Mother Base in MGSV: The Phantom Pain will grow as soon as you start recruiting (read: kidnapping) soldiers from missions via the Fulton Recovery System. Assigning them to various platforms at Mother Base will help level up those platforms, and thus unlock various benefits as well as new items to unlock.
However, certain better items will require the expertise of Specialists or members with key skills. Some of them you’ll pick up during your missions as part of your main mission objective, but many are hidden as side objectives, meaning you’ll have to do some side excursions to get them.
Don’t fret though, we’ll list all the Specialists here, as well as their location.
Anesthesia Specialist – Enables the use of tranquilizers for handguns and sniper rifles
Prisoner to extract in Mission 10
Bionics Specialist – Enables development of prosthetic arm
Main target in Mission 05
Bipedal Weapons Developer – Enables development of D-Walker equipment
Get Emmerich in Mission 12
Counselor – Increases the recovery speed of staff suffering from PTSD in sickbay by 3%
Target in Mission 25 or Wandering Soldier from Side Op 57
Cybernetics Specialist – Enables the development of “Medical” prosthetic arm
Optional target in Mission 09
Diplomat – Reduces chance of injuries within a combat squad. Can stack up to ten times
Optional target in Mission 06, Transport truck driver in Mission 17, Target in Side Op 112, Appears in Side Op 20, Wandering Soldier from Side Op 60
Drug Developer – Enables development of Noctocyanin and Acceleramin
One of the prisoners in Mission 09
Electromagnetic Net Specialist – Enables development of the EMN Mine
Prisoner in Shago Village during Mission 32
Electrospinning Specialist – Enables development of Knife Sneaking Suit for D-Dog and Battle Dress for D-Horse
Prisoner transported in a four-wheel drive during Mission 09
Gunsmith (Assault Rifles) – Reduces the amount of GMP needed to research and develop new Assault Rifles. Is able to stack
Man who lectures the child soldiers during Mission 13, The Subordinate of the Major in Mission 19
Gunsmith (Grenade Launchers) –Â Reduces the amount of GMP needed to research and develop new Grenade Launchers. Is able to stack
Wandering Soldier from Side Op 53
Gunsmith (Handguns) –Â Reduces the amount of GMP needed to research and develop new Handguns. Is able to stack
Target in Side Op 107
Gunsmith (Machine Guns) –Â Reduces the amount of GMP needed to research and develop new Handguns. Is able to stack
Wandering Soldier from Side Op 56
Gunsmith (Missile Launchers) –Â Reduces the amount of GMP needed to research and develop new Handguns. Is able to stack
Wandering Soldier from Side Op 55, Volunteer after you complete Mission 31, Appears in Side Op 24
Gunsmith (Shotguns) –Â Reduces the amount of GMP needed to research and develop new Handguns. Is able to stack
Prisoner in Wialo Village during Mission 04
Gunsmith (Sniper Rifles) –Â Reduces the amount of GMP needed to research and develop new Handguns. Is able to stack
Appears in Side Op 15, Wandering Soldier from Side Op 58, Volunteer after you complete Mission 46
Gunsmith (Submachine Guns) –Â Reduces the amount of GMP needed to research and develop new Handguns. Is able to stack
Wandering Soldier from Side Op 59
Interpreter (Afrikaans) – Enables understanding of Afrikaans when spoken by enemy soldiers
The Interpreter in Mission 14, Target in Side Op 03
Interpreter (Kikongo)Â – Enables understanding of Kikongo when spoken by enemy soldiers
Target in Side Op 04
Interpreter (Pashto)Â – Enables understanding of Pashto when spoken by enemy soldiers
Target in Side Op 02
Interpreter (Russian)Â – Enables understanding of Russian when spoken by enemy soldiers
Target in Side Op 01
Master Gunsmith – Enables weapon customization
Target in Side Op 110
Materials Engineer – Enables development of the Battle Dress and other equipment
Optional prisoner in Mission 14
Mechatronics Specialist – Enables development of the Precision prosthetic and other equipment
Prisoner in Yakho Oboo Supply Outpost in Mission 10
Metamaterials Specialist – Enables development of the Stealth Camo PP and other equipment
Prisoner being held at Kiziba Camp in Mission 17
Missile Guidance Specialist – Enables development of the Killer Bee and other equipment
Prisoner being held at Munoko ya Nioka Station at the NE Guard Post during Mission 19, The Arms Dealer in Mission 21
Mother Base XO
Recruit Miller in Mission 01
Noise Suppression Specialist – Enables built-in suppressor conversion for handguns
Prisoner in Mission 38
Parasitologist – Enables development of the Parasite Suit
Recruit Code Talker in Mission 28
Physician – Boosts illness recovery time by 3%. Is able to stack
Wandering Soldier from Side Op 54, Target in Mission 24, Volunteer after you complete mission 46
Radar Specialist – Enables development of the Active Sonar and other equipment
One of the escort soldiers of the commander from Wakh Sind Barracks in Mission 07, Volunteer after you complete Mission 12
Rocket Control Specialist – Enables development of the Rocket prosthetic
Prisoner in Lamar Khaate Palace during Mission 32
Sleeping Gas Specialist – Enables development of the LLG-Mine and Sleep Grenade
The prisoner who escaped during Mission 25
Surgeon – Staff injury recovery increases by 3%. Is able to stack
The escaped prisoner searched by the four soldiers in Mission 09, Prisoner in Ditadi Abandonded Village during Mission 26, Volunteer after you complete Mission 31
Tactical Instructor
Recruit Ocelot during the Prologue
Transportation Specialist – Enables the development of the Cargo 2 Fulton Upgrade
One of the prisoners in Lamar Khaate Palace during Mission 10, Man watching the child soldiers in Mission 13, One of the prisoners in Ditadi Abandoned Village during Mission 15, Volunteer after you complete Mission 16
Trap Specialist – Enables development of the E-Stun Decoy
One of the prisoners in Ditadi Abandoned Village during Mission 15
Troublemaker (Harassment) – Chance to cause PTSD to your staff. Avoid employing in Mother Base if you can
Target in Mission 26
Troublemaker (Unsanitary) – Chance to cause illness to your staff. Avoid employing in Mother Base if you can
The Militants’ XO in Mission 25
Troublemaker (Violence) – Chance to injure another staff member. Avoid employing in Mother Base if you can
One of the two CFA officials during Mission 17
Video Surveillance Specialist – Enables development of security devices for FOBs
Prisoner in Ditadi Abandoned Village during Mission 26
Zoologist – ENables development of the Bait Bottle
One of the prisoners during Mission 14
