The Final Fantasy series has long been touted as one of the best JRPG series of all time, and for good reason. After all, the fact of the matter is that this series has featured some of the greatest video games of all time, without a shadow of a doubt. Final Fantasy VII and X are widely considered to some of the best console games of their respective generations, and this is not even getting into some of the retro titles that have enjoyed their fair share of critical reviews, along with the highly subjective opinions that some people have when it comes to these Final Fantasy games. To this day, you'll still find people on both sides of the debate when it comes to Final Fantasy XV — while some people consider the game to be an incomplete mess, others will stand by it as their favorite game of 2016. It's a testament to the nature of the series itself that it can generate such a rabid fanbase with their own unique likes and dislikes in the franchise.
Anyway, the main topic of conversation isn't the quality of the games — rather, it's the qualities of the characters featured in these games. While the game definitely features its fair share of incredibly useful characters that are a must-have in any run, there are other characters that are definitely less than desirable members of your party whom you'll only use if you're forced to do the same. So, keeping this in mind, here are 15 of the most useless Final Fantasy characters of all time, coupled with another 15 of the most OP ones.
30 USELESS: Zidane Tribal
We start this list off with a character who is perhaps the most underwhelming Final Fantasy main character of all time. Yep, we're talking about none other than Zidane.
Unlike most main characters, Zidane's presence in the party is a hindrance.
After all, the fact of the matter is that the Thief class has never been a favorite in the Final Fantasy series, with people preferring to go for classes with brute force or magical prowess.
However, stealing items — while important — is still not a priority for many Final Fantasy players.
29 OP: Cloud Strife
If you want to look at a useful Final Fantasy main character, look no further than Cloud Strife. True to his name, this character has been through thick and thin... and that's before you even start the game!
He's — quite simply — an absolute powerhouse.
The Omnislash is still regarded to be one of the most damaging coolest — and OP — moves in JRPG history, and that's just a small part of what makes Cloud one of the most powerful party members of all time.
28 USELESS: Vincent Valentine
Sigh... we hate to do this. Vincent is one of the most awesome characters ever featured in any JRPG, let alone Final Fantasy. However, the fact of the matter is that his use in the party is quite limited.
The fact that you can't control him once he activates his Limit Break is a crime.
The only way in which you can make Vincent a highly useful character would be to break the damage bonus of the Death Penalty to the point where it downs every enemy in a single short.
However, that will take a lot — and we do mean a lot — of grinding.
27 OP: Barret Wallace
Since we're on the topic of Final Fantasy VII, let's talk about ranged powerhouse with a devastating Limit Break. Barret Wallace is another OP character who has endeared himself to the Final Fantasy fanbase, even though — and let's face it — he's probably one of the most offensive stereotypes around.
However, that takes away nothing from just how much his bullets actually hurt. It pretty much goes without saying that this character deserves to be in such a position.
26 USELESS: Cait Sith
Final Fantasy VII features an extended cast of characters, each with their own positives and negatives... well, all except one, who is none other than Cait Sith. Anybody who's played the game can attest to the fact that Cait Sith is one of the most useless characters around, without a shadow of a doubt.
His Limit Break — Slots — is a massive gamble (yes, that pun was totally intentional). There's a chance that one of the options will lead to the demise of the entire party, which is definitely not an ideal situation in the slightest.
25 OP: Yuffie Kisaragi
We've already talked about one of the optional characters in Final Fantasy VII in a less-than-flattering light. However, the next character on this list is quite useful indeed. Yep, we're talking about none other than Yuffie Kisaragi.
The sidequest involving her in Wutai is also quite an entertaining romp indeed, full to the brim with entertaining events and the attainment of a summon —Leviathan — that is quite useful.
Of course, the fact that Yuffie's second-last Limit Break — Doom Of The Living — is powerful as well should also be taken into account.
24 USELESS: Quina Quen
Whoo, boy. Blue Mages have never exactly been quite enticing in the Final Fantasy landscape. This list could easily have features Quistis, but we believe that the crown for the worst Final Fantasy Blue Mage has to go to none other than Quina Quen.
She also happens to be an optional character — only this time in Final Fantasy IX. However, unlike the useful traits of Yuffie, Quina's existence is just nothing short of irritating.
The frog-catching minigame to get her ultimate weapon is also not exactly a fun thing to do either.
23 OP: Cid Highwind
Every Final Fantasy has its Cid, and Final Fantasy VII is no exception to this golden rule. If anything, it must be said that the version of Cid in this game is perhaps the most memorable of them all, simply because of the fact that his role as a Dragoon (of sorts) is simply way too powerful to be ignored.
And, of course — as is the case with any powerful character from Final Fantasy VII — his Limit Break is also something to be feared. We say this because his final Limit Break brings forth the freakin' airship itself, which hits for colossal damage.
22 USELESS: Kimahri Ronso
To label a particular character in Final Fantasy X under a class is a gross misappropriation, however, the fact of the matter is that Kimahri is an absolutely useless character simply because of his horrible Overdrives, which let him perform low-damaging Blue Magic and nothing else.
This might be selling Kimahri kinda short since he can prove to be quite useful if utilized properly. However, this still doesn't mean that he can simply waltz in for the same — the player needs to invest a lot of time, which is better used somewhere else instead.
