What are the Ability Points (AP)? | FAQ XCOM 2: War of the Chosen Game Guide
Last update: 11 September 2017
The Ability Points (AP) have only been introduced by the expansion, War of the Chosen. They are used to develop the new classes (Renegades, Skirmishers and Templars), as well as for unlocking additional skills for the rest of your soldiers.
The APs are used for developing your soldiers. The system of unlocking irregular Abilities has also been changed. Normally, in the core game, you would use the Advanced Warfare Center - that facility allowed your soldiers to receive no more than two abilities that normally were available only for other classes. The expansion swaps the Warfare Center for the Ability Points, discussed hereby.
The APs are awarded for certain actions on the battlefield, such as:
- Killing an outflanked enemy. The soldier has to flank an enemy and kill with any of their attacks;
- Killing an enemy while hidden. In order to do that, kill an enemy when you're still concealed - it's probably easiest at the very beginning of a mission;
- Killing an enemy from elevated ground;
- Killing an enemy with two soldiers, who have a bound (more info about that in the chapter devoted to relationships of the soldiers). If one soldier from such a duo manages to wound an enemy, and the other kills the same dude, they both get some APs;
- Neutralizing a Chosen One - "killing" them in a regular mission;
- Killing a Chosen One - permanently getting rid of them during a storm on their fortress;
- Killing one of the three alien lords - Viper King, Berserker Queen, Archon King;
- Completing some Covert Actions (for reference, see the chapter "Covert Actions").
Additionally, the soldiers from the core game get a nominal amount of AP for leveling up - the classes introduced in the expansion get that as well, but they get a lot more, since it's the only possible way for them to unlock new skills. More info about the differences of regular soldiers' AP can be found in the two following chapters.