Choosing the best party members for *Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition* can feel daunting with over a dozen characters to choose from, each with seemingly similar classes. To help you navigate this complex RPG, our guide highlights the top five party members you should consider recruiting and why they stand out.

Elma

Elma, your initial recruit, is far from the weakest link. As a Full Metal Jaguar, one of the game's premier classes, she excels in almost every scenario thanks to her adept AI. Her standout skills, Ghostwalker and Ghost Factory, enable her to create decoys and boost party evasion, respectively. Prioritize leveling these skills for maximum benefit. Additionally, Elma's arsenal includes potent position-based attacks, though they may require some repositioning time. Designed as a versatile hybrid of tank, support, and offense, Elma comes equipped with self-buffs that enhance her critical hit rates and a method to quickly gain 1,000 TP, making her an essential asset, especially in story missions.

Irina

Irina stands out as the game's top supporter. Even with other support-focused characters like Hope, Irina's unique abilities shine through. She heals, removes debuffs, and can increase party evasion, making her invaluable when Elma's Ghost Factory is unavailable. Irina also acts as a TP generator, using skills like Energy Source and Last Stand, although this comes at the cost of her own TP. While not suited for solo combat or tackling Tyrants, Irina's support is crucial. Ensure she's paired with at least one, ideally two, strong attackers to keep battles swift and decisive.

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 both a powerful damage dealer and self-sufficient. Capable of engaging enemies at close and long range, Nagi's area-of-effect abilities, like Blossom Dance, are exceptionally potent, bypassing enemy resistances and potentially felling tough foes in just a few hits. To maximize Nagi's effectiveness, pair him with a supporter or someone who can debuff enemies, such as Irina or a Mastermind.

Mia

Despite being a Psycorruptor, Mia embodies the versatility of a Drifter. She excels at debuffing, reducing enemy resistance to further debuffs, and dealing significant damage with attacks like Beam Barrage and Myopic Screen, the latter of which can also cause blackout. Mia's skills gain potency when an aura is active, and she can even topple enemies. However, she lacks defensive and healing capabilities, so ensure she's teamed with members who can cover these weaknesses.

H.B.

H.B. is an excellent substitute for Lin when you need enhanced defense. As a Shield Trooper+, he outperforms Lin in every aspect of her role. H.B. is adept at drawing enemy aggression, a critical trait if you're playing an aggressive class or have teammates like Elma or Nagi. Beyond his defensive prowess, he can generate TP through taunts, increase debuff resistance, boost ranged attack power, topple foes, and create a robust shield. If you find yourself struggling to survive outside the main storyline, H.B.'s recruitment through his affinity mission is a must.