Seasoned travelers beg for bread crumbs as Orsterra unfurls its secrets-start small, think sharp, and let every choice shape your path.
Use path actions
Path actions are unique abilities each character can use to interact with NPCs and the environment outside combat. They let you gather information, obtain items, recruit allies, or challenge opponents, depending on the character. Learning how to combine these actions strategically can open new routes, reveal hidden rewards, and make your journey through Orsterra much smoother.
If you like free items, don’t ignore the people of Orsterra. If you speak with random NPCs, you can use the “inquire” path action for a chance to obtain random information, like a new area to visit, or use the influence-based path actions for a chance to obtain discounted or free items.
Based on whether an NPC is influenced by wealth, power, or fame, you can buy their items for a lower price, engage in combat to obtain their items for free, or simply ask them for free items, respectively. Be sure to target fame-aligned NPCs in particular, as obtaining items without having to pay or fight is the sweetest deal you can get in Octopath Traveler 0. Just beware that every path action has a certain chance of success, so the closer it is to 100%, the better!
Recruit helpers
Recruiting NPC helpers can make a big difference in battles and exploration. Characters like Hikari and Agnea can persuade townsfolk to join temporarily, giving you extra firepower or useful support skills. Some allies can heal, attack, or provide buffs during combat, while others offer benefits outside battle, such as revealing hidden items or granting discounts in shops. Try experimenting with different helpers to see which ones best suit your playstyle and the challenges ahead.
During battle, you can call upon your “helpers” to perform their signature skill, such as healing the front row or dealing damage to all enemies. Helpers can only be called upon a few times per battle, and they must be recruited first.
Be sure to exploit this handy combat assistance mechanic right from the start in Octopath Traveler 0. Speak with NPCs, and choose the “hire,” “impress,” or “recruit” option in the dialogue menu (which is also based on their influence type). Be mindful of the success rate, as your reputation may suffer upon rejection, so try to target NPCs with a 50% or higher chance to join your gang first. You can have a total of five helpers.
Change the combat and dialogue speed
Adjust the combat and dialogue speeds in the options menu to match your playstyle. Faster combat cuts down turn waits, letting you chain attacks and boosts without dragging. Quicker dialogue skips through story beats, keeping momentum high during long treks across Orsterra. Test settings early to avoid frustration in tough boss fights or dense cutscenes.
Tired of slow dialogue screens? On a controller, by pressing the “cancel” button (B on the Switch, A on Xbox, and X on PlayStation), and then using the LB or RB triggers, you can change the dialogue speed and thus finish cutscenes quicker. If you’re playing on a keyboard, press “C” and then use “Q” and “E” to change the dialogue speed.
During combat, you can speed up attacks by pressing the “start” or “party chat” button on a controller or pressing “P” on a keyboard.
Always carry a stack of plums
Plums serve as a key healing item in Orsterra, restoring HP to keep your party fighting through tough battles. Stack them in your inventory early, since shops restock limited quantities and stronger foes demand quick recovery. Use them wisely during combat to turn the tide without relying solely on skills or buffs.
Carrying Healing Grapes to restore HP and Olives of Life to revive fallen companions is wise, but carrying Plum Leaves and Inspiriting Plums is especially useful as they restore SP – the resource needed to use skills. As skills usually deal far more damage than basic attacks, and they can also be used to buff allies, debuff enemies, and use healing abilities, you’re in serious trouble if you run out of SP.
SP points are usually replenished by resting, but of course, you can’t do that during battle. So, be sure to stock up on SP-restoring items before angering your enemies!
Prioritize building your town
Your town acts as the heart of your progress, supplying resources, support, and new opportunities. Expand its facilities early to gain access to stronger weapons, better items, and specialized services that boost your party’s performance. Investing in trade and upgrades creates long-term advantages, making your travels across Orsterra smoother and more rewarding.
One of the reasons motivating your character’s journey is the mission to rebuild their hometown, Wishvale. You may want to progress in the campaign and see more of the intrigue and drama the tales of Octopath Traveler games are famous for, but before anything else, you should always focus on completing the Wishvale quests.
