So you want to ironman legendary XCOM 2 WOTC: Classes, build order and early game OPs

[@BMJgunner]

Just got Xcom2 cause it was on sale for 4 quid on xbox. This is really helpful

[@legionxiv1792]

Glad to hear it, best of luck to you, commander

[@Goatedgibbon295]

My first play through was rough and seeing how you start has definitely helped al lot thank you! My omelet note is that you disregard the specialist and while I agree they aren’t great in the beginning, abilities like combat protocol are very useful to me as you can kill injured hostiles that retreat or go behind cover that can’t easily be destroyed. Love the video and will definitely tune in for the next episode

[@BigMac8000]

Aid protocol is really awesome. It's a great action, it turns an at-risk trooper into a solid defensive feature. Later when it puts overwatch down it's even better. You can turn a hunker down soldier into a solid wall. Meanwhile having healing is great for misplays and bosses, in Ironman mistakes are gonna happen. Restoration is an excellent ability to have later on, as well as not having to sacrifice movement to stabilize a target who's dazed. Really though, it's excellent for a misplay moment when someone is standing out in the open, or if you aggro 2-3 mobs and need to throw someone forward and hope they can survive many hits. Excellent for a trapped Reaper who might've walked into an invisible mob that saw through a wall. They get better if you prioritize assault rifles over shotguns - rangers don't really need shotguns since they typically are at-risk to be flanked if they are too close. Meanwhile you can send a ranger in safely to sword someone if you have aid protocol to turn that ranger into a dodge tank. This also works well with early templar's before they get parry. As a first move ability it's great, I found using 2 specialists supporting 1 ranger to be an excellent way to play safer. This also feeds into sniper's, since 1 ranger can extend squadsight and now you've got a fully supported ranger. This is ideal for scouting when your reapers are on cooldown or if you've lost one in ironman due to a misplay. Combat protocol is very useful for guaranteed damage. I would agree on hacking though, hacking is definitely too much of a liability. It's far too dangerous to use. The only time I found hacking useful was when your covert operations offer a hacking reward, keep stacking it one 1 person with hacking ability. Keep doing it and then on objective missions take that hacker, because they're more likely to get the ancillary benefits from hacking mundane objects. They pair well with a skulljacker for this - though that's overly ambitious. The rewards are mediocre at best, so I'd agree hacking is a gimmick. Healing across the map though, can't understate that value. Takes a little while to come online, but having one specialist curing status effects is really quite turn efficient since they don't have to move leaving the rest of your squad to deal with major threats with their better weaponry. Later Guardian and Ever-vigilant stack, so you can have them dash, and I've seen crazy spree's with Guardian. This is really useful with an execution weapon or a repeat-fire weapon. Aid protocol just let's you string overwatch's once it passes that benefit on, which really is quite good since you get the benefit and overwatch which is turn-efficient. Overwatch does have a negative multiplier to hit of a steep 40% ish, but on the flipside you often catch enemies moving. If an enemy is dashing, that lowers to a 30% debuff and they don't have cover. One downside to all that, snipers and templars only get pistol overwatch, so it's important to watch out for that. It took me a long while to realize how useful aid protocol was, given that their assault rifle range is pretty good. They synergize really well with rangers or templar's due to their riskier maneuvering. You can shore up their defenses early game, and later game they can play REALLY risky. But I wouldn't put them higher than any other classes - the base classes are very balanced. Lightning hands is an excellent sniper ability for cleaning house, and while it takes forever to get fan fire or faceoff, they're situationally very useful. But playstyle matters, grenadiers and rangers can work great in tandem, they have their own unique synergies. Shotguns + Grenades can roll forward quite easily and they tend to miss less, which does make them very useful early on. But specialists shine when things start going wrong or during complex boss fights. Aid protocol also doesn't trigger on Rulers, making them great ways to shore up a tank in range - if you grant overwatch, that's not considered an offensive action. If you grant aid to another specialist, who has guardian, that's a good way to great a defensive wall. Of course rangers with blademaster are excellent, but aid protocol on a frontline ranger with blademaster who has dodge PCS and bonus's stacked up suddenly becomes a great way to handle major threats when caught off guard. I'm a big fan, the base 4 classes have a lot of great team synergy, I'm constantly discovering things I'd never thought to do. Hunker Down is far better than people realize if you have 1 ranger up front. It's scary, but Hunker Down + Aid grants a crazy amount of dodge and enemies have fog of war. They fidget when they can't see another target. That means 1 ranger with blade master or 1 sniper with return fire + hunker down + aid can really absorb crazy stuff. Anyway, just sharing, because you never know what units will get what skills - scoring a high-tier specialist free who has great borrowed skills gives players more freedom to benefit from their unique skillsets. They're also great for backing up a skirmisher who got caught way up somewhere when they're mind controlled, so as a backup to a skirmisher I find they're very useful. I was shocked when I realized my specialist was my first colonel, they're just great to have around. There's a lot to debate about what skills to take, but I found mine to be crucial. But I'd agree - hacking is a liability. Even if you work it up, it's dangerous, you have to REALLY work it up before it becomes good, making it a mid-to-late game pleasure, if ever. Nursing 1 on covert actions can be a chore, it's really situational if they ever become useful in that regard. Anyway, just sharing.

