I think I'm developing tunnel vision in FF13.  I almost NEVER use Fang, Snow, and Hope.  For every battle, I've been using Lightening (as the leader), Sazh, and Vanille.  Lightening deals out the physical damage, Sazh boosts the abilities and sometimes deals magic damage, and Vanille sabotages the enemy and deals magical damage.  I feel like I'm missing out on a whole lot of strategy that I could be using.  I haven't even used any of the other Eidolons except for Odin because of my refusal to leave my comfort zone.

So, who do you guys use?  Which paradigms (ie:  I always use Bully (commando, synergist, saboteur,) or Convelescence (medic, synergist, medic) do you prefer?  Enligten me!  I'm ready to try some new techniques. 

My Team are the ladies ^^.

Lightning as Leader with Fang and Vanille as Members. I used to use Snow instead of Fang until I realise that her strength was so much better than his so I swapped him out. Sazh, I just didn't feel like having him on my team and I don't use Hope coz I don't like him and the fact that he's got shit health.

I've used that party since chap 9 uptil the very last boss where I HAD to switch out Vanille for Hope just for the Synergist role and defeated the boss without any difficulties. But I switched them back and I wish to use my Lady Team unless Hope is needed.

Same as you....

I find myself using Lightning/Fang/Vanille or Lightning/Fang/Hope, which is really a pity because Sazh and Snow are my two favorite characters. Paradigms depend on the situation, of course, but for standard battles I find that Com/Com/Rav or Rav/Com/Rav works pretty well for those two.

My question is... why is my Vanille way fucking stronger than my Sazh!?

I use Lightning (COM, RAV, MED), Fang (COM, SEN, SAB) & hope (MED, SYN, RAV) cus I get all the possible roles from them!

Here are the paradigms I use:

1. RAV/RAV/COM -- This is to build up the stagger bar.....I start every battle with this (unless its a boss battle)

2. COM/MED/COM -- Used when an enemy is staggered and when my party is low on health at the same time

3. COM/RAV/COM -- Used when the enemy is staggered & my party's health is fine

4. MED/MED/SEN -- Used when a MASSIVE ATTACK takes away a lot of my party's health....so 2 meds refill the health while the sentinel takes all the fire.

5. MED/SYN/SAB -- Used at the start of boss battles to buff my party & debuss the boss while the medic heals anyone during this time. Also used before staggering powerful enemies so that they get deshelled before the stagger & I get bravery = MASSIVE Extra damage in stagger mode

6. RAV/MED/COM -- Used on powerful enemies so that I can fill their stagger bar slowly while the medic refills health from their powerful attacks!

I LOVE the paradigm system!

oh and eidolons SUCK.

EDIT:

d21lewis if they are the paradigms you use as your main ones I can't see how you are liking this game cus how are you building up the stagger bar? lol

They really were much more awesome in previous games.

Gives me goosebumps every time!

@badgenome

I actually like the way they change into gestalt mode n stuff (not as EPIC as FFX eidolons)

But they just SUCK anyway cus unless you stagger an enemy before doing the final GESTALT mode attack my FANg & Lightning combo can do far far far more damage than the eidolons can

2 uses for eidolons:

1. If you TIRED in a boss battle & wanna see some fancy scenes/take a 2 minute break call the eidolon (and this can happen cus some boss battles are just frustrating)

2. If your party has lots of debuffs on it & if 2 members have died....calling an eidolon like revives everyone & takes debuffs off.

What i always used: Lightning, Fang and Vanille

My new team: Lightning, Fang and Hope

Main paradigm sets:
RAV/COM/RAV
COM/COM/RAV
SYN/SAB/SAB
MED/SYN/MED

Fang (Leader), Hope and Lightning.

My best team consists of Lightning as leader. Any of the other characters are good to use. Vanille or Hope as other medic. Sazh or Snow or Fang.

The game in chapter 10 onwards allows you to pick your own team and own leader. If you stat farm long enough on Gran Pulse you can get all the ranks for every character maxed out. Just replay the big CP fights over and over and over and over again to your hearts content.
My favourite three character are: Lightning, Snow and Sazh.

My least favourite characters are: Fang, Vanille and Hope. I find these three characters the most annoying especially Vanille and Hope.

The team I use most often are Lightning as leader. Vanille as medic. Snow because he has the most health and is the second coolest character behind Lightning.

My team I tend to use is Lightning as leader and Snow as my right hand man, he has the highest health. Vanille as the main medic. I am struggling on chapter 11. Getting my assed whooped by those very big hard dangerous creatures on Gran Pulse. Huge leap in difficulty between chapter 10 to chapter 11. chapters 1 to 10 felt like a 20 to 25 hour long tutorial and too linear for my liking.