Choosing the best party members for *Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition* can feel like a daunting task with so many unlockable characters and seemingly similar classes. This guide breaks down the top five party members you should consider to enhance your gameplay and why they are essential to your team.
Elma
Elma is not only the first party member you can recruit, but she's also far from the weakest. As a master of the Full Metal Jaguar class, Elma excels in almost every scenario. Her key skills, Ghostwalker and Ghost Factory, create decoys and boost party evasion, respectively. These should be your priority to level up. While her position-based attacks might lead to some downtime as she repositions, Elma's versatility as a hybrid tank, support, and offense class member is invaluable. She comes equipped with self-buffs that enhance her critical hit chances and can instantly gain 1,000 TP for her powerful abilities. Her presence is crucial, especially in story missions where she's mandatory.
Irina
Irina stands out as the game's premier support character. Even when compared to other support specialists like Hope, Irina's capabilities shine brightly. She can heal, remove debuffs, and increase the party's evasion, making her a perfect complement if Elma isn't available to use Ghost Factory. Additionally, Irina is a TP powerhouse, with skills like Energy Source and Last Stand that boost the party's TP at the expense of her own. While not a combat powerhouse on her own, Irina's role is clear: keep the party strong and resilient. Pair her with one or two strong attackers to ensure battles don't drag on.
Nagi
If you're not playing as a Duelist, Nagi is a must-have. As one of the few Duelists in *Xenoblade X*, he's a self-sufficient damage dealer effective at both close and long range. His area-of-effect ability, Blossom Dance, is particularly potent, capable of ignoring enemy resistances and taking down tough foes quickly. To maximize Nagi's potential, team him up with a supporter like Irina or use Mastermind skills to debuff enemies, allowing him to truly shine.
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 substantial damage with attacks like Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen, the latter of which can also cause blackout. Her abilities are enhanced by auras, and she can even topple enemies. While Mia lacks in self-defense and healing, she's an excellent addition to any party that includes members who can cover these roles.
H.B.
H.B. is the go-to replacement for Lin when you need enhanced defense. Classified as a "Shield Trooper+", he surpasses Lin in every aspect. H.B. excels at drawing enemy attention, making him invaluable for aggressive playstyles or when paired with offensive powerhouses like Elma or Nagi. Beyond defense, he can generate TP, increase debuff resistance, boost ranged attack power, topple enemies, and create a sturdy shield. If you're struggling to survive outside the main storyline, recruiting H.B. after completing his affinity mission is a smart move.
