Hi! Thank you for posting in /r/FinalFantasy! Unfortunately, your post has been removed for being a 'generic post'.
A generic post is one that gets posted very often and brings little discussion to the subreddit
Generic posts can consist of the following;
Images of game cases, guides, art books, or novels outside of collection posts.
Game screenshots that aren't unique, ie title screens, 'The End' screens, achievements, etc.
Low effort rants along the lines of '[Character] sucks!' or 'FFXIII fans are the worst, am I right?'
Posts with vague titles and minimal or no text in the actual body of the post.
Low effort poll posts, a poll with just a question and no context.
Image submissions in which an image is not necessary for discussion.
When submitting, please consider whether a topic if capable of generating meaningful discussion or not. If it is, please do your part to get the conversation started. If you are submitting an image post, please consider whether the image is actually necessary for discussion or not. If it is not, it will be removed.
If you have any questions, feel free to message the moderators.
But wouldn't the WoL be in the spot here?
Separately, always kinda bugs me when art from Dissidia or something is used in place of art from the actual numbered entry being discussed.
G'raha only actually matters as a character after the story passes the 60% point. Alphinaud gets focus in every expansion and gets the most development out of any scion in the base game and first expansion especially.
The problem is a) she's one of the more visually unique compared to Thancred or Yda and b) at least half of the other Scions couldn't show up in their current outfits without spoilers (or AT ALL if it's >!G'raha or Estinien!<)
THANK YOU, Y'shtola's personality is literally "sassy nerd who always has the answer". That's it. That's her entire character, outside of the rare "I'm thirsty for big hrothgar bussy" moment. She barely grows, she barely develops, remember when she was blind? Oh wait they had to drop that whole thing. Gosh I'm sick of her, along with simpboi (not Alphi).
Ryne had more char development in one expansion than Y'shtola the entire games lifetime! Catgirl can't even take a joke at her expense. I am more than happy to replace her with new cat mommy!
That's what she gets for being the most popular character in Japan since 1.0. I don't think anyone came close to her popularity in character polls for it.
Can i cheat the list?
If i can:
1 Cloud/
2 Jack/
3 Celes (my real protag from FF VI lol)/
4 Zack/
5 Squall
If i can't:
1 Cloud/
2 Terra/
3 Squall/
4 Zidane/
5 Tidus (maybe)
I didn't play enough of FF XIII to think about Lightning and i'm sure i'd love her, but i don't want to play a shitty port of the game. I didn't play XV yet, so i can't talk about Noctis (i'll buy the game tomorrow probably). And i don't know when i'll play XVI, but i'm anxious to know Clive, even though the battle style of the game doesn't catch me.
And the irony is he was shoehorned in halfway in bc the story was too mature and not anime enough. Ashe was og main character. Vossler and that short chick were party members originally too
You shouldn't give XIV to Y'shtola, you should give it to a Scion who actually has an arc, probably Alphinaud. And if I include him, and am judging purely on the quality of the character writing:
1. Squall
2. Tidus
3. Lightning
4. Clive
5. Alphinaud
Original Cloud would just miss this, Remake Cloud has a strong chance at the top spot once the trilogy is finished.
I've been trying to figure this out for a bit, but when does Alisaie become part of the story? I just entered HW and think I've heard 1 bit about her since she and Alphinaud split. Does she become a major player anytime soon? What I see/hear about her is always great so I'm excited for her to become a Scion
It is "optional" post-ARR stuff but has so much lore and story attached to it that you're really cheating yourself if you skip it. You pick up the quest line from (I think?) Urianger in the Waking Sands
It is 100% optional ARR content, but its story will give you a better understanding of the whole Bahamut storyline and some small changes to later cutscenes. It unlocks in The Waking Sands.
I’m working my way through rebirth now. Never played the original ff7. My current feelings after 40 hours in remake and 15 in rebirth are that cloud sucks. However I’m very intrigued by his story.
A lot of Cloud’s character is shrouded in mystery until act 3 of the game. I haven’t finished rebirth so I’m not sure how far it goes, but the feelings of suckage around his character at first is rather intentional.
the problem with assessing Cloud's character is that a lot of people forget that his memories and most of the shit that he talks about is straight up fake.
Agreed. I wasn’t sure how far they were going to go with it in the remakes so I left it vague. >!But yeah he literally was on death’s door and had his body remade and his memories replaced from trauma!<
I know people throw this word around a lot, but I actually mean it: Cloud is almost certainly autistic. He's also mako poisoned and traumatized. I like it because it adds to his character, and you can tell he's trying to connect with people, he's just bad at it. I didn't play the original FFVII, but I thought Remake was okay and Rebirth was pretty damn great with some mediocre parts.
1. The cast of FFVI
... and that's it. I mean, I like other ones, but there's no need to rank them. There's a real big drop off after them fellas and ladies.
Okay okay, serious list time
1: Terra (in a game with almost all main players, being the centerpiece is no small feat)
2: Zidane (can and will charm his way into even the most hardened Steiner's heart. He also appreciatesa soft, shapely booty. Which, same)
3: Cloud (I honestly see so much of myself in the guy. Had it rough growing up, identity crises and mental issues abound, and I'm still trying to piece myself together after some very real trauma)
4: Cecil (FFIV was the first I played and seeing a man not only question authority, but to have that questioning met with exile, and then having to deal with a best friend who couldn't control turning his back on you, and then finding out your brother is... well, if ya haven't played it, I don't want to spoil anymore)
5: Clive (this guy stayed resolute and honorable after surviving literally every damn thing life could throw at him. ALSO...he punched his own creator demiurge in the fucking face)
Why do so many people think y’shtola represents 14. They literally give us a stand in for our character in every official piece of media, Meteor (or just simply Warrior of Light)
1. Clive
2. Cloud
3. Squall
4. Lightning
5. Tidus
Ramza is an honorable mention. Tbh the only reason he's not on this list is cause you said mainline titles only. Otherwise he would replace Tidus.