21 OP: Sabin Rene Figaro
People have metrics on how they can measure power in the Final Fantasy series. Some people choose to measure power by the physical strength of a person, while others choose to measure it by their magical aptitude. However, in the case of Sabin, there's a third metric — whether you can suplex a moving freakin' train.
This is exactly the case with Sabin, who's raw power definitely earns him a place on the list. His Blitz powers are also something to be feared, with the aforementioned Suplex being just one of the many entertaining moves he can accomplish.
20 USELESS: Selphie Tilmitt
Unfortunately, Final Fantasy VIII is not without a character that you will absolutely despise to the very core. The character of Selphie Tilmitt is one that most fans absolutely loathe. It would've been bearable if she was at least halfway decent in combat... but alas, that's not the case.
Instead, what we get is a subpar character with a Limit Break that's nothing short of insulting. Her most powerful move is Slot (ugh), which provides you with either multiple casts of a spell or a unique power, including The End — a move so powerful that even your party perishes!
Useless.
19 OP: Edgar Roni Figaro
We've already talked about one powerful person in Final Fantasy VI, now it's time to talk about Edgar, his twin brother. The King of Figaro Castle is definitely a useful party member to have for a bevy of reasons.
For starters, let's talk about the incredibly powerful Tools command that can give anyone a run for their money. The Auto Crossbow has to be one of the most spammed moves in any JRPG player's history, and can you blame them? It's probably the best way to take care of mobs early on in the game and make the grinding just that much easier.
18 USELESS: Eiko Carol
Final Fantasy IX is a game overpopulated with unlikeable characters who don't really serve a great purpose in the grand scheme of things. Just take a look at Eiko — is her presence in the part really necessary if you already have Dagger in her stead.
I mean, Dagger has better summons and usability than Eiko by a long shot, making the latter a meaningless character in every sense of the word.
Word of advice — a party of Zidane, Steiner, Vivi, and Dagger will be more than enough for you to conquer this game.
17 OP: Yuna
Final Fantasy X is definitely one of the most beautiful games of all time — and does one really need a lengthy explanation as to why this is the case? After all, the fact of the matter is that this series needed a great contender with the advent of the sixth generation of console gaming, and Final Fantasy X definitely accomplished its role in that regard.
Yuna fills in as the role of the Summoner in the party, and whoo boy — these pretty boys pack a serious punch. The fact that you can control said Summon and wreak absolute havoc is definitely a massive plus indeed.
16 USELESS: Umaro
It seems that Final Fantasy VI wasn't exactly able to pull of optional characters properly, just like Final Fantasy IX. Mog might be the only character who's actually halfway decent — and even that is highly debatable — but one thing that can surely be said is that Umaro is absolute crap.
Filling the role of the Berserker in the party, it's no surprise as to why Umaro is such a horrible character. This was a problem similar to Vincent's — the fact that this character takes away the control from you is a problem that no one wants to deal with, especially during a tight situation.
15 OP: Rydia
We've already talked about the useful role that Yuna plays as a summoner, and now its time to talk about her predecessor. Rydia is one of the most unique characters in Final Fantasy IV, being privy to a time-traveling mishap that has definitely shaped her character out for the better.
The sheer variety of Summons under her belt truly makes her a bold force to be feared, with an ability to whip out otherworldly power (quite literally) to generate massive results.
14 USELESS: Edge Geraldine
Of course, as is the case with any Final Fantasy game, not all characters can be perfect. While Final Fantasy IV generally told a gripping story — for the most part — there were some missteps in the process. The character of Edge Geraldine is one such mishap that could've been avoided.
His inclusion in the party is simply way too late for us to have any vested interest in the character. While he plays his role as the Ninja of the party decently enough, the fact of the matter is that there's simply nothing substantial that makes him a standout character.
He's just a jack-of-all-trades — and a pretty lackluster one at that.
13 OP: Wakka
You'd think that a person who uses a freakin' ball as a weapon wouldn't exactly be an all-powerful character. However, all you need to do in this instance is to use Wakka once, and all your doubts will be cleared up once and for all.
We say this because of the fact that Wakka's attacks are actually quite damaging, and his Attack Reels definitely make him an offensive machine — if leveled up properly, that is. The fact that the potential of this Overdrive is only bested by the Aeons Anima and The Magus Sisters should be proof enough of just how powerful this attack is.
12 USELESS: Setzer Gabbiani
Final Fantasy VI is arguably the best game in the Final Fantasy series, if not one of the best JRPGs of all time. However, that doesn't mean that the game is free from any bad apples — enter Setzer Gabbiani.
A character that enters rather late to the party, it must be said that Setzer is one of the most useless characters in the game. The mere fact that he uses cards as a weapon should be more than enough to convince anyone of just how moronic this character is.
11 OP: Auron
While Kimahri might be quite useless, the same can't be said for this bad boy. While he might seem like your run-of-the-mill hard hitter, Auron is just so much more than that once you get to know him better.
The fact that he's on the path of the Sphere Grid with the maximum Power Spheres should be proof enough of just how much of a hard hitter he actually is. Make sure to take advantage of the fact that he can absolutely decimate enemies in his Overdrive, so that you can make the most of his powerful moves.