As a rookie Pilot, there are six preset loadouts available to you: Front Rifleman, CQB Shifter, Ghostwatch, Breacher, Ghost Marksman, and Front Grenadier. Each of these loadouts can be customized as you see fit. Later on, as you level up, you can access the Custom Pilot loadouts, allowing you to create your own Pilot loadouts from scratch. In the meantime, the preset loadouts should serve as an example of what kind of customization is available. Study these loadouts and experiment with their strengths and weaknesses while defining your own style of gameplay.
Tactical Abilities
Choosing a tactical ability is one of the most important steps you take when creating a new Pilot loadout. But before you make this decision, take into account your style of play and the objectives of the current game mode. Initially, three tactical abilities are available: Cloak, Pulse Blade, and Grapple. More tactical abilities are unlocked as you level up. Once assigned, these abilities are manually activated at a Pilot’s discretion, giving them a temporary advantage. But abilities only remain active for a few seconds before they must recharge. However, the Power Cell, available in Kit 1, helps these abilities recharge at a quicker rate, allowing them to be deployed with greater frequency.
Cloak
Description: Become nearly invisible. Cloak has increased effectiveness versus Titans.
Pilot Suit: Heavy
Unlock: Level 1
Field Notes
Cloak has numerous tactical applications, making it a great choice for new Pilots. Consider using Cloak to sneak up on enemies or to escape dangerous situations. While cloaked, your Pilot is completely invisible to minions and enemy Titans. However, enemy Pilots can still detect a faint silhouette. Cloak is deactivated whenever you fire a primary or secondary weapon. However, you can still toss grenades and perform melee kills without uncloaking. Cloak is best utilized when operating around enemy Titans. Use it to approach and stage rodeo attacks. But avoid double jumping while cloaked. Your Jump Kit’s exhaust is still visible, potentially giving away your position. Consider equipping Low Profile, included in Kit 2. This eliminates your Jump Kit’s exhaust, making Cloak that much more effective during rodeo attacks.
Pulse Blade
Description: Expose enemies through all surfaces with this sonar pulse-emitting throwing knife.
Pilot Suit: Medium
Unlock: Level 1
Field Notes
Pulse Blade is a derivative of Active Radar Pulse from Titanfall. When thrown, this knife emits a sonar pulse, making enemy units visible through walls. Contacts appear as orange silhouettes. Even when enemies aren’t behind cover, they’re highlighted with an orange silhouette, making them easier to spot, particularly if they’re obscured by smoke or dust. However, Pulse Blade cannot detect cloaked Pilots. The blade’s sonar pulse has a limited range, revealing enemies within a defined radius for approximately five seconds. When deploying Pulse Blade, take aim at a nearby enemy. If you score a hit, the Pulse Blade is lethal. After all, it is a hand-thrown knife. This is the ideal tactical ability for players seeking to fill a reconnaissance or support role. Pulse Blade is also helpful when securing and defending objectives during Amped Hardpoint and Capture the Flag matches.
Grapple
Description: Grappling hook for getting to out-of-reach places quickly. Strategic jumping enhances its effectiveness.
Pilot Suit: Light
Unlock: Level 1
Field Notes
Pilots seeking greater mobility are certain to find a use for the new Grapple ability. Simply aim at any point and activate the ability to fire a grappling hook attached to a cable. As the hook makes contact with an object, the cable is automatically reeled in, along with the Pilot. Obviously, Grapple is ideal for reaching high perches, inaccessible by other Pilots. Consider choosing Grapple when carrying a sniper rifle. But Grapple is also a great way to maintain momentum, linking jumps and wallruns. In addition to grappling ledges, you can also Grapple enemy units. This is a flashy way to initiate a rodeo attack on an enemy Titan. Or fire Grapple at an enemy Pilot to score a surprisingly fast melee kill. If your team loses a match, Grapple is ideal for reaching the dropship during your team’s evacuation.
Stim
Description: Quickly heals and boosts your speed for a short time.
Pilot Suit: Light
Unlock: Level 3
Field Notes
Stim returns from Titanfall, giving Pilots an instant adrenaline boost, increasing both speed and healing. Like Cloak, Stim is an excellent choice for novice Pilots, providing that instant jolt necessary to escape dangerous situations. Retreat to a safe location and regroup while you return to full health. To enhance Stim’s performance, activate it while sprinting or wallrunning. Enemies in pursuit will be incapable of catching you. Due to the increase in speed, you can also jump great distances while Stim is active. In addition to using Stim in defensive situations, it also comes in handy when you’re carrying the flag in Capture the Flag matches. Grab the enemy’s flag and then activate Stim to escape the enemy team’s territory.
Phase Shift
Description: Teleport into an alternate space for a short time.
Pilot Suit: Medium
Unlock: Level 14
Field Notes
The Phase Shift tactical ability functions similarly to the Phase Dash employed by the Ronin Titan, allowing Pilots to seemingly disappear and reappear. But unlike Cloak, Phase Shift actually teleports a Pilot into an alternate dimension. During a Phase Shift, you can still move, but the world is transformed to a surreal black-and-white environment. Objects are still visible, but enemies have disappeared. To return to the real world, activate the ability again. Deploy Phase Shift wisely to confuse and disorient enemies while staging flank attacks. Or simply use it to escape. During the shift, you can’t pass through walls or other solid objects, so don’t get hung up on a level’s geometry; keep moving. The greater distance you can cover during a shift, the more disorienting it will be to enemies when you reappear in a different location. However, while moving in the alternate dimension, you leave behind a faint trail. Attentive Pilots can follow this trail to estimate where you’ll reappear.
A-Wall
Description: Pilot-sized particle shield that amps outgoing shots. Destroyable only at its protective base.
Pilot Suit: Heavy
Unlock: Level 26
Field Notes
The A-Wall is a portable particle shield, similar to the Tone Titan’s Particle Wall. When deployed, the A-Wall appears as an orange transparent energy shield. It benefits from a slight curvature, blocking some flanking shots. Like the Particle Wall, the A-Wall is a one-way shield. You can shoot through the back side, but not the front. So stay behind the shield and open fire on enemies. Shots fired from behind the A-Wall are amped, dealing more damage. While effective in certain defensive situations, the A-Wall is stationary and can easily be flanked by enemy Pilots. Therefore, drop it in locations like hallways, windows, or corners where flanking opportunities are limited. If a flank is imminent, abandon your A-Wall and retreat to a safe location. You don’t want an enemy using your own A-Wall against you.
Holo Pilot
Description: Creates a holographic copy of yourself mimicking your actions when activated.
Pilot Suit: Medium
Unlock: Level 36
Field Notes
If deployed creatively, the Holo Pilot can trick your enemies into attacking a holographic decoy while you escape or stage a flanking maneuver. Before activating this ability, take a moment to devise a plan: where do you want the Holo Pilot to go? Upon activation, the holographic decoy moves in the same direction as your Pilot. If you’re standing still, the holographic pilot will do the same. For best results, activate the Holo Pilot while moving, and then immediately change direction to sell the illusion. Your opponents will see two identical Pilots moving in different directions. The Holo Pilot continues moving in a straight line and does not mimic any of your movements following the deployment. So if you suddenly jump or change direction, attentive opponents can detect which Pilot is real and which is fake. But this split second of confusion often buys you enough time necessary to retaliate or retreat. Holo Pilot is particularly effective against AI-controlled units, including Titans.