Shotgun or assault rifle?

[Insertclevername]

^
Should I give my rangers an assault rifle or keep them with the default shotgun? The shotgun seems kinda unnecessary since they have a sword, but I'm asking just to be on the safe side.

[Bird_Dog]

Shotgun. Period.
The shotgun has better critical hit chance, and is generaly superior at close range.
Unlike the shotgun, the sword can't be used while staying in cover. And staying in cover is the alpha and omega of XCom2's gameplay.

The only case where I would use anything other than the shotgun on the ranger is when you have researched mag rifles, but not yet the shard gun. Using the mag rifle until you have the shard gun may be worth it, though I'm not too sure.

[Insertclevername]

Alright thanks!

[Fel]

The good thing about shotguns is that they do more base damage and have a higher crit chance, so they usually have a very high crit chance when flanking at close-ish range.
I'm not saying swords are bad, but shotguns with laser pointer tend to just evaporate enemies.
On the other hand, assault rifles give you an option for overwatch and longer range combat.

I still would go for shotguns because I like to have access to different weapons, but if you don't like the idea of always being close range it's fine too.

[Eggy]

shotgun, every time. i very rarely use my sword.

[Gamefever]

The Riffle in the hands of a Ranger....Well you could do Ranged Run and Gun...Basically positioning your Ranger at a safe distance on the aliens flank.

[Roderick]

Originally posted by masterpainter78:

The Riffle in the hands of a Ranger....Well you could do Ranged Run and Gun...Basically positioning your Ranger at a safe distance on the aliens flank.

I always here that. But when I actively try to flank alien positions, I end up triggering another pod in about 50%. xD

[TheSuit]

Originally posted by Roderick:

Originally posted by masterpainter78:

The Riffle in the hands of a Ranger....Well you could do Ranged Run and Gun...Basically positioning your Ranger at a safe distance on the aliens flank.

I always here that. But when I actively try to flank alien positions, I end up triggering another pod in about 50%. xD

After a while you stop worrying about triggering other mobs - unless you are doing Ironman.

But I like to keep 2 snipers in my squad. So with Death from above + kill zone. It is just non stop pick offs.

[Roderick]

Originally posted by The | Suit:

Originally posted by Roderick:

I always here that. But when I actively try to flank alien positions, I end up triggering another pod in about 50%. xD

After a while you stop worrying about triggering other mobs - unless you are doing Ironman.

But I like to keep 2 snipers in my squad. So with Death from above + kill zone. It is just non stop pick offs.

I just don't like to reload because... it is boring since I know what will happen the next turn. ^^

[arekasama]

For a pure scout/explorer type, a rifle can be better than a shotgun. But a well placed shotgun, especially with talon rounds, can be devastating. Sword or not, your main weapon choice should be based on how you use your rangers. Even if there are skills for sword and you don't fear activating other pods while using the sword, such sword is still a secondary weapon with a more limited use.

[|H|H| Fr3ddi3]

Rangers are often better equiped with shotguns, but both work, it just changes how you approach a mission.

However

There is a weapon crossover period where you go from Ballistics into Magnetic.

If you get the rifle upgrade first instead of the shotgun, then it is very viable to bring rifle rangers for the reletively few mission till you get the shotgun upgrade. Not just because of the weapon itself, but because the enemy will start feidling new units which'll force to to play a little more conservatively, even moreso if you've chose weapons upgrades over predator armour.

It can be benefical to do the same at Magnetic into Beam / Plasma. But thast dependant on what attachments and ammo types you got on the ranger by this point.