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Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a class-based survival shooter game with five different classes to choose from. Of course, in a game like this, everyone has a different playstyle and their unique strengths and weaknesses.

Luckily, and what is a positive aspect to this game is that you’re not locked into one class. In other games, you’d have to create a new character and start all over. In Aliens: Fireteam Elite, you can swap between the five classes and customize them before heading out on your next mission. Instead of actually being classes, they’re called loadouts, which makes sense as to why you’re not necessarily locked into one.

Here are the five loadouts in Aliens: Fireteam Elite, along with their strengths and weaknesses.

Gunner

The Gunner loadout is the standard-issue class that should feel familiar to all fans of shooter games. You can use assault rifles, DMRs, and sniper rifles in the first slot. In the second slot, this class can wield CQW (Close Quarter Weapons) like shotguns, submachine guns, and incinerator type weapons like a flamethrower.

Along with the weapons, the Gunner has a rechargeable frag grenade ability which is good for clearing clumps of enemies. This loadout also has an Overclock ability that increases fire rate and reload speed for yourself and nearby team mates. It’s ideal to use an automatic assault rifle and an SMG to maximize the ability.

Dealing constant damage to enemies with this loadout increases the Gunner’s damage output. The Stay On Target perk grants damage stacks up to 10 times.

• Pros
  • Solid DPS boosting potential
  • Well-balanced team synergy
  • Versatile weapon choices
• Cons
  • Doesn’t exactly excel in anything
  • Lacks consistent crowd control
• Suggested Consumables
  • Electroshock Rounds, Incendiary Rounds, Vulnerability Assessment Drone

If you want an all-rounder for a DPS loadout, the Gunner is a good pick. The Gunner can help out those who have long reload times and can overall boost the lethality of their teammates.

Demolisher

Personally, the Demolisher is my favorite loadout in the game. The Demolisher is also a damage-dealing class in Aliens: Fireteam Elite. Think of this loadout as a heavy class in other class-based shooter games.

The Demolisher can use automatic assault rifles, DMRs, and sniper rifles in the first weapon slot. They are also the only class in the game so far who can make use of heavy weapons. Demolishers can use heavy machine guns, heavy flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and rocket launchers. Their style of play deals with crowd control and incapacitating targets.

They have a Micro Rocket ability that creates a sizable blast, dealing good damage to enemies and stumbling them. If enemies aren’t killed in the blast, they are incapacitated for a few moments to go in for a quick kill. Demolishers also have the Blastwave ability. It acts like a panic button of sorts when the Alien threat overwhelms them and possibly their teammates. You perform a ground slam that knocks nearby enemies back and damages them.

Finally, the Demolisher’s perk is Clear the Room. It’s a perk that synergizes with their abilities. Every time an ability is activated, the perk is activated, granting damage stacks in increments of 2.5% for 15 seconds.

• Pros
  • Room clearing potential with heavy weapons
  • Massive damage output
  • Can solo chokepoints
• Cons
  • Ammo efficiency problems, especially since heavy weapons run out of ammunition quickly
  • Lots of downtime due to slow reloading
  • Lack of mobility when using heavy weapons and abilities
• Suggested Consumables
  • Incendiary Rounds and Electroshock Rounds (if using the Smartgun), Electroshock Popup Mine, Static Grid, Cryo Grid

If you want a playstyle that has high mob killing potential, this is it. The Demolisher doesn’t excel in taking down some of the tougher enemies like Xenomorph Warriors, but does clear the path for their teammates to help in doing so. With the right support and synergy, the Demolisher can take the front lines with ease.

Technician

The Technician Loadout excels at static defense. This is the class for people who may not feel like they have the best aim. Thanks to their trusty turret, Technicians can soften up their opposition and provide decent covering fire for their allies.

They sport a handgun and CQW for their arsenal. Handguns aren’t the most practical weapons in mowing down the Xenos, but they have decent firepower. Their CQW weapons do have some close-range lethality to make up for their turret softening up enemies.

The Technician, aside from deploying a turret, throws Charged Coil grenades that blanket a small area in electricity. This hurts enemies walking over the affected area and slows down their movement speed. Allies will also want to be around the Technician and their turret. It grants 10% damage reduction for people within the area, beefing them up against tough waves of enemies.

