Class Builds (EU2012)
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Each class has been designed with two main ability builds, Alpha (left side) and Beta (right side). Each build is a combination of abilities designed to fulfill a specific tactical role. Although experienced players will design soldiers according to their own preferences, this article will focus on the basic builds available to each class, and how the different abilities on each one can synergize together.
Assault
Assault Alpha (Scout)
- The Assault Alpha build is designed for evasion and survival, allowing it to excel in scouting roles. The two first abilities, Tactical Sense and Lightning Reflexes greatly increase the soldier's defense while Resillience allows him/her to soak hits.
- Run & Gun give it the ability to easily finish off already wounded hostiles and set Overwatch over outflanked enemies.
- Lightning Reflexes can be used to prevent an enemy on Overwatch from hitting anyone, by moving the Assault Alpha first before the other units.
- Flush gives the Alpha the option to force an enemy to vacate a position. One possible combination of moves is to set other units on Overwatch before using Flush, giving them shots at the alien as it moves to another position. Flush is also the only medium range fire option the Assault Alpha has, unless he/she brings an Assault Rifle instead of the Shotgun.
Assault Beta (Assault/Rifleman)
- XCOM's equivalent of the Berserker. The Beta build is able of charging and killing nearly any alien unit that comes within close range or it can act as a rifleman, depending on weapon choice (Shotgun/Assault Rifle).
- Aggression, Close & Personal plus the Shotgun's own critical chance bonus turn most shots into critical hits. Rapid Fire gives it two shots and Bring 'Em On and Killer Instinct add even more critical damage to each one.
- For engagements at medium range the Assault Beta can use its Rapid Fire ability for increased odds. The drawback is the ammo depletion that continued use of Rapid Fire will bring.
- The Shotgun is the preferred weapon to take full advantage of Run & Gun and Killer Instinct. However, all of Assault Beta's abilities also apply to Assault Rifles, so Aggression, Rapid Fire and Bring 'Em On can turn the Assault into a deadly Rifleman.
- It's main disadvantage is the lack of additional defense/armor other than that provided by Extra Conditioning, armors or Chitin Plating.
Alternate Builds
Heavy
Heavy Alpha (Demolitions)
- While 3 rockets and 2 grenades can be spent quickly during missions, the additional firepower of a Heavy Alpha can turn a battle around.
- Any situation can be dealt with the proper use of explosives: close, medium and long range, either to kill aliens or blast away their cover.
- Bullet Swarm allows for double shots or to fire and move, giving the Alpha more options during a firefight and can it deadly at close range.
- HEAT Ammo is vital against robotic aliens such as Drones, Cyberdiscs or Sectopods
- Their drawback is the Heavy's usual low Aim stat, which limits the effectiveness of their weapons at medium and long range.
Heavy Beta (Tagger)
- Heavy Betas are team players. Their role is to tag an enemy unit to increase the aim of other squad members firing at it (Holo-Targeting), suppress their shots (Suppression), keep an eye for enemy movement (Rapid Reaction), suppress more than one alien (Danger Zone) and deal damage to enemies under suppression (Mayhem), which may be the killing blow to an already weakened alien.
- Despite being limited to one Rocket, both Danger Zone and Mayhem upgrade both the rocket's damage radius and power. The Heavy Beta may also first suppress a target to prevent it from reacting until it's ready to fire the rocket shot at the alien.
- The disadvantage is the Heavy's usual low Aim stat, which makes Rapid Reaction less useful at long range Overwatch shots. At close range however, the low Aim is less relevant.
Sniper
Sniper Alpha (Gunslinger)
- Sniper Alphas are mobile marksmen, designed to be experts with either the Sniper Rifle or the Pistol.
- Snap Shot has a major Aim drawback but it can be offset by equipment or stat progression. Disabling Shot gives the Alpha an additional options to use against the aliens, specially for capturing them. Executioner turns it into a killer (and partially compensating for the Snap Shot penalty) and In The Zone can allows it to kill a dozen of enemies on a single turn.
- Gunslinger can be used together with Executioner but it can only used with In The Zone once.
- Their drawbacks are: the lack of protection/HPs when compared to other classes, which makes it challenging to use them in frontline roles; their lack of firepower at close range, despite the added damage to pistols from Gunslinger.
Sniper Beta (Sniper)
- Sniper Betas are true snipers, designed to stay afar from well chosen positions and drop targets at very long ranges.
- Squad Sight gives them the ability to fire at any place with a clear line of sight while Opportunist turns them into deadly sentries and Double Tap doubles their damage output.
- Battle Scanner can be used to recon distant areas, specially at mission start.
- Their main drawback is their lack of protection and inadequate firepower at close range.
Support
Support Alpha (Medic/Scout)
- The Alpha Support's primary role is as a medic but it can also be used as a scout, due to the Sprinter ability.
- Alphas can be used as support units, healing and providing smoke cover.
- They can also be used quite effectively as scouts, but they have less protection than other classes and if they are critically injured they can't be healed, unless there's a second Medikit still available.
Support Beta (Support)
- The Support Beta is can be used either in offensive or defensive roles, having a similar role to the Heavy Beta.
- Smoke and Mirrors and Combat Drugs give it the ability to pump up twice a squad's stats inside the smoke cloud for two rounds.
- Covering Fire, Suppression and Sentinel give it more Overwatch options/shots while also allowing it to suppress an enemy.
- Its drawbacks include insuficient firepower against high level aliens plus Supports are one of the weakest human units and not built for trading shots with the aliens.