You can only have four members in your party at a time, including the party leader, out of the eight available characters in Octopath Traveler 2.
Some of them are the best starting characters in the game, but you are going to switch between all of the characters over the course of your progression in order to unlock new skills and jobs.
However, you are not going to be able to switch your Octopath Traveler 2 party leader, at least not at the start. When you start the game, you are going to be locked to a single protagonist for their story chapters. You can only change the protagonist once you have cleared their storyline.
How to change the main character in Octopath Traveler 2
You cannot change your party leader straight away. You have to first complete the storyline of the default protagonist in Octopath Traveler 2 before being able to switch him with another party leader.
The main protagonist leads the combat, and you can rotate the other three members according to your needs during battles and different objectives.
Giving every protagonist an equal chance to level up and become strong along with the main character is essential to complete Octopath 2 successfully.
Some characters have only three chapters, and some have five chapters. So you need to make your selection of the main character after considering everything. This will ensure you complete your main character’s storyline quickly. You can then proceed to change your main character in Octopath Traveler 2.
After completing your main character’s story, you just need to head to Tavern in any town. They are marked with a Mug icon on your map and can be found all over Solistia.
Once you find a Tavern, head inside and speak with the bartender to open a list of services you can avail. Here, you will find an option to “Change Party Leader” of your group. Select any of your other characters to switch the protagonist.
However, keep in mind that once you exit the Tavern, you will be stuck with your new party leader until you complete their story. You can then decide to switch party leaders again in Octopath Traveler 2.
