Aliens: Dark Descent – How To Play Each Class

Aliens: Dark Descent is a challenging tactical strategy game made more accessible when players learn to compose their squad of Colonial Marines from the available classes. There are five classes for the Colonial Marines to spec into upon reaching level 3 by earning experience points throughout the various missions in the game. But here’s the kicker. Upon reaching level 3, only two class options become available for squad members, and it’s completely random as to which two will appear.

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Every class in Aliens: Dark Descent features unique Class Attributes, separate from the generic Common Attribute slots available for every character. These Class Attributes directly affect how the class operates on Lethe, with special boons to gameplay. Choosing the proper composition for each squad makes a difference, more so than many players imagine.

Colonial Marine Classes In Aliens: Dark Descent

Again, there are five classes: Gunner, Recon, Tecker, Medic, and Sergeant. Their abilities vary, ranging from weapons specialists who use the M56 Smart Gun to charismatic leaders who propel the entire squad forward through bravery and leadership abilities. Players will want a nice variety for each mission.

Gunner

The Gunner class is iconic for those who spent time watching the Alien franchise, specifically Alien 2 from 1986. In the film, the class was portrayed by Pvt. Vasquez and Pvt. Drake, both of whom carried the M56 Smart Gun on their respective hip.

In Aliens: Dark Descent, the Gunner works similarly as the only class capable of carrying a heavy weapon. They’re the tank of the Colonial Marines. As such, players will want to invest points in upgrading their Ammo Bag for an additional ammo clip and selecting the Bravery attribute when it finally pops up. In fact, choose Bravery for every Marine possible.

Their class attributes include:

• Weapons Training: M56 Smart Gun — Unlocks the ability to use the M56 Smart Gun.
• Bone Breaker (Level 6) — Boosts the Dismemberment Chance by 1% when using the primary weapon.
• Unleash Hell (Level 10) — The higher the Marine’s stress level, the higher the rate of fire.

Their class upgrades include:

• High Impact Rounds — Boosts the slowing effect of Suppressive Fire for the entire squad.
• Advanced Tracking System — Increases overall accuracy when employing Kill That Bastard.
• Tripod — The M56 Smart Gun may be placed on a level surface as a deployable Sentry Gun, and the Gunner will use their Secondary Weapon in the meantime.

Recon

The Recon Marine should take the lead for players seeking a long-range or stealth approach to Xenomorph combat. Their deadly abilities mean taking down aliens from afar with relative ease, depending on the type of Xenomorph. With a few upgrades, the Recon Marine can hold their own in close quarters, too.

The Recon Marine’s class attributes include:

• Weapons Training: M42A3 Sniper Rifle — Unlocks the ability to use the only sniper rifle in the game.
• Fast Deployment (Level 6) — While the Recon Marine is alive, the entire squad benefits from increased movement speed.
• Infiltration Tactics (Level 10) — With the Recon Marine in the squad, enemy detection is increased by 50% and slower to react.

Their class upgrades include:

• Silencer — Unlocks a suppressor for the sniper rifle, making the Precision Shot skill entirely silent for enemies.
• M11 Battle Scanner — Unlocks the Scanner ability, revealing all enemy positions on the map for one minute.
• Infrared Goggles — Each enemy within a 10-meter range is revealed to the entire squad.

Tecker

Of the five available Aliens: Dark Descent classes, the Tecker is likely the most useless initially. Their abilities prove relatively lackluster, with the opportunity to unlock encrypted doors, which may reveal some hidden caches of materials or resources. Their drone is fun to use, though.

The Tecker’s class attributes include:

• Hacker — Unlocks the ability to hack encrypted doors with one tool.
• Robotic Expert (Level 6) — Unlocks the ability to repair synthetics for one tool.
• Sentry Gun Overcharge (Level 10) — Improves overall damage of Sentry Guns but requires one tool.

Their class upgrades include:

• Valravn 450 Recon Drone — Unlocks a drone to scout the battlefield.
• Battle Drone — Unlocks a drone equipped with a submachine gun but requires the Drone equipment.
• Drone Welder — Drones can now weld and breach doors at the cost of 1 tool.

Medic

Every Colonial Marine squad requires a thorough Medic Marine to keep combatants in tip-top shape. The Medic features crucial upgrades, like the Reanimator Kit and Combat Drugs, which can heal Marines, even in a Coma, and increase max health. None of the many support classes in Aliens: Dark Descent prove as versatile or valuable as the Medic.

The Medic’s class attributes include:

• First Aid Instruction — All healing interactions are faster by 50%.
• Medical Assistant (Level 6) — All conscious Marines receive 1 Health Point while resting.
• Emergency Surgeon (Level 10) — After extracting the entire squad, all Marines enjoy a 30% reduction in their recovery duration.

The Medic’s class upgrades include:

• Reanimator Kit — Unlocks the Reanimation skill, which heals Marines in a Coma.
• Morphine — While the Medic is active and alive, Stress decreases by 30 points whenever a Marine is healed.
• Combat Drugs — Increases overall Health Points by 1 for the entire squad.

Sergeant

As the Colonial Marine squad leader, the Sergeant proves invaluable when it comes to bolstering his men’s performance and bravery in the face of Xenomorph threats. As such, giving the Sergeant the Bravery attribute whenever possible is crucial to ensure they do not turn and flee in the face of danger.

The Sergeant’s class attributes include:

• Charismatic — When the Sergeant is part of the squad, all Marines receive a Bravery bonus.
• Reprimand (Level 6) — When activated, prevents Stress Level increases for 30 seconds.
• Encouraging Speech (Level 10) — Stress is reduced by 10 points instead of 50 points when resting.

Their class upgrades include:

• Radio Backpack — Maximum Command Points capacity increased by one while the Sergeant is active.
• Advanced Radio Backpack — Regenerates Command Points 10 seconds faster than expected but requires the Radio Backpack upgrade.
• Honor Ribbons — With the Charismatic attribute unlocked, Bravery increases by 5.

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Which Classes To Bring To Lethe

In the early stages of Aliens: Dark Descent, players can only bring four Colonial Marines on a mission. Eventually, through unlocks later in the game, specifically during Mission 6, “Atmospheric Nightmare,” the squad size increases to five. But that’s a few hours into the game, potentially tens of hours, depending on the player’s playstyle. Let’s focus on the four primary classes you should have with you on Lethe.

• Sergeant — Every Squad requires a frontline leader to keep situations in order, and the Colonial Marines have the Sergeant. This Marine can utilize the Charismatic perk to boost the entire squad’s Bravery bonus by 10 points.
• Gunner — Who doesn’t love a heavy weapon? The Gunner can wield the M56 Smart Gun, which can put down a field of fire that easily cuts through aliens. Players will find that the Gunner can hold down a hallway solo, even during a hunt, by equipping said Marine with Bravery and Ammo Bag.
• Medic — Players will inevitably take damage from a Xenomorph ambush or extended hunt, and a crippled Marine is a dead Marine. The Medic can utilize the Reanimator Kit and Combat Drugs to heal and increase Marines’ health.
• Recon — The Recon Marine proves invaluable for players who wish to take a stealthy approach and remain undetected for extended periods. Her ability to stealth kill a Xenomorph from long distances using a suppressed sniper rifle can keep the entire squad out of harm’s way during tricky missions.

As a tactical strategy game with a heavy emphasis on survival, it’s crucial that players carefully select character classes for their entire squad, along with appropriate perks and boons. A well-rounded team can make quick work of even a Queen.

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