Difficulty (Long War) - Revision history

Eudaimonleon: /* Difficulty levels */ add starting funds

2025-07-25T07:48:03Z

Difficulty levels: add starting funds

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:48, 25 July 2025
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	*200 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.		*200 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.
	*XCOM base gets +2 "free" power.		*XCOM base gets +2 "free" power.
			*XCOM starts with $600 funds

	===Classic===		===Classic===
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	*Council members without satellite coverage grant 40% of their maximum funding.		*Council members without satellite coverage grant 40% of their maximum funding.
	*400 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.		*400 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.
			*XCOM starts with $500 funds

	===Brutal===		===Brutal===
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	*600 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.		*600 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.
	*Less elerium is recovered from UFO Power Sources.		*Less elerium is recovered from UFO Power Sources.
			*XCOM starts with $400 funds

	===Impossible===		===Impossible===
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	*Council members without satellite coverage grant 25% of their maximum funding.		*Council members without satellite coverage grant 25% of their maximum funding.
	*800 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.		*800 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.
			*XCOM starts with $300 funds

	==Easy Levels==		==Easy Levels==

Eudaimonleon: changing the alien research item based on the discussion page

2025-07-18T07:43:28Z

changing the alien research item based on the discussion page

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:43, 18 July 2025
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	==Difficulty levels==		==Difficulty levels==
	In general, higher difficulties cause you to have less resources at your disposal, while there are stronger and more numerous Aliens present on tactical missions. Aliens also ~~advance~~ their ~~research faster~~, granting them extra abilities, stats ~~and stronger alien types earlier in the game~~.		In general, higher difficulties cause you to have less resources at your disposal, while there are stronger and more numerous Aliens present on tactical missions. Aliens also accelerate their troop upgrades, granting them extra abilities and stats.

	===Normal===		===Normal===
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	*UFO missions grant 40% more Alien alloys.		*UFO missions grant 40% more Alien alloys.
	*More elerium is recovered from UFO Power Sources.		*More elerium is recovered from UFO Power Sources.
	*Alien ~~research~~ rate is at 70%.		*Alien troop upgrade rate is at 70%.
	*Council members with satellite coverage grant 110% of their maximum funding.		*Council members with satellite coverage grant 110% of their maximum funding.
	*Council members without satellite coverage grant 50% of their maximum funding.		*Council members without satellite coverage grant 50% of their maximum funding.
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	*Slightly more weapon fragments are recovered after missions.		*Slightly more weapon fragments are recovered after missions.
	*UFO missions grant 20% more Alien alloys.		*UFO missions grant 20% more Alien alloys.
	*Alien ~~research~~ rate is at 100%.		*Alien troop upgrade rate is at 100%.
	*Council members without satellite coverage grant 40% of their maximum funding.		*Council members without satellite coverage grant 40% of their maximum funding.
	*400 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.		*400 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.
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	'''Strategic'''		'''Strategic'''
	*Alien ~~research~~ rate is at 110%.		*Alien troop upgrade rate is at 110%.
	*Council members without satellite coverage grant 33% of their maximum funding.		*Council members without satellite coverage grant 33% of their maximum funding.
	*600 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.		*600 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.
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	Changes in Impossible:		Changes in Impossible:
	*Alien ~~research~~ rate is at 130%.		*Alien troop upgrade rate is at 130%.
	*Council members without satellite coverage grant 25% of their maximum funding.		*Council members without satellite coverage grant 25% of their maximum funding.
	*800 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.		*800 points of panic is spread to Council members at game start.
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	* +10% psi training chance, +3 psi training slots		* +10% psi training chance, +3 psi training slots
	* -20% soldier XP and PsiXP requirements		* -20% soldier XP and PsiXP requirements
	* Alien ~~Research~~ is 50% slower, Bonus Research starts at -120 (down from -90)		* Alien troop upgrade rate is 50% slower, Bonus Research starts at -120 (down from -90)
	* Council funding is 150%/140%/130%/120% N/C/B/I (up from 110%/100%/100%/100%)		* Council funding is 150%/140%/130%/120% N/C/B/I (up from 110%/100%/100%/100%)
	* Initial cash amount +200		* Initial cash amount +200

Riw: /* Changes */

2020-10-19T17:08:27Z

Changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:08, 19 October 2020
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	Changes among difficulties (Normal, Classic, Brutal, Impossible) remain the same as above, unless noted otherwise.		Changes among difficulties (Normal, Classic, Brutal, Impossible) remain the same as above, unless noted otherwise.

