Mechtoid

Mechtoid
Statistics
Aim	60 | 70 | 80 | 80
Critical Chance	0 | 0 | 15 | 15
Defense	10 | 10 | 10 | 10
Health	16 | 20 | 22 | 24
Health (EW)	- | - | - | -
Mobility	14 | 14 | 14 | 14
Will	0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Damage Modifier	-1 | 0 | +2 | +4
Attributes
Weapon	Plasma Mini-Cannons
Abilities
Traits
Gene Mods

A Mechtoid is a new alien enemy in XCOM: Enemy Within.

Description

The Mechtoid is a Sectoid in a Mech suit. It is a robotic unit armed with twin Plasma Mini-Cannons and can fire twice in a turn if it doesn't move. Mechtoids don't utilize cover but have a solid block of health (20 HP on normal). Sectoids can Mind Merge with a Mechtoid and give it a Psi Shield with 6 HP durability, which absorbs considerable damage against the Mechtoid as long as it is up. Sufficient damage can break the shield, but excess damage is reduced by half. Killing the Sectoid merger cancels the shield and causes 3 damage to the linked Mechtoid.

Each Mechtoid that is killed generates 5 and two different corpses: a Sectoid Corpse and a Mechtoid Core; the Meld will not drop if the Mechtoid is killed with explosives.

Deployment

Mechtoids first appear during the fourth month (June), or August if the "Marathon" Second Wave option is enabled. There is a limit of one per mission for the first month (does not apply to Impossible difficulty), and they are most prevalent from July to September (Marathon: October 2015 to March 2016). In October (Marathon: April 2016) their chance of being generated declines. Mechtoids can be deployed for several mission types, but are not encountered during terror missions.

Weapon

Mechtoids utilize new Plasma Mini-Cannons in combat. These weapons have base 6-8 Damage on Normal difficulty but -1 Damage on Easy, +2 Damage on Classic, and +4 Damage on Impossible. Much like the Cyberdisc and Sectopod, these integrated weapons cannot be captured and are destroyed when the Mechtoid is killed.

Abilities

Ability	Description
Plasma Barrage	The Mechtoid can fire twice on the same turn if it doesn't move.
Psi Shield	Gains a damage reducing shield when a Sectoid makes a psychic link.

Traits

Trait	Description
Hardened	Reduces the chance of suffering a critical hit by 60%.
Robotic	Immune to fire and poison.
Stun Immune	This unit cannot be stunned with the Arc Thrower; taking a live specimen is not possible.

Capturing

• Cannot be captured.

Research

• Mechtoid Autopsy - Unlocks Advanced Servomotors and Shaped Armor Foundry projects

Tactics

• The Mechtoid enters in Overwatch when sighted.
• A Mechtoid will typically split its fire between two different enemies when utilizing Plasma Barrage unless there is only one valid target, or when there is a weakened target.
• These enemies are often quite tough and can pose a major threat if left alone. They almost always have one or two Sectoids with them; during later portions of the game, they are occasionally paired with a Sectoid Commander.
• A common and effective strategy for dealing with a Mechtoid is to use the first round of combat to eliminate the accompanying Sectoids, as this will prevent the Mechtoid from (re)acquiring a shield which will make it much easier to deal with. Afterwards, the simplest way to take one down is to have the squad attack it until it is reduced to 12/18 or less health and then have a MEC with a Kinetic Strike Module finish it off with a good punch; if this is not an option, concentrated fire from an entire squad of beam weapon-wielding soldiers is usually enough to put a Mechtoid down in one turn.
  • A similar strategy is to allow the Mechtoid to acquire a shield, then kill the Sectoid giving it. On the Easy and Normal difficulties (and Classic if the MEC Close Combat Foundry project is completed), this will leave enough health for the Mechtoid to be finished off with a single knockout punch from a MEC Trooper. This strategy is more efficient, as it consumes fewer actions from your soldiers.
  • However, on Easy difficulty the Mechtoid only has 16 health, so the MEC Close Combat foundry project will allow a MEC trooper to kill an uninjured Mechtoid with a single blow.
  • A Mechtoid generally tends to move away after it's punched (if it's not eliminated), sparing the attacking MEC a close-range plasma blast - or, likely, two.
• Unlike the other (fully) robotic aliens, Mechtoids are susceptible to psionic attacks including Mind Control, and as an upside, Mind Controlling it when it enters Overwatch upon detection can give you a free Overwatch reaction shot.
• Note that an attack (such as a rocket) which simultaneously strikes a Mechtoid and kills the Sectoid that was Psi-shielding it will not have its damage reduced by the Psi-Shield.
• When killed, a Mechtoid's body will fall over backwards, causing damage to cover behind it and potentially exposing its allies to flanking shots (or destroying explosive environmental objects such as cars). If killed by a MEC with Kinetic Strike Module, the final punch will send the Mechtoid's body flying backward, potentially destroying cover in a longer line.
• A Psionic Heavy with HEAT Ammo can deal 7 damage to a Mechtoid with Mindfray.

Notes

• Eliminating the shield and killing the Mechtoid in the same turn will grant the "Shield Buster" achievement. This is easier if the Mechtoid has received damage prior to getting the shield.
• On Impossible difficulty, they deal more damage than sectopods in addition to being able to fire twice in a row at the same soldier, making them effectively more dangerous.

Trivia

• The developers had originally planned to use the Muton as the basis for a Mech suited alien but the idea was dropped due to the Muton's already imposing size; the Sectoid was chosen as the replacement because it was imagined as the unit who would most desire a Mech suit.
• Dealing a killing blow with the Kinetic Strike Module will play a unique cutscene where the Mechtoid attempts to resist, but is held off and then finished with a punch that sends it flying backward.

Gallery