Final Fantasy 10 has one of the best and most distinct characterizations in an RPG, even 22 years after its release. Each character provides different and unique abilities, making them distinguishable and essential throughout the story.
The Sphere Grid allows each character to blossom and, further down the road, to expand their abilities and test out different strategies for each enemy. The turn-based aspect of the game brilliantly creates a dynamic that always feels exciting.
Ranking these characters is challenging, but we'll focus on the main story in this article because it targets a broader audience.
Final Fantasy 10's endgame content is fresh and expansive, but it unfairly undermines the prowess that some characters brought to our journey in Spira throughout the story.
Let's dive in and see who's on top!
7. Kimahri (Good)
Kimahri, of the Ronso tribe, isn't the most complex or developed, but his care for Yuna since she was seven years old is moving. In the grand scheme of things, Kimahri was essential to the plot as he was the one who took her to Besaid.
By being a "less talk and more action" kind of guy, he doesn't get the respect and consideration he deserves, but when Kimahri talks, his charm and sweetness melt any heart. His backstory and redemption are touching and make us appreciate Kimahri's awesomeness.
Regarding battle, Khimari's downfall is his lack of unique abilities. The only purpose of his special ability, Lancet, is to draw Ronso Rage's abilities from the enemies, but, unfortunately, they are almost obsolete compared to other Overdrives.
Since Kimahri doesn't have his own path, you can add versatility to the group by establishing a character that can replicate abilities.
Kimahri Excels in:
- Being a jack of all trades, master of none;
- Becoming a black mage with bulky defense and HP;
- Being the team’s backup healer (mainly when Yuna is out of the team);
- Having Piercing in the early game helps deal damage to bulkier enemies;
- Learning Steal/Use and Holy at relatively early stages.
Choose Kimahri If…
- You prefer building your character freely;
- You like a versatile character;
- You like the sweet, caring, yet badass personality of Kimahri.
6. Wakka (Excellent)
Wakka is the definition of a well-written and developed character. He starts as a simple man with old-school and strict ideologies and matures like no other party member throughout the journey.
What’s brilliant about Wakka is that he puts himself aside to embrace both Tidus and Rikku, the outsiders. He doesn’t change outright - he can be frustrating with his radical mindset and stubbornness, but slowly, his character flourishes.
From the get-go, he establishes himself as a big brother to Tidus and Yuna, and the care he displays from them is what makes Wakka so beloved. His relationship with Lulu is rocky but expands both characters’ personalities, constantly intertwining with his brother Chappu.
There are essential themes in Final Fantasy 10, like racism and radical religiousness, and Wakka is the face of both. His maturity represents change and the beauty of the world.
In battle, Wakka destroys any flying enemies that appear in the way (and there are many). He isn’t unique like Rikku or explosive like Auron but provides valuable abilities that exploit many enemies.
He can inflict Darkness, Silence, and Sleep, but bosses are usually immune to those ailments, so his usefulness in those battles is limited. Wakka also has Osmose, which can drain the enemies’ MP.
Wakka’s Attack Reels is the most devastating attack in the game. However, it only peaks after the game ends with his Celestial weapon and the damage limit-break. Until then, it isn’t as remarkable.
Wakka is generally ranked higher on most lists because of the post-end game content, which isn’t much of a factor here.
Wakka Excels in:
- Killing flying enemies with his fantastic accuracy;
- Inflicting status ailment in enemies;
- Dealing massive amounts of damage with his Overdrive, Attack Reels;
- Depleting enemies’ MP with Osmose.
Choose Wakka if…
- You love the archer-type in RPG games;
- You love inflicting ailments on the enemies;
- You love a flurry of attacks that do massive damage;
- You love Blitzball;
- You love a well-developed character.
5. Lulu (Excellent)
Lulu is the dream woman of many people. Her sober, mature, and teasing personality distinguishes her from the group while displaying a bold outfit reminiscent of 2000s punk rock. There's a lot to love about Lulu.
Her development throughout the journey shows her delicacy and care for Yuna and Wakka. More importantly, Lulu's interactions with Tidus depict a complex character who suffered throughout the years and shows strength in her vulnerability.
Our awesome black mage shows her prowess in the battle from the get-go. She destroys almost anything that comes her way and allows the players to relax while she and her magical plushie take care of business.
Lulu's stats aren't balanced, by all means: she's frail defensively against physical attacks, her HP pool isn't massive, and her strength is null. Nonetheless, unlike most characters, she excels in magic, offensively and defensively, and her evasiveness often comes in handy.
Her purpose is more targeted toward the early and midpoint of the game, where the players can exploit elemental weaknesses.
However, later in the game, you can deal massive amounts of damage with Doublecast Flare or Ultima, one of the most exciting and fun combos.
She ranks this low because her Overdrive is mediocre. Also, Yuna's higher potential and ability to replicate Lulu's strengths later in the game make her less critical for the more significant battles.
