Trials of Mana: How to Decide Which Character to Use

Trials of Mana’s modern release means players can finally experience the game either again or for the first time on new platforms, but before you really get started with the game, you’re faced with the difficult decision of choosing which character you want to play as. The game allows for multiple different main characters to head up the game’s stories, each of them with their own unique aesthetics, personalities, and possibilities to sway players’ decisions. There are six in total to choose from as main characters with decisions to be made later on in the story as your characters progress.

But fortunately for Trials of Mana players, all you have to do in the beginning is choose a character to play as before you get to those more involved decisions. Even simpler still, the characters are largely tied to some RPG archetypes you’ve probably encountered in other games, so if there’s a playstyle you tend to gravitate to, you’ll probably find it here in Trials of Mana.

We’ve included an overview of each character as well as details on what their potential classes look like later in the game to help you make your decision on who to start with if you’re planning on playing this weekend. See which character looks like they’d fit your preferences and give them a shot, but if they’re not for you, you can easily start over and choose the one you’d rather have.

Trials of Mana is now available on the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. You can check out our review here to see what we thought of the new game.

Duran

This character is your typical warrior option who tends to use swords and close combat to fight. He’s sturdy enough to take some hits as well

“Duran is a proud young soldier from Valsena, Kingdom of the Plains,” Square Enix said about the character. “Though he comes across as hot-headed and ready for a fight, the whole kingdom acknowledges his skill with a blade. Duran has nothing but love for his kingdom and respect for the Hero King, a good friend of his departed father, Loki the Golden Knight.”

• Class 1
  • Warrior
• Class 2
  • Light: Knight
  • Dark: Gladiator
• Class 3
  • Light: Liege
  • Light: Paladin
  • Dark: Duelist
  • Dark: Edelfrei
• Class 4
  • Light: Divine Hero
  • Dark: Beserker

Angela

Angela is one of the main magic users of the bunch, so if slinging spells is your thing, she’s the one to pick.

“Angela is the only daughter of the True Queen of Altena, the snow-covered kingdom of magicians,” Square Enix said about the character. “Because Angela’s mother hardly spent any time with her as a child, the princess was prone to act out to get attention, wearing gaudy clothes and playing pranks on people in the castle. Despite this, her love for her mother runs deep. Angela never got the hang of casting magic spells, a problem that plagues her to this day.”

• Class 1
  • Magician
• Class 2
  • Light Sorceress
  • Dark: Mysticist
• Class 3
  • Light: Archmage
  • Light: Grand Diviner
  • Dark: Magus
  • Dark: Rune Seer
• Class 4
  • Light: Mystic Queen
  • Dark: Spellbinder

Kevin

A brutish character who favors close fights and aggressive actions, Kevin isn’t great with conversations, but he’s a talented fighter.

“Kevin is heir to the throne of Ferolia,” Square Enix said about the character. “His father is the king of the beastmen, but his missing mother was a human woman. Kevin’s father raised him to be a fighting machine, which affected his social skills. He is unused to conversing with humans, which can make him hard to understand at times. The ice around the young boy’s heart only began to melt after making friends with Karl the wolf pup.”

• Class 1
  • Grappler
• Class 2
  • Light: Monk
  • Dark: Brawler
• Class 3
  • Light: Divine Fist,
  • Light: Warrior Monk
  • Dark: Fatal Fist
  • Dark: Enlightened
• Class 4
  • Light: Beast King
  • Dark: Annihilator

Charlotte

Charlotte’s half-elf and not as young as she appears, and she fills the role of a cleric with classes stemming from that archetype.

“Charlotte is the granddaughter of Wendel’s Priest of Light,” Square Enix said “She looks much younger than she is thanks to the elfin blood in her veins. Perhaps because of this, she has always been coddled by the people who raised her in the temple. Charlotte’s bright and outgoing personality can be both an asset and a hindrance. Though curious, she’s superstitious and a bit of a scaredy-cat.”

• Class 1
  • Cleric
• Class 2
  • Light: Priestess
  • Dark: Enchantress
• Class 3
  • Light: High Cleric
  • Light: Sage
  • Dark: Necormancer
  • Dark: Warlock
• Class 4
  • Light: High Priestess
  • Dark: Chaosbringer

Hawkeye

Charming and loyal, Hawkeye’s your smooth-talking, confident thief option in Trials of Mana.

“Hawkeye hails from the desert fortress of Nevarl, home to a guild of noble thieves,” Square Enix said about the character. “He was raised as the orphaned ward of Flamekhan, the leader, together with Flamekhan’s own children, Eagle and Jessica. Hawkeye comes across as a laid-back and charming young man, making it hard to tell when he’s being serious. But at his core, Hawkeye is a fiercely loyal friend. Nothing gets past his honed senses and quick wit.”

• Class 1
  • Thief
• Class 2
  • Light: Ranger
  • Dark: Ninja
• Class 3
  • Light:Nomad
  • Light: Rogue
  • Dark: Ninja Master
  • Dark: Nightblade
• Class 4
  • Light: Wardenkeep
  • Dark: Vigilante

Riesz

Last up in the list of main characters is Riesz, a character who uses spears and supportive magic to help out her team.

“Riesz is the young princess of the mountainous kingdom of Laurent and captain of the renowned Amazon guard,” Square Enix said about the character. “She has a will of iron and down-to-earth manner. Though some might call her stubborn, Riesz is always there to lend a hand to those who need it. She lost her mother as a child and since then has tried to help raise her little brother Elliot. Her topmost priorities are her father, brother, and kingdom.”

• Class 1
  • Amazon
• Class 2
  • Light: Valkyrie
  • Dark: Rune Maiden
• Class 3
  • Light: Vanadis
  • Light: Starlancer
  • Dark: Dragon Master
  • Dark: Fenrir Knight
• Class 4
  • Light: Meterorite
  • Dark: Brynhildr