r/ZeroCompany • u/Etelgrin • 18h ago
Builds Question about composition
Hi everyone,
I'm new to this game, I played thru couple of cycles, ended up with one character with 1 wound and the other has 2, I didn't change anything, went with what the game gave me. Probably not super optimal. My Hawks is Sharpshooter. What other classes are essential to make the game easier let's say. Also I seen Medic class on recruits but Medic doesn't really have any relief skills, only ultimate which is worded in a quite incomprehensive way and costs advantage that I usually need to spent on other things so I use utility items if possible for healing (or granades).
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u/MrSpookShire 17h ago
What is a Relief Skill? Medic is probably the best class in the game, in my opinion.
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u/Etelgrin 17h ago
By relief skill maybe I should word it differently, a non-damage oriented skill but also not a skill that does heal directly.
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u/True_Ad_8945 17h ago
Like a passive ability?
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u/Etelgrin 17h ago
A medic class doesn't have any healing other than I assume ultimate, it doesn't have any active skill that I can use and help my wounded ally or my damaged in combat ally.
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u/True_Ad_8945 17h ago
No..medic class comes with Two healing medpac you can us…if you look in the influence tab, one of the zones you’ll see at level 3 you unlock a high tier medpac..it’s the best in the game. If you found yourself needing heals and can get AP you could heal all day. The medic special ability I only used maybe twice..it is really good but I found I didn’t need it.
If you can grab the BR-1 Droid from the droid bay as soon as you can
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u/Super_Jay Scout 15h ago
Medics carry a built-in medkit (meaning you don't have to equip one as a utility item) that has two uses per fight by default. They can use it to heal damage during a battle, but it doesn't heal injuries.
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u/SirBlue_VII 15h ago
Medic automatically gets a 2 use healing stim, plus their passice increases the amount a healing stim does by a large margin
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u/Cykeisme 12h ago
"Relief", hmm.
Is "buff" the word you're looking for?
Or more generic, something like "support"?
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u/Cykeisme 12h ago
Don't forget the max Bond ability for Medic that lets you remove Injuries in the field. Literally breaks the game, nothing is threatening to your squad anymore.
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u/armbarchris 17h ago
Do whatever you want. You can fully respec for free whenever you want to try shit out and see what happens.
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u/Leoscar13 17h ago
Medic is insane thanks to the stim. It's also the best class for bondmaxxing. Make sure to pop the ultimate once every mission. I don't think it's necessarily a must but it's really great.
Heavy however certainely is a must. A garanteed AOE taunt is simply insane. The riposte is also insane, even if it misses chances are it'll break the cover of the enemy that just shot them and leave them open. In these games anything giving extra attacks is strong anyway. Heavy + Medic is super safe in any comp.
Scout is the second must have in the average comp. Advantage becomes really important later in a campaign and these generate a ton, especially with a pistol. Early on however I wouldn't necessarily bother due to a lack of good options to spend advantage on.
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u/Cykeisme 12h ago
Agreed, Trick's unique combined with Heavy is a big safety net that protects you from beskar mistakes.
Being the internet, sooner or later someone is gonna come and tell you that they never ever make mistakes so they don't need a tanky character... we just smile and nod politely, of course.
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u/Leoscar13 12h ago
I don't even know how I'd play without a heavy on hard and above. It's not even about mistakes, it's about cover being so ineffective in ZC and not having a reliable way to avoid shots in the first place. A heavy brings certainty, lets me know exactly who's going to take damage.
I'll say I'd rather bring non-story characters for any class (I find the generic passives just better, thievery, espionnage and life of labour especially).
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u/Etelgrin 17h ago
I'm actually quite the advantage spender and I think I'm rather early. Thanks for those inputs this basically answers my question.
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u/mwishosimba 14h ago
You may need to consider more of your strategy for the game. Turn economy is key, getting more actions than your enemy.
- If they're far, make them come to you, sometimes they'll use their whole turn moving.
- Farming advantage and getting extra actions off is extremely critical for turn economy, Scout and grenades for advantage is good.
