ITT I will do my best to share with you guys what I learned playing a couple campaigns of modded Xcom 2. My goal with this guide is to provide the reader with the tools to make his own selection of mods, while also providing some recommendations and insights of my own. This thread is NOT:
I will start by providing some information on how to setup your game, following that with a copy of my AML generated modlist.txt. My list should be used as a foundation for your own list. Topics in this guide will match categories on my list, with Core Mods getting their own category, together with their dependencies. The idea is to keep things as modular and compatible as possible, so you will always be able to mix and match mods to suit your vision for the game.
Setup and general information
Xcom 2 + Wotc takes about 76 GB of Disk Space, with mods taking anything from 26 KB to 1.2 GB each. And YES, it should all go into your SSD, otherwise you risk minute long loading times. In my own setup everything runs smoothly thanks to a Samsung 960 PRO M.2 NVMe SSD, in my rig all missions load in a matter of seconds. But I’ve read nasty stuff about loading times with mods + conventional HDD.
Now that you installed the game and ran it once, download the Alternative Mod Launcher here and never use Firaxis' shitty launcher again. AML detects mod conflicts (with some false positives), sorts mods into categories, saves/loads mod lists, points out missing dependencies, AVOIDS bloating your INI file, does your dishes, fills your tax forms and probably has other features I never used. That last serious point is in fact something you should know: as you add and remove mods the INI files of the game might end up with duplicated entries that result in lower performance. AML fixes this issue to an extent, but you should know how to run an INI purge in case you need it. It’s simple, really:
If the game soft crashes, open the console
and type either “endbattle xcomwins true” OR “restartlevel” if you want to try your luck.
The last mod related problem that you might run into is a mod conflict. If you notice a massive drop in your game’s performance, chances are you have two conflicting mods. Even simple things like “show HP in numbers” conflicting with “additional icons” can result in your Geoscape becoming unbearably slow. Other causes for performance drops can include VRAM becoming insufficient due to too many modded units, CPU bottlenecks due to increased enemy count and your PC straight up exploding if you install the “idle suppression” mod.
The List
You can download my txt here or you can simply copy paste its contents into your own txt.
Now all you have to do is click on the "profiles" tab in AML, click Load, point it to the file, UNCHECK UNDESIRED MODS and then order AML to start downloading.
DO NOT START THE GAME WITH THIS LIST "AS IS"!!!
You must choose a core mod and uncheck the other core mods. Sadly AML doesn't save currently disabled mods to the TXT, so I had to enable EVERYTHING, which means incompatible stuff is enabled. This list was never meant as a quest compass anyway, so I trust codexers will be able to load the list and uncheck undesired stuff before launching the game.
Core Mods
The first thing you need to decide when making your X2 mod list is your Core Mod or “Major Overhaul Mod” or whatever you want to call the thing that messes with soldier classes, perks, items, weapons and attachments. Compatibility with your Core Mod is your main concern when adding anything else into your list. Don’t just assume something is compatible with your core mod, especially if you choose to play Long War of The Chosen. MANY mods have a vanilla version and a LW or RPGO version. Read mod descriptions carefully and be wary of anything that messes with the stuff I put in bold. I will point out exceptions when discussing each Core Mod.
The second thing you need to decide is the overall “power level” of your campaign. All Core Mods have the end result of changing your squad’s overall effectiveness. It’s no secret, for instance, that Long War classes are generally weaker than their vanilla counterparts. Many consider the “Vanilla Core” to be way too strong, which is why 2 out of the 3 most popular Core Mods are strict nerfs to XCOM. This is done in an attempt to restore some measure of back and forth between aliens and XCOM, instead of the later obliterating the former as soon as it shows up. But XCOM’s power level is only half of the equation, which is why you should also take your choices of aliens, neutral factions, difficulty level, pod behavior and AI improvements into consideration. Whenever I present a mod I will also try to point out its effect in terms of balance. Without further delay, these are your main options for Core Mod:
a) Nothing aka Vanilla: even if it is your first playthrough I would still recommend using some QoL mods. By not installing any overhauls you can use the vanilla XCOM and then mod other, minor aspects of the game to suit your taste.
