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.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Guerrilla Ops
Key resources: Intel, Supplies, blocked Dark Events, sometimes an Engineer or Scientist Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Shotgun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Retaliation missions
Key resources: Region kept in contact, new recruits, occasionally a Resistance soldier Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Shotgun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Supply Raids
Key resources: Large Supplies payout, Alien Alloys, Elerium Crystals Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Shotgun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Alien Facility raids
Key resources: Avatar Project progress removed, Elerium Cores, alien corpses Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Assault Rifle max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Avenger Defense
Key resources: Survival, salvage from the wrecked UFO Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Assault Rifle max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Guerrilla Ops to Retaliation missions)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Shotgun once accessible
Mid Game (Supply Raids)
- Push Shotgun to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Assault Rifle
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Alien Facility raids to Avenger Defense)
- Max out Assault Rifle. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Supply Raids farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- 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.
- Farm Supply Raids during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More XCOM 2 Guides
- XCOM 2 XCOM 2 Overview
- XCOM 2 Best Builds
- 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 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy XCOM 2, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
