Bladestorm tactic for shredding pods

[Karasukan]

i am pretty sure others did it before me but i figured this out myself and thought i wanted to share.

About all Aliens will always scatter and seek cover, thats where you hit them.

If you have an exta conceal on your rangers or use Spectre's Refraction Field device you can pull this off several times a mission.

This works even better on Templars with bladestorm since they have 100% hit chance.

Go melee. No need for social distancing on aliens, they dont have covid.

https://youtu.be/-s4z4Vj9TMk

[Narrowmind]

Sweet display. But weren't you afraid of the muton counterattack?

I don't think I've ever used refraction field before. Since it only gets one use, period, it seems really expensive when I could just take the wraith suit as a fair compromise.

[Karasukan]

true, never slash a muton. I attacked the beserker. Bladestorm doesnt trigger mutons counterattacks though. Dont worry

[Narrowmind]

Very cool. Thanks.

[Karasukan]

also refraction field puts reapers straight into shadow btw. Can be used straight after being revealed. Amazing emergency button

[Mrvecz]

Bladestorm does trigger counterstrike (might not be 100% though)
https://www.reddit.com/r/Xcom/comments/46ps15/bladestorm_and_mutons/
This is the one major thing i watch out when i see the purple reinforcement rift opening that i might just lose a man if there is atleast one Muton. So only reinforecment flares are safe to camp (because they can only drop mechs and Advent infantry)

Speaking of bladestorm, it has one additional, hidden interaction with vipers. If they get pulled by them they will attack them when pulled before they get binded. So it gives them a saving throw to kill the viper instantly before getting stunned.

[Narrowmind]

All wonderful information. Glad to have it.

[KRON]

Problem is, bladestorm has the same aim penalty as overwatch and is only reliable when using Katana, or, as you said, on a templar.

[Karasukan]

Originally posted by Mrvecz:

Bladestorm does trigger counterstrike (might not be 100% though)
https://www.reddit.com/r/Xcom/comments/46ps15/bladestorm_and_mutons/
This is the one major thing i watch out when i see the purple reinforcement rift opening that i might just lose a man if there is atleast one Muton. So only reinforecment flares are safe to camp (because they can only drop mechs and Advent infantry)

Speaking of bladestorm, it has one additional, hidden interaction with vipers. If they get pulled by them they will attack them when pulled before they get binded. So it gives them a saving throw to kill the viper instantly before getting stunned.

bladestorm never triggers counterstrike on mutons. I see that thread is 5 years old so maybe they patched it?

yes vipers get the counterstrike when they pull but if they arent instant killed they will still bind you anyway. Stunlaunchers blade have chance to stun yes, and Archons blade you often apply burn on them.

Originally posted by KRON:

Problem is, bladestorm has the same aim penalty as overwatch and is only reliable when using Katana, or, as you said, on a templar.

assassins katana is such a gem yes, it also ignores armor.

Its a bit more then overwatch, its like overwatch on the specialist. It also reacts on action instead of just movement. Bladestorm also always goes first before action so if their hp is too little they get killed before doing their offensive move.

[Mrvecz]

Bladestorm does trigger

Originally posted by sassy Jassy 💕:

Originally posted by Mrvecz:

Bladestorm does trigger counterstrike (might not be 100% though)
https://www.reddit.com/r/Xcom/comments/46ps15/bladestorm_and_mutons/
d.

bladestorm never triggers counterstrike on mutons. I see that thread is 5 years old so maybe they patched it?

It should ?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Xcom/comments/6xdnsu/fun_fact_templars_do_not_fare_well_against_mutons/
Even in WOTC and in LW2
Wiki states it too

One thing i discovered in this thread
https://www.reddit.com/r/XCOM2/comments/mabow8/who_would_win/

"Bladestorm will interact with the Muton "Counterattack" ability depending on which turn it is. If it's YOUR turn and you run your Ranger directly into a pod of mutons then your bladestorm attacks CAN trigger a muton counterattack"

"But more often, Bladestorm will trigger during the enemy turn and DOES NOT trigger a muton counterattack. Meaning: It's the enemy turn, a muton moves next to your Ranger and triggers bladestorm. In this case counterattack will not trigger".

