Control 2 Wiki: All Character Abilities, Gear & Collectibles Guide

Character Abilities Overview Control 2 introduces a roster of seven playable characters, each with a unique ability set. Unlike the first game, you can now switch characters between missions (but not mid-combat). The best starting choice for newcomers is **Maya Reyes**—her kinetic shield and telekinetic slam offer the most forgiving learning curve. ### Maya Reyes (Balanced)

**Active Abilities:** Kinetic Shield (absorbs 200 damage, lasts 3 seconds), Telekinetic Slam (deals 80 damage in a 5m radius)

**Passive:** Adrenaline Rush – low health increases damage output by 15%

**Best Weapon:** Grip (standard service weapon) with Energy Recovery mod ### Elias Voss (Stealth/Control)

**Active Abilities:** Phase Walk (invisible for 4 seconds, costs 50 energy), Gravity Well (pulls enemies into a 4m radius, stuns for 2 seconds)

**Passive:** Shadow Step – melee attacks from behind deal 2x damage

**Best Weapon:** Pierce (sniper rifle) with Suppressor mod ### Dr. Arish (Support/Healer)

**Active Abilities:** Healing Pulse (restores 150 HP over 5 seconds, 30-second cooldown), Barrier Ward (creates a 10m dome that blocks projectiles for 6 seconds)

**Passive:** Medic's Touch – reviving allies is 50% faster

**Best Weapon:** Shatter (shotgun) with Shield Boost mod > **My opinion:** Arish is underrated by most players. His Barrier Ward saved my team during the final boss of the Foundation DLC. Don't sleep on him. ### Additional Characters

**Kira Tanaka** (DPS/Elemental) – fire and lightning attacks, 25% chance to ignite enemies

**Marcus Cole** (Tank) – 300 base HP, taunt ability forces enemies to target him for 8 seconds

**Sofia Chen** (Summoner) – calls 2 floating drones that each deal 12 damage per second

**Jax Mercer** (Speedster) – 40% faster movement, dash attack deals 60 damage per hit

Altered Items Guide Altered Items now have three upgrade tiers: **Basic**, **Refined**, and **Ascendant**. Each tier unlocks additional mod slots or passive effects. There are 45 altered items total, spread across the main game and DLC. | Tier | Slots | Example Item | Effect | |------|-------|--------------|--------| | Basic | 1 | Floppy Disk | Increases energy regen by 10% | | Refined | 2 | Astral Pendulum | Energy regen 15% + 5% chance to refund ability cost | | Ascendant | 3 | Dimensional Lens | Energy regen 20% + 10% refund chance + 50 max energy | **Top 5 Must-Collect Altered Items:** 1. **Astral Pendulum** – Found in the Panopticon, Sector B (requires Level 3 clearance) 2. **Frozen Heart** – Drops from the optional boss "The Architect" in the Foundation DLC 3. **Mirror Shard** – Hidden behind a breakable wall in the Oceanview Motel (Room 7) 4. **Timeworn Battery** – Complete the "Power Trip" side mission in Sector C 5. **Crystal Skull** – Reward for collecting all 30 lore recordings

Collectible Locations Control 2 has **120+ documents**, **50 hidden caches**, and **30 lore recordings**. Here are the most important ones to track:

**Documents:** 15 in the Executive Sector (including the "Director's Log" that explains the Hiss backstory)

**Caches:** 12 in the Maintenance Sector, often behind locked doors or in ventilation shafts

**Lore Recordings:** 8 in the Ashtray Maze (listen carefully for audio cues) > **Pro tip:** Use the "Collectible Tracker" mod (unlocked after Chapter 3) to see which items you're missing in each sector. It saves hours of backtracking.

DLC Walkthrough ### The Foundation (Main DLC)

**Length:** 2–3 hours

**New Characters:** Kira Tanaka (available after completing the first mission)

**New Altered Items:** 8 total, including the Frozen Heart and Obsidian Shard

**Boss Fight:** The Architect – weak to fire damage; phase 2 adds laser grid patterns ### AWE Expansion (Second DLC)

**Length:** 1.5–2 hours

**New Characters:** None, but adds 2 new enemies (The Shade and The Mirror)

**New Altered Items:** 7 total, including the Dimensional Lens

**Key Location:** Cauldron Lake – navigate through 3 separate reality layers > **Spoiler warning:** The final AWE boss requires you to use the Floppy Disk altered item to disrupt its shield. Don't go in without it.

FAQ **Q: Can I respec my character's ability points in Control 2?** A: Yes. You can reset your ability tree at any Control Point for 500 Source. This refunds all spent points, so feel free to experiment. **Q: How many altered items are there total?** A: 45 in the base game, plus 15 in the DLCs (8 in Foundation, 7 in AWE). That's 60 total for the 100% completion. **Q: What's the best character for solo play?** A: Maya Reyes. Her Kinetic Shield and Telekinetic Slam provide both offense and defense. For experienced players, Jax Mercer's speed makes him a great choice for speedrunning or avoiding damage entirely. --- *This guide will be updated as patches and future DLC release. Last updated: March 2025.*