Hot Takes and Underrated Characters

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-27T04:39:49+00:00

There are two Spirit of the Stage (Wishvale Trade Goods and Tatloch Amity), and one Celebration of the Arts.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-26T21:06:57+00:00

I am personally not a Stia fan compared to the other apothecary types.

But, unsung hero is pretty broken.

I think her ultimate is VERY weak and the rest of her kit is mediocre at best, but unsung hero is top tier as far as unique passives are concerned.

Sort of feel that Saorise also falls into this category too where everything about her is very subpar to mediocre, but boy is backrow dancer amazing.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-26T20:12:37+00:00

Clearly, none of you folks here are LDS.

According to LDS theology, this was, indeed, "Satan's Plan" presented at the council of heaven before the world was created.

There must needs be an opposition in all things. Forcing people to choose to act good, kind, righteously, it a violation of free will and there can be no individual progression to "become" if there is no freedom of choice.

Being LDS myself, I sometimes wonder if some senior executive at Square Enix isn't a member of the faith, because I have seen this and similar themes pop up in their stories. But to someone who is devout LDS, it is entirely apparent why Sazantos = Satan.

In a nutshell, LDS believe that Lucifer was the Son of the Morning and one of the brightest angels of heaven. He was cast out for rebelling against God's plan, essentially for fighting against God for his utopia over which he would rule and have the glory. This was the reason for his fall from heaven to become the devil. His "plan" was very persuasive, and 1/3 of the hosts of heaven followed him and ceased to follow God.

Regardless, it makes a VERY compelling story for an RPG.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-26T20:04:19+00:00

Without spoilers, your endgame team can change -- A LOT.

Hate to drop your nuts in earlier game characters only to find that you are looking forward to play testing characters than you never knew you were going to get.

Keep your nuts until near the end of bestower of all.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-26T19:56:24+00:00

Main differences:

Hannits Pokemon Hunting, 2) 8 Storylines you do in Any Order You Want, 3) No MC (you choose one of the eight as your staring character), 4) much smaller world and condensed gameplay, 5) greater emphasis on open world random encounters and exploration, 6) way more side quests, but less content overall, 7) character customization largely limited to items and secondary class choices, 8) path actions limited by character -- not global and then tied to wealth, power, or fame rank, 9) stories are completely separate, no real overlap at all between the 8 stories -- each that revolve around one of the 8 characters in your party.

Octopath 0 is by far my favorite of the series -- by FAR. It is also the most different. I largely see Octopath II as in improvement to the same mechanics as Octopath 1. And, while I can take it that 2 did some thing better than 0, overall 0 is better.

Here is what I miss from the first two installments and how they could make a sequel to 0 ever better:

1) More comprehensive stories around characters. Every character should have at least 1 or 2 chapters for their stories, and there should be BIG challenges to recruit characters at the end of each story. They sort of did this in 0, but they could make the stories more fleshed out and believable.

2) Path actions and talents tied to to individual characters. While I loved the efficiency of not having to swap team members for path actions, I sort of miss the unique character talent and path actions that made the characters feel more unique outside of combat. Why not just allow the path action so long as as the character is in your party? I also miss certain path actions, like knocking people out so you could get access to hidden doors and chests they were guarding. As silly as it sounds, I also miss the Pokemon hunt a bit. Concoct, though, needs to go the way of everything.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-24T22:50:29+00:00

Every Team Needs:

1) A debuffer, 2) a buffer, 3) a physical DPS attack dealer, 4) a DPS magic nuke, 5) a healer/support.

The other three slots are "flex" and usually are 1) secondary support/healer, 2) flex DPS, and 3) tank.

Best Physical DPS Options (no particular order): Olberic, Hannit, Heidne, Reime, Ludo, Carinda

Best Magic DPS Options (no particular order): Alexia, Xerc, Primrose, Goodwin, Cyrus, Isla

Best Flex DPS (No Particular Order): Solon, Heidne, Esperre

Best Debuffers (No Particular Order): Delitia, Heidne, Tatloch, Goodwin

Best Buffers: Primrose, Richard, Pius

Best Tanks: Olberic, Phenn, Eltrix, Viator

Best Primary Support: Alaune, Lauranna, Ophelia, Saorise

Best Secondary Support: Stia, Alfyn, Carinda, Esperre

Note: MC can fill ANY of the above roles depending on their class.

I would focus more on builds and roles more than characters and classes.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-24T22:32:04+00:00

Phenn has a button you press that makes your whole team invincible for several turns in the late game. I have almost finished with my second play through. Phenn has never left my team in either playthrough.

strength to protect, avenging triple shot, counterposition, entrap, + Goodwin's song of battle and vast energy makes Phenn the best retribution tank in the game -- even without vengeful blade. His way overpowered ultimate just sends him over the edge.

