Octopath Traveler 2 has a cast of characters with moves and abilities players are only just scratching the surface of. Ochette, the game's resident beast tamer and best girl, can tame even the hardest of bosses and will them under her command. Whether you’re looking to add some damage to your party or some utility with a healer, there is a monster to fit any of your needs.
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This list could have easily become a list of the best endgame monsters to capture, but showcasing other monsters who are viable throughout the whole game will hopefully help in deciding which monsters to catch. Which will take the top spot?
Updated By Rena Darling on May 18, 2023: Octopath Traveler 2's gameplay allows you, as Ochette, to mix and match every type of animal you come across to create the strongest team you can. Then, under your guiding wings (or paws), you can cultivate your monsters as you adapt a play style you enjoy.
While the monsters here now have been in the game the whole time, as you grow in levels, you will want to keep your roster updated. Or you'll find a new monster on the list that you'd like to capture and try out. Either way, this updated list might help give you some ideas on which monsters to hunt.
12 Island Froggen 2
AOE damage is incredibly helpful in this game, and Island Froggen 2 comes with a bow attack that aims its sights at all enemies on the field for decent damage early on.
You can find this amphibious warrior in the Northern Beasting Traverse area of Toto’haha as early as chapter one. So long as you have some elemental magic or the axe and sword in the party at this point, the encounter should be easy for you to overcome.
11 Reaper Crab
We've established that AOE is good, but what about an AOE attack that pulls double duty and provides you with a buff in the process? Enter the Reaper Crab, which does one-hit sword damage to all enemies on the field and provides an elemental defense boost to the whole party. What's better than a multitasker?
You can find this crustacean in the waters of Roque Island and the Curious Nest, but be warned that both places have a Danger Level of 54. Once you've grown out of needing it, you can even break it down and turn it into Paella, which restores HP and BP to a single character.
10 Silky Cocoon
Just like their real-life counterparts, Silky Cocoons can provide the things you need to protect yourself. Sure, in real life, that's clothing and other goods made with silk. In Octopath Traveler 2, that protection comes in the form of giving the party a physical defense boost for two turns.
If you're looking for some of that good old fashion defense, then you'll have to travel to Starfall Spring down in the Leaflands. The Silky Cocoon can be weak enough when you are fighting it but do be mindful of its shield power of four.
9 Shambling Weed
Managing SP can be tough in the early hours of the game. You don’t have much money, so you have to grind out some monsters before being able to buy enough grapes and olives to get you through to the next area. Luckily, as Ochette you have a backup plan for support, assuming you’ve been cautious in which monsters you catch.
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Shambling Weed, found in Tomb of the Wardenbeats of Ochette’s chapter one, will provide you with a single-target healing spell that will leave you with extra SP to spend on other important spells to use.
8 Ivory Eel
If you're looking for a more offensive way to regain some BP, then the Ivory Eel will fit your purposes and then some. Their skill, Spiritsucker, is a misnomer. Its sword attack doesn't have an automatic BP drain, but it does provide BP regen to your whole party.
There are a couple of places in the world you can find them, but the easiest would be inside the Snowhare's Den within the Thieves' Quarter that's tucked away behind the city Winterbloom. Just make sure you bundle up first.
7 Desert Apeking 3
Now, here's where things move from the early game into the mid-game section. You've captured every first and second iteration of creatures, now is the time to start focusing on the third tier, or higher. This is where you start building toward the end game.
Desert Apeking 3 is a strong candidate to add to Ochette's captured bestiary is the Twisted Apeking 3. Found inside the Sunken Maw, a danger level 34 dungeon within the Brightlands area. Watch out for its party-wide attack Stormy Strike, which hits hard. It's overall an easy monster to catch if you have Temenos in your party with his light magic.
6 Carnivorous Plant
Any time you can get yourself a free heal is a plus. Getting a high SP healing move or spell can come in clutch by refreshing the entire party and getting it geared up for a comeback. The Carnivorous Plant is here to answer that call, but only once per battle.
You can find this fearsome flora inside the Abandoned Waterway in the Brightlands, but only after you defeat it once you reach the end of the dungeon. The earlier you take it on and defeat it, the better.
5 Black Panther
To find and capture the Black Panther, you must go the extra mile and seek out an optional dungeon. It will hold some of the strongest monsters in the game, and that's before you start talking about the bosses. A high-risk, high-reward hunt makes searching for it much more fun.
The electric cats come with a powerful lightning attack that aims at your enemies but also brings a chance to cause both their physical and elemental defenses to drop for two turns. It's a shame you get it so late in the game, but even then, it's still worth capturing to add to your arsenal.
4 Headless Horseman
With the Headless Horseman you get the best of both worlds with a high-damage attack and party-buffing capabilities all rolled into one, placing it a head above the other monster inside its home dungeon. The horsem*n attacks with a sword AOE while buffing your Physical attack and crit chance.
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The Tranquil Grotto is home to lots of potential monsters you can tame to fight under your command. The Flame Remnant 2 is a generally popular choice given its AOE fire attack, but without the buffs to sweeten the deal for using it, you're better off getting an attack that serves a dual purpose.
3 Spiny Eel - Sunken Maw
Returning to the Sunken Maw, this time you're going to find your target of capture within the inky, dark waters of the dungeon. Nothing scary about that scenario at all. The more unnerving the challenge, the greater the reward will be. You're in for a fight, and if you are somehow under-leveled, it's going to be a bad time.
Thankfully, the fight is more than worth it once you're able to capture ol' sharp and spiky. While the Spiny Eel's main attack is a single AOE that only hits one time, it has the added effect of bestowing an SP regen buff on all members. Take a spear or axe into the fight, and you'll make quick work of the slippery spiky creatures.
2 Light Revenant
Throughout Octopath Traveler 2, you’re going to run into so many different monsters, both normal and bosses, that are going to be stronger and more efficient than your Light Revenant friend, But, since he is the first one you’re able to get early on in the game, there’s a high possibility that you’ll use him throughout the rest of the game.
Even though you’re only able to summon him once to the field, his attack more than makes up for the lack of chances to call him to the field. The Revenant hits all enemies with a devastating light magic attack while providing the party with a resilience boost in both physical and Magic defense for two turns.
1 Chubby Cait
The most sought-after, and the hardest to obtain, the Chubby Cait is everything you want when it comes to supporting the party. Need some heals? No problem, here's Opulent Olive, which heals all allies. How about the Opulent Trio? It stacks several buffs of counterattack and can revive all knocked-out teammates upon use.
Unlike everyone else on this list, the Chubby Cait isn't limited to one specific area that you have to farm. It has the potential to pop up anywhere all over the map. The trade though is the extremely low rate at which they spawn. It's even possible to go through the whole game and not see one.
NEXT: Octopath Traveler 2: Things To Do After You Beat The Game
