What can you do as a free member?

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and unlock all our premium features and tools to enhance your gaming experience.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save articles to your watchlist and get notified when they're updated with new information.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save your favorite games for quick access later, synced across all your devices.

Member benefits illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you'll receive instant notifications when someone replies to your posts.

Comment rating feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can make use of convenient features in the comments section, such as rating and sorting comments.

Premium archive feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can access Premium articles that are exclusively available to members.

Site Interface

Guest
Free Member
Article Watchlist
Game Bookmarks
Cross-device Sync
Light/Dark Theme Toggle
User Profiles
Direct Feedback
Comment Rating

Game Tools

Guest
Free Member
Interactive Map Access
Interactive Map Pins
Interactive Map Comments
Interactive Map Pins Cross-Device
Check List
Event Choice Checker
Deck Builder Cross-Device
Message Board Notification
Message Board Cross-Device
Build Planner
Stat Calculator
Diagnostic Tool
Weapon/Armor Wishlist

Want more information?Learn more

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition

Best Characters Tier List and Party Members

Add to Watchlist (1)

Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition - Best Characters Tier List

This is a tier list of the best characters and a guide for the best party members in Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition. See our explanation of why characters are placed in their respective tiers and the best team compositions at different parts of the game.

Best Characters Tier List

Best Xenoblade Chronicles X Characters

S TierS Tier
Cross Nagi Irina H.B. Mia Ga Jiarg Al
A TierA Tier
Elma Lin Celica Alexa Liesel
B TierB Tier
L Frye Boze Murderess Yelv Neilnail
C TierC TIer
Gwin Doug Phog Hope
D TierD TIer
Lao

Aside from the main protagonist that you create, the best characters to use are H.B., for being the best TP provider, Irina for being the best support, Nagi for being the best damage dealer, and Mia for being the best all-around character.

List of All Characters

Tier List Explanations

Click to Jump to a Section!
S A Tier B Tier C Tier D Tier

S Tier - Best Class

Character Explanation
Cross Cross ・Highly customizable due to being the main player character.
Cross Best Build
H.B. H.B. ・The best TP provider which is crucial to any battle.
・Has Trash Talk in addition to being very good at absorbing damage making him a very good tank.
H.B. Best Build
Irina Irina ・Best support in the game due to heals with Repair , buffs with Smooth Recovery , and TP provision with Energy Source and Last Stand
・Deals decent damage for a support character.
Irina Best Builds
Mia Mia ・Best all-around character
・Can deal damage, has support skills, can debuff, can topple, etc., making her capable in almost all aspects of combat.
Mia Best Build
Nagi Nagi ・Has Blossom Dance , an art that can one-hit opponents if built correctly.
Nagi Best Build
Ga Jiarg Ga Jiarg ・Great all-around character together with Mia, and can be built like her.
・Can inflict and spread debuffs, and Ga Jiarg deals more damage to enemies the more debuffs they have.
Ga Jiarg Best Build
Al Al ・Has an exclusive Skell for free, as well as unlimited Skell Insurance.
・Great arts to equip. Has the power to revive incapacitated characters.
Al Best Build

A Tier

Character Explanation
Alexa Alexa ・Best Skell pilot to have due to which boosts every stat of a Skell.
・Can substitute for Nagi in dealing damage when you have Yelv as they also have Synchrony.
Alexa Best Build
Celica Celica ・Deals a lot of damage when using Overdrive
Has lots of buffs but only for herself.
Celica Best Build
Elma Elma ・Great party member to have because of Ghost Factory .
Inconsistent damage but makes up for it with Ghostwalker .
Mainly relies on positioning for damage boosts which can be tricky
Elma Best Build
Lin Lin ・Great Tank
・The best Toppler having the skill Dirty Fighter to increase her damage output.
Lin Best Build
Liesel Liesel ・Has a free Skell upon recruirtment, as well as unlimited Skell Insurance.
・Has access to the arts: Ghostwalker and Hair Trigger , which gives Liesel abilities to increase her damage potential and her survival capabilities through Decoy.
Liesel Best Build

B Tier

Character Explanation
Boze Boze ・Great range damage but heavily relies on landing Shock debuffs limiting his damage potential
Boze Best Build
Frye Frye ・Good at crowd control
・Can help boost damage of any thermal arts from party members
Mediocre damage
Frye Best Build
L L ・Tankiest character in the game
No other standout capabilities
L Best Build
Murderess Murderess ・Similar to Elma overall except she doesn't have arts that deploy decoys to help the party.
Mainly relies on positioning for damage boosts which can be tricky
Murderess Best Build
Yelv Yelv ・Can substitute for your skell party if you don't have Alexa due to having Synchrony as well.
No other standout capabilities
Yelv Best Build
Neilnail Neilnail ・Can be built the same as Murderess, but Neilnail is a more decent support than her.
・Arts can be quite difficult to use, since it requires proper positioning to maximize the effects.

Neilnail Best Build

C Tier

Character Better Alternative
Doug Doug
Doug Best Build
Alexa Alexa
Gwin Gwin
Gwin Best Build
Elma Elma
Hope Hope
Hope Best Build
Irina Irina
Phog Phog
Phog Best Build
Elma Elma

These characters are in this tier due to being weaker reskins of other characters. Their roles can be and should be supplanted by their superior alternatives.

