Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | How to Play Phalanx

In Aliens: Fireteam Elite, you take the role of a Colonial Marine, one of humanity's best at handling xenomorph threats. The Phalanx is a defensive, tank-like class that uses a large combat shield to engage enemies head-on. 

The Shield allows you to block most attacks from the front, enabling aggressive positioning that increases overall damage output.

The Phalanx is best used in close-range engagements where the combination of a protective shield and powerful short-range weapons shines.

Weapon archetypes

The Phalanx can use several types of weapons that are designed for close fighting. Handguns, like Auto Pistols and Hand Cannons, are available.

If you add the right accessories, these can be made to shoot farther away. 

Shotguns, Submachine Guns, and basic Flamethrowers are all close-combat weapons that work well with protected playstyles.

When the Shield is out, these archetypes focus on short-range bursts and prolonged close-range pressure.

Primary abilities

The Phalanx kit is made up of a few skills that work well together. Shield Up is the most critical ability. It puts up a shield in front of you that stops most attacks and melee hits from the front while slowing you down a lot. 

Enemies that attack from behind or execute command grabs can still pin or stagger you; taking a heavy melee attack from behind can cause the Shield to be dropped.

So long as enemies remain in front of the Shield, it will block the majority of incoming damage and keep you alive.

The second active ability, Shock Pulse, emits a short-range stun that immediately incapacitates nearby enemies and briefly supercharges the Phalanx.

Enemies that attempt melee attacks against a Phalanx affected by Shock Pulse become dazed, and affected enemies take a small amount of damage over time.

The ability's short range complements the class's close-quarters focus and provides crowd control for when you become overwhelmed.

Passive and synergy

The passive ability, referred to as Bull in the transcript, increases damage when blocking attacks with the Shield: blocking damage raises damage dealt by 3% for four seconds, and this effect stacks up to five times. 

The stacking indicator appears to the right of the aim reticle. Bulwark-style passive interactions work in unison with Shield Up, so blocking and maintaining pressure from behind the Shield increases survivability and overall damage output.

Together, these mechanics make defensive play translate directly into offensive benefit.

Playstyle and tactics

A Phalanx player should focus on holding ground, pushing enemy positions, and blocking melee attackers attempting to climb onto or flank the marine.

Deploy the Shield to create a moving wall that protects teammates or secures chokepoints, and pair the Shield with short-range high-damage weapons such as Shotguns to maximize damage to enemies that close in. 

Use Shock Pulse when swarmed to stun and daze multiple attackers, creating windows to deal damage safely.

Keep enemies in front of the Shield; avoid extended exposure to attacks from behind or command-grab enemies, since those can negate the Shield's protection.

Pros

The most significant advantage of the Phalanx is survivability: the shield blocks most incoming damage from the front and allows sustained frontline pressure.

Paired with the passive stacking mechanic, defensive play increases damage dealt, turning the class into an effective tank that deals heavy close-range damage.

Weapon archetypes available to the class—especially Shotguns—make the Phalanx lethal in tight spaces.

Cons

The main drawback of the Phalanx is the movement penalty while the Shield is deployed. Reduced mobility can limit the ability to kite enemies or rapidly reposition compared to other classes. 

Additionally, the Shield does not protect from all sources: command grabs and attacks from behind can still inflict significant damage and can drop the Shield if a stagger occurs.

The Shock Pulse ability has a short range, so it requires proximity to be effective.

Advanced notes and progression

As the campaign progresses, the Phalanx can be specialized with modifiers, perks, and build-specific gear to emphasize either greater tanking ability or increased damage output. 

Experiment with attachments for Handguns to reach out at longer ranges when needed, or double down on close-range loadouts with enhanced Shotguns and Submachine Guns for maximum short-range lethality. 

Be aware of your surroundings when using your Shield so that you don't get caught by enemies that attack from behind or use command-grab.

Also, remember that blocking and building the passive is a key rhythm for making the class as powerful as possible.

Also, check our other Aliens: Fireteam Elite guides below:

• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Beginner's Guide | Gameplay Tips for All Classes
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | Everything About Horde Mode
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | How to Play Doc
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | How to Play Recon
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | How to Play Demolisher
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | How to Play Gunner
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | How to Play Technician
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | Phalanx Class Build for Extreme and Insane Difficulty
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | Recon Class Build for Extreme and Insane Difficulty
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | Doc Class Build for Extreme and Insane Difficulty
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | Technician Class Build for Extreme and Insane Difficulty
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | Demolisher Class Build for Extreme and Insane Difficulty
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | Gunner Class Build for Extreme and Insane Difficulty
• Aliens: Fireteam Elite Guide | Lancer Class Build for Extreme and Insane Difficulty