b) Long War of the Chosen: the largest and most ambitious overhaul. Personally I dislike LOWTC, but I did play it for about 20% of a full campaign. This mod heavily influences other mods as you will notice “LW Secondaries” is a dependency for other Core Mods. You can read my impressions here. LW is a standalone mod, so you really shouldn’t run other gameplay changing mods unless they clearly state being “LWOTC Compatible”. XCOM gets a noticeable nerf compared to vanilla and you are not supposed to fight out the aliens, even though they aren’t significantly buffed. LW tries to capture the feeling of hopelessness of fighting an enemy that severely outnumbers and outguns you, a feeling Vanilla misses entirely as you mow down hordes of aliens and wonder how XCOM ever lost the war in the first place.
c) Musashi’s RPG Overhaul: hands down my favorite Core Mod. RPGO abolishes classes and replaces them with the “Universal Soldier” class that has access to all perks from all classes. Stats are also manually assigned, so you have full control over your soldier’s progression. Equipment is no longer class locked, so you can equip any primary/secondary combo you want. This represents a massive buff to XCOM and should be countered with increased difficulty, enemy packs or whatever, unless you want your campaign to be piss easy. Keep in mind RPGO only affects regular soldiers, which means faction heroes, SPARKs and Psi Operatives will be like in vanilla. Therefore, RPGO is fully compatible with any overhaul to the non-regular troops. Remember to enable “The New Perk Order” before starting a new campaign.
d) A Better Barracks: from the same author as “A Better Advent” and the rest of the “A Better” mods, however this one is a different beast entirely. While all other mods in the series can be used to change your game in a modular fashion, ABB is an overhaul/core mod and should take precedence in case of conflicts. ABB is probably the harshest mod in terms of curbing XCOM’s power level. There are 8 classes, each with a fixed Secondary and a choice of 3 semi-random perk trees + the TC tree. The end result is that two soldiers of the same class might end up being built to fulfill completely different roles. One Infantry might be a support/suppression machinegunner while another Infantry might be a frontline rifleman and occasional close quarters shotgun surgeon. One agent might be knife/shotgun fighter while another is a hacking sniper with extra medkits. If you like the “perk roulette” system, you might wanna try RPGO’s option to do the same. If you dislike it, tough luck, since there’s no option to disable it, TC respecs won’t reroll your perks and “I’m the commander here” only affects the TC perk tree (the ones you can’t take until you build the training center). ABB doesn't touch Psi Operatives, so it is compatible with the Psionics Overhaul (under "partial overhauls").
Lastly, here’s a quickgross oversimplification summary of how every mod impacts XCOM’s power level:
ABB < LWOTC < VANILLA <<< RPGO
( THIS IS NOT A “MOD RANKING”!!!!)
Take this information with a grain of salt, since I read LW soldiers have a decently high ceiling to grow, so they might end up on the same level as vanilla. RPGO soldiers may also struggle during the very early game on higher difficulties since some important perks have been pushed further into the promotion tree compared to vanilla.
- For people who think the nu-Xcom formula (two actions, pod activation, single base etc) is fundamentally terrible. All mods can do is (maybe) improve some aspects of gameplay that a veteran player might consider lackluster.
- About cosmetics. Yes, you can have Miranda Lawson in your squad, you can make your guys look like stormtroopers and you can even give them the classic look of the Personal Armour. But cosmetics are very subjective and I won’t bother with more than a few pointers
- Meant for people who don’t own all DLC for whatever reason. I won’t go into the DLC requirements of each mod as it would make the thread unreadable. Just keep in mind that WOTC is pretty much a new game and vanilla X2 mods will NOT work, unless otherwise specified.
I will start by providing some information on how to setup your game, following that with a copy of my AML generated modlist.txt. My list should be used as a foundation for your own list. Topics in this guide will match categories on my list, with Core Mods getting their own category, together with their dependencies. The idea is to keep things as modular and compatible as possible, so you will always be able to mix and match mods to suit your vision for the game.
Setup and general information
Xcom 2 + Wotc takes about 76 GB of Disk Space, with mods taking anything from 26 KB to 1.2 GB each. And YES, it should all go into your SSD, otherwise you risk minute long loading times. In my own setup everything runs smoothly thanks to a Samsung 960 PRO M.2 NVMe SSD, in my rig all missions load in a matter of seconds. But I’ve read nasty stuff about loading times with mods + conventional HDD.
