Challenge Battle Mode is a DLC game mechanic in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. It is similar to the Time Attack mode in Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2[]
Challenge Battle Mode is available starting in Chapter 4 after collecting the Nopon Summons from the Challenge Battle Mode Pack of the Expansion Pass. During New Game Plus, it is available before Chapter 4 after collecting the Nopon Summons. Challenge battles are accessible from the Nopon Archsage on the Unbroken Pillar in the Land of Challenge, which can be accessed via a portal in the Olethro Ruins after Chapter 3. If Jin, Malos, or Vandham is in the active party, the Nopon Archsage will not allow the player to select a Challenge Battle until the character is removed from the active party.
Challenge Battles[]
| Challenge Name | Difficulty | Time Limit |
Waves | Max Lv. | Blade Powers |
Driver Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grazing Flock | 
|
60:00 | 5 | Lv 30 | Yes | None |
| Pest Control | 
|
60:00 | 5 | Lv 30 | Yes | None |
| Think of the Soldiers | 
|
60:00 | 4 | Lv 30 | Yes | None |
| Bewitching Dance | 
|
60:00 | 4 | Lv 30 | Yes | None |
| Darkening Skies | 
|
60:00 | 6 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Sacred Wood |
|
60:00 | 1 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Temperantian Standoff |
|
60:00 | 1 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Dread Contagion ※6 | 
|
60:00 | 3 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Panic at the Seaside |
|
60:00 | 5 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Tiger! Tiger! IRL |
|
60:00 | 5 | Lv 60 | Yes | Tora only |
| Torna's Finest |
|
60:00 | 2 | Lv 60 | Yes | 2 Drivers |
| Serious Showdown ※6 | 
|
60:00 | 1 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Dino Drama ※7 | 
|
60:00 | 5 | Lv 99 | No | None |
| Humanoid Alliance ※7 |
|
60:00 | 7 | Lv 99 | No | None |
| Chickenheart Challenge ※1 |
|
60:00 | 1 | Lv 99 | No | None |
| Cloud King's Revenge ※2 |
|
60:00 | 1 | Lv 99 | No | None |
| Reinventing the Gogol ※7 |
|
60:00 | 5 | Lv 99 | No | None |
| Mk. VIII ※7 |
|
60:00 | 5 | Lv 99 | No | None |
| Fiercest Faction ※7 |
|
60:00 | 1 | Lv 99 | No | 2 Drivers |
| 9th Imp. Armored Div. ※7 | 
|
60:00 | 4 | Lv 99 | No | None |
| Call the Exterminators | Special Battle | 60:00 | 9 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Attack of the Aspar | Special Battle | 60:00 | 1 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Titan Battleship Assault ※5 | Special Battle | 60:00 | 1 | Lv 50 | No | Fight as Jin |
| This Year's Heropon ※7 |
|
60:00 | 13 | Lv 60 | Yes | Tora only |
| Otherworldly Fighter ※3 |
|
60:00 | 1 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Elma: Redux ※4 |
|
60:00 | 1 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
| Poisoned Paradise ※3 |
|
60:00 | 1 | Lv 60 | Yes | None |
- ※1 Available after defeating the Unique Monster Chickenheart Dagmara.
- ※2 Available after defeating the Unique Monster Cloud Sea King Ken.
- ※3 Available after accepting the Nopon Summons, Pt. 2 from the Challenge Battle Update.
- ※4 Replaces Otherworldly Fighter once the former is completed.
- ※5 Available after starting Chapter 4.
- ※6 Available after starting Chapter 9.
- ※7 Available after completing the main story. If a New Game or New Game Plus is started over a cleared save file, the challenge is unlocked without the need to finish the game again.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3[]
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Challenge Battle Mode
Challenge Battle Mode is available after installing the second update of the Expansion Pass available on October 13, 2022. Time Attack Challenge Battles are accessible from the Nopon Archsage in the Land of Challenge, which is accessible via a portal at Llyn Nyddwr in Ribbi Flats after starting the DLC quest Challenge Battles!. The Archsage's Gauntlet becomes accessible after completing More Challenge Battles!.
Clearing all Challenge Battles with S Rank rewards the party with the Archsage's Flower Fan, or the Humongous Nopon Doll in New Game +.
During a Challenge Battle, Doom will not function against enemies; additionally, if a Challenge Battle is played with the difficulty set to Hard the Invincible buff will have no effect.
There are two types of Challenge Battles: Time Attack and the Archsage's Gauntlet.
Time Attack[]
Time Attack has the party fight waves of enemies as fast as possible just like Time Attack in Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition. Each Time Attack has a set difficulty and level restriction that causes the party to be set to a specific level if characters are above the restricted level.
Challenge Battles[]
| Challenge Name | Difficulty | Waves | Lv. Restriction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defenders' Gut-Check | 
|
3 | 20 |
| Insecticide |
|
3 | 20 |
| Philharmonic Dust-Up | 
|
3 | 20 |
| Six Angry Beasts※1 | 
|
3 | 30 |
| Vampiric Rush ※2 |
|
3 | 40 |
| Black Castle Chosen ※2 |
|
3 | 40 |
| Ocean Day Parade ※3 |
|
5 | 50 |
| Pretty Fierce ※3 |
|
4 | 50 |
| Ouroboros Fever ※4 |
|
4 | 60 |
| Ferron x Ferron ※5 |
|
1 | 60 |
| Double Jeopardy ※6 | 
|
1 | 70 |
| Arts and Crafts ※6 |
|
5 | 70 |
| Stage of Destiny ※6 |
|
4 | 70 |
| Men! Of! The Sea! IV ※7 |
|
4 | 70 |
| N and M ※6 | 
|
1 | 99 |
| Primate Triumvirate ※6 |
|
3 | 99 |
| Heroes Frontline ※6 |
|
3 | 99 |
| The Four Devas ※6 |
|
4 | 99 |
| The Two Saviors ※8 |
|
4 | 70 |
- ※1 Challenge unlocked at chapter 4.
- ※2 Challenge unlocked at chapter 5.
- ※3 Challenge unlocked at chapter 6.
- ※4 Challenge unlocked at chapter 7.
- ※5 Challenge unlocked at chapter 7, and once "Machine Assassin" is ascended.
- ※6 Challenge unlocked after completing the game.
- ※7 Challenge unlocked after completing the game and inheriting "Soulhacker".
- ※8 Challenge unlocked after completing main game and Future Redeemed.