Skell
Skells are mechs in Xenoblade Chronicles X. They can be piloted by the party and are used for traversal and combat.
Appearance[edit]
Skells are tall, humanoid shaped vehicles that can convert into a moped-like vehicle. They have significant exterior armour plating, visible propulsion devices, and tyres. They have a visor where a human head would be, or where the windshield of a moped would be, and they move in somewhat stiff ways.
Plot[edit]
In the world of Xenoblade Chronicles X, Skells are used primarily as tools for transportation, combat, and various heavy duty industrial tasks, like moving freight or installing Data Probes. In New Los Angeles, they are heavily used as stationary sentries, guarding important locations.
The technology used to create Skells is seen as a major breakthrough, and they are praised for how much they have helped survival on Mira. Unfortunately, the resources required to make Skells are highly scarce, so they are only made available to proven strong members of BLADE, and even then, are still quite expensive for those BLADEs to obtain.
Bio (Enemy Index)[edit]
Human-made bipedal mobile weapons. Their basic structure consists of a variable inner frame with an outer frame mounted on top, allowing for the crafts to shift rapidly between humanoid combat mode and vehicular cruise mode.
The outer frame is divided into two components; the first, known as the hull, consists of a layer of secondary armor, as well as an integrated weapons array, auxiliary drive unit, power pack, and armament rack. The second, known as the backpack, houses the mobility module, as well as control systems for weaponry and the Skell itself. Switching out the hull allows the pilot to customize his or her Skell for a diverse array of strategies and squad configurations.
Obtaining[edit]
Skells are made available for purchase to the player after completing the Skell License quest, which can be taken after finishing chapter 6. They can be bought from the shop terminal in Armory Alley, or crafted from the AM terminal. Extra Schematics that allow the player to craft more Skells are granted upon completing Chapter 12 and after the Affinity Missions Climbing the Ladder, Bozé's Ignorance, and Rapid Misfire.
Each Skell comes equipped with some Skell weapons. The sidearms provide auto-attacks, and other weapons act as appendages which each provide a art for the Skell to do. Other Skell weapons can be obtained through the same means as frames, in addition to also being dropped by enemies.
Skell frames are given a level, which indicates what level a character must be to use the Skell, and the max level weapons it can equip. Frames also determine number of times insurance can be used, and the type of Overdrive the Skell has access to.
Gameplay[edit]
Skells are used for transportation and combat, both of which work differently from ground gear.
In the BLADE barracks, they can be assigned to different characters, have their paint changed (cannot change colour values directly despite being shown), name changed, refueled with Miranium at a fixed rate of 5000 miranium for 3000 fuel, or, in the case the Skell is wrecked, repaired (see below).
From the main menu, Skells can be equipped, and warped to if they are parked by selecting "Return to Skell". Warping to parked Skells essentially functions as a player placed skip travel point, and can be used to quickly reload enemies in an area that is far away from a landmark, for example.
While Skells can travel to most parts of the map, they are restricted from entering spaces that are too small for them, including some caves and fortresses. Additionally, Skells are prohibited from certain Squad Missions like Unnatural Disaster.
After a Skell has been wrecked, either by having its HP reduced to 0 in combat or touching the death barrier, it cannot be used again until it is repaired. This can be done automatically via insurance: each Skell comes with a fixed amount of times that it will automatically be repaired by accessing the menu in the BLADE barracks. If a Skell's insurance is exhausted, it can be repaired via a Salvage Ticket or by spending credits.
Combat[edit]
Skells are vaguely similar to Gears in Xenogears, E.S.es in Xenosaga and Interlink in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in regards to combat in that they have ballooned stats in comparison to normal combat, are upgraded in different, less natural ways from normal combat, attack slowly and methodical, and have a usage limit. Unlike Gears and Interlinking, Skells' fuel limit is very generous compared to Gear fuel and heat, and Skells are generally better equipped when first gaining access to them.
Skells' defining characteristics are that they have far higher stats, far slower art animations, a limited art selection, and are equipped in completely different ways from ground gear. Instead of Skell Arts being learned, they must be equipped with Skell weapons, which can be bought or dropped by enemies, similar to ground gear armour. In addition, arts are further limited by being restricted to certain body parts, 2 per side of the body, so you can't make a build with 3 shoulder slot arts, similar to how you can't make a ground gear build with melee arts from two different melee weapons. Moreover, certain weapons will take multiple slots, trading a full Arts palette for the ability to use the Art.
Skells use fuel when in combat. Shifting to vehicle form puts weapons away. Occasionally, when using arts, they will get Cockpit Time, which makes the Skell completely invincible, changes the camera view, and fully refreshes all Art cooldowns.
Skells do not have their own skills. Only two ground gear skills affect Skells, which, among other things, gives very limited ways for a Skell to increase its maximum GP. Finally, a Skell's arts can be made entirely unavailable if the appendage the corresponding weapon is equipped to is destroyed, as Skells experience appendage damage like enemies do.
