The lecture system is interesting but I think it'll take me some time getting used to. The customization seems quite dauntingly open ended!
For now I made Raka a Myrmidon and Claude a Bandit. But then turns out if you max a job level you get bonus ability (in this case HP +5). Whoops, should let them stay in the first job a bit.
So the student recruitment is locked to stats and/or skills, very interesting. So it's partially RNG.
On the first bandit mission I got...Lysandre? whats-her-name for killed since she got doubled, whoops. And I forgot about the ability to rewind time. ...but apparently we can restart the battle with the exp intact? That's so generous.