Skills rebalance proposal

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	Geoscape
	Combat
	Character Development
	Classes and Skills
	Mission Types
	Final Mission (Spoiler!)

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Skills rebalance proposal

1. Assault
2. Heavy
3. Sniper
4. Berserker
5. Infiltrator
6. Technician
7. Priest

Assault

- Proficient with assault rifles and shotguns (complete list here)

Dash

Move up to 1/2 of the movement of the character (3WP and 1AP; limited to 2 uses per turn) (e.g. with a movement stat of 20, a soldier can move 10 tiles casting )

Return Fire

Shoot back at an enemy when it attacks, provided that character is using a direct-fire projectile weapon with proficiency, and the enemy is within half perception range (passive skill)

Ready for Action

Reloading and inventory management costs 0 AP (passive skill)

Onslaught

Refunds 2AP to another operative within 12 tiles, can only be used once per turn by the same soldier (cost 4WP and 2AP)

Rapid Clearance

Get back 2 AP for each kill until the end of the turn (cost 5WP)

Heavy

- Proficient with machine guns, cannons and grenade launchers (see complete list here)

Brawler

Bash and melee attacks deal 50% more damage (passive skill)

This is a must have skill for a melee oriented , very effective in combination with jet jump.

It can also be used in a multiclass build with an with the vengeance torso to create a melee 'Terminator'.

War Cry

Limits the AP of all enemies within 10 tiles to 2 (3WP 1AP)

Boom Blast

Reduces the cost of using explosives by 1 AP and increases their range by 50% until the end of the turn (5WP)

Inspire

Killing an enemy grants allies 1 additional WP (passive skill)

Rage Burst

Fire the weapon 5 times in an arc, limited to one use per turn by the same soldier (5WP + standard AP cost of firing the weapon)

Sniper

- Proficient with sniper rifles and pistols (see complete list here).

Everyone likes sniper rifles because of their long effective range and high damage per shot. It's an easy package for reliably overcoming armor at long distances.

skills make it even better with cheaper overwatch () and cheaper fire with proficient weapon (), even higher accuracy when there are no enemies nearby (), removal of armor from the body part that gets disabled () and a damage multiplier spell ().

However, sniper rifles have the lowest Damage per Second/Damage per AP of all types of weapons and they don't do shred damage. However, the skills are useful with other weapons, whether through multiclassing or third-row weapon proficiency.

Extreme Focus

Overwatch cost is reduced by 1 action point(passive skill)

It can reduce the cost of overwatch to 0 AP if the weapon only costs 1 AP to shoot, so it is very common to use this skill to setup a free overwatch with a handgun. Alternatively, it can be used to set up overwatch with a sniper rifle after making a shot with it using

Quick Aim

The AP cost of the next shot with proficient weapon is reduced by 1 (3WP)

The most common use of this skill is to shoot a sniper rifle twice in a single turn, but of course it offers interesting combinations for other weapons as well ( + to land a shotgun blast being a favorite). Even more interesting effects happen when this is used with weapons that cost only 1 AP to use, such as most handguns and all PDWs, especially in combination with , as it nets 2 APs per kill. So a broken rapid clearance chain can be resurrected with a pistol kill, perhaps with an assist from a buddy.

Master Marksman

Accuracy with a proficient weapon is increased by 30% while there are no spotted enemies within 10 tiles (passive skill)

Currently the bonus to accuracy is not shown in the info panel, but it still applies as long as the conditions are met.

This skill is particularly useful as part of kitting out an operative for 'extreme' accuracy, in combination with other buffs to accuracy, and not necessarily used with sniper weapons.

Weak Spot

Disabling a body part also remove that body part's armor (passive skill)

This is best used in combination with another operative to make a heavily armored target extremely vulnerable.

Mark for Death

Increases damage suffered by the target by 10 from each hit until the end of the turn (4WP)

This skill is very effective in multiplying damage to a target from burst weapons, especially shotguns and the Deceptor MG. The longer the burst (and the more bursts the target will receive) the more utility can be obtained from this skill.

