“Greetings, General! My, you're looking even more dashing and handsome than usual, Your Excellency.”
—Makalov, to Geoffrey, when he becomes drunk in Radiant Dawn.
Makalov is fond of drinking, gambling and slackening off from work, resulting in him often traipsing into troubled waters, in the form of both lawful and unlawful forces alike. This has caused Marcia to constantly worry for his well-being, which she openly displays through angry outbursts of tantrums. Makalov is also known for being one to exploit his relationships with others, as can be observed through his numerous attempts to milk money out of Marcia.
Despite the major flaws in Makalov's character, however, it has also been observed that he can be honest under certain circumstances. This can be seen in his support conversation with Astrid, where he returns the pendant he duped her into giving him after being chided by an enraged Marcia. Astrid will then reveal the true value of the pendant to Makalov, whereupon he will be visibly shocked at her willingness to give up her wealth for his sake.
Makalov may join the game at a rather late chapter, but he is not necessarily a mediocre and incompetent unit. Once he starts gaining levels, his HP, Strength and Speed will be noticeably high, with his other stats having average values. Makalov also has the potential to possess high Defense, a trait that may be hampered by his unstable growth in this stat.
In this game, Makalov will be able to cap his Speed, Luck and Defense with relative ease, with his HP, Strength, and Skill following shortly after. His limited availability may prove to be a liability to his potential, but this should not prevent the player from using him altogether.
“After all... the only true prediction I made was this one. I'm sorry, Marcia... I was...a poor...brother...”
—Makalov's death quote in Path of Radiance.
“I knew this would be how...the dice would fall... Forgive me, Marcia... I'm...such a bad...brother...”
—Makalov's death quote in Radiant Dawn.
"I think I may try to start over in Begnion. Maybe it's too much, too soon... But I just want to live a more responsible life. Plus I'm tired of men threatening to break my knees... Good-bye, Ike!"