Top Characters for Your Team in Xenoblade Chronicles X

Choosing the best party members for *Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition* can feel daunting with the game's vast array of unlockable characters and seemingly similar classes. Our guide breaks down the top five party members to include in your team and explains why they are essential for success.

Elma

Elma is not just the first party member you can recruit; she's also one of the most versatile. As a Full Metal Jaguar, one of the best classes in *Xenoblade X*, Elma's AI excels in various scenarios. Key skills like Ghostwalker, which creates a decoy, and Ghost Factory, which boosts the party's evasion, should be your priority to level up. While she has strong position-based attacks, her occasional downtime when moving can be a minor drawback. However, her hybrid role as a tank, support, and offensive unit, coupled with self-buffs that enhance critical hit potential and the ability to gain 1,000 TP instantly, makes her indispensable, especially in story missions.

Irina

Irina stands out as the game's premier supporter. Her abilities extend beyond typical support roles, enabling her to heal the party, remove debuffs, and boost evasion, complementing Elma's Ghost Factory skill. Irina's Energy Source and Last Stand skills generate TP for the party at the expense of her own, making her a crucial TP supplier. While not designed for solo combat or taking down Tyrants, Irina thrives when paired with at least one or two strong attackers to keep battles short and efficient.

Nagi

For those not opting for the Duelist class, Nagi is an essential addition to any team. As one of the few Duelists in *Xenoblade X*, he delivers high damage while being self-sufficient in both close and ranged combat. His area-of-effect ability, Blossom Dance, is particularly potent, ignoring enemy resistances and capable of defeating formidable foes swiftly. To maximize Nagi's potential, pair him with a supporter or someone who can debuff enemies, like Irina, or use Mastermind skills for debuffing.

Mia

Mia, classified as a Psycorruptor, functions more like a Drifter with her versatile skill set. She excels at debuffing enemies and reducing their debuff resistance, while her Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen attacks deliver substantial damage, the latter potentially causing blackout. Her attacks gain strength under an active aura, and she can even topple enemies. However, Mia lacks self-defense and healing capabilities, so she should be teamed with members who can cover these roles.

H.B.

H.B. serves as an enhanced version of Lin, offering superior defensive capabilities as a Shield Trooper+. He excels at drawing enemy attention, which is invaluable when playing aggressive classes or with offensive members like Elma or Nagi. Beyond defense, H.B. can generate TP with his taunt attack, raise debuff resistance, increase ranged attack power, topple enemies, inflict debuffs, and create a sturdy shield. If you're struggling to survive outside the main storyline, completing H.B.'s affinity mission to recruit him is highly recommended.