Top Characters for Your Xenoblade Chronicles X Party

Choosing the best party members in *Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition* can feel daunting with its expansive roster of characters and seemingly similar classes. Our guide to the best party members in *Xenoblade Chronicles X* highlights five key allies who can significantly enhance your gameplay, explaining why they stand out.

Elma

Elma is your first recruit, but don't underestimate her capabilities. As a Full Metal Jaguar, one of the top classes in *Xenoblade X*, Elma excels in diverse combat scenarios. Her AI optimizes this class, making her a versatile asset. Key skills like Ghostwalker, which deploys a decoy, and Ghost Factory, which enhances party evasion, should be prioritized for leveling. Despite occasional downtime due to her position-based attacks, Elma's hybrid tank, support, and offensive capabilities, bolstered by self-buffs and critical hit boosts, make her indispensable, especially in story missions.

Irina

Irina stands out as the game's premier supporter. Her abilities to heal, remove debuffs, and increase evasion are unmatched, even compared to other support specialists like Hope. Skills like Energy Source and Last Stand not only sustain her TP but also boost the party's. While not suited for solo combat against tough enemies like Tyrants, Irina's role in speeding up battles by supporting powerful attackers is crucial. Ensure she's paired with at least one, ideally two, strong attackers to leverage her support effectively.

Nagi

For players not choosing the Duelist class, Nagi is an essential addition to your team. As one of the few Duelists in *Xenoblade X*, he combines high damage output with self-sufficiency, effective in both close and ranged combat. His area-of-effect ability, Blossom Dance, is particularly powerful, capable of bypassing enemy resistances and felling formidable foes swiftly. To maximize Nagi's potential, pair him with a supporter or someone who can debuff enemies, like Irina or a Mastermind.

Mia

Mia, a Psycorruptor with Drifter-like skills, is a versatile combatant. She can debuff, reduce debuff resistance, and deal significant damage through attacks like Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen, the latter possibly causing blackout. Her abilities are enhanced under an active aura, and she can even topple enemies. Although Mia lacks self-defense and healing capabilities, she thrives when teamed with members who can cover these aspects.

H.B.

H.B. serves as an enhanced version of Lin, offering superior defense and flexibility. With his Shield Trooper+ class, H.B. excels at drawing enemy attention, making him a perfect fit for parties with aggressive members like Elma or Nagi. Beyond defense, he can boost debuff resistance, increase ranged attack power, topple foes, apply debuffs, and generate a robust shield. For players struggling outside the main storyline, recruiting H.B. after completing his affinity mission is highly beneficial.