All Octopath Traveler II Characters – Who Should You Start With?

In the Octopath Traveler series, you start the game with a choice. You get to pick one of eight protagonists with which to start and lead the game with, then encounter the rest of the cast as you make your way through. Each character has a specific “class” or role aligned with what you’d expect to see in a typical JRPG more or less. Each character also has a pair of “Path Actions,” which are special abilities you can use to interact with NPCs and other characters throughout the world. Which character should you pick to start with in Octopath Traveler II? Let’s take a look.

All Octopath Traveler II Characters – Who Should You Start With?

• Hikari Ku – Class: Warrior Path Actions: Challenge, Bribe
• Agnea Bristani – Class: Dancer Path Actions: Allure, Entreat
• Partitio Yellowil – Class: Merchant Path Actions: Purchase, Hire
• Osvald V. Vanstein – Class: Scholar Path Actions: Scrutinize, Mug
• Temenos Mistral – Class: Cleric Path Actions: Guide, Coerce
• Throne Anguis – Class: Thief Path Actions: Steal, Ambush
• Ochette – Class: Hunter Path Actions: Provoke, Befriend
• Castti Florenz Class: Apothecary Path Actions: Inquire, Soothe

Related: Octopath Traveler II Secondary Job System Explained

In the original Octopath Traveler, the character map actually spelled out “OCTOPATH” in a straight line, giving what seemed to be an intended starting point. Or at least something for fans to latch onto as a canon order. It’s not that big of a deal, but yeah:

• Ophilia Clement
• Cyrus Albright
• Tressa Colzione
• Olberic Eisenberg
• Primrose Azelhart
• Alfyn Greengrass
• Therion
• H’aanit

Octopath Traveler II does continue the naming gimmick, but it doesn’t repeat the natural ordering. The letters are all jumbled up, with both “T” characters on the right side of the map kinda messing everything up. Is this a deliberate choice made to add muscle to some kind of underlying theme, or did the creators just get annoyed at people deciding there was a canon order in the first game? It’s too early to tell.

Either way, it really doesn’t matter who you pick first. That’s mostly because when you meet each new character you have to play their first chapter alone anyway! So you don’t get extra backup based on what order you go in, at least at first. But you do also get to see each character’s full stories regardless of when you meet them. So there’s a lot of freedom. Pick who you like!