All recruitable characters in Star Ocean The Second Story R

There are a grand total of 13 playable characters in Star Ocean: The Second Story R. While many of the characters can be picked up every single playthrough, some have pretty specific requirements to be recruited.

Every playable character in the Star Ocean 2 remake

In order to get every single playable character in Star Ocean 2, you will need to play through the game twice. Some characters are mutually exclusive with one another, while others can only be recruited if you choose a certain main character.

Star Ocean 2's main characters

Rena

Rena is one of the two main characters that you can choose to play as. If you choose her perspective, you will miss out on some of Claude's story. There is one character, Dias, who is also exclusive to her playthrough; Claude cannot recruit Dias no matter what.

Claude

Claude is the second main character that you can choose. As with Rena, you will get one exclusive character that can only be recruited if Claude is your main. This is Leon, a character that joins your party briefly but not permanently if you are Rena.

Related: All Star Ocean Games in Order – Star Ocean Game Timeline

Characters that can be picked up in every playthrough of SO2

Celine Jules

Celine is the first recruitable character you can get; she shows up as you leave Krosse to head to the caves. You actually cannot leave the city without her, and she will join your party as a temporary member until you complete the mission in the Caves. After the caves, she will ask to join your party for the rest of your journey.

Welch Vineyard

Welch can be found in Lacour Castle Town. She is missable, and she has some very specific requirements.

• Complete the Tournament of Arms, win or lose.
• Leave the city, then immediately go back. Once you spend the night in Linga, you will be locked out of Welch.
• Switch over to PA mode.
• Walk north from the unique spot location of the Three Statues, then walk across the bridge leading to the Castle.
• This will auto-trigger Welch's recruitment cutscene.
• Choose "Please enlighten me with your wisdom" to recruit her, and "I don't have any relationship problems" to reject her.

Noel Chandler

Noel is the second recruitable character that you can get in every playthrough that cannot be missed. While Noel is not the strongest fighter, you will pick him up when you walk through his home; this happens basically immediately after landing on Nede.

Chisato Madison

Chisato is one of the most powerful melee characters in SO2 and is part of just about every best party composition; in order to get her, you'll need to pick up her business card in the Caves of Crimson Crystals. There will be a little cutscene where she falls over and drops an object as you walk by. Bring this back to her office in the Centropolis of Nede; it is in the City Hall on the third floor.

Main character-locked recruitables in Star Ocean The Second Story R

Dias Flac

Dias is only available to those who have Rena as a main character. While he joins your party briefly and takes on Claude in the Tournament of Arms, he will not be a permanent part of your game. He will automatically ask to join if Rena is your MC.

Related: How to unlock the Pickpocketing ability in Star Ocean 2 Remake

Dr. Leon D.S. Gehste

Leon is only available as a permanent part of your party if you choose to play with Claude as the main character. While Leon will join your party to head to the Hoffman Ruins, he will leave as soon as that quest is completed and not return if you are Rena.

Mutually exclusive characters in SO2

Precis F. Neumann vs. Bowman Jeane

Precis and Bowman are mutually exclusive characters. If you choose to pick up Precis, Bowman will no longer be available to your party. In order to get Precis, you'll need to check out the PAs in Linga. To get Bowman, just follow the story until he invites you to stay with him overnight in Linga, and he will ask to join your party after you crash at his house.

Ashton Anchors vs. Opera Vectra and Ernest Raviede

Ashton is a recruitable character that can be picked up in the Silva Mines. In order to get him, go to Harley, the port city east of Marze. Talk to the first NPCs just inside the city, and they will talk about a dragon in the Silva Mines. Go back inside the mines, then head to the northwest, following the yellow exclamation marks.

However, if you choose to pick Ashton up, you'll be locked out of picking up Opera, which also locks you out of Ernest. Without Opera in your party, Ernest will never appear in your playthrough. In order to get these two, you'll need to:

• Go to Krosse City and watch the cutscene about the three-eyed man running through the streets.
• Do not recruit Ashton.
• Complete the Laceur Arms Tournament.
• Head to the town of Hilton.
• Do not go into PA mode once inside the city.
• Head into the Tavern in Hilton. Opera will be inside.
• Next, head to Krosse Castle and have a chat with the King.
• Ask him about the three-eyed woman.
• Go to the Mountain Palace.
• Inside the Mountain Palace, keep to the path to the right.
• Find Opera, then agree to recruit her.
• After that, return to Arlia's Sacred Forest. There will be a cutscene there.
• Complete the Hoffman Ruins with Leon; after getting the Stone, you can exit the ruins to find Ernest fighting a Ghoul.
• Join him in battle, and then you will automatically ask him if he wants to join you.
• If you reject Ernest at this point, you will lose both him and Opera.

For more Star Ocean The Second Story R, check out How to get Swords of Marvels in Star Ocean 2 Remake on Pro Game Guides.