Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemedintroduces multiple mechanics to make it stand out from the main game. As you go through the game and get all six party members, you’ll unlock Unity Skills and Unity Combos. The mechanics can significantly affect fights, allowing you to deal more damage to cut through foes and defeat bosses.

Related:Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Complete Guide

However, the mechanics can be confusing, especially as you understand what they offer and which to pick. Since different combinations provide various skills and combos, you’ll want to know what they offer, how to use them, and which are the best.

What Are Unity Skills And Unity Combos?

You’ll unlock Unity Skills and Unity Combos as you progressthrough the Future Redeemed DLC.

Unity Skills are abilities thatgive your party members continuous boosts and benefits. Some only apply at the beginning, others happen at all times, and some require different conditions.

A picture of A, Rex, and Glimmer fighting enemeis while Matthew and Glimmer activate their Unity Combo in Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed.

With that in mind,Unity Skills are passive abilities that are always activeunless the ability states otherwise.

For example, Matthew and Shulk’s Unity Skill lets them start the battle with their Unity Combo at 70 percent charge, soit’s always active but only effective at the start.

Matthew and Shulk use their Unity Combo, Monado Crash, in Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed.

On the other hand, A and Rex’s Unity Skill increases your team’s damage by 100 percent if the enemy is Toppled or Launched, so itrequires different conditions.

Unity Combos are special abilities you can activate thatfunction like Recharge Arts, so you must let time pass before you can use them again.

A and Rex’s Unity Order, Deliverance Flash, is available in a Chain Attack in Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed.

When To Use Unity Combos

Each Unity Combo can apply different effects on your enemies:Burst, Smash, and Blowdown. Unlike in the base game, you can only apply them with your Unity Combos, so you’ll want tosave them for Launched enemies.

If you need additional help,apply Break, Topple, and then Launch before you use your Unity Combos.

A, Nikol, Shulk, Rex, and Glimmer fighting while Matthew and Shulk activate their Unity Combo in Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed.

The AI does a pretty good job of using Break and timing Launch after a Topple, but it doesn’t always save Topple.

You may want toplay as A or Rexwhenever you want to perform a Unity Combo, so the AI won’t waste the art.

A list of all the Unity Skills and Unity Combos Matthew can choose from in Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed.

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How Unity Combos Impact Chain Attacks

Even though Unity Combos are a mechanic outside of Chain Attacks, they impact the ability. As you go through Chain Attacks, they’ll function just like the main game, allowing you to activate orders once you get your Chain Attack to 100 percent or higher.

Justlike with the Ouroboros Ordersin the main game, you can use character combinations to activate special orders if you use two connected characters during a Chain Attack.

An image of Matthew and Nikol, A and Shulk, and Glimmer and Rex teaming up for Unity Skills and Unity Combos in Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed.

For example, if you have Glimmer and Rex as Unity Combo partners,you must use both to activate the extended Chain Attacks.

You cansee the combinations in the bottom-left cornerif you need help remembering which characters to use.

You get three guaranteed commands in a Chain Attack if you have characters to perform actions. With that in mind, you canfollow a setup to ensure you’ll always have a chance to activate a Unity Comboat the end of it.

This works since aChain Attack displays three orders, so if you select two characters from different combinations, the third order will only have four characters to choose from.

That means even if it chooses two characters from the same Chain Attack, you’ll haveat least one from the first two you chose.

Should You Prioritize Unity Skills Or Combos?

While Unity Combos matter and can help you deal severe damage,Unity Skills are more important. You’ll be good if you’re able to use at least Blowdown and Burst or Launch, while Unity Skills can impact the flow of battle.

Choose the best Unity Skills for your setup as you build your characters and focus on different strategies. Doing so will help you maximize your damage while reviewing your offensive options.

Unity Combo Damage Type And Effect

Matthew, A

Mighty Link:Boost Art effectseach time you use a different Art within a time limit.

Mega Crash: AoE damage Blowdown.

Matthew, Nikol

Mighty Amp:Increase AoE range of Arts by 50 percentand their damage by 100 percent.

Mega Blast: AoE damage and Burst.

Matthew, Glimmer

Attack Zone: Boost your team’s damage by 20 percent andlower the enemy’s Block Rate by 10 percent(it doesn’t stack).

Mega Explosion: Single target damage and Blowdown.

Matthew, Shulk

First and Foremost: Start Matthew and Shulk’sUnity Pairing Gauge at 70 percent.

Monado Crash: AoE damage and Burst.

Matthew, Rex

All But Fatal: Boost damage againstenemy weakness by 30 percentage points.

Mega Smash: AoE damage and Smash.

Ether Slash: Single target damage and Smash.

Blast Slash: Single target damage and Smash.

A, Shulk

Passage of Fate:Boost your team’s accuracy and evasionby 10 percent (it doesn’t stack).

Double Cyclone: AoE damage and Blowdown.

A, Rex

Cleave Heaven and Earth:Increase your damage against Toppled and Launched enemiesby 100 percent.

Slash Bomb: Single target damage and Burst.

Hellstream: Single target damage and Burst.

Nikol, Shulk

The Protectors: Reduce damage to all your allies by 10 percent andincrease HP recovery by 10 percent(it doesn’t stack).

Arrow Cyclone: Single target damage and Blowdown.

Element Bomb: AoE damage and Blowdown.

Glimmer, Shulk

Promised Land:Extend buff durations for your alliesby 25 percent (it doesn’t stack).

Flame Slash: Single target damage and Smash.

Glimmer, Rex

Divine Blades:Boost your team’s critical rate by 15 percentand critical damage by 30 percentage points.

Sacred Ray: Single target damage and Burst.

Shulk, Rex

Immortal Legend: Increase your damage by 50 percentagainst enemies at a higher level than you.

Tri-Calamity: Single target damage and Smash.

The Best Unity Skill And Unity Combo Setups

When you select different Unity Skills and Unity Combos, you canonly assign one to each character, leaving you with three combinations at a time.

For example, if you set Matthew and A together,you’re able to’t use them in any other variety. This makes it tricky since you may not have access to all your favorite combinations, such as wanting to use Matthew and A, but losing access to Matthew and Shulk.

If you struggle to find the best combinations, you can use some options to cover your bases and determine the best ones for your playstyle.

This combination focuses on boosting your stats while taking advantage of AoE moves. Since it extends the range and effectiveness of Arts while increasing critical rate and evasion, it’ll work well againstlarge groups around your level.

This combination maximizes damage while also giving you more survivability. You get more damage alongside a higher block rate. You also significantly damage Toppled and Launched enemies while having reduced damage and better healing.Use this one against unique monsters and bosses.

A, Nikol

Matthew and Shulk’s Unity Skill is the best part of this combination. It gives you access to a Unity Combo early in the fight, making it excellent forwiping out tons of weaker enemiesif you want to fill out the Collectopaedia or get some easy experience.