Choosing the best party for Final Fantasy 1 can depend on your playstyle and preferences, but several configurations are highly recommended for beginners and experienced players alike. Here are some of the most balanced and effective party setups:

### Balanced Party
**Setup:** Warrior / Black Mage / Thief / White Mage

– **Pros:**
– Balanced selection of weapons and armor.
– Access to a rounded selection of spells.
– The White Mage at the bottom position helps keep them alive longer, which is crucial for a healer.
– **Cons:**
– Limited redundancy in spellcasting, especially for Life and Stona spells.

### Inexpensive Party
**Setup:** Warrior / Monk / Thief / Red Mage

– **Pros:**
– Very cheap to equip.
– High agility levels from the Thief and Monk boost their damage.
– The Red Mage can focus on supportive White Magic while still collecting some damaging Black Magic.
– **Cons:**
– The Red Mage’s average stats and the Thief and Monk’s tendency to be squishy might be a concern in mid-game.

### Magic-Oriented Party
**Setup:** Monk / White Mage / Red Mage / Black Mage

– **Pros:**
– Easy access to almost every spell in the game.
– The Monk is an effective physical damage dealer while keeping the overall cost of the party down.
– **Cons:**
– This party can feel quite frail, so it’s crucial to ensure the Red Mage is keeping up with healing spells.

### Versatile Party
**Setup:** Warrior / Red Mage / Red Mage / Black Mage

– **Pros:**
– Prizes versatility over everything else.
– Tremendous damage output with three characters who can nail elemental weaknesses and the brute strength of the Warrior.
– **Cons:**
– Decking these characters out will be very expensive over the course of the game.

### Traditional Party
**Setup:** Fighter / Black Belt / Red Mage / Black Mage

– **Pros:**
– All strong characters with no weak or useless members.
– Access to a wide variety of spells and physical attacks.
– **Cons:**
– Requires careful management of MP and item usage, especially for the Red Mage.

### Beginner-Friendly Party
**Setup:** Warrior / Thief / White Mage / Black Mage

– **Pros:**
– Two strong physical fighters and two magical users.
– Access to all basic spells and high speed from the Thief for quick dungeon runs.
– **Cons:**
– Limited magic variety and two characters with low defense.

### Conclusion

The best party for you will depend on your personal playstyle and preferences. If you’re a beginner, the Warrior / Thief / White Mage / Black Mage setup is a good starting point due to its balance and accessibility. For more experienced players, the Warrior / Black Mage / Thief / White Mage setup offers a balanced approach with good spellcasting and physical attacks. If you prefer a magic-oriented party, the Monk / White Mage / Red Mage / Black Mage setup is highly effective but requires careful healing management. Finally, the Warrior / Red Mage / Red Mage / Black Mage setup is versatile but expensive to equip.