Octopath Traveler: A Unique Rpg Adventure Explained

Octopath Traveler is an entirely non-linear role-playing game that features eight protagonists with their own backstories, goals, and playstyles. Each character has their own story, which is divided into chapters, and players can choose to focus on a single character's narrative or explore multiple storylines simultaneously. The game encourages players to recruit all eight characters, forming a diverse party with complementary skills and abilities. While the game has a central plot, it intertwines with each character's individual story, creating a dynamic and engaging gaming experience.

Choosing a character

Octopath Traveler has eight playable characters, each with their own unique abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. The game is designed to be played with all eight characters, but you can pick and choose as you see fit. Here's a breakdown of each character to help you choose:

H'aanit the Hunter

H'aanit is a versatile character with a bow and axe at her disposal. She has limited healing capabilities and can summon creatures to aid her in battle. Her talent, Capture, lets her capture weakened enemies and summon them to fight by her side. H'aanit is a good choice for players who want a mix of damage dealing and support abilities.

Olberic the Warrior

Olberic is a traditional front-line fighter with high health, defence, and damage output. He relies on swords and polearms and cannot cast spells or heal himself, so he'll need support from other party members. Olberic is a good choice for players who want a straightforward damage dealer.

Ophilia the Cleric

Ophilia is a traditional cleric who excels at healing and can deal damage with light magic. Her damage output is low, but her healing abilities are invaluable. She has a unique ability called Summon, which brings an NPC into battle to fight alongside her. Ophilia is a good choice for players who want a dedicated healer.

Alfyn the Apothecary

Alfyn is another healer with the ability to heal, cure status effects, and deal damage with a lightning spell or axe. He's not as good a healer as Ophilia but can deal more damage. Alfyn's talent, Concoct, allows him to create items that can heal or cure status effects during battle, making him a good support character.

Cyrus the Scholar

Cyrus is a general-purpose mage who can deal elemental damage and buff party members. He has low defence and health, so he needs to be protected. Cyrus's talent, Study Foe, reveals enemy weaknesses, which is crucial in combat. Cyrus is a good choice for players who want a powerful mage with utility.

Therion the Thief

Therion can steal, pick locks, and deal moderate damage with daggers, swords, and fire spells. He's quick, so he often acts first in combat. Therion is the only character who can open purple chests found throughout the game, making him a good choice for players who want to acquire unique items.

Tressa the Merchant

Tressa can deal moderate damage with polearms, bows, and wind magic. She has a useful Rest Skill that replenishes her health and spell points and removes status effects. Tressa's Path Action, Purchase, lets her haggle with NPCs to acquire items at lower costs. Tressa is a good choice for players who want a well-rounded character with utility.

Primrose the Dancer

Primrose is a support character who can buff allies and debuff enemies with dances. She can also deal damage with a dagger and dark magic. Primrose's Path Action, Allure, entices NPCs to join the party. Primrose is a more complex character, better suited for experienced players.

While each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, the best advice is to choose the one that seems the most interesting to you. You can also choose based on your preferred playstyle—for example, if you want a damage dealer, a healer, or a support character. Keep in mind that your first character will be locked into your party until you complete their story, so choose wisely!

Non-linear gameplay

Octopath Traveler is a non-linear game, meaning that players can choose to play through the stories of its eight main characters in any order. At the beginning of the game, players pick one of the eight characters—the knight Olberic, the merchant Tressa, the apothecary Alfyn, the dancer Primrose, the thief Therion, the cleric Ophilia, the scholar Cyrus, or the hunter H'aanit—to be their main protagonist. Each character has their own story, which is told through disparate chapters spread across the world of Solistia.

Players are not locked into their initial character choice and can freely recruit the rest of the characters by completing the first chapter of their respective stories. It is recommended that players recruit all eight characters, although only four can be in the active party at any given time. As players progress through the game and unlock new characters, they will be able to access the subsequent chapters of each character's story, which can be played in any order the player chooses.

The non-linear structure of Octopath Traveler allows for flexibility in gameplay. Players can choose to focus on a single character's story at a time or alternate between different characters' stories as they progress through the game. Additionally, players can maintain a rotating cast of equally powerful characters or stick with their favourite four throughout the game.

While the stories of the eight characters are mostly independent, there are moments where they intersect and interact with each other. These interactions provide insight into the characters' personalities and the dynamics between them. However, some players have criticised the lack of character interaction and inconsistent storytelling that results from the non-linear structure.

Character storylines

Octopath Traveler is a non-linear role-playing game that allows players to choose one of eight characters as their main protagonist: the knight Olberic, the merchant Tressa, the apothecary Alfyn, the dancer Primrose, the thief Therion, the cleric Ophilia, the scholar Cyrus, or the hunter H'aanit. Each character has their own unique story, which is told over four chapters and takes place in the land of Orsterra. While the characters' stories are separate, they intertwine at points, and players can experience all eight narratives in a single playthrough.

Ophilia Clement, the Cleric: Ophilia embarks on a pilgrimage to renew the flames of the church in her stepsister's stead. However, she is unaware that the benefactor of her faith, Mattias, has established a cult dedicated to Galdera, the fallen god sealed away by the Order of the Sacred Flame.