All the missions tied to rebuilding the town are part of the quest line “Kindlers of the Flame.” By completing these quests and leveling up the town, you unlock new facilities that are extremely helpful, from the training ground (where companions who are not part of the main party can level up) to the church,(which has the special trait to increase the number of times you can summon helpers). The citizens also give you materials and money, which are crucial to progress in the campaign.
Rotate between paths
Rotate between paths to stay flexible in combat, switching routes to exploit enemies’ weaknesses and conserve resources as you learn each map’s rhythms.
While we’re still talking about Octopath Traveler 0 quests, you should be mindful of the order you complete the main quests – especially at the beginning of the game. When you start, there are three main routes: Master of Fame, Master of Wealth, and Master of Power. Each is divided into chapters, but you don’t need to complete every chapter of a route before switching to another.
Except the last ones, most chapters have the same level requirements for all three routes. So a good strategy to prepare for future fights is to go through all the first chapters of the three routes. If you don’t want to spend time grinding, this is one of the best options. By completing the first chapter, you will naturally level up and be above the level requirement for the next two.
Take some time to explore
Exploration is a core part of growth in Octopath Traveler 0. Take time to wander through towns, fields, and dungeons, speaking to NPCs and examining every corner for hidden treasures, side quests, and useful information. You’ll often find valuable items and story hints by checking paths slightly off the main route. Some areas may seem quiet at first, but patience often leads to unexpected rewards that make your travels smoother and more rewarding.
The landscapes in Octopath Traveler 0 are beautiful and charming. From towns and castles to forests and caves, there are many different maps and you should explore them. Go all the way to the end of that mysterious, seemingly empty corridor. Check the second floor of every inn.
By doing so, you may find a hidden chest with a strong accessory that reduces a specific type of magical damage. Or you might find a mastery that makes one of your characters stronger and ready to kick some ass in the next boss fight. While this will force you into more battles (which isn’t necessarily bad, mind you!), exploring is a natural way to prepare your party and make them more powerful.
Unlock all the available jobs
Access every job in Octopath Traveler 0 by advancing each traveler’s story to its conclusion. Finish the main narrative for the protagonist you select at the start, then complete side quests and battles tied to other characters’ arcs. This grants full job access for your party, letting you mix abilities like a warrior’s strikes with a thief’s pilfering in combat. Equip secondary jobs freely once obtained to match foes and boost your team’s strength across Orsterra.
The best strategy to have from the beginning of the game is to unlock all the jobs your character has access to. A job determines not only the skills they have, but also the type of damage they deal. Since your character is the only one who can swap jobs, you want to have as many options as you can to complement the rest of the team.
During your journey in Octopath Traveler 0, you meet new characters, who become companions, and because you can have up to eight party members with you, the high number of fighters might give you a false sense of security. Although having more companions is important, some may end up being redundant depending on the ones you have available to you. By having the ability to change jobs on your character, you can make sure the party is always prepared for every fight.
Information is power
Knowledge in Orsterra gives you the edge to survive and succeed. Gathering information from townspeople, reading lore, and analyzing enemy weaknesses can change the outcome of battles. Each character’s path action lets you learn something new-whether it’s a hidden shortcut, a secret item, or a strategy against a tough foe. Paying attention to details builds a deeper understanding of the world and prepares you for smarter decisions in combat and exploration alike.
No ability is stronger in Octopath Traveler 0 than the ones that allow you to discover an enemy’s weaknesses. Whether you are fighting a common enemy in the deserts of Sunlands or a terrifying elite in the Waterpool Caves, you want to know what kind of damage they are weak to.
Unlike other RPGs where enemy designs give you hints about their weaknesses, this is rarely true in Octopath Traveler 0. You may have some luck and hit them with just the right type of weapon or element, but in most cases, you don’t want to waste a turn fighting blind. It’s better to spend the initial turn of one or two characters using skills like the scholar job’s “Analyze,” or Ludo’s “Appraisal,” which show them and allow you to better prepare for the next turn.
