Liberating Colonies and raising their Affinity will provide you with many exploration bonuses in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Read on to learn more about Colonies including their locations, how to unlock them, their Affinity Bonuses, as well as how to liberate them!

All Colony Locations

Aetia Region Colonies

Aetia Region Colony Map
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Colony	How to Unlock
Colony 9	Complete Zeon's Hero Quest: Where the Heart Is.
Colony Gamma	Complete Teach's Hero Quest: Going Beyond Power.

Aetia Region Upper Colonies

Aetia Region Upper Colony Map
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Colony	How to Unlock
Colony 0	Complete Segiri's Hero Quest: Inhumanity.
Colony Omega (No Affinity Bonuses)	Complete Side Story: Mio during the Main Story.

Note: Colony 0 will later move to the Cadensia Region after you complete the Standard Quest: In Search of a Home.

Fornis Region Colonies

Fornis Region Colony Map
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Colony	How to Unlock
Colony 4	Complete Chapter 2 of the Main Story.
Colony 30	Complete Valdi's Hero Quest: The Kind Right Hand.
Colony Iota	Complete Alexandria's Hero Quest: Her Reasons.

Pentelas Region Colonies

Pentelas Region Colony Map
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Colony	How to Unlock
Colony Lambda	Complete Chapter 3 of the Main Story.
Colony Tau	Complete Juniper's Hero Quest: Natural Selection.
Colony 5 (No Affinity Bonuses)	Can be accessed during Side Story: Eunie.

Keves Castle Region Colonies

Syra Hovering Cliffs Colony Map
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Colony	How to Unlock
Colony 11	Complete Ashera's Hero Quest: The Wrath of Ashera.
Keves Castle	Complete Side Story: Noah during the Main Story.

Cadensia Region Colonies

Cadensia Region Colony Map
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Colony	How to Unlock
Colony 15	Complete Triton's Hero Quest: Doing it My Way.
Colony Mu	Complete Fiona's Hero Quest: Transparent Dreams.
Lost Colony (No Affinity Bonuses)	Can be accessed during Side Story: Taion.

Other Colonies

World Map Colonies
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Colony	How to Unlock
Agnus Castle	Unlocked at the start of Chapter 6.
Nopon Caravans	Unlocked at the start of Chapter 3.
City	Unlocked at the start of Chapter 5.

Colony Affinity Bonuses

All Affinity Bonuses

Affinity Bonus	Req. Colony Rank
Speed Jogger Increases running speed.	・Colony Tau (Level 1) ・City (Level 5)
Item Retriever Increases item collection range.	・Colony 4 (Level 1) ・Colon 9 (Level 1) ・Colony 30 (Level 5) ・Colony 0 (Level 5) ・Colony Lambda (Level 1) ・Colony Tau (Level 4) ・Colony 11 (Level 1) ・Keves Castle (Level 3) ・City (Level 4) ・Nopon Caravans (Level 3)
Silent Steps Reduces monster detection range.	・Colony 4 (Level 5) ・Colony 9 (Level 5) ・Colony Gamma (Level 1) ・Colony 0 (Level 1) ・Colony 0 (Level 3) ・Colony Iota (Level 3) ・Colony Lambda (Level 3) ・Colony Lambda (Level 5) ・Colony 11 (Level 5) ・Keves Castle (Level 1) ・City (Level 1) ・Colony 15 (Level 3) ・Colony Mu (Level 4) ・Agnus Castle (Level 1) ・Nopon Caravans (Level 4)
Shiny-Hunter Increases the chance of encountering rare monsters.	・Colony 4 (Level 4) ・Colony 9 (Level 4) ・Colony 30 (Level 4) ・Colony Gamma (Level 3) ・Colony Gamma (Level 5) ・Colony 0 (Level 4) ・Colony Iota (Level 1) ・Colony Iota (Level 5) ・Colony Lambda (Level 4) ・Colony Tau (Level 3) ・Colony 11 (Level 4) ・Keves Castle (Level 4) ・City (Level 2) ・Colony 15 (Level 2) ・Colony 15 (Level 5) ・Colony Mu (Level 3) ・Agnus Castle (Level 3) ・Agnus Castle (Level 5) ・Nopon Caravans (Level 2) ・Nopon Caravans (Level 5)
Slow Digestion Increases meal effect duration.	・Colony 4 (Level 3) ・Colony 30 (Level 1) ・Colony 30 (Level 3) ・Colony 9 (Level 3) ・Colony Gamma (Level 4) ・Colony 0 (Level 2) ・Colony Iota (Level 4) ・Colony Tau (Level 5) ・Colony 11 (Level 3) ・Keves Castle (Level 5) ・City (Level 3) ・Colony 15 (Level 4) ・Colony Mu (Level 1) ・Agnus Castle (Level 4) ・Nopon Caravans (Level 1)
Swift Swimmer Increases swimming speed.	・Colony 15 (Level 1) ・Colony Mu (Level 5)
Caravan Call Causes Nopon Caravan to visit the colonies.	・Colony 4 (Level 2) ・Colony 30 (Level 2) ・Colony 9 (Level 2) ・Colony Gamma (Level 2) ・Colony Iota (Level 2) ・Colony Lambda (Level 2) ・Colony Tau (Level 2) ・Colony 11 (Level 2) ・Keves Castle (Level 2) ・Colony Mu (Level 2) ・Agnus Castle (Level 2)

Increase Affinity by Completing Quests and Collectopaedia Cards

To raise Colony Affinity, players can either complete Colony-related Standard Quests or fulfill the orders of the Colony's Collectopaedia Cards. Raising it allows you to get Affinity levels, which in turn grant you Colony Affinity Bonuses.

How to Raise Affinity Level: Affinity Chart Explained

How to Liberate Colonies

Liberated via the Main Story

Some colonies such as Colony 4 and the Agnus Castle, will be liberated during the Main Story. Continue playing the main quests in order to unlock these colonies and their corresponding affinity bonuses.

Complete Story Walkthrough and Chapter Guide

Liberated During Hero Quests

Some colonies such as Colony Gamma and Colony 9 will only be liberated if you complete the Hero Quests of their commanders. In the process, you will unlock heroes that join your party and open up colonies for their affinity bonuses.

List of All Hero Quests

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Related Guides

Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks