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Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition - How to open Locked Treasures by improving Field Skills

by Adam Vitale on 20 March, 2025

One of the biggest changes made to Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition from its original version are adjustments to the Field Skills in the game. Some treasures found in the world require your Field Skill to be at a certain rank before you were allowed to claim it. In the original version, these skills would rank up with your Blade Level, but as we described in our preview, these no longer exist.

However, you'll still find a handful of locked treasures throughout the world of Mira in the new Definitive Edition. Interacting with these treasures will throw a warning that you need to improve your skill in order to claim the treasure, how do you do this? That's what this page will describe.

Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition - How to improve Field Skills

This part is actually a little bit similar to the original release of Xenoblade Chronicles X.

You want to look for three Basic Missions from the Blade Concourse terminal near the Blade Barracks in New Los Angeles. Basic Missions are mostly filler-ish fetch quests that you can complete for simple money and EXP, but keep an eye out for the missions labeled "Off the Record".

There are actually three different Off the Record missions, each with different objectives and different rewards. One easy way to differentiate them is by the quest level. One is marked at Level 18, one at Level 34, and the last one at Level 51. These three missions will reward you with the improved Archaeological, Mechanical, and Biological skills, respectively. 

A very important note to make - while these three 'Off the Record' quests existed in the original Xenoblade Chronicles X, the objectives for these three quests have changed! -- at least a little bit.

Each of the three quests has three riddles for you to solve. Some of the riddles are the same as in the original version, but some are brand new. Once you solve those riddles, a fourth will pop up, where you have to talk to an NPC named Solan at a specific location to get your reward.

I'll be honest, I do not specifically know when precisely these Basic Missions will appear from the concourse terminal. In the original game, Basic Missions were tied to your Blade Level, but in the Definitive Edition, Basic Missions seem to be simply tied with story progression. You can 'shuffle' the missions that appear on the terminal simply by leaving the terminal and then immediately checking it again, but some Basic Missions will not appear until you have proceeded far enough in the main story.

If you don't see an Off the Record quest appearing on the Basic Mission terminal, simply try again after the next story mission.

Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition - How to complete the 'Off the Record' Basic Missions

Okay, here's the meat of this page. Here are the riddles for each of the Off the Record Basic Missions, and here's how to solve each of them. Once you solve the riddles, a fourth objective will appear in the quest page. For this last riddle for each Mission, you simply have to speak to Solan at the specified location to finish the quest.

Off the Record (Level 18; Archaeological)

  • If you seek a pure white shell, to the east does it now dwell.
    • You need 10 White Forfex Shells. These are dropped by Forfexes in Oblivia, or you can just buy them using Rewards Tickets from the online trade shop. They are rather cheap.
  • A snake of stone amid lucent boles. Slip its gaze, enter its belly whole.
  • Where primordial cliffs face the sea, in a cleft you must seek longevity.
    • According to a reader, this is the Turtle Nest Unexplored Territory in Primordia. Thank you reader! You can find this by going north of FN 108, dropping onto the beach, and then heading SW through a canyon.

After you complete the first three objectives, a fourth objective will appear.

  • In fields of green in New LA, ask in the morning to find the way.
    • You can find Solan in the Early Morning, west of Deliverance Park near a yellow construction Skell.

Off the Record (Level 34; Mechanical)

  • In nest behind rock at a primal lake, quiet lady's ichor thy lust will slake.
    • You need to defeat Yelena, the Sequestered. If you already defeated her before accepting the quest, you'll need to beat her again.
  • Soar deep into the skies and seek the forgotten land's ultimate peak.
  • Take this elevated corn to hand, atop the peaks of a delusional land.
    • You need 4x Pale Maize collectables. The best place to find this is in Sylvalum's Delusian Mountains, North Summit at night

After you complete the first three objectives, a fourth objective will appear.

  • In suburban glory in a setting sun, the afflicted tell of what's to come.
    • You can find Solan from 17:00 to 19:00 north of Ishmael Hills in an alley.

Off the Record (Level 51; Biological)

  • In chalky grove, midst gems of jade, a starving beast awaits the blade.
    • You need to defeat Andrea, the Famished Hunter. If you already defeated her before accepting the quest, you'll need to beat her again.
  • In the court of the forest gods, a brood of sentinels here do flock.
  • Etching of ancient beasts to find? Seek a stony shore in fired climes.
    • You'll need six Savage Sketch collectables, best found around FrontierNav site 515.

After you complete the first three objectives, a fourth objective will appear.

  • Where ordnance takes first breath, collect your spoils after sunset.
    • You can find Solan at night at the Outfitters Test Hangar in the break room.

Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition - Locked Treasure Locations

Here are the locked treasures I found throughout Mira. I also noted which treasures are needed to clear the segment they are in (and increase your Mira survey percentage). Please let me know if I missed any!

Mechanical Treasures

  • Right outside BLADE Tower in NLA (Segment treasure)
  • Patrol Chopper Wreckage SW of Anvil Rock One in Sylvalum (Segment treasure)
  • Abandoned Container in Wrothian Base (near FN315)
  • Patrol Chopper Wreckage near FN513

Biological Treasures

  • Strange Tree SW of Narcissus Tree Landmark in Noctilum (Segment treasure)
  • Ingiden Nest on the Giant Ring in Oblivia (Segment Treasure)
  • Strange Petrified Tree SW of Banshee Cave entrance in Noctilum (Segment treasure)
  • Indigen Nest NE of FN 501 (Segment Treasure)

Archeological Treasures

  • Alien Reliquary in Lake Ciel in Sylvalum (Segment treasure)
  • Alien Container in Seaswept Base
  • Alien Wreckage on Old Dragontail Tree in Noctilum
  • Alien Wreckage south of FN302