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[Sinh_Magnus]

About to face the final chosen, the hunter. I don't know if it's because my units have been too good against him, or if I had luck, or because he can't keep up with endgame improvements, but he has been the easiest to fight for me no doubt.

Do we know if each time we start a new campaign, the order for the chosen remains the same: First is always assassin, followed by the warlock the moment you step in a new continent, and finally hunter?

 

[yanipheonu]

There has to be a better solution than the current system where the eenemies need a glimpse of a single soldier to instantly detect the location of your entire squad. I believe they are working towards that goal because concealment (enemies have a visual detection range) and the way the Lost horde works (loud sounds attract enemies to your location) seem like a test run of different components before a full-blown overhaul in a sequel. Imagine how cool it would be to have silencers as weapon mods and expanded melee options. Using non-silenced weapons and explosives would draw in patrolling pods or puts pods that defend an area in an alert state. There are tons of fantastic gameplay possibilities through a full vision and sound detection system.

Theres a mod I like called Scamper. I don't think it has a WOTC version, but it essentially gives units one Movement Action to reposition everytime they trigger a Pod. Thought it was a fair addition, it essentially simulates your units repositioning when they see a new enemy incoming. A fair mod.

 

[Baalzebup]

Do we know if each time we start a new campaign, the order for the chosen remains the same: First is always assassin, followed by the warlock the moment you step in a new continent, and finally hunter?

I can safely say that no, this is not the case, as the contact pathways made it impossible for me to encounter the chosen in my game in any other sequence than Assassin --> Hunter --> Warlock.

 

[johancruijff]

Do we know if each time we start a new campaign, the order for the chosen remains the same: First is always assassin, followed by the warlock the moment you step in a new continent, and finally hunter?

don't think so

i don't know if with the "story mode" ON the order is always the same

starting with the story mode OFF i got the warlock first, with the templars as resistance faction

 

[CrichtonKicks]

There has to be a better solution than the current system where the eenemies need a glimpse of a single soldier to instantly detect the location of your entire squad. I believe they are working towards that goal because concealment (enemies have a visual detection range) and the way the Lost horde works (loud sounds attract enemies to your location) seem like a test run of different components before a full-blown overhaul in a sequel. Imagine how cool it would be to have silencers as weapon mods and expanded melee options. Using non-silenced weapons and explosives would draw in patrolling pods or puts pods that defend an area in an alert state. There are tons of fantastic gameplay possibilities through a full vision and sound detection system.

I haven't played it but Long War 2 does this stuff- it has silenced weapons and a sound based detection system where it's possible to divert a squad of enemies by drawing them elsewhere with a grenade, etc.

Yeah, there's lot of room for improvements here, and as you say, the examples of how they have continued to evolve this system and iterate on it, show that devs themselves acknowledge it.

It's weird when squad members completely hidden are revealed just as squad members in the open. Let's improve on that, but keep the essence of the pod system, as it makes enemies work together in a good (challenging) way, so in that way, instead of just randomly wander about individually.

It's pretty clearly just a design decision from Firaxis given that there are abilities you can gain that will either keep you concealed when the rest of the squad is detected or let you resume concealment later.

 

[Sinh_Magnus]

I can safely say that no, this is not the case, as the contact pathways made it impossible for me to encounter the chosen in my game in any other sequence than Assassin --> Hunter --> Warlock.

don't think so

i don't know if with the "story mode" ON the order is always the same

starting with the story mode OFF i got the warlock first, with the templars as for resistance faction

Thanks, this should make subsequent replays more fun.

 

[OriginalPoe]

Theres a mod I like called Scamper. I don't think it has a WOTC version, but it essentially gives units one Movement Action to reposition everytime they trigger a Pod. Thought it was a fair addition, it essentially simulates your units repositioning when they see a new enemy incoming. A fair mod.

Gotta get this. The pod reveals are fucking annoying still. Thanks.

 

[Uriah]

I just did the Shen DLC. Damn the final "boss" was hard. I probably should have waited until I had some better equipment.

I also have the Alien Hunters DLC enabled. I heard its really fucking hard. Did I make a mistake enabling it in WoTC?

 

[Royal_Phalanx]

Rulers only show up if you do the story mission, unless you integrated the DLC where they will show up at facilities

 

[Metroidvania]

Rulers only show up if you do the story mission, unless you integrated the DLC where they will show up at facilities

I admit I'm somewhat curious as to this - I had the 'dialogue' for one ruler at a facility that actually had the enemy there (the berserker queen), but the other two enemies had 'warning dialogue' at the facility, but the enemies themselves apparently disappeared when I didn't attack the facility right away?