Now that you installed the game and ran it once, download the Alternative Mod Launcher here and never use Firaxis' shitty launcher again. AML detects mod conflicts (with some false positives), sorts mods into categories, saves/loads mod lists, points out missing dependencies, AVOIDS bloating your INI file, does your dishes, fills your tax forms and probably has other features I never used. That last serious point is in fact something you should know: as you add and remove mods the INI files of the game might end up with duplicated entries that result in lower performance. AML fixes this issue to an extent, but you should know how to run an INI purge in case you need it. It’s simple, really:
- Go into “C:\Users\[Name]\Documents\my games\XCOM2 War of the Chosen\XComGame\Config” and delete everything.
- Disable all mods and restart the game
- Quit the game, enable all mods again, restart
- REDO ALL YOUR SETTINGS (mod and regular options)
- Start/resume your campaign
If the game soft crashes, open the console
AML enables it by default, but otherwise you should use the “-allowconsole” argument on AML or a desktop shortcut. While you’re at it, go ahead and paste “-review -noRedScreens -allowconsole –nostartupmovies” into Options -> Settings -> Active Arguments to save yourself some time
The last mod related problem that you might run into is a mod conflict. If you notice a massive drop in your game’s performance, chances are you have two conflicting mods. Even simple things like “show HP in numbers” conflicting with “additional icons” can result in your Geoscape becoming unbearably slow. Other causes for performance drops can include VRAM becoming insufficient due to too many modded units, CPU bottlenecks due to increased enemy count and your PC straight up exploding if you install the “idle suppression” mod.
The List
You can download my txt here or you can simply copy paste its contents into your own txt.
Metamod (6):
[WOTC] Choose Your Aliens ChooseYourAliens https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1782917748
X2WOTCCommunityHighlander v1.23.2 X2WOTCCommunityHighlander https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1134256495
[WOTC] Alien Hunters Community Highlander v1.23.2 DLC2CommunityHighlander https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2534737016
[WotC] Mod Config Menu ModConfigMenu https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=667104300
Remove Missing Mods for WotC WOTC_RemoveMissingMods https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1127050498
Better Second Wave Mod Support BetterSecondWaveSupport https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1149493976
Fixes (6):
[WOTC] Carry Unit Fix WotCCarryUnitFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1378606631
[WOTC] Ability Interaction Fixes AWCCostFixW https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1129878719
[WotC] Weapon Fixes WepUpgradeFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1737532501
Missing Packages Fix + Resource Missing_FX_Package_Resource https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124064427
Reward Decks Refresher RewardDecksRefresher https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=665435869
[WOTC] Shredstorm Cannon Build Fix WOTC_ShredstormCannonBuildFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2257652871
UI improvements (21):
[WOTC] Detailed Soldier Lists DetailedSoldierListWOTC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1128263618
[WOTC] Cost-Based Ability Colors WOTC_CostBasedAbilityColors https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1289686596
[WOTC] Show All Class Counts WOTCShowAllClassCounts https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2167235854
[WOTC] Show Tech Rewards WOTC_ShowTechRewards https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2347354900
[WOTC] Tactical UI Kill Counter Redux WOTC_TacCounters https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2405013108
[WotC] Gotcha Again WOTCGotchaAgain https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124288875
[WOTC] Extended Personnel Info ExtendedPersonnelInfo https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1458945379
WotC: robojumper's Squad Select robojumperSquadSelect_WotC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1122974240
Show More Buff Details ShowMoreBuffDetails https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=709499969
Yet Another F1 YetAnotherF1 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=934236622
[WOTC] Quick Soldier Info QuickSoldierInfoWOTC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1125117314
Blackmarket Usage BlackmarketUsage https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=648410303
[WOTC] Additional Icons WOTCLootIndicator https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1127409511
[WotC] UI - Colored Ammo Bar WotC_UI_ColoredAmmoBar https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1949300408
[WotC] Better Tactical Zoom Out [WotC]BetterTacticalZoom https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1128430976
[WotC] Bond To Header BondToHeader https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1397839793
[WOTC] Better Armory Item Stats ArmouryCrit https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1489472552
[WOTC] New Target Icons WOTCNewTargetIcons https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1384631824
[WOTC] Passive Icons WOTCPassiveIcons https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1859762491
WOTC Show Enemies and Terrain on Mission Planning WOTC_ShowEnemiesOnMissionPlanning https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1183583781
[WOTC] Force Level Display ForceLevelDisplay https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1916761361
Stop Wasting My Time (13):
Narrative Control NarrativeControl https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1334298434
[WOTC] Faster Reload Animations FasterReloadAnimationsWOTC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1140240051
Instant Avenger Menus - WotC InstantAvengerMenus https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124410215
Evac All - WotC EvacAll_WotC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1126395106
Still Stop Wasting My Time StillDontWasteMyTime https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1793418015
Stop Wasting My Time - WotC StopWastingMyTime https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=620600092
Overwatch All/Others WotC OverwatchAllWotC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1133368143
No Reveal Cinematics NoRevealCinematics https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1139866668
[WotC] Instant Loot WOTCInstantLoot https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1440233515
[WOTC] Less Overwatch Lock Ups! OverwatchLockupFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1276342555
Hush Little Chosen HushLittleChosen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1137638215
[WOTC] No Enemy Intro NoEnemyIntro https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1872929750
Disable More VO DisableMoreVO https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=655124816
Partial Overhauls (11):
XCOM Psionics Overhaul V3 XCOMPsionicsOverhaulV3 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2134513735
[WOTC] Mechatronic Warfare: Total SPARK Overhaul MechatronicWarfare https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1499767042
[WOTC] Chosen Weaponry Fix ChosenWeaponryFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1484778143
[WOTC] Cant Execute These Enemies CantExecuteTheseEnemies https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1214954839
Ruler Reactions Revised - WotC RulerReactionsRevised https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=860556301
[WotC] I'm the Commander here ImTheCommanderHere https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1129770962
[WOTC] Stabilize Me WotC_StabilizeMe https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1380625450
Skirmisher Rebalance SkirmisherRebalance https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1125671906
TLP: Unlocker TLP_UnlockEverything https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1535023259
[WOTC] New Promotion Screen by Default NewPromotionScreenbyDefault https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124609091
[WOTC] Automated Loadout Manager WOTCAutomatedLoadoutSaver https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1882809714
Animation Improvements (4):
Cannon Animation Redux CannonAnimationRedux https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1541141667
[WOTC] Advent Flashlights [WOTC]AdventFlashlights https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1131572938
[WOTC] Cinematic Rapid Fire (and other abilities) CinematicRapidFireW https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124794449
[WOTC] Impact FX PersistentImpacts https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1148304893
Cosmetics (7):
[WOTC] Iridar's Appearance Manager WOTCIridarAppearanceManager https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2664422411
Empty WOTC Deco Slots for XCOM Soldiers (+ Some other empty things) EmptyWOTCDecoSlotsforXCOMSoldiers https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1127014384
[WOTC] Invisible Parts For Hero Units InvisibleHeroUnitsBodyParts https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1125697296
Classic XCOM Armor ClassicXCOMArmor https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2057286397
[WOTC] Clean Soldier Generation IriSoldierGeneration https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1707030670
Add Part Names AddedPartNames https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=878158600
WOTC - Configurable Headshots LEBPortrait https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1273848330
LWOTC (4):
[WOTC] Revert Overwatch Rules Change WOTCRevertOverwatchRules https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1127539414
[WOTC] Community Promotion Screen X2WOTCCommunityPromotionScreen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2550561145
Long War of the Chosen LongWarOfTheChosen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2683996590
[WOTC] Accurate Situation Report AccurateSituationReport https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2567229533
A Better Series (7):
A Better Barracks: TLE ABetterBarracksTLE https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1537675645
A Better Campaign ABetterCampaign https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1143033221
A Better ADVENT: War of the Chosen ABetterADVENTWaroftheChosen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1126623381
A Better Militia ABetterMilitia https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1447899590
ABA: Better DLC ABetterADVENTDLC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1481840594
A Better Campaign PLUS ABetterCampaignPLUS https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1143032623
A Better Chosen ABetterChosen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1762615740
RPGO (9):
[WOTC] LW2 Secondary Weapons WOTC_LW2SecondaryWeapons https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1140434643
Primary Secondaries PrimarySecondaries https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1142234205
Musashis RPG Overhaul XCOM2RPGOverhaul https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1280477867
Beam Grenade Launcher BeamGrenadeLauncher https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1181681128
[WOTC] Extended Perk Pack WOTC_ExtendedPerkPack https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1546482849
Primary Grenade Launcher PrimaryGrenadeLauncher https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1673431726
WOTC Grimy Classes WOTCGrimyClasses https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1686990742
RPG Overhaul - Grimy's Classes Specializations RPGOverhaulGrimysClasses https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1714413550
RPG Overhaul - The New Perk Order RPGOverhaulSpecOrder https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1525727633