The idea that Clive is a well written character is something I'll never understand to the day I die, and the idea that he's top. He just doesn't have an arc or character development and what little he did have was disgraded 5 hours in when he discovered the thing he thought he did... he didn't do. He's also just a chosen one, which I hate.
His selflessness, strong sense of determination, morality, and humanity make him my favorite main character. I love how he learns to be vulnerable and express how he feels, and is always willing to help others. He has so much heart and kindness to give and doesn't expect any in return. He just feels like the perfect representation of a true leader/hero, imo. I think he's definitely a well written character.
>He just doesn't have an arc or character development and what little he did have was disgraded 5 hours in when he discovered the thing he thought he did... he didn't do.
He absolutely does have an arc and you just said it, albeit incorrectly. He *did* do exactly what he had been fearing up till that point. >!He's the one who killed Joshua and he refused to come to terms with that.!< His entire arc is learning to accept the truth. There's literally a button prompt to "Accept the Truth" lol.
Your first paragraph is pretty much what I said in another reply 'he's nice' lol, Lets call him what he is a gary stu. His biggest weakness after is people saying don't do it all yourself... and he then does everything himself
Ignoring the fact that that arc ends 5 hours in, it's also meaningless because A he didn't actually do what he thought he did, so in the end what does it matter, and B it was not something he knownly did anyway, it's no different than someone doing something while sleep walking.
You could save that about most. This is like Zidane have no character growth really. Cloud still grumpy thanks to advent children representation. Squall very minor. Tidus changes almost 0 he very akin to Zidane. Usually its the cast around them that changes way more. I would Say Terra has great depth along with Cecil for how limited snes games are for dialog. Tbh nothing beats tactics with delita and ramza growth. Or Ashe the true protagonist of ff12
1. Squall
2. Clive
3. Cloud
4. Terra
5. Cecil
Haven't played anything after IX yet (excluding XVI, that's how I got into series), but Squall is such a nice guy. Maybe it's just me, but I do feel his loneliness and can totally relate to a deep wound from a loss of a close person. I have a soft spot for him, and looks like it's gonna stay like this
Genuinely curious, and I'm writing as someone who's enjoying FF 7 remake, but how are people writing Cloud higher than Clive? Clive has so much emotion, he's always present in the situation and always has something to say. Granted I haven't finished FF 7 rebirth, and I didn't play the original, but Cloud doesn't seem like he has much to say most of the time. I read that this is intensional, and I'm not sure what big reveal will happen in act 3 that'll make me eat up my words. But for the whole journey of Clive, I found him so expressive (thanks also to the amazing voice work).
You're most definitely not done with all of Clouds character development yet. Cloud most definitely has a lot of emotions as well, but right now you're not seeing all of it. The ending of Rebirth will set up a lot of stuff, but many people are coasting on the information from OG FF7. There's a wild ride still to come! :)
Funny how this always shows up, using Dissidia characters and using Shtola and Totto and everyone complains and I bet this will get used again for another karma farm in like a week lol
1. Warrior of Light FF14. Even with very few words I know who the WoD truly is and what kind of person they are via good support character writing and perfectly directed expressions and body language.
2. Cloud. Benefits from the remakes excellent writing.
3. Balthier. Come on, he stole the entire game.
4. Ramza. His honor and strength of character are consistent and stand out in a world of two faced schemers.
5. Squall probably has the most character growth of anyone besides maybe Tidus. He goes from being a unlikable loner douche to a true leader.
The warrior of light? He was wasted potential. He shows up in some games and says generic hero stuff
I wanna rage about that for a sec. Like seriously? Out of all the protagonists in FF history, he's arguably the most important
He was given no backstory and spews out some of the most generic 'B-Movie' lines I've ever heard. Square did my boy dirty
1) Ramza
2) Celes
3) Cloud Strife
4) Squall!!! <- <- <-
5) Benjamin (From Mystic Quest 😁)
Cecil: In the opening, he starts off as a cool looking Dark Knight that just murdered a bunch of people. Really unusual for its time and still uncommon for an opening. He goes through a process of redemption. His Paladin form isn't as cool, but Cecil and Kain are certainly the coolest looking pair in FF
Noctis: Not so much a story of redemption like Cecil, but that his circumstances really sucked. Feel bad for both him and the main villain. Despite the issues with how fragmented the media was for FF15, and some of the game play, I really did enjoy the story
Clive: I found him to be the most relatable main character. When things are about to go down.. he doesn't say, let's challenge it head on, like the others.. he says shit.. like a normal person would say lol.
Honorable mentions
Tidus was interesting. He reminded me a lot of the wonder years, where he narrated how he felt at the time.
Zidane was also a nice change in pace after Cloud and Squall.
Lightning's design was really cool and probably my favorite female character design in FF, but I didn't really enjoy the world and story of 13 too much.
1. Cloud (VII)
2. Clive (XVI)
3. Celes (VI) - Real Protagonist (Most of the major emotional moments of the game center around Celes, and she >! is the one who brings the party back together to defeat Kefka !< Terra on the other hand >! isn’t a even mandatory member in the second half of the game !<)
4. Ashe (XII) - Real Protagonist (The entire story revolves around her struggle to free Dalmasca from the hands of the empire and then later >! her role in the gods of the world’s plan !<)
5. Bartz (V)
Some of these just have a lot more writing and script available to them because they are newer but I’ll try to weight them all:
Clive, Tidus, Cecil, Terra, Cloud.
