Choosing the best party members for *Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition* can feel daunting with its array of unlockable characters and seemingly similar classes. This guide breaks down the top five party members and explains their unique strengths to help you build an unbeatable team.
Elma
Elma is the first recruit, but don't let that fool you—she's far from weak. As a master of the Full Metal Jaguar class, Elma's AI excels in diverse situations. Her essential skills, Ghostwalker and Ghost Factory, create decoys and boost party evasion, respectively. Prioritize leveling these for maximum impact. Elma's array of position-based attacks comes with a small trade-off of downtime, but her hybrid role as a tank, support, and offensive unit more than compensates. With self-buffs that enhance critical hits and a quick way to gain 1,000 TP, Elma is a vital asset, especially for story missions.
Irina
Irina stands out as the premier support character in *Xenoblade Chronicles X*. She outshines even specialized supporters like Hope with her ability to heal, remove debuffs, and increase evasion. Her skills, Energy Source and Last Stand, generate TP for the party at the expense of her own, making her a continuous TP source. While Irina isn't suited for solo fights or battling Tyrants, pairing her with one or two strong attackers ensures quick, efficient battles.
Nagi
If you're not playing a Duelist, Nagi is an invaluable addition to your team. As one of the few Duelists in the game, he's a self-sufficient powerhouse capable of dealing significant damage both up close and at range. His area-of-effect skill, Blossom Dance, is particularly potent, ignoring enemy resistances and potentially defeating tough foes swiftly. To maximize Nagi's effectiveness, pair him with a supporter or a character with debuff capabilities, such as Irina or a Mastermind.
Mia
Mia, a Psycorruptor with Drifter-like abilities, is incredibly versatile. She can apply debuffs, reduce debuff resistance, and unleash powerful attacks like Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen, the latter potentially causing blackout. Her attacks are enhanced by active auras, and she can even topple enemies. However, Mia lacks self-defense and healing capabilities, making it crucial to include a party member who can cover these areas.
H.B.
H.B. is an enhanced version of Lin, perfect for when you need additional defense. With his Shield Trooper+ class, H.B. not only outperforms Lin but also excels at drawing enemy attention, which is crucial for aggressive playstyles or when paired with characters like Elma or Nagi. He can generate TP through taunts, increase debuff resistance, boost ranged attack power, topple enemies, and create a robust shield. H.B. is a top-tier defender, essential for surviving challenging encounters outside the main storyline.