However, it is not worth it to use it to increase the damage from single shot weapons, like sniper rifles.

Berserker

Essentially a meta-class. There is no reason at all to use as melee fighters. It's probably the one thing they are actually bad at, and this is neatly reflected by their skill set.

Armor Break

Next attack will shred an additional 30 armor (4WP)

Using this with a melee weapon is a very poor choice indeed:

First, the one advantage of melee weapons is that they have the highest damage per hit of any type of weapon, so they naturally overcome armor; if you are close enough to someone to hit them with a hammer, just club them to death and forget about the armor.

Second, even if for some reason you want to strip armor from the target while standing right next to it, don't do it with a melee weapon, because you have no idea what part you are going to hit and if it needs removing armor or not (remember, it is not possible to target body parts with a melee attack).

Close Quarters Evade

Attacks from enemies within 10 tiles deal 25% less damage (passive skill)

It's nice, being a passive skill, but it's not a game-changer by any stretch. Also, it doesn't encourage the use of melee weapons.

Bloodlust

Damage and movement are increased proportionally to the health lost (up to double) (passive)

It doesn't matter how, or when the health was lost, so friendly fire and denial of health care are fair (meta) game.

If anything, this encourages to keep away from the action, indulging in the high from a safe distance with, say, a sniper rifle.

Ignore pain

Disabled body parts remain functional. Cannot Panic or be Mind Controlled (passive)

This makes particularly useful for dealing with Sirens and Terror Sentinels in Lairs but doesn't really encourage using them as melee fighters.

Adrenaline Rush

All abilities cost 1 AP until the end of the turn, can't use any skills or abilities that cost WP after casting it, Accuracy reduced by 50% and you are dazed the next turn (5WP)

Bear in mind that you can:

1. use skills that cost WP before casting ... Like , for example.
2. avoid getting dazed by giving the the armored head mutation.
3. use weapons that cost 3 AP at the cost of 1AP, particularly heavy weapons (including the Goliath GL2) and sniper rifles.
4. negate the penalty to accuracy through armor/bionics/mutations, or by extreme mobility.

This is what the number one ’Terminator Build’ amounts to: / with the Strongman and top movement, wielding a Deceptor MG. It can clear maps in one turn all by itself. (Yes, that's an 'it', because it's clearly not human)

Infiltrator

- Proficient with crossbows and spider drones (see complete list here)

- Gain +25% to stealth while undetected

Infiltrators are very versatile, their skill set allowing them to fulfill very different roles even without multiclassing.

To use infiltrators properly it's important to understand how detection works.

Unlike with other operatives, you always know when the infiltrator is undetected because of the blue hue and the crossed-out eye on top of the screen when you select him (this icon )

Though infiltrators are stealthy because of their training (as long as they are undetected, they get a +25% boost to stealth) and their class-specific 'styx' armor (, and ), you can choose not to take advantage of it until they achieve a higher level, because their armor makes them squishy and they don't get a buff to their damage for attacking from stealth until they are LVL7 with the sneak attack skill.

Their starting Eros CRB III crossbow is not a bad weapon - it does the damage and has the AP cost of the NJ pistol Iron Fury but has nearly three times the precision (effective range of 34 vs 14) and is also silent. The biggest drawback is the clip size (only 3 bolts).

The way I approach them, infiltrators have two defensive skills, Deploy Decoy and Spider Drone Pack, and two offensive skills, Vanish and sneak attack, while their 'styx' armor is only really meaningful if they are used as scouts

Surprise Attack

Attacks from behind gain shock damage equal to 3 times the damage dealt (passive)

Though the description refers to damage dealt it is the max damage the weapon can deal, not taking into account how the damage is reduced by armor or certain special effects (like Orichalcum buff in the Legacy of the Ancients DLC). For example, a character hit on a body part with 20 armor for 60 standard damage will receive 180 shock damage, and not 120 .

