Partitio, Octopath Traveler 2’s Merchant, is all about commerce. He can purchase items from NPCs, equip skills that let him earn more leaves from each battle, and even pay leaves mid-battle for mercenary aid. One unique commerce-focused talent Partitio possesses is “Business Partners,” which lets him hire NPCs to help him earn money or receive discounts while shopping. This guide will cover how to use Partitio’s “Business Partners” talent effectively, as well as some of the best Partner Skills to find in Octopath Traveler 2.
Hired NPCs Become Business Partners
Partitio’s nighttime Path Action, Hire, allows him to pay leaves in exchange for having NPCs follow him around and aid in battle. (You can change the time to night in-game by hitting R2 on PlayStation consoles, ZR on Nintendo Switch, or T on PC.) While each of these NPCs has an in-combat skill of varying strengths, they also possess what is known as a Business Partner skill. These skills trigger when Partitio is your party and you visit stores, inns, and other in-game locations where you need to spend leaves.
NPCs can be Hired for as low as 300 Leaves and as many as 20,000 or more, although most Hires cost between 1,000 and 10,000 Leaves. It is important to keep in mind that, while each NPC’s battle skill can only be used a certain number of times, their Business Partner Skill can be used indefinitely as long as they remain Hired. NPCs leave Partitio’s company after he has summoned them in battle the maximum number of times, and he can also choose to separate from his Hired companion at any time using the “Part Ways” command.
What Business Partner Skills Are Available?
There are over a dozen different Business Partner Skills Partitio can encounter when interacting with NPCs throughout Solistia. In general, these skills can be divided into three categories: Buy Skills, Sell Skills, and Special Skills. Buy Skills give a discount when purchasing items at stores, while Sell Skills allow you to make more Leaves when selling items to these same stores.
Special Skills do not fit in either of the above categories, and provide unique effects. The available Special Skills are as follows:
- Hard Bargain – Receive 20% more Leaves when Partitio uses Collect (a Merchant Job Skill that lets him attempt to steal money from enemies in battle).
- Wash Dishes – Receive a full refund when spending the night at Inns.
- Friends in High Places – Chance to receive 10-30% off when Partitio uses Hired Help (a Merchant Job Skill in which he pays leaves to summon aid mid-battle).
- Chivalry – Receive 20% off when Partitio uses Hired Help.
- Skilled Scheduler – Receive 20% off when Partitio uses Negotiate Schedule (a Merchant job skill in which he pays leaves to act during a foe’s turn. Note that this is the Merchant EX Skill, so he must visit the Alter of the Trader to learn it).
The Best Business Partner Skills
In general, it is recommended to bring a strong Buy NPC or Sell NPC with you as often as possible, perhaps switching off for a Special Skill NPC before a particularly long or difficult boss battle. Buy and Sell Skills come in two versions: one that provides a set discount/bonus, and one that has a percentage chance to provide a larger discount/bonus. Because the percentage skills require a lot of luck, it is generally recommended to grab an NPC who offers a set discount or bonus instead.
Some particularly recommended Business Partner Skills include:
- Silver Tongue – Receive 20% off Purchases
- A Way With Words – Receive 30% off Purchases
- Smooth Talker – Earn 25% more from Sales
- Puppy-Dog Eyes – Earn 15-30% more from Sales
Who Should You Hire?
There are plenty of NPCs throughout Solistia who come equipped with these valuable Business Partner Skills. Here are the hire locations and prices of just a few that you can easily find early in the game:
- Merchant in Tropu’hopu town on Toto’haha island – 4800 Leaves for Silver Tongue
- Merchant in the Western Crackridge Wilds (north part of western continent) – 15000 Leaves for A Way With Words
- Peddler in Oresrush (Partitio’s starting town) – 1280 Leaves for Smooth Talker
Additionally, if you’re feeling lucky, you can find an Apothecary in Beastling Village on Toto’haha island. She has the skill Lucky Break – a slim % chance of receiving any purchase for free. And yes, it even works when you’re having Partitio buy the party a boat!
With this guide, you will be able to Hire the best NPCs and make the best possible use of Partitio’s “Business Partners” ability as you explore Solistia and complete the eight characters’ stories in Octopath Traveler 2. Make sure to check out GameLuster’s other Octopath Traveler 2 guides to learn more about how to unlock secret jobs, access the lore-rich Mercantile Manuscript, and much more!
Octopath Traveler 2 is currently available for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. Which has been your favorite NPC to Hire in Octopath Traveler 2? Are there any other valuable Business Partners skills that you think should be added to this list? Comment below and let us know!
