Facilities in XCOM 2
XCOM 2 will not only have you commandeering a squad of soldiers on the battlefield, but also deciding what a base becomes. You get to choose what technologies are researched, what items are built, and which facilities will make up the core of your base. Engineers are who will excavate for open rooms and build up whatever facility you deem, so check out our guide on how to get more of them if you need some. Besides them, you will also need supplies which you can use this guide to get more of those.
You can trigger the build menu for your base by hovering over the Engineering tab and clicking Build Facilities. From this window you can then choose different rooms to either excavate, build, or upgrade.
Let’s take a look at each facility and their use.
Power Relay
This is a very important facility and, if not the first one you build, should definitely be the second. Each facility takes power to build and if you hit the cap, you won’t be able to. Power Relays provide power and can be upgraded to provide even more. Additionally, an Engineer can be placed here to increase the total power so long as they are stationed at the Relay. It requires three power, 80 supplies, and a monthly upkeep of 10 supplies.
Laboratory
Laboratories are useful in that they provide a boost to technology research. You need to have a scientist to staff at the lab first, though. They will continue working there, increasing research speed drastically and it can be upgraded for even more power. Labs take three power, 125 supplies, and a monthly upkeep of 35 supplies.
Workshop
Workshops are another one of the first facilities you can build on your base. They are very useful in that, once built, can be staffed with an Engineer to build GREMLIN drones. These drones can be sent to other facilities to staff them. It’s crucial when you don’t have enough Engineers to staff all of the facilities and want to take advantage of the perks that each one has. Workshops take one power, 125 supplies, and a monthly upkeep of 35 supplies.
Advanced Warfare Center
The Advanced Warfare Center can come in handy on the battlefield side. With one built, soldiers might be able to gain a bonus ability (without even being that class) when they’re promoted. It’s not for certain but it can make a world of difference in a fight if it happens. Additionally, staffing an Engineer at the AWC will decrease the time that a soldier will take to recover from wounds. This is absolutely useful and really the biggest draw to building the AWC as soon as you can. Running out of soldiers to send out to a fight is a surefire way to lose it all in XCOM 2. This facility takes three power, 115 supplies, and a monthly upkeep of 35 supplies.
Resistance Comms
Resistance Comms is a huge deal as a facility. As you continue on through XCOM 2, missions will be locked behind a region you have not made contact with. If you’ve used up all your available contact spaces, you’re out of luck for reaching that mission. This is why as soon as Resistance Comms become available, you should build one to increase those contacts. If you need more contacts, upgrade the facility. If even more are needed, staff an Engineer there. You should be set with just one for a very long time. Resistance Comms takes three power, 110 supplies, and a monthly upkeep of 25 supplies.
Proving Grounds
Proving Grounds is one of the few facilities that you need to build as part of a mission. It’s also the first one, as you’ll need it to develop the Skulljack item that you’ll need for more missions. Luckily, its uses don’t end there. You can develop advanced items like grenades and ammo or armor like the E.X.O. Suit or the Spider Suit at the Proving Grounds. Always keep a new project open because even if you don’t have the Engineer to staff there and speed it up, you’ll slowly but surely be developing a new, amazing addition to your squad’s outfits.
 Shadow Chamber
The Shadow Chamber is yet another one that XCOM 2 will force you to build as part of a mission. Shadow Projects are advanced research projects that are done as part of mission requirements. That means that, unfortunately, the Shadow Chamber’s use is restricted to a mission. When you have to research something, keep in mind that any Shadow Project will halt all other technology research.
Guerilla Tactics School
The Guerilla Tactics School must be built immediately. As soon as you get the option, build it. With the school, you’re able to do a very important XCOM 2 task: increase your squad size. This is part of the GTS Tactics that are introduced with the facility. Other tactics are also really useful if you’re able to purchase them from the school. Things like +25% experience gained from kills or increased mobility while the squad is concealed. Additionally, the GTS can train any Rookie to be a specific class you want instead of the random one that they could be promoted into.
Psi Lab
The Psi Lab is very important as it’s the only way that you will get access to a special class in XCOM 2: the Psi Operative. This type of soldier wreaks havoc with their Psionic abilities against the alien menace. It’s fairly quick to train a soldier up, as well, provided you have an Engineer to increase the speed of it all. You won’t want to miss out on this facility as Psi Operatives are incredibly useful on the battlefield. Plus, they have vibrant eyes and white hair. It’s cool.
Published: Feb 8, 2016 01:49 pm