Skells are Xenoblade Chronicles X‘s take on mechs, and they are featured prominently in the game’s cover art and other promotional material. This materials’ focus on Skells suggests that these mechs play an important role in the game, and, indeed, that is true. However, players will not gain access to a Skell immediately upon starting Xenoblade Chronicles X, and they will actually need to exercise quite a bit of patience when it comes to obtaining one.
This article contains light spoilers for Xenoblade Chronicles X, including some details about Skell features and functionalities.
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When Do You Get a Skell in Xenoblade Chronicles X?
Players gain access to their first Skell after completing Xenoblade Chronicles X‘s sixth chapter and addressing The Skell License, a Normal Mission that centers around passing eight proficiency exams. While the time that it takes to reach that point in the game will vary from player to player, it is not unreasonable to expect the Skell License to be obtained around 30 hours into a playthrough. It is true that this is not even half the length of an average playthrough, but those hours may feel long to players who expected to be taking control of a mech straightaway.
In the world record Any% speedrun of Xenoblade Chronicles X, legrandgrand, the runner, unlocks the Skell in just 2 hours, 18 minutes.
Getting the Skell Flight Module in Xenoblade Chronicles X
Obtaining the Skell License, and gaining access to Skells, is not the end of the story, though, as these mechs have functionalities that are not immediately accessible. More specifically, Skells can fly once they have been outfitted with a Flight Module, and Xenoblade Chronicles players will not earn that component until they have completed A Girl’s Wings, an Affinity Mission that does not become available until after Chapter 9. This means that there are many hours between unlocking Skells and using them to take to the skies, requiring players to, once again, exercise patience.
Xenoblade Chronicles X’s Skell Insurance System
The time that it takes to unlock Skells, and to gain access to all their functionalities, is not the only way that Xenoblade Chronicles X‘s mechs may test a player’s patience, as some may find the Skell Insurance system to be slightly annoying. For the uninitiated, purchased Skells come with three insurance charges, which can be used to fix the mech if it becomes wrecked at no cost. However, once those charges are exhausted, players must use Salvage Tickets, which are earned through the game’s online Division mechanics, pay approximately 70% of the Skell’s value (including its equipment) to repair the machine, or buy a completely new Skell.
While players can minimize the instances in which they must use Skell Insurance, by earning “Perfects” during quick time events that occur when a mech hits 0 HP, this system will certainly not be to every player’s liking. Indeed, some players may find the process of replacing a destroyed Skell somewhat tedious, and they may wish that they could simply replenish a Skell’s insurance charges. Unfortunately for players who fall into that group, it is not possible to purchase additional Skell Insurance, and they will need to make peace with the system that is in place in this critically-acclaimed action JRPG.
Players who really do not want to deal with Skell Insurance can always make a save before engaging in a battle and then load that save if they lose.
On the flip side, some players may feel as though the limited nature of Skell Insurance is a boon, as it encourages them to be thoughtful about how they use their mechs. This is certainly true to some extent, as players may be hesitant to take a Skell that is running out of insurance charges into a battle in Xenoblade Chronicles X that they are not confident they can win. This would not be the case if Skell Insurance was, effectively, unlimited, and the system as it is does make the mechs feel as though they have some real value.
- Released
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March 20, 2025
- ESRB
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Teen // Animated Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo