Mass Effect 3.6: Are you engaging in reproductive behavior with this thread?

[SiuiS]

Mass Effect 3, thread 6
or
Indoctrination in the playground


***


This is the sixth thread for discussion of Mass Effect proper, currently on its third and final installment. Here we discuss gameplay, mechanics, multiplayer, and anything at all from Mass Effect 1 &2. Spoilers are still spoilers, for the most part, so please take discussion of the story and the ending to the mass effect Endings discussion thread..


Prior threads:
Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3
Thread 4
Thread 5


Playgrounder multiplayer profiles (please use the provided format of
- GitP user name
- game system(s)
- in-game user name
- frequently used weapons/classes

PC:


GITP Name : bladescape
Gaming System : PC
Name on Gaming System : blade_scaper
Preferred Classes: Serious play, Sentinels, soldiers, infiltrators. Semi-Serious(I'm practicing it.) Vanguards. Non-serious: Adepts and Engineers.

GITP Name : Wilhelm Scream
Gaming System : PC
Name on Gaming System : chumsley
Preferred Classes: Salarian engineer/infiltrator, asari adept, krogan vanguard

GITP Name : Ertwin
Gaming System : PC
Name on Gaming System : Ertwin
Preferred Classes :Krogan Soldier, salarian/quarian infiltrator are my most played.

GITP Name : DabblerWizard
Gaming System : PC
Name on Gaming System : DabblerWizard
Preferred Classes : Adept


GITP Name : MonarchAnarch
Gaming System : PC
Name on Gaming System : MonarchAnarch
Preferred Classes : Asari Vanguard, Salarian Infiltrator, or Drell Adept. Still hopelessly searching for a non human engineer. :(*

GITP Name: Drakefall
Gaming System PC
Name on Gaming System: Drakefall_XI
Preferred Classes: Engineer when I'm feeling serious; others as the whim hits me.

GitP Poster: horngeek
Origin Name: horngeek
GITP Name : Sagonene
Gaming System : PC
Name on Gaming System : vinceroix
Preferred Classes : Adept & Engineer

GITP Name : Comrade
Gaming System : PC
Name on Gaming System : NapalmMotorhead (Motorhead was taken, so was Napalm Death. -_-)
Preferred Classes : Soldier

Giantitp Name: Corvus
Platform: PC
Origin Name: Auscorvus
Classed played; Drell Adept & Human Engineer (if serious), Turian Soldier & Krogan Sentinel (for fun on bronze.)

Giantitp name: Chen
Platform: PC
Origin Name: Chen932000
Classes played: Have an Asari Vanguard and Human Sentinel I play most often. Leveling a Drell Adept and Quarian Infiltrator as well.

Giantitp name: Anarion
Platform: PC
Origin Name: jrogers55
Classes played: trying out all of them. Adept favorite.

GitP Name: Khosan
System: PC
Origin Name: Khosan
Preferred Class: Probably Sentinel, though I haven't given all of them a fair shake yet

GITP Name : Dhavaer
Gaming System : PC
Name on Gaming System : Dhavaer
Preferred Classes : Vanguard, Engineer, Sentinel. Adept once I find an asari.

GITP Name: Actana
Gaming System: PC
Name on Gaming System: Miriact
Preferred Classes: Salarian Infiltrator, Human Vanguard, or anything that fits my mood at the time

GianTiTP name: Mikeavelli
Multiplayer ME3 name: Mikeavelli
Vanguard CHARGE! Also have Asari Vanguard unlocked. Not too sure how I feel about it yet.