Lulu Excels in:
- Being one of the best characters in the early story;
- Having black magic abilities exploiting elemental weaknesses;
- Avoiding physical attacks due to her high evasion stats;
- Exploiting bosses vulnerable to poison with Bio;
- Reducing an enemy’s HP by ¼ with Demi;
- Learning Doublecast and Ultima, which, when combined, cause devastating damage.
Choose Lulu if…
- You love casting black magic and exploiting elemental weaknesses;
- You prioritize powerful characters in the earliest stages of the game;
- You love attacks that look awesome, like Ultima and Holy;
- You like a mature and well-written character.
4. Tidus (Excellent)
Tidus is our buddy for the journey since the start of the game. Unlike other Final Fantasy protagonists, such as Squall, Cloud, Noctis, or Clive, Tidus distinguishes himself for his goofiness and lack of experience in battle.
The names above are all talented fighters who give edgy and badass vibes. But not our Tidus.
He is a crybaby as a kid, with daddy issues, and strives for greatness as a Blitzball player. Plus, he isn’t even the most crucial character in the game. Whether you like him or not, Tidus is unique.
And the same applies in battle. His blitzball experience makes him the fastest player on the battlefield every time. Complementing his impressive speed stats are his time abilities, such as Haste/Hastega, Slow/Slowga, and Delay Attack/Delay Buster.
Hastega becomes a must-own technique, allowing the party to take action more frequently. It is a defensive and offensive juggernaut because it makes the enemy attack less while allowing our companions to pound the enemy with an overload of attacks.
Tidus’ overdrives, mainly the Blitz Ace, aren’t the best, but they do decent damage later in the game. However, as you progress through the story, his overdrive won’t make much difference.
Lastly, his final ability, Quick Hit, epitomizes Tidus’s all-purpose: speed. It allows you to attack with a recovery time three times faster than any attack in the game.
Tidus Excels in:
- Being a main rotation character due to this high speed;
- Allowing the team to take action more frequently;
- Having balanced stats throughout;
- Being versatile as a damage dealer and support;
- Having time abilities that are essential for tough bosses;
- Being an excellent character from start to end.
Choose Tidus if…
- You love doing a flurry of attacks while the enemy waits for his action;
- You want a balanced character that is useful every step of the way;
- You like flashy overdrives that do decent damage;
- You are a fan of goofy and joyful main characters;
3. Auron (Excellent)
Auron is the legendary guardian of the story. He is caring, protective, and a paternal figure for Yuna and Tidus in their journey in Spira. His story starts with Lord Braska and Jecht and ends with their children. He has arguably the most tragic and heartfelt story arc in the game.
Much like Lulu, Auron displays maturity and emotional turmoil, unlike most cast members due to their life experiences. Both characters balance well with the most childish and immature party members.
He is also the common denominator in Final Fantasy 10, connecting both generations and being a crucial part of the story.
In battle, Auron keeps his personality and aura: he protects everyone, withstands most attacks, and has a devastating strength, creating havoc everywhere he goes.
As a more straightforward RPG character, Auron aims to swing his sword and deal massive damage. Every step of the way, Auron possesses the biggest HP pool and the best physical damage output.
His simplicity makes him easy to use. However, there is some utility in his abilities, too. Auron gains abilities like Guard, Entrust, and Sentinel, reflecting his Guardian status in the story. Each one of them makes Auron sacrifice his HP or his Overdrive gauge to help others.
Besides these protective abilities, Auron allows party members and himself to deal more damage to the enemies with his Mental Break and Armor Break.
Auron’s overdrives aren’t unique, but Shooting Star is a great option to eject challenging enemies out of the field.
Auron Excels in:
- Dealing massive damage with his physical attacks;
- Withstanding damage from the enemies due to his HP stats;
- Lowering enemies’ magic defense and physical defense;
- Protecting other party members.
Choose Auron if…
- You like traditional characters who deal massive damage;
- You like debuffing the enemy's stats;
- You like ejecting big fiends out of the field;
- You like being a guardian and protecting other party members;
- You like a badass character.
2. Rikku (Superb)
Rikku is the most underrated character in Final Fantasy 10, story and gameplay-wise. She is the character that challenges the pillars of Spira, the intrinsic religious and old-school ways.
Her race, the Al-Bhed, gets a new perspective with Rikku’s reappearance in the story. The narrative and themes heighten, and everything you thought you knew about the lore changes with our ginger girl.
Wakka’s development as a character ties with his relationship with Rikku, as his mind widens as the journey continues. Rikku’s unwavering trust in Tidus and care for Yuna brightens the journey to Zanarkand, as she is the one who challenges the guardians and goes against the ideals of Yevon.
She is the change that the party needs while displaying a different range of emotions. She is the joy, the care, the never-ending hope, and the sweetness Spira needs.
Rikku, as her character, is also unique in battle. She is weak offensively, physically, and magically while not being stout defensively. So, why does she rank this high?