[@Gradysmokestoomuch]

​@@BigMac8000 I agree with your analysis. If I use hacking it's after stacking on one soldier and its on a mec mid mission after wrapping up a pod. It's the last enemy and I have another way to kill it if things go south. If it works it suicides in to the next pod. If not kill it. But I hardly ever bother. Maybe it would be more appealing in that same scenario if I had no stealth charges left to safly scout the next pod or pods.....but I feel like it lives in this weird in-between state. It's not reliable enough for me to want to use it without a backup plan but also isn't appealing unless a lot has already gone wrong. Ie I absolutely need a mimic beacon but don't have any or I need a safe scout but don't have stealth charges left.

[@TK-zd7ym]

The only thing I disagree with is your take on Specialists. They are absolutely invaluable from start to finish.

[@legionxiv1792]

Can totally understand that, I mentioned in another video they never really meshed with my play style. Perhaps I should try a run where I use them more

[@TheKang]

Yeah, I make them medics, not hackers.

[@anthonychase6906]

​@@TheKanghaving medics is like one of the most important things in any game where death is permanent and health is low

[@Grandude77]

Aid protocol is fairy decent early on and the heal-bot is great mid and late game. I get what he's saying about them and snipers but unless you're going to level them on guerilla ops you have to take them because late game they are great.

[@lastraven7205]

​@@legionxiv1792Try building them as a medic, with guardian and threat assessment

[@vaeleksk8252]

Would have been nicer to have the audio lower. It's hard to hear you at points.

[@Mrgarunimo]

Hey man, is there a chance you can share what mod you're using that changes the UI of the Squad Loadout screen?

[@arandomstormtrooper5865]

Thanks!

[@Grandude77]

Lab has an edge over gts as first building as you cant afford and don't have rank to buy anything from the gts. Assuming you skip the resistance requirement mission i go resistance ring 1st. It pays off on an investment in personnel only. Otherwise GTS is probably better than lab, on balance but i often go lab. Those inspirations are gold.

[@spartandud3]

You talk about the specialist hacking ability but what about their support and healing abilities? Healing and reviving are fantastic are they not?

[@legionxiv1792]

absolutely, but id rather bring a different class that can be proactive, rather than reactive. outside the chosen, i never really need revive. and heals are nice, but so is a reliable damage dealer

[@Necriptos]

If you kill before getting damaged you never have to heal.

[@Gregole86]

Hey man, I just noticed the music playing during the battle, is that the default music? If so I don’t remember thinking it sounds great lol.

[@legionxiv1792]

if you go into audio options there should be an option to change the game soundtrack to "XCOM UFO DEFENSE"

[@MayaMachina-n8s]

20:19 weird flex, Mikhali, but alright

[@Goblinsaurusrex]

Pashto is more eastern Afghanistan, Persian Farsi is what you would want for Iran

[@legionxiv1792]

thanks for clearing that up!

[@ignaciomartinez8501]

why would you play with the "lost and abandoned" mission? it makes the first 2 months a long tutorial and it also gives you a freebie first encounter with the chosen

[@legionxiv1792]

i normally don't because i like the harder difficulty. lost and abandoned is also super easy to run even on legendary

[@martykaidan2229]

what voice mod pack are you using if you dont mind

[@legionxiv1792]

chinese voice extension, deltavoicepackwotc, japanese voice pack, medal of honor voice pack, swedish soldier voice, xcom internation voices, historical games voice pack. might have left 1 or 2 out

[@martykaidan2229]

@@legionxiv1792 thank you

[@Shiftry87]

True the Specialist lags abit behind in usefulness and has become abit of a joke almost as u rather have something else. However if u run with the mod Hack+ they become actually usefull to what the class is designed to do, hack. For every successful hack the soldier gain +3 to there hacking stat and +1 for a failed hack so u can effectivly train your Specialists to be good at hacking kinda like the Sharpshooters, but instead of getting mods for them they get it by hacking on the field. Your still not gonna be able to guarantee to take over a Sectopod even lategame but the regular and Elite Mechs shouldent be that bad if u got a trained hacker. Not sure why the game dident launch with something like this becouse hacking has always felt like its seriously lagging behind in the amount of the hack stat u need to actually wanna use it, hense why the Specialist class as a whole is so bad in most situations. U got the medic tree which is usefull but u rather u hade something that could disable or take out that enemy so u wouldent need to heal in the first place. And u got the hacking tree that while has some useful things there should have been a way to improve your hack chanses which with Hack+ u can make the class actually usefull vs robotic enemys.

[@legionxiv1792]

All very good points! Sometimes I’ll run skulljack specialists for fun

[@AllThings_Gaming-c1m]

Awesome legion, what would be the ideal squad formation going into mid game? I take it specialist is best to only have one on your team ? How about mid- late game templar, psi operatives ? I know and I heard not to be bothered with reaper and skirmisher classes

[@legionxiv1792]

reapers are amazing scouts and damage dealers with their claymores! i made a video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYHNm2Vnl5pjns0 with some time stamps if you want to jump around. imo i consider "mid game" to be about the point you have tier 2 armor, i usually dont run specalists at all, and ive had games where 90% of my missions i bring 3 rangers, 3 greandiers. however sharpshooters can be really effective anti mech units, and skirmishers are strong for their mobility up until lateish game. templars are amazing basically at any point in the game

[@tylerlang2836]

Who told you not to bother with reapers? They’re arguably the most OP unit in the game

[@poettate1744]

How do I unlock the spark class I've been trying for months

[@legionxiv1792]

its unlocked by doing shens tower mission. make sure you have the DLC enabled

[@poettate1744]

@@legionxiv1792 ok I do but how do I get the mission like how I get to it? Thank you

[@legionxiv1792]

@@poettate1744 it should be a green tower on the map, itll be a scannable location like supplies are. after you scan you can click on the tower to fly there and start the mission

[@poettate1744]

@@legionxiv1792 like east Asia?

[@legionxiv1792]

@@poettate1744 it will be in whatever region you started you campaign in!

[@h.o.u1870]

Any chance at getting your modlist?

[@legionxiv1792]

i only use cosmetic mods and a few interface mods for my plathroughs so folks on console can emulate some of my strats. any particular ones youre interested in?

[@Guccipoooch]

What with the music?

[@draemocksi]

What MOD gives you the extra info on Squad Select Screen?

[@legionxiv1792]

I have so many UI mods installed. I believe it’s “empty wotc deco slots for xcom soliders.” Perhaps it’s iridar’s appearance manager. I believe it’s one of those two

[@yogsothoth6059]

got a mod list?

[@legionxiv1792]

All of my mods I use for play throughs are cosmetic so that folks on console can follow along. Any particular ones you’re interested in?

[@yogsothoth6059]

@@legionxiv1792 yeah,, the cosmetics. is there a compilation or bundle of some sort?

[@NotYourBusiness-bp2qn]

This will definitely NOT be your legend ironman xcom 2 wotc experience. For you the 70% shots won't hit 3 times in a row. No, for you they will MISS 3 times in a row. Yes, I know it's a 1 in 30 chance or something ridiculous like that. No matter, it will happen for you. Guaranteed. Try it, see what happens. I suspect one of two things. Either this dude has some mods that massage the unforgiving RNG this game dishes out early on legend or he simply repeats the campaign until he gets a favorable start. And I don't mean the first mission. You need to not get shit on by the game in the first 10 or so missions to have a chance at legend ironman. And you will get shit on. Oh you will, I promise you. You will miss 4 or 5 high percentage shots in a row. You will get a Assassin with some unplayable perk combinations like unaffected by explosions/generates shielding on miss. Try fighting that shit with low level troops. Pods will patrol into your fights with the chosen. Faceless will spawn on your Reaper while she's scouting the first pod, although they are not supposed to be there. Bugs will reveal your troops while they are way, way out of reveal range. The problem with this game is it is designed to be really, really frustrating early on so that later when you get better troops and more options to play with it feels extremely rewarding. But this is amped up in legend so much that is I believe impossible to beat the game unless you get repeated favorable RNG. And by that I don't mean no misses. You can miss and will miss no matter what. The trick is to miss when it doesn't matter and to hit when you absolutely need to. That's what makes or breaks the early legend ironman campaign. Don't be fooled by KZbin videos. The ones where the player gets stomped by RNG and has to abandon the campaign never get posted.

[@NotYourBusiness-bp2qn]

@@isaacsteele7986 That is a more realistic experience of L/I. But on KZbin's all you see is people acing mission after mission and that is not what happens in the vast, vast majority of campaigns no matter how good you are.

