Suikoden 2 Tier List

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) .

Role: Self-Destruct Button Why F-Tier: Zamza has a unique Fire Dragon Rune that damages enemies but also damages himself every turn. He will die in 2-3 turns without healing. His stats are terrible. A literal liability. suikoden 2 tier list

Role: Physical Destroyer Why S-Tier: Viktor joins early and never falls off. Equipped with the Clone Rune (or Double-Beat), his raw Strength and multiple hits per swing shred enemy rows. His high HP pool makes him a durable front-liner. The only downside is his below-average Magic, but you won’t be casting spells with him anyway. His Unite with Flik is fantastic.

Role: Balanced Knight Why B-Tier: Futch has decent stats across the board. He joins with a Fire Rune and a fast sword swing. He isn’t exceptional at anything, but his Unite with Humphrey makes him a staple for physical parties.

These characters are top choices for most of the game. Few JRPGs from the PlayStation era command the

Role: Heavy Armor Knight Why S-Tier: Pesmerga joins late (near the end of the game), but his stats are astronomical. The highest Strength in the game, incredible Defense, and a permanent Darkness Rune. His swing hits twice by default. Give him a Fury Rune and a Double-Strike Rune, and he will kill final bosses in 3 turns. The only reason he isn’t #1 is his poor Speed and late join time.

Based on this Suikoden 2 tier list, here is the mathematically best party for the final boss (The Beast Rune):

Honorable Swap: Replace Viktor with Sierra if you want immortality via the Moon Rune.

This is the tragedy of Suikoden II. Some characters have amazing stats but are ruined by a permanently attached, mediocre rune that occupies a slot you cannot change.