Quick Links
Poe is the smallest and fastest member of Quincy’s crew inSteamworld Heist 2. Using a tire to get around rather than legs lets her zip across the map at record pace, and she only gets faster as she levels up. Later in the game, she even gains the unique ability to dodge bullets!
Poe’s speed makes her the perfect choice for timed missions and maps with lots of objectives or loot to gather, but she’s also a rock-solid combatant - especially when she can maneuver herself into an advantageous firing position. Here’s how to get the most out of the hooded heister.
Poe Brawler Build
Poe’s starting class is Flanker, and it’s ultimately the job that you’ll want her to specialize in, but to really get the most out of her skills you’ll want her tospend some time mixing it up in melee as a Brawler.Getting her to Brawler Level 3 unlocks important abilities thathelp make Poe more self-sufficient, which is important since she’ll be haring off alone to all corners of the map later in the game.
It’s a good idea tohave Poe and Chimney swap weaponsearly onto learn skills from each other’s starting classes; Chimney makes a great Flanker, and Poe is a dangerous Brawler!
Once Poe has reachedFlanker Level 2, switch her to Brawler. Use her Cogs to keepCoolandSidestep, but don’t worry aboutBackbitersince melee attacks usually cause enemies to turn around and face their assailant. Cool willreduce the cooldown on Charge, the key Brawler skill, while Sidestepmakes it easier to get into positionfor melee attacks.
Use thePersonal Upgrade Terminalon the submarine to unlock Poe’s first ability,Hasty, as soon as possible. This gives her +1 Movement, increasing her charge range. Equip her with thebest Hammer you can affordand a Utility Item that increases Melee Damage (even basic knuckles will do), and she can smash most enemies to scrap with little effort.
Poe Flanker Build
Once Poe reaches Brawler Level 3, it’s time to put a shotgun in her clamps andswitch her back to Flanker.Her defensive Brawler skills will help her excel as a lone wolf, blasting away at foes with little fear of reprisal.
You can switch Poe back to Brawler any time you need an extra melee fighter. Getting her to Brawler Level 4 lets her learnShifty, which can be useful, but she’s already so mobile she might not need it except on very high difficulty settings.
If you’re limited in Cogs, prioritizeFree Sidearm,Guts, andHard Shell. The latter two will keep Poe alive long enough to escape if she gets into a bind, while Free Sidearm essentially gives her anextra shota few times each mission.
As Poe levels up in Flanker, she’ll gaineven more Movement bonuses, making it very easy for her to get behind opponents and deal full damage withBackbiter.Equip her withthe best Shotgun and highest-tier Sidearm you have; if she can finish any nearby enemies with a single blast from her main weapon, great! If not,weaken or eliminate a nearby threat with the Sidearmbefore firing the Shotgun to end her turn. Free Sidearm turns the pistol into a Free Action.
Flankers get an Aura that allows them tocollect nearby loot without landing directly on it.Use this to your advantage by having Poegrab as much treasure as she canwhile remaining in cover. ThePayrollskill will give her extra movement after she picks up items, which can combo with Sidestep and Shifty to give her a truly impressive range of movement.
If you don’t mind some extra grinding, training Poe for a few levels in Engineer canextend her Aura,letting her pick up loot from even further away!
Poe’s utility items shouldalways include a Sidearm, and it’s not a bad idea to have amid-level Repair Kiton hand in case she needs to patch herself up while away from the rest of the crew. Once you researchPayback+, Poe will be able to heal herself by scrapping enemies the turn after she takes damage - at that point, extra Armor or even additional Movement make great replacements for the Repair Kit.
