Octopath Traveler was a unique game when it launched on the Switch in 2018. It was a return to classic Square Enix turn-based RPGs from the SNES era. It played and looked like them thanks to the new art style that Square Enix coined as HD-2D. Square Enix has since released other games in this style, like Triangle Strategy and Live A Live, and has announced others like a remake of Dragon Quest 3.
Octopath Traveler 2 is more of the same, which should delight fans of the original. They get to tackle eight different characters who all have their own stories like Castti and Partitio. There are side party members too for character intros, but this discussion will focus on the main party. Which are the best main characters in Octopath Traveler 2?
Minor spoilers for each character's beginning arcs will be included.
8 Agnea
Agnea is a Dancer, which is a class that can come in many forms for RPGs. She does have some spells and skills to boost the party, but it’s not her main trait in her class. Her talents allow her to get free items from NPCs which is like stealing.
Agnea can also befriend and summon NPCs like other characters in the game, but when she does, those NPCs’ abilities will be altered. It’s a decent alteration from other summon skills, but overall she is a weak party member and her story isn’t that exciting either. She wants to entertain the world with her dancing and there’s not much conflict to care about.
7 Partitio
Partitio is a Merchant who starts in a Wild West-like town as a lad. Players get to play as him through the ages until they finally free his city of evil landlords. After that, Partitio goes on a journey to make better deals to help his town out even more.
It’s a better story than Agnea’s but Partitio is just as weak in battle. There aren’t a lot of cool skills in his repertoire. He can summon NPCs for money or buy merchandise from strangers, which are basically his take on the classic stealing skill. They are both rougher offshoots of better Path Actions from other characters though.
6 Castti
Castti is an Apothecary, which means she uses items. She is one of two primary healers in Octopath Traveler 2, which typically means she will be weak. Castti surprisingly has a good set of skills associated with her potion-making skills though. It’s a lot like Rikku’s item ability in Final Fantasy 10 as Castti can mix potions to make new concoctions.
Castti can knock out NPCs in town with medicine to get by them or gather information to find secrets. Castti’s Path Actions are weak, and her story is also not that exciting as she lost her memory and is in search of some evil Apothecaries. She is, however, a decent party member offensively and especially defensively.
5 Ochette
Ochette is a Hunter who specializes in bow skills. Her Hunter ability allows her to capture monsters to then use in battle. She can summon NPCs too, but monsters don’t stick around, unlike these summonings. Ochette can also transform monsters into food, which is how she bribes NPCs to join. Alternatively, the food can be consumed.
She has the skill to knock out enemies after a dual, but it’s one of the lamer Path Actions for any character that has it. Ochette’s story has her on a quest to defeat some evil monsters, which leads to some cool bosses.
4 Throné
Throné is a Thief, which is a class most RPG fans should be familiar with. She can knock out enemies like many others, but her literal Steal Path Action is the best version of it in the game. It can help players break the game by getting amazing equipment early on. Sometimes the percentages are low, but persistent players can get through.
In battle, she is an average fighter, but Steal alone makes her a top party member. Throné’s story is also interesting as she is basically a slave trying to break the shackles around her neck.
3 Osvald
Osvald is a Scholar, which translates to a mage in this world, and he is the strongest magic user in Octopath Traveler 2's playable roster. He uses science to enhance his spells, which led to his friend growing jealous. Eventually, he set Osvald up for murder. After freeing himself from prison, Osvald is on a quest for revenge.
This story has a slow start but it does get better. Besides his amazing spells, Osvald can also get secret info from NPCs. His Mug Path Action is better though, and it is a close second to Throné’s Steal as Osvald can fight NPCs to steal their entire inventory.
2 Hikari
Hikari is a Warrior and is thus the strongest melee fighter in Octopath Traveler 2. His power knows no bounds in battle, and yet he is the gentlest soul. He is also on a quest for revenge against his brother who threw his kingdom into chaos. Hikari is a beast in battle and his story is fantastic too.
The one downside is that his Path Actions are not stellar, with one focusing on information and the other on knocking NPCs out. His knockout ability though, Challenge, does allow him to copy abilities, which is a cool feature.
1 Temenos
Temenos is a Cleric, but he is so much more than a healer. What makes him cool is that he also is like a detective. He’s trying to investigate the church on the murder of a priest involving a magical beast. It is the coolest story in Octopath Traveler 2, and fans may wish to power through it as soon as possible.
This might be tricky with the level gating though, one of the game’s bigger issues. That said, Temenos has a decent skill list as well besides his healing powers. Like others, he can summon NPCs and gather information, which is the one downside to Temenos.
Octopath Traveler 2 was released on February 24, 2023, and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch.