Choosing the best party members for *Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition* can feel daunting with the game's extensive roster of characters and seemingly similar classes. Our guide breaks down the top five party members you should consider for your team, highlighting their unique strengths and how they can enhance your gameplay experience.
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 boosts party evasion, are essential to level up first. While her position-based attacks may lead to some downtime as she repositions, Elma's hybrid role as a tank, support, and offensive unit is invaluable. With self-buffs that enhance her critical hit rate and the ability to instantly gain 1,000 TP, 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 with other support specialists like Hope, Irina's ability to heal, remove debuffs, and boost evasion makes her indispensable. Skills like Energy Source and Last Stand not only increase the party's TP but do so at the cost of her own, making her a constant TP generator. While Irina won't be dealing the most damage or taking down Tyrants single-handedly, pairing her with one or two strong attackers ensures your team can handle fights efficiently.
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 self-sufficient damage dealer capable of tackling enemies at close and long range. His area-of-effect ability, Blossom Dance, is particularly potent, ignoring enemy resistances and capable of defeating even the toughest foes quickly. To maximize Nagi's effectiveness, pair him with a supporter like Irina or use Mastermind skills to debuff enemies.
Mia
Mia, a Psycorruptor with the versatility of a Drifter, is a jack-of-all-trades. She can debuff enemies, reduce their debuff resistance, and deal significant damage with attacks like Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen, the latter of which can also cause blackout. Her attacks are enhanced by active auras, and she can even topple enemies. However, Mia lacks self-defense and healing capabilities, so ensure she's teamed with members 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 outperforms Lin in every aspect, from attracting enemy attention to generating TP with his taunt attack. Beyond defense, H.B. can increase debuff resistance, boost ranged attack power, topple enemies, and apply debuffs while generating a robust shield. If you're struggling to survive outside the main storyline, completing H.B.'s affinity mission to recruit him is a smart move.
