In XCOM 2, Psi Operatives stand apart from all other soldier classes due to their powerful psionic abilities. Unlike traditional classes that follow a fixed promotion path, Psi Operatives develop skills through training in the Psi Lab. Their abilities allow for direct manipulation of enemies, protection of allies, and devastating area-of-effect attacks. Understanding which abilities are the most effective can make your Psi Operative a game-changing force on the battlefield. With the right combination of psionic powers, you can control fights before they even begin, disrupting enemy lines and giving your squad a massive tactical edge.
Overview of the Psi Operative Class
The Psi Operative does not gain experience through missions like other soldiers. Instead, they improve by undergoing training in the Psi Lab, unlocking one skill at a time. This means each Psi Operative can eventually learn all available abilities, but the process takes time. Choosing which skills to prioritize early is crucial for maximizing their combat effectiveness. Unlike other classes, you’re not limited to one skill per tier so long as you have the time and resources, you can train them in everything.
Best Early Psi Operative Abilities
Inspire
Inspireallows your Psi Operative to grant another soldier an immediate bonus action. This skill is extremely flexible and powerful in all types of missions. You can use it to allow a sniper to take another shot, reposition a wounded ally, or let a Grenadier fire again. It’s especially useful in timed missions or when you need to pull off clutch maneuvers.
Stasis
Stasisplaces an enemy or even a friendly unit into a temporal bubble, freezing them for a full turn. The unit becomes invulnerable and immobile, making this ability excellent for neutralizing dangerous enemies like Gatekeepers or Sectopods. Since it doesn’t require a cooldown and doesn’t consume an action point, it can be used often and flexibly.
Soulfire
Soulfireis a guaranteed hit psionic attack that ignores cover and armor. While not as devastating as other offensive skills, it’s highly reliable, particularly against elusive enemies. It also deals solid damage and doesn’t miss, making it a strong choice during the early training phase.
Mid-Tier Psi Skills Worth Training
Domination
Dominationis arguably one of the strongest abilities in XCOM 2. It allows your Psi Operative to permanently mind-control an enemy unit for the rest of the mission. The skill has a long cooldown and a difficult will check, but the reward is immense. Turning a powerful alien like an Archon, Andromedon, or even a Sectopod against its allies can single-handedly turn the tide of a mission.
Void Rift
Void Riftcreates an unstable psionic field that damages multiple enemies and can trigger additional mental effects. It’s a great area-of-effect ability for softening up clustered enemies. The added chance for panic or mind control triggers makes it even more potent in chaotic fights.
Fuse
Fusecauses a targeted enemy’s grenade to explode while still in their inventory. This not only damages the enemy and others nearby, but also removes their ability to use that grenade against you. It’s situational but powerful, especially when facing enemies that rely on explosives like ADVENT Grenadiers.
Late-Game Psi Abilities That Dominate
Null Lance
Null Lanceis a straight-line beam attack that deals high psionic damage and pierces armor. It has no cover restrictions, so enemies behind walls or in high-defense positions are vulnerable. With proper positioning, you can hit multiple targets at once, often eliminating threats before they even get to act.
Solace
Solaceprovides a passive aura around the Psi Operative that automatically removes mental effects such as panic, mind control, and disorientation from nearby allies. This is particularly useful when fighting enemies like Sectoids, Codex, or Warlocks that rely on psionic attacks. Keeping your squad mentally clear can be vital in tougher missions.
Fortress
Fortressmakes your Psi Operative immune to all elemental damage types, including fire, poison, acid, and explosive. This ability significantly increases their survivability, especially during missions with heavy elemental hazards or environmental dangers. Fortress allows the Operative to stay in risky positions without concern.
Best Psi Operative Skill Combinations
Domination + Fortress + Inspire
This trio gives your Psi Operative the ability to control the battlefield with mind control, remain untouchable due to elemental immunity, and support the team with free actions. It’s a balanced and versatile build suited for nearly any situation.
Void Rift + Fuse + Null Lance
A more aggressive combination focused on pure destruction. Void Rift and Null Lance can clear clusters of enemies, while Fuse is ideal for preemptively disabling threats. This build is best for players who want to maximize offensive capability.
Solace + Stasis + Soulfire
This combination prioritizes team support and control. Solace keeps your squad in fighting condition, Stasis disables priority targets, and Soulfire offers consistent damage. Ideal for defensive or support-focused roles within your squad.
Training Strategy Tips
- Keep Psi Operatives Training When Not Deployed: Always keep them in the Psi Lab when not on missions. Since they don’t gain XP like others, time in the Lab is essential.
- Upgrade the Psi Lab: Adding more slots and engineers will increase training speed and allow multiple abilities to be learned at once.
- Recruit High Will Soldiers: Psi ability success rates are heavily tied to the Will stat. Always select rookies or soldiers with naturally high Will for Psi training.
- Rotate Other Squad Roles: Allow your Psi Operative time to train by rotating out other classes in early missions. This ensures they are well-equipped by mid- and late-game.
How Psi Operatives Fit Into Your Squad
Psi Operatives can fulfill multiple roles depending on which skills you prioritize. They can act as support units by removing mental effects and granting bonus actions, or serve as damage-dealers with psionic attacks that ignore cover and armor. Their flexibility makes them one of the most powerful classes in XCOM 2, especially when other soldiers are injured or fatigued in War of the Chosen.
They are also particularly effective against enemy psionic units and late-game aliens like Sectopods and Gatekeepers. Unlike other classes, their abilities are often guaranteed to hit and bypass traditional defenses, making them perfect counters to the most dangerous enemies in the game.
Mastering the best Psi Operative skills in XCOM 2 gives you a powerful advantage in combat. While they take longer to develop than other classes, the investment pays off with unparalleled versatility and power. By training core abilities like Domination, Stasis, Void Rift, and Inspire, you can create an unstoppable unit capable of turning the tide of any battle. Whether you’re going for offense, defense, or team support, the Psi Operative has a build for every playstyle and when used effectively, they become the cornerstone of any elite XCOM squad.