	''Tactical'':		'''Tactical'''

	* Civilian: +4 HP		* Civilian: +4 HP
	* Soldier: +1 HP, +5 Will		* Soldier: +1 HP, +5 Will
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	* aliens are less likely to use Alien Grenade		* aliens are less likely to use Alien Grenade

	''Strategic''		'''Strategic'''

	* +3 base power on Normal, +2 otherwise		* +3 base power on Normal, +2 otherwise
	* +10 starting soldiers, -5 credits hiring cost		* +10 starting soldiers, -5 credits hiring cost

Riw: /* Changes */

2020-10-19T17:05:49Z

Changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:05, 19 October 2020
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	* Initial cash amount +200		* Initial cash amount +200
	* Weapon Fragments from missions x2.5		* Weapon Fragments from missions x2.5
	* Alloys recovered ~~for~~ UFOs: 200%/170%/140%/120% N/C/B/I (up from 140%/120%/100%/100%)		* Alloys recovered from UFOs: 200%/170%/140%/120% N/C/B/I (up from 140%/120%/100%/100%)
	* +10 Elerium recovered per UFO Power Source		* +10 Elerium recovered per UFO Power Source
	* +40% chance to recover artifacts due to EMP Cannon (up from +20%)		* +40% chance to recover artifacts due to EMP Cannon (up from +20%)

Riw: /* Changes */

2020-10-19T17:05:32Z

Changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:05, 19 October 2020
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	* Initial cash amount +200		* Initial cash amount +200
	* Weapon Fragments from missions x2.5		* Weapon Fragments from missions x2.5
	* ~~UFO~~ Alloys +~~25%~~		* Alloys recovered for UFOs: 200%/170%/140%/120% N/C/B/I (up from 140%/120%/100%/100%)
			* +10 Elerium recovered per UFO Power Source
	* +40% chance to recover artifacts due to EMP Cannon (up from +20%)		* +40% chance to recover artifacts due to EMP Cannon (up from +20%)
	* -60% ship repair and rearm time		* -60% ship repair and rearm time

Riw: /* Easy Levels */

2020-10-19T16:54:01Z

Easy Levels

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:54, 19 October 2020
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	This last step is troubleshooting and shouldn't be necessary for most players, but sometimes the game fails to update the file it actually uses (XComGameCore.ini) with changes to the file users should edit (DefaultGameCore.ini), and this will ensure that the update does take place.		This last step is troubleshooting and shouldn't be necessary for most players, but sometimes the game fails to update the file it actually uses (XComGameCore.ini) with changes to the file users should edit (DefaultGameCore.ini), and this will ensure that the update does take place.

			===Changes===
			Changes among difficulties (Normal, Classic, Brutal, Impossible) remain the same as above, unless noted otherwise.

			''Tactical'':
			* Civilian: +4 HP
			* Soldier: +1 HP, +5 Will
			* SHIV: +2 HP
			* Sectoid: (nothing)
			* Drone: -1 HP
			* Outsider: -5 HP
			* Floater: -1 HP
			* Thin Man: -1 HP, -5 Aim
			* Seeker: (nothing)
			* Muton: -1 HP, -5 Aim, -10 Def
			* Chryssalid: -1 HP, -10 Def
			* Zombie: -4 HP
			* Cyberdisc: -6 HP, -5 Aim
			* Mechtoid: -7 HP
			* Berserker: -5 HP, -10 Def
			* Sectoid Commander: - 5 HP, -10 Def
			* Heavy Floater: -3 HP, -5 Aim, -10 Def
			* Muton Elite: -5 HP, -10 Aim, -10 Def
			* Sectopod: -15 HP
			* Ethereal: -5 HP, -10 Aim, -20 Def
			* Uber Ethereal: -30 HP, -20 Def
			* ballistic EXALT: -2 HP
			* Elite EXALT: -3 HP
			* -15 Def for flying units
			* +1 Motion Tracker charge
			* Arc Thrower stun chances back to vanilla (90%)
			* much lower chance for offscreen kills during terror missions
			* aliens are less likely to use Alien Grenade

