Elma is the first party member to join the group in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition and plays a major role in the overall narrative of this JRPG, becoming essential in several key story moments. She can also serve as one of the most effective combat units in the game, provided she is properly equipped and built for battle.
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So, the best build for Elma in Xenoblade Chronicles X blends the right combination of Arts and Skills to ensure she delivers high damage in combat. She also possesses other useful abilities that enhance her value in battle, securing her place in many party compositions throughout the game.
Best Build For Elma In Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
One important detail to remember about allied NPCs in Xenoblade Chronicles X is that they are AI-controlled during combat. The decisions made by the game do not always align with an optimized build, which means these characters can sometimes be inconsistent, and they might deal heavy damage in one encounter but struggle in the next.
Elma is especially affected by this inconsistency. Her Full Metal Jaguar class relies on many Arts that require precise positioning to be most effective. As a result, during exploration across Mira, players will notice that Elma can dominate in some battles, while in others, her performance drops noticeably due to poor positioning or suboptimal choices by the AI.
This build for Elma focuses on a melee-oriented approach, since she has access to only a few useful ranged Arts. Her Arts Palette should be filled with those tied to Dual Swords to take advantage of her strongest close-range options, so, the following are the best Arts for her setup:
|
Skill |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Killing Machine |
Uses TP to enhance melee accuracy, melee attack power, and overall potential. |
|
Primer |
Boosts TP and enhances the user's critical hit capabilities. |
|
Electric Surge |
Deals Ether-type damage and grows stronger as the user's HP decreases. |
|
Shadow Strike |
Hits with weapon damage, staggers the enemy, and deals more from behind. |
|
Hundred Shells |
Consumes TP to hit from behind with increased weapon damage. |
|
Side Slash |
Inflicts Fatigue while dealing weapon damage, stronger when used from the side. |
|
Ghost Factory |
Consumes TP to summon decoys, granting evasion to allies. |
Ghost Factory, while not directly offensive, is what makes this Elma build so effective in Xenoblade Chronicles X. When used in battle, it grants Decoy to the entire party, a buff that provides evasion from a set number of enemy hits, greatly enhancing survivability during encounters.
Though less effective against enemies with simultaneous multi-hit attacks or those that bypass Decoy, such threats are rare in this Xenoblade Chronicles game. This makes maxing out Ghost Factory as soon as it's available one of the best choices for players. Most of the time, Elma remains valuable in the party thanks to this ability, in addition to her vital role in the game’s story.
In addition, after selecting these Arts, players may notice that one ability slot remains available for Elma. Unfortunately, there isn’t an eighth Skill that perfectly aligns with the rest of the setup to further enhance it. This final slot can be filled based on player preference and, for example, Shadowrunner can be a good choice when navigating areas filled with higher-level enemies, since if Elma is the controlled character, she can avoid detection or initiate combat on her own terms and keep allies alive.
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Best Skills For Elma’s Build In Xenoblade Chronicles X
While Elma has access to four Skill slots to equip passive abilities essential to her build, only three of them provide significant value in this setup. The fourth slot offers some flexibility, allowing players to select an option that fits specific combat needs or personal preferences during tougher encounters.
- Background Noise: Increases melee Art damage when striking from behind the enemy.
- Master Edge: Raises the critical hit rate when using close-range weapons.
- Crisis Catalyst: Boosts critical hit chance when HP falls below 50% and doubles it when under 25%.
These three Skills form the core of Elma’s build in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, delivering optimal synergy with her strongest Arts and improving her combat effectiveness. For the fourth slot, players may choose Steady Hands, despite the reduced use of Dual Guns in this setup, or opt for Hellhound for those aiming to trigger Overdrive occasionally.
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Best Equipment For Elma In Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Players should keep Elma’s Dual Blades upgraded at all times, since those weapons drive her close-quarters offense in this build, especially against tough foes that demand steady DPS. Although Dual Guns play a smaller role, keeping them up to date also helps maintain decent damage output whenever Elma switches weapon types.
Weapon traits that boost damage or generate TP each hit are especially valuable for high-level encounters, since they let Elma unleash Arts more often. Augment slots also enhance offensive capabilities, making them prime targets for anyone aiming to optimize gear for challenging missions and post-game battles within Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition.
Equipment should be upgraded every 10 levels.
Light armor suits this build well, and Sakuraba Industries often sells pieces that boost melee performance, which aligns with Elma’s close-range focus. Investing Miranium at Arms Manufacturer often yields gear with perks that fortify Elma’s damage output while preserving mobility, ensuring she can strike quickly and remain agile in fights.
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How To Play With Elma In The Party In Xenoblade Chronicles X
This build for Elma in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition focuses on turning her into a damage powerhouse, especially in fights where positioning allows her to strike from optimal angles. It also provides consistent TP generation, which is essential for maintaining pressure against tougher enemies. Her Skills take advantage of her low defense to boost damage when her health is reduced.
Killing Machine serves as the foundation of this setup by enhancing key stats like attack, accuracy, and potential, increasing both hit rate and damage output. This ability directly empowers critical strikes such as Shadow Strike, particularly when used from proper positions. Primer supports TP generation and boosts critical power, keeping resources flowing to activate key Arts.
Electric Surge pairs well with Crisis Catalyst, as one increases damage the lower Elma’s HP gets, while the other boosts the rate of critical hits in that same state. Since Elma lacks Skills or Arts that raise her defense, both abilities trigger very often in combat. Together, they solidify this setup as the best build for her in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition.
- Released
- March 20, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen // Animated Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Monolith Soft
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
WHERE TO PLAY
- Franchise
- Xenoblade Chronicles
- Number of Players
- 1 (Single-Player), 1-32 (Multiplayer)
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- March 20, 2025
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
