You’re standing in the middle of Cross, staring at a three-eyed man or a girl with a dragon growing out of her back, and you realize you’ve made a terrible mistake. That’s the classic Star Ocean experience. You can't have everyone. In the 2023 remake, Star Ocean Second Story R characters are more than just stat blocks; they are the literal gatekeepers of which story beats you see and which ultimate weapons you can actually craft.
The game doesn't tell you that recruiting one person might lock you out of three others forever. It’s brutal. Honestly, the "perfect" party is a myth because the game is designed to be played at least twice—once as Claude and once as Rena. But if you're trying to figure out who is worth the recruitment slot in a single run, you have to look past the flashy Private Actions and get into the nitty-gritty of frame data and Item Creation specialties.
The Dual Protagonist Dilemma
Choosing between Claude C. Kenny and Rena Lanford isn't just a cosmetic choice. It changes the perspective of the entire narrative. Claude’s path feels like a traditional sci-fi fish-out-of-water story. Rena’s path is more mystical, focusing on her origins and her connection to the planet Expel.
More importantly, your choice of protagonist dictates who can join your crew. You want Dias Flac? You have to play as Rena. You want Leon Geeste? That’s a Claude-exclusive recruit. This is the first major fork in the road for managing your Star Ocean Second Story R characters. Dias is a literal god-tier swordsman who makes the mid-game a breeze, while Leon is a glass cannon mage who, frankly, struggles to keep up with the physical attackers in the higher difficulty settings like Universe mode.
Claude is basically your primary damage dealer regardless. His Ripper Blast and Phase Gun (early on) are staples. Rena is the best healer in the game, period. While other characters like Noel can heal, they don't have the speed or the specific buffs that Rena brings to the table. If you're playing on Universe difficulty, Rena is non-negotiable.
The Recruitment Web: Who Blocks Whom?
The recruitment system in The Second Story R is a tangled mess of "this or that" choices. It’s easy to accidentally fill your eight slots with characters you don't even like.
✨ Don't miss: Teenager Playing Video Games: What Most Parents Get Wrong About the Screen Time Debate
Take Ashton Anchors and Opera Vectra. This is the big one. If you go into the Salva Mines and help the guy with the dragons on his back, you have Ashton. He's great. He's a fan favorite. He's also the reason you can never recruit Opera or her boyfriend, Ernest Ravine.
Opera is widely considered one of the best Star Ocean Second Story R characters because of her "Healing Star" move. It’s a physical-based heal that doesn't require a casting time. In a fast-paced action RPG, being able to heal the whole party instantly while the mages are still chanting is a game-changer. If you pick Ashton, you’re choosing a high-damage physical attacker with some quirky animations. If you pick Opera, you’re choosing tactical superiority and long-range crowd control.
Then there’s the Precis and Bowman situation in Linga. You can’t have both. Precis is a tinkerer who uses a giant mechanical backpack. She’s cute, she’s fun, and she has some of the best multi-hit attacks in the game if you put the time into her "Hollow Knack" moves. Bowman is a pharmacist who throws pills. It sounds lame, but his Poison Pills and Explosive Pills can stun-lock bosses into oblivion. Honestly, Bowman is probably the "smarter" pick for a first-time player, but Precis has a much more interesting character arc, especially if you also recruit Welch Vineyard.
The Secret Power of the "Optional" Cast
Welch Vineyard is a weird addition. She wasn't in the original 1998 PlayStation version; she was added in the Second Evolution PSP remake and carried over here. She’s a comic relief character who hits people with a finger pointer. But don't let the silliness fool you. Her "Nibelungalian" ultimate move is terrifyingly strong.
And then there's Celine Jules. You get her early. She’s the treasure hunter with the fancy hat. Most people drop her the moment they get a third physical attacker because mages in Star Ocean have a fundamental problem: their spells pause the action. In the remake, this has been smoothed out a bit, but physical attacks still reign supreme because they can "Break" enemy shields faster. Celine is great for crowd control with her "Meteor Swarm" later on, but if you're looking for raw DPS, you'll find her sitting on the bench by the time you reach the final dungeon.
🔗 Read more: Swimmers Tube Crossword Clue: Why Snorkel and Inner Tube Aren't the Same Thing
Don't overlook Ernest. People used to hate Ernest in the original game because his whip attacks were slow. In Second Story R, he’s been buffed significantly. His ability to hit enemies from across the screen and his improved frame data make him a viable substitute for some of the more "standard" swordsmen. Plus, his interactions with Opera add a layer of maturity to the party that the younger characters lack.