GitP username : Sholos
Origin: veebeebee
Playing: Engineer/Infiltrator/Soldier/Adept

GITP Name : Darius Macab
Gaming System : PC
Name on Gaming System : DariusMacab
Preferred Classes : All classes 'cept soldier, i just got the game so only humans so far

GitP username: Arbitrarity
Origin ID: Arbitrarity
Classes: Any variety of Engineer/Adept/Infiltrator. Occasionally Turian Sentinel, Soldiers, and rarely Vanguard.
Preferred Difficulty: Silver/Gold

GitP Poster: Aotrs Commander
Origin Name: AotrsCommander*
Playing: Infiltrator

GitP Poster: Gamerlord
Origin Name: Gamerlord2

GitP name: Starsign
Origin name: Sunrust
Prefers: N/A

Name on GITP: Landis963
System: PC
Name on Origin: landis963
Preferred Classes: Anything "caster", although I've been looking to break back into the Vanguard business. *Currently have a lv. 20 Salarian engineer I use for gold farming.

GiTP Name: Morty
Gaming System: PC
Name on gaming system: Morty901
Preferred classes: Anything that's not a Vanguard, really.


X-Box 360:

GitP user name - Strife Warzeal
- game system(s) - Xbox360
- in-game user name - aafro1109
- frequently used weapons/classes - Generally, all. I've been leaning towards Sentinels and Infiltrators recently, but it varies.

GITP Name : thugthrasher
Gaming System : Xbox 360
Name on Gaming System : thugthrasher
Preferred Classes : Any, really, although I enjoy playing Infiltrator the most and am probably best with Salarian Engineer or Adept (any)

GITP Name: Psyren
Gaming System: Xbawks
XBL ID: Psyren Y
Preferred Classes: Casters

GITP Name : Thanatos 51-50
Gaming System : X-Box 360
Name on Gaming System : Saalaksin
Preferred Classes : Infiltrator (Flex), followed shortly by Vanguard (Human)

GitP Name: SiuiS
XBL name: Starry Notions
MP class: all

GitP: James the Dark
XBox: Jacob Greyson
What I Run: Sentinels. Turian if I'm being serious (No tech armor, just chain overload and warp), krogan (RAAAAWR!) when I'm having a gas.

GitP Poster: Tome
XBL Name: Taejix
Playing: Vanguard/Adept

GiTP name: Polity4life
XBL name: ManofOpposites
MP Class: Pretty much anything but adept and vanguard (I haven't opened non-human options for those)

GitP username: Alaris
Xbox Live Gamertag: Alarikun
Preferred Class: Infiltrator

GitP username: Sanguine
Xbox Gamertag: Kugger

- GitP user name: Wagadodo
- game system(s) : 360
- in-game user name : Wagadodo
- frequently used weapons/classes : I seem to be playing Soldier more than anything right now... But also have Sentintenel, but other than I have to truely find my niche.

Giantitp username: Fawkes
XBL username: Mechafox

Giantitp username: Yana
XBL username: The 1337 Doctor
Classes: Any, but I lean towards the Asari Adept/Quarian Infiltrator/Human Soldier & Engineer

GitP: Wraith
XBL: o IIIusionist o
Playing: Engineer/Sentinel

GitP Poster: thorgrim29
XBL Name: thorgrim29

GitP Poster: Derthric
XBL Name: Derthric
Playing: Salarian Engineer/Infiltrator

GitP poster: Xondure
XBL Name: Royal LP

GitP Poster: thorgrim29
XBL Name: Thorgrim29
Playing: Vanguard

GitP Poster: kamikasei
XBL Name: amanadiel*

GitP Poster: Mr. Blinky
XBL Name: Hells DM

GitP name: Krade
GT: Krade2k20

GITP Name: Edge
Gaming System: Xbox 360
Name on Gaming System: UnbrokenUnbowed
Preferred Classes: Primarily Adept, Engineer and Vanguard, but I can run whatever's needed. Not the best Infiltrator due to only being a mediocre sniper at best.

Playgrounder - Beowulf DW
System - Xbox 360
XBL tag - MechaBeowulf DW
Preferred class(es) - Vanguards, Engineers, and soldiers

GITP Name : Moogleking
Gaming System : Xbox 360
Name on Gaming System : MK8Bit
Preferred Classes : Human Engineer, Quarian Infiltrator and a little bit of dabbling everywhere else!


