The best skills in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition give stat increases or grant unique buffs. Check the best skills for each kind of build by reading below!

Best Skills for Most Builds

Core Crusher

Core Crusher
Class	Psycorruptor (Rank 10)
Effect	Removes appendage damage from Ether attacks but increases primary damage

Core Crusher is one of the most powerful skills in the game. When fully upgraded, you will do 2.5x Ether damage.

Combining it with the Appendage Crusher augment will further increase your damage because Core Crusher will add its effect.

Best Builds

Grand Procession

Grand Procession
Class	Duelist (Rank 7)
Effect	Boosts Party TP when activating Overdrive

This is a generally good support skill that will increase the party's damage during Overdrive. By bringing it to Level 5, you will give each member of your party 500 TP.

This is an essential skill if you want to reach infinite Overdrive.

Overdrive Guide

Secondary Accelerator

Secondary Accelerator
Class	Mastermind (Rank 10)
Effect	Reduces secondary cooldown

The secondary accelerator will decrease the cooldowns for the secondary effect of your Arts.

Whether you are using Overdrive or not, this is critical for increasing the damage or effect of your Arts.

List of All Arts and Effects

Inner Search

Inner Search
Class	Enforcer (Rank 2)
Effect	Boosts potential

If you use your Arts frequently, you have to focus on the Potential stat to maximize their effect.

This skill will increase your Potential by 20%, when it is Level 5.

What is Potential Stat?

Best Skills for Melee Weapons

Aura Assault

Aura Assault
Class	Blast Fencer (Rank 7)
Effect	Boosts melee attack, melee accuracy with active aura

For melee builds, Aura Assault is a must-pick. After buffing yourself with Auras, you will deal even more melee damage with this skill.

What are Auras?

Supreme Sword

Supreme Sword
Class	Blast Fencer (Rank 10)
Effect	Boosts damage when triggering melee combo

The last skill for melee builds is Supreme Sword. This will further improve the impact of your melee Arts when use them consectively.

Best Skills for Ranged Weapons

Boosted Bullets

Boosted Bullets
Class	Commando (Rank 4)
Effect	Boosts ranged attack

Some ranged builds, like with sniper rifles, focuses on increasing attack damage. This is the essential skill for that kind of build.

Best Sniper Build

Combo Gunner

Combo Gunner
Class	Commando (Rank 7)
Effect	Boosts damage when triggering ranged combos

This is the ranged version of Supreme Sword. When fully upgraded, you will do 150% more damage with back-to-back ranged Arts.

Best Skills for Tank

Stand Strong

Stand Strong
Class	Shield Trooper (Rank 10)
Effect	Boosts Stagger, Topple, Knockback, and Launch resistance when wielding Shield

This is a crucial skill for shield users. Stand Strong can help them prevent the worst debuffs from a big party-wide attack.

Since they are unlikely to be interrupted, they are free to use support Arts or debuff Arts like taunting to help the party recovery from a devastating attack.

Shield Screen

Shield Screen
Class	Shield Trooper (Rank 4)
Effect	Reduces damage when wielding Shield

Another key shield skill is Shield Screen. True to the weapon, this will let users take less damage overall.

This is useful for builds that taunt enemies, drawing enemy aggression to the user.

Long Topple

Long Topple
Class	Shield Trooper (Rank 6)
Effect	Extends Topple duration

Shield users also have the unique skillset to Topple enemies for longer. This will cause them to be momentarily stunned and reduce their evasion to 0.

When combined with Topple Topper, certain enemies will not have a chance to stand up against your party.

Best Skills for Support

King's Decree

King's Decree
Class	Psycorruptor (Rank 5)
Effect	Increases Debuff Tier +1 on enemies, reduces Control res

For support builds that focus on debuffs, this is a crucial skill. This will make sure you can sleep, stun, or grant negative effects to most enemies.

Healing Touch

Healing Touch
Class	Enforcer (Rank 9)
Effect	Boosts HP recovery of party members when you revive

This is the best healing skill in the game. With this equipped, your party members will be healed to close to full health when they are revived.

How to Revive Teammates

Which Skills to Equip

Those That Improve Character's Build

Skills are an important part of a character's build. They grant effects or stats that boost their combat performance.

Usually builds focus on one or two aspects of combat like building TP, sustaining Overdrive, improving Arts, increasing attack damage, or maximizing a damage type.

Keep each kind of build in mind when choosing which skills equip. Do not forget to also equip gear to complement your skills.

Best Builds

Counters Specific Enemies

Sometimes, you need certain buffs to fight an enemy. For example, you may need the additional accuracy from Steady Hand or Unwavering Courage to fight an evasive tyrant.

There are also skills that increase your damage with an element like electric, ether, and beam.

Build accordingly to take down a strong enemy that has unique abilities or exploitable weaknesses.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Related Guides

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Wiki

Guides by Category

All Categories
Walkthrough	Missions
Tips and Tricks	Characters
Classes	Arts
Skills	Bosses
Enemies	Weapons
Augments	Armor
Skells	Skell Armor
Skell Weapons	Maps
Fashion Gear	Builds
FN Sites	Heart to Heart
News and Updates	Collectopedia
Materials	Items

Recommended Guides

List of Guides
List of All Achievements	Soul Voices Guide
Best Division to Join	Online Multiplayer Guide
Private Squad Message Board	Best Arts
List of Buffs, Debuffs, and Statuses	Best Skills
All Lobster Locations	-
Tier List Guides
Best Classes Tier List	Best Characters Tier List and Party Members
Best Skells Tier List	Best Weapons Tier List