Best Recurring Final Fantasy NPCs

Final Fantasy‘s lovable cast of characters is a huge part of what makes every title in the series so special. Players will get invested in the struggles of their party members as they band together to take out a major evil force standing in their way, no matter what that force may be or what it takes to stop it.

This long-running series is known for several recurring elements that always bring a smile to fans’ faces. This includes some NPCs that are memorable in their own right and have appeared in several Final Fantasy games. Even if they may technically be a different character every single time (barring one notable exception), these familiar characters are always a joy to see.

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6

Boco

A Cute Chocobo That Has Appeared In Several Games

• Most Notable Appearance: Final Fantasy 5
• Number of Appearances: 4

Boco the Chocobo was Bartz’s cute companion in Final Fantasy 5. This adventurer loved his mount and treated him well, as seen in the fact that Boco always came to his master’s aid whenever he could. Later appearances of Boco have been sporadic, with a baby chocobo in many games getting this name by default. He also appears in Final Fantasy Tactics as the infamous Wiegraf’s mount, who eventually joins Ramza’s party after his villainous master is done away with.

5

Ultros

His Memorable First Appearance Made Him A Recurring Icon

• Most Notable Appearance: Final Fantasy 6
• Number of Appearances: 8

Final Fantasy 6 introduced fans to Ultros, a recurring monster who hounded the party multiple times in the World of Balance right up until they reached the Floating Continent. Seeing him serve as the Coliseum’s receptionist in the World of Ruin is a hilarious sight that further cements Ultros as one of the best characters in the game.

This iconic presence meant that Ultros was honored in two other Final Fantasy games. He reappears with his buddy Typhon in Final Fantasy 13-2 as an optional arena battle, and also makes an appearance in Final Fantasy 14 as a voidsent.

4

The Magus Sisters

Three Powerful, Iconic Magic Users

• Most Notable Appearance: Final Fantasy 10
• Number of Appearances: 7

Most people remember the Magus Sisters as Yuna’s ultimate summon, who can use their magical attacks to great effect against the party’s foes. However, unlike other summons, Yuna can only issue commands and cannot directly control their actions.

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This trio has appeared as a boss fight before in Final Fantasy 4, where also use their patented Delta Attack to deal massive damage. As long as players take out Cindy first, they can negate her revive magic, making it easier to take down the other two sisters, Mindy and Sandy. Final Fantasy 16 features a gender-swapped version of this trio called the Mageth Brothers, featuring Sandwydd, Mindwydd, and Cindwydd.

3

The Four Fiends

Legendary Antagonists In Several Games

• Most Notable Appearance: Final Fantasy 4
• Number of Appearances: 6

Since the first Final Fantasy game, fans have been treated to this iconic group of four major enemies in some form or another in many titles. They play a major role in Final Fantasy 4 as Golbez’s minions, with Cagnazzo going so far as to kill Cecil’s adoptive father and taking on the guise of the false King of Baron. In the first game, the Four Fiends are Lich, Marilith, Kraken, and Tiamat. Meanwhile, their identities in FF4 are Scarmiglione of Earth, Cagnazzo of Water, Barbariccia of the Wind, and Rubicante of Fire.

FF9 also features its take on the Four Fiends, but special mention must be made for the fun nod made to this evil group in FF7. They may not appear in the most popular Final Fantasy game, but Tifa’s childhood friend group takes on this name instead in a nice callback to the series.

2

Biggs & Wedge

Two Beloved Recurring Goofballs

• Most Notable Appearance: Final Fantasy 6 & 7
• Number of Appearances: 14

It would be impossible to talk about the most iconic recurring Final Fantasy NPCs without mentioning Biggs and Wedge. These two bumbling characters have appeared as either friend or foe in multiple Final Fantasy games, and make a lasting impression every time.

Technically speaking, Biggs and Wedge are playable at the start of FF6, but this appearance is so brief that they still count as NPCs in the eyes of many. Easily the most memorable iteration of this duo is in FF7, with Remake fleshing out their characters even more.

1

Gilgamesh

Makes Multiple Appearances After Being Banished Into The Void

• Most Notable Appearance: Final Fantasy 5
• Number of Appearances 15

To this day, there’s something about Gilgamesh’s infectious charm in Final Fantasy 5 that makes him the best recurring boss fight in the game by a country mile. He eventually grows to harbor a begrudging respect for the heroes, but goofs up so many times during their battles that Exdeath loses patience and banishes him to the void.

However, he arrives to save the party in the Interdimensional Rift, after which most people conclude that he travels through universes and arrives in various Final Fantasy worlds in the process. The only exception is FF15. In this title, he doesn’t seem like the same person as in previous Final Fantasy games, even if his appearance is somewhat similar to Gilgamesh’s transformed state in FF5.

Final Fantasy 16

Systems

10/10

Released

June 22, 2023

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence

Engine

Proprietary Engine