Class Builds (EU2012)
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. Finally, the below images of the eight builds show their usual battlefield position, with red being frontline units while white is for rear elements.
Assault
Assault Alpha
- The Assault Alpha build is designed for evasion and survival, allowing it to act as the squad's scout or outflank an alien, while retaining a considerable attack ability.
- Run & Gun give it the ability to easily finish off already wounded hostiles or/and set Overwatch over outflanked enemies.
- The two first abilities, Tactical Sense and Lightning Reflexes greatly increase the soldier's defense while Resillience allows him/her to soak hits, turning the Assault Alpha into the toughest XCOM unit to kill.
- Lightning Reflexes can be used to prevent an enemy on Overwatch from hitting any other squad mate, 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.
- Close Combat Specialist is additional insurance against melee units or for close encounters on built-in areas.
- Its main drawback is the lack of options at medium and long range. And their sense of invulnerability can get them into big, deadly trouble.
Assault Beta
- XCOM's equivalent of the Berserker, without the melee attack. 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 can 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, when compared to the Alpha build.
Alternate Builds
- Aggression + Lightning Reflexes + Rapid Fire + Bring 'Em On + Resillience is called the Commando build on multiplayer.
- Rapid Fire can be more useful, in most cases, than Flush.
- Close Combat Specialist is very useful on both builds, specially when dealing with melee units such as Chryssalids and Bezerkers.
Heavy
Heavy Alpha
- 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
- 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).
- Mayhem can be used as a 100% effective killing blow to an already weakened alien with 1/2 HP left.
- 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.
Alternate Builds
- Grenadier + Mayhem gives an additional punch to grenades.
- Shredder Rocket + Danger Zone + Rocketeer gives 3 rockets with extra blast range.
- For maximum Machinegun firepower: Bullet Swarm + Suppression + Rapid Reaction + Danger Zone + Mayhem.
- HEAT Ammo is very helpful to deal with unpleasant surprises such as Cyberdiscs and Sectopods.
Sniper
Sniper Alpha
- 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 compensated 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 reducing the Snap Shot Aim penalty) and In The Zone can allows it to kill a dozen 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 Betas are true snipers, designed to stay afar from well chosen positions and drop down 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, turning the Sniper Beta into the squad's eyes.
- Their main drawbacks are lack of protection and inadequate firepower at close range.
Alternate Builds
- Gunslinger makes the Sniper more useful while clearing UFOs and other close range situations.
- Battle Scanner can be also used better by Snipers with Snap Shot, due to their mobile role.
- Double Tap can't be used combined with Snap Shot but In The Zone can be used with Squad Sight.
- Opportunist and Executioner can be switched together, depending on personal taste.
- Damn Good Ground is useful to both builds but it depends on the map or advanced armors (Skeleton Suit, Ghost Armor or Archangel Armor) to be effective.
Support
Support Alpha
- 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.
Support Beta
- The Support Beta has a similar role to the Heavy Beta - it can support the squad either on the offensive or the defensive.
- 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 heaviest aliens.
Alternate Builds
- Switching between Sprinter and Covering Fire on either build, between speed or Overwatch upgrade.
- Dense Smoke and Combat Drugs can be switched between both builds.
- Sprinter + Smoke and Mirrors + Rifle Suppression + Dense Smoke + Sentinel can be used to make a scout, with increased mobility and able to suppress and pin down any hostiles it encounters or drop a Smoke Grenade to protect itself and/or the rest of the squad.
See Also
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