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Character roster

Echoes of Aincrad Characters and Partners

A low-spoiler overview of the player avatar, original partners, familiar Sword Art Online characters, and what partner choice changes in combat.

Updated July 11, 20267 min readLow spoilers
The roster mixes an original player story with familiar SAO characters.

The official gallery lists the Protagonist, Iori, Wyzeman, Zash, Argo, Stina, Musoh, Kirito, Asuna, Agil, Klein, Lisbeth, and Silica.

Your protagonist

Echoes of Aincrad places a customizable avatar at the center of the story. Appearance is created after the beta section, while combat identity comes from the weapon, attributes, equipment, Sword Skills, EX-Mods, and partner selected for each quest.

Original cast

CharacterSpoiler-light context
IoriA central early companion tied closely to the player's path through Aincrad.
WyzemanPart of the original cast encountered in this version of the Aincrad story.
ZashAn original character included among the available partner roster.
StinaAn original partner with a distinct weapon and support package.
MusohAn original partner whose combat value depends on skills and quest fit.

Familiar Aincrad faces

Kirito, Asuna, Argo, Agil, Klein, Lisbeth, and Silica appear alongside the original cast. Their inclusion does not replace the custom protagonist: the player's build and chosen companion remain the mechanical center of each quest.

What changes when you choose a partner

  • Weapon family and normal combat behavior.
  • Support Skill, such as healing, buffs, or enemy debuffs.
  • Sword Skills used by the companion.
  • Combination Skill available to the pair.
  • How useful Switch Mode and Free Mode feel in that quest.

There is no universal best partner. A healing or control-focused companion can be more valuable for an unfamiliar boss, while an offensive partner can shorten routine field fights.

How to test a new partner

Use a familiar quest so the enemy behavior does not change between comparisons. Watch how often the partner creates openings, whether the Support Skill solves a real weakness, and how safely you can trigger the Combination Skill. Then check the partner's weapon and equipped skills from your room at the Inn before judging the character's final value.

Separate story preference from build fit. You can travel with a favorite character while still changing their setup and your combat plan to make the pair work.