			''Strategic''
			* +3 base power on Normal, +2 otherwise
			* +10 starting soldiers, -5 credits hiring cost
			* +10% psi training chance, +3 psi training slots
			* -20% soldier XP and PsiXP requirements
			* Alien Research is 50% slower, Bonus Research starts at -120 (down from -90)
			* Council funding is 150%/140%/130%/120% N/C/B/I (up from 110%/100%/100%/100%)
			* Initial cash amount +200
			* Weapon Fragments from missions x2.5
			* UFO Alloys +25%
			* +40% chance to recover artifacts due to EMP Cannon (up from +20%)
			* -60% ship repair and rearm time
			* +5% Interceptor penetration (up from 0%)
			* 50% chance for a Terror mission to hit most panicked country (down from 85%)
			* Initial panic spread down to 200/300/400/500 (from 200/400/600/800 N/C/B/I)
			* -1 panic increase per civilian killed during Terror missions
			* Respirator Implant costs 4 Meld (down from 8 Meld)
			* Alloy Carbide Plating grant 0 extra HP (down from 4) but Extra Conditioning Perk
			* UFO Scanners Foundry project cost down to 20 cash (from 65) but 4 UFO Flight Computers (up from 2)

	==See also==		==See also==

Riw: /* Impossible */

2020-10-19T13:54:00Z

Impossible

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:54, 19 October 2020
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	*Floaters, Thin Men, Mutons, Heavy Floaters, Muton Elites, Chryssalids, Berserkers, Outsiders, and EXALTs gain extra +15 will (+25 total).		*Floaters, Thin Men, Mutons, Heavy Floaters, Muton Elites, Chryssalids, Berserkers, Outsiders, and EXALTs gain extra +15 will (+25 total).
	*Sectoid Commanders, Ethereals, and Uber Ethereal gain extra +10 will (+35 total).		*Sectoid Commanders, Ethereals, and Uber Ethereal gain extra +10 will (+35 total).
	*Uber Ethereal gains +10 ~~def~~.		*Uber Ethereal gains extra +5 def (+10 total).
	*+1 base damage: Muton, Cyberdisc, Chryssalid, Zombie, Outsider, ballistic EXALT.		*+1 base damage: Muton, Cyberdisc, Chryssalid, Zombie, Outsider, ballistic EXALT.
	*+2 base damage: Sectoid Commander, Heavy Floater, Berserker, Sectopod, Ethereal, Elite EXALT.		*+2 base damage: Sectoid Commander, Heavy Floater, Berserker, Sectopod, Ethereal, Elite EXALT.

Riw: /* Brutal */

2020-10-19T13:53:09Z

Brutal

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:53, 19 October 2020
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	*All EXALT units gain +2 base HP.		*All EXALT units gain +2 base HP.
	*+5 will: Sectoid.		*+5 will: Sectoid.
	*+10 will: Floater, Thin Man, Muton, Heavy Floater, Muton Elite, Chryssalid, Zombie, Berserker, Outsider, all EXALT.		*+10 will: Floater, Thin Man, Muton, Heavy Floater, Muton Elite, Chryssalid, Zombie, Mechtoid, Berserker, Outsider, all EXALT.
	*+25 will: Sectoid Commander, Ethereal, Uber Ethereal.		*+25 will: Sectoid Commander, Ethereal, Uber Ethereal.
	*Uber Ethereal gains +5 def.		*Uber Ethereal gains +5 def.

Riw: /* Impossible */

2020-10-19T13:52:35Z

Impossible

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:52, 19 October 2020
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	*Heavy Floaters gain +1 mobility.		*Heavy Floaters gain +1 mobility.
	*Sectoids gain extra +5 will (+10 total).		*Sectoids gain extra +5 will (+10 total).
	*Floaters, Thin Men, Mutons, Heavy Floaters, Muton Elites, Chryssalids~~, Zombies~~, Berserkers, Outsiders, and EXALTs gain extra +15 will (+25 total).		*Zombies and Mechtoids gain extra +10 will (+20 total).
			*Floaters, Thin Men, Mutons, Heavy Floaters, Muton Elites, Chryssalids, Berserkers, Outsiders, and EXALTs gain extra +15 will (+25 total).
	*Sectoid Commanders, Ethereals, and Uber Ethereal gain extra +10 will (+35 total).		*Sectoid Commanders, Ethereals, and Uber Ethereal gain extra +10 will (+35 total).
	*Uber Ethereal gains +10 def.		*Uber Ethereal gains +10 def.

Riw: /* Impossible */

2020-10-19T13:43:10Z

Impossible

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:43, 19 October 2020
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	*Zombies have 15 base HP up from 12.		*Zombies have 15 base HP up from 12.
	*All Exalt units gain +2 base HP.		*All Exalt units gain +2 base HP.
	*+5 will: Sectoid.
	*+10 will: Floater, Thin Man, Muton, Heavy Floater, Muton Elite, Chryssalid, Zombie, Berserker, Outsider, all EXALT.
	*+25 will: Sectoid Commander, Ethereal, Uber Ethereal.
	*Uber Ethereal gains +5 def.

	Changes in Impossible:		Changes in Impossible: