Rookie Guide: Specialist

Details Specialist specific skills, tips, and tactics

About This Guide

This guide will cover the soldier class, Specialist, and what sort of game-play goes with the class. Skills, Tactics, and Synergies will all be briefly discussed to help players understand how they can best utilize the Specialist for themselves throughout the game.

Warning

This guide acts specifically as a guide in which to aid the player. It is not a rule set. The tactics and recommendations offered in this guide are of opinion and not to be confused with being the most optimal, best, or undisputed of information.

The Specialist

"Operating some of our most advanced equipment, Specialists deploy robotic drones on the battlefield that can be outfitted for combat or field medic duty."

The Specialist replaces the Support class from the previous game. It's strengths revolve around assisting your other soldiers and hacking enemies and objects that can change both the battle and your status on the game's strategy layer. The Specialist's weaknesses are that hybrid builds are less useful than adhering to a single archetype and that a Specialist's damage output is more reliant on equipment, your other soldiers, and battlefield situations.

Hacking Basics

Despite how you build your Specialist, you'll be able to hack at range utilizing the GREMLIN. Checking the hack rewards with your GREMLIN does not cost an action, so be sure to investigate your options if you have available targets for hacking.

Hacking Objectives

Hacking objectives almost always gives you options that grant you bonuses for the strategy layer of the game -- such as supply caches. The second tier hack rewards are usually just larger versions of the first tier (like small supply cache and large supply cache). Depending on how desperate you are for a resource or how high your hack stat is, it's almost universally better to opt for the first tier reward (the small one) than the larger reward. This is because a collection of successful small rewards often outweighs a collection of large rewards once you factor in failed hack attempts.

The only exception to this is if you encounter "Permanently Increases Soldier's Hack Stat by 20". You should always try for this option if available. Even if you don't have a good chance at achieving the reward, it's always worth trying for since the more times you earn this reward -- the easier all future hacks for everything become. This becomes very useful when you find yourself trying to shutdown (or control) tougher enemies, such as Sectopods.

Hacking Objects

A lot of object hack rewards tend to benefit your Specialist or the squad, debuff enemies in varying ways, or aid the strategy layer. Be sure to always check objects in the surrounding area and take note of how the rewards will or won't affect the battle. Because you don't have to hack the object right away, you can save buffs or debuffs for more opportune moments.

Be wary though. Failed hack attempts can carry some very nasty consequences. You should be weighing the risk versus the reward each time. You should never risk a hack if you can't deal with the consequences.

Hacking Enemies

One of the more exciting features of hacking is the ability to control enemies. While this, if successful, is powerful -- it is often very risky. Should you fail, you may instead empower your enemies. It is usually much more beneficial to attempt for a shutdown, as it is more likely to succeed and will give you two turns to deal with any particular situation.

Skills & Abilities

Rank	Icon	Name	Description
		Aid Protocol	Command your GREMLIN to move to a friendly target. It grants that target a bonus to Defense until the start of the next player turn
		Medical Protocol	The GREMLIN can perform healing actions remotely: GREMLIN Heal and GREMLIN Stabilize. The GREMLIN has a single charge. If a Medkit is equipped, the GREMLIN will gain an additional charge
		Combat Protocol	Send the GREMLIN to an enemy to jolt them, dealing guaranteed damage, which is increased against robotic enemies. Twice per mission
		Revival Protocol	Send the GREMLIN to an ally to remove any negative mental status effects. Disoriented, Stunned, Panicked, or Unconscious
		Haywire Protocol	You may target robotic and mechanical enemies with your GREMLIN, attempting to hack them and seize control
		Field Medic	Equipped medikits have 2 extra charges
		Scanning Protocol	The GREMLIN can trigger an instant scan of the area, increasing the Specialist's sight radius substantially for one turn and revealing any hidden enemies
		Covering Fire	Overwatch shots can now be triggered by enemy actions, not just movement
		Threat Assessment	Aid Protocol now grants the target a Covering Fire Overwatch shot, but the Aid Protocol cooldown is increased by 1 turn
		Ever Vigilant	If you spend all of your actions on moves, you are granted an automatic overwatch shot at the end of the turn
		Guardian	Grants 50% chance during Overwatch to perform an additional shot if the previous Overwatch shot hits. There's no limit as to how many times Guardian can trigger
		Restoration	The GREMLIN flies to each squad member, healing or reviving them as needed. Once per mission
		Capacitor Discharge	Send the GREMLIN to a location where it emits a substantial electric discharge, damaging and potentially stunning all nearby units. Robotic units take more damage. Once per mission

Guerrilla Training School Perk

Cool Under Pressure:

Gain +10 Aim and the ability to critically hit when taking overwatch and reaction shots

Specialist Building

Every rank after Squaddie, you will be asked to choose between the two skills for that rank. What you choose ultimately shapes how you want that Specialist to play out and what it's advantages and disadvantages will be. To aid in the process of selection, this section will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both skills. You can choose to focus on one side of the skill tree or the other, or mix up skills from both sides to suit your needs and playstyle.

