Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Best Defenders: Arts & Stats

In this guide we will look into the best Defenders Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has to offer.

What Is Defenders Class & Its Role 

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 defenders
Defenders Class in Xenoblade Chronicles 3

The Defender class in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 serves as the tank, drawing adversaries’ attention to protect the party. They excel in speed, enabling them to dodge hostile assaults effectively. Deployed as the first line of defense, they possess vital skills lacking in other classes. Defenders are essential for safely releasing damage on adversaries and are considered the foundation of a party. Notably, characters like Lanz and Mio are experts in this role. While multiple Defenders exist in the game, players typically seek out the best among them.

So now let’s talk about the best Defenders in the Xenoblade Chronicles 3. While you are here, why not look into our Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Classes guide? It is a great deep dive into all the classes. It will give all the answers you will need!

Key Highlights
  • Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Defenders play the role of a tank by focusing on drawing in adversaries and being the first line of defense in battles.
  • They have unique abilities, such as supersonic skills, and excel in avoiding and dodging hostile assaults.
  • The best Defenders in the game include Zephyr, who is faster than the basic Heavy Guard and has a faster recharge, Lanz and Mio, who are experts in avoiding and dodging hostile assaults; and Nia, who is a versatile Defender that requires multiple Defenders to defeat effectively.

Best Defender Comparison

Complete stat table for Defenders:

Class NameStats Multiplier
(Rank 1 - 20)
Weapon Stats Multiplier
(Lvl 1 - 99)
ArtsSkillsBest Character Choice
Zephyr ClassHP: 100% - 110%
ATK: 70% - 75%
Healing Power: 20% - 25%
Dexterity: 100% - 105%
Agility: 120% - 130%
Physical Defense: 30% - 35%
Ether Defense: 40% - 50%
ATK: 17 - 524
Critical Rate: 15% - 20%
Block Rate: 25% - 35%
- Gemini Strike
(Talent Art)
- Butterfly Blade
- Air Fang
- Wide Slash
- Glow Ring
- Speed Demon
- Stormy Gale
- Ether's Sanctuary
- Split Second Counter
- I'll Defend You
- Mio
- Euine
- Sena
Heavy Guard ClassHP: 120% - 130%
ATK: 75% - 80%
Healing Power: 20% - 25%
Dexterity: 90% - 100%
Agility: 70% - 75%
Physical Defense: 40% - 50%
Ether Defense: 30% - 35%
ATK: 17 - 534
Critical Rate: 4% - 8%
Block Rate: 25% - 35%
- Mad Taunt
(Talent Art)
- Bull Rush
- Variable Turret
- Crash Out
- Uppercut Slash
- Solid Stance
- Defensive Soul
- I'll Protect You
- Tenacious Blocker
- Aggravator
- Lanz
- Sena
Guardian Commander
Class
HP: 110% - 120%
ATK: 70% - 75%
Healing Power: 30% - 35%
Dexterity: 100% - 105%
Agility: 70% - 75%
Physical Defense: 40% - 50%
Ether Defense: 30% - 35%
ATK: 16 - 508
Critical Rate: 4% - 8%
Block Rate: 30% - 40%
- Deflector Field
(Talent Art)
- Imperial Sword
- Shield Bash
- Falcon Sweep
- Noble Taunt
- Grand Protection
- I'll Help
- Soldier's Potential
- Protector's Pride
- Mind For Guarding
- Noah
- Lanz
- Sena
Lone Exile ClassHP: 100% - 110%
ATK: 85% - 95%
Healing Power: 10% - 15%
Dexterity: 100% - 110%
Agility: 115% - 125%
Physical Defense: 30% - 35%
Ether Defense: 40% - 50%
ATK: 17 - 534
Critical Rate: 12% - 24%
Block Rate: 20% - 30%
- Blossom Dance
(Talent Art)
- Demon Slayer
- Eye Of The Storm
- Gale Slash
- Soaring Tempest
- Jaws Of Death
- Goading Attack
- Returning The Favor
- Natural Selection
- Maniac
- Lanz
- Sena

Zephyr (疾風士)

Zephyr in Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Zephyr

Zephyr Class Stats Multipliers:

Rank HP ATK Healing

Power

Dexterity Agility Physical

Defense

Ether

Defense

1 100% 70% 20% 100% 120% 30% 40%
10 105% 72% 22% 102% 125% 32% 45%
20 110% 75% 25% 105% 130% 35% 50%

Gamers definitely know the struggle of choosing the right character, especially when you are initially starting out. Well, if you are a player who has just started playing Xenoblade Chronicles 3, we would suggest using the Zephyr.

Firstly, it is speedier than the basic Heavy Guard and has a notably faster recharge. Yes, you read that right Zephyr Defender is one of the fastest in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. But that is not all! It just keeps getting better and better!

