In Spec Ops: The Line multiplayer, gamers are divided into two teams: the Exiles and the Damned (Chaos matches excluded). These two factions are similar, but there are several noticeable differences in terms of faction bonuses and available classes. Furthermore, there are also several pieces of unlockable kit (i.e. heads and camouflage skins) that are unique to each faction.
Factions
All players begin their multiplayer career with two loadout slots unlocked and access to the Gunner and Medic classes. Since there’s no guarantee you can always play as a particular faction, it’s a good idea to customize your loadout slots for both factions prior to entering a match. The following pages provide suggestions as to how to best equip a particular class while taking into account the faction’s innate bonus.
[Loadout slot unlocks]
The Exiles
- 15% XP bonus for melee kills.
- 10% damage bonus for pistols.
- 70% damage reduction while on zip-lines and fast ropes.
The Exiles’ faction bonuses aid them in moving quickly across the map and close-range combat. The damage reduction offered while on zip-lines and fast ropes is particularly useful on maps like Crow’s Nest and Extinction that feature numerous zip-lines.
The 10% damage bonus for pistol usage is helpful—especially for those who have unlocked the Desert Eagle or .44 Magnum—and in the right hands can be enough of an advantage to forego equipping the Always Prepared perk. Lastly, the XP bonus for melee kills comes in handy for those who like to hunt from the shadows and for heavily armored Breachers who can get in close to their enemy. This bonus makes it certainly worth downing your enemy with non-fatal shots and moving in for the execution.
The Damned
- 10% XP bonus for sandstorm kills.
- 5% increase in weapon range effectiveness.
- 70% damage reduction to falling damage.
The Damned enjoy faction bonuses that aid them in ways that allow for a slightly more covert approach to combat. For starters, they benefit from a slight increase in weapon range effectiveness. This bonus gives just enough of an edge to their Snipers and those in long-range standoffs to tilt the balance in their favor, assuming all else is equal. The Damned gain a small XP bonus for kills made while in the sandstorm. This, combined with their reduction to falling damage, makes it tempting to risk the howling winds of the sandstorm, especially with the Adapted perk equipped. Of course, falling off a bridge at Crow’s Nest is still fatal—some heights are just too great to survive. Whereas the Exiles are encouraged to carry a pistol as a secondary weapon, those playing as an Exile may want to consider equipping a sniper rifle alongside their standard assault rifle or shotgun even when not playing as a Sniper so as to take advantage of the slight increase in weapon range effectiveness.
