Surprisingly Useless Characters

[Alakaizer]

So I'm replaying Chrono Trigger for the umpteen quingigillionth time, trying to maximize characters other than Crono, Robo, and Ayla, and I've realized that Magus is surprisingly useless. He's a one-trick pony. He blasts magic, and that's it. Luminaire is better than Dark Matter, and Lucca's Flare seems equivalent. Robo's Shock may be equivalent, but doesn't need to be, since Robo can heal and do decent damage to a single opponent. Then there's the fact that he was far more badass long before joining your crew.

So, the question is, what other characters were supposed to be awesome, but were, in truth, the weakest character in the game?

 

[xvbones]

Final Fantasy (roman numeral colon the adjective) is your resource of useless characters that serve little to no purpose, ever.

Each title in the series has no less than two of them and sometimes as many as all of them.

 

[kannibus]

Dual classed characters in anything D&D related. You're way better playing an all or nothing, which is no prob for me because I'm always the fighter.

EDIT: Okay oaky, I'll admit when I'm mistaken. It just seems that I personally have had no luck with creating a good dual classed character. The last time I did, my warlock/bard spent most of his time getting chewed up by rats.

 

[CeallaSo]

I don't really understand how "all" of the characters in a game could be useless, since you're bound to end up playing as some of them if you play the game at all. This smacks of mindless anti-fandom, which I suppose is a step up from mindless fandom.

On-topic, I don't think this is something that happens very often, because developers seem to tend towards making the "coolest-looking" characters the most powerful. In fact, I'd say that it's far more likely for the opposite to happen; that is, you find a character who seems like he/she will be completely useless, but turns out to be quite powerful.

Still, one example I can think of off the top of my head is Fran in Final Fantasy XII. She's presented as this powerful but mysterious woman, spouting cryptic nonsense about Mist and The Wood and whatnot, but she's actually quite weak. There's never any reason to use her in battle, except in situation where everyone else is dead.

 

[xvbones]

I don't really understand how "all" of the characters in a game could be useless, since you're bound to end up playing as some of them if you play the game at all. This smacks of mindless anti-fandom, which I suppose is a step up from mindless fandom.

I will admit I hated FF 9 with a violent, blinding passion. I disliked, fervently, every single one of the characters and wanted bad things to happen to them. This was the game I meant, with the fully useless character roster, but not useless as in 'has no use' more useless as in 'why is there no button to fill this man-child's skull with ants.'

The comment was not 'mindless anti-fandom' so much as 'I really did not enjoy FF 9.'

 

[Vivace-Vivian]

The horses in Oblivion. Makes the game kinda go 'A-BUH?'

 

[Logic 0]

Final fantasy 7, vincient, he was supposed to be this really badassed guy but the thing is his stats overall are the worst at the end of the game and his limit break is terible.

 

[Ultress]

Naoto of P4: She looks useful with her high level physicals,death/light magic and almighty damage then you realize that her magic is easily depleted and her insta kill magic doesn't always hit(Never on Bosses).Physical attacks while having the advantage of working on bosses aren't as effective(unless your Chie) on the bosses as say the elements. AS some one said before: She's a queen of Random battles and that's about it.

 

[McMarbles]

So I'm replaying Chrono Trigger for the umpteen quingigillionth time, trying to maximize characters other than Crono, Robo, and Ayla, and I've realized that Magus is surprisingly useless. He's a one-trick pony. He blasts magic, and that's it. Luminaire is better than Dark Matter, and Lucca's Flare seems equivalent. Robo's Shock may be equivalent, but doesn't need to be, since Robo can heal and do decent damage to a single opponent. Then there's the fact that he was far more badass long before joining your crew.

So, the question is, what other characters were supposed to be awesome, but were, in truth, the weakest character in the game?

He's good when you're facing an enemy that can change his weakness, but yeah, that's pretty much it.

Anyway, surprisingly useless characters? Nash in Lunar I. All he does is lightning (which very few enemies are weak to) and status effects (which never, ever work).

 

[Drakmeire]

Goofy in Kingdom Hearts. at least I could turn him into a second keyblade in Kingdom Hearts II, I guess that made him a little useful.

 

[The Eggplant]

All of the NPCs in Oblivion. Ever. A generally great game let down by slipshod combat and THE FUCKING NPCs GETTING IN THE WAY.

Dual classed characters in anything D&D related. You're way better playing an all or nothing, which is no prob for me because I'm always the fighter.

Oh? I'll admit I've never played pen-and-paper D&D, but in the first Neverwinter Nights dual-classing was one of the smartest things to do...actually, often the only smart thing to do.