Secondly, we can all agree that recharging is one of the most annoying aspects of the game. But faster recharge is vital, especially when it comes to combat arts, despite the fact that you have fewer options on the defense side.

Zephyr Weapon Stats Multiplier:

Level Attack Critical Rate Block Rate
1 17 15% 25%
10 37 15% 26%
20 68 16% 27%
30 104 16% 28%
40 145 17% 29%
50 193 18% 30%
60 247 18% 31%
70 306 19% 32%
80 373 19% 33%
90 448 20% 34%
99 524 20% 35%

This means that by doing it, you may preserve your survivability while holding on to aggro for longer. Honestly, this is probably one of the coolest aspects of having Zephyr Defender in Xenoblade Chronicles 3

How To Unlock Zephyr Class

Zephyr is a class that can be selected right away in the game. Mio, one of the major characters in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, starts out as a Zephyr. Therefore as soon as you have the option to alter the classes of your characters, you can choose the Zephyr category.

Zephyr Class Skills:

Skill Name Buffs (Rank 1 – 20)
Stormy Gale Agility: +10% – 30%
Ether’s Sanctuary Ether Defense: +10% – 30%
Split Second Counter Attack Dmg after evasion of an attack: 100% – 200%
I’ll Defend You Decreased chances of your enemies getting attacked in a fixed area by 8% – 16%.

The Best Zephyr Characters 

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Mio
Mio in Xenoblade Chronicles 3

The finest alternatives for the Zephyr class, aside from Mio, for whom Zephyr is the starting class, are Euine and Sena. Both of them are obtainable characters. One of the essential qualifications for the Zephyr class in Xenoblade 3 is outstanding agility, which all of these characters possess.

Zephyr Art

Gemini Strike (Talent Art)  High aggro / Evade
Butterfly Blade High aggro
Air Fang  Aggroed 
Wide Slash  Evade
Glow Ring  Target Lock
Speed Demon  Eva. up / Atk down

Heavy Guard (ヘヴィガード)

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Heavy Guard
Heavy Guard in Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Heavy Guard Class Stats Multipliers:

Rank HP ATK Healing

Power

Dexterity Agility Physical

Defense

Ether

Defense

1 120% 75% 20% 90% 70% 40% 30%
10 125% 77% 22% 95% 72% 45% 32%
20 130% 80% 25% 100% 75% 50% 35%

Let’s now talk about Heavy Guard! In Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Heavy Guard has excellent protection stats to absorb enemy damage. And the ability to draw enemy aggro to protect the other characters of the squish section.

Each component of XC3 will require a good Heavy Guard. Here is everything you need to understand about the Heavy Guard class, the top characters to pick, and the best Arts and Skills.

Heavy Guard Weapon Stats Multipliers:

Level Attack Critical Rate Block Rate
1 17 4% 25%
10 38 4% 26%
20 69 5% 27%
30 106 5% 28%
40 148 6% 29%
50 196 6% 30%
60 251 6% 31%
70 312 7% 32%
80 380 7% 33%
90 457 8% 34%
99 534 8% 35%

Easy Way To Unlock Heavy Guard Class

By gaining access to the class-switching feature, you can unlock the Heavy Guard class. It is due to the fact that Lanz. He is one of the game’s key protagonists and has Heavy Guard as his baseline class. So, all you have to do to access his Heavy Guard class is switch classes.

Moreover, by finishing the Hillside Hulk quest, you can access the class changer in Chapter 2. You will not miss this because it is one of the game’s key objectives. Fun Fact, the Ouroboros Arts in XC3 is also unlocked through the assignment.

Heavy Guard Class Skills:

Skill Name Buffs (Rank 1 – 20)
Defensive Soul Physical Defense: +10% – 20%
I’ll Protect You 20% – 30% less damage is dealt to allies in a certain area
Tenacious Blocker Block Rate: +30% – 50% when HP is less than or equal to 30%.
Aggravator Every passing second it will accumulate aggro.

The Best Heavy Guard Characters

Lanz and Sena are the ideal players for the Heavy Guard class in XC3. Since Lanz automatically receives the Heavy Guard class, he is an obvious choice.

His and Sena’s strong health reserves make them both great choices for the Heavy Guard class. They are the ideal tanks because they have the greatest defense numbers in the game.

Heavy Guard Art

Mad Taunt (Talent Art)  AOE / Taunt
Bull Rush  Topple
Variable Turret  Block attacks
Crash Out AOE / High aggro
Uppercut Slash High aggro
Solid Stance  Def. up / Atk down

Guardian Commander (ガーディアンコマンダ)

Zeon Guardian Commander
Guardian Commander Zeon

The Defender Type class known as Guardian Commander is by nature linked to Zeon.

