- For offensive stat, see Hacking stat (XCOM 2).
- For defensive stat, see Tech stat (XCOM 2).
Any soldier in XCOM 2 and XCOM 2: War of the Chosen can hack mission objectives.
The chance of each result is based on the soldier's Hack stat and the enemy's Tech stat (aka Tech score).
Notably, only the Specialist, SPARK, and Reaper may perform hacking attempts of ADVENT Security Towers.
The Hack ability (remote hacking with GREMLIN) allows an XCOM Specialist to not only hack primary mission objectives, such as workstations, chests, doors and ADVENT Security Towers remotely, but a variety of additional mechanized units like MECs and Turrets using the Haywire Protocol ability. The Hack ability has a 1 turn cooldown, while Haywire Protocol's is 4 turns. The tech defense of enemies eligible for Haywire Protocol can be reduced with Bluescreen Rounds (-5 per hit), EMP Grenades (-5), and EMP Bombs (-10).
Note that if you attempt to hack a target or use haywire protocol, and you cancel out of the screen without selecting a reward, this does not use an action or break concealment. That allows you to check the rewards and success probabilities for free. (This does not apply to skulljacking/skullmining; in those cases, by the time you see the reward options, you're committed to the attack.)
Specialists are able to increase their Hacking skill with each passing rank, eventually exceeding 150 with the appropriate upgrades, and their skill set contains multiple options for disposing of mechanized threats. Reapers and SPARKS will never exceed skills of 45 and 30 naturally, and although Reapers become invisible to Security Towers, neither is particularly efficient.
Mission Objectives[]
Mission Objectives are items such as workstations, cell doors, chests, bombs, UFO beacons, etc. Hacking a Mission Objective only costs one action and is not turn ending.
- Specialists can use their GREMLIN to hack mission objectives remotely, as long as the soldier has direct sight of the objective (same as Squadsight).
- Specialists use their GREMLIN to hack even when directly adjacent to the objective, and enjoy the Hack bonus from the GREMLIN.
- Objectives will always be one of the following sorts: Disarm Detonator, Unlock Door, Breach Network, Deactivate Beacon (Landed UFOs), and the primary quest objective Control Broadcast Array.
- Doors can be hacked remotely even if destroyed by environmental damage (fire).
Possible Rewards (1 of the following pairs):
- Small Intel Cache vs. Large Intel Cache
- Small Alien Alloy Cache vs. Large Alien Alloy Cache (Landed UFO only)
Possible Rewards (2 of the following):
- Bypass Door Lock: Unlock this door without triggering security protocols.
- Enemy Protocol: This soldier's Hacking stat permanently increased by 20.
- Stackable. If a soldier gets two Enemy Protocol rewards (however rare that may be), they will get Hack stat permanently increased by 401.
- Facility Lead: Recover a lead on an Alien Facility.
- Insight: Research time on the current Tech reduced by 50%.
- Priority Data: Delays the current Dark Event projects by 2 weeks.
- Resistance Broadcast: Income from the current region increased by 25.
- Satellite Data: Avenger Scanning times reduced by 50% for 4 weeks.
- Watch List: Reduces the Contact Cost for a nearby region by 50%.
- Not stackable. If there is only one region left to contact, the Intel cost does not reduce to 25%.
Skulljack/Skullmining[]
The Skulljack is a main quest device which provides the ability to hack a single ADVENT Officer, Codex and Avatar. With the Skullmining upgrade, the Skulljack also grants the Skullmine skill which can be used once per mission on any ADVENT unit to instantly incapacitate them. A Skulljack device must be manufactured, equipped, and Skullmining researched at the Proving Ground facility before these abilities become available.
- Skulljack and Skullmine are both melee abilities with a 70% chance to hit.
- A successful Skullmine hit always kills the target regardless of hack result.
- An ADVENT Purifier killed by Skullmine will not explode.
- An ADVENT Priest killed by Skullmine will not trigger sustain.
- Possible hack rewards for Skulljacking a mission objective, if the strike hits:
- Small Intel Cache vs. Large Intel Cache.
- Possible hack rewards for Skullmining an ADVENT unit, if the strike hits:
- Small Intel Cache vs. Facility Lead.
- A failed hack after Skullmine hit results in a Neural Feedback effect, inflicting 4 damage to the user. It still kills the target however.
- A missed Skulljack or Skullmine strike inflicts 2 damage to the target instead of killing them.
- As of War of the Chosen, a missed Skullmine will refund one action to the user, allowing another attack.
- If TWO of your soldiers are equipped with a Skulljacks and use Skullmining twice during the mission, they must choose DIFFERENT rewards. The same reward cannot be taken twice.
While not specific to the Specialist class, Skullmining is most effective with a high Hacking score, and adds +25 bonus to the user's Hacking score even when performing hacking with the GREMLIN or hand-held pad. The reverse isn't true as GREMLIN Hack Score bonus does NOT apply to Skulljacking or Skullmining attempts.
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