Battle Medic vs Combat Hacker

The Battle Medic skill set allows the Specialist to restore your soldier's health and heal certain debuffs. This is especially helpful if you are newer to XCOM, as the Battle Medic skill set will allow you more of a safety net if you make mistakes or find yourself in perilous situations. At higher difficulties, having a Battle Medic is useful as you will find fights to become more drawn out, as your soldiers are more likely to take combat damage. The major drawbacks to the Battle Medic tree is that your potential for damage output decreases by a substantial amount. Often, you will find yourself holding back the Specialist in case someone else needs healing or help, which essentially puts you down one soldier. The other drawback to Battle Medic is that it is not as tactically diverse and flexible as the Combat Hacker, which has a pool of different niches it can fill.

Combat Hacker's side of the Specialist skill set focuses more on disrupting enemies, dealing damage, and affecting the strategy layer of the game. Combat Hackers are more tactically diverse than Battle Medics, but they are less focused on assisting your squad. Key advantages of the Combat Hacker is being able to shutdown or control robotic enemies to give your squad varying levels of advantage. Additionally, you can hack objects and objectives to give your squad bonuses or affect the strategy layer; earning extra supplies, intel, or alien alloys. The downside of the Combat Hacker is that failed hack attempts can make simple missions become outright death traps depending on which failed hack bonus you inadvertently grant your enemies.

It's worth noting that the Specialist is one of the classes that doesn't particularly benefit from hybrid builds, due to the lack of synergizing abilities on either side of the skill tree. It's usually better to choose one archetype and shape your Specialist around it.

Medical Protocol vs Combat Protocol

When choosing between Medical Protocol and Combat Protocol, be sure to have made up your mind as to how the Specialist will play. While a Combat Hacker may not need Combat Protocol, a Battle Medic will need Medical Protocol to remain effective.

Medical Protocol is the cornerstone of the Battle Medic. It benefits from equipping a Medikit and from Field Medic and improved GREMLINS will heal for more. Other than healing, this perk has no other tactical value.


Combat Protocol does guaranteed damage to enemies that ignores armor. This is especially potent if you need to remove Overwatch or kill a hard to hit enemy. The Damage will improve based on GREMLIN tier and does extra damage against robotic enemies.

Revival Protocol vs Haywire Protocol

Revival Protocol removes a great deal of mental debuffs. This is useful for fighting psionic enemies and ADVENT Stun Lancers. While valuable as a fail safe against negative effects, it is more ideal to avoid such conditions in the first place.

Haywire Protocol is an essential skill for the Combat Hacker. The Specialist can use it to control mechanical enemies, but it's true value is in actually shutting enemies down. Shutting down enemies buys your squad time and should not be underestimated.

Field Medic vs Scanning Protocol

Increases the amount of times you can heal using Medical Protocol/Medikits, but otherwise serves no tactical value. It's completely wasted on Combat Hackers, but allows the player to recover from more mistakes with a Battle Medic.

This perk is one of the few that can benefit either archetype. It's most important benefit is it's ability to reveal Faceless and burrowed Chryssalids before triggering them. Use it to scout, reveal, and plan ahead.

Covering Fire vs Threat Assessment

Covering Fire is a niche perk that benefits the player when the enemy is comfortably entrenched and won't move. It's not always ideal since most enemies will fire from cover, reducing the chance you'll hit the enemy with Covering Fire.

Because Threat Assessment can be applied to other squad members via Aid Protocol, it is more diverse than Covering Fire, while still providing Covering Fire to the player. Choose it if supporting your squad is more of a priority.

Ever Vigilant vs Guardian

Ever Vigilant is a great choice if your Specialist will be in a situation that calls for the soldier to always be on the move. This way, the Specialist can stay mobile and offensive at the same time. Perfect for Retaliation missions and turn limited objectives.

