Bloggingfox819

1. XCOM ToolBoks At XCOM Enemy Unknown Nexus - Mods And Community
2. Xcom Enemy Within Arc Thrower
3. Xcom Enemy Within Arc Thrower Pistol Slot
4. Arc Thrower In The Pistol Slot. :: XCOM: Enemy Unknown ...

XCOM: Enemy Within; What are the most important things to research early on? User Info: dujonepoaprfioa. Dujonepoaprfioa 7 years ago #1. Am I the only one that prioritizes xenobiology - arc thrower, and then captures aliens for the research bonuses on lasers and carapace armour? So I finally got around to buying Enemy Within and resuming my tumultuous love-hate relationship with XCOM. And it's kinda kicking my arse. I managed to muscle my way through ironman classic in Enemy Unknown a couple of times, but Enemy Within seems to have stepped up the difficulty a little on classic, while simultaneously making normal even. A fully upgraded arc thrower was immensely useful to me in Enemy Unknown (haven't played Within yet). I am aggresive with my run&gun shotgunner. She carried the arc thrower as a backup weapon in part to increase the time between shotgun reloads. But like a pocket knife, you don't know how useful it is until you carry one for a while.

Notes

'I trust you have tested this thing...' - Shaojie Zhang

The Arc Thrower will be one of your first plot-centric fabrications; and like the various stun devices in previous iterations of XCOM, it may actually be the most important weapon in your arsenal against the alien invaders. Not also is it needed to move the story along, but the weapon drops from captures, and the results from interrogations will vastly expand the potency of XCOM. Off-the-shelf, it costs a maximum of 35 credits (the first handful of Engineers you receive will easily drop it to the mid-low 20s), and holds a charge for two stun attempts, but even then only if the target has 4 or fewer health remaining (49/70/80/90% on 4/3/2/1hp). Its main drawback is an extremely limited range, barely safer than the old touch-range Stun Rod, that usually extends to 3 squares from the target alien.

• Foundry Upgrades:
  • Improved Arc Thrower: increases effectiveness to enemies with up to to 7hp (49/70/80/90% on 7/6/5/4hp and 95% chance on 3hp or lower).
    • Requires: Elerium research, 4 Drone Wrecks, 20 Weapon Fragments, 10 Engineers.
  • Drone Hack: Take control of an enemy Drone for combat (similar to Mind Control).
    • Requires: Drone Autopsy, 4 Drone Wrecks, 20 Weapon Fragments, 10 Engineers.
  • Repair SHIVs: Allows Arc Thrower to repair friendly S.H.I.V.s or captured Drones, 6 HPs repaired for each use. On the Enemy Within DLC it can also be used to repair MEC Troopers.
    • Requires: EMP Canon Research, 10 Engineers.
  • Stun, Drone Hack, and Repair SHIV have separate commands from each other, but the Arc Thrower only holds two charges total: So it's two total of any combination of Stun, Hack, or Repair.

