Goliath (LWR)
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MEC variant of the Gunner and Rocketeer classes. A Goliath is designed to be a human tank. They have the best HP progression of any class in the game and an unsurpassed selection of defensive perks. They have reasonable aim progression, but their selection of offensive perks is a bit lacking.
- Primary Weapon: MEC Primary Weapons
- Secondary Weapon: MEC Secondary Weapon Systems
- Class-Limited items: MEC Equipment items
Abilities
| Rank | Ability | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Specialist |
 Absorption Fields
Advanced shielding grants +30% DR. Shots from beam weapons (laser/pulse/drone/cyberdisc) lose half of their penetration when targeting this unit. | ||||||
 Lance Corporal |
 Grenadier
Using a destructive grenade deals +1 damage and costs only 1 AP. Equipped destructive grenades receive an additional use. Grants 1.3 mobility. |
 Ready For Anything
At the end of each turn, if this unit did not move and is not at risk of triggering reaction fire, Overwatch activates. Grants +2 ammo to non-arc primary weapons. |
 Light 'Em Up
Standard shots cost only 1 AP and gain both +5 aim and +1 damage for each instance of damage their target took this turn. | ||||
 Corporal |
 Grit
Grants +3 armor HP and %DR equal to half of the %HP lost. |
 Fortified
Grants immunity to critical hits. Injury and fatigue times are reduced by 30%. .png){kind=small} Steadfast
Provides immunity to panic (except from flame/psi attacks) and reduces injury time by 50%. |
 Holo Rounds
Firing at a target during this unit's turn holos [Prevents concealment/stealth, incoming shots gain +20 aim and +1 penetration] them for 3 turns. | ||||
 Sergeant |
 Danger Zone
Suppression affects (with half suppressive fire damage) targets in a 2.5 tile radius around the primary target. |
 Rapid Reaction
Allows 2 reaction shots during overwatch. Grants +40% DR when overwatching. |
.png){kind=small} Critical System Targeting
Shots against autopsied mechanical units deal +50% damage and gain +2 penetration. Does not work with the Arc Rifle or Arc Pistol. | ||||
 Tech Sergeant |
 Extra Conditioning
Grants +3 armor HP, +0.6 mobility, 10% throw range, and a 10% chance for all end-in-idle actions to cost 0 AP. | ||||||
 Gunnery Sergeant |
 Reactive Targeting Sensors
Once per turn, if this unit is attacked: Attempt to return fire with a +40 aim reaction shot. If this unit did return fire, enter One For All (if able). [Basic reaction shots bypass half of cover DR/def, cannot crit, and require hit chance >30] |
 Penetrator
The primary weapon gains +2 penetration. |
 Tandem Warheads
Explosives employed by this soldier do full damage at the extent of their area of effect (instead of 50%). | ||||
 Master Sergeant |
 Fragmentation
Explosives critically hit exposed targets, dealing 150% damage. |
 Repair Servos
Repairs damage sustained in battle: When damaged, gain servos equal to 35% of the damage sustained. Each servo can heal 1 HP. At end of turn, use half the servos available (minimum 1, if available). | |||||
Stat Progression
| Rank | Attribute Gains | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 | |
| Specialist
|
+0-1 (86%) | +5-15 | - | - |
| Lance Corporal
|
+0-1 (86%) | +1-3 | - | - |
| Corporal
|
+0-1 (86%) | +1-3 | - | - |
| Sergeant
|
+0-1 (86%) | +1-3 | - | - |
| Tech Sergeant
|
+0-1 (86%) | +1-3 | - | - |
| Gunnery Sergeant
|
+0-1 (85%) | +1-3 | - | - |
| Master Sergeant
|
+0-1 (85%) | - | - | - |
| Total | +0-7 |
+10-30 |
- |
- |
Predictable Potential:
| Rank | Attribute Gains | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
| |
| Specialist
|
+3 | +10 | - | - |
| Lance Corporal
|
+1 | +2 | - | - |
| Corporal
|
+1 | +2 | - | - |
| Sergeant
|
+1 | +2 | - | - |
| Tech Sergeant
|
- | +2 | - | - |
| Gunnery Sergeant
|
- | +2 | - | - |
| Master Sergeant
|
- | - | - | - |
| Total | +6 |
+20 |
- |
- |
Tactical Advice
Intended Role: "Tank"
With the highest HP progession and plethora of defensive perks, the Goliath acts as the frontline bullet sponge for the rest of the team. It is the one unit that you would want to take fire from the heavy hitting alien units. With the Absorption Fields perk as the first perk to be available, The Goliath is able to heavily reduce any damage that it receives.
