Specialist (LWOTC)

Operating some of our most advanced equipment, Specialists deploy robotic drones on the battlefield that can be outfitted for combat or field medic duty.

Class Overview

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.

Weapons

Primary: Rifles, SMGs, Shotguns.

Secondary: GREMLIN

As with vanilla, Specialists use GREMLINs as secondaries, allowing them to perform many actions at range. Better GREMLINs improve their abilities as well as their Hacking stat.

Abilities

Mouse-over for more information.

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. 4-Turn cooldown.	Hack Attempt to remotely breach security on a network access point with your GREMLIN/BIT.
	Medic		Hacker
Lance Corporal	Revival Protocol Send the GREMLIN to an ally to remove any negative mental status effects: Disoriented, Stunned, Panicked, or Unconscious.	Sentinel When in overwatch, you may take two reaction shots.	Combat Protocol Send the GREMLIN to an enemy to jolt them, dealing guaranteed damage, which is increased against robotic enemies.
Corporal	Field Surgeon Reduce wound recovery times for most soldiers.	Covering Fire Reaction shots confer an aim malus on enemies and can now be triggered by any enemy action, not just movement.	Interference GREMLIN cancels overwatch on targeted unit.
Sergeant	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.	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. Free Action.	Trojan Enemy units that are hacked take damage and lose their actions on the turn the hack effect ends.
Staff Sergeant	Field Medic Equipped medikits have 2 extra charges.	Ever Vigilant If you spend all of your actions on moves, you are granted an automatic overwatch shot at the end of the turn.	Airdrop The GREMLIN grants an explosive grenade to the targeted ally. Usable 2 time(s) per mission.
Tech Sergeant	Savior Healing abilities restore four additional hit points.	Cool Under Pressure You gain +10 Aim on Overwatch and other reaction shots, and they can critically hit.	Failsafe If you fail a hack, you prevent any negative effects from occurring.
Gunnery Sergeant	Rescue Protocol Use your GREMLIN to grant a movement action to an ally and grant them a small boost to dodge and mobility.	Threat Assessment Aid Protocol grants the target a Covering Fire Overwatch shot.	Full Override Take permanent control of a robotic unit and potentially acquire ADVENT MECs for the Resistance.
Master Sergeant	Restoration The GREMLIN flies to each squad member, healing or reviving them as needed.	Kill Zone Take a reaction shot against any enemy that moves or attacks within a cone of fire.	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.

XCOM Abilities

XCOM row abilities are able to be purchased when the Training Center is built. The cost is 10 AP per tier level.

Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3	Tier 4
Close and Personal Confers +30 critical chance against adjacent targets. The bonus declines with distance from the target.	Blinding Protocol Send the Gremlin to deploy a small flashbang on an enemy target, disorienting all enemy units within a small radius (reducing their Aim by 20 and Mobility by 6).	Aggression Gain +5 critical chance for each enemy you can see, up to a maximum of 30.	Close Combat Specialist Fire a free reaction shot with your primary weapon at any visible enemy within four tiles who moves or fires.
Coup de Grâce Bonus to hit, damage, and critical chance with your weapon against a disoriented, stunned or panicking enemy.	Bring 'Em On Gain +1 damage on critical hits for every two enemies you can see, up to a maximum of +8. Works for the soldier's primary weapon and explosives.	Evasive Start each mission with 100 bonus dodge. The bonus is removed after you take damage for the first time.
Damn Good Ground Confers +10 aim and +10 defense against targets at a lower elevation.	Concentration Your grazing attacks are automatically upgraded to normal hits.	Full Kit Grants +1 charge per grenade item in a utility slot.	Close Encounters Once per turn, gain a bonus action after taking a standard shot with your primary weapon at an enemy within four tiles. Cannot trigger on the same turn as Hit and Run.
Deadeye Take a shot with a small aim penalty for a significant damage boost.	Cyclic Fire Special Shot: Fire three shots at a target in a single attack. Requires both actions and all shots have a -15 aim penalty. Has a 3 turn cooldown.	Holo Targeting Any directed primary weapon shot, hit or miss, will mark the target, increasing your squad's aim by +15 against this target.
Deep Cover If you did not attack this turn, hunker down automatically.	Fortify Activate to grant +20 defense until the beginning of the next turn. Does not cost an action. Has a 4 turn cooldown.	Hunter's Instincts Ranged attacks against flanked enemies deal +2 damage.	Disassembly Killing an enemy grants a stackable +20 hack bonus that lasts 3 turns.
Executioner Confers +15 aim and +15 critical chance against targets at half or less of their original hit points.	Hail of Bullets Unleash a hail of bullets that is guaranteed to hit your target, but uses a lot of ammunition.	Implacable If you score one or more kills on your turn, you are granted a single bonus move.
Flashbanger Grants 1 free flashbang item to your inventory.	Low Profile Makes partial cover count as full.	Light 'Em Up Standard shots with your primary weapon are not turn-ending.	Double Tap Activate to fire a standard shot and gain a second action restricted to an additional shot or overwatching.
Infighter Gain 40 dodge against attacks within four tiles.	Neutralizing Agents Aid Protocol now neutralizes fire, poison, acid and bleeding.	Lightning Reflexes Reaction fire shots against you have a significantly decreased chance to hit. The bonus goes down with each additional reaction shot you face.
Iron Curtain Special shot that does 50% of normal damage but reduces target mobility for the following 2 turn(s). Cone-based attack with primary weapon.	Open Fire Your ranged attacks gain 10 Aim and 10 Crit against targets that are at full health.	Lock 'N Load Kills with your primary weapon restore 1 ammo.	Hit and Run Once per turn, gain an additional action after taking a standard shot at a flanked or exposed target with your primary weapon. Cannot trigger on the same turn as Close Encounters.
Precision Shot Take a special shot with +30 bonus to critical chance and 34% bonus critical damage. Has a 4 turn cooldown.	Rapid Deployment Activate this ability before throwing or launching a support grenade, and the throw will not cost an action.	Run and Gun Take an action after dashing.
Salvo Launching or throwing grenades, using heavy weapons or using the Gauntlet's Rocket Launcher with your first action will not end your turn.	Resilience Enemy attacks against you suffer a -30 penalty to critical hit chances.	Rupture A Rupture shot grants a +50 bonus to critical hit chances and ensures that the target takes an additional +3 damage from all attacks in the future.	Rapid Fire Fire twice in a row at an enemy. Each shot suffers an Aim penalty of -15. Can be used once per turn.
Smoker Grants one free smoke grenade item to your inventory.	Return Fire When targeted by enemy fire, automatically fire back with your primary weapon once per turn.	Shredder Your primary weapon attacks shred armor.
Steady Hands If you did not move last turn, gain +10 Aim and +10 Critical chance.	Shadowstep This soldier does not trigger overwatch or reaction fire.	Stiletto Shots fired with your primary weapon pierce 3 armor.	Ready For Anything Enter overwatch after firing a turn ending standard shot with your primary weapon.
Survival Instinct Gain 20 Defense and 20 Crit chance while injured.	Target Focus Your ranged attacks gain +10 aim and pierce 1 armor against unflankable enemies.	Watch Them Run After throwing or launching a grenade, you will automatically enter overwatch.