User:MythrilZenith

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MythrilZenith's XCOM:EU Picks & Tips

I figured that, if there's any place to post my own opinions about things in XCOM on the UFOPaedia, it would be on my own user page. This may be right, it may be wrong, but either way it is my opinion on everything in-game.

Classes

  • Sniper
    • A high-ranking sniper with squad sight and some forward support is nearly unstoppable, 1-shotting almost anything in his or her path.
      • Unfortunately, a good sniper takes a lot of kills to train, and rookie snipers don't perform well, especially without either squad sight or snap shot.
    • A squad-sight sniper is best in wide-open, small-medium missions, while a snap-shot sniper is good for mobile missions, or the tight spaces of smaller UFOs.
    • End Score: Situational. They're fantastic in the right circumstances, but in other missions they can be pretty useless, especially if you bring one without snap-shot or gunslinger into a mission where they can't effectively lock down on one position.


  • Support
    • A well-rounded class, its damage falls off compared to others (being locked into rifles), but their unique abilities make them absolutely vital to your squad.
    • It tends to be more useful to have 3 medkits than 2 smoke grenades, but if you already have a medic support, don't be afraid to try out a smoker; the last-minute cover they provide can save your soldiers' lives, particularly if they're locked down in degrading cover by sectopods, and it's preferable to avoid getting hit at all, rather than spending time healing back damage done.
    • End Score: Absolute necessity. There are few times when you won't need a support. They offer a wide range of abilities, from multi-use medkits to suppression to free, mobile cover. They may not be as accurate or powerful as the other classes, but their utility cannot be overlooked.


  • Assault
    • The ultimate front-line, they dash in, flank aliens, then shred them with shotguns. Rifles are also an option, but if I'm using a rifle I'd rather have the utility of a support.
    • The assault class is strong throughout the game, although it can be dangerous to train in wide-open areas. They are effectively the opposite of a sniper, being highly mobile, and wanting to get as close as possible to their target.
      • You can take a defensive-focus or an offensive one, and both work very well. Rapid-Fire is usually better than Flush, although with its extra accuracy a Flush shot can down weakened enemies with high frequency, or simply do the weakening for an arc-thrower to step in.
    • End Score: Vital. You can get away without having them, but if you're in the confined spaces of a UFO or building complex you'll miss their insane damage and mobility.


  • Heavy
    • At first glance they don't seem as effective as other classes, getting the lowest aim bonus of any other class, but their explosives can definitely turn the tide of battle.
    • Very effective early-on when fighting aliens that go down in one rocket, and later when their HEAT ammo and AoE attacks can break even the toughest of aliens. While they don't shine quite as much mid-game, they still are an important asset.
      • Be aware that overuse of heavies may affect the loot you get. While 1-2 weapon fragments may not seem like a big deal, it adds up quickly, and can cripple your tech.
    • Free-aiming abilities are a massive benefit, because if you can get close, you're almost guaranteed damage, even if the enemy is on overwatch behind heavy cover.
      • On the same note, heavies are even more necessary on higher difficulties, where the aliens' passive boosts and smarter AI can make previously simple situations into complete nightmares. The 90% hit of a rocket on a cluster of enemies and their cover is a lot better than 25% or lower hit chances that may or may not do enough damage to kill anything.
    • End Score: Vital. While you can make do without explosives, especially on lower difficulties, there are some situations that just require you to blow something up, and Heavies do just that.


Team Builds

  • 2/2/1/1
    • Well-balanced, providing for decent flexibility for whatever mission type you're on.
    • 1 sniper for more mobility, or 2 snipers for smaller, open maps (like extraction missions). The rest is interchangeable.
  • 3/1/1/1
    • Decent balance, with plenty of uses of the 3-man abilities.
    • 3 snipers works on open missions with good visibility, but drags you down in up-close situations like terror missions or small UFOs.
    • 3 heavies gives plenty of explosives and shreds cyberdisks and sectopods, but explosives don't give weapon fragments.
    • 3 supports gives you plenty of medkit and smoke grenade uses, but limits firepower.
    • 3 assaults gives you great mobility and firepower, but can lead to your squad getting split because of their lack of decent range.
  • 3/2/1
    • A not-so-balanced team setup. Has good general usage (especially if you really like one class type), but limited versatility.
    • Possibly good for 3 sniper, 2 assault and 1 support, to scout out enemies then snipe them from long-range (but again, difficult for close-quarters maps).
  • 3/3
    • Very focused, elite specialist team.
    • 3 sniper and 3 support, or 3 sniper and 3 assault, for same strategy as above.
  • 4/1/1
    • If you REALLY like one class a lot, maybe for high numbers of snipers or heavies.
    • usually 4 sniper or heavy and 1 support, 1 assault.
  • 4/2
    • Same as above, but with 2 support or 2 assault.
  • 5/1
    • 5 snipers, 1 assault/support? Maybe 1 sniper and 5 assault/support. Either maximize mobility with 1 sniper, or range with 1 scout.
  • 6/0
    • Not recommended, except maybe for fun. 6 heavies blows up everything with rockets, 6 snipers is useless (no scouts, unless you put up some as snap shot), 6 support has effectively infinite medkits, and 6 assault just run-&-gun's across the entire map.
  • Shivs:

I feel that shivs are more of an emergency-replacement unit, but it is possible to build a squad around one. Throw one or 2 in to replace an assault or support, use them as forward scouts for snipers, or pair one up with a sniper for free mobile cover (if alloy) and some decent close-range protection or suppression.


Armor & Equipment

Ghost armor is definitely the best armor, giving bonus movement, a grapple, 4 uses of stealth for each mission, 6 HP, AND 20 bonus defense. Based on situations, though, Titan Armor and Psi Armor are still competitive. Psi Armor is necessary for the endgame, and the +20 will bonus makes psionic abilities almost guaranteed to work against all but the strongest ethereals and sectoid commanders. Titan armor slows down units, but the Assault class gains extra bonus HP for wearing heavy armor, so a titan Assault with chitin plating is the most HP one of your units can get, easily topping 20+.

  • Then again, much can be said about a squad-sight sniper in archangel armor. Fly them to a clear position, scout & destroy with the rest of your squad, and then just snipe key targets from the air. Even without DGG it is very effective. This is only possible because hovering in the same spot doesn't require fuel, so long as you have at least 1 extra to perform a move.

As for other equipment, grenades are pretty good overall, especially when you get alien grenades. Nanofiber vests are decent, but taking up an item slot for only 2 hp is frustrating. Chitin Plating, on the other hand, is amazing. 4 HP and 50% less damage from melee is perfect for assaults, helping you stay alive after an unlucky miss. Scopes are amazing, especially for snipers or for training recruits. Medkits are a must-have for any support. Arc Throwers should be held by assaults or supports, since they tend to be the ones closest to the front line. Combat Stims take time to use, and you may not remember you have them, but they are one of the best items, especially for a Titan-armor assault, as it halves ALL damage taken (including melee, weapons, explosives AND mindfray/psi lance), increases will (less likely to panic and more resistant to psionic), and increases move by 2-3.

For weapons, you don't have much choice. Light Plasma Rifle's +10 aim is good on rookies or lower-rank supports, and can be a decent assault weapon before you get a scatter laser or alloy cannon. Laser rifles aren't much use in making if you can get a fast enough LPR, as the damage difference between them and lower assault rifles is minimal. Make enough good pistols for your snipers and assaults, so your assaults can have decent accuracy at mid-range. Plasma pistol is a must-have for gunslinger Snipers, and is still a good weapon regardless, for either chipping down enemy HP for stuns, or as a backup if you're low on ammo.