Map Packs (4):
Doctor Mandarbs Map-Pack (WotC) DoctorMandarbsMap-Pack(WotC) https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124050097
Maps by Vozati [WotC Edition] MapsbyVozatiChosenEdition https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1132904326
Even More Maps! [WOTC] EvenMoreMaps![WOTC] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1139192059
Missing Packages Fix - Parcels and Maps Edition MissingPackagesFix_ParcelsMaps https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1140305914
Pod Control (3):
[WOTC] Dynamic Pod Activation DelayedPodActivation https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1131829513
[WOTC] Yellow Alert Gameplay V2.0 YellowAlert https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1964595004
[WOTC] Increase Pod Size By Force Level WOTCIncreasePodSizeByForceLevel https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1550396115
Raider Factions (10):
Raider Faction Bases RaiderFactionBases https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1601260788
[WOTC] The Hive More TheHiveMore https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1918585695
[WOTC] The Hive TheHive https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1918499687
[WOTC] Fair Lost Targeting FairLostTargeting https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1123260291
Raider Faction: SCP Foundation Mobile Task Forces FoundationOperativesRF https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1774066942
WotC Without The Lost WotCWithoutTheLost https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1157127420
[WOTC] Allow For Larger Squads [WOTC]AllowForLargerSquads https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1166873208
[WOTC] Raiders and Resistance Strategic Spawning RaidersStrategicSpawning https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2139432337
[WOTC] Raider Unit Manager nnEncounterListManager https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2294234510
[WOTC] Faction Anchor WOTC_FactionAnchor https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2387956032
Augments (4):
Augments: XCOM Prosthetics Augments https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1079953981
Mark Zero Augments MarkZeroAugments https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1294744824
Augmentations Augmentations https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1293725945
WotC Vest Slot WotC_VestSlot https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1293714688
New Aliens (1):
[WOTC] Advent General Revamp AdventGeneralRevamp https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1241956143
Gene Mods (2):
[WotC] Gene Mods WotC_Gameplay_GeneModding https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1877861493
Mitzruti's Perk Pack MitzrutiPerkPack https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1561030099
Facilities Rebalance (7):
[WOTC] Prototype Armoury PrototypeArmoury https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2567230602
Facilities+ FacilitiesPlus https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1933622888
[WOTC] Proving Ground Overhaul V2 WOTC_PGOverhaul https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2259746446
WotC: "Increase Combat Intelligence" for everyone WotC_ComIntActionsForHeroes https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1134537412
[WOTC] Better Laboratory BetterLabs_WOTC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1126757582
Alpha's Workshop Overhaul AlphaWorkshop https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2450706289
Scientist Staff Slots: WotC Edition ScientistStaffSlotsWotC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1123056484
[WOTC] Choose Your Aliens ChooseYourAliens https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1782917748
X2WOTCCommunityHighlander v1.23.2 X2WOTCCommunityHighlander https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1134256495
[WOTC] Alien Hunters Community Highlander v1.23.2 DLC2CommunityHighlander https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2534737016
[WotC] Mod Config Menu ModConfigMenu https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=667104300
Remove Missing Mods for WotC WOTC_RemoveMissingMods https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1127050498
Better Second Wave Mod Support BetterSecondWaveSupport https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1149493976
Fixes (6):
[WOTC] Carry Unit Fix WotCCarryUnitFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1378606631
[WOTC] Ability Interaction Fixes AWCCostFixW https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1129878719
[WotC] Weapon Fixes WepUpgradeFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1737532501
Missing Packages Fix + Resource Missing_FX_Package_Resource https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124064427
Reward Decks Refresher RewardDecksRefresher https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=665435869
[WOTC] Shredstorm Cannon Build Fix WOTC_ShredstormCannonBuildFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2257652871
UI improvements (21):
[WOTC] Detailed Soldier Lists DetailedSoldierListWOTC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1128263618
[WOTC] Cost-Based Ability Colors WOTC_CostBasedAbilityColors https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1289686596
[WOTC] Show All Class Counts WOTCShowAllClassCounts https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2167235854
[WOTC] Show Tech Rewards WOTC_ShowTechRewards https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2347354900
[WOTC] Tactical UI Kill Counter Redux WOTC_TacCounters https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2405013108
[WotC] Gotcha Again WOTCGotchaAgain https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124288875
[WOTC] Extended Personnel Info ExtendedPersonnelInfo https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1458945379
WotC: robojumper's Squad Select robojumperSquadSelect_WotC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1122974240
