Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Hero and Class Guide

There are a lot of systems that make up Xenoblade Chronicles 3, with its many classes standing front and centre. While you’ll start with a few, your repertoire of potential class choices expands as you meet new heroes. In our Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Hero and Class Unlock Guide, we’ll detail the intricacies of these mechanics, along with how to complete your roster of both.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Heroes

Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s Heroes act as a 7th party member, and they differ in a few key ways from the main cast. For starters, they cannot be controlled directly or make use of class switching. Additionally, the only way you can customise their abilities in the party menu is by equipping different Arts — without class switching, they are unable to learn Master or Fusion Arts. While customisation is limited, Heroes gain access to new gear and better gems automatically as they level up.

To unlock Heroes, you must clear their specific quests (marked with a yellow “!” icon). Some of these will be mandatory as part of the main story, while others must instead be found throughout the world. Undiscovered Hero Quests can be found at “?” markers on the map, though this marker is also used for other non-Hero quests and events.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Classes

Completing a Hero Quest will (usually) add that Hero to your roster, while also granting 1 main character their class. For others to learn this class, you must either have the Hero stay in your party, or have someone equip the class you want others to learn. This process can be sped up by having multiple characters equip the same class at once.

Each main character has their own ranking with each class, ranging from D at the lowest, all the way to S. This ranking determines how fast a class can be unlocked and ranked up. It doesn’t have an effect on how well the character can use it — a D rank for a class will still grant all the same stats and abilities as someone else with an S rank.

Classes have a starting rank cap of 10, which can be increased in 2 ways depending on how the class is obtained. Starter classes (i.e. those of the main cast) can be upgraded by completing Side Story quests, while classes obtained from Heroes require Ascension Quests. Completing these will increase the rank cap to 20, allowing more Arts and Skills to be permanently learned by characters.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Hero and Class Unlocks

These are ordered based on when you can obtain each Hero, so watch out for spoilers further down the list.

Ethel

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Flash Fencer
• Unlock: Hero Quest available as part of the main story during Chapter 3. Is only available temporarily during this chapter.
• Class Inheritor: Noah

Valdi

• Role: Healer
• Class: War Medic
• Unlock: Hero Quest available as part of the main story during Chapter 3.
• Class Inheritor: Lanz

Zeon

• Role: Defender
• Class: Guardian Commander
• Unlock: Return to Colony 9 during Chapter 3, after Valdi joins.
• Class Inheritor: Noah

Teach

• Role: Healer
• Class: Thaumaturge
• Unlock: Available in Aetia Region during Chapter 3, after Valdi joins. Head north from Gura Flava Camp towards the question mark on the map.
• Class Inheritor: Mio

Riku and Manana

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Yumsmith
• Unlock: Hero Quest available as part of the main story during Chapter 3.
• Class Inheritor: Sena

Gray

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Full Metal Jaguar
• Unlock: Available in Aetia Region during Chapter 3, after Valdi joins. Head northeast from Kamos Guidepost, heading up the purple vines and towards the question mark on the map.
• Class Inheritor: Eunie

Isurd

• Role: Healer
• Class: Strategos
• Unlock: Hero quest available in Colony Lambda during Chapter 4.
• Class Inheritor: Taion

Juniper

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Stalker
• Unlock: Hero Quest available as part of the main story during Chapter 4.
• Class Inheritor: Noah

Ashera

• Role: Defender
• Class: Lone Exile
• Unlock: Hero Quest available shortly after arriving at Syra Hovering Reefs. Head to the question mark icon on the first island.
• Class Inheritor: Eunie

Alexandria

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Incursor
• Unlock: Available in Aetia Region during Chapter 3, after Valdi joins. Not recommended to attempt until level 40, which should be reachable without grinding by the end of Chapter 4.
• Class Inheritor: Taion

Monica

• Role: Defender
• Class: Lost Vanguard
• Unlock: Unlocked as part of the main story in Chapter 5.
• Class Inheritor: Eunie

Fiona

• Role: Healer
• Class: Signifier
• Unlock:
• Class Inheritor: Lanz

Triton

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Soulhacker
• Unlock:
• Class Inheritor: Lanz

Ghondor

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Martial Artist
• Unlock: Unlocked as part of the main story in Chapter 6.
• Class Inheritor: Sena

Miyabi

• Role: Healer
• Class: Troubador
• Unlock: Unlocked as part of the main story in Chapter 6.
• Class Inheritor: Mio

Cammuravi

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Seraph
• Unlock: Available in Chapter 6 after unlocking Miyabi. Hero Quest starts at Colony Omega in Aetia Region, Upper.
• Class Inheritor: Taion

Segiri

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Machine Assassin
• Unlock: Available during Chapter 6 in Aetia Region, Upper. Head to the question mark at the southern part of the map to start “The Illusion Returns”, which then leads into the Hero Quest “Inhumanity”
• Class Inheritor: Sena

Heavy Spoilers Ahead

Nia

• Role: Healer
• Class: Lifesage
• Unlock: After completing the main story, reload your save and head to Hall of the Serene in Aeria Region, Upper. Here, you'll unlock Nia, along with a new set of scenes across Aionios.
• Class Inheritor: Mio

Melia

• Role: Attacker
• Class: Royal Summoner
• Unlock: After completing the main story, reload your save and head to Castle, 1st Floor in the Keves Castle Region.
• Class Inheritor: Noah

Re-add Ethel as Hero

Ethel can return to your team after a number of conditions are fulfilled. To start with, you must have Cammuravi unlocked, and rank 10 with Flash Fencer and Seraph on any character. Then, head to Colony Gamma in Aetia Region, Upper, heading through both door into a laboratory. Selecting yes once prompted will reintroduce Ethel into your selection of Heroes.

That's it for this Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Hero and Class Guide - check out more guides below!