 

[LeonLethality]

Final Fantasy (roman numeral colon the adjective) is your resource of useless characters that serve little to no purpose, ever.

Each title in the series has no less than two of them and sometimes as many as all of them.

Because when you only had the four warriors of light two of them were completely useless.

OT: Ashley Graham because with all the guns you have she could at least use one of them.

 

[Alakaizer]

So I'm replaying Chrono Trigger for the umpteen quingigillionth time, trying to maximize characters other than Crono, Robo, and Ayla, and I've realized that Magus is surprisingly useless. He's a one-trick pony. He blasts magic, and that's it. Luminaire is better than Dark Matter, and Lucca's Flare seems equivalent. Robo's Shock may be equivalent, but doesn't need to be, since Robo can heal and do decent damage to a single opponent. Then there's the fact that he was far more badass long before joining your crew.

So, the question is, what other characters were supposed to be awesome, but were, in truth, the weakest character in the game?

He's good when you're facing an enemy that can change his weakness, but yeah, that's pretty much it.

What else aside from Magus changed its weakness?

 

[McMarbles]

So I'm replaying Chrono Trigger for the umpteen quingigillionth time, trying to maximize characters other than Crono, Robo, and Ayla, and I've realized that Magus is surprisingly useless. He's a one-trick pony. He blasts magic, and that's it. Luminaire is better than Dark Matter, and Lucca's Flare seems equivalent. Robo's Shock may be equivalent, but doesn't need to be, since Robo can heal and do decent damage to a single opponent. Then there's the fact that he was far more badass long before joining your crew.

So, the question is, what other characters were supposed to be awesome, but were, in truth, the weakest character in the game?

He's good when you're facing an enemy that can change his weakness, but yeah, that's pretty much it.

What else aside from Magus changed its weakness?

I seem to remember the golem sisters doing it.

 

[crudus]

Kaiden from Mass Effect 1. His AI is stupid, he dies constantly, and really isn't pleasant to talk to.

Dual classed characters in anything D&D related. You're way better playing an all or nothing, which is no prob for me because I'm always the fighter.

I have a character that can prove you dead wrong. That guy is just death, literally. He wears a black cloak and wields a scythe.

Goofy in Kingdom Hearts. at least I could turn him into a second keyblade in Kingdom Hearts II, I guess that made him a little useful.

He isn't useless. Any hit he takes is one you don't take and he can take a lot. The same can't be said for Kaiden.

 

[Trivun]

Final Fantasy (roman numeral colon the adjective) is your resource of useless characters that serve little to no purpose, ever.

Each title in the series has no less than two of them and sometimes as many as all of them.

In FFX I only saw Kimahri as really useless, until you got to the Omega Ruins and had the chance to make him learn the Nova Overdrive. That was massively overpowered. Rikku is actually extremely useful in bttle if you take some time out to level her up in the Moonflow and the Thunder Plains, after you leave Guadosalam. Plus, her Mix Overdrive is also stupidly overpowered, if you can get the Trio of 9999 Mix later on it's really invaluable against the later bosses, especially Braska's Final Aeon.

All the others are pretty much massively powerful in their respective fields. Wakka's great for the whole status effect thing, and great if you take time out to power up his Strength attribute. Auron and Tidus go without saying, once Lulu masters anything above second-level elemental spells you're guaranteed victory against element monsters like Flans, and Yuna can summon aeons so you're in a really good situation with her. Curaga's always useful, too ;D

 

[Vrex360]

The horses in Oblivion. Makes the game kinda go 'A-BUH?'

My answer too, I was given a paint horse but given how much I liked running and jumping by the end I was faster than the horse so I ended up rarely using it, rather just jumping from place to place.

 

[Tophius]

Naoto of P4: She looks useful with her high level physicals,death/light magic and almighty damage then you realize that her magic is easily depleted and her insta kill magic doesn't always hit(Never on Bosses).Physical attacks while having the advantage of working on bosses aren't as effective(unless your Chie) on the bosses as say the elements. AS some one said before: She's a queen of Random battles and that's about it.

I agree completely, it just sucks that Naoto is the last person you get and she's just crap. I always used MC, Ted, and Yosuke. Or when I got bored, I switched Yosuke off for Kanji, and I switched Ted off for Yukiko.

 

[pixiejedi]

Snow in Final Fantasy XIII. He looked like Basch from XII and Auron, event spouting crap about being the hero. Then out of no where Hope ends up a bad ass (I hated him so much and wanted to drown him in his own blubbering tears) and I never bother using Snow again.