Characters
Information about each of the permanent and temporary characters is included below. In deciding which of the characters you wish to include in your party though, consider checking out the Tips and Tricks page below first:
Best Party
Tips and Tricks

You can definitely beat the game with using any of the selectable characters in your party, but some characters are more optimal to include and are more powerful than their teammates. Check out this section for more information.
Permanent Party Members
Squall Leonheart

Squall, the main protagonist of the game, is the character that you start off in control of. For most sections of the game, he is a mandatory party member.
Rinoa Heartilly

Rinoa Heartilly is the love interest of our main character and plays an important role throughout the story. She is aided in battle by her dog, Angelo.
Quistis Trepe

Quistis starts off as one of the instructors at Balamb Garden but eventually opts to join Squall and the other SeeD members on their upcoming missions.
Zell Dincht

Zell is a fellow Balamb Garden student, eventual member of SeeD member and resident of Balamb Town itself. He is hot tempered, constantly bullied by Seifer, and makes use of his fists in battle.
Selphie Tilmitt

Selphie is another Balamb Garden student who transferred over from Trabia Garden. She joins Squall and Zell during the mission in Dollet and accompanies them for the remainder of the game.
Irvine Kinneas

Irvine is a specialist who joins the party last after they reach Galbadia Garden. A bit of a womanizer, he makes use of guns in battle.
Temporary Party Members
Seifer Almasy

Seifer is Squall’s primary rival at Balamb Garden and for the rest of the events of the game. He joins your party for a brief time during the Dollet SeeD Exam.
Edea Kramer

Sorceress Edea is a figure shrouded in mystery whose role changes as the game progresses. At some points of the game though, she will join your party briefly.
Laguna Dream Sequences
Laguna Loire

Laguna is a character that you play temporarily during the Laguna Dream Sequences and flashbacks throughout the game. He is the stand in for Squall.
Kiros Seagill

Kiros joins Laguna in all of his adventures and you get to choose which party member will “play” Kiros for each of the flashback sequences.
Ward Zabac

Ward joins Laguna and Kiros in nearly all of their adventures. Like Kiros, you get to choose which party member will “play” Ward when he makes an appearance.