How To Build Great Healers In Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a game about synergies. Not only does its narrative embrace the themes of harmony and putting aside time-bound grievances to work together as a unit, but its class-based combat system rewards players who recognize why it’s important to synergize specific arts and abilities.
That’s true of the attacker role, that’s true of the tank role, and it’s absolutely true of that role as a healer also – they mostly get by without much mingling, but the greatest healer classes in the game are built by combining key talents and a few basic tips and tricks.
The best healer classes in Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Each class in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has its own stat. There are no really bad picks. Given the number of choices, that’s pretty impressive. But if there is no chaff to separate the proverbial wheat, there is still enough hierarchy to separate the great from the merely good.
Out of the game’s eight healer classes, our favorites are these three: war medic, strategists and Way of life. But we’re going to drop Lifesage for the purposes of this guide and replace it with the alternative rad thaumaturge, as Lifesage is only available as a postgame pickup. (The class more than makes up for that fact by being borderline broken. It’s a complete menace.)
war medic
You don’t have to worry about missing out on the War Medic class. His associated hero character, Valdi, will join the team in chapter three as part of the main story. What we love about this class is its versatility. With field-based fare galore, War Medics bring area-of-effect healing and buffing fun to the whole team. If you’re playing an attacker, just make sure you drop by Valdi (or his class heir) from time to time to get the most out of it.
strategists
The custom class of isurd, Strategos primarily focuses on providing buffs to the party and weakening debuffs to the enemy, and it excels at running the timer on both sides of the coin. As the name suggests, Strategos requires a bit more critical thinking; Moves like “No Love Lost” lower an opponent’s physical defense, which might not sound all that beneficial…until it is. That said, Strategos’ buffs come in very handy during tense encounters.
thaumaturge
Be sure to stop by Colony Gamma when you can to pick it up Teaching and his thaumaturge class. Thaumaturge combines high conditional heals, evasion boosts, and significant damage to the enemy. His attacks can pierce defenses, like Ultimate Qigong, and unlike some healing classes, Thaumaturge is quite capable of keeping himself going by auto-hitting himself with Life Saving Fists.
Crafting an excellent individual healer
Now that we have the building blocks – and feel free to try any other healing course as there is something for everyone – we can set about constructing a powerful healing unit. Rather than bogging things down with an exhaustive encyclopedia of terms, let’s set out a few bullet points to guide you along the way. Just look for arts, skills, and items that enhance what we offer, and you’re on your way to something big.
- Healer classes sometimes have their own aggro reduction tools. But when you’re targeting a healer that can debuff and even attack semi-effectively, that might not be enough. Look for tools that further reduce aggro, like the Shadow Eye Art and various accessories.
- Similarly, look for offensive measures that can double as healing or buff tools. Rank Splitter is a good example. It’s a martial art that heals allies within a set range when it strikes, reinforcing our idea of a healer who can do his job both traditionally and through “extracurricular” means, if you will.
- You can shake things up during the campaign by reflecting on what you’re facing the most at any given moment, whether it’s fighting in the main story or a dozen hours of venturing into the great unknown. That’s the beauty of Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s class system; There is always room to adjust. Let’s say you’re up against a lot of machine-like enemies. At this point, see if you can hook up your healers to something like the war medic surprise strike for additional damage.
- On the subject AccesoriesYour best bets other than aggro reduction are items like Flawless necklace which increase the character’s healing abilities by a set percentage. Remember that accessories come in different tiers, so swap out commons for rares and so on as you come across better treasures. Don’t expect to find the great stuff early in the morning.