One of the most unique features of Octopath Traveler 2 would have to be its intertwined stories, with each of its eight (8) characters having very personal tales that end up related to each other’s destinies. With the Octopath Traveler sequel promising a more interconnected story, fans of the franchise might be eager to finish each character’s storyline. However, for JRPG fans, the overall lore isn’t the only reason they should accomplish each character’s tale.
In fact, accessing the right Altar associated with the character’s god after completing their story gives them access to EX Skills. These abilities are extremely powerful skills that can change the tide of battle, usually by tapping into the inherent potential of the character in question. However, just which characters have the best EX Skills to offer in Octopath Traveler 2?
10 Negotiate Schedule (Partitio)
Players first meet Partitio Yellowil in their Octopath Traveler 2 gameplay as a Merchant via a flashback, where it’s revealed his status as a businessman’s son in the Wildlands gave him the resources necessary to develop his own version of business acumen he’s used to lifting his town from poverty. Thing is, the tragic fate of his hometown has motivated Partitio to embark on a quest to rid the world of poverty, something he does as a Merchant in the game.
However, his addition as the game’s resident Merchant does give him access to unique Leaves (Money)-based mechanics, where players are able to use the in-game currency for a wide variety of uses outside shops. For instance, completing his story and unlocking his EX Skill gives him access to Negotiate Schedule, one of the unique abilities in the game. Depending on how many Leaves the player provides, Partitio may just be able to convince an enemy to let him act during their turn.
9 Windy Refrain (Agnea)
While local dancer Agnea loves her craft as a Dancer for a local tavern, she aspires to bring the love of music around the world - a dream she’s currently working towards as she hopes to earn enough leaves for her travels. Unfortunately, Agnea’s plans are stopped when her sister goes missing while Agnea is helping set up a festival, with her Octopath Traveler 2 gameplay beginning with this search. As a Dancer, Agnea is capable of providing constant buffs to her allies alongside the occasional damage, giving her a support sub-DPS role.
Interestingly enough, finishing her story and unlocking her EX Skills give her access to Windy Refrain. Thanks to this ability, Agnea not only deals Wind damage to all enemies but also boosts the initiative of allies to let them act first on the next turn. In critical moments in the game, especially when dealing with higher-level bosses, acting first in the initiative order lets players plan their much stronger combo rotations more efficiently.
8 Song Of Hope (Agnea)
The entire crux of the storyline of Agnea and her Octopath Traveler 2 gameplay as a Dancer rests on the completion of the “Song of Hope,” which makes sense to be the character’s EX Skill as a Dancer. When used, Song of Hope will be extending the existing buffs in the current party from one (1) up to four (4) turns, except for Divine Skills.
Despite not being a healing ability or an outright attack, this buff can have huge implications in combat. When used on a fully-buffed party, Agnea can potentially spend the turn to transform an otherwise losing battle into a victory. Likewise, fighting against a tough enemy can ensure buffs of the party have to be reapplied a few turns longer than usual, giving the team more time to recuperate or even spend their resources on other attacks.
7 Teach (Osvald)
When players finish the journey of OsvaldV. Vanstein against the people who wrongly accused him, his Octopath Traveler 2 gameplay can expand to such a point that his status as a Scholar can give him access to a powerful EX Skill: Teach.
With this ability, Osvald is able to copy his attribute-raising buffs into one ally and may last from two (2) up to five (5) turns. This might seem a small boost at first, but a Cleric or an Apothecary granting two (2) to three (3) specific buffs into Osvald and then using Teach into another ally may help players further optimize the Scholar’s turns instead of wasting the moves of other units to reapply the same buffs into a DPS ally.
6 Ultimate Stance (Hikari)
Despite his training as a Warrior, the young crown prince Hikari of the Kingdom of Ku is known for his gentle heart. When his brother General Mugen starts a coup, Hikari’s story in Octopath Traveler 2 begins during his expulsion from the Kingdom, where he starts his quest to attain allies for his cause. With his Warrior training, Hikari is an excellent swordsman, allowing him to protect his allies up close and dish out damage in melee.
However, with his role as a frontline hybrid tank/DPS, Hikari is disadvantaged when facing long-range enemies. This is where Ultimate Stance comes in, an EX Skill that allows Hikari’s attack to reach all enemies regardless of distance. Also, depending on the level, Ultimate Stance can maintain this all-enemy reach from three (3) turns and up to nine (9) turns. This skill easily allows Hikari to attack multiple opponents with his more potent combos, giving players a lot of room to finish off opponents with other characters.
