The games are famous for their engaging squad-based combat. The games have always featured a large collection of alien types – each with an ability that players must keep in mind if they want all of their soldiers to make it back to base in one piece. Some of these aliens can fly, some are advanced robotic killing machines, some are basically living tanks, but the deadliest of them have psionic abilities that are frustrating at best – and absolutely devastating at worst. These are the most difficult alien types a player can expect when playing the X-Com titles; ꧒minus the unique types like the Uber Ethereal or ꦅWarlords.
10 Reapers
Those gamers who played the original XCom probably remember how much of a problem the Reapers could pose. Reapers are large, hunched-over, bi-pedal monsters that are usually encountered with Floaters. The Reaper has more health than any other alien, and can travel acro▨ss the battle zone with alarming speed. It is quite disheartening to watch a Reaper run across the entire map and kill a soldier in one turn; while seemingly ignoring the damage dealt to it. If it starts a turn next to a soldier, that soldier is not going to survive – even if that soldier is wearing power armor.
9 💫 💎 Heavy Floaters
The Heavy Floater does not have the toughest armor, or a particularly high damage potential, but its special abilities more than make up for those deficiencies. The most exasperating ability is that Floaters can launch themselves to any location in the battle zone. This is annoying wh🐎en a Heavy Floater is near death then launches out of range. They can also bombard an area, which usually negates the cover the player’s soldiers are hiding behind. Lastly, when they are airborne, a Heavy Floater can evade incoming fire; which lowers the accuracy of the player’s soldiers by 20%.
8 Sectopods
Sectopods are huge bi-pedal mechs used by ADVENT troops. These tanks on legs can kill an entire squad with its Wrath Cannon if the player is foolish enough to keep them grouped. The Wrath Cannon fires a particle beam, which is three tiles wide, acrꩵoss the battlefield damaging every soldier in its path. The Sectopod can also extend itself upwards; this increases the range of its weapons and allows it better accuracy against elevated soldiers, and soldiers behind cover. The Sectopod also has a very high armor and health ratings- so don’t expect it to fa🅠ll easily.
7 Muton Elit🍃es ඣ
The Mutons are some of the most difficult enemies to defeat in every XCom game. Muton Elites are enhanced to make them even more🎶 formidable. They have some of the heaviest armor in the game, and a very h♏igh health rating. Muton Elites are armed with heavy plasma cannons; which can kill even a heavily armored soldier with one shot. Elites are also armed with explosive grenades which can negate the cover the player’s soldiers are using. They also have a suppression ability which can gives them an attack of opportunity during the player’s turn. Sometimes it seems like Muton Elites are invulnerable; which not only affects the morale of the player’s soldiers, but the morale of the player.
6 Sectoid Co🐷mmanders 💎
These are the leaders of the Sectoid soldiers, and besides having higher base stats 🔯they also have devastating psionic attacks. Sectoid Commanders have four psionic abilities: Mind Control, Mindfray, Greater Mind Merge, and Psi Paniꦆc. The Mind control is especially nefarious, as it gives the Sectoid Commander complete control of a soldier in the player’s squad for three turns. Most mind controlled soldiers do not survive the mission. The Mind Merge gives all Sectoids in battle decent bonuses to Will (morale), health, and critical hit chance. The worst aspect is it is very difficult to distinguish commanders from normal Sectoids.
5 Archons
Archons are basically Floaters that have been given upgraded weapons and an appearance that give them the look/style of the Egyptian gods. These flying aliens have a very high defense rating, increased health, and♎ are armed with staffs capable of ranged attacks. Archons are also immune to flanking attacks. They have a special ability called “Blazing Pinions”, which are essentially missiles that deal respectable damage and destroy any cover the player’s squad may be hiding behind. When severely injured in battle, an Archon can go into a battle frenzy which gives the💧m extra actions per turn.
4 ♓ Cyberdiscs
These robotic horrors can mean death to entire squad if the player is not careful. Cyberdiscs have very strong armor and a lot of hit points; this is made worse for the player by the presence of drones that can repair Cyberdiscs. Their main cannon will usually kill a soldier without heavy armor. Cyberdiscs can also lob grenades across the battlefield; which means seeking cover isn’t as effective agains♔t them. Lastly, don’t get too close or a Cyberdisc will use their “Death Blossom” attack that does severe damage in a 360° arc.
3 Avatars
If you’re playing XCom 2, and you encounter a human-looking enemy that has white hair and a purple visor that covers the entire face, have all your soldiers target that enemy. That is probably the only chance of successfully completing that mission. That type of enemy is called an Avatar, and thankfully they are rare. They have extremely high mobility, armor, and damage potential. To make matters worse, Avatars have powerful psionic abilities as 🌠well. Many aliens can mind control the player’s soldiers; Avatars can mind control up to three at one time. This enemy can kill a well-equipped squad by itself if it’s not dealt with quickly.
2 Chryssalids ༺
These alien menaces never get easy to defeat, no matter how well-equipped of a squad the player has. Chryssalids are four-legged insectoid creatures that have several vicious, and unique abilities. First off, Chryssalids are extremely fast; most players encountering them for the first time might be shocked how far they can travel in a turn. To make it worse, they can use their leap ability to get to a higher elevation. The ability that makes them particularly dangero🌳us is their ability to implant a Chryssalid embryo into their victims. This turns the victim into a mindless zombie that attacks the player’s squad and civilians. After only a few turns a Chryssalid, at full strength, emerges from the zombie.
1 Ethereals
Ethereals are the leaders of the alien forces. They have numerous, and powerful psionic abilities that 𝕴can cause havoc among the player’s squad and deliver significant damage. Their deadliest abilities are the ability to control the minds of the player’s soldiers, and the ability to drain a soldier’s health and heal itself at the same time with its Psi Drain. To make them even more difficult, Ethereals have the Hardened trait that makes them highly resistant to critical hits. Ethereals also have a devastating one-two punch with their Mindfray, which lowers a soldier’s Will, and their Rift ability which deals extra damage to a soldier with a low Will score.