H.B. makes quite the first impression in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, immediately asserting his superiority over the player character and re-assigning them more menial tasks, better befitting their alleged station. If this rubs you, the player, the wrong way, just know that his vanity ultimately proves rather hilarious.
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That aside, H.B. is one of Xenoblade Chronicles X’s plethora of recruitable party members, and recruit him you shall – so long as you perform to his expectations. The veteran BLADE holds nothing back here, so you’ll be making a cross-continental trip by the end of the mission. Here’s how to get on H.B.’s good side.
How To Start ‘A New Rival?’
Before you can begin ‘A New Rival’, H.B.’s recruitment mission, you need to have completed Chapter 3’s Main Mission, ‘Builders of a Legacy’. Wrapping that up also opens up a fair bit of the game, in fact, so you’ll be faced with plenty of new quests to tackle alongside H.B.’s.
The required level is 12 for ‘A New Rival’, but we recommend 16 or so. You’ll be sent into an area that’s a bit tough by early-game standards, and a good deal out of the way at this point, too.
Head to BLADE Concourse, and over to Mission Control. Interact with the Affinity Mission icon here in order to get started. A cutscene will commence in which H.B. is introduced, and he’ll assume responsibility for the mission you’ve (implied to have) chosen – rather arrogantly, at that.
Instead, H.B. benevolently provides you with three objectives. These are presented as some sort of race, but there’s no time limit involved, so take your time. Just remember that you cannot cancel an Affinity Mission once it’s begun.
Of Installation, Research, And Miranium
Now, let’s talk about those objectives he’s hoisted upon you:
- Installation: You’ll need to install the data probe for the segment of Primordia near Sayram Lake.
- Research: You’ve got to acquire at least 3,000 credits from a data probe’s FrontierNav return.
- Miranium: Bring 900 Miranium to Tauler, an NPC near Armory Alley in NLA.
The map should point you toward your destination for Installation, but just in case you’re having difficulties, Sayram Lake is situated north of West Gate Plain.
As for Research, just make sure you’ve installed a Research Probe once a Basic Probe has been established at a suitable location. Do so at multiple locations to increase your overall revenue, and once your income arrives, there’s a good chance it will contain 3,000 credits or greater.
If you’re having issues here, make sure you’re using your highest-quality Research Probes available. We managed to get well over 3,000 credits from the lowest version, but the higher, the better. You can always check FrontierNav to see your overall Research Probe income.
Miranium is easy-peasy, since 900 Miranium should arrive from Mining Probes in no time – you simply need to have one or two established at sites which the FrontierNav lists as containing Miranium.
Head back to H.B., who is hanging out where you initially found him.
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Finishing The Mission
Another amusing cutscene follows, and your new objective is to reach Rust Lake, which is located in Noctilum.
The bad news is that, if you’re doing this mission as soon as it’s available, there’s a good chance you’ve not explored Noctilum yet. The good news is, it’s in southern Noctilum, which means you needn’t venture far into this continent west of Primordia to achieve your goal.
Make the trip. Once you’ve arrived, approach the objective marker to find a wounded BLADE. Answer H.B. here however you wish – we ignored the poor fellow since the scientist’s life was in immediate danger – and travel to the second objective marker.
Battle will commence against a single Thieving Dilus. It’s level 15, and while its attacks can cause a fair deal of pain against characters with lower defensive stats at similar levels, you should bring it down before long, as it’s outnumbered and frankly outgunned.
Interact with the scientist to wrap up the quest. H.B. will now join your party on a full-time basis, and he’s a rather excellent Shield Trooper+.
H.B. In Action
H.B.’s combat focus involves providing TP at regular intervals, which can be a great boon during lengthier and more involved encounters. As a Shield Trooper+, he’s also a sturdy tank.
Since Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition breaks from the original version in allowing you to ditch Elma and/or Lin during Main Missions, you can regard H.B. as a suitable Lin replacement there (and in any other quests) whenever you feel like shaking things up.
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