Osvald, The Scholar: Octopath Traveler 2 Character Guide

This character guide for Osvald serves to highlight his story and unique functions. It explains the actions unique to Osvald, including Path Actions and Abilities.

Osvald’s Unique Actions Explained

Each Traveler has unique abilities specific to them, referred to as Path Actions, which they get two, one for each time of day. These can accomplish a variety of goals from accessing new areas, and information on the world, or providing additional information.

The Path Actions listed below are only available to the character that starts with this job, in this case, Osvald. They must be in your party to perform the Path Actions below.

Day Path Action: Scrutinize

Scrutinize allows Osvald to gain information from NPCs by interrogating them during the daytime.

Scrutinize is a chance-based option, meaning it can always be attempted but will not always succeed. However, failure to Scrutinize a target will damage your reputation in a town.

Your success chance with Scrutinize increases with character level. As such there are no NPCs that can enhance this Path Action.

Scrutinize is alternative daytime Path Action to the Apothecary’s Inquire. Which you use is largely determined by if Castti meets the level requirement to succeed with Inquire. Some NPC will favor one action over the other, making both viable

Night Path Action: Mug

Mug allows you to receive items an NPC is carrying by defeating them in combat. This requires only one defeat which gives all items held by the NPC as rewards.

Mug is a combat-based Path Action. Despite the aggressive nature of the action, you are not punished for failure or fleeing.

Similar to other combat-related Path Actions, it does grant EXP and JP like the Hunter’s Provoke or the Warrior’s Challenge.

This Path Action does not have NPCs that make Mugging any easier. It does however get easier as you level and gain stats or better gear.

Mug is best used in situations where items are available from a nighttime-only NPC, but either cannot be Entreated, or you desire to have the item earlier. Entreat cannot fail, making it more reliable for getting low-value items; as opposed to Mug, which can fail, but you’ll always have a chance at taking the item.

Entreat is the nighttime alternative Path Action for acquiring items. With Mug being combat-based and Entreat being level-based, it makes both situationally useful depending on your needs.

Talent: Study Foe

Each character also possesses a Talent, which are passive effects that have a variety of effects. These can range from enhancing their Path Actions to providing buffs in battle.

While Osvald is in your party, he will reveal a foe’s weakness at the start of combat. This can help and will allow you to quickly break newly encountered foes.

It’s best to think of this as a free use of the Scholar’s Analyze skill applied to all foes, but without the HP reveal. The weaknesses revealed are chosen at random, but will always reveal at least 1 weakness.

If two foes of the same type exist in an arrangement of foes, you’ll instead reveal one weakness for each time the enemy is present. The only time this seems to not be true is during Story segments, as the above tutorial shows.

Latent Power: Concentrate Spells

Latent Powers are a new feature to Octopath Traveler 2, which gives each traveler an ability that’s completely unique to them. These skills are earned by building the Latent Power Gauge by receiving damage and breaking foes. Using a Latent Power expends the gauge to provide its effects and does not require SP.

Osvald’s Latent Power is called Concentrate Spells. Concentrate Spell allows Osvald to make multi-target spells into single-target spells, increasing their potency.

This is a great way for Osvald to increase his single-target damage prior to getting any other buffs. Even with those buffs, it makes all manner of multi-target spells into high-powered spells for taking out bosses.

It’s worth noting that the wording of spells means this effect will only apply to skills that deal Elemental Damage. So only skills skill that deal Fire, Ice, Lightning, Wind, Light or Dark-based damage will benefit.

Osvald’s Scholar Skills

Osvald’s starting job is Scholar. With that comes a set of active and passive skills that complete the character. Scholars focus primarily on dealing Elemental damage, utilizing Fire, Ice, or Lightning-based attacks.

For more information on Osvald’s job as a Scholar, check out our Scholar Job Guide. This covers all the skills of the Scholar in-depth as well as any synergies that Osvald and the Scholar job have with the other jobs available in the game.

Osvald’s EX Skills

EX Skills are a new feature of Octopath Traveler 2. Each Traveler has two skills unique to them that the other Travelers cannot get. These are often powerful attacks or skills with powerful utility.

Teach

• Skill Type: Buff
• SP Cost: 10
• Effect: Grants a single ally your attribute raising effect for 2 turns.
• Boost Effect: Increases duration of passed-on effects by 1 turn per BP spent.

This can bring some more utility to Osvald, and in particular his Stroke of Genius Skill. However, the very limited duration can be a pain point. Since this cannot pass on any effects besides those that raise attributes, it has limited uses. Unless you have multiple characters load Osvald up with buffs in a single turn, it just won’t get much use.