When Skells run out of HP, they explode. A quick time event plays, which determines the repairability of the Skell. After the quick time event, the player is ejected into ground gear, and is in a grounded state for a short period of time. This matters because this is also true when the Skell is wrecked while in the air, meaning that having a Skell explode allows the player to perform grounded actions while airborne, allowing them to fight airborne enemies.
Frames[edit]
Overdrive[edit]
- Main article: Overdrive#Skell Overdrive
Skells have their own form of Overdrive, the effects of which are determined by the current Skell frame. Certain universal traits are shared between all Skell Overdrives:
- 3000 GP is required to start a Skell Overdrive. This GP is consumed at the end of the Overdrive rather than the beginning.
- Zero Fuel Use: Skells can use any art they want without consuming fuel.
- Skell Overdrives cannot be extended manually like ground Overdrive, but always a minimum of twice and a maximum of five times. Cockpit Times that activate during Overdrive increase the chance of Overdrive extension.
- The chance of Cockpit Time increases to 30% during odd rounds and 20% during even rounds.
Exploration[edit]
Skells move faster and jump higher than ground fighters, with a higher turning circle in vehicle form. They do not take most types of environmental damage, although they do take weather damage at a significantly lower rate. Additionally, they are affected by data probes like the Fuel Recovery Probe and the energy mists of Noctilum and Sylvalum, which both increase the rate of fuel recovery.
The Skell's greater jumping ability lets them travel to a lot more places than ground gear are able to, excluding the various infinite height glitches. In order to fly, Skells require the Flight Module, unlocked via the mission A Girl's Wings, which is available after the player completes Chapter 9. Once unlocked, the flight mode permanently replaces the jump and allows the player to naturally reach high places.
When parked, Skells naturally replenish fuel at a rate of about 25 fuel per minute, even if the game is turned off or suspended via the Home Menu. This rate can be increased using the Fuel Recovery Probes as well as the art Overclock (Overclock V adds 1000 fuel per minute to the rate).
Glitches[edit]
Pressing change form and dismount simultaneously when in humanoid form lets the player immediately become actionable, as it uses the vehicular form dismount animation (none).
When aligned to specific rocks in Sylvalum and Oblivia, dismounting a Skell can put the player out of bounds.
Enemy units[edit]
Human-Made Skell | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Category | Mechanoid |
Location | Primordia, Noctilum, Oblivia, Sylvalum, Cauldros, Industrial District |
Level range | 16 - 60 |
Since there are some BLADEs who decide to instead fight the player characters for various reasons including training exercises, greed, and simple betrayal, human-made Skells can also exist as enemies. Human-made Skells only appear as enemies during Missions, rather than being Tyrants or common enemies throughout Mira.
As Skells are very customizable, each Skell usually comes with a unique set of Arts.
Enemy Skells are considered Mechanoids, and they are typically resistant to physical, ether, and thermal attacks while being weak to beam, electric, and gravity attacks.
Attribute | Resistance |
---|---|
![]() |
30% |
![]() |
-25% |
![]() |
10% |
![]() |
10% |
![]() |
-25% |
![]() |
-50% |
Enemy List[edit]
Normal Enemies
Name | Variant | Location | Min. Level | Max. Level |
---|
Tyrants
Name | Variant | Location | Min. Level | Max. Level |
---|
Mission-specific enemies
Bosses
Name | Variant | Location | Mission | Min. Level | Max. Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prog Ares (part 1) | Unknown | Cauldros | Chapter 11 | 45 | 45 |
Prog Ares (part 2) | Unknown | Cauldros | Chapter 11 | 45 | 45 |
Other Enemies
Name | Variant | Location | Mission | Min. Level | Max. Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Skell (enemy) | Unknown | 43 | 46 |
In other languages[edit]
Language | Name | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Skell | From "exoskeleton" | |
ドール | Doll | |
Skell | — | |
Skell | — | |
Skell | — | |
Skell | — | |
DOLL[1] | ||
DOLL[1] | ||
돌[1] | Doll |
Gallery[edit]
Artwork[edit]
Renders[edit]
Xenoblade Chronicles X[edit]
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition[edit]
Screenshots[edit]
Xenoblade Chronicles X[edit]
Doug explaining how to register a Skell.
Cross reaching their first Skell.
A fleet of Skells during Chapter 12.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Elma in Xenoblade Chronicles 2
| |
---|---|
Versions | Xenoblade Chronicles X (DLC) • Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition |
Development | Staff • Unused content • Bugs and glitches |
Plot | Plot summary • Game script • Heart-to-Hearts • Forging BLADE • 24 Hour Happy People • Skell Reborn |
Gameplay | Combat (Battle Arts • Skills • Enemy • Overdrive • Soul Voice) • Items (Weapons • Armor • Augments • Materials • Precious Resources • Data Probes • Collectibles • Important Items • Consumable Items) • Skells (Skell Arts • Skell weapons • Skell armor) • FrontierNav • Missions • Achievements • Time Attack Mission |
Audio | Music • Dialogue • Banter |
Other | Merchandise • Advertisement |