Specialist (LW2)

Tech Specialists constitute both XCOM's field medical and cybernetic warfare arms, using their GREMLIN aerial drones to heal allies, disrupt enemies, and achieve mission goals.

Primary: Rifle(default), SMG or Shotgun; Secondary: Gremlin

Specialists in Long War 2 are largely similar to XCOM 2's Specialist class, with several exceptions. Haywire Protocol is available for all Specialists from the start, allowing you to build out medical specialists while still putting their Hack stat to use. Combat Hackers gain more options and failsafes to allow them to hack and control foes while managing the consequences of success and failure in XCOM's favor.

"Medic" type Specialists (Left branch) employ their Gremlin drones to triage allies remotely and efficiently (even beyond the Specialist's line of sight), helping keep the squad in fighting shape even as injuries and negative status effects mount, but are merely average in combat when you aren't constantly tasking their Gremlins.

"Hacker" type Specialists (Right branch) aggressively engage enemies with their drones, dealing guaranteed damage and fielding a optimized, safe Haywire Protocol to turn the enemy's heaviest weapons against them, but can leave the squad lacking in medical options if you do not field many medkits elsewhere in the unit.

Specialists can also improve their direct combat capabilities (particularly overwatch fire) via center branch perks, and these can be mixed in with the other branches depending on squad needs. Specialists also make great officer candidates, as they already tend to act in direct support of their squadmates.

Lastly, as with XCOM 2, including one specialist of any rank in a squad is vital if the mission objective entails hacking a container, door, or other electronic node, allowing you to complete your mission objective from sight range rather than melee range, and even if the rest of your squad is bogged down in a firefight.

Abilities

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Rank	Ability
Squaddie	Aid Protocol Command your GREMLIN to move to a friendly target. It grants that target a bonus to Defense until the start of the next player turn.	Haywire Protocol You may target robotic and mechanical enemies with your GREMLIN, attempting to hack them and seize control.	Hack Attempt to remotely breach security on a network access point with your GREMLIN.
	Medic		Hacker
Lance Corporal	Medical Protocol The GREMLIN can perform healing actions remotely: GREMLIN Heal and GREMLIN Stabilize. The GREMLIN has a single charge. If a medikit is equipped, the GREMLIN will gain an additional charge.	Cool Under Pressure You gain +10 Aim on Overwatch and other reaction shots, and they can critically hit.	Combat Protocol Send the GREMLIN to an enemy to jolt them, dealing guaranteed damage, which is increased against robotic enemies.
Corporal	Revival Protocol Send the GREMLIN to an ally to remove any negative mental status effects: Disoriented, Stunned, Panicked, or Unconscious.	Covering Fire Overwatch shots can now be triggered by any enemy action, not just movement. Targets of overwatch shots receive -10 aim for the rest of the turn whether or not the shot was triggered because of this ability.	Interference GREMLIN cancels overwatch on targeted unit. Use three times per battle. Number of uses is increased with advanced GREMLINs.
Sergeant	Field Medic Equipped medikits have 2 extra charges.	Suppression Fire a barrage that pins down a target, grants reaction fire against it if it moves, restricts the use of many abilities, and imposes a -25 penalty to the target's aim.	Airdrop The GREMLIN grants an explosive grenade to the targeted ally. Use twice per mission.
Staff Sergeant	Field Surgeon Reduce wound recovery times for most soldiers.	Ever Vigilant If you spend all of your actions on moves, you are granted an automatic overwatch shot at the end of the turn.	Failsafe If you fail a hack, you prevent any negative effects from occurring.
Tech Sergeant	Savior Healing abilities restore four additional hit points.	Sentinel When in overwatch, you may take two reaction shots.	Trojan Enemy units that are hacked take damage and lose their actions on the turn the hack effect ends.
Gunnery Sergeant	Scanning Protocol The GREMLIN can trigger an instant scan of the area, increasing the Specialist's sight radius substantially for one turn, and revealing any hidden or disguised enemies in view.	Kill Zone Take a reaction shot against any enemy that moves or attacks within a cone of fire.	Threat Assessment Aid Protocol now grants the target a Covering Fire Overwatch shot.
Master Sergeant	Restoration The GREMLIN flies to each squad member, healing or reviving them as needed.	Full Override Take permanent control of a robotic unit and potentially acquire ADVENT MECs for the Resistance.	Capacitor Discharge Send the GREMLIN to a location where it emits a substantial electric discharge, damaging and potentially stunning all nearby units. Robotic units take more damage.

Stat Progression

Rank	Health	Offense	Will	Mobility	Dodge	Hacking
Squaddie	0	2	5	0	0	40
Lance Corporal	1	2	5	0	0	5
Corporal	0	2	0	0	0	5
Sergeant	0	2	0	0	0	5
Staff Sergeant	1	2	0	0	0	5
Tech Sergeant	0	2	0	0	0	5
Gunnery Sergeant	0	2	0	0	0	5
Master Sergeant	1	2	0	0	0	5
Total	3	16	10	0	0	75

This class also gains 1 point of strength, though it's not clear what that does.