Specialist (XCOM2)
The Specialist operates some of XCOM's most advanced equipment. They deploy robotic drones on the battlefield that can be outfitted for combat or field medic duty. The Specialist is the successor to the Support class.
- Primary Weapon: Assault Rifle
- Secondary Weapon: Gremlin
Abilities
Tactical Advice
As the Support class was described as 'not sexy like the other classes,' the Specialist managed to bring the sexy back.
In the Tech-heavy world of the ADVENT Administration, information is a literal commodity: Intel resources can be hard to come by, and that's where the Specialist comes in. As they bring the Gremlin models with them, they receive a major boost to hacking abilities over the other soldiers tiny PDAs. Not only can you (with luck) disable, or even take over enemy robotic units, but remotely access terminals you would otherwise need to get close (and risk exposure) to access. Indeed, they're the only ones that can safely hack the 'lamp posts' in the cities that scan for identification, at least while remaining in concealment.
When hacking (including with other soldiers), the screen that appears will show the three possible results. Most commonly, it will show the failstate (often buffing the targeted device), a medium-difficulty utility hack, and a hard difficulty bonus hack. For example, on MECs and Turrets, the failstate is to buff the unit, and the hack is to either disable, or to take over the unit (lasts 3 turns). Meanwhile, the aforementioned 'lamp posts' hack is the failstate of summoning re-enforcements, and usually either causing all enemies to go into Disoriented status, or complete invulnerability for the Specialist for two turns. 'Usually', because on occasional missions, hacking these lamp posts, which are connected to ADVENT's equivalent of Mosaic, may give other bonuses, such as ADVENT facility information-- extremely helpful to keeping the Avatar program from completing, or effectively a free Mind Control of a random enemy unit still on the map. It is worth going out of the way to hack whenever possible for other bonuses such as permanent increase to the Specialist's hacking score.
It is also advisable to give them the Skulljack device, as their hacking bonus will apply, as well: this not also gives the Specialist a high-chance instant kill against ADVENT soldiers of all kinds, but gives them a Ranger/Lancer-like dashing attack with it (once per mission). This can be extremely profitable, as hacking bonuses include intel, resources, or even Avatar Facility location data (which must then be researched). Turning your specialist into such an 'Intelligence Officer' is very effective for your overall campaign against ADVENT and the aliens.
Note that when hacking, the choice is for either the 'utility' hack, or the bonus hack, not both: simply click the panel for the hack you want to go for. Either way, pray to the RNG Gods that you chose below the roll.