In many cases, more means better
In Octopath Traveler II, stacking more skills, items, and party members often yields stronger results during battles. Boosting attacks multiple times amplifies damage output significantly, turning close fights into decisive wins. Larger inventories mean better preparation for tough bosses, while recruiting additional travelers expands your options for exploiting enemy weaknesses. This approach rewards quantity in combat setups, letting you overpower Orsterra’s challenges with sheer volume.
In every Octopath Traveler game, it doesn’t matter how strong you are. Leveling up and having the best gear might help you, but it’s not the most important aspect when fighting a powerful foe. To win, you must be able to break the enemy’s defenses and to do so, you don’t need the strongest sword or the most powerful magic spell. You need to hit the enemy as many times as you can.
That’s why skills that hit a foe multiple times without using boost points are key to paving your way to victory. If you can avoid spending boost points, you can build up your party to land a massive hit when the enemy’s defenses are down, making the most of the single turn they are vulnerable.
Never fight on an empty stomach
Eat before battles in Orsterra. Hunger weakens your party, slashing damage output and boosting enemy hits. A full stomach restores full strength, letting characters swing harder and endure longer. Stock provisions or hit inns to avoid mid-fight slumps-starving fighters fold fast against foes.
There are many benefits to consuming meals in Octopath Traveler 0. Grab a Grape Ice Cream and your party will get a buff of 25% job points earned for 20 turns. A meal can buff your party, which is one of the best strategies to win a fight without too much trouble. Cream Pasta gives all the characters more physical defense and critical rate, in addition to a 20% bleeding, terror, and blindness resistance.
How does BP work in Octopath Traveler 0 combat
Boost Points (BP) power the Boost mechanic central to Octopath Traveler 0’s turn-based combat, allowing enhanced actions against enemies in Orsterra.
Earning BP
Each party member starts battles with 1 BP and gains +1 BP at the start of every turn unless they boosted the previous turn. Rearguard (back row) allies accumulate BP safely without acting, up to a maximum of 5 BP per character, while breaks on enemy shields grant extra BP to the party. Skills like Donate BP (Merchant) or BP Boost (Starseer) can transfer or increase BP gains.
Spending BP
Spend up to 3 BP before an action to boost it: 1 BP adds one enhancement, 2 BP adds two, and 3 BP triggers maximum effects like multi-hit attacks (up to 4 strikes) or ultimate moves. Boosts only shine on confirmed weaknesses-use Analyze first to reveal them-and save full 3-BP bursts for post-break damage phases when foes are stunned.
Strategic Tips
Boost regular attacks with 1-2 BP to chip shields faster if lacking multi-hit skills, but prioritize damage skills, heals, or buffs/debuffs during breaks for optimal output. Support skills like Boost-Start grant extra starting BP, and timing boosts with turn order maximizes efficiency in boss fights. Rearguard swapping enables BP banking for explosive front-row nukes.
How to regenerate and maximize BP efficiently
Boost Points (BP) in Octopath Traveler 0 regenerate naturally each turn and can be maximized through smart positioning, skills, and breaks.
Natural Regeneration
Characters gain 1 BP at battle start and +1 BP per turn unless they boosted last turn, capping at 5 BP each. Place back-row (rearguard) allies to safely stockpile BP without acting, then swap them forward for powerful boosted strikes.
Break Bonuses
Shattering an enemy’s shield via weakness exploitation awards bonus BP to the entire party-often 1-3 extra per break-accelerating your boost potential. Prioritize multi-hit skills or 1-2 BP boosts on attacks to break faster and trigger these gains repeatedly.
Skills and Items
Use job skills like Merchant’s Donate BP, Starseer’s BP Boost, or support abilities (e.g., Boost-Start) to transfer or amplify BP. Items such as Energizing Poms or Plum Leaves restore BP outside combat, while cooked meals from rebuilt taverns provide battle-start BP buffs for efficiency.
