RPG Insanity

I have read all the posts concerning jobs, skills, and growth plates and the in-game help, and I am still confused how this system works.  I am several hours into the game with all four characters at level 25.  I would appreciate clear and detailed answers to the following questions.  Thanks to all who can help me out.

I notice that after using 5 of the same growth plates, a character advances to the next tier in that progression.  To continue the progression, do I keep using the same growth plates or do I switch to growth plates for the new tier?  For example, Lucas is currently level 5 Warrior.  If I use one more warrior plate, his tier changes to Berserker.  Do I have to use Berserker plates now, or can I continue using Warrior plates to get to the final tier Chevalier?
Do jobs max at level 5?  What is the best level to switch jobs?
Once a skill reaches level 3, is there any benefit to continue increasing it, or should I just switch to a different job with different skills?
Do combat skills become permanent, even if you change jobs, or does that only apply to passive skills?

I realize that I may be asking the same question in different ways.  I just need some step-by-step instructions to leveling up the characters that doesn't waste EPs.  Thanks again.

Yes. You use the same growth plates to increase your tiers. If you're a Beserker and you use a warrior plate, you will still get a +1 to your warrior job rank since Beserker is still the standard warrior class.
Jobs max out at Level 15 but in game, it'll show you the job tiers. For instance, a Beserker at  rank 3 is the same as saying Warrior Rank 8 and vice versa. There is really no best level to switch jobs besides Level 15.
I don't remember but you'll end up leveling up those skills since the game wont let you use new growth plates until you complete your old plates.
Combats and passives are not permanent. They are always attached to your current job class so if you were a Wizard rank 15 and you switched to warrior rank 1, you would not be able to use any skills you learned as a wizard and vice versa.

With that in mind, the best way to play the game is to assign everyone a default base job. The character's Freelancer/jobless stats means little. That means that you can make Iris a warrior just as well as lucas would have been if he was a warrior.

In my case, I had Lucas as a Priest, Iris as a Warrior, Melvin as a Wizard, and Elodie as a Thief for their base jobs. Once I maxed out their base jobs, i switched to similar jobs i could find for their base jobs and focused on leveling those. If the new jobs did not work, i would switch back to the base and forgo the job completely.

Is there any benefit in using growth plates specific to a character's new title.  For example, once I use enough growth plates on Iria to go from Priest to Acolyte, should I start using Acolyte plates on her, or just keep using Priest plates?  Do I get different skills if I switch to Acolyte plates?  Then similarly, once Iria reaches Sage, should I use Sage plates?

 

BTW - Thanks for the quick response.

You should do that if you want to keep using her as a priest because that's the only way you'll pick up new priest spells (And you'll need them)

 

If you want Characters to have Skills at the Highest Level, you have to Complete all Job Plates several times for each Character. Additionally, Passive Skills can give benefits for any Job you will swap to immediately after the Job advances to Level 4 (or 5).

You can choose whatever Job you want for all party members, see if it works for you. If not, you can always pick other Job the Character has developed.

After a Plate is Completed, you can find and complete it more times to increase Character Stats.