Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Tora Guide: Build, Poppi Forms, and Favorite Items
Master Tora in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on Nintendo Switch. Learn how to unlock Poppi forms, find his favorite pouch items, and upgrade his stats.
Quick answer
- Tora is a playable character in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 who fights alongside his artificial Blade, Poppi.
- He cannot use standard Core Crystals; instead, he upgrades Poppi's forms (α, QT, and third form) through quests.
- His favorite items are Juicy Samod and Silken Stool, and his favorite categories are Drinks and Instruments.
- Unlock Poppi QT in Chapter 4 and Poppi's third form, Poppi QTπ, via the late-game 'Powered-Up Poppi' sidequest.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Poppi Comes To Life / Tora Becomes A Driver
Watch the pivotal story moment where Tora successfully activates Poppi and joins Rex's party.
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Who is Tora in Xenoblade Chronicles 2?
In the massive world of Alrest on the Nintendo Switch, Tora stands out as one of the most unique party members in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This exceptionally large, young Nopon mechanic sports orange and brown feathers, wears denim dungarees equipped with various tools, and carries a signature large wrench.
Unlike standard Drivers, Tora cannot resonate with standard Core Crystals. In fact, he is the only party member incapable of being a Driver. To fulfill his dream of fighting alongside a Blade, Tora, alongside his father Tatazo and grandfather Soosoo, worked on an artificial Blade project. Tora ultimately built Poppi, the game's first artificial Blade, making him the only party member capable of utilizing her various customizable forms in battle.
How to Unlock Tora
Tora joins your party early in the adventure during Chapter 2 in the town of Torigoth. To recruit him, you must help him finish building his artificial Blade by completing a couple of mandatory story quests.
Once these steps are completed, Poppi will successfully boot up, and Tora will officially join your party as a playable character.
Unlocking Poppi's Forms
In combat, Tora's capabilities are entirely tied to Poppi. He has the highest base HP in the party, mirroring Riki from the original Xenoblade Chronicles. While he cannot bond with standard Blades, Tora can unlock and switch between three distinct forms of Poppi:
- Poppi α: Tora's starting Earth-element form.
- Poppi QT: A Fire-element tank form. To obtain this form, progress through the main story until you defeat the boss Rosa in Chapter 4.
- Poppi QTπ: Poppi's third form. To unlock this final form, you must complete the late-game sidequest Powered-Up Poppi.
Tora's Favorite Pouch Items and Stats
To get the most out of Tora in combat, you need to utilize his favorite pouch items and upgrade his stats.
Favorite Pouch Items
Putting a character's favorite items in their pouch grants them enhanced passive buffs and increases their trust faster. Tora's favorite pouch item categories are Drinks and Instruments.
If you want to trigger his specific dialogue and gain maximum benefits, use his absolute favorite individual items:
- Juicy Samod (found under the Staple Foods category)
- Silken Stool (found under the Textiles category)
Upgrading Idea Stats
Unlike other party members whose Idea Stats (Bravery, Truth, Compassion, and Justice) grow as they bond with new Blades, Tora's Idea Stats start at level 0. To increase these stats, you must use special consumable items obtained from the Land of Challenge, such as NoponGro: Bravery and NoponGro: Truth.
Hidden Affinity Chart
If you want to fully max out Tora's combat potential, you can unlock his Hidden Affinity Chart. This feature requires you to complete the game and start a New Game Plus playthrough (which requires Patch Ver. 1.3.0 or later on your Nintendo Switch).
Tora's Legacy in Other Games
Tora's engineering genius and charming personality left a lasting mark on the franchise, leading to appearances in subsequent titles.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
While Tora is not a playable character in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, his legacy is central to the game's lore. He appears in story flashbacks and a group photo, where it is revealed that he served as a key engineer on the Agnian side to help construct the massive ark known as Origin.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Tora makes a cameo appearance in the background of the Cloud Sea of Alrest DLC stage. Additionally, players can collect him as an Advanced-class Shield-type Spirit, though he is not a playable fighter in the game.