Guardian is immensely powerful when triggered, potentially killing entire enemy pods if the activations are in your favor. Synergizes with Covering Fire and can be devastating with specialized ammo.

Restoration vs Capacitor Discharge

Restoration almost behaves as a reset providing the best safety net for your squad. If you find your squad devastated by damage and debuffs, there is no better skill to have. It is also ideal for keeping your squad healthy for lengthy missions.

Capacitor Discharge behaves almost like a grenade and like an upgraded version of Combat Protocol. It can disorient enemies and deal increased damage against mechanical opponents.

Recommended PCS

Personal Combat Sim: Perception

Because Specialists rely so heavily on Overwatch and mid-range fire, it's ideal to give them Perception. The high aim, combined with other sources, is also a great way to ensure that you get the most out of perks like Guardian.

Personal Combat Sim: Focus

While Focus isn't particularly ideal for most soldiers, it can be a boon to players with Battle Medics. The will bonus from Focus will help your Specialist resist mental debuffs such as panic. This is essential for new players relying on their Battle Medics to be available to assist the squad with those same debuffs. This is more important on higher difficulties, when your soldiers are more likely to be afflicted.

Recommended Equipment

Tracer Rounds

Tracer Rounds confer an aim bonus to the Specialist at the cost of blatant damage. However, if you consider the amount of shots Tracer Rounds prevent you from missing, they can very well make up for it. These are especially useful if you give your Specialist Covering Fire or Guardian, as it makes triggering the Specialist's overwatch much more punishing to your opponents. These are also handy in drawn out fights where you'll simply need shots to hit or risk losing soldiers.

Bluescreen Rounds

Bluescreen Rounds are helpful to have on a soldier (not necessarily your Specialist) if you have a Combat Hacker. Not only are these rounds especially potent against robotic and mechanical enemies, but it will decrease their hack defense. This is very helpful if you need to shutdown something like a Sectopod.

EMP Grenade

Like Bluescreen Rounds, the EMP Grenade is useful on one of your soldiers and deployed before utilizing your Combat Hacker. Unlike Bluescreen Rounds, EMP Grenades are best used if they can catch two or more robotic enemies in the blast zone because of their limited use.

Skulljack

Possibly the best item to utilize as a Combat Hacker Specialist, the Skulljack increases the hacking stat when equipped. Using the Skulljack also allows you to hack certain enemies to either gain intel, or a lead on an avatar facility -- both of which are important to maintaining your hold on the game's strategy layer.

Medikit

While useful on any soldier, a Battle Medic can utilize the Medikit at range. It also increases the amount of times that Medical Protocol can be used. If you are struggling with the game, having a Medikit on your Battle Medic should allow you more mistakes in the field.

Recommended Weapon Upgrades

Hair Trigger

Earning a free action on the Specialist will also give you the ability to utilize some of it's GREMLIN abilities, or move to a safer location. This is ideal for Battle Medics in higher difficulties when you can potentially take three actions total from one location, making your squad very difficult to injure or kill.

Scope

When you have a Specialist who overwatches often, you'll want to equip them with a Scope to ensure you get the most out of each of their attacks. Scopes are especially potent on Specialists that take Guardian, since it relies on actually hitting the target to trigger additional shots.

Repeater

If you've been pushing your Specialists into having high aim stats, it might be worth equipping a Repeater. Guardian synergizes especially well since each shot will confer the chance to kill. This is only a viable option if you play your Specialist in a more conservative, support role -- and don't necessarily rely on your Specialist for damage.

Expanded Magazine

Expanded Magazines synergize well, again, with Guardian Specialists -- but they're useful for any archetype. The less you have to reload, the more you can utilize your actions for GREMLIN abilities, which are important for Battle Medics and Combat Hackers alike.

Auto-Reloader

Similar to Expanded Magazines, you want to utilize Auto-Reloaders to save yourself the action of reloading. Saving actions allow you to use that action for a shot, overwatch, or a GREMLIN ability instead, which is more important for Specialists.

Mission Types & Tactics

Guerrilla Ops

Guerrilla Ops often have an objective to be hacked, which could confer the +20 permanent increase to hacking reward. It's suggested you bring a Specialist for this reason alone.

Guerrilla Ops are ideal for any build of Specialist because they often contain many targets for hacking and many mechanical enemies, though the Combat Hacker may be more efficient. Remember to check your hack targets before initiating any hack. Also consider the consequences of failed hack attempts. Because Guerilla Ops usually have turn limits, failed hacks can make the missions substantially more difficult.

Specialists with Ever Vigilant will fare better in missions that have particularly unforgiving turn limits in higher difficulties, as you can stay on the move while maintaining Overwatch. This sort of approach is potent when paired with Rangers.

Supply Raids

Because you'll want to minimize damage to the supplies scattered about in these mission types, aim-focused Specialists will fare very well. While mechanical enemies do appear in these mission types, they're not so common or problematic that a Combat Hacker is necessary. You may be better off bringing a Battle Medic to ensure nothing goes wrong.

Retaliation

Retaliation missions are hard on Specialists because they require a lot of movement, while maintaining credible damage output. It may be better to leave out the Specialist from Retaliation missions in favor of a Sharpshooter or Ranger.

If you do bring a Specialist, Battle Medics will fare better than Combat Hackers, as mechanical enemies are uncommon and not as problematic. It's not uncommon to be in a compromised position or to take damage in Retaliation missions, so having a Battle Medic who can hang back and undo negative effects may be beneficial if you want to play more safe.

UFO Landing

UFO Landings will eventually have an objective to be hacked, which could confer the +20 permanent increase to hacking reward. It's suggested you bring a Specialist for this reason alone.

UFO Landings tend to have a good mix of enemies, and either Specialist archetype will be beneficial. Because the GREMLIN's Battle Medic skills aren't hindered by line of sight though, it may be more safe to rely on them since you'll eventually be forced to enter the UFO.

UFO Attack / Avenger Defense

You'll eventually get a majority of your soldiers to defend the Avenger, but this is often a very favorable mission type for the Battle Medic. The Battle Medic can keep your squad healthy while staying at the starting location defending the Avenger. Sometimes, the Avenger Defense mission can become drawn out, and again, your squad will benefit most from the Battle Medic if this happens.

Class Synergies & Tactics

Oddly, while the Specialist is focused on supporting the squad as a whole, it doesn't accomplish this often through skill synergies, but through hacking, healing, and equipment. The Specialist itself is the synergy, as all of it's boosts will come from it's own abilities, and not from a combination of class abilities. It does have some synergies though.

Threat Assessment & Deep Cover

After covering a massive distance, you can use your Specialist with Threat Assessment to Aid Protocol a Ranger. This will confer the bonuses of Hunker Down and Aid Protocol with a Covering Overwatch shot to boot. This is ideal for compromising the position of enemies, forcing them to move or remain in poor positioning.

Capacitor Discharge & Grenade

If you use Capacitor Discharge on a group of enemies to reveal your squad, there's a high chance you'll disorient them as well, crippling how far they can disperse to cover. Because of this, pods of enemies tend to stay close together and won't be able to easily escape another heavy area ability -- such as a grenade.

Guardian & Implacable

This requires some set up, but if you happen to kill an enemy with a Ranger who has Implacable, you can use the additional movement action to draw the Ranger back toward the rest of your squad. You should have a Specialist with Guardian waiting on Overwatch; when the enemies pursue, you can potentially cause massive damage with the Specialist alone when they run into your Overwatch shots.

[Outlaw RW]

No disappointment at all. That's what edits are for.

[Bird Person]

Sorry to disappoint you but I need to point out you have missed some important points in your guide, particularly the hacking part

Hacking will NOT ALWAYS break concealment
For example: intel/supply/alloy reward, soldier benefits (e.g. aim boost, hack stats, attack immunity), facility lead, disabling mechs/turrets, reducing enemy will, even disorienting enemy

Hacks that WILL break concealment: failed hacks, hacking objectives (e.g. terminal, retrieve item, mission specific), gaining control of all mechs in map/random enemy

Both EMP grenades & Bluescreen rounds will affect Gatekeeper and Codex as well, the former will even suffer from shutdown effects from EMP grenades

[Galdred]

Actually, even for medic specialists, I think an haywire should be seriously considered, as there is usually not enough room for a second specialist in the skyranger (unless they both got awesome ACW perks) :
Haywire is a quasi mandatory skill : reviving unconscious enemies will be badly missed at times, but haywire is crucial when facing pods with a mechanical opponent once you have some hacking skill (with skulljack or the +20 hack at the end of some missions).
On the other hand, the other combat hacker skills offer no meaningful synergy with haywire, so there is nothing preventing the specialist to have all the medical skills but haywire.