Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Party Members Tier List: Best Characters Ranked (2026)
Ranking all playable Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter party members from S to B tier. Find out who deserves a spot in your active lineup.
How We Ranked These Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Party Members
Building the right team can make or break your experience in this sprawling JRPG. With eight playable characters joining your roster at different points in the story, knowing who brings the most to the table saves hours of trial and error. This tier list for Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter party members is based on community consensus, overall combat utility, healing output, damage potential, and how well each character performs in the game's toughest boss encounters.
A few ground rules before we dive in:
- Rankings reflect overall performance across the full story, not just early or late game
- All characters are viable — even lower-tier picks can shine with the right quartz setup
- Team synergy matters more than individual power in many encounters
S-Tier Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Party Members
These three characters form the backbone of most optimized teams. You'll want them in your active party for the majority of the game.
| Character | Role | Key Strength | Best Craft / Art |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estelle | Healer / Support | Unmatched healing output and team-wide buffs | Sun Smasher (revive + full HP), La Tear, La Tearal |
| Agate | Physical DPS | Highest consistent physical damage, AoE nukes | Dragon Dive, Rising Dragon, Flame Damage |
| Tita | Tank / Support | Ultimate Shield (team invincibility), flexible cannon attacks | Ultimate Shield, Laser Cannon, Gravity Ball |
Estelle is arguably the single most important character in the game. Her Sun Smasher craft fully revives and heals the entire party, and her La Tear line provides the strongest healing arts available. Community reports consistently highlight her as a must-pick for any difficult fight.
Agate brings the raw damage numbers. His Dragon Dive craft hits like a truck, and his high HP pool lets him survive hits that would flatten squishier party members. Pair him with attack-boosting quartz and he shreds through enemy groups.
Tita might seem like an odd pick for S-tier at first glance, but her Ultimate Shield craft grants the entire party one turn of complete invincibility. Against bosses that unload devastating AoE attacks, this single ability can trivialize otherwise brutal encounters.
A-Tier Party Members
Strong performers who excel in specific situations or serve as excellent flex picks when you need to adjust your lineup.
| Character | Role | Key Strength | Best Craft / Art |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua | Physical DPS / Utility | High crit rate, Septium Veil (team evasion buff), speed | Phantom Strike, Dark Sword, Septium Veil |
| Scherazard | AoE DPS / Debuffs | Excellent crowd control, Scarlet Arbre hits multiple targets | Scarlet Arbre, Crimson Dance, Aerial |
| Zin | Balanced Fighter | Consistent all-rounder, Tiger Charge provides mobility | Tiger Charge, Tiger Lord, Dragon Tiger Break |
Joshua is a fan favorite for good reason. His Septium Veil craft grants the entire party a significant evasion boost, which is incredibly powerful when paired with evasion-focused quartz builds. His Phantom Strike also deals solid damage with a chance to inflict deadly status effects.
Scherazard (Schera) shines when you're facing groups of enemies. Her Scarlet Arbre craft hits all targets for respectable damage, and her Aerial art provides party-wide healing that takes pressure off your primary healer. She's also one of the fastest characters in the roster.
Zin doesn't top any single category, but he's never a bad pick. His balanced stats mean he can fill multiple roles depending on your quartz setup, and his Tiger Charge lets him close distance quickly. He's the definition of a reliable team member.
B-Tier Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Party Members
These characters are still perfectly usable but tend to be outclassed by higher-tier options in their respective roles.
| Character | Role | Limitation | Best Craft / Art |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olivier | Ranged Dagger / Arts | Lower physical damage, dagger range limits effectiveness | Heat Up, Bullet Dance, Fate Cut |
| Kloe | Healer / Arts | Healing output trails Estelle significantly | La Tear, La Tearal, Holy Breath |
Olivier brings charm and utility with his Heat Up craft (which heals and buffs), but his dagger-based attacks mean he has to stand in melee range while dealing less damage than dedicated physical fighters. He's a solid support option when you want a more balanced team composition.
Kloe is a capable healer, but she faces the unfortunate reality of competing with Estelle for the same role. Her Holy Breath art is excellent for healing and cleansing status ailments, and she can hold her own in the early game before Estelle fully comes online. Once you have both available, Estelle usually takes priority.
Party Composition Tips & Strategies
Choosing individual characters is only half the equation. How you combine them determines your success in the toughest fights.
General-purpose team recommendation:
- Estelle (healer/support)
- Agate (physical DPS)
- Tita (tank/utility)
- Flex slot (Joshua, Scherazard, or Zin depending on the encounter)
Key synergies to exploit:
- Estelle + Tita: Estelle keeps everyone alive while Tita's Ultimate Shield handles burst damage phases. This combo makes your team nearly unkillable.
- Agate + Joshua: Both bring high physical damage and can stagger enemies rapidly. Joshua's Septium Veil also keeps them alive while they play aggressively.
- Scherazard + Zin: A well-rounded duo that covers both crowd control and single-target damage.
Quartz recommendations by role:
| Role | Priority Stats | Recommended Quartz |
|---|---|---|
| Healers | ATS (Arts Strength), SPD | Mind, Cast, HP |
| Physical DPS | STR, SPD | Attack, Strike, Move |
| Tanks | DEF, HP | Shield, Defense, HP |
| Arts Casters | ATS, ADF | Mind, Cast, EP |
Quick Reference Tier List
For those who want the rankings at a glance, here's the full breakdown of all eight playable Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter party members:
| Tier | Characters | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| S | Estelle, Agate, Tita | Best-in-class abilities that define team compositions |
| A | Joshua, Scherazard, Zin | Strong performers with excellent utility and damage |
| B | Olivier, Kloe | Viable but outclassed in their primary roles |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best character in Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter?
According to community consensus, Estelle ranks as the top pick among all Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter party members. Her combination of powerful healing arts and the game-saving Sun Smasher craft makes her indispensable for difficult encounters. Agate and Tita round out the S-tier thanks to their raw damage and defensive utility respectively.
Can I beat the game with any party composition?
Yes. All eight playable characters are viable throughout the story. The tier list reflects optimization for challenging boss fights and difficult post-game content. If you prefer using Olivier or Kloe, you can absolutely complete the game — you may just need to invest more in quartz optimization and strategic craft usage.
When do all party members become available?
Party members join your roster at different story points throughout the game. Estelle and Joshua are available from the start, while characters like Tita and Agate join during later chapters. This means your party composition options expand as you progress, and you'll want to revisit your team setup periodically.
Should I focus on physical damage or arts?
A balanced approach works best for most players. Having at least one dedicated healer (Estelle or Kloe) and one strong physical DPS (Agate or Joshua) covers your core needs. Fill the remaining slots based on the specific encounter — some bosses are more vulnerable to physical attacks while others require arts to break through high DEF stats.
For official character details and the latest updates on the game, visit the Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter official website.
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