Top Party Members for Xenoblade Chronicles X Revealed

Choosing the best party members in *Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition* can feel daunting with so many unlockable characters and seemingly similar classes. Our guide simplifies this by highlighting the top five allies to include in your party and explaining what makes them stand out.

Elma

Elma is the first party member you can recruit, and she's far from the weakest. Her class, Full Metal Jaguar, is one of the best in *Xenoblade Chronicles X*, and her AI uses it effectively in various situations. Elma's most valuable skills include Ghostwalker, which creates a decoy, and Ghost Factory, which enhances the party's evasion. Prioritize leveling these skills first. She also possesses strong position-based attacks, though they can lead to some downtime as she repositions. Full Metal Jaguar is designed as a versatile class, blending tanking, support, and offense. With self-buffs that boost her critical hit potential and the ability to gain 1,000 TP instantly for powerful skills, Elma is an essential asset, especially for story missions.

Irina

Irina stands out as the game's premier supporter. Even when compared to other support specialists like Hope, she excels at healing the party, removing debuffs, and boosting evasion, which is particularly useful if Elma can't use 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 single-handedly win fights or take down Tyrants, Irina's role is crucial in speeding up battles. Ensure she's paired with one or two strong attackers to maximize her support effectiveness.

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 Chronicles X*, he delivers substantial damage while being self-sufficient. Duelists excel in both close and ranged combat and have access to area-of-effect abilities, with Blossom Dance being Nagi's standout skill. This attack ignores enemy resistances and can defeat some of the game's toughest foes quickly. To maximize Nagi's potential, pair him with a supporter like Irina or use Mastermind skills to debuff enemies.

Mia

Mia, despite being a Psycorruptor, functions much like a Drifter with her versatile skill set. She can apply debuffs, reduce debuff resistance, and deal significant damage with attacks like Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen, the latter of which can also cause blackout. Mia's attacks are enhanced by active auras, and she can even topple enemies. However, she lacks self-defense and healing abilities, so ensure she's teamed with members who can cover these weaknesses.

H.B.

H.B. is an excellent replacement for Lin when you need additional defense. His Shield Trooper+ class not only improves upon Lin's capabilities but enhances them significantly. H.B. excels at drawing enemy attention, which is particularly useful if you're playing an aggressive class or have members like Elma or Nagi in your party. He can also 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 and recruiting him is highly recommended.