Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Special Ammo & Melee

Beyond standard rifle ammunition, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 offers special ammo types and dedicated melee tools that can turn a difficult encounter. Understanding when and how to use these options is the difference between a defensive slog and an aggressive push.

Special ammunition

Special ammo modifies your primary weapon or sidearm’s damage type, adding crowd control or damage-over-time effects effective against specific enemy compositions.

Pyro ammunition Adds an incendiary effect to hits. Enemies take initial impact damage plus a short burn damage-over-time. Pyro is particularly effective against Drone and Runner packs — the burn DOT accelerates their elimination in dense groups. Less effective against Praetorians and heavy enemies with high health pools, where the initial impact damage matters more than DOT.

Electric ammunition Applies an electrical stun effect on hit. Enemies briefly stagger, interrupting attacks and movement. Electric is best used against Stalker and Spitter variants, whose attack animations are disrupted by the stagger. Against the pure aggression of Drone and Runner waves, the burn from pyro is more consistently useful.

Stun ammunition Reduces enemy awareness and reaction speed. Affected enemies move and attack more slowly. Stun is a tactical option for high-difficulty encounters where a few extra seconds per enemy gives your squad time to respond. Less useful in Horde wave escalation where the sheer volume of enemies means individual stuns have minimal impact.

Melee weapons

Stun baton The standard close-quarters tool. Deals moderate damage and applies a brief stun to Xenomorphs. The stun baton is not a primary damage option — it is an emergency tool for situations where an enemy closes to melee range faster than you can fire. Breaking a Xenomorph grab with the stun baton is significantly faster than waiting for the automatic release.

Knife Higher damage than the stun baton but no stun effect. Some players prefer the knife for its faster attack animation. The knife is a valid choice if you are confident in your ability to avoid grab situations entirely.

When to use special ammo

• Use pyro against clustered Drone and Runner packs in tight spaces.
• Use electric against Stalker flanks and Spitter ranged groups.
• Use stun in boss fights and high-difficulty encounters where you need every tactical advantage.
• Use standard ammo against Praetorians and armoured synthetics where DOT effects are minimal compared to raw damage.

Frequently asked questions

Do special ammo types cost more? Special ammo types cost significantly more than standard rounds. Budget accordingly — carrying full pyro rounds for an entire mission is expensive. Buy standard ammo for the majority of engagements and keep a few special rounds for specific threats.

Can I use melee weapons against synthetics? Yes. Melee weapons deal full damage against synthetic enemies. Against armoured synthetics, melee is often more reliable than attempting to shoot through armour gaps.

Is the stun baton worth carrying over a knife? The stun effect is more tactically valuable than the knife’s extra damage in most situations. The brief stagger interrupts Xenomorph attacks and gives you time to reposition or fire.