Where to Unlock Teach

Veil of Darkness can be obtained by taking Osvald to the Altar of the Scholarking. He is required to be in the active party, or he will not receive this skill.

This Altar can be found in the Western Winterbloom Snows. The Entrance is tucked under the bridge shown above. While under the bridge, simply head north and you’ll enter the altar room.

One True Magic

• Skill Type: Elemental
• SP Cost: 75
• Effect: Deals highly powerful magic damage to all foes, reducing their shield points regardless of their weakpoints.
• Boost Effect: Increases damage per BP spent.

One True Magic is an exceptionally powerful spell, dealing high damage and already damaging shields but also costing a ton of SP. While not the easiest to use repeatedly, it is definitely a spell worth using often, being able to very easily hit the damage cap with Osvald’s Latent Power in effect.

Like many of Osvald’s other spells it can also be affected by Advanced Magic, upgrading it to One True Magic II and hitting twice; or Alephan’s Wisdom, upgrading it to One True Magic III and hitting there times.

Where to Unlock One True Magic

As Osvald’s second EX Skill, One True Magic becomes available during his final chapter in Gravell. It’ll be accessible during the final boss encounter in this chapter and remains available afterward.

Osvald’s Story

The sections below are details on Osvald’s Story in Octopath Traveler 2. As such, there are many spoilers below.

Overview

Osvald’s story begins with him being on trial for a murder he did not commit. He gets falsely charged with killing his wife and daughter and is sentenced to life in prison.

Osvald has only two things on his mind: Escape and Revenge. He seeks to free himself from the prison where he is being held and desires to kill the man that took everything from him with his own hands.

Chapter 1

Osvald is been formulating a plan for five years, a plan to escape the very prison that holds him on Frigit Isle. He knows there are three things he’ll need to make it happen.

The first is an escape route out of the prison walls. For this, he lands on an abandoned passage, which leads directly outside. Osvald decides the best way to get information on it is to interrogate a prisoner. He just so happens to interrogate one that helped build the tunnel, who informs him there’s an extensive labor document in the prison library.

The second is suitable clothing for after he gets outside the walls. Frigit Isle’s harsh weather has claimed many lives already. The end up acquiring such from an inmate known as ‘The Provisioner’, who won’t give up anything without a fee. Fortunately, Osvald is able to find a secret of his, which he uses to coerce the clothing from him.

The third is an accomplice. Escaping alone will be nearly impossible, so he opts to help another inmate escape with him. He lands on Emerald, known as ‘The Informant’. On top of aiding in his escape, Emerald also manages to snag the key to the muzzle Osvald has, which prevented him from simply using magic.

With all the pieces in place and the time soon upon them, Ovald and Emerald make their attempt an an escape. Everything goes according to plan, until they reach the exit of the abandoned tunnel under the prison. Here they are met by Warden Davis, who has removed the ladder and tries to prevent their escape.

After his defeat, Osvald uses magic to blow open a wall that is noticeable damage and the two make their way out of the prison, unfortunately, the guards have already been alerted.

Chapter 2

As they escape, Osvald has a flashback to the incident which saw him jailed in the first place. He quickly regains focus afterward.

Outside the Prison, Osvald and Emerald learn that with the guards actively looking for them, the original plan of using the inspector’s ship is no longer an option. They try to find a new option, before they are met by guards.

They quickly dispatch the guard and seek shelter in a nearby shed. Through a comment made by Emerald, Osvald comes up with a plan for improvised boats to escape on. These small boats are made up of carefully netted straw that has been frozen in the shape of a boat.

As they make their leave of Frigit Isle, Emerald decides to ask Osvald about his charges, knowing he was charged with murder. Emerald then claims their current plan is suicide and decides he wants to attempt to stow away on the inspector’s ship as planned.

This goes about as well as Osvald expects, ending with Emerald being surrounded and taking the boat down with him. Osvald soon realize that Emerald never intended to escape by doing this, instead creating a diversion for Osvald to escape undetected while also deterring any immediate pursuit by the guards.

Likely to be assumed dead after Emerald’s diversion, Osvald is able to slip away unnoticed, where he washes up on the shores of Cape Cold. Kindly soul takes him and and saves him, but on the condition that Osvald goes on the straight and narrow.

From there, Osvald’s journey begins, as he sets out to get revenge on the man who had him sent to prison on false charges.

The guide is currently being updated. For more of the story bits, please check back later. If you have any questions or recommendations, let us know. Thanks.

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