Octopath Trailer II details Partitio the Merchant and Osvald the Scholar

Square Enix has the latest salvo of Octopath Traveler II info courtesy of the official blog. This time, we get a preview of two of the eight protagonists you can choose from: Osvald the Scholar and Partitio the Merchant. Each protagonist comes from a different background and has unique “path actions” or skills they can in the field – which actually differ in day or night. They also have special latent powers and abilities they can use in combat by way of their jobs.

Additionally, we also get a look at travel by ship, a primary method of navigating the world of Solistia. You’ll be able to customize the appearance of your ship, namely the color and emblem on the sail. Some areas can only be found sailing like sunken ship sand uncharted islands.

Furthermore, protagonists will cross paths on their journey, and when said two meet there will be a special scenario that plays out.

Octopath Traveler II will launch on PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Steam on February 24, 2023. Square Enix has a physical Collector’s Edition for the PlayStation and Switch platforms, an exclusive to the Square Enix store.

Osvald & Partitio Character Trailer

The world of OCTOPATH TRAVELER II


The story takes place in Solistia, a land comprising an eastern and western continent divided by the sea. It is a bustling era, wherein large vessels navigate busy sea routes and the power of steam gives birth to new technologies. Some people thrill to glamorous stars of the stage and industry, while others are brought to tears by war, plague, and poverty.

In this faraway realm, eight travelers hailing from different regions venture forth for their own reasons.

Step into their shoes and explore the land as you see fit.

Partitio Yellowil,
the Merchant

Your name is Partitio Yellowil, and you are a merchant. Your tale begins in the vast wastes of the Wildlands.

After witnessing the rise and fall of the pioneer town you call home, you set your gaze upon the horizon.

“I’ll be back once I eliminate that devil called poverty from the world!”

With dreams of bringing prosperity to all, you embark on a journey with only the scent of commerce to guide you…

Along your journey as Partitio, you’ll encounter many memorable characters, including:

Papp: Partitio’s father, and the man who taught him all he knows about commerce. He came to this barren land 16 years ago and helped build Oresrush from the ground up.

Roque: Papp’s business partner. He and Papp purchased a promising plot of land, anticipating it would be rich in silver. It has since bloomed into the town of Oresrush. Partitio admires him for being a pioneer in business.

Ori: A scrivener for the Delsta Times who travels the world looking for the latest scoop. Partitio’s actions have caught her eye, and she seemingly appears out of thin air to get all the juicy details.

Partitio’s journey begins in the Wildlands

Northwest Solistia is a barren wasteland – a blasted expanse of volcanic rock that resists even the loneliest blade of grass. The few brave souls who eke out their existence here have long suffered the sulfuric whims of Fiatsuro and its unstable neighbors.

But life always finds a way. Among the rock and stone dwell the golt, an unusually large breed of goat who subsist on a meager fare of local weed. The cheese produced from their milk is especially scrumptious and has become a local specialty.

The volcanic soil conceals a wealth of valuable minerals. Many small mining towns have sprung up here, including the southern town of Oresrush, established by silver merchants Papp and Roque.

Partitio’s Path Actions

Every character in OCTOPATH TRAVELER II has special Path Actions – skills that you can use outside of battle to interact with NPCs, uncover valuable items and more. Each hero has two Path Actions – one they can use in the day, and one for night.

Daytime: Purchase
Obtain items from people. You must have enough money to purchase their belongings. The more valuable the item, the higher the price. Put your business prowess to the test!

Night time: Hire
Bring people along on your journey. You must have enough money to hire someone. Hired helpers can be summoned during battle to provide aid. Different people provide different benefits. Use your funds wisely to hire a variety of helpers.

Partitio’s talent: Business Partners

Depending on who you have hired, you might receive benefits in business and battle.

You could be granted a discount when shopping, receive more leaves when selling items, pay less when using certain skills in battle, and more.

Some partners can negotiate a discount when purchasing. Others give you a chance to get items for free…

Merchants can use Hired Help to summon mercenaries into battle. Your partner may be able to lower the mercenary’s cost.

Partitio’s Latent Power: Hoot and Holler

Each hero also has a Latent Power, which they can draw on in battle when their gauge is full. Partitio’s latent power can replenish all BP in an instant, whether at the onset of battle or immediately after exhausting all points.

Use BP however you see fit. The merchant ability Donate BP also allows you to grant BP to allies.

Osvald V. Vanstein,
the Scholar

Your name is Osvald V. Vanstein, and you are a scholar. Your tale begins in the snowswept reaches of the Winterlands.

You have been sentenced to life in prison for murdering your wife and daughter and have since spent 1,879 days locked within a frigid cell.

“Harvey – the man who took everything from me – shall die by my hand. I swear it.”

Not even the bitter cold can extinguish the raging fire in your breast. And so you set out to exact your revenge…

Here are some of the people you’ll meet during Osvald’s adventure:

Harvey: A scholar of magic who is on par with Osvald. He continues his research into the seventh source of magic, which differs from the six known elements of fire, ice, lightning, wind, light, and darkness.

Emerald: A fellow prisoner of Osvald’s on Frigit Isle. He leverages his knowledge as an informant to help Osvald escape.

Lady Clarissa: Osvald’s research assistant. She believes that Osvald is innocent and watches over his study in his absence.

Osvald’s story beings in the Winterlands

Northern Solistia is a frozen place of snow and ice. Its capital is Stormhail, a mountainous city that houses the Sacred Guard. Established roughly 380 years ago, the Sacred Guard was the brainchild of Archbishop Kinchler.

After the cold snap that assailed the eastern continent in the previous century, the order established its headquarters here. To this day, this holy organization’s mission remains unchanged: to uphold law and order across the continent.

Travel towards the coast, and you will find the fishing town of Cape Cold. Great hauls of salmon, trout, mackerel, squid, and more are brought in almost daily. In addition, many who dwell here work in agriculture or textiles, and lately, a hardy species of cold-resistant barley has caused quite a stir.

Osvald’s Path Actions

Every character in OCTOPATH TRAVELER II has special Path Actions – skills that you can use outside of battle to interact with NPCs, uncover valuable items and more. Each hero has two Path Actions – one they can use in the day, and one for night.

Daytime: Scrutinize
Glean information from people (with a given probability). Fail, and your reputation in town will suffer. You won’t be able to use Path Actions if your reputation suffers. Raise Osvald’s level to increase his chances of success.

Night time: Mug
Obtain items from people. You must best them in battle to get the spoils you seek. Mug someone to commence the battle. Emerge victorious, and you can take all their belongings.


Osvald’s talent: Study Foe

Osvald can gain insight into one of a foe’s weak points at the start of battle.

Osvald will automatically use Study Foe when the battle begins. Knowing an enemy’s weakness is invaluable when strategizing.

Utilize scholarly spells to exploit enemy weaknesses and break foes.

Osvald’s Latent Power: Concentrate Spells

When his latent power gauge is full, Osvald can focus spells that usually target all foes onto a single target with increased potency.

Many of Osvald’s magic skills target all foes. His latent power allows you to deal heavy damage to bosses and other powerful enemies.

Travel on the Water


With those character introductions out of the way, we’ll take a look at some new exploration and traversal features coming in OCTOPATH TRAVELER II!

In this instalment of the series, you can board canoes to explore like never before. Traverse both land and sea to venture to every corner of the realm.

You can board a canoe to explore towns, dungeons, and more. What treasures await on the realm’s isolated isles?

Enjoy the nautical journey, but beware of enemies lurking beneath the water’s surface…

A vessel all your own


Advance through the story, and you can obtain your own nautical vessel! Use it to journey between continents, or chart your own course out to sea and disembark on unexplored islands. The world is yours to explore.

You can choose your vessel’s color and sail emblem.

There are places only your vessel can reach, like mysterious islands and sunken ships.

Crossed Paths: Osvald and Partitio


In OCTOPATH TRAVELER II, you can experience Crossed Paths – stories involving two travelers.

Osvald and Partitio come across a man who has collapsed on the street. He turns out to be an old friend of Osvald’s and an astronomer. Intrigued by his story, the two eventually find themselves embroiled in his troubles…


About the Author

Tony Garsow Tony joined Nova Crystallis in 2015, and has spent more than a decade writing in the Final Fantasy community. He also contributes to the Nova Crystallis Twitch and YouTube channels, where you can watch select gameplay highlights, previews, and streams.

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