Thancred is an intelligent smooth-talker with a fondness for women, though he does get flustered when Minfilia Warde points out some of the shadier elements of his past, even as a compliment. Thancred is devoted to Minfilia and views her as a close friend, akin to a sister. Following the events of the Calamity, Thancred became a workaholic to the point of exhaustion, trying to fill in the shoes of Louisoix Leveilleur.

After learning that Minfilia had become the Word of the Mother, Thancred's disposition changed, becoming less cheerful and more stoic and hardened, though he still retains his dry wit. Despite this, Thancred has come to accept Minfilia's fate. He is devoted to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn's cause and has become something akin to their spy and recon-agent, willing to delve into hostile territory. The other Scions are fond of Thancred and view him as a close friend. Thancred in return is protective of his friends and allies and, in particular, holds the Warrior of Light in the highest esteem. In the later patches of Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood, Thancred is revealed as a cunning and clever tactician.

In Shadowbringers, Thancred's feelings and inner-conflict over Minfilia's fate are laid bare. He is initially reluctant to accept her reincarnation in the First, Ryne, but follows his Minfilia's wish to look after Ryne while keeping emotionally distant. This leads Ryne to believe that Thancred hates her, for which he later apologizes.

Thancred ended up trapped on the First (a reflection of the Source world) years before the Warrior of Light follows suit. He decides to do his part by hunting Sin Eaters, the monsters of light that plague this realm. He learned of Minfilia being revered as the Oracle of Light and of her current incarnation being held captive in Eulmore. Thancred rescued the girl, making her his apprentice while using her magic to complement his role as a Gunbreaker.

Their relationship was initially awkward as Thancred still loved the Minfilia he knew and was thus emotionally distant from her reincarnation. Thancred knows the girl's awakening as the new Oracle of Light would mean his Minfilia would cease to be. Seeing the girl's resolve when she protects him from Ran'jit and expresses her desire to follow her own path, Thancred battles the Eulmorean general and drives him off while nearly being killed in the process. By the time Thancred is reunited with the girl once she becomes the new Oracle, he names her "Ryne" and begins opening up to her. After the newly-arrived Warrior of Light defeats the Ascian Emet-Selch and saves the First, Thancred decides to travel outside Norvrandt with Ryne to hunt down more Lightwardens.