[@NotYourBusiness-bp2qn]

I revisited this post to clarify a bit. The majority of advice this guys gives is good in my opinion. And L/I is beatable, I have done it several times, no mods, no bullshit just backup saving from time to time (you can do that even in L/I you just make a backup copy of the save file in windows explorer) to reload if the game bugs out and corrupts my save file. But it is not, I am pretty sure, beatable no matter what. You need to try until you get a good RNG start. The first mission is completely RNG dependent and you should replay it until you get flawless. It helps, it's not mandatory but it's better and time investment is minimal. Just restart if you take damage. But that's the easy part. The second mission is also RNG dependent, both in that you have to hit with soldiers that still have shit aim and the type of mission is also relevant. Anyway you have to flawless it for a decent start, again it's not mandatory but it helps a bunch. If your sharpshooter gets injured fine, it's no big deal but if your ranger is out for a month I suggest you restart. The crux of the campaign however are the next couple of missions. The Lost and Found mission introduces the Assassin and if she has shit perks - restart. No point in pissing against the wind. Best perk early - and early is the hardest part of the game by far - is to have her vulnerable to explosions. You have to grenade her anyway most of the time since your aim and mobility sucks early on so doing extra damage with explosions is very helpful. Your reaper especially has both her claymore and the explode objects skill and both will benefit from this perk and also her default vulnerability to reapers resulting in BIG damage. Later in the game brittle or bewildered are better, arguably, since your soldiers have mobility to come in close and shoot her with good aim and lots of damage. However by that time she is not that big a deal anymore and you will be able to take her down no matter what. Learn how to kill the Assassin on this mission without taking a lot of damage. You need to get all your guys next to the ladder that is most to the left on the overpass and place the Reaper concealed next to the car that is always there, you'll know which one if you play the mission a couple of times. The Assassin will almost always take cover next to that car, either directly next to it or the sonic pod that is also next to it. Reveal her and take her out. Grenades won't trigger lost until she leaves. The second trick is to bring you highest level troops on this mission. They will be tired but you will take no damage so it's doable. The reason is to have one promoted to sergeant. Feed him lost as much as possible. The next mission is a retaliation. Just do it as best as possible. Flawless would be great, one injury is acceptable. Two becomes a problem you need to have your soldiers promoted as soon as possible and they can't promote if they are injured and not doing missions. Then comes the next RNG hurdle. Resistance ops and orders. Resistance ops need to have promotions as a reward. And the resistance orders need to be good. Best in my experience are no ambush (makes a lot of things possible that otherwise are not), scavengers (solves the issues with supplies/alloys/elerium ) and maybe double shredding but the first two are the best. The one that kills the lost in one shot is a trap in my opinion. Sounds great but most lost are scaled to die in one hit anyway. Bad are lower psi resistance (useless early and even later) hacking and many other. The ones which give you a resistance/advent soldier are decent but proc inconsistently so I wouldn't consider them great. What makes or breaks the campaign though are reduce avatar progress ops. You need to do them so they need to be there and they need to also give promotions for your campaign to have a decent start. If you end up without a captain at the beginning of the third month you are not going to do great to put it mildly. If you lose control of the avatar progress early on it's also over you simply don't have good options to deal with that. The black site is a pain in the ass until you have at least mag weapons and armor and a full squad. You need to research mag weapons and armor asap so no skull jack for a while. You absolutely need the reduce avatar progress resistance ops and if they don't have promotions as rewards you are in a bad position. I would simply restart. There are several more RNG blocks that you have to avoid in the next couple of missions. Game will sometimes throw a +2 reinforcement pod on your ass in the second guerilla op. This is not survivable. Two lancers and a priest while you have corporals and sergeants s not doable. Do your best, maybe you get lucky with your overwatches (you won't) but in general it will be a wipe and you need to restart. There will be a rescue/ambush mission at some point. Early it's very hard and dependent on where the game decides to bring in the reinforcements. I have had them on opposite sides of the map (very hard) and basically next to each other (much easier). That mission is also a RNG check. You hit at least some of your overwatches - it's doable. You don't it becomes a wipe fest. There will be two pods of two enemies dropping every turn. Not that hard but if you get it early on you will have reload issues and mobility issues. A second hurdle is when the first elite enemies show up. By that time you should be researching plasma weapons but your troops are still captains with maybe one or two majors. It's hard. I usually have a couple of KIA incidents at this point but it's manageable. After that, once you get blue screen, warden armor and plasma weapons the game becomes a cake walk. Last L/I campaign I finished the last mission flawless. Truly flawless, I wiped every single pod that spawned in the last room on the turn it spawned, avatars included. Had a reaper with a 7 mag and a 20% repeater on standby - never had to use her. Once you have colonels with implants, chosen weapons and ruler gear the game even on L/I becomes truly a joke.

[@darttito]

Skill issue

[@NotYourBusiness-bp2qn]

@@darttito Have you beaten legend ironman? I have. Multiple times. No mods. So I guess it's not a skill issue, now is it?

[@darttito]

@@NotYourBusiness-bp2qn Ofc I have, and I managed to do it without bitching about it on the internet.

[@alinik7200]

Farsi is the Iranian language