Show More Buff Details ShowMoreBuffDetails https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=709499969
Yet Another F1 YetAnotherF1 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=934236622
[WOTC] Quick Soldier Info QuickSoldierInfoWOTC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1125117314
Blackmarket Usage BlackmarketUsage https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=648410303
[WOTC] Additional Icons WOTCLootIndicator https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1127409511
[WotC] UI - Colored Ammo Bar WotC_UI_ColoredAmmoBar https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1949300408
[WotC] Better Tactical Zoom Out [WotC]BetterTacticalZoom https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1128430976
[WotC] Bond To Header BondToHeader https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1397839793
[WOTC] Better Armory Item Stats ArmouryCrit https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1489472552
[WOTC] New Target Icons WOTCNewTargetIcons https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1384631824
[WOTC] Passive Icons WOTCPassiveIcons https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1859762491
WOTC Show Enemies and Terrain on Mission Planning WOTC_ShowEnemiesOnMissionPlanning https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1183583781
[WOTC] Force Level Display ForceLevelDisplay https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1916761361
Stop Wasting My Time (13):
Narrative Control NarrativeControl https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1334298434
[WOTC] Faster Reload Animations FasterReloadAnimationsWOTC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1140240051
Instant Avenger Menus - WotC InstantAvengerMenus https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124410215
Evac All - WotC EvacAll_WotC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1126395106
Still Stop Wasting My Time StillDontWasteMyTime https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1793418015
Stop Wasting My Time - WotC StopWastingMyTime https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=620600092
Overwatch All/Others WotC OverwatchAllWotC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1133368143
No Reveal Cinematics NoRevealCinematics https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1139866668
[WotC] Instant Loot WOTCInstantLoot https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1440233515
[WOTC] Less Overwatch Lock Ups! OverwatchLockupFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1276342555
Hush Little Chosen HushLittleChosen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1137638215
[WOTC] No Enemy Intro NoEnemyIntro https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1872929750
Disable More VO DisableMoreVO https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=655124816
Partial Overhauls (11):
XCOM Psionics Overhaul V3 XCOMPsionicsOverhaulV3 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2134513735
[WOTC] Mechatronic Warfare: Total SPARK Overhaul MechatronicWarfare https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1499767042
[WOTC] Chosen Weaponry Fix ChosenWeaponryFix https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1484778143
[WOTC] Cant Execute These Enemies CantExecuteTheseEnemies https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1214954839
Ruler Reactions Revised - WotC RulerReactionsRevised https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=860556301
[WotC] I'm the Commander here ImTheCommanderHere https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1129770962
[WOTC] Stabilize Me WotC_StabilizeMe https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1380625450
Skirmisher Rebalance SkirmisherRebalance https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1125671906
TLP: Unlocker TLP_UnlockEverything https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1535023259
[WOTC] New Promotion Screen by Default NewPromotionScreenbyDefault https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124609091
[WOTC] Automated Loadout Manager WOTCAutomatedLoadoutSaver https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1882809714
Animation Improvements (4):
Cannon Animation Redux CannonAnimationRedux https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1541141667
[WOTC] Advent Flashlights [WOTC]AdventFlashlights https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1131572938
[WOTC] Cinematic Rapid Fire (and other abilities) CinematicRapidFireW https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124794449
[WOTC] Impact FX PersistentImpacts https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1148304893
Cosmetics (7):
[WOTC] Iridar's Appearance Manager WOTCIridarAppearanceManager https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2664422411
Empty WOTC Deco Slots for XCOM Soldiers (+ Some other empty things) EmptyWOTCDecoSlotsforXCOMSoldiers https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1127014384
[WOTC] Invisible Parts For Hero Units InvisibleHeroUnitsBodyParts https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1125697296
Classic XCOM Armor ClassicXCOMArmor https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2057286397
[WOTC] Clean Soldier Generation IriSoldierGeneration https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1707030670
Add Part Names AddedPartNames https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=878158600
WOTC - Configurable Headshots LEBPortrait https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1273848330
LWOTC (4):
[WOTC] Revert Overwatch Rules Change WOTCRevertOverwatchRules https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1127539414
[WOTC] Community Promotion Screen X2WOTCCommunityPromotionScreen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2550561145
Long War of the Chosen LongWarOfTheChosen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2683996590
[WOTC] Accurate Situation Report AccurateSituationReport https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2567229533
