Upon your arrival in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, one of the first characters you encounter is Irina. However, she won’t officially join your roster until you complete the initial three chapters of the narrative. Regardless of this slight delay, incorporating Irina into your party proves beneficial, and she is likely to remain a key member throughout your journey.
Within Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, you’ll find a diverse array of party members. Yet, only a handful focus on support arts and abilities. Irina specializes in various support arts that can significantly enhance your team’s performance in combat. Thus, her primary role should favor buffing and healing over engaging foes directly.
Optimal Setup for Irina in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Arts, Skills, and Equipment
Irina is automatically unlocked after finishing Chapter 3: Builders of a Legacy. Among her peers, Gwin and Doug, she stands out as the superior choice for your team. By integrating Irina into your lineup, particularly when focusing on classes that lack strong support capabilities, you can effectively bolster your team’s efficacy in battles. Below, you’ll find recommendations for her arts, skills, and equipment.
Recommended Arts Configuration for Irina
Irina holds the title of Psycorruptor+ and can reach up to Rank 20. Notably, her signature ability, Smooth Recovery, plays a vital role in her support role. While she does gain a few offensive arts, particularly those of a ranged nature, her true strength lies in healing and buffing her allies. Start upgrading arts such as Smooth Recovery and Medic Free to maximize her potential.
Irina also learns arts like Brainjack and Servant Sacrifice, but be cautious; these abilities are generally ineffective against formidable Tyrants and boss characters.
Players can equip up to eight arts per character, and a suggested lineup for Irina includes:
| Art | Effect | TP Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Last Stand | Boosts allies’ TP. | 1000 |
| Repair | Removes debuffs + Restores HP. | — |
| Smooth Recovery | Restores HP + Grants Evasion Up. This is a unique art exclusive to Irina and the main character. | — |
| Absorber Skin | Grants Barrier. | — |
| Energy Source | Boosts TP + Boosts potential. | 1000 |
| Medic Free | Increases debuff resistance + Auto-revives on incapacitation. | 1000 |
| Quick Cannon | Deals thermal damage + Inflicts Blaze + Enhances melee combo damage. | — |
| Flash Grenade | Deals electric damage + Inflicts Blackout. | — |
Optimal Skills for Irina in Xenoblade Chronicles X
Irina has access to three primary skills that enhance her support capabilities, alongside others that apply debuffs. With only four skill slots available, concentration on upgrading three pertinent skills will provide the best outcome for her effectiveness. However, if you’re interested in utilizing her debuff arts, consider incorporating King’s Decree to amplify her Brainjack ability.
| Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
| Inner Search | Enhances potential. |
| High Tension | Increases maximum TP. |
| Healing Touch | Enhances HP recovery for revived allies. |
Optimal Equipment for Irina in Xenoblade Chronicles X
Irina’s primary focus is on buffing allies and restoring health, but her low defense and HP stats make her a potential target. Consequently, it is advisable to equip her with gear that enhances her Maximum HP or provides increased evasion. For body armor, the Worn Forza Norak offers a Max HP Boost VIII perk.
When it comes to weaponry, priority should be on ranged weapons, particularly those with the Ranged: TP Up perk. The following types of equipment are suitable for Irina:
- Knives
- Assault Rifles
Despite defensive enhancements, it’s crucial to remember that Irina’s survivability might still be inadequate. Therefore, ensure she wields the Medic Free aura art for increased debuff resistance and a chance to revive once per battle.
Is Irina a Valuable Party Member?
Evaluating Irina’s Utility
If you’re not entirely confident in your abilities to manage support roles, it may be more effective to allow AI to control Irina during tough encounters. Just be proactive in equipping her with essential arts and skills. Encouraging Irina to maintain her TP levels is vital for maximizing skills like Last Stand and Medic Free. If you aren’t directly playing as her, setting her commands to conserve TP becomes a savvy strategy.
Should you choose to control Irina, it is imperative to keep a low profile to avoid drawing aggro. Rely on her ranged weapon and engage in ranged arts during Soul Voices. When building TP, switching to a melee weapon can be advantageous if the ranged option lacks the Ranged: TP Up perk—melee weapons typically yield higher TP gains. It’s advisable to have Irina focus on auto-attacks rather than melee-specific arts (e.g., Assault Hammer) to optimize her efficiency in combat.