Top Classes in Xenoblade Chronicles X Revealed

If you're diving into Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition, choosing the right class can significantly enhance your gaming experience. With a plethora of options and the time it takes to master new weapon skills, it can be overwhelming at first. However, rest assured that any class can be effective, though some stand out more than others. If you stick with your starting class, the Drifter, you'll find it's one of the most versatile options in the game.

In our Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition classes guide, we've handpicked five of the best classes and detailed why they're worth your attention.

Drifter

Xenoblade Chronicles X encourages you to move on from the Drifter class once you reach rank 10, but it's a class that remains highly versatile and useful throughout the entire game. For those familiar with the original Xenoblade Chronicles, Drifter is akin to Shulk, albeit with a more limited skill set. This class provides access to a variety of debuff and offensive arts, including skills that stagger and topple enemies, and even one that regenerates your health, reducing your reliance on party members for healing.

Drifters wield assault rifles for potent ranged damage and knives for effective melee combat, making them adaptable to any combat scenario. Moreover, Drifter boasts the highest number of skill slots in the game, allowing for extensive customization. Even if you experiment with other classes, it's beneficial to return to Drifter later to tailor it to your preferred playstyle.

Full Metal Jaguar

Full Metal Jaguar, Elma's class, is a high-risk, high-reward choice. By maintaining your HP below 50 percent, you can significantly boost your critical hit rate, thanks to one of its skills that reduces your health when attacking. The Ghost Factory skill allows allies to evade incoming attacks, while Electric Surge delivers ether damage—an uncommon feature among melee classes. Even the basic skill, Shadowstrike, packs a punch, making Full Metal Jaguar a formidable choice on the battlefield.

Duelist

The Duelist is a self-sufficient attacker who thrives in close-quarters combat but is also adept at handling ranged attacks. They wield a longsword and an assault rifle, essentially an upgraded version of the Drifter's arsenal, and have access to a broad range of skills. One notable skill, Last Stand, converts your TP to boost the party's TP, ensuring that powerful attacks can be unleashed when needed.

Soul of the Samurai enhances basic attacks with area-of-effect capabilities, while True Stream Edge recovers TP when your morale level exceeds one. However, Blossom Dance stands out as one of the game's best skills, staggering and toppling enemies while bypassing their resistances, making it incredibly valuable in combat.

Mastermind

For players who prefer to manipulate enemy behavior rather than focus solely on dealing damage, the Mastermind class is an excellent choice. While its arts may not be as potent as those of the Duelist, they can significantly simplify challenging battles. Mastermind can remove enemy buffs and, at level seven, learn a skill that reduces enemy debuff resistance upon landing an attack. Additionally, it offers abilities that enhance TP and a capstone art that inflicts the virus effect, making it a strategic class that requires careful attention during battles.

Galactic Knight

While often considered optimal for Skell users, the Galactic Knight class has much to offer beyond piloting giant fighting robots. They can remove debuffs, heal allies, and deliver heavy, specialized damage. Galactic Knights can also reduce their own cooldowns by executing melee combos. For Skell users, their abilities restore appendage HP and boost combat power without any prerequisites, making them a versatile and powerful choice on and off the Skell.