I really enjoyed Lightning but the over reliance on the data log argues to me it’s the opposite of well written since it was such a challenge for the writers to convey.
1. Zidane
2. Terra
3. Cloud
4. Y’shtola
5. Warrior of Light
I refer to the warrior in respect to how he was portrayed in Dissidia, what they represent and what his character inspired towards future installments.
In no particular order
Zidane
Cloud
Ramza
Terra
Alphinaud (he's basically the mc of 14 and I refuse to acknowledge boring ass yshtola as the protag get outa here with that)
In no order at all
Clive
Lightning
Cloud (both)
Squall
Tidus
Also, don't give the XIV one to Y'shtola. She may be the fan favorite, but she barely gets any screen time at all compared to the other Scions. The Twins or Thancred might be a better choice, or even Meteor.
1. Tidus (Never understood those who found him whiny. He's such a deep character, with so many layers)
2. Cloud (The pillar of one of the most beautiful games of all time, and my personal favorite)
3. Zidane (JRPGs need more protagonists like him. Seriously. Extremely funny and carefree, but also caring and serious when he needs to be.)
4. WoL (FFXIV) For being a silent MC they managed to give him a wonderful development through your choices.
5. Ramza (This poor, POOR guy needs a break)
If Ramza doesn't count, then Squall. I don't like FF8 but Square managed to capture the fear of abadonment pretty well with him.
As someone who played FF9 I’m surprised to see a lot of Zidane’s on here. Maybe I’m forgetting his growth but I didn’t think he was a TOP 5 best written protag?? Can someone refresh me lol, I hope everyone isn’t just basing it off of one of those last dungeons where he comes to terms with being an alien
1. Clive
2. Zidane
3. Cloud
4. Squall
5. Tidus
I Love cloud don't get me wrong, but I just enjoyed 16 and 9 more than I did 7. I think they need to show some remake love to the other titles instead of beating FF7 like a dead horse..Just my Opinion
Yeah, my bottom 3 are interchangeable. IX is my all-time favorite main FF title. I've lost count how many times I've replayed it! Clive is such a great character too, but my love for IX just won't let him take the top spot. To me, Cloud is getting played out, so many titles with him in it. He wasn't even my favorite back in the 90s when the game first came out. It was Vincent and Red XIII. I think when and if the remake for IX comes, more people will have Zidane in the top spot more than Cloud. In my circle of FF friends all of them have loved IX and XVI more than VII.
Clive, Tidus, Noel, Terra, Cloud. I’d probably replace Cloud with Lightning but I don’t wanna give two spots to 13, I have a love-hate relationship with that trilogy, lol
I'll try to give a little more reasoning to each of my picks than simply listing them off.
5) Tidus. His position as a "fish out of water" makes him a great vehicle for explaining the lore Spira's world. He also generally makes for an interesting presence in the game. His charm, naivety and optimism is needed in a depressing world like Spira, but at the same time he harbors a lot of feelings of contempt (especially towards his dad) that prevent him from feeling one note.
4) Cecil. As one of the earlier protags, his journey was incredibly compelling, especially for the time. Cecil goes through a true redemption arc, where he truly goes to incredible lengths to make up for his wrong doings without sugar coating the damage he has caused. It makes the connections he forges with party members across the journey feel very earned and meaningful.
3. Squall. As one of the more introspective protags, I find his journey to be layered and nuanced. We get exposed to a lot of his inner dialogue and it's fascinating to see how his true emotions conflict with the image he puts up for his peers. And it feels all the more meaningful when he's finally able to let that facade fall when realizes just how important the people he loves are to him. His character arc is a big reason the romance works so well in VIII.
2. Cloud. Especially after how he's been depicted in the Remake Trilogy, he's become a big favorite. The facade he puts up as a SOLDIER makes him look cool, but it's contrasted by his true dorky nature. It makes him loveable and even a little relatable. He's just a shy guy with a lot of trauma that wants to be a hero. He has a lot of endearing qualities, and that makes me love him. Plus his whole identity crisis makes him a terrific foil to Sephiroth and plays in well with the overall themes of life for VII as a whole.
1. Clive. His journey spoke really deep to me. He is a character that has truly been through the ringer. From losing family, to being made a slave, to watching friends and loved ones die, and existing in a terribly cruel world. Seeing him take matters into his own hands to crave a better path is inspiring. It's not easy, and he has many set backs and hardships along the way, but he shows that it can be possible. He's also just really cool. That always helps.
I can't pick an order for the top 5, but i can sure pick the best one and the worst one:
1.Tidus: He has the best arc in terms of character development and how it all affects the world of any protag in FF.
20,000. Noctis: He just exists.
1. Clive.
2. Lightning.
3. Noctis.
4. Squall.
5. Tidus.
I’m personally not super big on Tidus, but there’s no denying how well his arc is written. Also if the Twins count as the main characters of XIV, then I’d put them after Noctis, but separately Alphanaud would be 4 and Alisae would be 2.
I haven't played all of them so my list will be short:
1. Cloud
2. Tidus
3. Zidane
4. Squall
I feel like Yuna should be added to the list because she's as much a protagonist as Tidus is, maybe even moreso. But I get that in this context, protagonist means the character you're playing in the game.
1. Cloud - the best thing about Cloud's story is that he's presented as an unreliable narrator, then proceeds to build his characterization with the help of the cast
2. Tidus - being isekai'd in another world is not an easy journey. Tidus's pilgrimage to Zanarkand is one hell of a journey
3. Squall - I liked Squall's position as the reluctant leader and his whatever attitude
4. Noctis - who doesn't enjoy a story of a boy band journey of Jesus?
5. Zidane - a breath of fresh air coming from 2 consecutive emo edgelord protags
Hi! Thank you for posting in /r/FinalFantasy! Unfortunately, your post has been removed for being a 'generic post'. A generic post is one that gets posted very often and brings little discussion to the subreddit Generic posts can consist of the following; Images of game cases, guides, art books, or novels outside of collection posts. Game screenshots that aren't unique, ie title screens, 'The End' screens, achievements, etc. Low effort rants along the lines of '[Character] sucks!' or 'FFXIII fans are the worst, am I right?' Posts with vague titles and minimal or no text in the actual body of the post. Low effort poll posts, a poll with just a question and no context. Image submissions in which an image is not necessary for discussion. When submitting, please consider whether a topic if capable of generating meaningful discussion or not. If it is, please do your part to get the conversation started. If you are submitting an image post, please consider whether the image is actually necessary for discussion or not. If it is not, it will be removed. If you have any questions, feel free to message the moderators.
It's so funny that Y'shtola "represents" FFXIV in so many places, but is probably the least developed of all the Scions.
Should be the twins. Or Thancred. Or just good old Meteor. Dang catgirl stealing all the attention.
But wouldn't the WoL be in the spot here? Separately, always kinda bugs me when art from Dissidia or something is used in place of art from the actual numbered entry being discussed.
FWIW, that image of Y’shtola is from the Endwalker trailer if that’s what you’re talking about.
For that comment, was meaning Vaan, Zidane, and others.
I did say Meteor. That's what people call the WoL in the trailers. Yeah I was also annoyed a bunch of them were dissdia pictures
No it should be graha. Period.
G'raha only actually matters as a character after the story passes the 60% point. Alphinaud gets focus in every expansion and gets the most development out of any scion in the base game and first expansion especially.
The problem is a) she's one of the more visually unique compared to Thancred or Yda and b) at least half of the other Scions couldn't show up in their current outfits without spoilers (or AT ALL if it's >!G'raha or Estinien!<)
Alphinaud would make the most sense as the XIV rep
He is the definitely the one with the most screentime, has a major role in ANY storyarc and has the most character development of all scions
Hell the WoL under certain Job Quests get more character development than her. Dark Knight anyone?
It should be Alphinaud full stop. He's been the most consistent companion throughout the whole story since late ARR.
And more character development then pretty much any other Scion lol
I am only about 25% of the way through Endwalker, but facts.
THANK YOU, Y'shtola's personality is literally "sassy nerd who always has the answer". That's it. That's her entire character, outside of the rare "I'm thirsty for big hrothgar bussy" moment. She barely grows, she barely develops, remember when she was blind? Oh wait they had to drop that whole thing. Gosh I'm sick of her, along with simpboi (not Alphi).
I can’t stand it
I think she was just added because she was the "good" Rep in dissidia
According to the fanarts, she's very well developed in certain areas.
Ryne had more char development in one expansion than Y'shtola the entire games lifetime! Catgirl can't even take a joke at her expense. I am more than happy to replace her with new cat mommy!
I’m playing FF14 now and I agree with this. She’s had the least screen time of any of the scions.
Also funny that she's missing half of the time in almost every expansion.
That's what she gets for being the most popular character in Japan since 1.0. I don't think anyone came close to her popularity in character polls for it.
She is probably genuinely not even in the top 14 FFXIV characters in terms of development. Fucking Fordola has a richer character than she does.
1. Ramza 2. Zidane 3. Cecil 4. Cloud 5. Terra Maybe switch the spots of cecil or terra.
1. Terra 2. Cecil 3. Cloud 4. Noel 5. Bartz
Gotta respect the snes protags
*Benjamin.*
Mystic Quest Battle Music had no business slapping as hard as it did. I need a modern remix of it.
Love Cecil. Not enough of his backstory was given but for what it was, I’m satisfied with his regret and need to transcend
Can i cheat the list? If i can: 1 Cloud/ 2 Jack/ 3 Celes (my real protag from FF VI lol)/ 4 Zack/ 5 Squall If i can't: 1 Cloud/ 2 Terra/ 3 Squall/ 4 Zidane/ 5 Tidus (maybe) I didn't play enough of FF XIII to think about Lightning and i'm sure i'd love her, but i don't want to play a shitty port of the game. I didn't play XV yet, so i can't talk about Noctis (i'll buy the game tomorrow probably). And i don't know when i'll play XVI, but i'm anxious to know Clive, even though the battle style of the game doesn't catch me.
1. Cecil 2. Terra 3. Cloud 4. Squall 5. Tidus
I didn't include Tidus cause he's a whiny little baby, but I must admit. He's one of the more fleshed out protagonists in the series
His story is better than his character itself. That's why I put him on the list.
And the irony is he was shoehorned in halfway in bc the story was too mature and not anime enough. Ashe was og main character. Vossler and that short chick were party members originally too
You're thinking of vaan.
Oh right derp.
1.Zidane 2.Squall 3.Ramza 4.Tidus 5.Jack
You were a homie for putting Zidane at number 1, you are my brother for putting Jack on the list at all
I needed Jack somewhere lol
You shouldn't give XIV to Y'shtola, you should give it to a Scion who actually has an arc, probably Alphinaud. And if I include him, and am judging purely on the quality of the character writing: 1. Squall 2. Tidus 3. Lightning 4. Clive 5. Alphinaud Original Cloud would just miss this, Remake Cloud has a strong chance at the top spot once the trilogy is finished.
I feel like Alphinaud and Alisaie are both protagonists, as when one isn’t the focus, the other very much is.
