You’ll naturally unlock most jobs in Bravely Default II as you play through the main story. However, there are a handful of jobs that are unlocked by completing side quests. Gambler is the first missable job in Bravely Default II.
You can unlock the Gambler job in Chapter One of Bravely Default II, after you’ve defeated Anihal and received the Beastmaster Asterisk. Once the fight is over, you’ll be able to access the Gambling Hall in Savalon.
If you enter the Gambling House and start talking with the NPCs, you’ll meet a woman named Shirley. Shirley will introduce you to a card game called Bind and Divide. Not only will she walk you through the basics, but she’ll give you your own set of cards to play with.
(If you’re feeling a little lost after the tutorial, and you need more information about how to play the Bravely Default II card game, we have a detailed guide here.)
You’ll also see a familiar face in the Gambling Hall — Orpheus, the Bard you fought earlier in this chapter. Orpheus hasn’t been doing so well since you’ve last seen him. Not only has he lost his Asterisk, but Shirley managed to swindle him for everything he had.
Orpheus asks you to help him take revenge by defeating Shirley at Bind and Divide. He even gives you a card that will help you in your match. It’s an obvious setup, but you’ll need to play along if you want the Gambler job.
Once you accept the quest from Orpheus, you’ll need to win matches against opponents in the Gambling Hall so that you can attract Shirley’s attention. There are two people you can challenge — an old woman and a younger man. I’d recommend challenging the old woman first. She’s the easiest opponent by far.
After you’ve won a few matches, you’ll see a playing card icon appear above Shirley’s head. If you approach Shirley, she’ll offer to battle you again, providing that you’re willing to make a wager. If you win, she’ll give you the Gambler Asterisk. If you lose, she’ll take every Asterisk that you have.
Shirley’s serious about taking your Asterisks. If you lose this match, you’ll get a Game Over, which is why you’ll want to make sure you save before you get started. If you still need a few more cards in your collection, or if you need to brush up on your B ‘n’ D skills, you can wait to challenge her until you’re ready.
Shirley is a tough opponent, but she’s a lot easier to beat with the right deck. Make sure you have the Orpheus card in your deck. It can neutralize Shirley’s Character Card.
If you do beat Shirley, you’ll quickly learn that she’s a sore loser. Instead of handing over her Asterisk, she’ll summon some friends — Orpheus included — and will challenge you to a regular battle. You won’t be able to save between the card match and this battle, but thankfully, Shirley is much easier than the other bosses you’ve challenged thus far.
Shirley is weak against Wind and Electric magic, while Orpheus is weak to Water magic. The best weapons to use against Shirley are staffs and swords, and the best weapons to hit Orpheus with are spears and crossbows. You shouldn’t have to use any special strategies during this battle. Hit your opponents with their weaknesses, and you’ll be able to take them down without too much trouble.
After all that, you’ll finally unlock the Gambler job. It’s a lot of work, but it’s more than worth the effort. One of the Gambler’s specialties, All or Nothing, can randomly cause the Experience, JP, or pg you earn after a battle to be multiplied by 15. If that triggers when you’re farming Job Points, you could master a Job in just a few fights.
The Gambler’s Special Ability, Jackpot, can also be a lifesaver in boss fights. Using the ability will completely restore the MP of all your allies. It’ll add some pg to your coffers as well.
If you want to unlock the Gambler job, you’ll need to take a slight detour from the main story, but it won’t be a waste of time. This is an unusual and fun job that can really change your boss fight strategies.
