Xcom 2 How To Equip Magnetic Weapons
Magnetic weapons inXCOM 2represent a significant leap in firepower for your soldiers, offering increased damage and improved combat efficiency against the ever-tougher alien enemies. However, many players find themselves confused about how to actually unlock and equip these powerful tools during their campaign. The process requires careful planning, research, and a good understanding of the game’s progression system. Upgrading to magnetic weapons can be the difference between barely surviving and dominating the battlefield, especially as enemies become more dangerous with time.
Understanding Magnetic Weapons in XCOM 2
What Are Magnetic Weapons?
Magnetic weapons are the second tier of firearms available inXCOM 2, serving as the first major upgrade over conventional starting weapons. These guns use magnetic coils to fire projectiles, allowing for better accuracy and significantly more damage than standard ballistic weapons. Once unlocked, magnetic weapon variants become available for each soldier class, such as the Magnetic Rifle for Specialists and Rangers, the Shard Gun for sword-wielders, and the Gauss Rifle for Snipers.
Why Magnetic Weapons Matter
Upgrading to magnetic weapons early is crucial for maintaining your squad’s effectiveness as alien enemies evolve. These weapons provide:
- Higher base damage across all weapon types
- Improved critical hit chances
- Enhanced compatibility with weapon upgrades like scopes and expanded magazines
Failing to research and equip magnetic weapons quickly can leave your squad underpowered in mid-game missions, where enemies like Mutons and robotic units appear with much higher health pools.
Steps to Unlock and Equip Magnetic Weapons
Step 1: Complete the Modular Weapons Research
Before you can start working on magnetic technology, you’ll first need to complete theModular Weaponsresearch. This is one of the first research projects available to you and doesn’t take long to finish. It also allows you to attach upgrades to your weapons, a helpful bonus early on.
Step 2: Research Magnetic Weapons
After Modular Weapons is complete, theMagnetic Weaponsresearch project becomes available. This is a more intensive research task and takes several in-game days to complete, depending on your number of scientists and other lab bonuses. To unlock it, you usually need to have completed a few missions, obtained alien weapon fragments, and gathered some general research momentum.
Step 3: Build the Magnetic Weapons in Engineering
Once the research is complete, the new weapons won’t automatically be equipped. Instead, go to theEngineeringsection of the Avenger and build the magnetic weapons using supplies and alien alloys. Each weapon type must be built individually and has a specific cost. Some of the standard magnetic weapons include:
- Magnetic Rifle general use rifle, replaces standard rifles
- Shard Gun for Rangers using shotguns
- Gauss Rifle for Sharpshooters
- Mag Cannon for Grenadiers
Some magnetic weapons are unlocked through side research likeGauss Weapons, so it’s helpful to plan your tech path based on your favorite soldier compositions.
Step 4: Equip Magnetic Weapons from the Armory
After you’ve crafted a magnetic weapon, you need to assign it manually to your soldiers. Here’s how to do it:
- Open theArmoryon the Avenger
- Select the soldier you want to equip
- Click on their primary weapon slot
- Choose the magnetic version of their weapon
If you’ve built multiple versions, the list will show all available upgrades. Keep in mind that weapons are shared across your squad, so you’ll need to build more copies if you want everyone to be armed simultaneously.
Tips to Speed Up Magnetic Weapon Progress
Increase Scientist Count
Since magnetic weapon research can take over two weeks of in-game time, it’s wise to prioritize gaining more scientists early in your campaign. You can do this by:
- Building a Laboratory facility
- Completing missions with scientist rewards
- Making contact with regions that offer scientist bonuses
Secure Alien Alloys
Alien alloys are one of the key components for constructing magnetic weapons. You can collect these through:
- Loot from alien supply convoys
- Raiding alien facilities
- Scanning certain points on the Geoscape
Without enough alloys, you’ll be limited in how many weapons you can produce, so always keep an eye out for opportunities to gather them.
Focus on Weapon Priority Over Armor
While Plated Armor becomes available around the same time, you may not have enough resources to build both immediately. In most cases, it’s better to prioritize weapon upgrades first, since increased damage can shorten fights and reduce the risk to your soldiers more effectively than slightly better protection.
Magnetic Weapon Variants and Upgrades
Primary Magnetic Weapons
Each class inXCOM 2has a magnetic weapon suited to their combat style. These include:
- Magnetic Rifle: Standard weapon for Specialists and Rangers (if not using shotguns). Balanced and reliable.
- Shard Gun: High-damage shotgun replacement for Rangers. Very effective at close range.
- Mag Cannon: Heavy weapon for Grenadiers. Higher damage and improved shredding capability.
- Gauss Rifle: Long-range rifle for Sharpshooters. Critical for late-game sniping power.
Upgrading Magnetic Weapons
After building magnetic weapons, you can further enhance them using weapon upgrades found during missions. These upgrades include:
- Scopes: Improve aim
- Extended Magazines: Increase ammo capacity
- Hair Trigger: Chance to get a free action after shooting
Attach these upgrades through the Armory interface. Some can be reused if you dismantle a weapon, but most are one-time-use only.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not Building Enough Weapons
Players sometimes assume that researching magnetic weapons automatically gives access to unlimited supply. However, you must manually construct each weapon. If you only build one rifle, only one soldier can use it at a time. Budget your resources to ensure multiple soldiers benefit from the upgrade.
Delaying the Research
If you wait too long to unlock magnetic weapons, enemies will scale in strength and outpace your damage output. This can result in higher casualties and harder missions. Try to begin magnetic research by the third or fourth week of the campaign at the latest.
Ignoring Side Research
The initial magnetic research only unlocks the basic Magnetic Rifle. To gain access to other advanced magnetic weapons like the Gauss Rifle or Mag Cannon, you must also complete additional research paths. Monitor your tech tree and plan accordingly.
Equipping magnetic weapons inXCOM 2is an essential milestone for your squad’s survival. It requires a combination of smart research choices, resource gathering, and strategic engineering. By unlocking magnetic tech early, building the right weapons for each class, and equipping them properly through the Armory, you’ll significantly increase your squad’s combat effectiveness. Don’t underestimate the importance of this upgrade it’s often the turning point that shifts the momentum in your favor during mid-game operations. Keep your squad armed and ready, and you’ll be far more prepared to face the alien threat ahead.