Tactics

• You'll need to get the target down to low HP in order to have any chance of capture (the lower the better). This can be quite challenging itself given the random damage of weapons - a 'lucky' damage roll could kill a target you're preparing to capture.
  • Pistols are good for whittling away a target's HP. They have a base crit chance of 0, so provided you're not flanking the target you should do reliably low damage.
  • Alternatively, grenades and rockets do a fixed, reliable amount of damage.
• Given the close range, a Support class soldier with Sprinter is a fairly good candidate for packing the Arc Thrower.
  • The Support's Deep Pockets ability does not allow him/her to carry another Arc Thrower...
  • But in the Enemy Within DLC, the ability has been changed to allow for an extra use, for a total of 3 charges (Tactical Rigging still doesn't allow for a second Thrower to be carried, though).
• Alternatively, an Assault class soldier with Lightning Reflexes is another good candidate for the Arc Thrower as they can avoid the first overwatch shot of the target.
• To ensure you don't lose soldiers because of a failed stun attempt, try stunning the alien using at least two people in one turn or have another soldier with a clear line of sight that can take out the target if the attempt fails.
• Note that the Arc Thrower does not affect Chryssalids, Zombies, Cyberdiscs, Sectopods, Seekers or Mechtoids, so you do not have to capture them to gain all the research topics. Also, EXALT soldiers would rather commit suicide than be captured alive!
• Also note that the Arc Thrower cannot be used on civilians, nor on your own soldiers, including if they are Panicked and even if they are Mind Controlled by the aliens. If you want to avoid killing a Mind Controlled soldier you will just have to run away and take cover until the alien Mind Control wears off.
• If you have a Sniper with the Disabling Shot skill, you can make the stun much safer on the approach, and should the stun attempt fail the enemy will be unable to return fire on their next turn.
• Enemies, particularly lone ones, will tend to retreat continually when approached. Overwatching will usually keep them in place, since the AI is very reluctant to move when it knows it would provoke an overwatch shot.
• Use of Suppression fire is a good way to keep an enemy immobile and limit its ability to shoot while your Arc Thrower soldier approaches. Note that suppressing a target disables its overwatch fire.
  • An Alloy S.H.I.V with S.H.I.V Suppression makes a particularly good support unit for a stunner, as it can suppress and give the stunner cover exactly where they need it for an optimal approach.
• In vanilla Enemy Unknown, there is an AI glitch for aliens: if they see two or more in-cover soldiers, at least one is flanking them, and they see either one go into overwatch, their AI locks up and they'll skip their next action. This is an excellent method to close in for a stun.
  • This is fixed in Enemy Within: aliens and EXALT agents will most often move and risk overwatch fire rather than leave themselves exposed to flanking shots.
• The weapons of aliens taken down with the Arc Thrower will not shatter into fragments. Instead, the weapon is recovered in working condition and will appear in the XCOM base inventory (although it still needs to be researched the before soldiers can use it).
• Repair SHIV and Drone Hack have more range than the stun function.
• For any applicable targets (alien, Drone (hacked or not), or S.H.I.V.) where any Arc Thrower action is available, a range of use is shown as a blue ring with lightning bolt symbols, centered on the target. There is some leeway in differences in altitude, but the distance range for if a soldier might not make it entirely in the circle, is if the dot at the end of a soldier's movement line (in the center of the square you'll be moving your soldier to) is within the circle. Be sure to change the camera angle, as the line is directly on the floor, while the circle hovers a few feet off the ground: perspective may not make it clear if a soldier will be in range in 1 move.
  • A soldier can usually stun at a maximum of 2 squares between him/her and the alien.
• The Arc Thrower's chance of success is not a normal hit roll, so is not affected by wounds, high ground, Holo-Targeting or anything else that normally affects aim.
• Stunning a mind-merging Sectoid does not kill or stun the mind-merged unit, the latter only loses its buff.

See Also

Long War is a comprehensive mod for the computer game XCOM: Enemy Within. Long War expands the base game’s four classes into eight. These guides are designed to introduce new Long War players to the new classes. Most of the perks are identical to their vanilla counterparts, but Long War adds a few perks and changes others. When necessary, I will explain the perks in greater detail but I will assume for the most part that the player is familiar with what perks do.

Disclaimer: I typically use the following Second Wave options in my campaigns that slightly influence how I use certain classes: Red Fog, Hidden Potential, and Aiming Angles. Red Fog decreases player and AI accuracy for every point of health (not armor) damage sustained, up to -30%; it also decreases mobility for damaged units. This is important because with Red Fog enabled, inflicting minor damage is helpful because it can effectively neuter an enemy. Also, it makes Medkits more important for the player to ensure your soldiers are fighting at full effectiveness. Hidden Potential grants randomized boosts to a soldier’s stats at level up. Keep that in mind when deciding whether a particular soldier should be given a certain perk. Aiming Angles increases player and AI accuracy the closer a unit is to flanking another. Again, keep that in mind with certain perks. If you don’t play with these Second Wave options, the following guide will still be relevant.