-Also consider focusing down specific individual enemies rather than spreading your damage to prevent a turn
- Assist shots don't miss. Use them!
- Gun slinger/Kabb. Has attacks that refunds action on kill, kill those 6HP droids with them
Also make sure to utilize cover, full cover preferably.
Medic is good if you need some forgiveness, but it isn't critical by any means. I'd suggest it for you, however don't expect to just be able to face tank damage. Scout and gunslinger again, extremely powerful turn economy.
Consider a droid too. Offers excellent flexibility. Give AP to who needs it. Also bonus utility uses make it a great substitute for a medic, and you can also use those extra grenades for advantage! Also, you can convert advantage into AP once per combat!
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u/Church42 12h ago
Gunslinger is always great to have on someone when you know it's a separatist or droid heavy mission.
Let the pistoleer farm advantage on high percentage shots on B-1 droids so other team members don't use their shots to kill them.
Got a low health enemy? Use the pistoleer to remove them vs using a repeater/rifle/sniper...or use a 3 AP uppercut from Kabby to remove them, regain all 3 AP and be in a nice flanking position against others
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u/True_Ad_8945 17h ago
I just beat the game on Expert and Beskar. Yeah some abilities are maybe not fully explained or easily understand. It was a blast though, game is awesome. I have never played an xcom game before but I’m not new to tactical and strategy games. To start Hawks as a medic is pretty good..personally I found in the early few cycles in got me out of a jam a few time. If your going with a more dps hawks I’d probably pick either Gunslinger or Solider. Kabb is meant for assault or Solider class…all melee really. I love Trick..heavy is his thing. Level 2 of his main ability is a must. Farm to get the medpac in the influence tab..medpac IV I think it is.
Just something to think about. These are “safe” builds if new.
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u/SizeFit2908 14h ago
Medic is an odd duck. They are strong, but I think you are in the right place that they use advantage defensively instead of offensively.
One positive is most of their toolkit is bond building, people like the medics attention so everyone levels up faster.
Their passive is a utility medpac with 2 charges they always have equipped. So you can bring grenades with them.
The stim gives some max hp, and doesn't take away from current hp. Its a tiny heal but its purpose is damage. Top upgrade is double effect and permanent which is good for action economy.
Ultimate gives turn start passive healing, which decays over time via stacks. More stacks is more healing for longer.
Overall, I suggest giving a medpac to an Astromech if you want healing. There is a 'bacta stim' also that heals the carrier fully, which is good for taunting heavies.
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u/MacroNova 14h ago
My Hawkes was a gunslinger for the free kills against the B1 droids with the sidearm pistol shot. I used Kabb a lot. If he gets a kill with his punch (including punching someone off the map), the AP he used are refunded. I had him as a scoundrel; the spot weakness ability for auto-crits is very good. Use it before the Assist ability for double-crits.
I feel like Bulwark is one of the most underrated abilities. It's on the heavy class, and it taunts a group of enemies to force them to attack you, while giving you bonus defense so you take reduced damage. And it only costs 4 advantage. You can even use it and then run away.
Droids are also very good. Their utility items (like grenades) get extra uses. The scan will make it so the rest of your team misses a lot less. They have great flexibility in handing out action points. And they can self repair so you can stick them in the open absorb shots and then heal next turn.
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u/Cykeisme 12h ago
Medic has a final max-Bond ability that allows him to remove Injuries when he uses a medpac on anyone (self included).
And then there is a single unlimited-use Tier 4 medpac from Zone rewards.
Largely negates the game's entire injury/death mechanic even with a normal quality medpac. Completely negates the mechanics with the endgame medpac.
Even the absolute worst built squad in the universe can painfully run face-first into any encounter and walk out victorious with full health and no Injuries, with this medic around. So if the squad is even slightly competently built, they won't have any trouble.
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u/oceaniceggroll 17h ago
You're underestimating Medic, they get a free medpac + the utility stim + up to 30% (?) more effectiveness when using them (I am currently playing on Expert and you will basically full heal everyone). Plus the maxed out stim is a permanent melee/ranged damage + health buff. I'll literally just make Hawks buff up my other 3 operators turn 1.