The idea is to maximize the effectiveness of the OP perks in the game as quickly as possible.


Your starting stats (BLACK WING):
Muscle: 4 (+1)
Perception: 8
Guts: 5
Charisma: 8
Brains: 5
Deftness: 5
Fortune: 5
Psyche: 5

Wings:
Black Wing: +1 Muscle, +20 Fortitude, +15 Heavy Weapons, +15 Hand to Hand, +15 Melee Weapons, +20 Piloting
or
Silver wing: +1 Charisma, 2 + skill points, +20 Psyionics + 20 influence

(Note: You can pick whatever Wing you want, but these two are the strongest. Black wing for early game, and Silver Wing for late game)

Just remember to put the one stat you get for from the wing for free to 4 and both CHA and PER must be 8 when the game starts.

Trait:
Gun Fanatic are OP, same with Penitent One. Recommend Gun Fanatic as the downsite (negative 5 initiative) can be neglected with The art of war perk and other buffs in the game. It's really not THAT of big of a deal tbh. You still get to move only once every round and you can position yourself to avoid problems moving last will result in. Gun Fanatic will also give you a huge boost toward all range weapons, giving you plenty of options through the game.

Pentitent One are also good if you are playing a character that avoids damage by being a sniper or at least away from the frontline. It's a bit more risky on higher difficulty, but worth it if you save a lot. Gives you 10+ buff to all abilities. 140 points in total. Very nice. The downsite are the Critical Hit 50% more damage recieved.

NOTE:
You can also go Bossy if you want 10 in CHA and PER, just lower one in CHA (8-->7) and increase one in PER (8-->9)

You then get access to Lead by example and tacticians eye perks.
Also Pressure point from hand to hand combat if you want that. Ideal for high crit hand-to-hand builds. Bossy reduce your accuracy by 5 and it hurt before you start getting good gear, but not that much of a big deal. The Encumbrance -25 hurt way more, especially early game when you don't have companions.


PERKS:
- Observant (lev 3)

- Renaissance person (lev 6)

- Mysterious Patronage (lev 9)

- Filler - Maybe rising star (lev 11)

- Filler -- maybe intensive training (lev 13)

- Self improvment (lev 15)

The idea:
1. Get Observant early to maximize gained skill points (+3 every level up)

2. Picking Renaissance Person at next available moment to get 9 in both Charisma and Perception (among all other stats) Improves all stats by one. (requirement for this perk is insane)

3. With 9 in CHA and PER, and level 9, you can now pick Mysterious Patronage giving you access to PERKS every 2 level instead of every 3 levels.

4. Two filler picks, depends what you want in the game. Rising Star is good (gives you a big bonus toward every faction) and Intensive Training is insane for all, but pacifics builds. (gives you more AP basically)

5. Pick Self Improvment and improve 6 skills at once.

Stats at level 15:
Muscle: 7
Perception: 9 (10)*
Guts: 7
Charisma: 9 (10)*
Brains: 7
Deftness: 7
Fortune: 7
Psyche: 7

* if you picked the Bossy trait.