PS3:



GitP username: Lycan 01
PS3 ID: Ralix_57
Characters: Quarian Infiltrator lvl 20, Sentinels lvl 17, Soldiers

GITP Name : Lord Fullbladder, Master of Goblins
Gaming System : PS3
PSN Name : TheFullbladder

PSN Name: Crystal1995
GitP: C-Lam


bioware page archiving useful information (http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/343/index/10712294)

[Aotrs Commander]

Good job, that pony.

I was just starting to wonder whether I should do it myself, but wasn't quite sure whether we had a Designated Person and didn't want to tread on any toes (seeing we all know what happened the last time...!)

(Also, ponythread nepotism, ain't it a wunnaful thing...!)

[SiuiS]

I did quintuple check just in case, but I figured calling dibs saved me. That, and it involved work of some sort. Who wants to be responsible, when you're just here to talk about how ULM being bugged sucks?

Plus I've been working on making an OP since thread 3, but never got the chance. That Braz snuck one in while I was formatting is a household joke.

-

I have a question about the spreadsheets. Would they be more readable if posted as a forum post? I can barely make heads or rails of them, but this is a combination of being on my phone, and just disliking spreadsheets in general.

[Grif]

Just popping to say I approve of the thread title. :smallbiggrin:

[Aotrs Commander]

I have a question about the spreadsheets. Would they be more readable if posted as a forum post? I can barely make heads or rails of them, but this is a combination of being on my phone, and just disliking spreadsheets in general.

They're okay if you've got a full screen, actually. There is some scrolling involved when looking across different guns, given the layout, but it's okay.

You could probably compact them a bit with the gun pictures taken out, but I think you'd still struggle to get all the guns of one type on a single page whatever.



(Have you checked your ponythread imagedump yet?)

[Yana]

Just popping to say I approve of the thread title. :smallbiggrin:

One can never go wrong with Blasto.

[Tome]

Classy title there. :smallwink:

The spreadsheet looks fine to me.

[Starsign]

Well, here I am... Not much more to say atm than hello. :smallredface:

[Morty]

By God, but the Striker assault rifle turned out to be useless. :smallyuk: Half the time I'm firing, it doesn't seem to do anything. Well, another supercool weapon I got from a Spectre pack that is worse than the Avenger.
Also, is there any point in giving a Widow the piercing mod?

[Chen]

By God, but the Striker assault rifle turned out to be useless. :smallyuk: Half the time I'm firing, it doesn't seem to do anything. Well, another supercool weapon I got from a Spectre pack that is worse than the Avenger.
Also, is there any point in giving a Widow the piercing mod?

Like the Falcon, host the game if you want to use the Striker. There's some latency/client synch issues with it.

A piercing mod on the window does increase the distance you can pierce I believe. I think with a good piercing mod you can actually shoot through the glass in one of the bases which is pretty OP (you can shoot at people in the landing room without taking return fire)

[Yana]

You can always try to kill three guardians in one shot. And by that, I mean actually shooting them, none of that namby pamby "third guy had a heart attack" baloney like Garrus.

[Psyren]

Love the thread title!

I've got something to spice up your weekend: Mass Effect Cocktails. (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117216-Get-Hammered-With-These-Mass-Effect-Character-Cocktails) My favorite so far is Thane's ("The Neck Snap.") Jack's and Wrex's require a better man than I.

[Starsign]

I've got something to spice up your weekend: Mass Effect Cocktails. (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117216-Get-Hammered-With-These-Mass-Effect-Character-Cocktails) My favorite so far is Thane's ("The Neck Snap.") Jack's and Wrex's require a better man than I.

Ooh, has there been a cocktail for Ashley yet? I missed out on the first few ones that were revealed.

[Morty]

Even if I were to host, the Striker still seems completely impractical.
As for the Widow, I have both it and the Piercing mod at first level. I'm honestly not sure what to slap on the Widow and Mantis. The enchanced scope mod is good, but only against Cerberus with those **** smoke grenades.

[Derthric]

I think my sig can explain why it took me about 30 minutes to get past Marauder Shields.

