For those having trouble finding the special equipment

[Giant Space Hamster]

I see a lot of people that are simply not aware of all the special equipment you can make in the proving grounds. It's easy to do one of the Experimental projects in the Proving Grounds and assume that you get the same thing every time, but that is not the case. A lot of people are also struggling with certain enemies and many of the optional stuff from the Proving Grounds can help considerably. Below is a summary of the projects and more info can be found on the wiki linked below.

Note that each project completion generates a random one of the results listed. Most, but not all of the time, subsequent completions of the same project will produce a new result until you've made at least one of each item under that project.

I won't get into all the details of how these items can be useful, but know that fire (dragon rounds, incendiary grenades, flamethrower) prevent enemies from using special abilities if they are set aflame and acid damage (via Acid Bombs) is the only special damage type that nothing is immune to.

http://xcom2.wiki.fextralife.com/Proving+Ground

Experimental Armor
- Hazmat Suit (+2 HP, Immunity to Fire, Poison, and NOT Acid even though it says acid)
- Plated Vest (+2 HP, +1 Armor)
- Stasis Vest (+2 HP, Regenerate 2 HP/round up to 8 HP/mission)

Experimental Ammo
- Tracer Rounds (+10 aim)
- Venom Rounds (+1 poison dmg)
- Dragon Rounds (+1 fire dmg)
- A.P. Rounds (ignores 5 armor)
- Talon Rounds (+20 critical chance, +1 critical dmg)
* Bluescreen Rounds (+5 dmg vs robotic) These are not created in the Proving Grounds, there is a separate research project for these. I only listed them here so it's easier to see what all the ammo options are since you can only equip one ammo type per soldier.

Experimental Grenade
Note that the Grenadier’s +2 grenade damage skill applies to the DOT effects on all of these
- Acid Bomb (Higher shred, nothing is immune to acid that I have noticed)
- Incendiary Bomb (Sets targets on fire)
- Gas Bomb (Poisons targets)

Experimental Heavy Weapons
- Flamethrower (Normal damage; Line of fire to organic targets only)
- Shredder Gun (Normal damage; Cone)

Experimental Powered Weapons
- Plasma Blaster (High damage; Line)
- Shredstorm Cannon (High damage; Cone)
- Blaster Launcher (High damage; Long distance; Homing (can go around obstacles))

[kaffekoppen]

Good compilation there.

I should mention that you start out with acid, EMP, gas and incendiary grenades. They only later get upgraded to the more powerful bomb versions

Originally posted by Giant Space Hamster:

- Acid Bomb (Higher shred, nothing is immune to acid that I have noticed)

The Andromedon suit is immune to the acid it creates and probably other acid on the ground. Nevertheless, acid grenades/bombs are still great against Andromedons.

[Giant Space Hamster]

Originally posted by kaffekoppen:

Good compilation there.

I should mention that you start out with acid, gas and incendiary grenades. They only later get upgraded to the more powerful bomb versions.

Originally posted by Giant Space Hamster:

- Acid Bomb (Higher shred, nothing is immune to acid that I have noticed)

The Andromedon suit is immune to the acid it create and probably other acid on the ground. Nevertheless, acid grenades/bombs are still great against Andromedons.

You definitely do not start with acid, gas, or incendiary grenades. If you're lucky you can find them in loot during missions but that's the only way to get them for free without going through the proving grounds that I am aware of.

To the best of my memory the Andromedons are not immune to acid damage in either form but I'd have to load the game up to double check and I can't do that right now. They may be immune to the DOT from acid bombs, but I think they still take the initial damage and armor shred. That would also explain why they don't take DOT damage from their own acid trail.

[kaffekoppen]

Originally posted by Giant Space Hamster:

You definitely do not start with acid, gas, or incendiary grenades. If you're lucky you can find them in loot during missions but that's the only way to get them for free without going through the proving grounds that I am aware of.

Yeah that's what I meant. Initially you only get the grenade versions from the proving ground. It takes an additional upgrade to turn all your grenades into bombs. I forgot what that upgrade is called.

They may be immune to the DOT from acid bombs, but I think they still take the initial damage and armor shred.

They do. So even though they are immune to acid on the ground, you still want to use acid grenades against them.

[Giant Space Hamster]

Originally posted by kaffekoppen:

Originally posted by Giant Space Hamster:

You definitely do not start with acid, gas, or incendiary grenades. If you're lucky you can find them in loot during missions but that's the only way to get them for free without going through the proving grounds that I am aware of.

Yeah that's what I meant. Initially you only get the grenade versions from the proving ground. It takes an additional upgrade to turn all your grenades into bombs. I forgot what that upgrade is called.

Oh sorry I misinterpreted your meaning there. Thanks for the clarification.