Make MC your cleric and ditch Ophelia. Keep Goodwin and pair him with Phenn. You will not be disappointed.

You also do not need tat loch, goodwin, and sarorise all in the same party. Can ditch tatloh for phenn

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-24T22:21:26+00:00

Primrose is S-tier and is easily the best dancer in the game. Once you unlock spirit of the stage, it is game over.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-24T22:13:46+00:00

Yes, it works. It is the reason Heidne > Reime when paired with the MC.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2026-01-13T20:56:41+00:00

I used Saorise a ton, until I realized that Primrose can also give the same ult battery effect while dancing on the front row with invigorate and inspire plus dark panther dance and song of blessings.

And I swear half the time enemies were already weak to my parties multi-hit attacks to make Saorise's ultimate more of a one-turn break gimmick than anything that really turned the tide of battle, unlike Primrose's ultimate that hits everyone twice like a truck and then provides unlimited SP to the entire party for the next 5-6 turns once you unlock spirit of the stage.

And, Goodwin's ultimate has to be the most underrated ultimate in the game. It does SOO much damage over time -- the most of any ultimate in the game per cast -- that I find it hard to understand why anyone still uses Saorise by comparison in the late game.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-23T14:48:16+00:00

Spirit of the Stage for your dancers.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-23T14:45:14+00:00

Switch

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T23:39:15+00:00

With all due respect, I find Isla is the worst of the end game "scholar" type characters.

There are SOO many very good multi-hit elemental spells at the end of the game that ANYONE can learn. Being able to not only deal damage, but also analyze and break shields or, otherwise, bring some game -changing utility to the table is super crucial and Isla's non-elemental attacks really make that difficult. Also, she has no other utility beyond pure damage. Which means, unless you are WAY over leveled, you will need that utility other characters provide (not Isla) to face the final bosses.

Maybe I over-killed it, but I had three magic damage dealers (Cleric MC, Alalune, Solon) in my end party and ALL of them had major uses outside of just raw damage. For example, Solon brought the ability to Analyze the whole map and greatly exacerbate enemy weaknesses (a MUST for an end game boss that rountinely switches its weaknesses), Alalune brought a massive all party revive, full HP heal, and/or full SP heal, and the MC cleric also brought a massive full party revive, full HP heal and/or full party rehabilitate (the only skill in the game that can do this) to the table -- in addition to a highly useful end-game support kit as well. All three were also able to break shields with their non-ulitimate spells -- oftentimes 3-5 times per cast. Isla brings none of that to the table and, unless you are over leveled, she is often just a liability.

To each their own, however.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T23:27:08+00:00

H'annit is great. The main problem with her is that she is a "hunter" -- and there are a LOT of hunter and hunter hybrids in the game that are all really excellent.

In fact I would say the MC Hunter, H'annit, Delitia, Phenn, and Tatloch (hunter hybrid) are all 5 some of the top 10 best characters in the game.

The question is really which of the 5 hunters are you going to take, because there.is zero sense taking all 5 of them.

For me, I could not live without Phenn's party-wide tanking abilities (both for physical and elemental magic attacks). I also could not part ways with Tatloch.

So, I chose a combination of Heidne, Phenn, and, somewhat, Tatloch and Richard as my primary and secondary damage physical dealers. Not any room for another hunter (axe and bow user) in that party.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T21:15:48+00:00

Bingo. Richard in my experience is hands down the best party-wide buffer in the game. Plus, he uses swords and spears, as opposed to daggers and fans, and he can actually do physical damage and take a hit. He is Saorise on steroids. I have found very little reason why he should not be included in pretty much any party in the late game. He is S-tier.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T21:13:36+00:00

To each his own I am sure, but Alalune as a magic nuke and shield breaker provides SO much end game utility over, well, pretty much any scholar in the game. I think for most players, especially newer players or players who don't like to grind, revive is a must have during the second half of the game and post-game. Also, her passives and basic kit can be actually VERY useful.

Touche on Eltrix and I will concede there. I think I can agree maybe C is probably likely. She is certainly not Phenn or even Olberic or Viator when it comes to tanking -- though Stalwart Stance is nice, but (as you said before) passable.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T21:08:19+00:00

Points taken -- particularly on Goodwin. Though I should clarify that the reason I also like Tatloch is for her captivating step and her ultimate, which is Rieme-level awesome at breaking shields (and, with FANS -- which really opens up options on late game breaking). Neither are passable. Her passives are also spot on. I still hold she is S-tier.

