Firaxis flipped the premise of the 2012 reboot. The aliens won, ADVENT runs Earth's cities as a friendly-looking police state, and XCOM is a guerrilla cell flying a captured alien supply barge called the Avenger. Most tactical missions open in concealment and run on a turn clock, so ambushes beat slow Overwatch creeping. Everything below covers the base game released in February 2016, with the August 2017 War of the Chosen expansion flagged wherever it changes the answer.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranger | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Grenadier | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Specialist | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Sharpshooter | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Psi Operative | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our XCOM 2 tier list.
A-Tier: Ranger
Ranger is a top-performing option in XCOM 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Assault Rifle | The Ranger and Specialist primary, upgrading to the Magnetic Rifle and then the Plasma Rifle. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Concealment openers | Nearly every mission starts with your squad hidden, which lets you walk all six soldiers into flanking positions and set Overwatch before a single shot goes off. |
How to Play Ranger
Ranger focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Assault Rifle does the damage and Concealment openers keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Grenadier
Grenadier is a strong option in XCOM 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Shotgun | Ranger only, running Shotgun to Shard Gun to Storm Gun. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Mission turn timers | Guerrilla Ops and Council jobs usually allow 8 to 12 turns to hack a workstation, plant the X4 charge, or reach the evac zone. |
How to Play Grenadier
Grenadier focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Shotgun with Mission turn timers and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Specialist
Specialist is a strong option in XCOM 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Sniper Rifle | The Sharpshooter primary, going Sniper Rifle to Gauss Rifle to Plasma Lance. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Avatar Project doom bar | Every alien facility ADVENT finishes adds a block to the Avatar bar on the geoscape, and a full bar starts a countdown to campaign loss. |
How to Play Specialist
Specialist focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Avatar Project doom bar covers the gap Sniper Rifle leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Sharpshooter
Sharpshooter is a specialized option in XCOM 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Cannon | The Grenadier primary, upgrading to the Mag Cannon and then the Beam Cannon. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Class promotion trees | A Rookie who survives promotes into Ranger, Grenadier, Specialist or Sharpshooter at random, then picks one of two abilities at every rank up to Colonel. |
How to Play Sharpshooter
Sharpshooter focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Class promotion trees rather than raw numbers, and Cannon is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Psi Operative
Psi Operative is a specialized option in XCOM 2.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Grenade Launcher | A Grenadier secondary built in the Proving Ground, later upgraded to the Advanced Grenade Launcher for more range and a wider blast. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Avenger facility rooms | Excavated rooms hold the Guerrilla Tactics School, Proving Ground, Psi Lab, Advanced Warfare Center, Resistance Comms and Power Relay. |
How to Play Psi Operative
Psi Operative focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Grenade Launcher and Avenger facility rooms pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Grenadier: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Ranger once you understand core mechanics and have access to Assault Rifle
- Keep a Specialist setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Psi Operative for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Excavate toward a power coil early. A Power Relay sitting on an exposed coil generates double the power of one on plain rock, and a power shortage in month 3 stalls every other Avenger project you had planned.
- Guerrilla Tactics School before the Advanced Warfare Center. Squad Size I is the single largest tactical upgrade in the campaign, because a fifth soldier is one more action every turn for the rest of the run.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More XCOM 2 Guides
- XCOM 2 XCOM 2 Overview
- XCOM 2 Tier List
- XCOM 2 Walkthrough
- XCOM 2 Beginner's Guide
- XCOM 2 Tips & Tricks
- XCOM 2 Weapons Guide
- XCOM 2 Combat Guide
- XCOM 2 Boss Guide
- XCOM 2 Maps & Locations
- XCOM 2 Crafting Guide
- XCOM 2 Classes & Characters
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