In XCOM 2, one of the key elements of success is how you equip your soldiers for battle. Each item, upgrade, or piece of armor can mean the difference between survival and defeat. Among the early game items that players can craft and equip, the Nano Vest stands out as a basic but valuable armor addition. While it may not seem like much at first glance, properly equipping the Nano Vest in XCOM 2 can significantly increase a soldier’s durability and improve your squad’s overall survivability, especially in the unpredictable early missions.
What is the Nano Vest?
Basic Overview
The Nano Vest is one of the first utility items available for research and construction in XCOM 2. It provides a simple but effective benefit: +1 HP to the soldier who wears it. This bonus health can often be the edge that prevents a soldier from bleeding out or dying from a single critical hit during early encounters with ADVENT forces or alien enemies.
Crafting the Nano Vest
To obtain a Nano Vest, you’ll need to access the Engineering section aboard the Avenger. Here’s what you need:
- Research Required: None (available from the start)
- Materials: 30 Supplies
Once built, the Nano Vest is stored in your inventory and can be equipped by any soldier who has a free utility slot. Keep in mind that soldiers with specific armor types or class upgrades may have one or two slots depending on progression.
How to Equip the Nano Vest
Equipping During Loadout
You can equip the Nano Vest by accessing the soldier loadout screen. From the Squad Select screen before a mission, select a soldier, then go to their Utility Items section. Choose the Nano Vest from your available gear. If the soldier has an open slot and is not already carrying an item like a grenade or medkit, the vest can be added directly.
Strategic Tips for Equipping
Choosing which soldier to give the Nano Vest to depends on your squad’s current composition and the role of each unit:
- Rangers: Rangers often operate up close and are more likely to be exposed to direct attacks. A Nano Vest can give them that little bit of extra health to survive a close-range encounter or ambush.
- Specialists: Specialists are valuable for their support abilities. Keeping them alive is crucial, so a Nano Vest can act as early insurance until better armor or upgrades are available.
- Grenadiers: While they’re heavily armed, Grenadiers can also become targets. If you’re running out of grenades or want them to tank slightly more damage, consider equipping them with the vest.
Advantages of the Nano Vest
Early Game Survivability
In the early game, many enemies can deal 3-5 damage per shot. A single point of bonus HP from the Nano Vest can prevent a soldier from entering bleed-out status or dying outright. This makes the vest extremely valuable before upgraded armor becomes available.
Does Not Require Research
Unlike many upgrades and gear options, the Nano Vest is available without needing to invest in Alien Alloys or extensive research. This accessibility makes it ideal for quick builds, especially when managing tight resource budgets in Commander or Legendary difficulty levels.
Pairs Well with Other Items
If a soldier has two utility slots, you can combine the Nano Vest with other gear such as a smoke grenade, flashbang, or medkit. This makes your soldiers more versatile and better prepared to handle various mission objectives or surprise enemy groups.
Limitations and Trade-Offs
Only +1 HP
While helpful, the Nano Vest provides only a small bonus. It won’t save a soldier from high-damage sources like Mutons or Sectoids using Psi attacks. It is not a substitute for tactical positioning and cover use.
Occupies a Utility Slot
Since utility slots are limited, choosing the Nano Vest means sacrificing other potential tools such as grenades or support gear. It’s important to weigh whether the extra health is more valuable than other tactical advantages.
Not Useful Later in the Game
As you progress and unlock better armor like Plated Armor or Warden Armor, the Nano Vest quickly becomes obsolete. You’ll soon have access to better utility items like the Nano Medkit, Battle Scanner, or Mimic Beacon that offer more strategic benefits.
When to Stop Using the Nano Vest
Transition to Advanced Armor
Once you unlock Plated Armor and Predator Armor, soldiers gain increased base HP and often additional utility slots. At this point, better equipment becomes available, and the Nano Vest’s contribution becomes minimal. Consider retiring it from your loadout once your squad’s durability naturally increases through gear upgrades.
Replacing with Tactical Utility Items
Eventually, combat requires more than just durability. Tactical flexibility becomes crucial. Swapping the Nano Vest for gear like a Flashbang Grenade (to neutralize Sectoids or Vipers), a Smoke Grenade (for defensive buffs), or a Battle Scanner (for detecting enemies in fog of war) becomes a smarter choice as threats escalate.
Situational Uses Later in the Game
Rookie Filler Squads
If you’re forced to send rookies or under-leveled soldiers on a mission due to wounded personnel, Nano Vests can be a quick and cheap way to boost their survivability. They are still relevant in emergency squad compositions, even later in the game.
Resistance Orders and Soldier Bonds
Depending on your Resistance Orders or squad perks, certain bonuses may synergize with Nano Vests. For example, if you’re running a bond system where teammates heal each other, even small health boosts can affect overall squad performance. It’s always worth considering the full tactical picture.
Equipping the Nano Vest in XCOM 2 is a smart early-game strategy that can help your soldiers stay alive just a little longer. While its impact is modest, that single point of health might be the only thing keeping your best unit in the fight. Use it wisely, know when to equip it, and understand when to move on to stronger items as you progress. In a game where every decision counts, even the smallest upgrade like the Nano Vest can help secure a critical victory in your campaign to resist alien domination.