Not sure if it was a bug or not....

 

[Shake Appeal]

Speaking of rulers, just met my first one! It was the Archon! He had ~120 health and four armor! He nearly killed some of my guys!

Oh, and then the last enemy alive was an officer, so I decided there was no time like the present,

Spoiler

skulljacked him, and wiped the Codex with one shotgun blast.

Love a good 44 kill, 6 wounded, no death facility mission with waves of Lost. That wasn't horrible at all!

 

[samn]

What happens if you ‘kill’ a chosen? Do they go away for a few missions?

 

[Remmy2112]

What happens if you ‘kill’ a chosen? Do they go away for a few missions?

You get 5 XCOM ability points and they will show up to pester you again at a later time.

 

[Sentenza]

You get 5 XCOM ability points and they will show up to pester you again at a later time.

At least until you kill them for good. Then you get their weapons and more skill points (15, if I remember right).

 

[Sinh_Magnus]

About to face the final chosen, the hunter. I don't know if it's because my units have been too good against him, or if I had luck, or because he can't keep up with endgame improvements, but he has been the easiest to fight for me no doubt.

Me and my big mouth. I just killed him and it was the closest fight I had with a chosen. The bastard just keep trying to get as much distance posible while shooting my people with his sniper and getting Hp back with each incurring damage my units had. Really fun stuff.

 

[TC McQueen]

At least until you kill them for good. Then you get their weapons and more skill points (15, if I remember right).

No, just 10. You get 15 for killing Julian, and 8 for each Ruler.

 

[Royal_Phalanx]

I kind of feel like I shouldn't have chosen the longer timer option simply because I hate the timer mechanic. Makes some missions too 'easy', I find. And I can't be bothered to do another restart.

 

[Sentenza]

I kind of feel like I shouldn't have chosen the longer timer option simply because I hate the timer mechanic. Makes some missions too 'easy', I find.

NO SHIT?

Alright, sorry, I get that to each one his own opinion and all that, but this was argued so many times in the past pretty much anywhere.
The timers are already rather forgiving as they are and they play a significant role in dictating the pace of some missions.

Removing them or making them too lenient is going to affect the game, mostly for the worse.

 

[Steel]

About to face the final chosen, the hunter. I don't know if it's because my units have been too good against him, or if I had luck, or because he can't keep up with endgame improvements, but he has been the easiest to fight for me no doubt.

Do we know if each time we start a new campaign, the order for the chosen remains the same: First is always assassin, followed by the warlock the moment you step in a new continent, and finally hunter?

I got the hunter second when I got that far on Ironman and he was definitely the easiest for me. His abilities are kinda weak and easy to avoid compared to the other chosen.


Assassin is always first, though.

 

[Shake Appeal]

I think what I appreciate most about this expansion is that no two soldiers or missions are ever the same. There are enough variables in play now that things continue to surprise tens of hours into it.

 

[More_Badass]

Only on PS4 vanilla, but what I really like about 2 so far, besides the overall improvements, is how it feels more like a story generator than the first. The guerrilla resistance set-up, traveling the map, meeting up with resistance groups, the push and pull of Dark Events...it feels more organic, dynamic, and intimate than the first XCOM. The additions of the expansion makes me excited because it sounds like they expanded even more on that aspect of the game.

 

[Baron_Calamity]

Spent most of the weekend playing the expansion and have been fairly frustrated. There feels like there is too many new game mechanics bolted on that add nothing but frustration to the game. To often it feels like randomness and not strategy determines if you are successful or not. Especially missions that include both the Lost and Chosen at the same time. Maybe there is a grand system and design behind all this. I doubt it though.

 

[Royal_Phalanx]

NO SHIT?

Alright, sorry, I get that to each one his own opinion and all that, but this was argued so many times in the past pretty much anywhere.
The timers are already rather forgiving as they are and they play a significant role in dictating the pace of some missions.

Removing them or making them too lenient is going to affect the game, mostly for the worse.

Yep, realized WOTC is better than vanilla anyway because less missions have timers anyway. I might just actually restart anyway, it damaged my experience sufficiently.

 

[Grimsen]

Spent most of the weekend playing the expansion and have been fairly frustrated. There feels like there is too many new game mechanics bolted on that add nothing but frustration to the game. To often it feels like randomness and not strategy determines if you are successful or not. Especially missions that include both the Lost and Chosen at the same time. Maybe there is a grand system and design behind all this. I doubt it though.

I feel the opposite. The added content adds so much variety, the replay value for the expansion is much better than vanilla.

As far as mission parameters go, I find that the game gives a lot of information before you head in, even without the shadow chamber. Besides, soldiers are much, much more powerful in this game.

 

[OriginalPoe]

Only on PS4 vanilla, but what I really like about 2 so far, besides the overall improvements, is how it feels more like a story generator than the first. The guerrilla resistance set-up, traveling the map, meeting up with resistance groups, the push and pull of Dark Events...it feels more organic, dynamic, and intimate than the first XCOM. The additions of the expansion makes me excited because it sounds like they expanded even more on that aspect of the game.

They sure did. You should honestly get WotC even if it's your first new game. The friggin Chosen warping into random missions and taunting you relentlessly is really great.

 

[Jintor]

I'm home

I desperately need sleep

 

[Steel]

I'm home

I desperately need sleep

Just one more mission.

 

[RedlineRonin]

Just beat the last chosen. I'm assuming nothing else is changed through the end of the game? Idk if I have the motivation to finish if I've seen all the new stuff already

 

[OriginalPoe]

I'm home

I desperately need sleep

The Advent aren't sleeping. Why are you?

 

[B00TE]

Downed UFO mission with Lost World event active, with chosen warlock hurling waves of exploding psionic spectre's at me. Just ended that mission after a half hour+ of thinning out waves of Lost the explosions kept summoning and finally cornering the warlock, ending him and then mopping up the lost. The Lost actually almost killed him. Dragged a half dead Templar out of that but fared alright all things considered. God DAMN.

 

[Poster#1]

So i'm still playing the base Xcom 2. Does the expansion content get added after i finish the base game?i'm debating if i should get it now or wait till i finish the base game.

 

[RedlineRonin]

So i'm still playing the base Xcom 2. Does the expansion content get added after i finish the base game?i'm debating if i should get it now or wait till i finish the base game.

Depends.

It lays over top like enemy within did

Unless you want to play two full playthroughs, I'd get it first

 

[AWizardDidIt]

Spent most of the weekend playing the expansion and have been fairly frustrated. There feels like there is too many new game mechanics bolted on that add nothing but frustration to the game. To often it feels like randomness and not strategy determines if you are successful or not. Especially missions that include both the Lost and Chosen at the same time. Maybe there is a grand system and design behind all this. I doubt it though.

The Chosen are absolutely a big ole wrench thrown into any mission they show up in but I find that the new options given to players really does let you deal with them. The Lost are very predictable... probably as much as XCOM ever has been. Get to an elevated position (almost all missions with the Lost have lots of high ground) and funnel them into tight spaces.

Also remember that the item you get for a Lost autopsy lets you turn Lost against any enemies like your own private army for a turn. If you throw it at an enemy and then book it in the other direction, you can usually get out of LoS and at that point the Lost will all just prioritize attacking Chosen/Aliens.

 

[Poodlestrike]

How hard would it be to whip up something that marks the photobooth map locations ahead of time? Or lets you select a tile of your choosing for staging. Because, sometimes...

The background really does make the shot.

 

[Random17]

I kind of feel like I shouldn't have chosen the longer timer option simply because I hate the timer mechanic. Makes some missions too 'easy', I find. And I can't be bothered to do another restart.

You should try the true concealment mod, only triggers timers upon enemy contact. It's far more balanced than vanilla OR timer tweaks.

 

[Hupsel]

Im bad.

Is there a guide or something that helps deciding which facilities to build first / researches?

edit: also which research lets me upgrade armor?

 

[GenericBadGuy]

I have never played an XCOM game before but picked this up today. Is there some quick and easy reading material to help a new player avoid frustration?

 

[schadenfood]

About to face my first chosen (assassin/ whoever had the sword) with mag weapons and second-tier armor. What are my chances of victory? Should I hold off for plasma stuff? Their threat meter is about 80% full, l'm getting nervous!

 

[Basileus777]

I beat my first chosen on commander and...it was way easier than I expected it to be. The assassin had the shellshocked weakness and she just chewed out by my explosives. The Berserkers spawning in were probably more problematic than she was.

 

[Sad Affleck]

Im bad.

Is there a guide or something that helps deciding which facilities to build first / researches?

edit: also which research lets me upgrade armor?

This might help you:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-10-07-xcom-2-guide-4031?page=3

 

[DrSlek]

So it turns out you can trigger a claymore with a grenade. That made for a hilarious ambush.

I did that on a relay defense mission. All of the enemies were conviniently huddled at a door outside of the objective. Claymore + Grenade took out at least 7 of them in 1 round.

 

[CrichtonKicks]

About to face my first chosen (assassin/ whoever had the sword) with mag weapons and second-tier armor. What are my chances of victory? Should I hold off for plasma stuff? Their threat meter is about 80% full, l'm getting nervous!

I beat that chosen (my first also) with that setup. Was a challenge but I didn't lose anyone.

 

[Erheller]

Did they ever fix the weird proxy mine activations? I remember that if you lay down a proxy mine on an unactivated pod, then activate the pod only one or two enemies in the blast radius will actually get hit by the mine, not all of them.

 

[Skade]

I did that on a relay defense mission. All of the enemies were conviniently huddled at a door outside of the objective. Claymore + Grenade took out at least 7 of them in 1 round.

Would the Reapers be able to use gernades, i would probably one-shot the Assassin every time. Mine is vulnerable to Reapers and explosives. With the improved claymore, if i detonate it with Dragunova, it deals 25 damage to her. As of now, she as 30 life points and 2 armor so i can only two-shot her. Sad.

On the other hand, i'm completely unable to do anything to the hunter. Wich i hate very much.

 

[Poster#1]

Depends.

It lays over top like enemy within did

Unless you want to play two full playthroughs, I'd get it first

I don't plan to have two playthroughs so i bought it. thanks!

 

[Tacitus_]

Would the Reapers be able to use gernades, i would probably one-shot the Assassin every time. Mine is vulnerable to Reapers and explosives. With the improved claymore, if i detonate it with Dragunova, it deals 25 damage to her. As of now, she as 30 life points and 2 armor so i can only two-shot her. Sad.

On the other hand, i'm completely unable to do anything to the hunter. Wich i hate very much.

You can roll an equipment slot on the extra skills you can buy. Both of my Reapers got it, but I'm not sure if it's guaranteed.

 

[Rhaknar]

so weird question, but I assume the satelite stuff is still in right?

that was always my least fvorite part of enemy unknown (was in it 2? it was right? I finished that game and barely remember anything).

In fact the whole meta part of the game being so scarce for resources always annoyed me. I get that they want the game to be hard, but I would rather the battles be hard, but let me do all my crazy upgrades damn it ;_;

 

[Jintor]

I'm going to do a quick run through for a month or so to get back up to speed and then start plans for a proper lp.

I'm very excited

 

[NumberThree]

For some reason I never really had any gunslingers in my setup, but one of my sharpshooters got 'High Noon' as her nickname so I knew what I had to do. And wow, gunslingers are crazy! With a beam pistol, dragon rounds and the +1 damage breakthrough she can spend her abilities to do around ~50 damage in one turn and that's without Faceoff (which is just stupid fun against the Lost). And now she can start using the pistol from the Chosen Hunter..

The thought of someone looking at a sectopod and telling their squadmates "I've got this" while pulling out their pistol is quite funny.

You should try the true concealment mod, only triggers timers upon enemy contact. It's far more balanced than vanilla OR timer tweaks.

There's a SITREP that does this and it just trivialized the timer, at least on the mission I had it on. I just circled around to the objective and activated it on the same turn I broke concealment on. Reapers are also great on any timed mission - they can scout ahead so you know when you can dash, or you can just head straight to the objective with one while everyone else is fighting.

 

[Erheller]

I'm going to do a quick run through for a month or so to get back up to speed and then start plans for a proper lp.

I'm very excited

Looking forward to your lp!

For some reason I never really had any gunslingers in my setup, but one of my sharpshooters got 'High Noon' as her nickname so I knew what I had to do. And wow, gunslingers are crazy! With a beam pistol, dragon rounds and the +1 damage breakthrough she can spend her abilities to do around ~50 damage in one turn and that's without Faceoff (which is just stupid fun against the Lost). And now she can start using the pistol from the Chosen Hunter..

The thought of someone looking at a sectopod and telling their squadmates "I've got this" while pulling out their pistol is quite funny.


There's a SITREP that does this and it just trivialized the timer, at least on the mission I had it on. I just circled around to the objective and activated it on the same turn I broke concealment on. Reapers are also great on any timed mission - they can scout ahead so you know when you can dash, or you can just head straight to the objective with one while everyone else is fighting.

Try bluescreen rounds on a gunslinger vs a sectopod