Top Xenoblade Chronicles X Party Members Revealed

Choosing the optimal party members for *Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition* can be daunting. With over a dozen characters to choose from, and many of their classes appearing similar, it's challenging to understand how best to assemble your team. Our guide aims to simplify this process by highlighting the top five party members and explaining what makes them stand out.

Elma

Elma is often the first party member you'll recruit, but don't let that fool you into thinking she's the weakest. As a Full Metal Jaguar, one of the best classes in *Xenoblade X*, Elma's AI excels in nearly every scenario. Her most valuable skills include Ghostwalker, which creates a decoy, and Ghost Factory, which boosts the party's evasion. Prioritize leveling these skills. Additionally, Elma possesses strong positional attacks, though they may require some movement time before execution. As a hybrid tank, support, and offense class, Full Metal Jaguar isn't designed for pure DPS. Elma's array of self-buffs, including those enhancing her critical hit rate, and her ability to instantly gain 1,000 TP for powerful skills, make her a versatile asset, especially since she's required for most story missions.

Irina

Irina stands out as the game's premier supporter. Even with other support-focused heroes like Hope, Irina's capabilities are unmatched. She can heal the party, remove debuffs, and increase evasion, making her invaluable if Elma isn't using Ghost Factory. Irina also generates TP for the party at the expense of her own, thanks to skills like Energy Source and Last Stand. While she won't win battles single-handedly or take down Tyrants, her role isn't to deal damage. Ensure Irina is paired with at least one, ideally two, strong attackers to prevent prolonged battles.

Nagi

If you're not interested in playing as a Duelist, consider adding Nagi to your team. As one of the few Duelists in *Xenoblade X*, Nagi is a formidable damage dealer who can fend for himself. Duelists excel in both close and ranged combat, and they also have access to area-of-effect abilities. Nagi's standout skill, Blossom Dance, is not only powerful but also ignores enemy resistances, capable of defeating some of the game's toughest foes in just a few hits. To maximize Nagi's potential, pair him with a supporter or someone who can debuff enemies, such as Irina, or use Mastermind skills to weaken foes.

Mia

Despite being a Psycorruptor, Mia embodies the versatility of a Drifter. She excels in multiple roles, from inflicting debuffs and reducing debuff resistance to dealing significant damage with attacks like Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen, the latter of which can cause blackout. Mia's attacks gain power when an aura is active, and she can even topple enemies. However, she lacks self-defense and healing capabilities, so it's crucial to include a party member who can cover these areas.

H.B.

H.B. serves as an excellent substitute for Lin when you need additional defense. As a Shield Trooper+, he surpasses Lin in every aspect. H.B. is highly effective at drawing enemy attention, making him invaluable if you're playing an aggressive class or have members like Elma or Nagi in your party. He can generate TP with his taunt attack, increase debuff resistance, boost ranged attack power, topple enemies, inflict debuffs, and create a robust shield. If you're struggling to survive outside the main storyline, completing H.B.'s affinity mission to recruit him is a wise move.