Choosing the best party members in *Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition* can feel daunting with the game's extensive roster of characters and seemingly similar classes. To help you navigate this complex RPG, our guide highlights the top five party members and explains why they stand out.
Elma
Elma, the first party member you can recruit, is far from the weakest. Her class, Full Metal Jaguar, is one of the best in *Xenoblade X*, and her AI excels in utilizing it across various scenarios. Key skills like Ghostwalker, which creates a decoy, and Ghost Factory, which enhances party evasion, should be prioritized for leveling. Elma also boasts a range of strong, position-based attacks. While she may experience downtime as she repositions, her role as a hybrid tank, support, and offensive unit is invaluable. With self-buffs that boost her critical hit rate and the ability to instantly gain 1,000 TP for powerful skills, Elma is a crucial asset, especially since she's required for most story missions.
Irina
Irina stands out as the game's premier supporter, even surpassing other support specialists like Hope. She excels at healing, removing debuffs, and boosting party evasion, making her an essential ally if Elma's Ghost Factory is unavailable. Irina also generates TP for the party, albeit at the cost of her own, through skills like Energy Source and Last Stand. While not suited for solo combat or taking down Tyrants, Irina's support capabilities are vital. Ensure she's paired with at least one, preferably two, strong attackers to keep battles swift and efficient.
Nagi
If you're not playing as a Duelist, Nagi is a must-have for your team. As one of the few Duelists in *Xenoblade X*, he's a formidable damage dealer capable of handling enemies at close and long range, with access to area-of-effect abilities. His signature move, Blossom Dance, is exceptionally powerful, ignoring enemy resistances and capable of defeating even the toughest foes in one or two hits. To maximize Nagi's effectiveness, pair him with a supporter or someone who can debuff enemies, such as Irina or a Mastermind with debuff skills.
Mia
Mia, a Psycorruptor with the versatility of a Drifter, is a jack-of-all-trades. She can apply debuffs, reduce debuff resistance, and deal significant damage with attacks like Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen, the latter of which can cause blackout. Her attacks gain power when an aura is active, and she can even topple enemies. However, Mia lacks self-defense and healing capabilities, so it's crucial to include a party member who can cover these roles.
H.B.
H.B. serves as an excellent substitute for Lin when you need enhanced defense. As a Shield Trooper+, he surpasses Lin in every aspect, offering superior defense and attracting enemy attention effectively. This makes him invaluable if you're playing an aggressive class or have members like Elma or Nagi in your party. H.B. can generate TP with his taunt attack, increase debuff resistance, boost ranged attack power, topple enemies, 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.