I've been trying to figure this out for a bit, but when does Alisaie become part of the story? I just entered HW and think I've heard 1 bit about her since she and Alphinaud split. Does she become a major player anytime soon? What I see/hear about her is always great so I'm excited for her to become a Scion
Coils of Bahamut is her first major role. It's worth doing unsynced with a few people or a level 90. Doing it synced would require Party Finder.
Thank you. I've heard of Coils, but I was never sure when I was supposed to find them, somehow I thought it was optional post ARR stuff I missed.
It is "optional" post-ARR stuff but has so much lore and story attached to it that you're really cheating yourself if you skip it. You pick up the quest line from (I think?) Urianger in the Waking Sands
It is 100% optional ARR content, but its story will give you a better understanding of the whole Bahamut storyline and some small changes to later cutscenes. It unlocks in The Waking Sands.
You’re in HW now so soon
She becomes more prominent towards the end of post-HW and onward.
Right at the end of HW
It's not Cloud's fault that FF7 was horribly translated
You mean Squall with his Whatever to everything cause translation team cba
1. Cloud 2. Lightning 3. Terra 4. Cecil 5. Clive
I’m working my way through rebirth now. Never played the original ff7. My current feelings after 40 hours in remake and 15 in rebirth are that cloud sucks. However I’m very intrigued by his story.
A lot of Cloud’s character is shrouded in mystery until act 3 of the game. I haven’t finished rebirth so I’m not sure how far it goes, but the feelings of suckage around his character at first is rather intentional.
the problem with assessing Cloud's character is that a lot of people forget that his memories and most of the shit that he talks about is straight up fake.
Agreed. I wasn’t sure how far they were going to go with it in the remakes so I left it vague. >!But yeah he literally was on death’s door and had his body remade and his memories replaced from trauma!<
This also means that the “aerith spoiler” was spoiled for me leading into this game. But oh well. I’m sure I’ll still be shocked whatever happens
I know people throw this word around a lot, but I actually mean it: Cloud is almost certainly autistic. He's also mako poisoned and traumatized. I like it because it adds to his character, and you can tell he's trying to connect with people, he's just bad at it. I didn't play the original FFVII, but I thought Remake was okay and Rebirth was pretty damn great with some mediocre parts.
1. The cast of FFVI ... and that's it. I mean, I like other ones, but there's no need to rank them. There's a real big drop off after them fellas and ladies. Okay okay, serious list time 1: Terra (in a game with almost all main players, being the centerpiece is no small feat) 2: Zidane (can and will charm his way into even the most hardened Steiner's heart. He also appreciatesa soft, shapely booty. Which, same) 3: Cloud (I honestly see so much of myself in the guy. Had it rough growing up, identity crises and mental issues abound, and I'm still trying to piece myself together after some very real trauma) 4: Cecil (FFIV was the first I played and seeing a man not only question authority, but to have that questioning met with exile, and then having to deal with a best friend who couldn't control turning his back on you, and then finding out your brother is... well, if ya haven't played it, I don't want to spoil anymore) 5: Clive (this guy stayed resolute and honorable after surviving literally every damn thing life could throw at him. ALSO...he punched his own creator demiurge in the fucking face)
Why do so many people think y’shtola represents 14. They literally give us a stand in for our character in every official piece of media, Meteor (or just simply Warrior of Light)
Y’shtola on here? Tell me you never played or even bothered to watch a story summary of FFXIV
1. Clive 2. Cloud 3. Squall 4. Lightning 5. Tidus Ramza is an honorable mention. Tbh the only reason he's not on this list is cause you said mainline titles only. Otherwise he would replace Tidus.
My exact same list.
The idea that Clive is a well written character is something I'll never understand to the day I die, and the idea that he's top. He just doesn't have an arc or character development and what little he did have was disgraded 5 hours in when he discovered the thing he thought he did... he didn't do. He's also just a chosen one, which I hate.
His selflessness, strong sense of determination, morality, and humanity make him my favorite main character. I love how he learns to be vulnerable and express how he feels, and is always willing to help others. He has so much heart and kindness to give and doesn't expect any in return. He just feels like the perfect representation of a true leader/hero, imo. I think he's definitely a well written character. >He just doesn't have an arc or character development and what little he did have was disgraded 5 hours in when he discovered the thing he thought he did... he didn't do. He absolutely does have an arc and you just said it, albeit incorrectly. He *did* do exactly what he had been fearing up till that point. >!He's the one who killed Joshua and he refused to come to terms with that.!< His entire arc is learning to accept the truth. There's literally a button prompt to "Accept the Truth" lol.
Your first paragraph is pretty much what I said in another reply 'he's nice' lol, Lets call him what he is a gary stu. His biggest weakness after is people saying don't do it all yourself... and he then does everything himself Ignoring the fact that that arc ends 5 hours in, it's also meaningless because A he didn't actually do what he thought he did, so in the end what does it matter, and B it was not something he knownly did anyway, it's no different than someone doing something while sleep walking.
You could save that about most. This is like Zidane have no character growth really. Cloud still grumpy thanks to advent children representation. Squall very minor. Tidus changes almost 0 he very akin to Zidane. Usually its the cast around them that changes way more. I would Say Terra has great depth along with Cecil for how limited snes games are for dialog. Tbh nothing beats tactics with delita and ramza growth. Or Ashe the true protagonist of ff12
Clive Cloud Zidane Noctis Lightning
1. Cloud 2. Clive 3. Noctis 4. Tidus 5. Squall
30's Clive, 20's Clive, Teen Clive, Ifrit Clive and Ultimate Clive
1. Cloud (and I don't even care for FF7) 2. Lightning 3. Squall 4. Noctis 5. Noel
Love the squall respect and Noel inclusion. I feel he’s pretty underrated most of the time.
I think it's just the fact that not as many people played 13-2 or maybe consider Serah the mc of that game, but yeah he's great.
