How many Story Characters are there?

[Same]

How many unique Story Characters are there? I usually try and use every story character on my first playthrough, so i'm wondering how many customs I should make. Although if there are any characters like Hogmeiser from Disgaea 1 in the game, I don't count them as story characters. They're just reskinned monsters to me.

[Pickleton]

If you're talking throughout the story, there's 6 characters.
There are also several Hoggmeiser-esque characters you can recruit that are just generics with a unique ability (overload). I believe there's at least 6 of those as well, though I never use any of them for anything other than Netherworld Expeditions. The lone exception is the one with the full-screen overlord, whom I use as my INT-based Monster Weapon user.

If you want to use story characters but keep their weapons from overlapping, I recommend swapping Kilia to a sword, since another one of the story characters has an S in fists.

Also, you start with 2 prinnies and 1 maid for your generics.
Since I change that maid into a gunner/pirate later on, I swap weapon type between her and Seraphina, since she does just about the same with a bow or gun (actually a bow is far stronger than a gun early on if you get the RES ARROWS evility).
You also HAVE to create 1 more generic for the story, and if you're allowing yourself 1-2 generics, I highly recommend making it a Lady Warrior and slapping a spear on her.
With this setup (maid as your gunner and one of the generics as your INT-based MW user), you have exactly one character for each weapon type, which gives you a well rounded and flexible group.
Otherwise, just make that extra generic whatever and use it for farming ally kills (for endings) / hospital resurrections / expeditions.

[Z3n]

6 main story characters, and you get them all in the first 6 episodes. There are also plenty of DLC characters.

[elfolampo]

9 Story characters, and one optional one, but 3 of the story characters are only join during the postgame story content.

Originally posted by Pickleton:

Since I change that maid into a gunner/pirate later on,

Heresy, Maid is the best generic class in the whole game.