The Seven Most Interesting NPCs - Nomvoting - Take 2

[Jason Tandro]

Okay so chalk this one up to my over-eagerness and my being unaware of the vast schism between ideas of what was and was not being looked for. I should have made this clear from the get go and I apologize. You can copy-paste your nominations into this new thread but here is exactly what we are looking for. These have changed from the previous iteration:

• Not a primary antagonist - that is to say an enemy which you constantly battle against as part of the main plot. Ergo nothing that appears as a boss at any point in the game.
• A main villain whom you do not actually fight as a boss should not be nominated either - such as Heidegger / Scarlet (technically you fight them in the Proudclad but still), Tseng, Queen Brahne, etc.
• NPCs should be nominated individually and not as part of their group (i.e. Nida, not SeeD.)
• What are we looking for? Influential characters in the world who help or hinder our heroes but who are not often recognized. O'aka, Johnny, the Fat Chocobo, Hildebrande, Regent Cid, etc. )

 

[Kionae]

I nominate the girl at the Honeybee who gives Cloud the nickname Pooch. She seems awesome (and there's actually a character in my main fan fiction series that was loosely inspired by her).

 

[Flare]

Thanks for the updated rules Jason. (I stupidly nommed Jecht last time, only thinking of him as Tidus's father and not as an antagonist )

Anyhow~
Luzzu and Gatta from X. They always stand out for me when I play the game, because of how your own decisions affect their lives, and Luzzu himself has ties to members of the party.

Judge Zargabaath from FFXII. Not much screentime but I like what you do get to see. Also, if things like Fat Chocobo is allowed, then I'd like to nominate Renn the cockatrice that you must chase after in Rabanastre.
(as a side note all the cockatrices you have to find that talk to you are fun NPC's and I'd nom them all but that's a lot so maybe it's best to just nom one? Or the whole group?)

Also I want to nominate Moguo from FFIX, the moogle you summon whenever you want to save on the world map. I mean does he really carry a knife with him? Have others tried to use him to save as well, only annoyed him and lost their lives as a result?!

 

[Carlie]

I second Moguo from IX.

 

[AvecAloes]

I second Moguo from IX.

^^

 

[Fangu]

Judge Zargabaath from FFXII. Not much screentime but I like what you do get to see.

Second.

Also, if things like Fat Chocobo is allowed, then I'd like to nominate Renn the cockatrice that you must chase after in Rabanastre.

GOD NO OH GOD NO THE NIGHTMARE I HAD REPRESSED XD

Anyway *cracks knuckles*

* Marquis Halim Ondore IV - dude sparked an FF meme ffs!
* Vossler - adorably conflicted and a little dumb
* Rikken - olol
* Jote - Queen of all Queens tbh
* Judge Drace - next to Basch, the only truly noble character in the game
* Larsa (does he count? He must, you can't really control him, save for IZJS)
* This Garif dude
* Al-Cid - Royalty and militarily clever; great English VA, even greater Japanese VA; Flint I'm looking at you

There's also this really lewd Moogle at the inn in Bhujerba but I need to find a screenshot...

I'll probably add more later


Also, this guy from VII:

(That's him with the glasses)

Edit: I didn't read the rules properly. I'll strike out the ones that are more curious

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

I second Marquis Halim Ondore IV and Train Man from FFVII.

Let me reiterate

Regent Cid from FFIX because he's hot a big personality, he's essential to the plot, I love his backstory with HIlda, and he's such a cute oglop.

The Shinra Middle Manager who appears on the train during the 2nd midgar bombing mission, in Junon twice, and in Costa del Sol. He's an Everyman and epitomises the spirit of the NPC.

 

[lithiumkatana17]

Also, if things like Fat Chocobo is allowed, then I'd like to nominate Renn the cockatrice that you must chase after in Rabanastre.
(as a side note all the cockatrices you have to find that talk to you are fun NPC's and I'd nom them all but that's a lot so maybe it's best to just nom one? Or the whole group?)

GOD NO OH GOD NO THE NIGHTMARE I HAD REPRESSED XD

(Edit: Was supposed to have this meme face in here and I accidentally deleted it before I hit 'poast'.)

Ok, I'm kinda shocked that both Flare AND Fangu haven't nominated Reddas... I may not like him in combat, but he's still an intriguing as hell character.

I do agree with nominating Marquis Ondore though. Dude's a BAMF, and he's got a lot of complexity to his character.

* Marquis Halim Ondore IV - dude sparked an FF meme ffs!
* Vossler - adorably conflicted and a little dumb

I don't think I've ever seen it put more perfectly, especially since I read this crack!ship comic with these two a while back and... I'll just stop. I think the manga does a good job of fleshing out Vossler's character a little more.

 

[Ite]

I won't double nominate, here are some more!

General Leo from VI.
Maduin from VI.
Zack from VII.
Dio from VII.
Bugenhagen from VII.
Olan Durai from Tactics.
Xu from VIII.
Cid from VIII.
Ellone from VIII.
Maduin from IX.
Part-Time Worker Mary from IX.
Puck from IX.
Magellan from XII.

 

[Jason Tandro]

I won't double nominate, here are some more!

Well remember it's nomvoting, so if you support one of the ones already listed, be sure to mention them.

 

[Clement Rage]

Reiterating Nameless Squad Leader. Seconding Zargabaath.

Now for a new one, Morrid from FF9. Utterly fearless, with some glorious dialogue

Steiner: Telll meee!

Morrid: You're not a very creative interrogator.

