Can you change party leader in FFXIII?

Hey, guys!
I've just got FFXIII! I was wondering can you change party leader or is it just Lightning (Except certain events)?
What about the members? Why is Hope just following? It's stupid to show others that you can't fight with...Thanks guys!

The party leader changes within the story. You cannot change the party member to whoever you like, everything is dones pretty much for you.I know it sounds bad, but in a way at least it gives you the chance to play with all the main characters in the game.At the beginning of the game just enjoy yourself. The first 5 hours is really just an introduction and you could pretty much play the game with your eyes closed. Be sure to go through the menu a lot and read as much as you can, it'll help you out heaps.

Be sure to read the datalogs too.
Because you will get pretty lost without those.
Like l'Cie and Pulse, I hadn't a clue what those were until I read the datalogs.

Replying to #3

I agree. I actually enjoy reading the datalogs more than watching the awesome cut scenes.

You CAN change party members through the Paradigm section in the Main Menu, but you will only gain access to it after about 20 hours into the game (the game is average 45-50 hours long).

Replying to #5

20 hours is not very precise
what Chapter?the Datalogs are pretty useless if you ask me, well not that I read them or anything

Replying to #6

I read most of them. Very early on (first few hours of gameplay) if you don't read them then you won't know what the Fal'Cie, Pulse, l'Cie, etc. are. In cutscenes an hour or so later they are explained, but the Datalogs go over them sooner.

Replying to #7

unless you already know about them :D

Depressed :(My dad got Battlefield Bad company 2 (Or is it battlefield 2: bad company?) for PS3, can't get to play FF....
D:So far, it's good :)
Dislike Vanille's voice though.... (It's a bit random that she's Australian :P)

You can change party leaders and party members near the end of chapter 9. The game only has 13 chapters but the beginning of chapter 10 is about the half way point.

JohnnieBob · #9So far, it's good :)
Dislike Vanille's voice though.... (It's a bit random that she's Australian :P)

Sazh is the best character. Along with Little Chocobo.

I quite like Sazh too. But I'm not too far in the game so Vanille has the most variety. (Medical, Ravenger and sabotoer. Can't spell :P)

Ok can anybody tell me what the hell is Hope for? Synergist? wtf?

Replying to #13

Hope is a good character. Don't mis-use him.
I'm only about 10 hours into the game but he is a good Ravager and Synergist.And I just realised something. Hope's voice actor is Greg out of Everybody Hates Chris

Mind blown.

I already knew that.
Though Everybody Hates Chris is better than a crap cartoon.

You can change party members later on but not leaders.

Replying to #17

You can change leaders. I think from Chapter 9 or 10 on, once you get all your characters, you are free to change leaders and party members, or as the game calls it "Battle Teams".And Hope makes a good Ravager. He gets access to the higher level spells first (-ga spells). He doesn't get the physical-elemental Ravager attacks very quickly though. Lightning gets those faster, I think Sazh does too. I think Sazh makes a better Synergist, because he gets Haste earlier than the others.

So what team would you recommend using?
I'm still on the big ass airplane, trying to make Lightning Team meet up with Sazh and Vanille

Replying to #19

You'll be able to have full control over you battle teams soon.
I played Lightning, Hope, and Fang during that portion of the game.Fang as a COM
Lightning as a RAV
Hope as a MED or RAV depending on if I needed healing or not.RAV are good at increasing Stagger. And without a COM the enemies Stagger will drain too fast.