Octopath Traveler is a fun turn-based JRPG for the Switch and soon the PC that channels the old Final Fantasy games in a modern/retro style. In addition to its great gameplay, it boasts an engaging story as players take over one of eight characters that are navigating the world for their own reasons justifying at least eight playthroughs of the game.

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The characters have diverse storylines that can make their quest noble pursuits of valor, revenge quests, or just another way to make coin. They also vary in terms of combat and some are much easier to play with powerful skills and abilities, while others start to fizzle near the end.

Updated June 22, 2021 by Ben Baker: Given the renewed interest in this title after it appeared on the recent Xbox Game Pass update, it seemed time to revisit the rankings. It doesn't seem like the characters have shifted too much in terms of use over the course of the game. To give players an even better idea of who they should consider prioritizing, this list now includes the characters' various skills.

8 Olberic

Olberic from Octopath Traveler

Considered the Warrior of the game, this former knight turned mercenary turned hero seeks revenge on bandits that stole away his young apprentice Philip. He does have some use for his ability to challenge NPCs which can cut down on some of the game’s grind and he serves as a fair tank in the beginning of the game.

But as the game progresses his abilities start to become lacking and he’ll be eclipsed by the other characters fairly quickly. He’s great for getting into the game, but not so good at getting out which causes him to rank so low.

Olberic's Skills

  • Level Slash – Attack all opponents with sword.
  • Abide – Increase physical attack strength for three turns.
  • Spearhead – Attack opponent with polearm and move earlier on next turn.
  • Incite – Attract opponents attention for three turns.
  • Cross Strike – Attack an opponent with sword.
  • Stout Wall – Increase physical defense for three turns.
  • Thousand Spears – Attack random opponent with polearm five to ten times.
  • Brand’s Thunder – Deal a powerful attack to a single opponent using sword.
  • Cover – Character will absorb single target attacks for any allies near death.
  • Summon Strength – Increase physical attack strength of character by 50.
  • Endure – When character is inflicted with poison, sleep, confusion, blindness, silence, terror, or unconscious their physical and elemental defenses are boosted.
  • Surpassing Power – Character can now deal a max of 99,999 damage.

7 Primrose

Primrose from Octopath Traveler

Bearing one of the most interesting stories in the game, Primrose is the daughter of a noble who fell into poverty after her father was murdered by three men bearing marks resembling crows. Without her father, she was forced to make ends meet through dancing in a seedy tavern.

Despite her interesting storyline she’s among the weakest of the characters. She can summon NPCs into combat and she’s great at providing them with buffs through her sultry dance moves, but that’s kind of it. Players will struggle with her lack of offensive skills and feel more like cheerleaders as they dance  to help their NPC party members win the fight.

Primrose's Skills

  • Lion’s Dance – Ally’s physical attacks become stronger for two turns.
  • Moonlight Waltz – Deal heavy dark damage to an opponent.
  • Peacock Strut – Strengthen an ally’s elemental attack damage for two turns.
  • Mole Dance – Strengthen an ally’s physical defense for two turns.
  • Night Ode – Deal dark damage to all opponents.
  • Panther Dance – Boost an ally’s speed for two turns.
  • Bewildering Grace – A curious effect will occur.
  • Sealticge’s Seduction – Choose an ally, skills that normally target a single opponent will now affect all opponents for three turns.
  • The Show Goes On – Boosts to allies will be extended for another turn.
  • Eye For An Eye – 50% chance to counterattack when struck with a physical attack.
  • Second Wind – SP is recovered each turn.
  • Encore – Once every battle character will revive automatically with 25% maximum HP.

6 Alfyn

Alfyn from Octopath Traveler

Alfyn is a tender character in the game who, as an Apothecary, seeks to heal and assist others he meets. When his best friend’s sister is bitten by a snake he ventures out to find a cure, no matter the cost.

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This noble character is capable of being the most powerful character in the game, but only if he’s played correctly and players enjoy his particular brand of playstyle, which many don’t and that's why he ranks so low. His power stems from the ability to Concoct potions that can heal and buff allies or damage enemies. Without his potions he’s next to useless, so players must enjoy the nature of hunting down ingredients, discovering recipes, and putting them together before fights.

Alfyn's Skills

  • First Aid – Restore HP for a single ally.
  • Icicle Deal – Deal ice damage to an opponent.
  • Rehabilitate – Remove status ailments from an ally and make them immune.
  • Amputation – Attack an opponent with an axe.
  • Empoison – Poison an opponent for two turns.
  • Vivify – Revive an ally.
  • Last Stand – Attack all opponents with an axe, damage is inverse to Alfyn’s health.
  • Dohter’s Charity – Choose an ally, for three turns when they use an item it applies to everyone.
  • Inspiration – 1% of damage dealt is gained as SP
  • Hale & Hearty – Increase max HP by 500.
  • Resist Ailments – Raise resistance to poison, sleep, confusion, blindness, silence, terror, and unconsciousness.
  • Heightened Healing – Increase healing to Alfyn from all sources by 30%.

5 Tressa

Tressa from Octopath Traveler

Tressa is a surprising hero for the game, considering she has no formal combat training or innate magical abilities. She’s a merchant seeking revenge on pirates that stole from her and uses her economic prowess to guide her.

Her abilities allow her to obtain more money from combat and she can purchase items from NPCs that aren’t normally obtainable. This ability to create golden streams of income enables her to access high-level equipment and obtain hired help sooner and more often. This makes her very effective in combat, but only if she spends her coin, as on her own she is rather limited.

Tressa's Skills

  • Collect – Collect money from an opponent.
  • Tradewinds – Deal heavy wind damage to an opponent.
  • Rest – Restore a small amount of HP and SP and cure any status effects.
  • Trade Tempest – Deal wind damage to all opponents.
  • Donate BP – Give an ally one BP.
  • Sidestep – 100% chance to dodge a physical attack.
  • Hired Help – Use money to summon Hired Help to the fight.
  • Bifelgan’s Bounty – Deal non-elemental damage to an opponent and receive money equal to damage dealt.
  • Endless Items – 25% chance a consumed item will not be consumed.
  • Grows On Trees – Extra money earned after a battle.
  • Hang Tough – Attacks that would normally be lethal will leave character with one HP.
  • SP Saver – SP consumption reduced by 50%.

4 Cyrus

Cyrus from Octopath Traveler

A scholar brimming with knowledge and intelligence, Cyrus finds himself caught up in a world of adventure when a priceless book disappears from the Royal Library. Cyrus pursues the thieves not so much out of a sense of justice, but more to discover what knowledge the book contains that would motivate someone to steal it.

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Essentially the mage class of the game, Cyrus is capable of dishing out ridiculous amounts of damage. His abilities to purloin knowledge about his enemies’ weaknesses makes him very powerful in combat. The only reason he doesn’t rank higher is that he’s a glass cannon and requires others in order to keep him alive while he attacks the enemy.

Cyrus' Skills

  • Fireball – Deal fire damage to all opponents.
  • Icewind – Deal ice damage to all opponents.
  • Lightning Bolt – Deal lightning damage to all opponents.
  • Analyze – Reveal the HP and a weakness of an opponent.
  • Fire Storm – Deal fire damage to all opponents twice.
  • Blizzard – Deal ice damage to all opponents twice.
  • Lightning Blast – Deal lightning damage to all opponents twice.
  • Alephan’s Enlightenment – Choose an ally, for three turns spells cast by that ally that normally target all opponents will now target a single opponent with enhanced effect.
  • Evasive Maneuvers – Reduce odds of a random encounter from happening.
  • Elemental Augmentation – Boost character’s elemental attack strength by 50.
  • Percipience – Prevents opponents from surprising the party.
  • Vim & Vigor – Character will regenerate HP every turn.

3 Ophilia

Ophilia from Octopath Traveler

A servant to the Flame, Ophilia is a powerful cleric who joins her sister in the church on a pilgrimage known as the Kindling. She’s the noblest of all the characters and very firm in her faith and abilities.