(Don't forget, Steiner is a decently high ranked Alexandrian official, if one not kept in the loop, so the threat of eviction might not be empty) But Morrid doesn't care at all. His sole ambition is to taste good coffee before he dies, and die he does in Disc 4, so it's down to the player whether he fulfills that dream or not.

(The Turks have their own game, they're not NPCs)

 

[Fangu]

Ok, I'm kinda shocked that both Flare AND Fangu haven't nominated Reddas... I may not like him in combat, but he's still an intriguing as hell character.

Reddas is awesome, but ever since I developed my 'what the story would have been like had Basch been the lead like first intended' theories, I just can't shake the feeling that his history and actions

Spoiler

and death

were originally written for Balthier's character. Alongside that, I think his character is underdeveloped/ not given enough screen time. I love his VA, his outfit and the fact that he brings much welcomed diversity to the cast, but... yeah.

/ XII rant

I do agree with nominating Marquis Ondore though. Dude's a BAMF, and he's got a lot of complexity to his character.

Also, best Silver Fox you'll ever get in a video game. MmmmMMMmmm.

 

[Jason Tandro]

Okay for my noms:

I second Bugenhagen from VII because who doesn't love that floating Master Roshi fuck?

Also seconding General Leo from VI, perhaps one of the finest "good guy in bad guy clothing" in the series. And Ellone from FF8, a complex character and one who often gets overlooked in favor of people complaining about Squall and Rinoa

I haven't thoroughly scoured both threads yet but to be sure I want to nominate O'aka in case he hasn't been. I love this character because apart from having great functionality as a traveling merchant he actually has a really great personality and helps add some familiarity on the quest.

I've seen people going with Moguo from IX, but I prefer Stitlzkin myself. Between his design and personality I think he's one of the most badass moogles since Mog from VI.

I third Train Man. That guy gets a lot of grief lol!

 

[Roger]

Leo, Maduin, Zack and Regent Cid are just straight playable characters aren't they?

 

[Jason Tandro]

Leo, Maduin, Zack and Regent Cid are just straight playable characters aren't they?

Leo is technically playable for one "cutscene battle" in 6 but no substantial amount of time. Maduin is playable for a cutscene flashback. Regent Cid is only playable in his frog form for the length of one mini-game. So they technically are but I'd give them a pass as their playability is only for story purposes.

Zack has his own game so yeah he'd definitely be considered a PC.

 

[Flintlock]

But Zack is an NPC in Final Fantasy VII. I think if someone wants to nominate him based on his appearance in that game, they should be able to.

 

[Jason Tandro]

But Zack is an NPC in Final Fantasy VII. I think if someone wants to nominate him based on his appearance in that game, they should be able to.

Fair enough. I'll let it slide. By rights he would have only ever been an NPC if Squeenix hadn't decided to milk VII for all its worth.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Thirding Bugenhagen

 

[Splintered]

I dunno, I feel like Zack as a MC in his own game makes it so that he shouldn't be a NPC.

I'm going to reiterate Train Station Guy from FFVII, I have a lot of feeling about him, and he haunts me to this day.

XIII-2: Yuel for her impact on the story and the world around her.
Lightning Returns: Lumina, for actually be fun to watch in a game with rather droll characters

IX: I have a certain fondness for the Black Mage Village leader.

I feel like the game with the best NPCs will go to the MMO's, for obvious reasons. But I can't remember most of them except for the Scions that I don't actually care about. So I'm just going to go with Hildibrand as a good, general, memorable character. But there are so many fleshed out characters that impact the story that I can't even remember most of them. And i never played IX so there goes that.

Kunsel from Crisis Core and Tseng from CC and FFVII.

I don't know if guest character are allowed. If they are: Blank and Beatrix from IX, Larsa form XII, and Edea from VIII.

 

[Ite]

Whoa. I actually forgot that Crisis Core existed...

Edit: I don't think you have any player control during that battle screen with Leo, it's just used to display a battle animation, which is more detailed than field animations.

I'm adding votes for: Cid from IX, Zargabaath and Ondore from XII. If guests are legal (party members that you can equip and program but ultimately act on AI) Vossler too.

 

[Roger]

Edit: I don't think you have any player control during that battle screen with Leo, it's just used to display a battle animation, which is more detailed than field animations.

You do, you can run around, challenge Guardians to fights, escape from battle, and you can choose Shock or Attack or Item for your fight with Kefka.

 

[Clement Rage]

If characters can be included based on one specific game, ignoring the others then every instalment with sequels gets kind of tricky. Could we include, say, Snow or Sazh because they're NPCs in sequels? Wakka because of 10-2? Cloud because he's an NPC in Dirge? I think the easiest thing to do is take 'non playable character' literally, and add in main villains. This is proving controversial.

Endorsing Bugenhagen.

From 8, Xu. While the player team is doing all they crazy time travelling stuff, she's the one actually keeping things running and helping with all our unreasonable demands.

 

[Jason Tandro]

This is proving controversial.

I think we are overthinking this a touch. After all anybody can nominate, but the ones that seem to be getting the most support are the traditional NPCs.

 

[Channy]

I wanna nominate Rachel from VI - she adds a really tragic past to Locke who tries to be so happy go lucky, traditional hero, and in the little plot point

Spoiler: spoilers?

surrounding her death/rebirth into Phoenix and his desperation

she's a driving factor for Locke to finally carry on and move forward with his life.

Plus her theme is just so... ugh. My heart. </3

 

[Jason Tandro]

Okay the next post is going to be a recape of what has been nommed so far but before I do that I want to add my support for Xu (VIII), Lumina (LR) and Hildibrand (XIV).