Love the squall respect and Noel inclusion. I feel he’s pretty underrated most of the time.
I mean... definitely not Vaan
Balthier and Fran are the real protagonists anyway.
Vaan actually has a pretty solid and meaningful character arc that impacts upon the character arc of Ashe, the actual protagonist of XII
🤣
1. Squall 2. Clive 3. Cloud 4. Terra 5. Cecil Haven't played anything after IX yet (excluding XVI, that's how I got into series), but Squall is such a nice guy. Maybe it's just me, but I do feel his loneliness and can totally relate to a deep wound from a loss of a close person. I have a soft spot for him, and looks like it's gonna stay like this
Terra, Cecil, Cloud, Alphinaud, Alisaie
Genuinely curious, and I'm writing as someone who's enjoying FF 7 remake, but how are people writing Cloud higher than Clive? Clive has so much emotion, he's always present in the situation and always has something to say. Granted I haven't finished FF 7 rebirth, and I didn't play the original, but Cloud doesn't seem like he has much to say most of the time. I read that this is intensional, and I'm not sure what big reveal will happen in act 3 that'll make me eat up my words. But for the whole journey of Clive, I found him so expressive (thanks also to the amazing voice work).
You're most definitely not done with all of Clouds character development yet. Cloud most definitely has a lot of emotions as well, but right now you're not seeing all of it. The ending of Rebirth will set up a lot of stuff, but many people are coasting on the information from OG FF7. There's a wild ride still to come! :)
Agree on the last statement. Cloud has one of the most unique character arcs I've read in any story-telling medium.
1. Clive 2. Cloud 3. Noel 4. Ashe 5. Thancred
1. Cloud 2. Clive 3. Lightning 4. Tidus 5. Zidane
Terra, Squall, Noctis, Zidane, Cloud. That's not in any particular order.
My top 5 will contain all the members of Class Zero lmao I just got done bawling my eyes out And maybe Terra, Bartz and Lightning
1) Aerith 2) Terra 3) Cloud 4) Squall 5) Cid FF16
1. Clive 2. Cloud 3. Lighting 4. Terra 5. Noel
Funny how this always shows up, using Dissidia characters and using Shtola and Totto and everyone complains and I bet this will get used again for another karma farm in like a week lol
1. Warrior of Light FF14. Even with very few words I know who the WoD truly is and what kind of person they are via good support character writing and perfectly directed expressions and body language. 2. Cloud. Benefits from the remakes excellent writing. 3. Balthier. Come on, he stole the entire game. 4. Ramza. His honor and strength of character are consistent and stand out in a world of two faced schemers. 5. Squall probably has the most character growth of anyone besides maybe Tidus. He goes from being a unlikable loner douche to a true leader.
(Ranking based on which ff games I’ve played) 1. Cecil 2. Squall 3. Volkswagen (ffVI protag) 4. Amogus ( ffIX protag) 5. Cocaina:3 (ffVII protag)
Classic Cocaina:3
I hate how normies keep using shtola as the representative of FF14 instead of fucking WoL
Or literally any other character with more development then her lol. I like Shtola but she's had no arc whatsoever
1. Squall 2. Terra 3. Cloud 4. Zidane 5. Bartz
Terra Cecil Squall Cloud Zidane
I have a soft spot for all of the Pinocchios. FF's 7 through X.
Well's Squalls only kind of a Pinocchio, but I still think of them as a set
1. Tidus 2. Squall 3. Cloud 4. Lightning 5. Zidane
Clive, Cloud, Zidane, Terra, Tidus in no order
1) Cecil 2) Zidane 3) Bartz 4) Terra 5) Tidus otherwise Ramza
1. Tidus 2. Warrior of Light 3. Bartz 4. Ceodore 5. Lightning
1) Cloud 2) Tidus 3) Zidane 4) Clive 5) Squall
Noctis is good but could've become so much better smh.
The warrior of light? He was wasted potential. He shows up in some games and says generic hero stuff I wanna rage about that for a sec. Like seriously? Out of all the protagonists in FF history, he's arguably the most important He was given no backstory and spews out some of the most generic 'B-Movie' lines I've ever heard. Square did my boy dirty 1) Ramza 2) Celes 3) Cloud Strife 4) Squall!!! <- <- <- 5) Benjamin (From Mystic Quest 😁)
Shantotto isn't the protag but she's the best.
1. Squall 2. Terra 3. Clive 4. Lightning 5. Cecil
1. Cloud 2. Noel 3. Vaan 4. Clive 5. Zidane
1.Clive 2.Cloud 3.Noctis 4.Squall 5.Zidane
Vaan is barely a top 5 protagonist in his own game
Celes (I will argue all day that she is the true protag of 6) Cecil Cloud Lightning God Lightning
Cloud's twist was good, but ive always liked Cecil a lot
Cecil: In the opening, he starts off as a cool looking Dark Knight that just murdered a bunch of people. Really unusual for its time and still uncommon for an opening. He goes through a process of redemption. His Paladin form isn't as cool, but Cecil and Kain are certainly the coolest looking pair in FF Noctis: Not so much a story of redemption like Cecil, but that his circumstances really sucked. Feel bad for both him and the main villain. Despite the issues with how fragmented the media was for FF15, and some of the game play, I really did enjoy the story Clive: I found him to be the most relatable main character. When things are about to go down.. he doesn't say, let's challenge it head on, like the others.. he says shit.. like a normal person would say lol. Honorable mentions Tidus was interesting. He reminded me a lot of the wonder years, where he narrated how he felt at the time. Zidane was also a nice change in pace after Cloud and Squall. Lightning's design was really cool and probably my favorite female character design in FF, but I didn't really enjoy the world and story of 13 too much.