Also I found this link (http://www.savegameonline.com/index.php/features/812-save-games-mass-effect-squadmate-cocktails-the-best-drinks-this-side-of-the-citadel) by ME on facebook. I will make and try each and every one. However I will make sure not to do it in a single night......maybe....

This one should include the drinks for everyone, at least it had when last I checked. And my favorite is Grunt's, its so childlike but I could see him drinking it like how Worf drank Prune Juice. "Ah, a Warrior's drink!"

[Zevox]

So, playing the main game again, I'm reminded of how much I like the Scorpion. It may not be the most efficient weapon, but damn if riddling my enemies with miniature timed mines isn't fun.

Now why did they have to go and make it an ultra-rare in multiplayer? :smallfrown:

Zevox

[Krade]

So, playing the main game again, I'm reminded of how much I like the Scorpion. It may not be the most efficient weapon, but damn if riddling my enemies with miniature timed mines isn't fun.

Now why did they have to go and make it an ultra-rare in multiplayer? :smallfrown:

Zevox

It's fun, but not reliable on Gold. I've got it to level 3 and with the clip mod you get a total of 29 shots. I like it for goofing around on Bronze, but it just can't hold up on Gold. Kind of like the Falcon in that regard. Super awesome and fun on Bronze (if you're host, at least), crumby on Gold.

[Landis963]

You missed me on the PC list.

Name on GITP: Landis963
System: PC
Name on Origin: landis963
Preferred Classes: Anything "caster", although I've been looking to break back into the Vanguard business. Currently have a lv. 20 Salarian engineer I use for gold farming.

[Zevox]

It's fun, but not reliable on Gold.
That's fine - I don't do much gold anyway, and the class I do it with, my Asari Adept, I've been using my Tempest with anyway. I mostly play on silver, so as long as it works fine there, I'd be good. And ammo isn't so much a concern considering I'd be using it on casters.

Zevox

[Psyren]

I can see it being a lot of fun, and quite thematic, on Engineers - who rely on guns more between casts than other casters anyway.

How does it stack up vs. the Arc Pistol? In SP I can't bring myself to not use my trusty Phalanx (though I miss the targeting laser a great deal.)

[Starsign]

Okay, so my experience on Insanity has showed me that both Nemesis and Phantoms can't destroy my shields in one shot, unlike Gold. (then again I have a total of 70% damage protection so that might have a factor in something. This kills my cooldowns to 3-4 seconds for Warp and Overload but I never rely fully on powers anyway :smalltongue:)

Now for those who have done Insanity, any advice for taking care of Banshees? I've got the Ardat-Yakshi Monastery available now and my main group I bring along is Ashley and Javik. My best plan is to spam Dark Channel -> Warp combos, Ashley's Concussive Shot/Inferno Grenades, and Particle Rifle spam with Ashley's Squad Disruptor Ammo in play.

[Zorg]

I am posting to get the tick on the main board and to say if anyone's interested I've got quite a few more Mass Effect videos on my youtube channel (link in sig).

[SiuiS]

Fair enough.

(If you haven't seen it already, you should note that there is a Special Aotrs Inept Attempt To Cheer Up SiuiS Marginally Edition image dump in ponythread.)

On that now. I've been avoiding ponythread because it keeps timing out on me and eating my quotes. I'm going back in once all mother obligations are clear though. Have to PbPs to finish char-gen for.



Given what happened during the first event, when I braved silver (after about four or five failed attempts to even get past about wave five), I'm disinclined to make the attempt. (As it would have to rely on the other three players to be good enough to manage with my drag.) Though I suppose I do have my Turian sentinel (though he's probably of only moderate use, specced as he is for Geth mangling on Bronze, with area effect Overload.) And my (much lower level) Geth engineer isn't well specced for gold, either, being all offense turret, when my understanding is healing is better at those levels. Not even gonna attempt my Krogan Battlemaster, as I've found I got frequently killed tackling Reapers even on bronze.

(And my weapons suck. I've got about a Mantis VII or something, and everything else I've got is I or IIs.)

Wait, the squad goal is verses any enemy? Hmm... Maybe against Geth or something...

