Psionic Class Guide

Complete guide to the unlockable psionic class. Tips, tricks and basic facts.

Intro

Psionics are an unlockable class. Found under “Unlocks” in the main home screen menu, the currency used to unlock them is “Glory”, gained by completing the game (v.low glory is gained in survival mode relative to other modes).

Class Mechanics

Psionics rely on energy to use their abilities. Unlike most classes, this does not regen over time, but must be recovered by their “drain” ability. Many of their attacks will not work on mechanical enemies. Some of their attacks are more effective against psionic-type enemies. Some of their attacks apply “psi pressure” to an enemy. Enemies have varying levels of psi resistance (a hidden stat even seemingly identical enemies will vary in regard to), which determines how much psi-pressure will be applied to them by a given attack. Psi-pressure has two functions – if enough psi pressure is applied, the enemy will be stunned for 2 turns. Furthermore, the “psi-storm” ability deals more dmg to enemies with psi-pressure.

General Skill tree (Common to all classes)

“Health bonus” – 20% extra health. Fairly straightforward. It’s worth noting this multiplier applies AFTER other bonuses. So if you have 100 base health, get a big health implant for +30, “Health bonus” in the skill tree will add 20% of 130 = 26 for a total of 156 health.

“Energy bonus” – 20% more energy. As with the health bonus, this multiplier applies after other bonuses which is nice. Psionics are very reliant on energy, so this is definitely a good pic.

“Quick Reload” – reloading takes 1 Action Point (AP) rather than 2, meaning that you can reload then fire most weapons (sniper-type weapons and miniguns stipulate you need 2 FULL action points to fire them or go into overwatch). This is skill point is a MUST and I usually pick it up early. The only exception is if you have the “tech-research ship”, since that allows you to research an upgrade so that all soldiers’ reloads only take 1 AP (and it doesn’t stack with “Quick reload” in the skilltree, so no Zero-AP reoloads)

“Accuracy Bonus” – Increases accuracy by 10% and critical chance by 3%. Unlike health and energy bonus, these do no multiply with other sources of accuracy or crit, it is a flat +10% to accuracy and + 3% to crit. I.e. if you had 60% accuracy, you will have 70% with this skill (not 66%), if you had 120% accuracy, you would have 130% with this skill (not 132%). Accuracy is v.important in the game, so always a good pic, but psionics rely on it less than other classes, since their psi-attacks always hit (some don’t even require line of sight [LOS]).

“Speed bonus” – Increase movement speed by 1. Base speed is 5, max speed is 8. Speed is always nice for repositioning to get angles on your enemy. Again, psionics will probably need it less than most classes, since some of their key abilities don’t require LOS.

Class-Specific Skill Tree

Available from start:


“Psionic charge” – restores all Action points (AP) to an allied player, improves their accuracy by 10 and dmg by 5.

60 Energy
Ends turn
Ally has to be within a certain radius (green circle in pic below)




Each soldier starts with 2 AP to spend during their turn. This ability restores those AP to a soldier who has already acted this turn. Giving an extra turn to an ally can be great if that player has a better weapon, a better angle on the enemy or especially if they are currently under the effects of a dmg buff e.g. a shooter that has popped “charged bullets” (+30% dmg for 3 turns), or any ally affected by the support class’ “charge ally” ability (+150% dmg for 1 turn).


“Mental Attack” – Deals damage to enemies and applies psi-pressure.

20 energy to cast
1 AP to activate
No range limitation, no Line of Sight (LOS) necessary

This is the psionic’s most versatile and arguably best ability. Very low energy cost. Good damage, and only costs 1 AP to activate, so you can use another ability or weapon after mental attack, or use two mental attacks in a row. You can attack any enemy on the map with it, you don’t need a direct line of sight. It applies psi-pressure to the enemy (amount varies depending on enemy’s hidden stats). It can damage mechanical enemies, but they are immune to the psi-pressure component. It seems to do elevated damage to psionic enemies – often “1-shotting” them.

“Psionic regeneration” – restores 30% of health to squad over 6 turns.

30 energy to cast
Ends Turn
No range limit, No LOS necessary

Decent trickle heal that affects the whole squad, it is also stackable, meaning if you have multiple psionics you can build up some serious healing (but at the expense of using offensive abilities – unless you’re casting “Mental Attack” first).

Available at level 4:


“Drain energy” – deal damage to the enemy and restore 60 energy.

Ends Turn
Requires Line of Sight

This is the way psionics regain lost energy. Does a small amount of damage, applies some psi-pressure. Necessary for longer fights (especially survival mode, naturally). Not usable on mechanical enemies.

“Knockout” – Stuns enemy.

40 Energy to cast
Ends turn

Interesting one – it is an indefinite stun (unlike all other stuns in the game), so it has its uses. But any damage the enemy takes will break the stun (unlike other stuns). Doesn’t work on mechanical enemies.

“Psi-Storm” – deals damage to all enemies in an area. Deals additional dmg to enemies affected by psi-pressure.

80 energy to cast
Ends turn
Requires line of sight
Ground-targeted

It does very low damage to enemies NOT affected by psi-pressure, has a medium AOE (see pic below), and needs to be targeted at the ground in a square not occupied by an enemy. All in all, a bit underwhelming. However if you have a squad with two or more psionics it can do great damage.


Tested scenario: attacked swarm mother with “mental attack”, applying 200 psi pressure, then cast “psi-storm”. The swarm mother took 125 dmg, whereas surrounding mobs took 25. The same character attacked an enforcer with “mental attack”, which only applied 100 psi pressure (due to the enforcer's higher psi-resistance [hidden stat]). With the subsequent psi-storm, the enforcer took 67 damage, surrounding mobs took 25.

Hence if a group of powerful mobs were all “primed” with one or more “mental attack” before the “psi-storm” was applied, good damage would be dealt. But this is pretty situational and only works really well with multiple psionics in the squad

Available at level 7:


“Mind Control” – forces enemy to attack other enemies

40 energy to cast
requires line of sight.
Ends Turn

Important to note that despite the name, you don’t control the enemies, they just attack other enemies and vice-versa. This is one of the most powerful abilities in the game. It doesn’t affect mechanical enemies, but any organic or psionic enemies are fair game.

Mind control (MC) tips:

- Don’t MC enemy healers, they will still target other enemies with their heals and buffs rather than your soldiers
- Don’t MC swarm mothers, their larvae will still be on the enemy’s team
- Mind Controlled enemies will attack other MC’d enemies (seemingly preferring them to regular enemies) so for the most part try not to MC units right next to each other.
- If you put your troops in overwatch, they will attack MC’d enemies who move

Conclusion

All-in-all, psionics are a very powerful class, their power can also be magnified with multiple psionics due to stacking of “psionic regen” on allies and stacking of psi-pressure through “mental attacks” on enemies. However they will struggle against mechanical enemies.

[yipes]

great info, thanks!