Simply put, every boss in the game fears Rikku. While many strive against the horde of enemies that show on the road, Rikku excels in destroying the big bad bosses.
Rikku’s Overdrive, Mix, is one of the most devastating abilities in the game, and its versatility is unmatched. She can support the party that surpasses Tidus’ Hastega and Yuna’s healing abilities while also being able to deal massive damage to the enemy.
Super Mighty G is one of the most helpful support mixes with Rikku, which casts Regen, Haste, Protect, and Shell on your party members. Hyper Vitality is also remarkable because it doubles your max HP while casting Cheer on your team 5 times.
But maybe the most impressive Mix Rikku does is the Trio of 9999. With this, every party member in battle will do 9999 damage with each attack performed. Combine this mix with Wakka’s Attack Reels, Tidus’ Slice & Dice, or Lulu’s Fury, and you will decimate anything that comes your way.
If you want to excel with Rikku in battle, you must steal items from your enemies along the road and even gather some obscure ones. Rikku is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable characters and fun to use and explore.
Rikku Excels in:
- Adding creativity to the battle system with Steal and Use;
- Providing fantastic support to the team with her Overdrive;
- Dealing massive amounts of damage with her Overdrive;
- Healing and curing some ailments with her Al-Bhed Potions.
Choose Rikku if…
- You love exploring new mixes with her Overdrive;
- You love distinct gameplay and creativity;
- You love utterly devastating attacks;
- You love cherishing your team with absurd support;
- You love a character that challenges the traditional ways;
- You love a sweet, funny, and caring ginger.
1. Yuna (Best)
Yuna is the hope and beauty of Spira. She is the true main character and the purpose of the storyline. Everything connects to the young summoner.
Her development as the story progresses is fascinating. Yuna starts as timid, insecure, and quiet. Everything ties to the plot and the obligation of saving the world without displaying what Yuna is or wants.
She flourishes with Tidus, as their charming romance picks up early on with one of the most emblematic moments in the game: the laughing scene in Kilika. The whole sequence depicts Yuna as goofy and empathetic while also displaying the burden and struggle of her journey.
It's a turning point in Yuna's character development. After all, she admits her sadness even when laughing because she is the ray of hope for the people, and she needs to maintain an image of joy and embrace.
She is the core of Final Fantasy 10. She ties every character to her - the sisterly relationship with Rikku and Lulu, the brotherly bonds with Kimahri and Wakka, the mentorship from Auron, and the loving connection with Tidus. Yuna is everything that makes Final Fantasy 10 special.
Yuna also transcends in battle as the only summoner on the party. Her summons automatically makes Yuna the most important and powerful character in the game. Besides their damage output, they also function as a shield for other characters since you can summon them to take the most devastating attacks from bosses.
Valefor is helpful as a flying summon to evade physical attacks and is essential in the earliest portions of the game. Ifrit, Ixion, and Shiva are great at exploiting elemental weaknesses and can heal themselves with their magic.
Bahamut is the strongest summon that isn't optional because of his damage limit break. His overdrive, Mega Flare, can erase half of some bosses' health bar. He also possesses the biggest HP pool and the strongest elemental spells.
Yuna also gets access to three optional summons: Yojimbo, Anima, and the Magus Sisters.
Anima and the Magus Sisters are the most fierce Aeons in the game. However, the latter are a gamble as you can only suggest their actions.
Speaking of gambling, Yojimbo is a greedy summon who only attacks when the player gives him money. He isn't extraordinary by any means, but he possesses the single best attack in the game, Zanmato. If you get him to do it, congratulations, you won.
Yuna is not only a summoner but an excellent mage. She is the group's healer and will save you endless times in your journey. Since her magic stats are incredibly high, you can venture her Sphere Grid toward black magic, which makes Yuna, by far, the strongest character in the game.
By the end of the story, you can have eight summons and the most potent white and black magic abilities in the game. Yuna is your solution to triumph by the end.
Yuna Excels in:
- Being the only summoner and therefore dealing immense damage while saving the party simultaneously;
- Being the party’s healer;
- Having impressive magical stats;
- Being capable of delivering an instant KO to most bosses with Yojimbo’s Zanmato.
Choose Yuna if…
- You love Aeons and aesthetic overdrive attacks;
- You love the healer-type characters in RPGs;
- You love making your healer an awesome black mage as well;
- You love Final Fantasy 10.
Ranking each character in Final Fantasy 10 is a hardship due to their uniqueness. Since they are so distinct, the player’s preferences will always factor in deciding if Lulu should be higher than Auron, for example.
Players who delve into the post-end game will always love Wakka as a primary damage dealer, while others who only appreciate the story will thank Yuna for her Aeons.
Final Fantasy 10 battle system allows any character to thrive, and it will always depend on how the player will allocate each Sphere Grid and how they will prioritize each character.