Cyrus Albright, the Scholar: Cyrus seeks an ancient grimoire known as "From the Far Reaches of Hell," which was stolen by Lucia, the current headmaster's aide. His quest adds to the game's lore and raises questions about morality.

Tressa Colzione, the Merchant: Inspired by the journal of the apothecary Graham Crossford, Tressa sets out to explore the world. Along the way, she encounters the Obsidian bandit Esmeralda. Tressa's story is lighthearted and laid-back, but it has been criticised for its lack of substance and a climax that doesn't make much sense.

Olberic Eisenberg, the Warrior: Olberic is a former knight from the fallen kingdom of Hornburg who seeks the truth behind its destruction. He was once brothers-in-arms with Erhardt, who is now working with the mercenary Werner. Olberic's story has a little bit of everything, including character development, honour, and duty, making it one of the most compelling narratives in the game.

Primrose Azelhart, the Dancer: Primrose is a woman of noble birth who witnessed her father's murder at the hands of three crow-tattooed men—the leaders of Obsidian. Despite learning that her childhood love, Simeon, is one of them, she seeks revenge. Primrose's story has a strong beginning but becomes predictable as it unfolds, and the villain, Simeon, is considered underwhelming.

Alfyn Greengrass, the Apothecary: As a child, Alfyn was cured of a plague by Graham Crossford, and now he seeks to follow in his footsteps to help others. Alfyn's story is well-written and thought-provoking, as it raises moral questions and explores the consequences of different choices.

Therion, the Thief: Therion is forced into the servitude of House Ravus to retrieve stolen Dragonstones. Along the way, he must confront his former friend, Darius. Therion's story is built around the classic trope of the power of love and friendship conquering all, but it fails to set itself apart from earlier examples.

H'aanit, the Hunter: H'aanit sets out on a quest to find her master, Z'aanta, and finish his task of slaying a nightmarish monster called Redeye. H'aanit undergoes significant character growth throughout her story, and players can relate to her deep and complex character.

Combat

Octopath Traveler's combat system is turn-based, with each turn, both you and your enemy will get to attack one another, in the order indicated on the top left-hand side of the screen. Each character in your party will deal with certain types of damage based on their weapons and spells. The objective is to reduce the enemies' HP to zero to win. Every enemy has a hidden amount of HP (Health Points), and once you've exhausted them, they disappear from the battlefield.

The first time you fight an enemy, you will see square boxes with question marks beneath them. Each of these represents a weakness the enemy has, be it to a type of weapon or magic. Once you use this type of damage on that enemy, the damage type is revealed, helping you in future battles. You can use the weakness indicators to your advantage by strategically deciding which character will attack which enemies.

To the left of their weaknesses, each enemy will have a shield symbol with a number inside, representing their Breaking point. Every time you hit an enemy with a type of damage they are weak to, it reduces their breaking point by 1. When this hits 0, the enemy will enter a "Break" state, where they will be unable to attack for the current and the next round, and will take more damage from all attacks.

Octopath Traveler also features the "Boost" mechanic, which allows you to attack with multiple hits in the same turn or save up those hits for an upcoming turn. You can either attack normally, adding an extra boost to your reserves of up to 4, or use your saved boosts. Note that boosting a weapon attack will create separate swings per boost, while boosted magic attacks are simply more powerful.

As you progress and add characters to your party, you can combine the Break and Boost mechanics in various ways. You can use your boosts to push enemies further towards their Breaking Point or save them for when they are broken to deal a massive boosted attack.

Additionally, each character has base stats, and while anyone 'can' do any role, some characters are naturally better suited for certain jobs. For example, Olberic has the highest HP but poor magic damage, while Cyrus has the lowest HP but deals high magic attack damage.

Job system

In Octopath Traveler, each character starts with a default class or "Job". These jobs determine what gear types a character can equip, what skills they can learn and use, and what passive support skills they have access to. There are eight basic jobs in the game: Cleric, Scholar, Merchant, Warrior, Apothecary, Dancer, Thief, and Hunter. Each job offers different talents and, therefore, a different playstyle for the character.

Characters can also take up one of Octopath Traveler's secondary jobs to maximize their potential in combat. To unlock a secondary job, players must find hidden shrines across Orsterra and examine the altars within. They must also prove their worth by defeating the job's guardian god. Only one traveler may take up the same secondary job at one time.

Secondary jobs offer several benefits, including changing the traveler's in-battle sprite to wear the attire of the secondary job, granting access to the secondary job's weapons and skills, and increasing the traveler's stats. Additionally, once players unlock passive or support skills on a character, they can use them regardless of the secondary job equipped.

For example, the best sub-job for Olberic, complementing his Warrior job, is Apothecary. By adding this sub-job, Olberic gains access to axes and healing abilities, as well as boosts to HP, Critical, Attack, and Defense.

The job system in Octopath Traveler offers a high level of customisation and flexibility, allowing players to experiment with different combinations to find the optimal setup for their party.

Frequently asked questions