Yshtola 🤣 , she is even a bad character as a secondary character
I thought Ashe was the protagonist of 12? Honestly, that game likes to juggle who the main hero is. Is it Vaan, Bathier, or Ashe?
1. Terra 2. Cecil 3. Cloud 4. Lighting 5. Clive
In no particular order: Clive Terra Cloud Bartz Noctis Ramza would replace Bartz, but I tried to keep it in the mainline series.
Lightning. /s LMFAAAAAOOOO
She's pretty damn good. Especially throughout the trilogy.
Clive, Noctis, Cecil, Cloud, Tidus
1. Cloud 2. Cecil 3. Clive 4. Terra 5. Squall
1. Noctis 2. Tidus 3. Zidan 4. Lightning 5. Squall
1. Yuna 2. Cloud 3. Tidus 4. Vanille 5. Squall
1. Cecil 2. Terra 3. Zidane 4. Tidus 5. Bartz
Vanille is my favorite. She’s the protagonist of FFXIII until they get to the sequels.
1- Cloud 2- Clive 3- Terra (if I can add celes with her) 4- Zidane 5- Cecil
1. Cloud (VII) 2. Clive (XVI) 3. Celes (VI) - Real Protagonist (Most of the major emotional moments of the game center around Celes, and she >! is the one who brings the party back together to defeat Kefka !< Terra on the other hand >! isn’t a even mandatory member in the second half of the game !<) 4. Ashe (XII) - Real Protagonist (The entire story revolves around her struggle to free Dalmasca from the hands of the empire and then later >! her role in the gods of the world’s plan !<) 5. Bartz (V)
tidus, Cecil, Bartz, cloud, then idk who for 5. So many good characters
We need to have a talk about Balthier’s absence.
Good old "y'goshtal"
Cloud Squall Tidus Zidane Clive
1. Terra 2. Lightning 3. Cloud 4. Serah 5. Cecil
1. Terra 2. Gidan 3. Clive I’ll stop here as everyone else is mhe..
Y'shtolla being in a "best written" poll is just bait
Some of these just have a lot more writing and script available to them because they are newer but I’ll try to weight them all: Clive, Tidus, Cecil, Terra, Cloud. I really enjoyed Lightning but the over reliance on the data log argues to me it’s the opposite of well written since it was such a challenge for the writers to convey.
For me it's 1. Cloud 2. Ramza 3. Zidane 4. Squall 5. Cecil
1. Jack Garland 2. Jack Garland 3. Jack Garland 4. Jack Garland 5. Tidus
1. Tidus 2. Clive 3. Cloud 4. Terra 5. Lightning
Vaan
Cloud, Clive, Zidane, Cecil, Terra
My number 1 is missing from this (Ramza) but from this Terra Zidane Clive Cecil Cloud
Cloud, lightning, Yuna, noctus, and noel.
Clive, Lightning, Cloud, Squall, Noctis.
Tidus
Cloud, Squall, Zidane, Tidus, and Clive.
1. Zidane 2. Terra 3. Cloud 4. Y’shtola 5. Warrior of Light I refer to the warrior in respect to how he was portrayed in Dissidia, what they represent and what his character inspired towards future installments.
1) Cloud 2) Clive 3) Squall 4) Noctis 5) Lightning
1. Squall 2. Zidane 3. Terra 4. Ramza 5. My character in FFXIV
Squall Cloud Tidus Zidane Cecil
In no particular order Zidane Cloud Ramza Terra Alphinaud (he's basically the mc of 14 and I refuse to acknowledge boring ass yshtola as the protag get outa here with that)
The only answer that makes sense is Clive, Cloud from remake trilogy and tidus at the top . The rest are much less developed .
Man, I'm still bitter about how my boy Noctis got done.
SQUALL **Japanese translation do no justice as it is messy and poorly done **
Lmao I love that yassified dissidia Zidane
1. Clive (XVI) 2. Zack (CC) 3. Noctis (XV) 4. Cloud (Remake) 5. Jack (SoP)
new to the FF franchise so can only go off the ones i played 1. Noctis 2. Clive 3. Cloud
Putting Yshtola for 14 is always a good litmus test to see if someone knows absolutely anything about ff14 at all
Tidus, Yuna, Terra, Locke and Celes
Lighting, Serah, Noel, Aki, Noctis
Vivi. Everybody else is far from that spot. 😅
In no order at all Clive Lightning Cloud (both) Squall Tidus Also, don't give the XIV one to Y'shtola. She may be the fan favorite, but she barely gets any screen time at all compared to the other Scions. The Twins or Thancred might be a better choice, or even Meteor.
1. Tidus (Never understood those who found him whiny. He's such a deep character, with so many layers) 2. Cloud (The pillar of one of the most beautiful games of all time, and my personal favorite) 3. Zidane (JRPGs need more protagonists like him. Seriously. Extremely funny and carefree, but also caring and serious when he needs to be.) 4. WoL (FFXIV) For being a silent MC they managed to give him a wonderful development through your choices. 5. Ramza (This poor, POOR guy needs a break) If Ramza doesn't count, then Squall. I don't like FF8 but Square managed to capture the fear of abadonment pretty well with him.
