So you’ve finally watched the credits roll on Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Maybe you’re a little misty-eyed about Pyra and Mythra, or maybe you’re just relieved you never have to see another tutorial box ever again. But then you see it: Advanced New Game. It’s sitting there, beckoning you back to Alrest.
Most people think New Game Plus is just a victory lap where you stomp level 8 bunnies with a level 99 Rex. While that’s definitely part of the fun, the Xenoblade 2 New Game Plus experience is actually a massive mechanical overhaul that fixes some of the base game’s biggest annoyances. Honestly, if you only played the game once, you’ve missed about 30% of the best combat tools and some of the coolest Blades in the game.
💡 You might also like: How to Actually Get Into Atomic Heart Testing Ground 9 and Survive the Boiler Room
What Actually Changes (and What You Lose)
Before you pull the trigger, you've gotta know what you’re getting into. This isn't like some RPGs where you keep every single thing. It’s a bit selective.
You’re going to keep your Driver levels, all your Gold, and almost all your Blades. Your Affinity Charts stay exactly where they were, so if you spent forty hours grinding Ursula’s New Soul, don't worry—you won't have to do that nightmare again. You also keep your shop deeds, your development levels for the towns, and even your play time.
But here is the catch. You lose your skip travel points. You’ve got to walk everywhere again. You also lose your quest progress. This is actually a blessing in disguise because it means you can get certain one-time items again. Ever wish you had more Dilaton Chips? This is how you get them.
The "Wait, Where's My Blade?" Moment
One thing that trips people up is the story-restricted Blades. Even though they "carry over," you can't use them until the story says so. For example, you won't see Roc until Chapter 4. You won't see Nia’s Blade form until Chapter 7. Most importantly, Rex loses his Master Driver ability. He can’t just use any Blade he wants until he reaches that specific story beat again. If you have a Blade assigned to Zeke and you’re only in Chapter 2, you can't use that Blade until the Zekenator joins the party.
The Seven "Hidden" Blades You Can Finally Get
This is the big draw. In Xenoblade 2 New Game Plus, the villains become the heroes. Sorta. You can finally resonate with the Torna members' Blades. We’re talking about:
- Obrona (Akhos's Blade)
- Sever (Malos's Blade)
- Perdido (Patroka's Blade)
- Cressidus (Mikhail's Blade)
- Akhos himself
- Patroka herself
- Mikhail (though he’s a special case)
Most of these come from random Core Crystals. You can literally pull Akhos out of a Common Core Crystal if the RNG gods are smiling on you. Mikhail is the only one who isn't a gacha pull; you have to find him at the base of the World Tree in Chapter 9 and just talk to him.
These Blades aren't just for show. They have unique weapon types and skills that completely change how you build your teams. Akhos, for instance, is a fantastic healer who actually hits like a truck.
Leveling Down: The Secret to Infinite Power
In the base game, being overleveled was almost a curse because it made combat boring. In NG+, you can visit any Inn and level down.
💡 You might also like: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins Still Hits Different Thirty Years Later
Why would you do that? Because the game gives you Bonus EXP in exchange. This Bonus EXP is the currency for the new Traveling Bards scattered across Alrest. These guys are essential. They sell things you literally cannot get anywhere else, like:
- Accessory Expander Kits: These give your Drivers a third accessory slot. It’s a total game-changer for high-level builds.
- Overdrive Protocols: Remember how rare these were? Now you can just buy them with EXP.
- Ultimate Weaponry: Massive 5,000 WP boosts for your weapon arts.
- Poppi’s Ether Crystals: No more playing Tiger! Tiger! for ten hours. Just trade EXP for crystals.
This loop of leveling down to buy upgrades and then smashing Unique Monsters to level back up is the core of the post-game "meta." It’s much more satisfying than the initial grind.
The Hidden Affinity Charts and Zeke's Secret Power
Every Driver gets a brand-new, secret Affinity Chart in NG+. These aren't just "more HP" nodes. These are game-breaking buffs.
The most famous one is Zeke’s Eye of Shining Justice. Once you unlock this on his hidden chart, Zeke becomes a literal god. During combat, if Pandora is at max affinity, you can trigger a transformation that makes Zeke move at 3x speed. His arts recharge almost instantly. It’s flashy, it’s loud, and it’s arguably the most fun mechanic in the entire game.
Nia also gets some incredible buffs that make her a viable dodge-tank/healer hybrid. These hidden charts require a lot of SP, so you’ll actually have a reason to keep fighting those Level 100+ superbosses.
A Few Things People Get Wrong
I see a lot of misinformation on Reddit and Discord about what happens to Pyra and Mythra. In New Game Plus, they stay in your party the whole time. Remember that part in Chapter 7 where they’re gone and you’re stuck using a common Wind Blade? In NG+, that doesn't happen. You can use Pyra to clear the Spirit Crucible Elpys if you really want to.
Also, a lot of players think they should wait until they have every Rare Blade before starting NG+. Don't do that. The pull rates for Rare Blades are exactly the same in NG+, and you’ll be getting way more Core Crystals from the Traveling Bards and high-level farming anyway. If you're missing KOS-MOS, she’s just as likely (or unlikely) to pop in your second playthrough as she was in your first.
How to Prepare for the Jump
If you’re ready to start, do these three things first:
- Kill Ophion: You need those Dilaton Chips. You can only get ten per playthrough, and they are the best tank chips in the game.
- Finish Ursula's Quest: If you are halfway through her quest, STOP. If you start NG+, her progress resets. Finish it now or don't start it at all until you've transitioned.
- Stock up on Core Crystals: While you keep your Blades, having a stack of Legendary Cores ready for the new Torna Blades makes the first few chapters a lot more exciting.
Xenoblade 2 New Game Plus isn't just a "hard mode." It’s the version of the game where the developers finally let you break the rules. Between the third accessory slots, the Torna Blades, and Zeke’s "anime protagonist" mode, it’s a completely different rhythm of play.
Once you’re in, head straight for the Bard in Argentum to get those accessory slots. That’s your first priority. After that, just enjoy being able to skip those awakening animations—that alone makes the second run worth it.