In combat, she possesses incredible healing powers that only get stronger as the game goes along. This combines well with her ability to summon NPCs into battle and keep them alive through the worst fights. She may not be as strong on her own as other characters are, but she’s far more useful to her entourage than other characters on the list.

Ophilia's Skills

  • Heal Wounds – Restore a small amount of HP to all allies.
  • Holy Light – Deal light damage to a single opponent.
  • Sheltering Veil – Boost ally’s elemental defense for two turns.
  • Luminescence – Deal light damage to all opponents.
  • Heal More – Restore a large amount of HP to all allies.
  • Reflective Veil – Give an ally the ability to reflect a single elemental attack.
  • Revive – Revive all downed allies.
  • Aelfric’s Auspices – Choose an ally, skills they utilize will trigger twice for three turns.
  • Persistence – Status enhancements will last an additional turn.
  • Inner Strength – Increase max SP by 50.
  • Evil Ward – increased chance for party to successfully flee.
  • Saving Grace – Enables character to heal above their max HP.

2 Therion

Therion from Octopath Traveler

The traditional Thief, Therion is a rugged rogue whose sole ambition is to perform the ultimate heist; break into the great mansion of House Ravus. His story admittedly isn't all that special until later in the game when his past comes back to haunt him, but it takes a while to get there.

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Therion shines as a warrior in battle who is very hard to hit, but if an enemy does hit him he goes down pretty quickly which is why he doesn’t take the number one spot. However, players would be fools to overlook him as he has arguably one of the most useful abilities in the game, picking locks. This ability grants access to special treasure chests that only he can open and loot from. Combined with his ability to lift items off NPCs he can start earning serious levels of income, assuming he isn’t caught in the act.

Therion's Skills

  • Steal – Steal an item from an opponent.
  • Wildfire – Deal heavy fire damage to an opponent.
  • HP Thief – Attack an opponent twice with dagger and receive 50% of total damage as HP.
  • Shackle Foe – Reduce an opponent’s physical attack strength for two turns.
  • Armor Corrosive – Reduce an opponent’s physical defense for two turns.
  • Steal SP – Attack an opponent twice with dagger and receive 50% of total damage as SP.
  • Share SP – Give 50% of SP to an ally.
  • Aeber’s Reckoning – Attack all opponents with dagger, damage is proportional to speed.
  • Incidental Attack – 50% chance to also attack when using a non-damaging move.
  • Fleetfoot – Character speed increased by 50.
  • Snatch – character receives twice the loot when using steal or collect-based skills.
  • Insult To Injury – Status effects and penalties to attributes caused by character will be extended an additional turn.

1 H’aanit

H'aanit from Octopath Traveler

One of the few remaining descendants of a mighty ancient clan, H’aanit is a fierce Hunter. Haunted by the disappearance of her master when he never came back from a difficult hunt, she jumps at a desperate noble’s pleas to kill a fearsome beast in the Whisperwoods, wondering if it may have something to do with her master's disappearance.

She possesses one of the more interesting stories in the game and is by far the most capable character. Like Olberic, she can provoke duels which cut on the overall grind and she’s a capable fighter, but by far her most useful ability is to capture various monsters and animals to serve her by her side in battle. She also has a cool snow leopard as a companion.

H’aanit's Skills

  • Rain of Arrows – Attack a random enemy five to eight times with bow.
  • True Strike – Deal a critical strike to an opponent.
  • Thunderbird – Deal heavy lightning damage to an opponent.
  • Leghold Trap – Targeted opponent must act at the end of each turn for two turns.
  • Mercy Strike – Attack an opponent with bow. Alternatively lethal attack will leave target with one HP instead of killing.
  • Arrowstorm – Attack all opponents five to eight times with bow.
  • Take Aim – Boost party critical rate and accuracy for two turns.
  • Draefendi’s Rage – Deal a powerful bow attack to all opponents.
  • Heighten Senses – Increase odds of attacking first.
  • Eagle Eye – Increase character crit rate by 50.
  • Second Serving – Character has 50% chance of attacking twice when using a normal attack.
  • Patience – Character has a 25% boost to attacking again at the end of their turn.

Next: Octopath Traveler: The Best Skills In The Game