Abilities (EU2012)

Your soldiers' actions on the battlefield can influenced by their individual abilities, which are given by their rank, class, equipment and/or perks purchased through the Officer Training School.

Class & Rank Abilities

These are special perks available to each class and rank. Up reaching a certain rank a soldier has to choose exclusively between two abilities. Click on each column to sort contents alphabetically.

Assault Abilties

Ability	Rank Required	Description
Run & Gun	Squaddie	Allows to move and make a shot, including at the end of dashing, can't use equipment, cooldown 3 turns.
Tactical Sense	Corporal A	Confers +5 Defense per enemy in sight (max +20).
Aggression	Corporal B	Confers +10% critical chance per enemy in sight (max +30%).
Lightning Reflexes	Sergeant A	Forces the first reaction shot against this unit each turn to miss.
Close & Personal	Sergeant B	Confers +30% critical chance against adjacent targets. The bonus declines with distance from the target.
Rapid Fire	Lieutenant A	Allow for two shots, with potentially twice the damage inflicted but at a lower accuracy.
Unknown	Lieutenant B	Not yet revealed
Unknown	Captain A	Not yet revealed
Unknown	Captain B	Not yet revealed
Unknown	Major	Not yet revealed
Unknown	Colonel A	Not yet revealed
Unknown	Colonel B	Not yet revealed
Rushing?	Unknown	Mentioned in one video?

Heavy Abilities

Ability	Rank Required	Description
Fire Rocket	Squaddie	Fire a rocket using an equipped launcher. This ability can not be used after moving, nor more than once per mission.
Bullet Swarm	Corporal A	Firing the primary weapon as the first action no longer ends the turn.
Holo-Targeting	Corporal B	Shooting at or suppressing enemies also confers a +10 Aim to any allies' attacks on those enemies.
Shredder Rocket	Sergeant A	Fire a rocket that causes all enemies hit to take +33% damage from all sources for the next 4 turns. The rocket's blast is weaker than a ???
Suppression	Sergeant B	Can fire a special shot that grants reaction fire at a single target. The target also suffers a -30 Aim penalty.
HEAT Rounds	Lieutenant A	+100% to damage against robotic enemies.
Rapid Reaction	Lieutenant B	Gives a second reaction fire if the first one was successful.
Grenadier	Captain A	Allows to carry 2 grenades instead of 1, if grenades are carried.
Danger Zone	Captain B	Increases hit area of rockets and suppression by 2 spaces.
Survival	Major	No details available
Focused Suppression	Colonel A	Reduce target Aim by 65% and free shot if the target moves.
Tracer Beam Rounds	Colonel B	If hit alien takes extra damage from entire squad.

Sniper Class Abilities

Ability	Rank Required	Description
Headshot	Squaddie	Fire a shot with +30% critical chance and extra damage on critical hits based on the tech level of the sniper rifle. 2 turn cooldown.
Snap Shot	Corporal A	Removes the sniper rifle's restriction on firing and Overwatch after moving. Any shots taken suffer a -20 Aim penalty.
Squad Sight	Corporal B	Allows firing at targets in any ally's sight radius.
Battle Scanner	Sergeant A	Scanning device, when thrown creates a new source of vision for 2 turns. Can only be used 2 times per battle
Gunslinger	Sergeant B	Confers 2 bonus damage with pistols
Opportunist	Lieutenant A	Unit continues firing on Overwatch as long as it hits the target
Disabling Round	Lieutenant B	Shot to disable alien's main weapon, alien may to fix the weapon, no critical hits, 2 turn cooldown
Damn Good Ground	Captain A	+10% Aim and +10 Defense against enemies at lower elevation in addition to the usual elevation bonuses
Executioner	Captain B	+10% Aim against targets with less than 50% Health
Low Profile	Major	Makes partial cover count as full cover
Double Tap	Colonel A	Both actions can be used for Standard/Precision/Disabling Shot
In The Zone	Colonel B	Additional shot after a critical hit

Support Class Abilities

Ability	Rank Required	Description
Smoke Grenade	Squaddie	Deploy a smoke grenade once per mission. The smoke confers +20 defense to all units, not just allies, and lasts during the enemy turn.
'Sprinter	'Corporal A	Allows the support to move 3 additional tiles.
Covering Fire	Corporal B	Allows reaction shot to trigger on enemy attacks, not just movement.
Field Medic	Sergeant A	Gives 3 Medikits, if the support is carrying them.
Unknown	Sergeant B	Not yet revealed
Revive	Lieutenant A	Allows Medikits to revive critically wounded Soldiers at 33% of maximum health instead of just stabilizing them.
Rifle Suppression	Lieutenant B	Fires a barrage that pins down a target, granting reaction fire against it and imposing a 30 penalty to aim.
Unknown	Captain A	Not yet revealed
Unknown	Captain B	Not yet revealed
Unknown	Major	Not yet revealed
Unknown	Colonel A	Not yet revealed
Unknown	Colonel B	Not yet revealed
Combat Stims	Unknown	Temporarily increase squad mates' stats and reduce damage taken

Psionic Class Abilities

Ability	Rank Required	Description
Mind Merge	Unknown	Speculated - There are 4 specific Psi icons visible on the demos
Panic	Unknown	If successful targeted unit panic and either will be unable to move and fire or run or go bezerk
Mind Control	Unknown	Control of enemy for 5 turns
Rift	Unknown	Creates a devastating psionic storm

(ingame descriptions appear on Italic text)

Officer Training School Abilities

These abilities can be obtained/purchased through building an Officer Training School. They have a monetary cost and require specific ranks to be purchased/activated.

Ability	Rank Required	Description
Wet Work	Sergeant	+25% experience gained from kills
Squad Size I	Sergeant	Squad size increased to 5 soldiers
Rapid Recovery	Lieutenant	Soldiers heal twice as fast from wounds taken in combat
Squad Size II	Captain	Squad size increased to 6 soldiers.
Iron Will	Major	Soldiers receive a larger Will bonus each time they are promoted
New Guy	Major	New soldiers are automatically promoted to the "Squaddie" rank
Don't Die On Me	Colonel	The higher the rank, the more likely the soldier will be critically wounded instead of killed

Equipment Abilities

These are specific abilities provided by the presence or use of selected equipment.

Stabilize

Ability	Equipment Required	Description
Heal Wound	Medikit	Use the Medikit to heal up to 4 Health Points or 8 points if the soldier is Support class
Stabilize	Medikit	Prevents a critically injured soldier from bleeding out.
Grapple Hook	Skeleton Suit Ghost Armor	Use the grappling hook to reach high locations
Stealth?	Ghost Armor	Use the stealth function of the Ghost armor to move undetected
Stun	Arc Thrower	Can incapacitate enemy targets. Higher chance if the target's health is at 3 HP or below.

See Also

Soldiers

Soldier Classes

Equipment