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Suikoden 2 Tier List: The Definitive Guide to the Best Characters in the RPG Classic

Few JRPGs from the PlayStation era command the reverence of Suikoden 2. With 108 Stars of Destiny to recruit, plus a few secret characters, building the perfect six-person party can be overwhelming. Unlike modern games where balance patches smooth out the rough edges, Suikoden 2 retains its original quirks—some characters are godlike, while others are borderline unusable.

This Suikoden 2 tier list ranks every major playable character based on their combat efficacy, rune synergy, availability, and utility in war battles.

Note: This list assumes the original North American/JP release difficulty. We are not factoring in the "New Game+" carryover glitches. Characters are ranked from S-Tier (Game Breakers) to D-Tier (Bait) .

8. McDohl (Tir McDohl - Secret)

• Why he’s A-Tier: The hero from Suikoden 1 comes with the Soul Eater rune. It is still a one-hit kill on most non-boss enemies. However, he is recruited so late (via the "Window" trick or Gregminster) that he barely gets screentime.
• Best Setup: Soul Eater + Fury Rune.

Final Verdict: Why the S-Tier Dominates

Suikoden 2 is not a difficult game, but using D or C-tier characters forces you to grind for hours. The S-Tier characters (Riou, Viktor, Flik, Pesmerga, Luc) trivialize even the hardest encounters.

When building your team, remember the golden rule: Speed + Rune Slots > High HP.

If you are playing Suikoden 2 for the first time, stick to the A and S tiers listed above. Save the novelty runs with Gengen and Vincent for your second or third playthrough.

What do you think? Did we rank Killey too high? Is Sierra truly S-Tier? Let us know in the comments below and share your own Suikoden 2 tier list!

Suikoden II , character effectiveness is generally measured by rune slot availability (up to 3), speed, and magic affinity. While nearly any party can finish the game, certain characters consistently stand out as powerhouses. S-Tier: The Powerhouses

These characters possess exceptional stats or unique abilities that make them staples for any endgame party. McDohl (Tir) suikoden 2 tier list

: The protagonist of the first game. He has the best unique rune ( Soul Eater ) and incredible physical stats.

: A magic monster with the highest Magic stat in the game and early access to three rune slots. : Similar to

, he is a late-game magic powerhouse with naturally high stats and multiple rune slots : Her unique Falcon Rune

allows her to deal 3x damage every turn with no penalty, making her one of the best physical DPS units. Georg Prime

: Boasts some of the highest physical attack and defense stats in the series, often dealing massive critical damage. : As the protagonist, his Bright Shield Rune provides essential healing and high-tier holy damage. A-Tier: Highly Reliable

Strong units that excel in their roles but may be slightly outclassed by S-tier specialists. : The iconic duo. is a strong magic-knight hybrid, while is a pure physical tank with a massive health pool

: One of the few characters who can reach three rune slots. With the right setup (e.g., Double-Beat runes), his damage output is enormous.

: A back-row sniper with exceptional speed and accuracy. His gun deals heavy damage from safety. Suikoden 2 Tier List: The Definitive Guide to

: A vampire with high speed and magic stats, plus a unique rune that drains HP from enemies.

: An excellent back-row mage with high magic growth and versatility. B-Tier: Solid Role Players

Effective characters that usually require specific setups or "Unite" attacks to shine.

: Extremely fast and reliable, though her physical damage can lag in the late game without runes.

: A versatile fighter who can reach three rune slots but lacks the raw base stats of

: A pure tank. While he lacks speed, his defense is nearly unmatched.

: Reliable physical fighters with decent availability throughout the story. C-Tier & Below: Niche or Underwhelming

Characters that are often outclassed by others in the same range or have poor stat growth. Note: This list assumes the original North American/JP

: His unique rune causes him self-damage unless equipped with fire-protection gear, making him high-maintenance.

: While charming, their stats generally don't scale well into the late game.

: Primarily a support character who is quickly outclassed by better mages or healers. rune setup recommendation for one of these top-tier characters? How to prevent Nanami from dying in Suikoden? - Facebook Apr 15, 2568 BE —

Here’s a Suikoden II character tier list write-up, focusing on combat viability, rune slots, unite attacks, and overall utility (excluding story bias unless it impacts gameplay).

D-Tier (Avoid)

Weak stats, poor Rune slots, or arrive too late to matter.

• Tomo – Low everything. No standout features.
• Gadget – Joke character. Terrible speed and accuracy.
• Karen – Worse version of other mages. Fragile and weak spells.
• Shiro – Good early game, but falls off hard. No Rune slots hurts.

12. Eilie

Role: Agile Archer Why B-Tier: Eilie has a three-hit weapon (boomerang) that hits all enemies. With a Double-Beat Rune, she becomes a random encounter clearer. Her Strength is low, so she struggles against high-DEF bosses, but for dungeon crawling, she's fantastic.

17. Gengen (The Dog)

Role: Early Tank Why C-Tier: Gengen is useful for the first 5 hours of the game. High HP, but terrible Magic and Speed. He falls off hard after the Tinto arc. Use him as a damage sponge, then bench him.