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Like most RPGs,Yakuza: Like a Dragonfeatures a variety of classes known asJobs. These Jobs are split between male and female characters, but any character of that gender can have any Job available to their gender. Each character starts with a Job already assigned to them, but you’re able to change their Job and better hone their skills to your liking.
There are seven different characters inYakuza: Like a Dragon. While you’re able to swap Jobs, each character is crafted to fit certain Jobs over others. For some, you will want to stick with the Job they have first equipped, while for others, you should get rid of their initial Jobs as soon as they can.
How to Change Jobs in Yakuza: Like a Dragon
This time around, classes are referred to as “Jobs”. Here’s everything players need to know about changing jobs in Yakuza: Like A Dragon.
Foreman
Breaker
Ichiban Kasuga is the protagonist ofYakuza: Like A Dragon, so it’s important to pick the right Job for him. As the main character, Kasuga has the excitingHeroJob, which can be compared to a Paladin in a more medieval RPG. It’s a strong class for brawling with both targeted and area attacks.
Hero also provides some healing abilities for a bit of Support utility. The Job is unique to Kasuga and appears early on in the game. You shouldstick with Hero for most of the gamebut dip into some other Jobs for extra abilities.
TheForemanJob has a particularly unique ability calledDemolishthat Kasuga should have. This Exploration Ability lets him destroy obstacles and access blocked areas in the city. This is essential tofinding gold keys inYakuza: Like a Dragon. The job has a few other targeted abilities that also work well with Kasuga’s stats. For more abilities, you can also invest in theBreakerJob for a few low-ranking, unstoppable attacks.
Musician
Chef
You wouldn’t expect aHomeless Guyto be a class in an RPG, but it is, and it’s an excellent fit for Yu Nanba. He starts with the Homeless Guy Job because he is a homeless man. The Job is unique to Nanba, just like Hero is unique to Kasuga. The Job isbetter later on in the gameonce you unlock its special fire abilities. Early on, however, you may want to use theMusicianJob.
The Musician has a similar build to Homeless Guy in that both are more supportive roles with fun mechanics. The Musician has a great Character Skill at Level 4 that lets you fully regenerate your party’s health. It’s agreat healing ability for male charactersand one you should keep around. Musician also has a mechanic called “voltage"that plays around with how much damage the character can deal.
Once you get Level 4 in Musician for Nanba, if you don’t want to switch back to Homeless Guy yet, try out theChefJob. The Chef can be considereda jack of all tradeswith various attacks. It gives Nanba early access to fire attacks and a well-rounded kit to get him through the early phases ofYakuza: Like a Dragon.
Just as Nanba starts as a Homeless Guy due to his lot in life, Koichi Adachi starts as aDetectivedue to his profession. Despite this, you shouldswitch him out of the Detective Jobimmediately. While it can be useful to grab some buffs later on, it’s not a great Job. There are far better Jobs for Adachi’s high HP and Defense, namely, theEnforcerJob.
The Enforcer is a tank that can draw enemy attacks toward him, keeping his more fragile allies safe. With Adachi’s high HP,he is perfect for the Enforcer role. At Level 6, the Enforcer can paralyze enemies and provide great openings for the party. You should continue to boost Adachi’s HP and Defense as you work toward Level 99. There are very few downsides to keeping Adachi in this Job for most ofYakuza: Like a Dragon.
you’re able to dip Adachi into theForeman and BreakerJobs for a bit more ability diversity. The abilities featured in these roles mesh well with the rest of Adachi’s playstyle. Breaker’s Maximum Flair can help boost Adachi’s Defense, while Foreman has some HP boosts and abilities that synergize well with Enforcer. Still,you should have Adachi as your party’s Enforcer for the end game.
Idol
Night Queen
Saeko Mukuoda is one of only two female party members available in the game. As a woman, she can’t take male Jobs like Enforcer or Musician. She has a list of female-centric jobs, such as Barmaid or Dealer, to replace them. Neither of these Jobs fit well with Saeko’s kit, however. Instead, her main Job in the party should be as anIdol.
The Idol isthe top healing Job in the gameand essential forcombat inYakuza: Like a Dragon. Idol keeps the party alive and even revives them should they fall in combat.Saeko is built to be the Idoland should stay an Idol for most of the game. Still, Saeko needs a bit more combat prowess for the challenges ahead. Therefore, have her play as aNight Queenfor a bit to collect some attacks.
Clerk
Eri Kamataki is an optional party member inYakuza: Like a Dragon, but a worthwhile member nonetheless. Her starting Job,Clerk, is incredible and transforms Eri into a ninja, throwing thumbtacks and attacking with rulers. She makes up for Saeko’s lack of physical damage by riddling the enemy with statuses. You will have a truly valuable fighter by letting Eri grow into her starting job.
For more Attacks, HP, and brainwashing attacks, give Eri a few levels inNight Queen.
Foreman/Chef
Enforcer/Host
Joon-Gi Han may be aboss inYakuza: Like a Dragon, but he’s also a great party member. He is versatile and easy to build into whatever your party lacks. He starts out with his uniqueHitmanJob, which has some good abilities for single-target attacks. It’s best toget Han’s Hitman level up to about Level 10before switching Jobs so he can benefit from the Job’s strongest attacks.
From there, you have a couple of options. If you want Han to be more physical, you can level him up in theForemanJob and later switch to anEnforcerposition. If you want more magical support, you can start Han out as aChef, catering to Han’s versatility, before giving him theHostJob, which behaves similarly to Nanba’s Homeless Guy Job.
Gangster
The last party member available inYakuza: Like a Dragon, Tianyou Zhao, has an excellent starter Job calledGangster. Zhao puts his all into dealing damage as a Gangster, increasing MP and Attack as he levels up. You will need someone to keep Zhao safe if he enters combat with this Job, as he can’t protect himself, buthe can land killer blows.
When you feel comfortable with Zhao’s Gangster level, spend some time with theBreakerJob. This Job gives Zhao some extra utility and a few attacks that can boost his Defense. The Attack and Agility bonuses work well with the rest of Zhao’s kit. With these Jobs on hand, Zhao makes a great addition to the party inYakuza: Like a Dragon.