The difficulty of taking advantage of is that directional positioning in Phoenix Point is more accidental than intentional. However, it can be quite useful situationally, because it is one of the few ways of inflicting shock damage at a distance and dazing an enemy can be a life-saver (for example, to break mind control of a Siren over an operative).

As the Eros CRB III has limited damage potential (it does 60 standard damage, thus 180 shock damage with ) it might require softening the target before it is effective, or use a weapon with a high damage per projectile (such as a sniper rifle.

Deploy Decoy

Deploy holographic decoy at the chosen location. The decoy is treated as a real target by all enemies (4WP 1AP)

It can be a bit of a hit or miss because of enemy AI that can react to the decoy in unpredictable ways, sometimes ignoring it altogether. However, as a rule, if you place the decoy in a convenient spot and there are no more convenient targets for the AI, it will go after it.

Spider Drone Pack

Deploy 3 spider drones with one action (2AP)

A great way to distract enemies by presenting them with three convenient targets. Though spider drones can also be used offensively, without the Technician's manual control to control them directly, you can't use them on the same turn that you deploy them, and have to wait until next turn (as long as you have an active , you can manually control the spider drones, but if he dies, panics or evacs the AI will take over controlling them).

You can also use them for scouting, but beware of using them in lairs and citadels as they can easily activate Terror Sentinels, and their Psychic Scream affects every operative in a 24 tile radius.

Vanish

Move within 5 tiles and disappear from view for the next turn (4WP)

Combined with sneak attack, it is one of the easiest and most reliable ways of doing extreme damage.

To benefit from the buff must remain undetected at the time of the , and the best way to achieve this is by casting . It's the only way to achieve it if you want the infiltrator to use melee weapons, because no matter his stealth he will be detected when getting close to enemies (at a distance of 5 tiles, to be precise).

Sneak Attack

Damage dealt while not spotted is increased by 100% (passive)

This applies to any damage dealt by the operative with any attack but not to Damage over Time (DoT) effects. So, for example, the Psyche CRB IV will deal 100 (because 50 increased by 100%), but will continue to inflict 40, not 80. However, all other special damages besides DoT will be increased by 100%. So, for example, Blast Damage, or the mind crush attack, will be increased by 100%.

Technician

PENDING REVIEW - Proficient with PDWs, Auto Turrets and Exo-Arms (see complete list here)

One interesting multiclass is infiltrator/technician, clad in stealth armor (so no exo-arms). He can scout ahead, remaining undetected, and leave a turret, or two, closer to the enemies than to your team

Turrets (as well spider drones and turret vehicles) can be controlled several times by different soldiers and the 600 pts of damage that the laser turret can deliver per attack at the cost of 1AP and 3WP is *a lot*.

Fast Use

The action point cost of medkits, stimpacks and robotic arm abilities is reduced by 1(passive)

This is mostly for dedicated healers.

Manual Control

Take manual control of a turret or vehicle weapon and shoot at a target (3WP 1AP)

Devastating when used with any auto turret, particularly a Scorcher AT, as it has an unmatched DPS of 600 per a single AP.

Can also be used with spider drones to quickly explore the map during the first turn and/or a precision explosive.

does not receive any benefits or rewards from the killing down by the spider drones, vehicle or auto turrets, such as [[#wps|WP]], APs (if multiclassed and using rapid clearance) or XPs.

Can't be used to make Scarab shoot more than once per turn. All rocket weapons are hard-coded to be used only once per turn

Field Medic

Restore 10 hit points and 10 armor to all body parts of the selected target. Disabled body parts are restored (2WP 2AP)

Requires VVA-2 Exo Arms and costs one charge (ammo).

