Classes

Soldiers enlisting in XCOM begin at the rank of Squaddie and can train in one of 8 different classes, each one bringing a variety of skills (called Perks) to the battlefield. They then gain access to all the class perks at the squaddie level (on subsequent promotions, players must choose between perks of a given level).

Assault: close-ranged fighting specialists, front line soldiers with multiple perks related to shotguns.

Grenadier: support troopers with long-range grenade launchers, getting access to more powerful and versatile munitions.

Gunner: machine gun-wielding heavy troopers provide suppressing fire and high damage output.

Ranger: masters of the combat rifle and offensive output. Combining high rate of fire with powerful overwatch abilities makes this an excellent core soldier class.

Sharpshooter:  sniper rifles - for when you want that blip in the distance to die but you don’t want to walk too much. Long-range damage with boosts towards attacking exposed targets.

Shinobi: stealthy, mobile, sword-wielding soldiers excellent for reconnaissance and devastating against single targets in close quarters.

Specialist: equipped with a personal drone, these tech-savvy support soldiers can provide boosts for the organic resistance soldiers and wreak havoc on the enemy’s mechanical troops.

Technical: these support soldiers wield a flamethrower and rocket launcher for when you need to turn the tide of an engagement.