My Favorite RPG Characters

In ascending order...

Nina - Breath of Fire

She starts out weak and is mostly just used for healing the party, but after she transforms she becomes badass and can turn into a bird the party can fly on. Her attack power doesn't increase dramatically, but the animation of her now using a laser sword is just rad.

Auron - Final Fantasy 10

He's mysterious and a badass who's a mentor to Tidus from beginning to end. There's an air around Auron of reverence that is palpable the entire game. You can't help but sense this guy means business. It's also cool that he's part of the original effort by Jecht and Braska to defeat Sin.

Cloud - Final Fantasy 7

Probably the most mentally unstable protagonist I've ever seen in an RPG, but this in many ways is why he's so relatable. The combination of his ambivalence towards others and stepping into his own vision of the badass he thinks he is is fascinating.

Kain - Final Fantasy 4

One of the more enigmatic characters on this list. Kain betrays his best friend, Cecil, twice, which is a foreshadow of a larger betrayal later uncovered due to mind control. This makes him incredibly dangerous to the efforts of Cecil to destroy Golbez, especially since he's so formidable with his jump capabilities as a dragoon. 

Frog - Chrono Trigger

You can't help but love this guy, even though he's one of the weaker playable characters. Destined to be heroic, yet is not the main hero. He embodies all the chivalrous knight qualities of the middle ages as well as the princess and the frog storyline. Cyrus himself, who is legendary in the story, claims Glenn (Frog) is a better swordsman than he.

General Leo - Final Fantasy 6

Again, the chivalrous warrior always gets me. The greatest soldier of the Gestahlian Empire, he comes to realize how evil Kefka is and eventually sides with the Returners. Tragically he is murdered by Kefka after going toe to toe with him, but you get to control him briefly and get to realize just how badass he was. Yet even as strong as he was, he still cared for the well being of others. 

Garrus - Mass Effect

His career as a C-Sec office was a good fit for him until he realized he could only do so much good in that role, so he tags along with Shepard. As a turian, you'd expect at least some bitterness towards a mostly human crew, but that's not the case. In Mass Effect 2 he continues to dispatch baddies as the rogue sniper 'Archangel' who, until Shepards crew clears the way to find his true identity, was virtually unstoppable. A loyal, badass, self-compromising do-gooder.  

Vivi - Final Fantasy 9 

He is the most endearing and loveable character, period. From the first moments of the game in Lindblum, you know you're in for a treat with this guy. He's the result of the first time Queen Brahne tried making a black mage out of mist, but the process wasn't refined yet. This results in a character with a major identity crisis, but also an incredible power in using black magic. Hopelessly flawed, kind, and on a seemingly never ending journey of discovery in his own identity and a great friend in the midst of it all.