Assault Ability Choices

  • Tactical Sense vs Aggression
    • Tactical Sense is a safe choice, +5 defense for every alien can add up, and help keep you alive when you run&gun into a room, then find 5 more mutons hiding in the corner. Aggression is good for quick kills on heavy enemies, like Muton Elites or Cyberdisks. +30% Crit is the same bonus as headshot, and should not be overlooked.
  • Lightning Reflexes vs Close & Personal
    • Lightning Reflexes is just good in general. Sweeping for Overwatch, breaking Suppression, a free dodge is always nice. Close & Personal is a little more situational, but combined with Aggression and a good shotgun, you can get critical hits on just about every attack.
  • Flush vs Rapid Fire
    • In this case, I like the "offensive" option a lot better in most cases. Rapid Fire allows you to do more single-target damage in one turn than any other class, except for a Double-Tap Sniper or a Bullet Swarm heavy. Flush is nice for weakening opponents before a stun, or just guaranteed damage, but you'll usually need to have another squadmate to finish the job.
  • Close Combat Specialist vs Bring 'Em On
    • Close Combat Spec. is just amazing. It helps kill enemies trying to flank you, berserkers charging after getting hit, and surprise aliens coming around corners. Bring 'Em On, however, adds up to 5 bonus damage to every critical hit, so when combined with Aggression and Close & Personal you'll be doing much more damage for each shot than ever before.
  • Resilience vs Killer Instincts
    • Resilience is nice. It's like a warranty against all the cheap-shots XCOM throws at you. Then again, it is completely pointless if you use Combat Stims. Killer Instincts is amazing, turning flank-shots into almost guaranteed insta-kills.
  • Crit Build: Aggression, Close & Personal, Rapid Fire, Bring 'Em On and Killer Instincts.
    • With this build, your assault will almost always get the 1-hit kills it needs. With Aggression and Close & Personal, you even have a high critical chance on Hardened enemies, like Ethereals, Sectopods and Closed Cyberdisks. Rapid Fire is for enemies that don't go down in one hit.
    • This build focuses on maximum offensive power. It is a high-risk, high-reward set. If you get flanked or have your cover blown, you'll have no defensive abilities to fall back on, and you may have difficulty breaking Suppression or flanking past Overwatch without Lightning Reflexes.


Heavy Ability Choices

  • Bullet Swarm vs Holo-Targeting
    • Bullet Swarm is amazing. Firing twice per turn, firing then throwing a grenade, firing then moving, firing then suppressing, firing then reloading... You get the point. It gives the Heavy one of the highest damage potentials of all units, from the very start of the game! Holo-targeting is nice for support, helping to hit heavy-cover enemies with snipers or other units that can't get in close enough to flank, but Bullet Swarm is really difficult to give up.
  • Shredder Rocket vs Suppression
    • A very difficult decision. Shredder Rockets can take down weaker enemies in one hit, and allow stronger enemies to be dealt with in only 1-2 more shots. Suppression helps pin down key enemy targets, protect units that get surrounded or flanked. Mayhem also stacks well with Suppression, adding between 1-3 free points of damage in addition to the aim penalty and free reaction shot. Both are viable choices for any build.
  • HEAT Ammo vs Rapid Reaction
    • Heat ammo is incredibly effective against Cyberdisks and Sectopods, two of the toughest enemy units in the game. Double damage is amazing, especially since it also doubles the damage of free-aiming weapons like rockets or grenades. Having two possible reaction shots is nice in theory, but more often than not you will either miss the target you get a reaction shot on, or it will deal enough damage to kill it outright, unless it's a heavy enemy like a muton elite or cyberdisk, and then you're already getting double damage in the case of the cyberdisk, without having to spend double the ammo and hope the RNG gives you two hits in a row.
  • Grenadier vs Danger Zone
    • This is a decision between more explosives vs effectiveness of explosives. Danger Zone rockets have an enormous AoE, and Danger Zone suppression also suppresses adjacent enemies. Grenadier lets you carry 2 grenades, however, which are very useful in chipping damage or blowing away cover. It's your choice between several small explosives or a few larger ones.
  • Rocketeer vs Mayhem
    • An extra rocket is nice. Having up to 3 rockets in each mission just feels broken at times. Then again, Mayhem rockets hit for up to 3 more damage per target, and Mayhem suppression is a potentially unlimited source of guaranteed damage. Like the above, it comes down to the effectiveness of AoE vs the amount of AoE.
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