The Sniper – General Notes

The Sniper receives some great perks in Long War, but function essentially the same as in vanilla. However, Snipers now have access to two main weapon types: Sniper Rifles (same as vanilla) and Marksman’s Rifles (also called Strike Rifles at Laser tech level and beyond). MRs do less damage and have shorter range than Sniper Rifles, but give the Snap Shot ability by default, allowing you to move and shoot*. I prefer MRs with my snipers, because they still get Squadsight for an additional 5 tiles outside their normal range. My Snipers are generally on roofs or at the back of my squad, and are still able to hit most enemies at range with their MRs.

*MR/Strike Rifles used to confer the Snap Shot perk automatically in LW, but this was changed in the latest version. They no longer grant the perk, but they also receive no aim penalty after moving. Sniper rifles only gain the ability to fire after moving if you select Snap Shot at Corporal; they still have a -10 aim penalty. Essentially, if you are planning to use Strike Rifles, Snap Shot has no use at all.

Perks

Specialist: Squadsight

One of the great things about Long War is that it finally makes both Squadsight and Shap Shot useful. In vanilla, Snap Shot was almost worthless, because although it made your Snipers better close-to-mid-range fighters, it failed to perform that role as well as any other class. Even with the nerf to Squadsight and buff to Snap Shot in Enemy Within, Squadsight was still the better perk by far. Now, all Snipers have access to Squadsight, and you may choose to combine that ability with Snap Shot if you desire. Squadsight lowers your ability to land critical hits by 30% on targets outside your normal range; enemies that are in Squadsight range will have a yellow crosshair on their icon. With Sniper Rifles/Marksman’s Rifles only, Squadsight applies to overwatch shots.

Lance Corporal: Low Profile – Gunslinger – Lone Wolf

Gunslinger was a must-have ability for Squadsight snipers in vanilla XCOM, but in Long War it is far outclassed by the other two perks. I almost exclusively use Low Profile with my snipers; although Long War boosts the effectiveness of low cover compared to vanilla XCOM, the ability to turn all cover into high cover is incredibly useful. Lone Wolf has its advantages if your sniper is going to be off on his own somewhere, but it’s hard to beat Low Profile. It does combine better with some later perk choices, however. Gunslinger is much less useful, because if you are using Strike Rifles/Marksman’s Rifles on your Scouts you will still have decent accuracy at mid-range and will have little need for a more-accurate pistol. It’s also not worth giving up Low Profile for.

Corporal: Disabling Shot – Precision Shot – Snap Shot

Disabling Shot is an incredibly useful shot late in campaigns, when tough enemies like Cyberdiscs, Mechtoids and Sectopods start appearing. DS suffers a -10% aim penalty and only does 1 damage, but it disables the target’s main weapon (note that this means the target can use secondary weapons or abilities). The weapon remains disabled until the enemy reloads, and DS has a 2 turn cooldown. DS is also useful when trying to capture enemies; since LW nerfs the Arc Thrower’s accuracy, it often takes several attempts to capture an enemy, and it is much safer when their weapon is disabled.

Snap Shot is a valid choice if you prefer long rifles over Strike rifles. Precision shot operates differently based on your weapon choice: for long rifles, it provides +30% critical chance (and removes the -30% critical chance malus for Squadsight shots) and additional damage on critical hits based on weapon tech level; for Strike rifles, it provides an unlimited range shot with no other bonuses (in other words, it’s almost completely useless). Precision Shot is a valid choice for users of long rifles, and is usually preferable to Snap Shot since Strike Rifles already grant the move-and-shoot ability. PS synergizes nicely with some later perk choices.

Sergeant: Executioner – Aggression – Damn Good Ground

XCOM ToolBoks At XCOM Enemy Unknown Nexus - Mods And Community

Your choice at Sergeant depends on previous choices. Executioner is a good all-around option, but so is DGG. Aggression, too, combines with other possible perk selections that involve critical hit chance. Plan your build ahead of time in order to ensure you are combining your perks wisely.

