![Octopath Traveler 2: Best Starting Character [Tier List]](https://commonsensegamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Octopath-Traveler-2-Best-Starting-Character-Tier-List.jpg)
When you start playing Octopath Traveler 2, you must pick one of the eight main characters, and in this guide, I will list the best starting characters players should consider.
For those of you who don’t care why some are better choices than others, here are the four best-starting characters in Octopath Traveler 2.
- Scholar Osvald
- Dancer Agnea
- Thief Throne
- Hunter Ochette
Now, let’s get a bit more in depth with each of these characters and see why I recommend them as the best choices to start with. I will also briefly go over the rest of the cast to know what to expect from the others as well.
Or, if you want to, you can check out our Character Tier List for Octopath Traveler 2 and see where each stands.
Best Starting Character in Octopath Traveller 2: Scholar Osvald
- Path Actions: Scrutinize to get extra information from NPCs and Mug to steal items from them.
- Talent: Study Foe, reveals enemy weaknesses in battle.
- Latent Power: Concentrate Spells. Focus spells on a single target, but with raised potency.
Osvald is the best choice to start the game with a more magical-focused character in Octopath Traveler 2.
He starts with powerful Fire, Ice, and Electrical elemental attacks both single-target and later on as you unlock more skills, an AOE option for each.
Combine that with his talent that lets you know your enemies’ weaknesses, and he will break any enemy you come across. The only thing players will find lacking is the ability to deal any real melee attacks on enemies.
To help you even more with this character, I recommend reading our Osvald Character Guide.
Dancer Agnea
Path Actions: Allure allows you to recruit NPCs to join and fight with you for a time, and Entreat makes NPCs give you their items.
Talent: Dance Session, which works to buff the NPCs you’ve recruited through Allure.
Latent Power: All Together Now. Spread single-target skills to all targets. This does not affect divine skills or self-usage skills.
I know Agena sounds like a terrible choice at first glance, but much like Primrose in the first game, it can provide a fun and different experience to other travelers.
The Dancer class on the surface seems like a class that can only provide party-wide buffs, but don’t let that fool you. Agnea has a trick up her sleeve, or more likely a talent to Allure people to her will.
Many of the NPCs will be able to be Allured by Agnea, and help you as you fight with different types of combat abilities. They can be surprisingly powerful, and get you through a tough battle with ease.
It is a very different way to play the game because you will need to strategize around what others can do for you and not how can your character fend for herself.
Also read: Octopath Traveler 2: EX Altar Locations
Thief Throne
Path Actions: Steal to take items from NPCs and Ambush to knock enemies out to open up new areas and such.
Talent: Blessing of Darkness, which gives a buff to all allies any time a battle begins at nighttime.
Latent Power: Leave No Trace. Throne can act twice in a single turn.
A Thief may not sound like the best starting class on paper, but in Octopath Traveler 2, Throne is a versatile Thief able to use Swords and Daggers, as well as some Dark magic.
Players may only struggle a bit because she lacks any true AOE attacks, so big groups of enemies will be hard to manage.
Throne’s Steal path action will be a great asset in the early game, keeping you stocked up in healing items, and materials an Apothecary will be able to use. Also, never forget unsuspecting people will always hold valuables for you to liberate from them.
Her starting city is a well-populated place with a lot of things to loot, as well as a relatively short distance between her and two mages to fill in your offensive and defensive magical capabilities.
Also read: Octopath Traveler 2: How to Level Up Fast
Hunter Ochette
Path Actions: Provoke to force NPCs to battle one of her tamed animals and Befriend to get enemies to join your side temporarily.
Talent: Capture / Prepare, which allows you to tame beasts you face in battle to summon later or use them for item crafting.
Latent Power: Animal Instinct. Let instincts take hold to unlock these skills without consuming SP.
In Octopath Traveler, H’aanit was for most players the greatest starting choice in the game. Her Talent to capture beasts allowed players, to have the skills they need at their fingertips.
Unlike the Dancer or the Cleric, the Hunter has more slots open to them to capture, and use the enemies they encounter while they play. Ochette even has the talent to Prepare enemies and create items.
Equipped with both Axes and Bows, Ochette will be your choice if you want to focus on raw physical power. She can be better than the traditional warrior character the game has to offer. Make sure to read our full Ochette guide to learn more.
Keep in mind her abilities, and your overall experience with her will be affected by which ability you pick, and which enemies you recruit to round out your capabilities. Regardless, she is amazing, and one of the best characters to start with.
Also, we have an in-depth guide on the best companions for her.
Details about the other characters
Apothecary Cassti
Path Actions: Inquire to get extra information from NPCs and Soothe to heal and help NPCs.
Talent: Concoct, allowing you to mix ingredient items mid-battle to create new offensive or defensive effects.
Latent Power: Every Drop Counts. You can Concoct without consuming any ingredients.
Fighting Style: Support Character, mostly by using special items, and item mixing to heal, buff, and debuff. She is very dependent on your stock of resources.
Also read: Octopath Traveler 2: How to Get All Rusty Weapons
Cleric Temenos
Path Actions: Guide to recruit NPCs to follow you for a short while, and Coerce that forces NPCs to battle you to make them give up information.
Talent: Moonlight Judgment, which hits enemies with debuffs at the start of battles that take place at night.
Latent Power: Judgment. Breaks foe’s Shield Points easily with any attack regardless of their weaknesses. Also, bypass any Locked weaknesses.
Fighting Style: Support Mage, mainly using healing spells, and in time of need to break he can use light elemental offensive magic.
Merchant Partitio
Path Actions: Purchase allowing you to buy items from NPCs that aren’t shops themselves, and Hire – paying to get an NPC to join your side temporarily.
Talent: Business Partners, which has different effects depending on which NPC you’ve hired – though broadly, expect it to buff your hire.
Latent Power: Hoot and Holler. Partitio’s BP is replenished to the max.
Fighting Style: All-Rounder, with access to a few weapon types and some basic offensive magic. He can also Hire NPCs to fight for him.
We also have a full Partitio character guide I recommend checking out.
Warrior Hikari
Path Actions: Challenge to battle NPCs and learn skills from some when you beat them, and Bribe to pay NPCs for information.
Talent: Learned Skills, allowing Hikari to master even more skills more quickly to diversify his skill set.
Latent Power:
- Shadow’s Hold. Unleash the power of shadow within to unlock these skills without consuming SP.
- Light’s Radiance. Unleash the power of triumphant light within to unlock these skills without consuming SP. (Replace Shadow’s Hold after finishing Hikari’s story)
Fighting Style: The traditional close combat warrior, making use of swords and polearm weapons.
Let us know in the comments down below if you have a different starting character or if you too believe that Osvald, Agnea, Throne, and Ochette are the best of the bunch.
With thousands of hours played on Nintendo systems since the original Gameboy, Nikiforos is happy to share his endless passion for Nintendo franchises and everything he can get his hands on.
- Satisfactory Alternate Recipe Tier List [2025 Update] - January 7, 2025
- Grounded: Where to Find Tasteful Ascent Chip - December 10, 2024
- Halls of Torment: Best Sorceress Build - December 6, 2024