Which Octopath Traveler 2 Character Story Should You Start With?

There are eight playable characters, each with their own story, in Octopath Traveler 2, which is a massive amount. It also might be intimidating. What do you do with all of them? Where do you begin? Especially since once you pick one, it’s not like you pull up a menu and select another. Well, here are some suggestions to consider when thinking about which Octopath Traveler 2 character’s story you should start your journey with or order you should follow.

Which Octopath Traveler 2 Character Story Should You Choose to Start Option 1: Follow the Octopath

If you look at the first letter of every Octopath Traveler 2 character’s name, they spell out “Octopath” in order. So… roll with that! In this case, Ochette would be the first “O.” Which works well, as her monster capturing skills and usage means you can capitalize on all sorts of weaknesses. Then, you go with Castti, the apothecary who could act as a supporter and healer. I’d suggest Throne next, so you have a thief to help get items and deal more damage. Osvald gives you constant magic with his scholarly skills. Partitio, Agnea, Temenos, and Hikari would follow. It’s a surprisingly solid and safe approach!

Which Octopath Traveler 2 Character Story Should You Choose to Start Option 2: Osvald

If you’re looking for a more story-heavy affair, going with Osvald isn’t a bad option for your first character. You’ll be going through his first and second chapters one after the other, which really helps pull you into his plight. It’s also one of the more interesting ones, as you wonder about what happened to him and his family and if everything can be set right somehow.

The downside is, it might be a bit more difficult than other approaches! As a scholar, Osvald focuses on magical attacks. So you’re really resorting to SP. His only weapon is a staff, though you can eventually build on that with a secondary job. So after you recruit him, immediately go find Hikari, Ochette, or Throne to help him out.

Which Octopath Traveler 2 Character Story Should You Choose to Start Option 2: Throne

Okay. There are three reasons why Throne is a great fit for your first Octopath Traveler 2 character.

First, she’s the thief. This means a world of free items awaits you with her ability to steal from NPCs in towns and enemies in battles. It’s a huge help when you’re starting out and don’t have many leaves, the in-game money.

Second, she’s pretty good at dealing with hordes of enemies on her own! Her Blessing of Darkness adds a buff to her and all allies’ attack and speed during battles at night automatically. Her Leave No Trace Latent Power is a limit break that allows her to perform a second action immediately after her first one.

Third, Throne’s story is a pretty enjoyable one. It’s a dark tale of a woman desperately trying to find freedom and live life on her own terms, which is thrilling. However, she’s also an interesting and compassionate person who’s survived terrible things and still ends up doing good. At the same time, there’s an edge to her, which comes across in her Crossed Paths story with Temenos.

Finally, Throne is in a perfect position to recruit three of the other incredibly useful party members almost immediately. She’s just south of Temenos’ starting location of Flamechurch, and a healer is exactly what she needs. Though, to be fair, her Thief Skill can let her keep herself alive. You can then add Osvald and Ochette to your party shortly after, to add more damage and magical assaults.

Octopath Traveler 2 is available for the Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC. A demo is available.