Tech Sergeant: Tactical Sense – Ranger – Sharpshooter

Again, your choice here mostly depends on previous (and future) perk selections. Tactical Sense is better for Strike Rifle scouts, and combines well with Low Profile. Since your Sniper will be closer to the enemy, Tac Sense will aid their survival. Sharpshooter, meanwhile, combines well with Executioner, Aggression, and Lone Wolf, and is better for long rifle users. Ranger is generally not as good as either.

Gunnery Sergeant: Lock-n-Load – Bring ‘Em On – Vital Point Targeting

All three perks here have their uses and ideal situations. Lock-n-Load is an excellent perk; it extends your weapon’s ammo by 1 (stacks with the Extended Capacity Mags item) AND allows you to reload your weapon for free at the beginning of a turn. Essentially, this means your sniper will almost always have the ability to fire their weapon.

BEO adds +1 damage to critical hits for every enemy within sight of the Sniper, up to a maximum of +5. Note, however, that this is critical damage, not critical hit chance. So, if your shot doesn’t land a critical hit, you won’t benefit from the additional damage. However, the Sniper has other perks that increase critical hit chance (DGG, Lone Wolf, Aggression, Sharpshooter); combined with these perks, BEO is deadly.

VPT is useful for snipers, but is even more useful combined with Ranger and Mayhem (more on Mayhem below). I usually default to LnL, however, because it stacks very well with ITZ.

Master Sergeant: In the Zone – Double Tap – Mayhem

This rank is all about previous choices. In the Zone combines well with LnL; if you empty your magazine killing multiple enemies with ITZ, you can reload for free at the beginning of your next turn and start chaining kills again. Double Tap is good, but it’s even better on a Gunner because it can apply HEAT ammo twice to strong robotic enemies; the sniper does not benefit from special ammunition types. Mayhem has been changed in LW; for Sniper Rifles/Strike Rifles, it provides a +2 damage increase. Combine with with Ranger and VPT, and you’ll be doing +5 additional damage to enemies you have autopsied. Of course, you would probably do more damage anyway with Double Tap or ITZ. Double Tap is a nice option, though, because it can be used regardless of whether an enemy is flanked/exposed or not, and does not have to target the same enemy (although it does have a one turn cooldown.)

SAMPLE BUILDS

Mobile Sniper:

Squadsight – Low Profile – Disabling Shot – Executioner/Aggression/Damn Good Ground – Tactical Sense – Lock ‘n Load – In the Zone

This is my standard Strike Rifle build. I favor this build because it provides flexibility to the Sniper; you still have great long-range shots, but you can also move and shoot without penalty. Low Profile is great with Strike Rifles, because anywhere you take cover will provide high cover bonuses. Disabling Shot is the default choice, because Precision Shot is almost useless, and Snap Shot is useless for Strike Rifles. The next rank is a matter of preference; I typically use Executioner because my Sniper is on the move a lot, and thus cannot always take advantage of DGG. Aggression, meanwhile, provides benefits regardless of enemy health level. Tac Sense is a requirement because your Sniper will often be in range of enemy attacks, although if you feel like gambling you can opt for Sharpshooter. LnL is great for ITZ snipers, and Strike Rifles are great for ITZ because you can move, flank enemies, then unload with ITZ. Long rifles are better off with Double Tap, usually, because they do more base damage than Strike Rifles.