5 Indomitable Beast (Ochette)
Living a secluded life in forests as a beastling, Ochette is a Hunter trying to make peace between a group of humans and her tribe to avoid further disaster. However, Ochette’s journey and Octopath Traveler 2 gameplay begin when she learns of an apocalyptic event called the Night of the Scarlet Moon, which she strives to stop. As a Hunter, Ochette boasts one of the best long-ranged kits in the game, allowing her to strike enemies from afar.
However, Ochette’s long-ranged supremacy is boosted even further once players finish her storyline. Thanks to Indomitable Beast, this EX Skill can grant Ochette increased Speed, Evasion, and Physical Attack for a range of three (3) turns up to a whopping nine (9) turns. When used properly, Ochette’s DPS potential is greatly increased with this nifty EX Skill, transforming her into a more efficient ranged DPS specialist.
4 One True Magic (Osvald)
Players meet Osvald V. Vanstein a prisoner, incarcerated at Frigit Isle Prison for the wrongful accusation of his wife and his daughter. His story as a Scholar in Octopath Traveler 2 gameplay officially begins five (5) years after his initial sentencing, where players help him escape and plot his vengeance. Starting as a Scholar, Osvald boasts a myriad of magical abilities that allow him to easily gain the upper hand against foes, dishing out intense attacks that can whittle the enemy ranks quickly.
After finishing his storyline, Osvald can unlock the EX Skill One True Magic, allowing him to transcend the limits of his potential. Whereas most spells usually have to interact with natural advantages and disadvantages towards elements, One True Magic allows Osvald to cast spells at a much more powerful degree regardless of elemental properties. Not only that, his spells under this effect would let him break Shield Points while bypassing said elemental interactions.
3 Remedy (Castti)
When Castti Florenz wakes up in her Octopath Traveler 2 story, she doesn’t remember her own name. In fact, it’s only thanks to a ship with a friendly crew that she can survive her journey at sea on a skiff. She begins the game with only her skills as an Apothecary, giving her access to incredible knowledge of medicine that she doesn’t remember how she’s even able to acquire. This is all the more convenient, however, as the ship’s destination is an island where people are afflicted with a strange sickness that causes its citizens to faint.
When players finish Castti’s story, they can improve her potency as an Apothecary in Octopath Traveler 2 even further with her EX Skill, Remedy. Thanks to this ability, an ally is granted a random number of positive status effects, ranging from three (3) to up to nine (9) based on this skill’s level. While the randomized nature of the buffs might seem a bit disheartening for more buff-focused players, maxing out Remedy and having an ally get up to nine (9) bonus buffs can be extremely helpful, especially in tricky combat situations.
2 Heavy Shine/Divine Brilliance/Sacred Effulgence (Temenos)
Kindhearted Temenos Mistral has been enjoying a quiet life as an Inquisitor Cleric in the Crestlands. However, his journey in Octopath Traveler 2 as a Cleric begins when his day-to-day duties are disturbed by a tragic incident. In core gameplay, his role as a Cleric allows him to become the party’s mainstay healer and primary supplier of buffs. However, he’s not without his own set of damaging magical spells and the occasional attack in order to ensure he’s capable of defending himself in case of emergencies.
Perhaps proof of this ability to dish out his own set of attacks is his EX Skill, Heavy Shine/Divine Brilliance/Sacred Effulgence, which are extremely powerful spells he can cast at a hefty price. In exchange for all of his SP, Temenos can deal a tremendous amount of Light-based damage to foes. In fact, the more SP is consumed, the more damage he deals to his opponents.
1 Veil Of Darkness (Throne)
Beneath every bustling society is an underworld filled with criminals and crooks, with Throne Anguis being one of them. A reluctant member of the Blacksnakes thieves guild, Throne was tasked by the guild’s leaders Father and Mother to kill one of their members in hopes of luring a traitor into their midst. However, this proves to be a setup, with her Octopath Traveler 2 gameplay as a Thief having players accompany her on a dangerous journey to free herself from the guild once and for all.
Due to her training, she is assigned the Thief class, earning not just a devastatingly-powerful melee DPS kit but also the ability to Steal items from enemies. After her storyline is completed and her EX Skill activated, she can acquire Veil of Darkness. This ability allows her to deal a huge amount of Dark damage to all enemies on top of being able to dodge a single physical attack with a 100 percent success rate. Such an ability can become a great asset in the hands of a stat-reliant character, with Throne’s penchant for high attack scaling having this ability shine more effectively.
Octopath Traveler 2 is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC.