There are five classes of soldiers in XCOM 2; nine, if the robotic SPARKs and three DLC Resistance Faction classes are included. Each class has its own unique skill-sets and weapon options that differentiate them from the other classes. This gives the player a generous amount of options when building their squads, which can range from four to six squad members.

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There are several factors that go into how well a build will work. The classes, available weaponry and armor, probable enemy units that will be encountered, and the soldiers' rank all play a critical role in build strength. The best XCOM 2 squad builds below will use all classes, weaponry, and armor from the base game, as well as those added in the DLC offerings and the War Of The Chosen expansion.

10 Beginner's Build

A basic early-game squad build in Xcom 2

This early-game build is for players trying an XCOM game for the first time. The Beginner's Build is comprised of two Grenadiers, one Ranger, and one Sharpshooter. Specialists are great additions to a squad, just not this squad. In the early part of the game, the player probably won't be encountering any robotic enemies to hack.

Also, in the early missions, players should expect their unarmored soldiers to die from one hit; they might survive being hit, but probably not. The medical abilities of Specialists are more helpful later in the campaign when soldiers have more health. Two Grenadiers allow the player to use a scorched-earth strategy, which increases the likelihood of their soldiers surviving.

9 Mid-Game Standard Build

XCOM 2

This build becomes a safe, and effective, build after a player has gotten some armor and advanced weaponry for their soldiers. A standard mid-game build should have two Rangers, One Specialist, one Grenadier, and one Sharpshooter. The Rangers will provide enough offensive capabilities to allow the Specialist to spend the turns using their abilities, rather than having to act as a Ranger and use their primary weapon.

The Grenadier is there in case a group of enemies is encountered in a tight formation. The Sharpshooter is part of this build to provide some cover for the Rangers. Give one of the Rangers a Medikit instead of a grenade, this will give the player an alternative healer.

8 Late-Game Standard Build

xcom 2 war of the chosen

At the point the player has access to most of the armor and weaponry in XCOM 2, this build will give them the best chance at surviving the Berserkers and Andromedons that begin appearing. This squad has one Ranger, one Sharpshooter, one Grenadier, one Psi Operative, one Templar (with Invert and Exchange), and one War Machine SPARK.

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This build gives the player access to a wide array of class abilities. No matter what is encountered during a mission, this squad build will grant the player a good chance at achieving victory without suffering any losses. Be sure to give the SPARK's cannon an extended magazine with this build.

7 Covert Action Build

A Reaper about to fire on the enemy in Xcom 2

The Covert Action missions require a different type of build than the other missions. These missions are good at making the player feel isolated and surrounded. For this reason, a squad build of Reapers and Skirmishers works well during these missions.

The Reapers are able to strike from the shadows and remain concealed. The Skirmishers are capable of multiple actions per turn, and can even grant actions to squad members. Use the Skirmishers to pull enemies close and finish them off; meanwhile, use the Reaper's stealth and Claymore for mop-up duty. Templars are also well-suited for Covert Action missions due to their Parry and Deflect abilities.

6 Anti-Advent Build

An Advent soldier taking aim in Xcom 2

The player will encounter many, many ADVENT soldiers throughout the game, and there will be many missions when they will know they will be fighting these enemies in advance. This build uses two Rangers, two Skirmishers, one Specialist, and one Grenadier.

The Skirmishers should use their Justice ability to pull enemies closer when possible. The Rangers are there for their general offensive capabilities but are also needed in case a Skirmisher doesn't kill an enemy after using the Justice ability on them. The Specialist is there in case Sectopods accompany the ADVENT forces and also for their healing abilities. The Grenadier is included for their armor shredding capabilities and explosives.

5 Landed UFO Build

Beginning a UFO Landed mission in Xcom 2

Unlike some previous XCOM games, destruction of the landed alien craft by the squad's weapons doesn't affect the rewards for victory. So, feel free to bring multiple Grenadiers or use heavy weapons. This build has two Rangers (preferably in Wraith Suits), two Grenadiers, and two Sharpshooters. The Rangers can be substituted for two Reapers if the player wishes.

Use the Rangers, or Reapers, to infiltrate the alien craft. Try to keep the Sharpshooters in a position where they can get a shot on the enemies revealed by the Rangers. The Grenadiers should stay close to the Sharpshooters and use their explosives on the enemies roaming outside the craft.

4 Supply Raid Build

A Supply Raid mission in Xcom 2

It is important not to destroy the supplies the squad is there to get. For this reason, this build is light on the explosives and contains one Templar, one Ranger, one Skirmisher, two specialists, and one Telepath Psi Operative. This squad is designed to steadily and safely move across the battlefield as one unit, using the Specialists' enhanced Overwatch capabilities to protect the squad from advancing enemies.

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Any enemies that manage to survive the Overwatch attacks and get close to the squad can be handled by the Ranger or Templar. Use the Templar's Rend and Parry combo to keep them from attacking other party members. The Psi Operative is useful on these missions to cause discord among the enemy forces.

3 Play It Safe Build

The Grenadier class in Xcom 2

This build is both effective and fun to use on those missions where the player doesn't need to worry about collateral damage. This build uses three Grenadiers, two Specialists, and one Sharpshooter. At least two Blaster Launchers and one Shredstorm Cannon should be used if the player can equip this squad with heavy armor and heavy weapons.

Alternatively, the player can substitute a Grenadier for a SPARK unit with this build. The SPARK Overdrive ability is beyond useful for saving a surrounded squadmate or finishing off a group of enemies weakened by a Grenadier's primary weapon.

2 Resistance Build

A Templar using Rend in Xcom 2

The Resistance soldiers (Templar, Skirmisher, and Reaper) made available in the War Of The Chosen expansion have unique abilities that at times seem a bit overpowered, such as the Templar's Invert ability or Skirmisher's Battlelord ability. A veteran Reaper in the squad basically gives the player one consequence-free kill every turn.

This squad is made up of two of each of the Resistance classes. Keep the Reapers, in their Shadow state, ahead of the Skirmishers and Templars. This will let the player ambush the alien forces with Overcharged Rend attacks from the Templars. The Skirmishers are there for their crowd control and Overwatch capabilities.

1 Ultimate Build

A Spark soldier in Xcom 2

This build is designed to make short work of any alien force that may be encountered. The first soldier in this build is a Ranger equipped with the Arashi (shotgun) and the Katana. The next soldier is a Grenadier with a Beam Cannon and a Blaster Launcher. The third soldier is a Sharpshooter wearing Icarus Armor; this will allow this soldier to get anywhere quickly for the perfect vantage.

A Psi Operative equipped with the Alien Psi Amp is the next soldier. This soldier has a wide range of abilities that include causing damage, mind-controlling enemies, and protecting squad members from damage. The last two squad members in this build are SPARK units; one Future Combat, and one War Machine. The Future Combat SPARK is there to support and repair the War Machine SPARK as it rampages across the battlefield.

XCOM 2 was initially released on Feb. 5th, 2016, and is available for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, OS X, iOS, and Android.

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