Is it really beneficial to do the tutorial ?

[Remove skull merchant]

Sure you get lvl 2 soldiers, but the tutorial also takes some time out of january

[Loot Hunter]

I don't think there is big difference in either case. And you can't do tutorial on highest difficulty anyway.

[allfold]

Can't hurt, might help if you're just getting started.

[snuggleform]

If it's your first time or returning from a while, I'd do the tutorial, that's what I did. It's quite a bit nicer than it was when PP first came out.

If you're up to speed, just skip it cuz it's boring. Who gives a crud about starting at level 2 vs time out of january, just go for how it makes you feel in this case.

[pascal.difolco]

Tutorial is only ok on first game, you can drop it on later playthroughs

[Capn_Crochet_Hook]

so. I noticed something. If you're playing heroic, you may want to do the tutorial regardless. why? 5th guy. The tutorial starts you with 5 people when you're done, but when you start a game w/out it, you only have 4. two assaults, a sniper and a heavy.

Something to keep in mind.

[Capn_Crochet_Hook]

So, as this topic piqued my interest I did a very brief experiment. I started two new games to double check my answer. I started both games on heroic, one with tutorial, one without.

The one without, you start on day 1 of jan at 00:00 (so new years ball just dropped)
You start with 100 tech, 500 material and 300 food.
You also only start with 4 guys (like I stated before) - 2 assaults, 1 sniper, 1 heavy

With the tutorial ON - it gave me control of everything on 2nd of jan, at 0600.
I started with 194 tech, 1072 material and 293 food (because they force you to make a medkit just before you finish the tutorial)
You also start, with 5 characters; 3 assaults, 1 sniper, 1 heavy. And most if not all should be level 2 if you did it right.

I think there is an argument to be made about the fact the tutorial GIVES you a supply mission right away, (hence the extra equipment) and you could probably find one in the normal start pretty easy. So MAYBE that negates the initial benefit of playing the tutorial.

HOWEVER:
Even if you rush the research that allows you to recruit soldiers RIGHT away, I wasn't able to complete it until Jan 2nd, 0200. and because it gives you a 3 day waiting period, before you can actually recruit anyone, you'd have to wait for an additional squaddie (unless you luck out and get a rescue mission right away?) - until at the very least, the 5th of jan.

On those higher difficulties I'm sure everyone can agree an additional trooper can help quite a bit. EVEN IF it's just for the fact they can carry more stuff.

[snuggleform]

Interesting but as mentioned, legend disables the tutorial, so it's moot unless you're trying to min/max a way to beat heroic, which doesn't make sense because if you were that kind of player you'd be doing legend for the challenge anyways.

[Capn_Crochet_Hook]

Originally posted by snuggleform:

Interesting but as mentioned, legend disables the tutorial, so it's moot unless you're trying to min/max a way to beat heroic, which doesn't make sense because if you were that kind of player you'd be doing legend for the challenge anyways.

True. But the question was basically aimed at benefits of doing the tutorial. Meaning that person is already playing a mode that's NOT legendary.

I'm just presenting benefits, to playing the tutorial, or not.

Either way; there are trade offs for playing the tutorial on heroic. You lose a tad bit of time, but unless you luck out with your geoscape spawn points - it's all benefits over NOT playing the tutorial on heroic.

As for Veteran or below, it'd be entirely up to the player. There would be no added benefit over additional troops, there'd be SOME benefit to more supplies, but the only REAL benefit at vet or below would be level two troopers.

[snuggleform]

Well since you're investigating the tutorial anyways, do you happen to know if the traits on soldiers from the tutorial are fixed or not? I remember in a distant past one of the tutorial soldiers always had the thief perk which made building an infiltrator out of it pretty natural/easy instead of hoping for one to show up. I'm not sure if that's true anymore.

[Capn_Crochet_Hook]

Originally posted by snuggleform:

Well since you're investigating the tutorial anyways, do you happen to know if the traits on soldiers from the tutorial are fixed or not? I remember in a distant past one of the tutorial soldiers always had the thief perk which made building an infiltrator out of it pretty natural/easy instead of hoping for one to show up. I'm not sure if that's true anymore.

So you piqued my interest, and in classic "I don't need sleep, I need Answers!" fashion, I spent the last night playing around the beginning and revisiting some old save files.

I've only done three heroic starts with the tutorial on (all of which with all current dlcs) and to answer your question, I can firmly say: "No. But also.. maybe?"

No as in, it doesn't look like the characters are 'set' in stone as to what perks they will have, or at what levels they'll get them.

As for the maybe: However, I was noticing a pattern with what extra perks the characters were getting, what levels certain characters were getting them at and I think there may be an actual 'pool' of perks that could be given to the starter group.

But take that all with a grain of salt, as I mentioned before I have only managed to dig through three save files so far. I'd need more than just 3 starts to really get a handle on that for certain. For now, it's just a theory.

So as to not get too far off track from the main question in this thread though, I also got some new info relating to whether or not you should go with the tutorial. (at least on heroic)

First: In one of my playthroughs I only got 200 tech and 800 materials (compared to the previous amount, I got skimped by 300 materials) - so while you're almost certain to get that extra 100 tech and and some bonus materials - how much is all up to the RNG gods and if they'll bless you or not.

Second: I guess I totally spaced on this - BUT if you play the tutorial, you also start off with more gear.

What I mean by that is, during the tutorial you retake the base, and as such the tutorial shows you how to loot boxes, etc. Plus then you're given that free resource gathering mission, so you end up with even MORE gear that way, but even without that, I started with:

3 extra Ares mags, 1 extra medkit, -1 hand grenade, 1 extra Tyr mag, 1 extra mag for the Sniper rifle, and 1 extra mag for the pistol.

And that's before the free resource gathering mission.

Sure, this whole point just relies on halfway decent resource management, but the fact stands - you have access to more supplies, and therefore, don't have to create said extra supplies with the more limited materials and tech you'd have from starting w/out the tutorial.

and yes. for some reason, I had one less hand grenade than the 'non-tutorial' start and for the life of me, I cannot remember if I used it during the tutorial or not. I'm pretty sure I didn't. so there's that. It'd be a real bother if one of my men somehow misplaced a live hand grenade... but, I wouldn't be surprised. :D

[kiloromeo]

Side note to this, if you play with "Promotional Skins" you start with more weapons and armors. Even the original Heavy Canon.

I know it has nothing to do with doing Tutorial or not, just that this (also) lets you get of to an easier start.

All adds up. Especially if struggleling with tactical/ground-combat, because of focus on the Behemot if playing with Festering Skies active.

Not aware of negative effects of activating Promotional Skins. Could perhaps turn off Steam-achivements, but read somewhere they are bugged...