A Better Series (7):
A Better Barracks: TLE ABetterBarracksTLE https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1537675645
A Better Campaign ABetterCampaign https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1143033221
A Better ADVENT: War of the Chosen ABetterADVENTWaroftheChosen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1126623381
A Better Militia ABetterMilitia https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1447899590
ABA: Better DLC ABetterADVENTDLC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1481840594
A Better Campaign PLUS ABetterCampaignPLUS https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1143032623
A Better Chosen ABetterChosen https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1762615740
RPGO (9):
[WOTC] LW2 Secondary Weapons WOTC_LW2SecondaryWeapons https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1140434643
Primary Secondaries PrimarySecondaries https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1142234205
Musashis RPG Overhaul XCOM2RPGOverhaul https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1280477867
Beam Grenade Launcher BeamGrenadeLauncher https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1181681128
[WOTC] Extended Perk Pack WOTC_ExtendedPerkPack https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1546482849
Primary Grenade Launcher PrimaryGrenadeLauncher https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1673431726
WOTC Grimy Classes WOTCGrimyClasses https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1686990742
RPG Overhaul - Grimy's Classes Specializations RPGOverhaulGrimysClasses https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1714413550
RPG Overhaul - The New Perk Order RPGOverhaulSpecOrder https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1525727633
Map Packs (4):
Doctor Mandarbs Map-Pack (WotC) DoctorMandarbsMap-Pack(WotC) https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1124050097
Maps by Vozati [WotC Edition] MapsbyVozatiChosenEdition https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1132904326
Even More Maps! [WOTC] EvenMoreMaps![WOTC] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1139192059
Missing Packages Fix - Parcels and Maps Edition MissingPackagesFix_ParcelsMaps https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1140305914
Pod Control (3):
[WOTC] Dynamic Pod Activation DelayedPodActivation https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1131829513
[WOTC] Yellow Alert Gameplay V2.0 YellowAlert https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1964595004
[WOTC] Increase Pod Size By Force Level WOTCIncreasePodSizeByForceLevel https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1550396115
Raider Factions (10):
Raider Faction Bases RaiderFactionBases https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1601260788
[WOTC] The Hive More TheHiveMore https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1918585695
[WOTC] The Hive TheHive https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1918499687
[WOTC] Fair Lost Targeting FairLostTargeting https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1123260291
Raider Faction: SCP Foundation Mobile Task Forces FoundationOperativesRF https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1774066942
WotC Without The Lost WotCWithoutTheLost https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1157127420
[WOTC] Allow For Larger Squads [WOTC]AllowForLargerSquads https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1166873208
[WOTC] Raiders and Resistance Strategic Spawning RaidersStrategicSpawning https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2139432337
[WOTC] Raider Unit Manager nnEncounterListManager https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2294234510
[WOTC] Faction Anchor WOTC_FactionAnchor https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2387956032
Augments (4):
Augments: XCOM Prosthetics Augments https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1079953981
Mark Zero Augments MarkZeroAugments https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1294744824
Augmentations Augmentations https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1293725945
WotC Vest Slot WotC_VestSlot https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1293714688
New Aliens (1):
[WOTC] Advent General Revamp AdventGeneralRevamp https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1241956143
Gene Mods (2):
[WotC] Gene Mods WotC_Gameplay_GeneModding https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1877861493
Mitzruti's Perk Pack MitzrutiPerkPack https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1561030099
Facilities Rebalance (7):
[WOTC] Prototype Armoury PrototypeArmoury https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2567230602
Facilities+ FacilitiesPlus https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1933622888
[WOTC] Proving Ground Overhaul V2 WOTC_PGOverhaul https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2259746446
WotC: "Increase Combat Intelligence" for everyone WotC_ComIntActionsForHeroes https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1134537412
[WOTC] Better Laboratory BetterLabs_WOTC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1126757582
Alpha's Workshop Overhaul AlphaWorkshop https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2450706289
Scientist Staff Slots: WotC Edition ScientistStaffSlotsWotC https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1123056484
Now all you have to do is click on the "profiles" tab in AML, click Load, point it to the file, UNCHECK UNDESIRED MODS and then order AML to start downloading.
DO NOT START THE GAME WITH THIS LIST "AS IS"!!!
You must choose a core mod and uncheck the other core mods. Sadly AML doesn't save currently disabled mods to the TXT, so I had to enable EVERYTHING, which means incompatible stuff is enabled. This list was never meant as a quest compass anyway, so I trust codexers will be able to load the list and uncheck undesired stuff before launching the game.