• Pros
  • Can provide aggro with the turret instead of team mates
  • Good crowd control with the Charged Coils ability
  • Damage reduction helps keep teammates alive
• Cons
  • Ammo economy problems
  • Lack of far-range support due to weapon selection
  • Requires good maintenance of the turret
• Suggested Consumables
  • Antipersonnel Mine, Electroshock Popup Mine, Phosphorus Popup Mine, Hardened Electroshock or Hardened Incendiary Sentry Gun, Normal Sentry Gun

The Technician is one of the more safe loadouts to play with. They aren’t in the front lines and play as a good support for people who want to take point with objectives. Damage reduction with staying near the turret and having the ability to slow down enemies is a godsend when things start to get dicey.

Doc

The healer loadout of the bunch can be the difference between life and death for their fellow Marines. Docs are good at keeping their teammates alive as well as providing lots of utility. Just because they assume the healer role doesn’t mean they can’t hold the line with the offense. Think of them as battle medics.

Docs can use rifles and handguns for their weapons. Rifles, in particular, can provide good DPS. Pistols can be just as good too, but it would be better for them to use a magnum so they aren’t the ones taking all the heat in front.

Docs can deploy a Trauma Station that heals nearby allies. Be careful since healing isn’t infinite and this does have a limited supply. They can also use Combat Stim packs which dramatically increase your teammates’ gun accuracy and stability, stamina, and movement speed. Teammates can make better use of weapons with high recoil and spread when affected by the ability.

It is also advised that the Doc coordinates with their fellow Marines to stay close together to maximize cooldown time. Their perk increases ability recharge speed by 15% when other team members are nearby. It’ll be noted with a person outline symbol under the player’s reticle.

• Pros
  • Provides healing
  • Good cooldown times
  • Strong damage output because of the access to rifles
• Cons
  • The Trauma Station can hold up to 3,000 points of healing potential for team mates, but recharges at an unreliably slow pace
  • No crowd control potential
  • You have to be relatively close to team mates to maximize passives and abilities
• Suggested Consumables
  • Sentry Guns, Static/Cryo Grid

Everybody loves a healer, and no one will ever vote against you. Especially in a game where people are going to be constantly taking damage, the Doc is a very favorable team player.

Recon

The fifth loadout, the Recon, won’t be accessible until beating the 4 campaigns. Rightfully so, though. This loadout has really good support potential for their team mates, allowing for boosting some of the more vital necessities in Aliens: Fireteam Elite.

The Recon’s weapons are similar to that of the Gunner. They can use rifles and CQW. It is recommended, given their role, that they use DMRs and sniper rifles to maximize their utility as a long-ranged role. Recons should only switch to their CQWs when the situation gets a bit too cluttered and the front lines are breached.

This loadout has the ability to throw a Parameter Uplink Spectagraph (or PUPS), that reveals nearby enemies and lowers their damage by 20%. It’s even more useful at later difficulties because enemies hurt more and they aren’t highlighted like they are on the Standard and Casual difficulties. Recons can also deploy Support Drones that refill ammo for nearby team mates, as well as increases accuracy and stability, and grants some lifesteal.

• Pros
  • Strong ranged attacker
  • Healing and enemy de-buffing potential
  • Can help mitigate ammo economy issues for team mates
• Cons
  • Not a good CQC (close quarters combat) role
  • Weak crowd control capabilities
  • Excels with precision weapons, so longer range combat is preferred
• Suggested Consumables
  • Vulnerability Assessment Drone, Sentry Guns, Incendiary/Electroshock Rounds

The Recon class can just about do it all just as long as they aren’t in the front lines of a battle. They provide excellent damage mitigation and excel in maintaining team resources. There will never be a bad time to use the Recon loadout or have them as a team mate.

Final Notes

Don’t feel obligated to stick to one Marine loadout. Sometimes, players want to choose a class that you may be interested in, causing a conflict of interest. Try all the classes out and specialize in at least two for flexibility. They’re all fun in some way and might even be convincing enough for you to switch your main!

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is out now for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Check out our review of the game here.

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