[Karasukan]

Originally posted by KRON:

Problem is, bladestorm has the same aim penalty as overwatch and is only reliable when using Katana, or, as you said, on a templar.

since you could see what kind of damage Blazing Pinions were could you check Sectopods Lightning? I noticed it ignores Untouchable and Parry.

[Karasukan]

Originally posted by Mrvecz:

Bladestorm does trigger

Originally posted by sassy Jassy 💕:

bladestorm never triggers counterstrike on mutons. I see that thread is 5 years old so maybe they patched it?

It should ?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Xcom/comments/6xdnsu/fun_fact_templars_do_not_fare_well_against_mutons/
Even in WOTC and in LW2
Wiki states it too

One thing i discovered in this thread
https://www.reddit.com/r/XCOM2/comments/mabow8/who_would_win/

"Bladestorm will interact with the Muton "Counterattack" ability depending on which turn it is. If it's YOUR turn and you run your Ranger directly into a pod of mutons then your bladestorm attacks CAN trigger a muton counterattack"

"But more often, Bladestorm will trigger during the enemy turn and DOES NOT trigger a muton counterattack. Meaning: It's the enemy turn, a muton moves next to your Ranger and triggers bladestorm. In this case counterattack will not trigger".

i read it yes but in all those hours i played (and i play mainly ranger / templar upclose the aliens) i never seen it happen.

i should have seen it happen a lot since slashing a muton is almost certain you get a counterstrike. Sorry for my english but i try to say the chance on counterstrike is so high i should have seen it happen on bladestorm.

[KRON]

Originally posted by sassy Jassy 💕:

assassins katana is such a gem yes, it also ignores armor.

Its a bit more then overwatch, its like overwatch on the specialist. It also reacts on action instead of just movement. Bladestorm also always goes first before action so if their hp is too little they get killed before doing their offensive move.

In terms of aim penalty it's the same, in terms of triggering, yeah, it triggers on actions as well. But it works differently depending on whether the enemy's action is directed at the soldier with bladestorm or other soldiers. If the action is directed at the soldier with bladestorm, it triggers before the action is completed, if the action is directed at your other units, then bladestorm will trigger after the action is completed, which can be annoying.

[Karasukan]

Originally posted by KRON:

Originally posted by sassy Jassy 💕:

assassins katana is such a gem yes, it also ignores armor.

Its a bit more then overwatch, its like overwatch on the specialist. It also reacts on action instead of just movement. Bladestorm also always goes first before action so if their hp is too little they get killed before doing their offensive move.

In terms of aim penalty it's the same, in terms of triggering, yeah, it triggers on actions as well. But it works differently depending on whether the enemy's action is directed at the soldier with bladestorm or other soldiers. If the action is directed at the soldier with bladestorm, it triggers before the action is completed, if the action is directed at your other units, then bladestorm will trigger after the action is completed, which can be annoying.

wow how did you figure that out? I assumed it were graphical glitches sometimes happen when things arent shown in order. I will give it extra attention because i am too stubborn to just assume you are correct XD Thanks for your info!

you happen to know about lightning damage in combination with Untouchable/Parry by Sectopod? it happend quite a lot tbh. Its usually the opening attack from Sectopod.

[KRON]

Originally posted by sassy Jassy 💕:

you happen to know about lightning damage in combination with Untouchable/Parry by Sectopod? it happend quite a lot tbh. Its usually the opening attack from Sectopod.

No, I'll have to look at the config. I won't be surprised if it's considered falling damage or something, lol.

[Karasukan]

Originally posted by KRON:

Originally posted by sassy Jassy 💕:

you happen to know about lightning damage in combination with Untouchable/Parry by Sectopod? it happend quite a lot tbh. Its usually the opening attack from Sectopod.

No, I'll have to look at the config. I won't be surprised if it's considered falling damage or something, lol.

that would explain a lot! Its certainly not a bug since it happens always.