistant to negative statuses.
-Tri-disaster (RAV, RAV, RAV): should be a staple of aggressive play. The benefits of its potential to send the gauge skyrocketing should be obvious. Make sure, however, that your party is coordinated enough to maintain the Chain Gauge up to the Stagger Point, especially against ener:nies who are capable of interrupting your attacks with regular frequency.
-Mystic Tower (RAV, RAV, SEN): enables you to increase Chains rapidly while using a Sentinel to shield the party from potentially di.sruptive counterattacks.
-Malevolence (RAV, RAV, SYN): can be useful when you employ a Synergist monster with the ability to bestow Bravery and Faith on the party. While the Ravagers are Chaining, your team is being buffed in anticipation of being able to unleash a torrent of damage when you Stagger your opponent.

-Twin Shields (SEN, SEN): The ultimate defensive Paradigm, this is useful as a temporary measure against the strongest enemy attacks, when every percentage point of damage reduction counts.
-Symbiosis (SEN, SYN) and Lifeguard (SEN, MED): These two Paradigms use the defensive prowess of a Sentinel to offer you a safe way to buff or heal your party.
Double Dose (MED, MED): The deployment of two Medics is generally a great way to regenerate health quickly. A general tip for Paradigms with multiple Medics is to have your leader act in direct opposition to your AI formation. This ensures that you will be making the most out of everyone's abilities. For example, if Serah is your leader, then Double Dose-W is the way to go. As she does not possess any multi-ally healing spells, you will want Noel to be using Cura and Curaja constantly while Serah focuses on the individual with the lowest overall health or Esuna use to remove debuffs.

-Tortoise (SEN, SEN, SEN):should be similarly employed when adventuring with a full party. When a notification warns you that a powerful opponent is poised to launch a signature attack, an instant Paradigm Shift to Tortoise will make a colossal differencesometimes, it really is a matter of life or death. This is an essential Paradigm in many of FFXIII-2's most challenging battles.
-Protection (SEN, SYN, MED): is an excellent all-around defensive option, using the Sentinel to mitigate further incoming damage during a temporary break for healing and buffing.
-Salvation (MED, MED, MED): will quickly bring your party back from the brink of death.
-Combat Clinic (MED, MED, SEN): is most efficiently employed by switching from a Paradigm in which the Sentinel was already active, maintaining the Sentinel's distraction and deterrence while allowing the Medics to top up the party's health rapidly.
-Discretion (MED. MED. COM): can be utilized to recover while maintaining any Chain Bonus accrued against an enemy. You certainly would not want to waste your turns spent building up the gauge with a simple bout of healing.

-Misdirection (COM, SEN) and War & Peace (COM, MED): With either of these Paradigms, you get a strong combination of both offense and defense. The Commando is free to go on the attack and maintain the Chain Gauge. In Misdirection, a Sentinel protects both allies and draws the attention of the enemy. War & Peace provides an attractive alternative when healing is required.

-Delta Attack (COM, SEN, RAV): is a staple Paradigm whenever you face opponents that are slightly too powerful (or numerous) for your party to cope with. It's also a useful configuration when you need to assess an unfamiliar enemy's potential, testing their mettle while the SEN provides a defensive backbone. Finally, it can serve as an all-around Paradigm for when there is limited space in your deck to install more specialized options.
-Diversity (COM, MED, RAV): is useful as a complement to Relentless Assault. swapping a RAV for a MED whenever you need a quick bout of healing or debuff removal. It is inefficient as a persistent Paradigm, however, as you run the risk of having your Medic idle when there is little healing required.
-Solidarity (COM, SEN, MED): has a similar relationship with Delta Attack, enabling you to heal for short intervals before returning to the core Paradigm. The COM is critically important in maintaining an active Chain against very powerful enemies.

-Tide Turner (SAB, SYN): A great way to start any major battle is to activate both a Saboteur and a Synergist to lay the groundwork for a strengthened party and weakened enemy. Once the desired status enhancements and ailments are in place, you can switch to a more offensive Paradigm and attack in earnest.
-Stumbling Block (SEN, SAB): The advantages of this pairing may not be immediately apparent, but in fights against strong enemies with high resistance to status ailments, the Sentinel will buy time for the Saboteur to connect successfully with his or her spells.

-Guerilla (SAB, SYN, RAV): provides the added benefit of building the Chain Gauge immediately in conjunction with the Saboteur's gauge-stabilizing effects. It can be an excellent choice against many of the toughest enemies in the game
-Espionage (SAB, SYN, SAB) and Superiority (SAB, SVN, SYN): are two variations of the same basic idea, which is to buff and debuff as quickly and efficiently as possible.
-Evened Odds (SAB, SYN, MED): is an effective mid-battle Paradigm, allowing you to refresh statuses and top up your party's health simultaneously- optimally, just before a Stagger, or once the Chain Bonus is reset to 100%.
-Matador (SEN, SAB, RAV): grants you an early start to your Chain-building, while the Sentinel continues to provide cover for your party.
-Premeditation (SEN, SAB, SYN): postpones offense in favor of buffing your party. The Sentinel draws fire until defensive buffs are in place, while the SAB attempts to weaken your opponent in advance of your imminent onslaught.