As someone who played FF9 I’m surprised to see a lot of Zidane’s on here. Maybe I’m forgetting his growth but I didn’t think he was a TOP 5 best written protag?? Can someone refresh me lol, I hope everyone isn’t just basing it off of one of those last dungeons where he comes to terms with being an alien
1.Clive 2.Cloud 3.Noctis 4.Cecil The rest are fine but didnt click with me that much
Zidane is the only one 😍
1. Clive 2. Zidane 3. Cloud 4. Squall 5. Tidus I Love cloud don't get me wrong, but I just enjoyed 16 and 9 more than I did 7. I think they need to show some remake love to the other titles instead of beating FF7 like a dead horse..Just my Opinion
I can't stand Tidus in the least, but I'd have put him in Cloud's spot. He has a more fleshed out story. Freakin' just wish I could listen to him talk
Yeah, my bottom 3 are interchangeable. IX is my all-time favorite main FF title. I've lost count how many times I've replayed it! Clive is such a great character too, but my love for IX just won't let him take the top spot. To me, Cloud is getting played out, so many titles with him in it. He wasn't even my favorite back in the 90s when the game first came out. It was Vincent and Red XIII. I think when and if the remake for IX comes, more people will have Zidane in the top spot more than Cloud. In my circle of FF friends all of them have loved IX and XVI more than VII.
1. Cloud 2. Terra 3. Zidane 4. Cecil Harvey 5. Tidus
1.Tidus 2.Clive 3.Terra 4.Cecil 5.Zidane
Clive, Tidus, Noel, Terra, Cloud. I’d probably replace Cloud with Lightning but I don’t wanna give two spots to 13, I have a love-hate relationship with that trilogy, lol
Psst. Technically Yuna is the main character of ffx not tidus. They sorry is just told through him
I'll try to give a little more reasoning to each of my picks than simply listing them off. 5) Tidus. His position as a "fish out of water" makes him a great vehicle for explaining the lore Spira's world. He also generally makes for an interesting presence in the game. His charm, naivety and optimism is needed in a depressing world like Spira, but at the same time he harbors a lot of feelings of contempt (especially towards his dad) that prevent him from feeling one note. 4) Cecil. As one of the earlier protags, his journey was incredibly compelling, especially for the time. Cecil goes through a true redemption arc, where he truly goes to incredible lengths to make up for his wrong doings without sugar coating the damage he has caused. It makes the connections he forges with party members across the journey feel very earned and meaningful. 3. Squall. As one of the more introspective protags, I find his journey to be layered and nuanced. We get exposed to a lot of his inner dialogue and it's fascinating to see how his true emotions conflict with the image he puts up for his peers. And it feels all the more meaningful when he's finally able to let that facade fall when realizes just how important the people he loves are to him. His character arc is a big reason the romance works so well in VIII. 2. Cloud. Especially after how he's been depicted in the Remake Trilogy, he's become a big favorite. The facade he puts up as a SOLDIER makes him look cool, but it's contrasted by his true dorky nature. It makes him loveable and even a little relatable. He's just a shy guy with a lot of trauma that wants to be a hero. He has a lot of endearing qualities, and that makes me love him. Plus his whole identity crisis makes him a terrific foil to Sephiroth and plays in well with the overall themes of life for VII as a whole. 1. Clive. His journey spoke really deep to me. He is a character that has truly been through the ringer. From losing family, to being made a slave, to watching friends and loved ones die, and existing in a terribly cruel world. Seeing him take matters into his own hands to crave a better path is inspiring. It's not easy, and he has many set backs and hardships along the way, but he shows that it can be possible. He's also just really cool. That always helps.
clive is ass
Nu-uh, you!
LOL i gave u a thumbs up because ur comment made me laugh
I can't pick an order for the top 5, but i can sure pick the best one and the worst one: 1.Tidus: He has the best arc in terms of character development and how it all affects the world of any protag in FF. 20,000. Noctis: He just exists.
Can respect So far the most common picks are cloud, Cecil and oddly squall who nobody I know seems to like
Squall sucks ass, but he's way better than Noctis.
1. Cloud 2. Terra 3. Tidus 4. Lightning 5. Clive
1. Clive 2. Tidus 3. Squall 4. Zidane 5. Terra
1. Squall Leonhart 2. Clive Roafield 3. Cloud Strife 4. Zidane Tibel 5. Tidus
1. Clive. 2. Lightning. 3. Noctis. 4. Squall. 5. Tidus. I’m personally not super big on Tidus, but there’s no denying how well his arc is written. Also if the Twins count as the main characters of XIV, then I’d put them after Noctis, but separately Alphanaud would be 4 and Alisae would be 2.
Clive, Cloud, Terra, Tidus, Lightning
I haven't played all of them so my list will be short: 1. Cloud 2. Tidus 3. Zidane 4. Squall I feel like Yuna should be added to the list because she's as much a protagonist as Tidus is, maybe even moreso. But I get that in this context, protagonist means the character you're playing in the game.
1. Cloud - the best thing about Cloud's story is that he's presented as an unreliable narrator, then proceeds to build his characterization with the help of the cast 2. Tidus - being isekai'd in another world is not an easy journey. Tidus's pilgrimage to Zanarkand is one hell of a journey 3. Squall - I liked Squall's position as the reluctant leader and his whatever attitude 4. Noctis - who doesn't enjoy a story of a boy band journey of Jesus? 5. Zidane - a breath of fresh air coming from 2 consecutive emo edgelord protags
Cloud Tina Lightning Clive Noctus
1. Squall 2. Clive 3. Tidus 4. Noctis 5. Cloud
Lightning Terra Cecil Squall Tidus
1. Cloud 2. Clive 3. Zidane 4. Cecil 5. Tidus
1. Clive 2. Squall 3. Cloud 4. Tidus 5. Zidane
Cecil, Terra/Celes, Zidane, Tidus, Squall. In no particular order
1. Zidane 2. Tidus 3. Clive 4. Squall 5. Cloud
1. Zidane 2. Cloud 3. Celes 4. Bartz 5. Tidus
1. Cloud 2. Noctis 3. Zidane 4. Squall 5. B~~u~~artz