How to Attack From the Back Row in Octopath Traveler 0

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Octopath Traveler 0 presents a world brimming with puzzles, hidden truths, and challenging encounters. As you strive to restore Wishvale, you’ll rely on a diverse cast of characters who will join your adventure in this fresh take on the classic JRPG formula.

Battles are engaging because you control a team of up to eight characters. These characters are arranged in two rows: four in the front and four in the back.

Want to learn how to effectively use characters positioned in the back row in Octopath Traveler II? This guide explains the benefits of back row attacks and how to take advantage of the switch combat system.

Can you Attack From the Back Row?

In Octopath Traveler II, characters positioned in the back row don’t actively attack – they simply support from the rear. To have them participate in attacking, you’ll need to move them to the front row.

As a player, I’ve noticed you can easily see in the menu which characters are lined up in the back row versus the front. It’s cool because if you don’t completely fill out that back row, not all of your front-line fighters will have a buddy supporting them during a battle!

How to Attack With Back Row Characters

To have a character attack from the back row, simply select the prompt that appears at the bottom of the screen. This prompt – ZR on Switch 2 – will only show up when you’re controlling a character who has another character positioned behind them during battle.

In the image, you can see I have a second character positioned behind Alexia during battle. This lets me swap between them during Alexia’s turn. Pressing the on-screen button will switch which character is active, bringing the character from the back row to the front, and vice versa.

Positioning your characters strategically in battle lets you take advantage of enemy vulnerabilities and protect your teammates. For example, if Alexia is hurt, I can switch to a character in the back row, giving her a chance to recover and avoid getting hit.

It’s a good idea to make your characters in the back row different from those in the front. For example, if you have a powerful fighter up front, consider pairing them with a magic user in the back who can deal with enemies weak to certain elements.

How to Change Party Formation

In Octopath Traveler 0, new characters you encounter will join your group automatically, up to the maximum party size. You’re free to rearrange your party’s order whenever you like.

To begin, open the menu. You’ll then find an option to create a party in the bottom right corner of the screen. On Switch 2, press the Y button to access this.

Following these instructions will bring up the party setup screen, where you can rearrange your team. This lets you change the order they stand in during battles, and switch characters between the front and back rows.

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2025-12-08 07:09