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Octopath Traveler II: Arcanist Job Unlock & Scourge of the Sea guide

by Chao Min Wu on 02 March, 2023

All-new for Octopath Traveler II is the Arcanist job class - and it's another of the later-game secret jobs that you have to work to unlock. That means that it's powerful - and well worth getting. This guide will help you to do just that.

The exact methods for unlocking each of the Secret Jobs in Octopath Traveler 2 varies - the Armsmaster and Inventor feature lengthy side-quests - while the Arcanist, like the Conjurer, is gated behind a highly difficult boss battle. But we'll help you with that.

Octopath Traveler 2 Arcanist Unlock guide

As another secret job class, the Arcanist doesn't drop into your lap - you'll need to go to a specific location in the world of Octopath Traveler 2 and seek it out. Specifically, this secret job is requires you to defeat the optional boss in known as the Scourge of the Sea.

To find this boss, you'll need to set sail - which means you'll need to wait until later in the game when you've unlocked a boat, which can be achieved via Partitio's side quests. At this point, sail to Tropu'hapu in the south-east, and look for a whirlpool, vortex-looking thing that's just east of Tropu'hapu Harbor, as pictured below:

You're going to want to look for the whirlpool vortex on the world map - within is a difficult boss that leads to the Arcanist.
You're going to want to look for the whirlpool vortex on the world map - within is a difficult boss that leads to the Arcanist.

When you're ready, you need to hit up that vortex to battle the Scourge of the Sea, who stands between you and the Arcanist job.

Fighting the Scourge of the Sea

  • Boss's HP: 95000
  • Shield: 12
  • Initial Weakness: Sword, Axe, Staff, Bow, Light

Due to Octopath Traveler II having many options on how to deal with enemy encounters, there are many strategies you can use for this boss. But we do have a few suggestions...

First, if you want to cheese through this boss as a low level player, it is highly recommended that you save a ton of money and take the merchant job class. The merchant's hire help at 30,000 Leaves summons some really powerful soldiers that can deal around 20000 HP when fully boosted. This is your best shot at beating this battle early.

Regardless of what you do, the main gimmick of this boss is its ability to knock away party members temporarily, often leaving only two party members behind. If the boss knocks out the remaining two allies, it will be game over.

When you break the boss for the first time, the boss gains the ability to slowly restore its shield gauge on its turn and will swap its weakness, so be aware. Try to slowly reduce the boss's shield gauge - this will be important later.

When the boss has suffered sufficient damage, it will charge up to use its ultimate attack. This will randomly remove three party members away temporarily, making the fight extremely difficult, so it is highly recommended that you break the boss before this ability occurs. If you can survive past this, the boss should be at death's door, and victory should be close. Just keep plugging away.

Once you're done, it's time for the next step.

Finding the Island & Unlocking the Arcanist

After defeating Scourge of the Sea, you will gain access to the east side of the ocean. Towards the southeast side is a nameless island with some treasure chests. You will find a Dragon's Scarf which is an excellent accessory for recharging SP. 

Beyond that, if you travel northeast from this island, you will find the Lost Isle. You can't miss it because it's visibly a giant maze-like structure:

The Lost Isle is populated with a maze, and you'll need to visit it to unlock the Arcanist.

When you're inside the island, head north until you encounter a sign board. It will mention about finding a true path, look for a faint blue light at night. This is an invisible bridge that will lead you to the Arcanist. 

This board will give you a hint as to how to solve the puzzle.
You need to take a leap of faith, Indiana Jones style, to reach the unlock for Octopath Traveler 2's Arcanist job class.

Arcanist Abilities & Skills

Once you've unlocked the Arcanist class, you can enjoy its powerful white mage style abilities. Here's what to expect:

Skills

  • Malice: Deal dark-based damage to all foes, and restore HP to all allies. The more damage you deal, the more HP you restore.
  • Blessing: Deal light-based damage to all foes and restoer SP to all allies. The more damage you deal, the more SP you restore.
  • Hex: Extend the duration of attribute-reducing effects on all foes by 1 (2/3/4 when boosted) turns.
  • Seal of Diffusion: Extend the reach of skills that only target the user to affect all allies for 3 (5/7/9 when boosted) turns
  • Seal of Inversion: Change 1 (2/3/4 when boosted) attribute-reducing effect on yourself to an attribute-raising effect.
  • Seal of Immortality: Grant yourself an effect that leaves you with 1 HP when hit with an otherwise lethal attack. This effect will disappear once triggered, or after 3 (5/7/9 when boosted) turns.
  • Reflective Barrier: Grant a single ally the ability to reflect 1 (2/3/4 when boosted) elemental attacks.
  • Seal of Eternity: [Divine Skill] Indefinitely extend the duration of a random positive status effect on a single ally.

Passive Abilities

  • SP Recovery: Upon taking damage, gain an amount of SP equivalent to 1% of damage taken.
  • Lasting Memory: The equipping character's status effects do not disappear even when they become incapacitated.
  • Price of Power: Doubles the amount of SP consumed when using magic, but increases the effects of spells.
  • Of Equal Might: Equalizes the physical attack and elemental attack of the equipping character to whichever value is higher. This does not include attributes raised by equipment.