Best Animal Party Members in Final Fantasy

Animal characters have been around almost as long as video games have existed. Sonic the Hedgehog is just one of many platformer mascots from the 90s. RPGs have had animal characters and companions too like the various versions of Dogmeat in the Fallout series. While Dogmeat is adorable, it cannot communicate with players even though it can carry literal tons of weight.

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By  Tristan Jurkovich

The Final Fantasy series has looked beyond animals as mere companions to pat on the head and say, “ Oh that’s a good boy!” Like Angelo from Final Fantasy 8. Anthropomorphic animal characters have taken up ranks in parties as far back as Final Fantasy 6, so let’s rank the best ones with a few caveats.

8 Mog (Final Fantasy 6)

A Late-Game Addition To The Party

There are several Moogles players can command in Final Fantasy 6. Mog is the only permanent party member though and he can be acquired rather late in the game along with his Yeti-like friend, Umaro. Both party members don’t have that great of natural abilities and they don’t contribute much to the story as they are side characters. Still, the game would not be complete without Mog and the rest of the Moogles in the game. They are iconic and Final Fantasy 6’s design of the Moogles are some of the cutest in the series.

7 Kimahri (Final Fantasy 10)

A Loyal Blue Mage Of Few Words

Kimahri is from Final Fantasy 10 and he is part of the Ronso clan. They look like upright blue lions who wield spears as weapons kind of like the Dragoon Job in other games. Kimahri is also the Blue Mage of the group which is a specific type of Job in the Final Fantasy series that can learn magic from enemies to use against them. Acquiring the right skills can make Kimahri a great party member during fights. Even though he is a core member, he’s kind of forgettable next to the rest of the cast like Wakka or Auron as Kimahri mostly stays quiet.

6 Torgal (Final Fantasy 16)

Man’s Best Friend With A Secret Transformation

Torgal is the only traditional animal, one who doesn’t walk upright or talk like humans, worth mentioning in the series. He is from Final Fantasy 16 and Torgal is not directly controllable as he merely follows the main character, Clive, around. Of the many pet hounds in the Final Fantasy series, Torgal is the best.

Besides Torgal being a cute breed, he can handle himself well in battle. Also, about halfway through the game, Torgal can unlock a magical ability that will change the course of combat. It’s quite striking but going into specifics would be a spoiler.

5 Fran (Final Fantasy 12)

A Sharp Mind And An Even Sharper Bow Tip

Fran is Balthier’s right-hand gal in Final Fantasy 12. She looks like a rabbit, part of the Viera race, and most of the Viera are female and excel in agility and have a prowess for the bow. That’s no different with Fran as she begins as a sharpshooter although like all characters in the game, she can expand her Job presets. She’s a lot like Kimahri in that she was banished from her tribe and doesn’t speak a lot. She’s more wise and forthcoming about her thoughts though, giving her more inertia in the story.

4 Cait Sith (Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth)

Devious To A Fault But Still A Powerful Ally

Cait Sith probably did not rank that high in the original Final Fantasy 7 as far as party members went. However, like all playable characters, Cait Sith was revamped in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Cait Sith is directly controllable in both the main cat form and the Moogle combo. As a cat, Cait Sith can zip in and out of tough situations easily. Combined with the Moogle, Cait Sith becomes a lot stronger, especially with their high Luck star. Cait Sith is also just entertaining to listen to as a jokester.

3 Red 13 (Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth)

A Wise Soul With A Fast Body

Red 13 was also improved in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. While not as entertaining to listen to as Cait Sith as he comes across as a bit more grim, Red 13 was more fun to play. His agility is on par with Torgal if not a bit higher and plus he is directly controllable.

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Red 13’s true strength is his skills that can support the party with stat boosts. Red 13 is also great with Materia as his Magic stat is quite high and is kind of like a Red Mage which fits given the name he was given within Shinra.

2 Montblanc (Final Fantasy Tactics Advance)

A Smart, Trusted Advisor Who Can Do Battle With The Best Of Them

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is an Isekai wherein a young boy, Marche, falls into the land of Ivalice. He is greeted by the Moogle Montblanc who helps run a guild. He explains that guilds across Ivalice compete for missions across the land. Not only does Montblanc become a trusted advisor to Marche, but he is a playable character too. His stature may be small and cute but looks can be deceiving. Montblanc can become a multitude of Jobs as a Moogle and he is by far the strongest of his race in the game.

1 Freya (Final Fantasy 9)

The Fate Of Burmecian Rests On Her Shoulders

Freya is a complete badass in every sense of the word in Final Fantasy 9. She faces the most opposition than any other animal character on this list and maybe the entire Final Fantasy franchise. She is an anthropomorphic rat who hails from the Kingdom of Burmecia. A Kingdom that faced not once but two genocide attempts from an invading army. Despite losing most of her people, Freya keeps it together as a noble Dragoon. She’s strategic and steadfast as a companion in and out of battle. Without her, Zidane and Garnet may not have gotten as far as they did in the main adventure.