In Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, the city of New Los Angeles (NLA) serves as the central hub for all activities in the game. It’s the starting point for every mission, acting as your operational base and the core of various systems. Most shops and upgrading systems can be found within NLA, so it’s essential to get familiar with this area.
Upgrading your gear is primarily handled through Arms Manufacturers, the companies that produce the armor and weapons you use. While it’s possible to find equipment by defeating enemies, relying on them for upgrades isn’t a foolproof strategy. To consistently improve your gear, you need to focus on enhancing the Arms Manufacturers themselves. Let’s explore how that works.
Understanding Arms Manufacturers
In NLA, two important kiosks stand out in Armory Alley within the Administrative District: the Shop Terminal and the AM Terminal. The Shop Terminal lets you buy new weapons and armor, as well as sell what you no longer need.
The more crucial of the two is the AM Terminal, which represents Arms Manufacturers—the source of everything you can acquire from the shop. In addition to purchasing equipment, you can craft items from discovered schematics, enhance the traits of your gear, and create new Augments to equip in your items.
Unlike many other games, including other Xenoblade titles, inventory isn’t automatically replenished as you progress. Instead, the ‘Manage AMs’ option allows you to upgrade Arms Manufacturers through investment, which, in turn, enhances the available stock. Each Arms Manufacturer offers different upgrades, so it’s vital to choose wisely based on what they offer before committing resources.
Upgrading Arms Manufacturers
Enhancing Arms Manufacturers is straightforward and can be accomplished in two primary ways: using their gear in battles or investing directly in them. Each Arms Manufacturer has levels ranging from one to five.
The first two upgrades unlock new items for purchase. For levels four and five, you’ll improve the rarity of existing gear and grant additional Battle Traits—skills that add unique effects to your equipment, like increasing TP when using Arts.
Using Their Gear
Every piece of equipment comes from a specific Arms Manufacturer, with many early-game items coming from Sakuraba Industries or Grenada Galactic Group. The more you showcase their gear in combat, the more points you earn for those manufacturers. To maximize your rewards, wear multiple pieces from a single AM, as doing so increases the points you gather for them.
However, relying solely on this method can be slow. Instead, think of it as a nice bonus for passive progression in boosting an AM while you engage in battles.
Investing Miranium
The faster way to upgrade Arms Manufacturers is by investing directly using Miranium, a currency you acquire through FrontierNet. Each AM has a different investment requirement, with later manufacturers demanding more points for upgrades compared to earlier ones.
At first, gathering enough Miranium might take some time, but as you play, you’ll quickly start earning thousands of Miranium from various actions, which speeds up upgrading far more than just relying on gear usage.
Keep in mind the limit on how much Miranium you can hold without extra Storage Probes. It’s wise to invest in Arms Manufacturers as soon as you reach the limit to ensure you don’t waste any resources, as any surplus will be lost.
How Many Arms Manufacturers Are There?
The game starts with two Arms Manufacturers. This number grows as you progress, with some becoming available through story developments and others through side quests. There are eight Arms Manufacturers total, each specializing in unique attributes or gear types. Below is a breakdown of each manufacturer, what they provide, and how to unlock them:
|
Arms Manufacturer |
Specialty |
When They Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Sakuraba Industries | Physical weapons and armor | Unlocked by default. |
| Grenada Galactic Group | Beam weapons and armor | Unlocked by default. |
| Meredith and Co. | Ether armor and Gravity weapons | Complete Chapter Four. |
| Candid & Credible | High defense armor and Electric and Gravity weapons | Complete Chapter Five. |
| Six Stars | Thermal armor and Thermal and Physical weapons | Complete A Challenger Approaches Affinity Mission (Chapter Ten). |
| Orphean Technologies | High evasion armor, Gravity, and Skell weapons | Complete Rescue At The Ensconced Citadel Normal Mission (Chapter Six). |
| Nopon Commerce Guild | Mainly weapons with larger magazines and Thermal | Complete BFFs Affinity Mission (Chapter Five). |
| Factory 1.21 | Mainly weapons with Gravity | Complete Professor B’s Return Normal Mission (Chapter Seven). |
The table illustrates that not all Arms Manufacturers are the same; only four are unlocked during the main storyline, with others focusing on various aspects like armor versus weapons. To create a strong character build, you’ll often need to source items from multiple AMs rather than sticking to just one. It’s advantageous to invest evenly across them, unless you have a specific type of gear in mind.
For instance, if you want to enhance your Galactic Knight Arts with the Beam attribute, you’ll want to acquire weapons from Grenada Galactic Group. Or, if you’re leaning towards a tank role, Candid & Credible would be your go-to for heavy armor. This diversity sets each AM apart, making them essential for tailored character builds rather than simply being different shops with similar stocks.
Some Arms Manufacturers, like Candid & Credible, focus solely on heavy armor, with lighter options available from others.
