Final Fantasy V: All Characters RANKED!
Final Fantasy V is a very gameplay-focused game. With a complex job system and a wacky plot, it really isn't all about the story. However, even though the story isn't really the best, the characters are absolutely fantastic. Heck, the characters are my favorite part of this game—really, I would rather play Blue Dragon or Octopath Traveler if I want compelling job system gameplay (sorry, please don't come with torches and pitchforks). But the characters? They aren't really replaceable. Truly, the characters are what make Final Fantasy V superior to Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy Dimensions in my eyes, as somehow, I like the job systems in both of those games better. I know, I'm weird. But I digress. Now without further ado, RPG Ranked presents... Final Fantasy V: All Characters RANKED!
5. Lenna Charlotte Tycoon
The second playable character you get in the party, Lenna, is 19 years old and has short, banged pink hair. While I still love her as a character, to me, she just seems like a much less interesting version of Faris, and a slightly less interesting version of Krile. Her crystal has the essence of water, with devotion being one of her main characteristics. She is a princess of Tycoon, which, while not being a main part of her personality, is something she occasionally makes note of as leverage in negotiations. She is impulsive and selfless, and her relationship with Hiryu is a great sign of this. She is also a great foil character to Faris, her sister, as she is kind and polite, whereas Faris is rough and confrontational. They also had very different upbringings, with Lenna as a princess and Faris as a pirate. Her best moment comes in a flashback, where she decides to spare Hiryu instead of healing her mother, which later comes full circle when Hiyru saves her on two different occasions. In lieu of her sister, she bonded with Hiryu, as her sister had been lost at sea when Lenna was four years old. Her character arc mostly ends at the Phoenix Tower, where Hiryu becomes a phoenix to always be able to protect her. While a good character, Lenna really just seems to me like a less interesting version of Faris and Krile, both of who I find more interesting. They both share enough traits with Lenna that I just eventually found Lenna to be my least favorite character in the game.
4. Krile Mayer Baldesion
The fifth playable character you get in the party, Krile, is 14 years old. She has long, blonde hair in a cute ponytail with small bangs, as well as blue eyes. Yet another princess with a familial relationship, Krile might seem like a rehash of Lenna, but I assure you, she is not. Her crystal has the essence of earth—of hope. She is bright, cute, and optimistic, and acts reminiscently of her awesome grandpa, Galuf. Krile is defined by loneliness and resilience, like Lenna, suffering bereavement as well—but to triple the degree, as both her parents and her grandfather passed away. She is anxious, with a direct personality shift after Galuf's death, and she has a deep connection with both her moogle and wind drake. After reuniting with Galuf and meeting the team at Ronka Ruins, her vibrant personality instantly makes the game better. She eventually becomes good friends with the team, becoming a boon to the party by talking to animals and inheriting the powers of her grandpa's crystal. As a whole, I simply found that Krile was a more fun and (personally) more interesting character than Lenna, as Krile shared almost no plot beats with Galuf, whereas Faris and Lenna shared a ton of them.
3. Bartz Klauser
The main protagonist, Bartz, is 20 years old, with fun, brown hair. Bartz is an explorer—fun and passionate, immature, yet levelheaded. He quickly joins the journey to get the Crystals, causing him to mature rather quickly. While sort of lacking in the story department, Bartz is easily the most likeable and quirky of the main cast. He is more of a self-insert type of character, being thrust into the drama, akin to the player themselves. He is the anchor of the otherwise quick-to-act group of important royalty—he is just a humble adventurer, nothing else. Quite simply, he is the most human, realistic, and relatable character of the bunch, and while he is kind of the least plot relevant in his own story, he is integral in displaying the whimsical and adventurous tone of Final Fantasy V. Overall, Bartz is fantastic, but not outstanding.
2. Faris Scherwiz
The third playable character you get in the party, Faris (real name Sarisa Scherwil Tycoon), is 20 years old and has long purple hair. Basically, she has Lenna's backstory, but much more fleshed out, as well as a fiery personality... which makes her the more interesting sister in my eyes. Her crystal represents courage, the crystal of fire. She is ruthless and rough, and is the strongest-willed member of the team of four. However, as the game progresses, she shows her kind sidemore and more often, caring for Syldra, Lenna, and King Tycoon—her family! Lenna and Faris eventually form a deep, sisterly bond, which is very touching to see, especially since they are so different, yet so similar. Overall, with the most distinct personality, the deepest character development, and an awesome backstory, Faris comes very close to being the best character in the game.
1. Galuf Halm Baldesion
The fourth playable character you get in the party, Galuf, is 60 years old with light brown hair and a large beard, With my personal favorite personality, a deep and unraveling backstory, and a heroic sacrifice, Galuf is easily my favorite character in Final Fantasy V. With an epic plot twist, the game reveals that Galuf is not just an amnesiac old man, but instead, the king of Bal. On top of that, he was part of the original Warriors of Light—the Dawn Warriors. He was part of this team along with Dorgann, Xezat, and Kelger, all of who also heroically sacrifice themselves during the first sealing of Exdeath, at taking down Barrier Tower, and the triumph at the battle of Castle Exdeath, respectively. These three, along with Galuf, were only able to seal Exdeath, not kill him, so when Exdeath came back? Galuf needed to finish the job. And his moment of sacrifice? So intense. So impactful. So heart-wrenching. When they all try to revive Galuf, it is so terribly sad. This man was such a legendary video game character, and one of my favorite characters in the entire series. Even though I liked Krile, she can't even come close to measuring up to Galuf. And quite frankly, none of the other characters can either. Galuf is just that awesome. And with that? Peace out RPG nerds, and have a fantastic day.