Classes (EU2012)

Soldiers in X-COM: Enemy Unknown are divided into classes, where each class has unique abilities (a.k.a. "perks"). On the first level up from Rookie to Squaddie the soldier gets assigned a random class with an initial ability. As they level up soldiers get to choose one of two abilites (with some exceptions) on each level to a total of 6 more (7 including the Squaddie rank).

Solder Ranks

Rookie

Squaddie

Corporal

Sergeant

Lieutenant

Captain

Major

Colonel

Assault

A mobile soldier with extra power at shorter range, a good choice for close quarter combat and maps with constricting spaces and limited vision. The Run & Gun ability make Assault soldiers particularly useful for outflanking your opponent.

Abilities

1 Run & Gun (allows to move and make a shot, including at the end of dashing, can't use equipment, cooldown 3 rounds)

2 Tactical Sense (+5 to defense per enemy close to you, up to 20 ), Aggression (+10 to crit per enemy close to you up to 30)

3 Lightning Reflexes (ignores first reaction fire on that turn), Close & Personal (+30 to crit, reduces with distance)

Heavy

Carries high-damage weapons including a rocket launcher and heavy machine gun. These front & center soldiers tend to have more hit points.

Abilities

1 Fire Rocket (fires a 6 dmg rocket once per combat, requires both action points, one use)

2 Bullet Swarm (allows to shoot and then move or shoot twice), Holo-Targeting (gives +10 to Aim against your target for squadmates, does it work with suppression?)

3 Shredder Rocket (gives a +33% bonus to damage against that target, deals less damage than standard, lasts 4 turns. Could be that it gives a second shot with RL), Suppression (-30 Aim to enemy, allows a reaction shot if the target moves)

4 HEAT rounds (+100% to damage against robotic enemies), Rapid Reaction (Gives a second reaction fire if the first one was successful)

5 Grenadier (now carries 2 grenades instead of one, if grenades are equipped), Danger Zone (increases AoE of rockets and suppression by 2).

Sniper

This is a light, mobile soldier with few hit points. The Sniper needs to stay behind the front lines to survive and thrive. Equipping the Sniper with armor that has grappling is particularly helpful to establish a safe shooting position with wide field coverage and to use the Damn Good Ground perk. Until the Snap Shot ability is obtained, the Sniper cannot fire after moving.

Abilities

1 Headshot (+30 to crits, cooldown 2 rounds)

2 Snap shot (allows to make a shot with SR after moving, this shot has -20 to Aim), Squad sight (allows to target enemies not seen by sniper but seen by squadmates, requires clear line of fire)

??? Damn Good Ground (Provides a bonus to ?aim? when firing from a higher vantage point)

Support

A light unit that cannot take as much damage as a Heavy. Intended to either stay behind the front lines in order to heal damaged units, provide cover for forward units, and help out-flank opponents if Assaults are pinned down or have been lost.

Abilities

1 Smoke grenade (throw a grenade that provides half cover in a radius, lasts 2 turns, one use)

2 Sprinter (increases movement by 3 squares per action point), Covering Fire (Allows reaction fire against opponents who try to shoot)

3 Field Medic (gives 3 healing)

4 Revive (Restores critically wounded operative to 33% health), Rifle Suppression (-30 to target's Aim, gives reaction fire if moves)

Psionic

Sid Meier, 'nuff said.

Abilities

(?formatting, perk level?) Mind Control (Converts an enemy unit to your control for 5 turns. Take care, as the death of the controlling Psi unit also results in the death of the controlled enemy.)

Panic (Panics the targeted unit causing it to behave erratically including hunkering down, firing wildly, and running away. A Panic'd unit does not take orders from the player.)

Rift (Psionic storm attack. It is free aim with limited range.)