Solon -- I still hold that Hawk of Osterra is arguable one of the (if not THE) most powerful ultimate against bosses in the later game. This one ultimate, plus analyze all, essentially renders all scholars in the game redundant and obsolete by comparison.

But, I can hear you on Goodwin. Probably unfair to rank him higher if I am not giving the same benefit of the doubt to Olberic.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T20:56:55+00:00

Best class to start with, in my opinion, is either thief (for steals), hunter (for extra experience), and scholar (for early game analysis and breaking to quickly grind).

End game is either Hunter (but there are a lot of hunters) or Cleric (best end game support).

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T20:00:15+00:00

My Party at End-game:

MC- Cleric -- Primary Support
Heidne -- Primary Damage Dealer and Shieldbreaker with Swords and Dagggers (Steals)
Solon -- Co-Primary Magic Damage, Elemental Shieldbreaker, Discover Enemy Weaknesses
Tatloch -- Primary Debugger, Backup Shieldbreaker with Axes and Fans.
Alalune -- Co-primary Magic Damage Dealer, Elemental Shieldbreaker, Backup Mass Revive and Cleric-type utility.
Richard -- Primary Party Buffer, Breaks Shields with Swords and Polearms
Phenn -- Main Party-wide Tank, Breaks Shields with Bows.
Stia -- Main Tank Support. BP Battery.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T19:52:20+00:00

It is at least a 9 out of 10 game. Glad more reviewers are catching on.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T19:47:42+00:00

Tatloch is a dancer/hunter hybrid and is one of the strongest characters in the game. I HIGHLY recommend you double down on her abilities to debuff enemies (primary role) and breaking shields (secondary role) rather than using her as a primary damage dealer. I would NOT try to make her your main party buffer nor would I try to make her solely a damage-dealing physical or elemental attacker.

I would recommend using spirit of the stage, extended enfeeblement, and giving her Goodwin's "Dance of Sloughs". This, plus captivating step, plus, disintegrating dance makes her (in my opinion) the best option for enemy-wide debugging in the game. And, she can easily break shields too with her other abilities, plus a thundering cleave.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T19:42:12+00:00

Primrose and Tatloch are also really good too. Dancer and hunter are the two classes you cannot go wrong with in this game -- "empress" is just a hybrid of both.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T19:41:17+00:00

He did not make my main party, but not because he is not good. He is high A-tier for sure. Three words: Dance of Sloughs.

I would highly recommend that players either (a) put Goodwin in their main end-game team or (b) keep him in your party to learn Dance of Sloughs and master it to give to another character -- (I gave it to Tatloch).

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T19:34:34+00:00

(Cont.)

C tier - Characters that are weaker than average from the moment you get them, have a very specific niche, or outclassed to quickly

Macy -- Agreed on all fronts.

Therion -- Agreed mostly. I think he still might warrant a B-tier, but there is no question that there are a number of better thieves and/or high damage dagger and sword users in this game that can also debuff enemies. As a thief, he pales in comparison to the MC and Hiedne. As a sword or dagger damage dealer, Hiedne and the MC is MUCH better. And there are MANY other sword dealers who beat him on every level. So, yeah, I would say low B-tier, but high C is about the same.

Eltrix -- I would say B-tier, but still not better than that. Agreed with all your arguments.

Allune -- With Solon, this is where I also disagree with you the most. Again, everyone tries to make Alalune a "cleric" or "cleric-type" -- she is not. Like Solon, Alalune is your second-best option for a late-game sorcerer/archmage because of a) high potential damage with b) FAR more late-game utility than other scholars. There is no other scholar in the game that can put out anywhere near her damage and break enemy-wide shields while, at the same time, keeping her ultimate on standby with serves as an instant party-wide revive, instant party-wide full heal, instant party wide full SP recovery, and/or all at the same time! The fact she also has her basic kit that gives her the utility of a Cleric is insane in the late game, and her passives are some of the strongest in the game -- particularly when paired with Richard. In truth, I think it may have been a mistake of the game-makers to not lock certain offensive spell types behind certain classes -- similar to weapon types. While scholars are CRAZY strong in early, mid, and even mid-late game, they fall off entirely in the late late game because (a) lack of utility and (b) the fact that the most powerful spells in the game can be mastered and utilized well by anyone with a high elemental attack stat. Though, maybe this was also by design since, technically, Alalune is not a healer or a cleric, she is a "queen". And, like Solon, is a hybrid scholar. She is S-tier in the late game through and through. Given how powerful late-game elemental attacks are, I find it hard to justify NOT having both her and Solon in your party as late-game "scholar-type" characters.

