#osvald and temenos would be the most challenging but that is the plot of a creepypasta

[larnax]

finished the ot2 half party challenge:

yeah i ended up pulling out the hired help to do roque at lvl 40. i ended up doing the darkling second try at lvl 43 with no hired help so in hindsight i should've switched the orders i was just really scared of malicious bite

honestly. very anti-climactic. sucks that the tower is locked behind hikari's story because i think she would've probably been a big challenge. ot2 in general is easier than ot1 just because of the introduction of almighty damage but i absolutely should've kept hired help banned because roque took about five minutes with an attack that could destroy his entire train unbroken.

i unlocked all the other jobs in case i needed their skills or i got tired of not having staff/dagger coverage but i ended up not switching once or even using support skills other than evasive maneuvers. that was mostly because without grinding i was pretty low on JP but sans saving grace or insult to injury or patience or snatch or cover there aren't that many support skills that are really worth it.

[henlp]

I threw in a random vote, was more curious what the results would end up as, so as to get a chance to think more about the cast. Not really surprised that Temenos and Hikari were leading the charge (with the latter getting a final push to victory). What I am surprised with, is Agnea with the bronze medal.

I get that she's endearing, very positive and hardworking; and thematically, she's the more abstract representation of the dawn overcoming night. Yet, she's the only one without any direct connection to the overaching plot.

After Agnea, it has to be Castti. Three degrees of separation (Trosseau, to Claude, to Vide), and very little room for crossing with others, even if she's a supporting character.

Next, have to say, it's Partitio. Ended up liking him a lot more than I was expecting, and it's apparent that there was quite an effort to make the Merchant character have a greater impact on the world this time around. But Partitio's connection to Ori only barely ties him to the overarching plot. Don't have an example that comes to mind, but Lil' Chickadee comes across as the supporting character looking to get others in the spotlight, and through sheer determination and positivity, manages to create a ripple which changes the heart of a smaller antagonist, that leads to major beneficial consequences for the good guys.

Four from the bottom, it's my man Osvald. His direct ties with the Lumina Clan, and Harvey's obsessions with the One True Magic and the Shadow, puts him slightly ahead of Partitio. However, when it comes to Vide and the Moonshade Order, Osvald's none the wiser, and his story only ties back to the major plot during the final chapter.

Coming up next, it's a tie between Ochette and Throné. Both are strongly linked to the overarching plot. Ochette's very existence and duties are related to the actions of D'arquest, and the Night of The Scarlet Moon links back to Vide's influence attempting to break into the world. Meanwhile, Throné is not only DIRECTLY related to D'Arquest by Claude (grandson of the Archmage), but she and the other 'dark seeds' were meant to surpass their father and become a vessel for Vide, much like Kit in the first game. Throné might just barely claim third place, but hers is a story of freeing herself from her chains, while Ochette's is about embracing her true nature and responsibilities.

As for the big boys themselves: Hikari's quest for friends to help him take back his land helps to connect him a lot further to the rest of the cast (it also helps that his final chapter is the most challenging), while Temenos has a greater focus on investigating and finding out about the greater conspiracy that forms the basis of the overarching plot. They are also both tied to the most pivotal members of the Moonshade Order, beyond their final story antagonists, which are themselves closely connected to the Shadow and its effects.

As several pointed out, Hikari definitely has a lot more shonen protag vibes to him (the chosen prince, overcoming his cursed blood). Temenos more at times finds himself to the side and doing his own thing. Both could work, and would likely be the driving force for the connecting tissue of all eight travelers' stories, but mayhaps Hikari's well-deserved victory also indicates that he'd likely be the lead character. In fact, it makes more sense for Hikari to depart from Ryu in search of allies (rather than hang around for Team Hobo to pop in) while in the Western Continent, and Temenos more seemingly would stumble across the others in the Eastern Continent while going about his detectivo work.

Thank you all for your contributions.

Whom do you consider the lead character in Octopath Traveler 2?