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.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assault Rifle | S | Specialists, and any Ranger built around the sword | The Ranger and Specialist primary, upgrading to the Magnetic Rifle and then the Plasma Rifle. |
| Shotgun | A | Close-range Rangers who open flanks | Ranger only, running Shotgun to Shard Gun to Storm Gun. |
| Sniper Rifle | A | Squadsight Sharpshooters parked on high ground | The Sharpshooter primary, going Sniper Rifle to Gauss Rifle to Plasma Lance. |
| Cannon | B | Grenadiers built for Shredder, Chain Shot and Rupture | The Grenadier primary, upgrading to the Mag Cannon and then the Beam Cannon. |
| Grenade Launcher | B | Demolition Grenadiers who need to delete cover at distance | A Grenadier secondary built in the Proving Ground, later upgraded to the Advanced Grenade Launcher for more range and a wider blast. |
S-Tier: Assault Rifle
The Ranger and Specialist primary, upgrading to the Magnetic Rifle and then the Plasma Rifle. Raw damage is unremarkable at every tier, which is why rifle carriers earn their keep through Aid Protocol, hacking and sword kills instead of shooting.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Specialists, and any Ranger built around the sword |
| Key Mechanic | Concealment openers |
| Recommended Build | Ranger |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Assault Rifle: Pairs naturally with Ranger thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Shotgun
Ranger only, running Shotgun to Shard Gun to Storm Gun. It hits hard inside a few tiles and falls apart at range, so it pairs with Run and Gun and Rapid Fire rather than long sight lines.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Close-range Rangers who open flanks |
| Key Mechanic | Mission turn timers |
| Recommended Build | Grenadier |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Shotgun: Pairs naturally with Grenadier thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Sniper Rifle
The Sharpshooter primary, going Sniper Rifle to Gauss Rifle to Plasma Lance. Firing it costs your whole turn unless you have Death from Above or Serial, and that restriction is the central tension of the class.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Squadsight Sharpshooters parked on high ground |
| Key Mechanic | Avatar Project doom bar |
| Recommended Build | Specialist |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Sniper Rifle: Pairs naturally with Specialist thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Cannon
The Grenadier primary, upgrading to the Mag Cannon and then the Beam Cannon. Paired with Shredder it removes armor on every shot, which matters more than its damage number against late-game enemies.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Grenadiers built for Shredder, Chain Shot and Rupture |
| Key Mechanic | Class promotion trees |
| Recommended Build | Sharpshooter |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Cannon: Pairs naturally with Sharpshooter thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Grenade Launcher
A Grenadier secondary built in the Proving Ground, later upgraded to the Advanced Grenade Launcher for more range and a wider blast. It turns every grenade in your inventory into a cover-removal tool you can use from safety.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Demolition Grenadiers who need to delete cover at distance |
| Key Mechanic | Avenger facility rooms |
| Recommended Build | Psi Operative |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Grenade Launcher: Pairs naturally with Psi Operative thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Guerrilla Ops
- Shotgun → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Sniper Rifle → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Assault Rifle → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- 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.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
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 Combat Guide
- XCOM 2 Boss Guide
- XCOM 2 Maps & Locations
- XCOM 2 Crafting Guide
- XCOM 2 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy XCOM 2, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Weapons Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Weapons Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Weapons Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