D Tier

Class Explanation
Lao Lao ・Not playable post-game.
Lao Best Builds

Best Party and Team Composition

Jump to a Section
Early Game Mid Game Late Game

Best Party in Early Game

All-Rounder Damage Heal and TP Battery Support Tank
Cross Cross Elma Elma Irina Irina Lin Lin

During the early parts of the game, you won't need to worry much about what Cross' role will be as you should focus on leveling and ranking them up to unlock other classes, arts, skills, and weapons. This means their kit will constantly change, so they won't necessarily fit a specific role.

Best Party in Mid Game

All-Rounder Damage Tank and TP Battery Hard Support
Cross Cross Liesel Liesel H.B. H.B. Irina Irina

The game truly opens-up in the mid-game once the player gets access to Skells. Cross has more options by this point as well, making him an All-Rounder for Damage, Support or Tanking depending on the player's Class Progression.

From this point, it is best to invest on a team that specializes in a particular field to carry progress till endgame and these characters are the best of the player's current roster with their own specializations.

Note: Liesel is only accessible in the Definitive Edition but can be substituted with Alexa, Murderess or Elma. Neilnail is also viable in the Definitive Edition.

Best Classes Tier List

Best Party in Late Game

Tank Damage Heal and TP Battery Support Damage
Cross Cross Nagi Nagi Irina Irina Celica Celica

This team composition focuses primarily on dealing the most damage. Despite being an A-tier character, Celica fits this party due to her tendency to deal a lot of damage by spamming Overdrive, and her Ghostwalker ability which summons a decoy to distract enemies.

Share your fun and unusual team comps in the Comments!

Alternate Best Party

Team Comp Explanation
Alternate Endgame Party
Cross Nagi
Irina Mia
Endgame party giving a balance between damage, support and defense.

This endgame team utilizes Mia over Celica to take advantage of her team-wide Buff and Debuff Support Arts since Celica primarily goes for more damage with her self-buffs.

This gives a more balanced loadout for the player's party that allows for debuffs and better support while keeping consistent damage.

Alternate Skell Party

Team Comp Explanation
Skell Party
Cross Alexa
Yelv Doug
You can use this party if you want a team that specializes in skells.

If you don't necessarily intend to find the best party that will do well in combat and are open to trying fun team compositions, you can try this party that specializes in Skell use.

Who is the Best Character?

Best Characters Poll

Alexa 4
Votes
Boze 1
Votes
Celica 5
Votes
Doug 1
Votes
Elma 40
Votes
Frye 3
Votes
Gwin 2
Votes
H.B. 7
Votes
Hope 1
Votes
Irina 18
Votes
L 4
Votes
Lao 3
Votes
Lin 10
Votes
Mia 18
Votes
Murderess 1
Votes
Nagi 5
Votes
Phog 4
Votes
Yelv 4
Votes

Share Your Picks and Explanations in the Comments!

Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition Related Guides

Main Partial

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Wiki

Guides by Category

All Categories
WalkthroughWalkthrough MissionsMissions
Tips and TricksTips and Tricks Characters Characters
ClassesClasses ArtsArts
SkillsSkills Xenoblade Chronicles X - BossesBosses
Enemies Enemies WeaponsWeapons
List of AugmentsAugments List of ArmorArmor
Skells Skells Skell ArmorSkell Armor
Skell WeaponsSkell Weapons Maps Maps
Fashion GearFashion Gear Xenoblade Chronicles X Builds Builds
FN SitesFN Sites Xenoblade Chronicles X - Heart to HeartHeart to Heart
CollectopediaCollectopedia NewsNews and Updates

Recommended Guides

List of Guides
List of All Achievements and RewardsList of All Achievements Soul Voice GuideSoul Voices Guide
Divisions.pngBest Division to Join Online Multiplayer GuideOnline Multiplayer Guide
Online Multiplayer Message BoardPrivate Squad Message Board Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition - Best Arts.pngBest Arts
Buffs Debuffs Statuses.pngList of Buffs, Debuffs, and Statuses Best SkillsBest Skills
Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition - All Lobster LocationsAll Lobster Locations -
Tier List Guides
Best Classes Tier List Best Classes Tier List Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition - Best Characters Tier List Best Characters Tier List and Party Members
Best SkellsBest Skells Tier List Best Weapons.pngBest Weapons Tier List

Comment

5 Anonymous Anonymous 7 months

Thank You for all this work

2 Anonymous Anonymous 8 months

Yelv is far better than B tier; BUT requiring to customize his arts. He easily can deserve S. (First of all, you DO NOT want him with Essence Exchange which will only result in him suiciding if he use it) Next, as arts, he have access to Astral Heal & Purge which are Galactic Knight arts. Second, you give him Starfall Rondo, Starfall Blade and Starfall Blossom. As skills, he have access to Supreme Sword and Secondary Accelerator (Accelerator being Mastermind rank 10 skill...)+Beam Boost

Author

    Please participate in our site
    improvement survey
    12/2025
    Would you assist in
    improving Game8's site?
    ×
    This survey will take about 1 minute.
    Your answers will help us to improve our website.
    We are listening to our users' valuable opinions and discussing how to act on them.
    The information collected through this survey will be used for the purpose of improving our services. In addition, the information will only be disclosed a part of a statistic in a format that will not allow identification of personal information.
    Begin Survey

    All rights reserved

    Guide Index