XCOM 2
LW SpecOps Class
odebate 26 Feb, 2017 @ 4:00pm
Skill / Skill Tree Balancing and Updates
Here's my proposed list of alterations to the SpecOps tree. First and foremost, you'll notice I've shuffled a lot of the skills around. This was focused on giving the SpecOps three distinct specializations. The Covert Ops tree was designed as the support/stealth tree. The Guerilla Warfare tree was designed as the shooter/marksman tree. The middle tree takes the role of a melee specialist, with some defensive abilities thrown in.

Covert Ops
  • LCPL Rename Throwing Knife Spec to Knife Thrower or Knife Juggler (more concise skill name cleans up tree / UI - still communicates intention of skill)
  • CPL Demolitions Expert renamed to Contigency (to avoid confusion with Demolition skill should it be rolled in AWC - very fun ability to use in missions, the extra Conceal is a bit strong at the CPL rank, especially when paired up against Evasive and Shadowstrike, I'd recommend moving Contingency further down the tree maybe to SSGT or TSGT rank)
  • SGT Evasion renamed to Decoy (avoids confusion with Evasive ability)
  • SSGT SpecOps Flashbang (no changes - powerful support ability, competative against Sting Grenades, love it!)
  • TSGT Volatile Mix (unchanged)
  • GSGT Ghostwalker (maybe consider replacing with a passive ability, Tradecraft or Covert - my preference is for Tradecraft - Ghostwalker is good for solo stealthing but, not very useful in group scenarios, Tradecraft allows SpecOps to join an existing squad with low impact to infiltration timer, SpecOps has plenty of abilities to re-conceal if revealed, doesn't need an ability to avoid detection)
  • MSGT Stealth Tactics (unchanged - very useful ability, a bit redundant when combined with Contingency and Conceal, SpecOps doesn't care about reveal with this ability - makes Ghostwalker a bit redundant)

Middle
(moved several of the skills over from Guerilla Warfare tree into middle tree, middle tree now pseudo-melee specialist tree - overall, this tree I have the least amount of changes for, I've been satisfied with the balance of a melee build in campaigns)
  • LCPL Rename Combat Knife Spec to Blade in the Dark or Backstabber (same intention with Knife Thrower / Knife Juggler - shorter name, still gets purpose of the skill across)
  • CPL Evasive (no changes however, Lone Wolf might be more appropriate here)
  • SGT Lightning Reflexes (no changes)
  • SSGT Implacable (no changes)
  • TSGT Bring 'Em On (no changes)
  • GSGT Cutthroat (no changes)
  • MSGT Reaper (no changes)

Guerilla Warfare
(moved a lot of abilities over from middle, right tree now focused on shooter role)
  • LCPL Snap Shot (no changes)
  • CPL Shadowstrike (no changes)
  • SGT Aggression (no changes)
  • SSGT Conceal replaced with new ability Recon by Fire: Take a shot at an enemy, if it hits that target is forced to move one action. If the target is killed the SpecOps is concealed (hybrid of Flush and Shadowfall - Conceal as a skill is valuable but, relatively bland - in the spirit of our other Conceal skill, Contingency, I feel this ability should have equal flavor and utility) - base damage and accuracy would be built off Flush. On kill effect can be taken from Shadowfall ability on Shadowkeeper [Alien Hunter's DLC Pistol]
  • TSGT Marksman (unchanged)
  • GSGT Lethal (unchanged)
  • MSGT Ghost renamed Menace (to avoid confusion with Ghostwalker ability)
Last edited by odebate; 26 Feb, 2017 @ 4:11pm
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Showing 1-2 of 2 comments
Musashi  [developer] 1 Mar, 2017 @ 2:01am 
Thank you very much for this detailed writeup. I think there are a lot of good ideas here and I will definitely take them into account when revamping this class.
Especially the renaming of skills makes perfect sense imo.
I have some other more pressing projects before I get back to this class, that said I will get back to you when I do it.
Maybe you are interested in beta testing changes then?
odebate 1 Mar, 2017 @ 7:35am 
You're welcome, thank you for the Samurai and SpecOps! Fun classes with unique mechanics and interesting flavor, welcome change-ups from the usual LW2 roster.

I am interested in further testing. Next week I won't have ready access to my desktop but, barring that, I can provide feedback as needed.
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