One of two only ways for the player to restore disabled non-augmented limbs in combat (the other is Aspida)

Remote deployment

Turrets can be thrown in a radius of 10(?) tiles and deployed for 1 AP (passive)

Electric reinforcement

Give yourself and allies within 20 tiles a bonus of 20 armor for 1 turn. This effect does not stack (6WP 1AP)

Priest

- Proficient with weapons that deal virus damage (that is, Redeemer and Subjugator)

- Can use special head mutations, which give them additional abilities

focus on decreasing enemy WP (using weapons that deal viral damage and psychic scream) and taking advantage of it (with mind control and induce panic).

Because virus damage does Damage over Time, you have to wait until the enemies turn for it to take effect. This means that you can't use to reduce the WP of an enemy to lower the cost of or to on the same turn.

also have an area of effect attack that can be 'metaed' into something wicked (), and what can be best described as a combined haste & bravery spell ( frenzy).

There is a defensive-support side to the , with psychic ward that offers some protection to friendlies, and with Mind Sense that shows as red blips all enemies within 15 tiles, but in Phoenix Point (usually) you don't need to be a psychic to spot most enemies much further away and the skill does not seem to be working at the moment anyway(seems to be working now as described).

Additional abilities acquired from head mutations

A particularity of is that they have access to a unique set of head mutations, each of them adding another ability (or 'spell') to their repertoire:

1. Judgement Head: Instil frenzy in friendly characters within 20 tiles for 2 turns, increasing their movement by 50% and making them immune to panic (1AP, 4WP)
2. Screaming Head: Cast psychic scream, reducing WP of all enemy units in an 8 tile radius by NTC (3AP, 4WP)
3. Synod Head: Living allied units within 7 tiles recover 2 WP at the start of the turn (passive skill)

However, and that comes with it are the best choices by far in most circumstances. A 50% increase in movement and immunity to panic for 2 turns? Any of these effects would have been enough to make it a worthwhile investment, but together it's a no-brainer

Mind Control

Gain control of an enemy in range and with line of sight (WP cost equal to enemy's current WP, 1AP; costs 1-10 WP per turn to maintain, depending on target type)

How to use it effectively:

The cost in WP of initiating of an enemy is its current WP and the cost of maintaining it on each subsequent turn varies on the type of character (1WP for , 2WP for and humans, 3WP for , 5WP for Sirens and , and 10WP for ).

Beware that

1. if casting will lower your WP to 0, you will lose the WP and fail to the enemy;
2. if the enemy is panicked, you can them but they can't do anything;
3. while under the enemy is for all intents and purposes on your team, which means that it will gain WP from and from killing enemies.

So what you want to do is reduce the WP of your target before casting , and you want to start by reducing its max WP by disabling its head. You will probably want to bring the WP even lower by, for example, casting priest psychic scream, or killing some of its mates to bring down the morale. You don't want to reverse the order because if you first kill some enemies, or cast , and then disable the target's head, the reduction in max WP will absorb those initial losses and you will not lower the cost to .

Finally, don't forget that you can release the critter from if it is convenient for any reason (for example, to avoid paying the cost of maintaining next turn, or because you want its water... I mean, WP for dispatching it).

So with you want to carefully plan ahead and do some math before you pick a victim

Induce Panic

Cause a target to panic if its current WP are less than the (3WP, 1AP)

Mind Sense

All organic enemies within 15 tiles are automatically revealed (passive)

'Revealed' meaning shown as red blips.

Currently doesn't work for detecting dormant Ancients (Legacy of the Ancients)

Psychic Ward

Allies within 10 tiles are immune to panic and psychic damage attacks (passive)

Currently only prevents characters from panicking, does not reduce psychic damage Fixed in 1.10 Orryx

Mind Crush

Deal 100 damage to all enemy entities within 10 tiles (6WP, 1AP)

The damage dealt by ignores armor need to check if triggers

Devastating when used against mobs, as it can be cast multiple times.

'Tuning' the :

The 100 damage is enough to kill worms (though not Mindfraggers), and do considerable damage to humans, Arthrons and Tritons, but you can stack it with Reckless or sneak attack to give it a more murderous touch. Or you can cross the with a for the ultimate crowd control experience. Or with to gain rapid clearance.