Research Projects (XCOM 2)

Research Projects are the primary way in which new technology, equipment and facilities are unlocked in XCOM 2 and XCOM 2: War of the Chosen. Research projects include the study and reverse-engineering of recovered alien technologies and autopsies on alien and ADVENT corpses. In War of the Chosen, Breakthroughs and Inspirations may occur periodically with each discovery made.

Standard Research Projects

• Alien Biotech
• Alien Encryption
• Resistance Communications
• Resistance Radio
• Psionics
• Hybrid Materials
  • Plated Armor
• Modular Weapons
  • Magnetic Weapons
    • Gauss Weapons
• Elerium (reqs^† ADVENT MEC Breakdown)
  • Powered Armor
  • Plasma Rifle
    • Storm Gun
    • Beam Cannon
    • Plasma Lance
• ADVENT Datapad Decryption
• Alien Data Cache Decryption
• Facility Lead
• Experimental Weapons*
• Assassin Weapons^†
• Hunter Weapons^†
• Warlock Weapons^†

* Alien Hunters DLC, ^† War of the Chosen

Shadow Chamber Projects

WARNING: This article or section may contain spoilers!

These research projects are only available once the Shadow Chamber is built.

Although accessed from a dedicated facility, Shadow Chamber Projects require Richard Tygan's full attention, putting standard research and autopsies on hold until they are completed. Once a Shadow Chamber Project is completed, normal research resumes where it left off.

• Blacksite Vial
• Codex Brain
• Encrypted Codex Data
• Recovered ADVENT Stasis Suit
• Psionic Gate
• Avatar Autopsy

Enemy Autopsies

These research projects depend on the acquisition of a corresponding enemy corpse during a mission. Most autopsy research times can be reduced to 0 (instant) after XCOM have gathered sufficient corpses of the corresponding enemy.

Autopsies in XCOM 2 and DLCs

Previous	Current	Next	Corpses for instant completion per difficulty				Items unlocked	Other unlocks
			R	V	C	L
Alien Biotech	ADVENT Officer Autopsy	ADVENT MEC Breakdown ADVENT Shieldbearer Autopsy ADVENT Stun Lancer Autopsy ADVENT Trooper Autopsy ADVENT Turret Breakdown ADVENT Priest Autopsy† ADVENT Purifier Autopsy†	n/a					Proving Ground
	Andromedon Autopsy		5	5	5	8	Proximity Mine
	Archon Autopsy		5	5	5	8	Fusion Blade, Fusion Axe*, Fusion Ripjack†	Plasma Lance (research)†
	Berserker Autopsy		6	6	6	9	Overdrive Serum
	Chryssalid Autopsy		15	15	15	20	Hellweave
	Faceless Autopsy		3	4	4	7	Mimic Beacon
	Gatekeeper Autopsy		3	6	6	9	Alien Psi Amp
	Muton Autopsy		5	6	6	9	Advanced Grenade Launcher	Plasma Grenade
	Sectoid Autopsy		6	6	6	10	Mindshield	Psionics
	Sectopod Breakdown		3	6	6	9	GREMLIN Mark III
	Viper Autopsy		5	5	5	8		Battlefield Medicine
	Archon King Autopsy*		n/a				Icarus Armor*
	Berserker Queen Autopsy*						R.A.G.E. Suit*
	Viper King Autopsy*						Serpent Suit*
	Spectre Autopsy†		4	6	6	8	Refraction Field†
	The Lost Autopsy†		65	80	80	120	Ultrasonic Lure†
ADVENT Officer Autopsy	ADVENT MEC Breakdown		3	4	4	7	GREMLIN Mark II	Bluescreen Protocol Elerium (also requires Gauss Weapons and Plated Armor)†
	ADVENT Shieldbearer Autopsy		4	4	4	7		Experimental Armor
	ADVENT Stun Lancer Autopsy		4	6	6	9	Arc Blade, Ionic Axe*, Ionic Ripjack†
	ADVENT Trooper Autopsy		10	15	15	25	Battle Scanner
	ADVENT Turret Breakdown		3	3	3	6		Defense Matrix
	ADVENT Priest Autopsy†		6	8	8	12	Sustaining Sphere†
	ADVENT Purifier Autopsy†		4	6	6	9		Reinforced Underlay†

* Alien Hunters DLC
^† War of the Chosen

Research Tree Diagram (Vanilla XCOM 2)

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