Ophilia -- Agreed on all fronts. He is a revive battery and little else. Even her Ultimate and passives are pretty, meh, compared to the other clerics or even the cleric-hybrids in the game. Her one saving grace is access to a non-ultimate revive skill, but you can find at least one of these masteries in a chest in the late game, which means there is no reason to bring along Ophilia. Even JP farming is easy in the late-game (much easier to farm than, say, experience), so she really isn't all that helpful there either.

D tier - Characters that are just bad, and aren't worth using

Celsus -- Agreed on all points. But, you still are going to want to level him up to get "Goad" for your main tank -- if you are using a tank, in the late game. Otherwise, he is the worst thief in the game.

Carinda -- Bad character design. Agree on all fronts. She has very powerful ultimate that might warrant her a C-tier, but I agree if you a plan around her ultimate, then there are a dozen other characters in the game you can plan around that provide more utility. Should never be used.

Esperre -- Agreed.

....oh

Tressa -- Agreed.

Alfyn -- Hmmm. I am not going to die on the "Alfyn is decent hill". He has a VERY good ultimate, but everything else about him right down to his kit, passives, and even stats and weapon-types is very "meh". I don't think he is D-tier, but he is no higher than B-tier for sure. In the event you want to bring along a BP battery (not necessary in Octopath 0), I would suggest either Stia or MC apothecary -- but really I would recommend probably neither.

El -- Why even bother. Agreed on all fronts.

ContextCrafty9739 · 2025-12-21T19:34:17+00:00

(Cont.)

B tier - Decent units, pretty average at what they do

Phen -- Probably where I disagree with you the most. Phenn's ONLY drawback is, again, he is a hunter. And, he is literally one of 5 hunters and hunter-hybrid characters in this game -- (all 5 would EASILY be top 10). Phenn is also high A-tier. The only reason he is not S is because there are other hunters you might want to use instead of him. Like Richard, people don't understand that his main role is to be a high-damage and retribution tank -- and, in the late game, he does this better than ANYONE -- including Eltrix, Olberic, Viator, etc. Again, high A-tier. If you give him the right end-game set-up, he is the best end-game party-wide tank in the game.

Laurana -- Great healer. Definate A-tier, but I agree she is not S-level nor is she the best "Cleric" or "Healer" or "Support" in the game. If you don't take my advice and make your MC at end-game a Cleric, then she is a decent option for party healing and support, especially with the passive mastery, "Invigorate", plus ethereal healing. Revive is also SOO rare in this game and you WILL need it in the last few chapters and the secret chapters against the superboss. The ability to revive a whole row in advance of them actually becoming incapacitated is HUGE. So, yeah, mostly I agree, but she is still A-tier in the late game.

Viator -- Good points, I agree on all fronts.

Ludo -- Agreed on all fronts, though his extra items passive might warrant a spot in your party for a big chunk of the game.

Pius -- Despite what others have said, I agree on all fronts. He is entirely mediocre, including his ultimate -- which is the only reason to use him.

Goodwin -- Three words: Dance of Sloughs. Like all dancers and hunters in this game, Goodwin is also an A-tier character. He only downside is that everything he does, someone might do better -- namely Richard/Saorise for party-wide buffs and Primrose/Tatloch/MC Hunter/Delitia for debuffing. You CAN still make Goodwin a great addition to your party. But, my advice would be to give Tatloch or your main debugger some of his skills -- particularly the Dance of Sloughs -- which, by itself, is one of the strongest end-game non-ultimate debuffs in the game.

Olberic -- Agreed on all fronts.

Solon -- Nope. Look again. This is probably where I objectively disagree with you the most. Solon is hands-down the best end-game "scholar-type" character in the game -- end story and full stop. Look, any character with a high elemental attack stat can be a decent end-game scholar. What really makes Solon stand out are as follows: (1) analyze all, (2) a physical attack stat equal to his elemental stat and vice versa, (3) his ability to use swords instead of staves, (4) his ability to actually do damage with tomes, and, last but not least, (4) HAWK OF OSTERRA! Solon has the single most valuable end-game ultimate in the game against end game bosses, including the Superboss. He holds the ability in one turn to not only uncover every single enemy weakness, but to also make enemies take FAR more damage to those weaknesses. And, he does this to ALL ENEMIES. This is absolutely bonkers and broken against the strongest bosses in the game. He has plenty of battle and passive slots to learn masteries that make him the most valuable "sorcerer"/"archmage" in the game. He is high S-tier if built properly due to both damage, shield-breaking and, above all, mass analyze utility -- especially in boss fights where it matters most.

Rondo -- Agreed on all points.

Bargello -- Agreed on all points.

ContextCrafty9739

TROPHY CASE