Top Xenoblade Chronicles X Party Members Revealed

Choosing the best party members for *Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition* can feel daunting, especially with the game's extensive roster and seemingly similar classes. To help you navigate this complex RPG, here's a guide to the top five party members you should consider and why they excel in their roles.

Elma

Elma, the first party member you encounter, is far from the weakest. Her class, Full Metal Jaguar, is one of the best in *Xenoblade X*, and her AI leverages it effectively in various scenarios. Her standout skills, Ghostwalker and Ghost Factory, provide decoy creation and party evasion boosts respectively, which you should prioritize leveling up. While her position-based attacks may lead to downtime as she repositions, her versatility as a hybrid tank, support, and offense character compensates for this. With self-buffs that enhance her critical hit potential and a quick way to gain 1,000 TP, Elma significantly boosts your party's effectiveness, making her a valuable asset for most story missions.

Irina

Irina stands out as the game's premier supporter. Even with other support specialists like Hope, Irina's ability to heal, remove debuffs, and increase party evasion remains unmatched. Her skills, Energy Source and Last Stand, not only boost the party's TP but do so at the expense of her own, making her a constant TP generator when managed correctly. While Irina won't single-handedly win battles or take down Tyrants, her role in the team is crucial. Pair her with at least one, preferably two, strong attackers to ensure fights don't drag on.

Nagi

If you're not playing as a Duelist, Nagi is an essential addition to your team. As one of the few Duelists in *Xenoblade X*, he excels in dealing damage and can handle both close and ranged combat effectively. His area-of-effect ability, Blossom Dance, is particularly potent, capable of ignoring enemy resistances and dispatching even the toughest foes swiftly. To maximize Nagi's effectiveness, pair him with a supporter like Irina or use Mastermind skills to debuff enemies, allowing him to truly shine.

Mia

Mia, despite being a Psycorruptor, operates more like a Drifter with her versatile skill set. She can debuff enemies, reduce their debuff resistance, and deliver heavy damage with attacks like Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen, the latter potentially causing blackout. Her attacks gain power with active auras, and she can even topple enemies. However, Mia lacks self-defense and healing capabilities, so it's crucial to include party members who can cover these weaknesses.

H.B.

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