With perks like Fortified, Extra Conditioning it becomes slightly more difficult for aliens to severely hurt the MEC and even if they manage to heavily damage it, the Repair Servos perk can give it even more survivability, by making it able to repair itself during longer missions.
The Goliath MEC is the only unit that XCOM has available that can reliably be called a tanking unit, as such it can act as a recon unit for the rest of the team, even though it is hampered by its less than stellar mobility. This is why it is good to use it in conjunction with Scouts and Assaults. Use the Scouts to do recon and the Goliath to have the enemies (hopefully) shoot at it, while the assault can go around for a flank.
Sadly the enemy isn't actually obliged to shoot at the Goliath, making its tanking role somewhat situational as enemy units can forego shooting at the MEC that is standing right in front of them, and instead shoot at a soldier in low cover behind the MEC. In this case, equipping short range, high damage weapons such as Kinetic Strike and/or Flamethrowers can make them regret letting your Goliath run free. You will probably want to strike a balance when building your Goliath between defense and offense/utility, since a purely defensively built Goliath will have little to contribute in the event that the aliens don't decide to attack it. Flush, Grenadier, Light 'Em Up and First Aid are prominent offensive and utility perks.
It should be noted that even with their high health, damage reducing and self repairing capabilities, a lone Goliath can still die quite easily during the later parts of the campaign. The most serious threats come from Sectoid swarms, which will deal many small hits that bypass absorption fields, and Critical System Targeting bosses, which will hit WAY too hard to tank. It is never a good idea to place the Goliath under a full pod's worth of fire without any assistance.
MECs can be healed by Medikits, so in longer missions a Medic should top off the Goliath between enemy pods.
The biggest drawback of the Goliath is its rather narrow usability; it has one role which it does extremely well, but it is not as versatile as other MEC classes. Unless you are going to use it for its specific purpose, you might not want to get a Goliath.
Sample Builds
Sturmtiger
This build widens the usability of the Goliath by equipping the MEC with an explosive payload. On small, disadvantageous maps where XCOM finds itself sorely outnumbered and outgunned, the Sturmtiger is one of the best weapons capable of tanking a wall of damage and dishing it all right back. The Grenadier perk allows the Sturmtiger to fire up to two grenades in one turn while 'buttoned up' with One For All. Keep in mind that multiple grenade launchers can be equipped, each of which have two base charges, which are subsequently doubled by Grenadier, with no cooldown. Although explosives aren't the best way to lay down damage by the late game, Danger Zone + Tandem Warheads bring both decent AOE and cover destruction ability akin to that of siege artillery.
Don't forget to clip the moments when Fragmentation hits it big. Treasured memories and all that.
Sample Sturmtiger Build: Grenadier -> Fortified -> Danger Zone -> Extra Conditioning -> Tandem Warheads -> Fragmentation
Recommended Equipment: Core Plating, Restorative Mist, Grenade Launcher, HMEC-2
Note:
- Grit can be taken in place of fortified, but an Alien Trophy is recommended.
- Repair Servos can be taken in place of Fragmentation for better tanking ability and less RNG.
Main Battle Tank
This build aims to tank damage and counter enemy armor as effectively as possible. Light 'Em Up enables the MBT to fire its primary weapon and fold back into One For All. Combined with the extra damage against mechanical targets from CST and all the penetration maxing, the MBT should always deal more damage than it takes from enemy armor. Just like a real modern tank, this build is inflexible for dealing with soft targets due to a lack of aim buffs, other than to rush into close range and fire. If you are rushing into close range and firing with your Goliath, then you should be using a Marauder, but a flamethrower can make up for this weakness instead.
Sample MBT Build: Light 'Em Up -> Fortified -> Critical System Targeting -> Extra Conditioning -> Penetrator -> Repair Servos
Recommended Equipment: Core Plating, Armor Piercing Ammo, Flamethrower + Jellied Elerium, HMEC-2
Note:
- Grit can be taken in place of Fortified, but an Alien Trophy is recommended.
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