Why Elements and Specialties Matter
Every character has a set of "Talents" they start with. Some are born with "Originality," others with "Sense of Taste." This isn't just flavor text. It dictates how easy it is for them to succeed at Item Creation.
If you’re trying to break the game—and let’s be real, half the fun of Star Ocean is breaking the game—you need to look at who can do what.
- Claude is your go-to for Customization. He can turn a basic sword into the Aeterna (formerly the Eternal Sphere) before you're even halfway through the story.
- Celine is excellent for Alchemy, which is how you get the rare ores needed for that high-end gear.
- Precis and Opera are the queens of Machinery. They can build bombs and accessories that provide massive stat boosts.
The new "Assault Action" system also changes how you view your party. Even if a character isn't in your active four-person battle team, you can set them to an "Assault" slot. You press a directional button, and they jump in, perform one move, and jump out. This means even "weaker" Star Ocean Second Story R characters like Noel or Celine have value as backup summons. Noel’s big AOE heals can be a literal lifesaver if Rena is currently silenced or stunned.
The Tragedy of the Eight-Slot Limit
The hardest part about this game is the math. You have Claude and Rena. That’s two. You have six slots left.
💡 You might also like: Stuck on Today's Connections? Here is How to Actually Solve the NYT Grid Without Losing Your Mind
If you take Celine, you’re down to five. If you take Ashton, you’re down to four, and you’ve just deleted Opera and Ernest from the timeline. If you take Precis, you’re down to three, and Bowman is gone.
If you want the "hidden" character, Chisato Madison, you have to be very careful. She’s a reporter in the second half of the game (Central City). If your party is already full by the time you reach Nede, you can't recruit her. This is a massive loss for many players because Chisato uses a stun gun and physical combat moves that are arguably some of the fastest in the game. Her "Tear Gas" move is legendary for its ability to melt boss health bars.
Most veteran players suggest a "Physically Heavy" party for the late-game super-bosses. Someone like Claude, Dias, Opera, and Rena is a powerhouse team. But you lose out on the weirdness of characters like Precis or the raw elemental power of Leon. There is no "bad" character in the remake, thanks to the rebalancing of the Link Combo system and the new Perfect Counter mechanics. Everyone is viable; they just require different levels of investment in the Specialty screen.
How to Build Your Perfect Roster
The secret to mastering Star Ocean Second Story R characters isn't about following a guide blindly. It’s about synergy. If you pick Ashton, pair him with characters who can keep enemies grouped together so his "Hurricane Slash" hits more targets. If you pick Opera, give her accessories that boost her hit rate so her long-range fire can constantly "Break" the enemy leaders.
Remember that Private Actions (PAs) are the heart of character development. These are the little scenes in towns where your party splits up. The PAs you view determine the "Affinity" levels between characters, which leads to different endings. With over 100 possible ending variations, who you recruit determines whether Claude goes back to Earth alone, marries Rena, or starts a wandering band with Ernest and Opera.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Run:
- Commit Early: Decide by the time you reach the town of Cross whether you want a "Dragon" run (Ashton) or a "Tech" run (Opera). You cannot change your mind later.
- Focus on Customization: Regardless of who you pick, immediately dump Skill Points into "Determination" (to lower the cost of other skills) and then into "Customization." Getting a high-tier weapon for Claude or Dias early makes the difficulty spikes much more manageable.
- Don't Ignore the Bench: Use the Assault Action system to bind your mages' biggest spells to the D-pad. This allows you to have the benefits of magic (interrupting enemy casters) without the downside of having a squishy mage taking up a permanent spot in your active party.
- Check Your Slots: If you want Chisato or Noel in the second half, make sure you enter the portal to Nede with no more than six characters. If you have seven, you can only pick one. if you have eight, you're stuck with what you've got.
- Steal Everything: Use the "Pickpocketing" specialty early. If you recruit the character Filia in a Private Action in Central City (and you have the Bandit's Gloves), you can get the Sprite's Bracelet, which is essential for certain character builds.
Managing your roster is the real game within the game. It’s less about who is "strongest" and more about which personalities you want to see interact during the world's end. Whether you're a Claude loyalist or a Rena fan, the way you fill those eight slots will define your entire experience on Expel and Nede.