[Top 3] XCOM 2 Best Research Orders That Are Excellent

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Put in the work to fight off ADVENT forces.


3. Armor Research

This Sharpshooter, rocking the Warden Armor, is ready to face alien forces.

You can’t go wrong in any game for trying to upgrade your armor. With so many looming threats, you can’t be caught dead in the water with level 1 armor. As with all research orders on this list, developing the best armor will take a few steps and many days (in XCOM 2 time). The end result is worth it, as you unlock specialty armor sets that have specific features (grappling hooks, heavy weapons capabilities, erecting a barrier, etc.) as well as the Warden armor, which is the highest upgraded armor set in the game. 

Armor Research Order Details (The “->” denotes unlocked items after research, the next bullet point is the unlocked Research product)

  • Hybrid Materials 
  • Plated Armor -> Predator Armor, E.X.O Suit (Proving Ground), Spider Suit (Proving Ground)
  • Elerium
  • Powered Armor -> Warden Armor, W.A.R. Suit (Proving Ground), Wraith Suit (Proving Ground)

2. Psionics

Psi Operatives will shake up your strategy and add new abilities to your squad.

While it takes some time, getting to the Psionics research order is where things get wild and fun. The addition of the fifth class will make all the early game Sectoid shenanigans feel like deeply-rooted satisfying vengeance. Psionic soldiers bring a catalog of status effects on ADVENT troops. You can perform abilities like remote bomb detonation, buff squadmates, and mind control enemies. Needless to say, the earlier you do this, the better. 

Psionics Research Order Details

  • Alien Biotech -> Alien Autopsies
  • Sectoid Autopsy -> Mindshield
  • Psionics -> Advanced Psi Amp, Psi Lab (Facility used to train Psi Operatives)

1. Weapons Research

Unlocking new weapons will improve your combat experience and keep your soldiers safe

Unlocking the best weapons in the game is your top priority because killing aliens is what gets the missions done and keeps your squadmates safe. It takes the longest time out of any research order to collect every weapon in the XCOM 2 arsenal, but it is well worth your days on the Avenger. Without these weapons, you’ll have a guaranteed tough time fighting in the later stages of the game. 

Weapon Research Order Details

  • Modular Weapons -> Weapon Upgrades
  • Magnetic Weapons -> Magnetic Rifle, Shard Gun, Mag Pistol
  • Gauss Weapons -> Mag Cannon, Gauss Rifle, Temnotic Rifle (WOTC)
  • Elerium
  • Plasma Rifle -> Plasma Rifle, Beam Pistol
  • Plasma Lance, Beam Cannon, Storm Gun (all separate research projects)

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Long Beach writer with extensive prowess in pausing the menu and eating food for health. Prone to natural lagging and the occasional input delay.
Gamer Since: 1996
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Top 3 Favorite Games:Mass Effect 3, Team Fortress 2, XCOM 2


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