Octopath Traveler II is shaping up to be one of the standout JRPGs of recent years. Unlike games that start strong and lose steam, this title keeps getting better as you progress. To help you avoid early missteps and get the most from your journey, here are five essential tips I wish I knew before diving in.
1. Your Starting Character Matters More Than You Think
Who you choose to begin the game with isn’t just a narrative preference—your starting character will be locked into your party until their story is completed.
Top Starter Picks:
- Agnia (Dancer) – Great utility with guaranteed item acquisition via Entreat, solid AoE dagger attacks, and support buffs.
- Osvald (Scholar) – Exceptional early-game mage with three elemental AoEs and the ability to uncover enemy weaknesses.
- Castti (Apothecary) – Affordable healing, powerful axe-based AoE, and flexible concoctions for buffs and debuffs.
- Temenos (Cleric) – Reliable healing, AoE Light spells, and passive nighttime debuffing.
Each character is viable, but these four offer the best mix of offense, support, and exploration efficiency early on.
2. Leaves Are Precious – Don’t Waste Them
Money (called leaves) is tight, especially in the early game. Equipping all eight party members with the latest gear will drain your funds fast.
Tips to Save and Earn Leaves:
- Gear Up Smart – Prioritize your starter’s equipment, not everyone’s.
- Get the Prosperity Charm – Complete Sauce No Woman in Cropdale (at night) for extra cash from combat.
- Unlock the Merchant Job – Their passive boosts income from battles.
- Use Entreat Strategically – Agnia can get valuable items from NPCs for free.
- Recycle Gear – Pass old equipment to new recruits instead of buying fresh.
Being frugal pays off big when you hit the more demanding Chapter 2+ regions.
3. Don’t Rush—Explore and Expand
After finishing your starting chapter, it’s tempting to dive into your second one. But you’ll benefit more from slowing down and exploring first.
Why It Matters:
- Recruit Everyone – Completing all Chapter 1s early gives you more flexibility.
- Unlock Secondary Jobs – Visit job guilds scattered across the map.
- Collect EX Skills – Discover altars that grant unique abilities tied to each class.
Your party gets exponentially stronger once you unlock secondary jobs and start mixing skill sets.
4. Hikari is a Hidden Powerhouse
Hikari might look like a basic Warrior at first—but he’s secretly one of the most powerful characters in the game.
Here’s Why:
- Challenge NPCs – Learn exclusive skills from townsfolk in duels.
- Customize His Kit – Equip up to five learned skills at once.
- Build Versatility – With enough effort, Hikari can wield nearly every weapon and element type in the game.
Hikari requires investment, but the payoff is a beastly, flexible fighter with unmatched utility.
5. Recognize Special Battle Music—It’s Kate Time
Every now and then, you’ll hear different battle music. That’s your cue: a Kate is in the fight.
Kates = Huge XP Boosts, but they:
- Flee Quickly
- Dodge Often
- Have Low HP
How to Beat Them:
- Use Soulstones for guaranteed elemental damage.
- Exploit weaknesses for quick breaks.
- Summon monsters or guards for extra reliable hits.
- Equip support skills like More Rare Monsters (Hunter).
- Use Bewildering Grace to boost experience and JP gains.
- Get Kate Powder from Toto’haha to increase their spawn rate.
Farm Kates early and often—they’re the metal slimes of Octopath Traveler II.
Final Thoughts
These five tips will save you hours of guesswork and help you make smarter early-game choices. Whether you’re optimizing party builds, raking in leaves, or farming for rare encounters, knowing this info upfront makes all the difference.
If you found this helpful, consider supporting more content:
- Follow me on Twitter for real-time tips.
- Join my Twitch streams for live gameplay.
- Back me on Patreon for exclusive content and early guides.
- Jump into the Discord to chat strategies with the community.
Thanks for reading—and enjoy your journey across Solistia!
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