Grenadier (XCOM2)

The Grenadier is a demolitions expert, providing heavy ordnance delivery whenever and wherever needed. The Grenadier is the successor to the Heavy class.

Abilities

Rank	Ability
Squaddie	Launch Grenade The Grenadier uses a grenade launcher to fire grenades rather than throwing them. This allows for greater range and grenade capacity. The grenadier gains an extra inventory slot that may only be used for grenades.[1]
Specialization	Demolitions Expert	Heavy Gunner
Corporal	Blast Padding Your gear includes layers of extra padding and blast plates, granting a bonus point of Armor and 66% less damage from explosive attacks.	Shredder Your cannon attacks shred armor. Higher rank weapons shred more points of armor. The shredding effect applies before damage.
Sergeant	Demolition Unleash a volley of bullets at your target's cover, significantly damaging or destroying it. Deals no damage to your target. Uses 2 ammo. 3-turn cooldown.	Suppression Fire a barrage that pins down a target, granting reaction fire against it if it moves, and imposing a -50 penalty to the target's aim. Suppression is cancelled if the Grenadier takes damage. Suppression penalties stack. Uses 2 ammo. No cooldown.
Lieutenant	Heavy Ordnance The grenade in your grenade-only slot gains a bonus use.[1] Affects support grenades, not just offensive ones.	Holo Targeting Any directed cannon shot, hit or miss, will mark the target, increasing your squad's aim by +15 against this target. Applies to standard attacks and single-target abilities, including suppression.
Captain	Volatile Mix Your grenades have an increased radius of 1 tile, and deal +2 damage. Does not increase environment damage.	Chain Shot Take a shot with an aim penalty of -15. If you hit the target, you take another shot on the target automatically. Uses 2 ammo. 3-turn cooldown.
Major	Salvo Launching or throwing grenades, or using heavy weapons with your first action, will not end your turn.	Hail of Bullets Unleash a hail of bullets that is guaranteed to hit your target, but uses a lot of ammunition. Standard shot with 100% to-hit. Uses 3 ammo. 5-turn cooldown.
Colonel	Saturation Fire Fire a cone shaped barrage of bullets at every enemy in an area. In addition, the cover of those enemies can be damaged or destroyed. Uses 3 ammo. The Grenadier takes a standard shot at each affected enemy, which can miss. 5-turn cooldown.	Rupture A Rupture shot deals critical damage and ensures that the target takes an additional +3 damage from all attacks in the future. Uses 3 ammo. 3-turn cooldown.

[1] The Grenadier's abilities apply to any type of grenade, including non-lethal ordinance such as smoke grenades, flashbangs, or battle scanners. (Unconfirmed for Volatile Mix, but the radius bonus probably applies.)

Tactical Advice

Like the Heavy of old, the Grenadier's perk tree can roughly translate to the Rocketeer and the Gunner from Long War. One side favors explosions and detonations, the other is a more semi-support machine gunner for softening heavy and armored targets. Of note is the Salvo perk for a demolitions Grenadier, a bonus which also boosts the E.X.O. Armor's special weapons usage. Thusly, if you do go with the Demolitions route, one of these armor sets is an excellent boost to their destructive capabilities.

Sources

• XCOM 2 - Grenadier Class - Skill Tree Breakdown [1]