Classic Sniper:

Squadsight – Lone Wolf – Precision Shot/Disabling Shot – Executioner/Damn Good Ground – Sharpshooter – Bring ‘Em On – In The Zone/Double Tap

I call this build the “classic” Sniper because it is most similar to snipers in other media; this soldier is a “Lone Wolf” who is capable of killing or maiming enemies from long range with long sniper rifles. This build works best with long rifles and requires some preplanning and positioning, but is deadly in the right hands. It sacrifices Low Profile for Lone Wolf (this Sniper is usually not in range of enemies and doesn’t draw shots) and Tactical Sense for Sharpshooter (Tac Sense is obsolete for the same reason, and Sharpshooter is great for long rifles). DGG is preferred, because ideally you’ll be parking your sniper on a roof or hill for most of the mission. BEO stacks with Squadsight, so the enemies do not have to be in sight of the sniper, just the squad. LnL is still good, but less useful in this case. ITZ/Double Tap is a matter of preference: do you want your Sniper to specialize in crowd control? ITZ is the choice, then, because you can kill multiple enemies per turn. However, it is harder to use with long rifles because you cannot move and shoot, so you will need to rely on cover destruction to set up your ITZ sprees. Double Tap is great for dealing massive damage to one tough enemy.

Pure Damage:

Xcom Enemy Within Arc Thrower

Squadsight – Lone Wolf – Precision Shot – Executioner/Aggression/Damn Good Ground – Ranger/Sharpshooter – Bring ‘Em On/Vital Point Targeting – Mayhem/Double Tap

This is more of a class philosophy than a single build because you can really create two different builds designed around dealing massive damage: a Critical Hit build or pure Damage build. I’ll show both paths and how they use perk synergy to maximize effectiveness.

Critical Hits: Squadsight – Lone Wolf – Precision Shot – Aggression – Sharpshooter – Bring ‘Em On – Double Tap

Using a long rifle, you will receive the following bonuses: +10% aim and +10% crit chance with Lone Wolf; +30% crit chance and bonus crit damage with Precision Shot; up to +30% crit chance with Aggression; +10% crit chance against all enemies, plus +10% aim against enemies in high cover with Sharpshooter; up to +5 critical hit damage with BEO; 2 shots every other turn. For maximum benefits, you would receive +80% crit chance if there are no allied units within 7 tiles of the sniper and three or more enemies in sight of the squad with Precision Shot, plus additional damage per critical hit (varying amount based on tech level with Precision Shot, plus +1 damage per enemy in sight of squad from BEO), plus 10% aim (+10% more aim against an enemy in full cover).

Xcom Enemy Within Arc Thrower Pistol Slot

Pure Damage: Squadsight – Lone Wolf – Precision Shot – Executioner/Damn Good Ground – Ranger – Vital Point Targeting – Mayhem/Double Tap

This works best with long rifles, but you could also use Strike Rifles (although Precision Shot would be much worse; in that case, go with Disabling Shot just for versatility). You receive +1 damage from Ranger, +2 from VPT on autopsied enemies, and +2 from Mayhem, for a total of +5. You also receive 10% aim on enemies if there are no allied units within 7 tiles of the sniper, and +10% aim and crit chance against enemies with 50% health or lower with Executioner (or +10% aim and crit chance if you have an elevation bonus on an enemy with DGG, in addition to the standard elevation bonus). These bonuses combine to provide boosts to aim, crit chance and base damage, although your crits aren’t as deadly as the previous build option. You could swap out Mayhem for Double Tap; you would do 2 less base damage but have an extra shot every 3rd turn.

Final Notes

Arc Thrower In The Pistol Slot. :: XCOM: Enemy Unknown ...

The Sniper is useful from the beginning of a campaign to the end; although she won’t be your primary killer most of the time, she is definitely useful as a supporter and in emergency situations.
Your Sniper should target the most threatening enemy if possible. Long War provides many options for your Snipers, and you could even deploy two different snipers builds in the same mission if you wanted. She doesn’t rely on items as heavily as any other class; I usually slap a Scope on for even more accuracy and critical chance, plus either Alloy Plating for Strike Rifle scouts or Extended Cap Ammo, Smoke grenades or even a Medkit in the other slot. A respirator (or Chitin Plating) is also a good idea for long range snipers, because it provides immunity to strangulation.