- Primary keyword: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter tier list for practical party building
- Top damage picks: Joshua, Kloe, Olivier, and Agate cover the strongest offensive roles
- Best support: Kevin provides exceptional defensive control when available
- Flexible lead: Estelle remains useful because she can adapt to physical, magical, or support setups
- Ranking rule: Availability and orbment flexibility matter as much as raw damage
Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Tier List Criteria
This Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter tier list ranks characters by practical value rather than a single damage test. The most useful party members combine strong crafts, efficient orbment layouts, reliable speed, and a role that remains valuable across several chapters.
Availability also matters. A character who joins late may be outstanding in the battles where they can participate, but that does not automatically make them the best long-term party member. Conversely, a flexible character can remain useful even when they are not the strongest specialist.
The rankings below assume a normal party-building approach with access to standard quartz, accessories, crafts, and arts. Difficulty can shift the order, especially when physical damage, arts scaling, accuracy, and defensive tools become more important.
Treat each tier as a practical recommendation, not an absolute power rating. A lower-ranked character can still be the best choice for a specific boss, chapter, craft interaction, or personal playstyle.
S Tier
- Exceptional impact
- Strong damage or control
- Useful in difficult encounters
- Usually worth building around
A Tier
- Reliable specialists
- Excellent in defined roles
- Minor limitations
- Strong chapter-to-chapter value
B Tier
- Situationally strong
- Needs favorable matchups
- More setup or lower consistency
- Still effective with planning
C Tier
- Limited consistency
- Narrower role or weaker scaling
- Better for specific encounters
- Requires more investment
Character Rankings and Recommended Roles
The central ranking focuses on what each character contributes to a balanced party. Joshua and Kloe stand out because they offer reliable offensive pressure through different damage systems. Olivier offers broad arts access, while Kevin’s defensive utility can change the difficulty of late-game encounters.
Estelle is not always the strongest specialist, but her flexibility gives her excellent value for players who prefer adaptable teams. Agate and Zin can perform very well when physical attacks, self-buffs, and chain crafts are used effectively.
| Tier | Character | Primary role | Main strengths | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Joshua Bright | Physical attacker / delay control | High speed, strong crafts, powerful damage, useful time arts | Joins later than the starting cast |
| S | Kloe Rinz | Arts attacker / healer | Excellent ATS, strong healing, powerful offensive arts | Orbment layout favors a narrower arts profile |
| S | Olivier Lenheim | Arts attacker / support caster | Broad arts access, strong EP pool, ranged utility | Weaker S-Craft and less impressive physical output |
| S | Kevin Graham | Defensive support / arts hybrid | Exceptional protection and recovery tools | Limited availability during much of the story |
| A | Estelle Bright | Flexible hybrid | Adaptable stats, support tools, balanced orbment | Rarely the best specialist in one category |
| A | Agate Crosner | Physical attacker / CP engine | Strong damage, useful delay craft, powerful CP generation | Can create downtime after heavy craft usage |
| A | Zin Vathek | Durable physical attacker | High durability, strong self-buff, effective melee damage | Slow speed and restricted arts flexibility |
| A | Scherazard Harvey | Turn-order support | Excellent action manipulation and party tempo control | Lower direct damage and fragile defenses |
| B | Tita Russell | Ranged attacker / utility | Useful range and occasional status utility | Low durability, lower speed, limited boss damage |
| B | Anelace Bright | Temporary physical attacker | Good burst potential when available | Limited long-term party access |
| B | Kurt | Temporary melee support | Solid defensive presence and useful story utility | Restricted customization and availability |
| C | Julia Schwarz | Temporary support | Can contribute during her playable appearance | Not a consistent full-time party option |
| C | Mueller Vander | Temporary physical attacker | Strong presence in specific late-game battles | Very limited control and party access |
Do not rank temporary characters as if they were permanent party members. Their combat performance can be useful, but they usually cannot support a complete long-term build plan.
Joshua is the safest offensive recommendation for players who want fast physical damage and strong craft utility. His speed helps him act frequently, while his time-element access gives him another way to contribute when physical attacks are less efficient.
Kloe is one of the most dependable arts users. Her high ATS supports strong elemental damage, while her healing and recovery options let her remain useful even when direct damage is not the priority. She is especially valuable when the party needs one character to combine offense and emergency support.
Olivier provides a different type of magical value. His flexible orbment arrangement allows him to cover several arts categories, making him a strong answer to encounters that reward elemental variety. He is less impressive when judged only by his S-Craft, but that should not overshadow his consistent casting role.
Kevin’s ranking reflects impact rather than availability. When he can join, his defensive tools can prevent a difficult encounter from becoming a cycle of repeated healing. He is best treated as a high-value encounter specialist rather than the foundation of every party.
Best Party Cores for Different Playstyles
A strong party does not need four S-tier characters. It needs complementary roles. A fast attacker, an arts user, a defensive support character, and a flexible fourth slot can handle more situations than four characters competing for the same job.
Use the following party cores as templates rather than fixed teams:
| Party core | Recommended characters | Best for | Key idea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced offense | Joshua, Kloe, Estelle, Olivier | General progression | Combines physical damage, arts, healing, and flexibility |
| Physical pressure | Joshua, Agate, Zin, Scherazard | Craft-focused play | Uses buffs, delay, CP management, and turn manipulation |
| Arts control | Kloe, Olivier, Estelle, Kevin | Difficult boss encounters | Prioritizes casting, protection, recovery, and elemental coverage |
| Flexible exploration | Estelle, Olivier, Agate, Kloe | Mixed enemy groups | Adapts quickly without depending on one damage type |
Physical Core
Joshua and Agate provide strong craft pressure. Add Zin for durability or Scherazard for better turn control. This setup benefits from CP planning and attack buffs.
Arts Core
Kloe and Olivier cover powerful elemental casting. Add Estelle for flexible support or Kevin when defensive protection is more important than raw damage.
Safety Core
Kloe, Kevin, and Estelle create a stable foundation for difficult fights. The final slot can become a dedicated attacker or another caster based on the enemy.
The most important distinction is between damage roles and battlefield roles. A character may rank lower in raw damage but still be valuable because they manipulate turn order, maintain buffs, provide emergency healing, or create safer casting windows.
| Role | Strong candidates | What to prioritize |
|---|---|---|
| Main physical damage | Joshua, Agate, Zin | Speed, attack, CP generation, craft range |
| Main arts damage | Kloe, Olivier | ATS, EP, casting speed, elemental coverage |
| Flexible support | Estelle, Scherazard | Healing, buffs, turn manipulation, utility crafts |
| Defensive support | Kevin, Kloe | Protection, recovery, status resistance, EP efficiency |
| Ranged utility | Tita, Olivier | Positioning, safe damage, status effects, area coverage |
A party is strongest when its members solve different problems. Avoid selecting four characters solely because they have the highest listed damage.
Step-by-Step Party Building Method
Follow these steps whenever the story changes your available party or a boss exposes a weakness in your current setup. This method works for both first-time playthroughs and higher-difficulty planning.
Identify the Encounter
Check whether the battle favors physical attacks, arts, delay, area damage, healing, or defensive protection. Enemy size, resistance, speed, and status immunity can change which tier matters most.
Choose One Primary Damage Plan
Decide whether the party will focus on physical crafts, elemental arts, or a hybrid approach. Give the main damage dealer the best matching quartz and accessory support instead of spreading every resource evenly.
Add Recovery and Protection
Include at least one reliable healing option and consider a defensive specialist for difficult fights. Kloe, Estelle, Olivier, and Kevin can fill different versions of this role.
Solve Turn Order
Speed, action manipulation, delay, and positioning often matter more than a small increase in attack. Scherazard and Joshua are especially useful when the party needs better control of the battle sequence.
Test the Build Before Recommitting
Enter a few regular encounters and check damage, EP consumption, CP recovery, and survivability. If the party needs constant emergency healing, replace a duplicate damage role with more support.
A simple rule is to keep one flexible slot open. That slot can become a second caster against groups vulnerable to arts, a physical attacker against resistant enemies, or a defensive support character when survival is the main issue.
| Adjustment | When to use it | Characters to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Add more arts | Physical attacks feel inefficient or inaccurate | Kloe, Olivier, Estelle |
| Add more physical damage | Enemies are vulnerable to attack buffs or craft pressure | Joshua, Agate, Zin |
| Add turn control | Boss actions are overwhelming the party | Joshua, Scherazard |
| Add protection | Healing loops prevent progress | Kevin, Kloe, Estelle |
| Add flexibility | Enemy weaknesses vary widely | Estelle, Olivier |
Higher difficulty can change the order of the tier list. Physical defense, accuracy, arts scaling, and access to defensive protection should be reviewed before copying a standard-difficulty party.
Tier List Checklist and Final Recommendations
Use this checklist before committing to a party for a major chapter or boss encounter. The goal is not to force every team into the same composition, but to confirm that the party has answers for the most common problems.
Party Review Checklist:
- Choose one primary damage plan: physical, arts, or hybrid
- Include dependable healing and emergency recovery
- Check whether the party can manage turn order and positioning
- Reserve one flexible slot for the encounter's main weakness
- Confirm that quartz and accessories support each character's actual role
For most players, Joshua and Kloe are the safest high-priority investments because they combine strong performance with useful battle functions. Olivier is an excellent choice for players who value arts variety, while Kevin becomes a priority whenever defensive control is more important than sustained damage.
Agate and Zin should not be dismissed because they are physical specialists. Their value rises when the party can support CP generation, attack buffs, positioning, and chain crafts. Scherazard is similarly dependent on understanding turn order, but her utility can be decisive in encounters where timing matters.
Tita is more matchup-dependent. Her range and utility can help in selected battles, but her lower durability and weaker boss pressure make her a less consistent general recommendation. Temporary characters should be evaluated according to the specific chapter rather than placed above permanent options solely because of one strong appearance.
For release and store information, consult the official Steam listing for The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC as checked on September 22, 2026.
Start with a balanced core, then adjust one slot for the encounter. The best ranking is the one that gives your party reliable damage, recovery, and control without forcing every character into the same role.
Q: Who is the best character in the Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter tier list?
Joshua is the strongest general recommendation for fast physical damage, craft utility, and useful time-element options. Kloe is an equally strong priority when arts damage and healing are more important.
Q: Is Kevin worth using despite his limited availability?
Yes. Kevin's defensive and recovery tools can be extremely valuable in difficult encounters. His limited availability means he should be treated as a high-impact specialist rather than a permanent party foundation.
Q: Is Estelle still good if she is not ranked in S tier?
Yes. Estelle's value comes from flexibility. She can adapt to physical damage, arts, healing, buffs, and general support, making her one of the easiest characters to fit into changing party requirements.
Q: Should I always use the highest-ranked characters?
No. Tier rankings are a starting point. Enemy resistances, chapter availability, orbment layouts, personal builds, and difficulty settings can make an A- or B-tier character the better choice for a specific battle.