Picking the best Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition party members can feel like a daunting challenge. The game features over a dozen unlockable characters, many of whom belong to classes that appear nearly identical at first glance. What’s more, the game doesn’t exactly go out of its way to explain how everything works.
Recommended Videos Our Xenoblade Chronicles X guide highlights the five most essential allies for your squad and what makes them stand out.
Elma
While Elma is one of the earliest recruits, she’s far from being the weakest. As a Full Metal Jaguar, she brings a versatile mix of tanking, support, and offense to the battlefield. Her AI excels at utilizing this class effectively in nearly every situation. Her key abilities—Ghostwalker (which creates a decoy) and Ghost Factory (which boosts party evasion)—are particularly valuable. Prioritize leveling those up. She also has strong position-based attacks, though they sometimes result in brief downtime as she repositions. Still, with access to self-buffs that increase critical hit chances and the ability to instantly gain 1,000 TP for powerful skills, Elma offers consistent utility. Plus, she’s often required for story missions, so you’ll want her at her best.
Irina
When it comes to support, Irina reigns supreme—even surpassing other dedicated support characters like Hope. She provides healing, removes debuffs, and boosts party evasion, which is especially handy if Elma isn't active or can't use Ghost Factory. She also helps maintain TP flow for the team through abilities like Energy Source and Last Stand, which transfer her own TP to others. While Irina won’t be winning battles on her own or taking down Tyrants solo, she ensures your team stays alive and powered up. Pair her with at least one, preferably two, high-damage dealers to keep combat fast and efficient.
Nagi
If you're not playing as a Duelist yourself, Nagi is an excellent addition to your team. He's one of the few characters in Xenoblade X who can truly make the most of the Duelist class. Nagi delivers reliable damage while remaining self-sufficient in both close-range and long-range combat. His standout move is Blossom Dance—an area-of-effect skill that bypasses enemy resistances and can eliminate even the toughest foes in just one or two hits. For maximum effectiveness, pair him with a supporter like Irina or use Mastermind skills to debuff enemies before he strikes.
Mia
Despite being a Psycorruptor, Mia plays more like a Drifter and handles herself well in a variety of roles. She’s great for applying debuffs, including ones that reduce enemy resistance to future debuffs. Her Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen are among the strongest damaging skills in the game, with the latter having a chance to inflict blackout. Most of her attacks scale in power when an aura is active, and she can even topple enemies. However, she lacks defensive tools and healing capabilities, so always back her up with someone who can protect or heal.
H.B.
H.B. serves as a solid alternative to Lin whenever you need extra defense without sacrificing utility. Essentially an upgraded version of Lin, H.B. does everything she does—but better. With the Shield Trooper+ class, he excels at drawing enemy aggro, making him ideal for aggressive playstyles or parties featuring characters like Elma or Nagi. His taunt attack also generates TP, keeping your team’s skills ready. Beyond defense, H.B. raises debuff resistance, increases ranged attack power, topples enemies, applies debuffs, and generates a durable shield. If survival becomes a struggle during side content, complete his affinity mission and add him to your roster.