Core Mods
The first thing you need to decide when making your X2 mod list is your Core Mod or “Major Overhaul Mod” or whatever you want to call the thing that messes with soldier classes, perks, items, weapons and attachments. Compatibility with your Core Mod is your main concern when adding anything else into your list. Don’t just assume something is compatible with your core mod, especially if you choose to play Long War of The Chosen. MANY mods have a vanilla version and a LW or RPGO version. Read mod descriptions carefully and be wary of anything that messes with the stuff I put in bold. I will point out exceptions when discussing each Core Mod.
The second thing you need to decide is the overall “power level” of your campaign. All Core Mods have the end result of changing your squad’s overall effectiveness. It’s no secret, for instance, that Long War classes are generally weaker than their vanilla counterparts. Many consider the “Vanilla Core” to be way too strong, which is why 2 out of the 3 most popular Core Mods are strict nerfs to XCOM. This is done in an attempt to restore some measure of back and forth between aliens and XCOM, instead of the later obliterating the former as soon as it shows up. But XCOM’s power level is only half of the equation, which is why you should also take your choices of aliens, neutral factions, difficulty level, pod behavior and AI improvements into consideration. Whenever I present a mod I will also try to point out its effect in terms of balance. Without further delay, these are your main options for Core Mod:
a) Nothing aka Vanilla: even if it is your first playthrough I would still recommend using some QoL mods. By not installing any overhauls you can use the vanilla XCOM and then mod other, minor aspects of the game to suit your taste.
b) Long War of the Chosen: the largest and most ambitious overhaul. Personally I dislike LOWTC, but I did play it for about 20% of a full campaign. This mod heavily influences other mods as you will notice “LW Secondaries” is a dependency for other Core Mods. You can read my impressions here. LW is a standalone mod, so you really shouldn’t run other gameplay changing mods unless they clearly state being “LWOTC Compatible”. XCOM gets a noticeable nerf compared to vanilla and you are not supposed to fight out the aliens, even though they aren’t significantly buffed. LW tries to capture the feeling of hopelessness of fighting an enemy that severely outnumbers and outguns you, a feeling Vanilla misses entirely as you mow down hordes of aliens and wonder how XCOM ever lost the war in the first place.
c) Musashi’s RPG Overhaul: hands down my favorite Core Mod. RPGO abolishes classes and replaces them with the “Universal Soldier” class that has access to all perks from all classes. Stats are also manually assigned, so you have full control over your soldier’s progression. Equipment is no longer class locked, so you can equip any primary/secondary combo you want. This represents a massive buff to XCOM and should be countered with increased difficulty, enemy packs or whatever, unless you want your campaign to be piss easy. Keep in mind RPGO only affects regular soldiers, which means faction heroes, SPARKs and Psi Operatives will be like in vanilla. Therefore, RPGO is fully compatible with any overhaul to the non-regular troops. Remember to enable “The New Perk Order” before starting a new campaign.
d) A Better Barracks: from the same author as “A Better Advent” and the rest of the “A Better” mods, however this one is a different beast entirely. While all other mods in the series can be used to change your game in a modular fashion, ABB is an overhaul/core mod and should take precedence in case of conflicts. ABB is probably the harshest mod in terms of curbing XCOM’s power level. There are 8 classes, each with a fixed Secondary and a choice of 3 semi-random perk trees + the TC tree. The end result is that two soldiers of the same class might end up being built to fulfill completely different roles. One Infantry might be a support/suppression machinegunner while another Infantry might be a frontline rifleman and occasional close quarters shotgun surgeon. One agent might be knife/shotgun fighter while another is a hacking sniper with extra medkits. If you like the “perk roulette” system, you might wanna try RPGO’s option to do the same. If you dislike it, tough luck, since there’s no option to disable it, TC respecs won’t reroll your perks and “I’m the commander here” only affects the TC perk tree (the ones you can’t take until you build the training center). ABB doesn't touch Psi Operatives, so it is compatible with the Psionics Overhaul (under "partial overhauls").
Lastly, here’s a quick
ABB < LWOTC < VANILLA <<< RPGO
( THIS IS NOT A “MOD RANKING”!!!!)
Take this information with a grain of salt, since I read LW soldiers have a decently high ceiling to grow, so they might end up on the same level as vanilla. RPGO soldiers may also struggle during the very early game on higher difficulties since some important perks have been pushed further into the promotion tree compared to vanilla.
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