Guardian Commander Class Stat Multipliers:

Rank HP ATK Healing

Power

Dexterity Agility Physical

Defense

Ether

Defense

1 110% 70% 30% 100% 70% 40% 30%
10 115% 72% 32% 102% 72% 45% 32%
20 120% 75% 35% 105% 75% 50% 35%

Guardian Commander Weapon Stat Multipliers:

Level Attack Critical Rate Block Rate
1 16 4% 30%
10 36 4% 31%
20 65 5% 32%
30 100 5% 33%
40 140 6% 34%
50 187 6% 35%
60 239 6% 36%
70 296 7% 37%
80 361 7% 38%
90 434 8% 39%
99 508 8% 40%

How To Easily Unlock Guardian Commander Class

In Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Zeon is a protagonist that starts out with the Guardian Commander type. When the heroic objective “Where the Heart Is” in Chapter 3 is finished, the class is unlocked and equipped to the main character. 

Best Guardian Commander Characters

The Guardian Commander class is mostly intended to give the party defense, but it can also grant the players the capability to attack. Noah is a great starting avatar for Guardian Commander, thanks to his strong scores and fast learning capabilities.

Guardian Commander Skills:

Skill Name Buffs (Rank 1 – 20)
I’ll Help Damage Received: – 15% ~ – 20%
Soldier’s Potential Amount Of Restored HP/sec: 0.6% – 1.4% when HP <= 30%.
Protector’s Pride Recharge Speed: +30% – 50%
Mind For Guarding Damage Taken When Blocking: – 10 ~ – 20 

Moreover, Lanz and Sena are good candidates for using the defense and attack in tandem. They possess the defensive and offensive abilities to make effective Guardian Commanders.

Best Art For Guardian Commander 

Physical Attack AoE/50% extra damage.
Taunt AoE/distract the enemies
Physical Attack AoE 

The three we mentioned above are, without a shadow of a doubt, the best Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Defenders. They are fast, adaptable, and agile. Let’s now talk a little about the runner-up.

Guardian Commander Arts: (Arts in the Article are incorrect as those do not exist)

Arts Effects
Deflector Field (Talent Art) Absorb Dmg / Awaken
Imperial Sword Awakened Boost
Shield Bash Topple Rank 10 Master Arts
Falcon Sweep AoE / Awaken
Noble Taunt Rank 1 Master Art
Grand Protection Increase Block Rate / Decrease in Attack

Lone Exile (ローン エグザイル)

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 lone exile
Lone Exile Class in Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Lone Exile Class Stat Multipliers:

Rank HP ATK Healing

Power

Dexterity Agility Physical

Defense

Ether

Defense

1 100% 85% 10% 100% 115% 30% 40%
10 105% 90% 12% 105% 120% 32% 45%
20 110% 95% 15% 110% 125% 35% 50%

The Heavy Guard class is similar to the Lone Exile class. It is a real tank that can stand in front of adversaries for long stretches of time. Like the Guardian Commander, they balance their defensive strength and capacity to deal with a powerful counterpunch.

Lone Exile Weapon Stat Multipliers:

Level Attack Critical Rate Block Rate
1 17 12% 20%
10 38 13% 21%
20 69 14% 22%
30 106 16% 23%
40 148 17% 24%
50 197 18% 25%
60 251 19% 26%
70 312 20% 27%
80 380 22% 28%
90 457 23% 29%
99 534 24% 30%

How To Easily Unlock Lone Exile Class

You must finish Ashera’s hero quest, “The Wrath of Ashera,” to acquire the Lone Exile class because it is her default class in Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

Lone Exile Class Skills:

Skill Name Buffs (Rank 1 – 20_
Goading Attack Aggro made by dealing any kind of damage: +30% – +60%
Returning The Favor Dmg dealt after a close ally is attacked: +100% – +250%
Natural Selection Dmg taken: -20% – 30% when HP <= 30%
Maniac Dmg dealt against high-level enemies: +30% – +50%

Best Lone Exile Playable Characters 

Players with high attack and defense stats are ideal for the Lone Exile class. Moreover, both of these players have an excellent balance of offensive and defensive stats. Lanz and Sena are our top choices for the fighters who are ideal for the Lone Exile class!

The Best Lone Exile Arts

Gale Slash damage increases by 50%
Jaws of Death Stance
Demon Slayer aggro gets generated by 50%.

That’s all from our guide, and I hope it was helpful in solving your question!

Was this article helpful?

Thanks! Do share your feedback with us. ⚡

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. ✍

Get up-to-speed gaming updates delivered right to your inbox.

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy.


Haddi is a Senior Writer & Editor at eXputer who loves to play games and talk about them like a fanatic. Hadi's years of experience in this industry let him provide a unique and critical perspective on games to share with his audience. His work is also featured on several other websites. You can hit him up on his gaming profile at Steam!

Experience: 5+ years || Previously Worked At Gamepur, Gear Siege, GearNuke

Related Articles