Actually, I guess I'll just see what I end up doing this weekend.

Actually, gold with an okay team is much easier than silver, if heavier on the bullets. Teams have to work together.

As an infiltrator, try to pack a strong sniper rifle and maybe a back up. Or if you've got a really good HP, bring that. As a sentinel, try to get into fire base white, geth. Avenger and overload will give you enough firepower to feel useful, especially if you add an ammo capacity upgrade. Against puris and primes, the avenger isn't so hot, but the ability dump constant dakka, interrupted by overload (or warp, of you have the one that boosts damage and weakens armor) feels good. And tech armor lets you live long enough outside of cover to make it work.


:smallconfused: I don't see how that works. I'm not assuming that people know how I played in ME2, I mention what the play style I'm referring to is when I say that (which is particularly easy since it's always either caster-style for Adept/Engineer/Sentinel or charge/shotgun style for Vanguard, the only things I play).

No, there have been a couple times, or at least one, where you used ME 2 mechanics as the basis of an argument about multiplayer build priorities.



Maybe for you; not for me. I could never keep up with some of the threads I participate in if I tried to read everything in detail (especially ponythread).

That's odd. Only ponythread could really present a problem, but maybe you frequent more threads than I do.


Um, no, N7 rank is completely useless. It's nothing but a sum of your character levels, plus 10 per promotion. At most a very high one means you've played a lot, but that still does not guarantee skill. An extremely low one (sub-20) indicates a truly new player, but that also does not guarantee a lack of skill, thanks to the single-player aspect of the game. Anything in between tells you nothing. My own hasn't budged in ages due to my not promoting characters, but that doesn't mean I stopped playing or am stuck at a low skill level.

Zevox

Your N7 rank must be broken then. It continues to rise based on levelexperience; in fact it takes less experience to increase n7 rank from 350 to 351, than to go from level 18 to level 19. Promoting boosts it, but it is not just a sum of class levels. Otherwise mine would have hit 500 a while ago.


@ SiuiS - A while ago you were asking me to test how cooldown effects from Tech Armor and its knock-offs compared to effects from weapon encumbrance. I'm currently playing through the main campaign with my Sentinel Shep, and it occurred to me that I could test this easily there, since I can check the numbers in my power screen. Results:

I recorded the numbers for three powers with different cooldowns, to give a decent sample size. Also, all numbers have an additional 30% cooldown decrease from armor (Inferno set) and 10% from upgrades at Liara's console, but since those apply to them all (except the base numbers from the Normandy, I assume) it shouldn't matter. Tech Armor I have maxed out with the upgrade to reduce cooldown effect, which in single-player still only brings it to 50%. (Aside: I really wish they'd apply balance changes to single-player as well as multiplayer and do not understand why they don't.)

Cooldowns as they appear on the Normandy (base, should be no modifiers outside of power upgrades applied I think, all have the rank 2 25% upgrade and no others in that regard):

Throw: 2.96 seconds
Warp: 5.93 seconds
Cryo Blast: 4.44 seconds

200% cooldown weight, no Tech Armor:

Throw: 1.1 seconds
Warp: 2.19 seconds
Cryo Blast: 1.64 seconds

200% cooldown, with Tech Armor:

Throw: 1.27 seconds
Warp: 2.54 seconds
Cryo Blast: 1.9 seconds

147% cooldown, no Tech Armor:

Throw: 1.28 seconds
Warp: 2.57 seconds
Cryo Blast: 1.93 seconds

147% cooldown, with Tech Armor:

Throw: 1.53 seconds
Warp: 3.06 seconds
Cryo Blast: 2.29 seconds
So as you can see, the numbers for 200% cooldown plus Tech Armor are extremely similar to the numbers for 147% cooldown without Tech Armor, so you may well be correct that Tech Armor's effects are applied in the same manner as the weapon encumbrance effects.

Interesting. I think I'll give single player a go as well. I can drop into campaign with a free 30 levels worth of points. I think it would be easier to test on a non-optimized Shep (+50% of 8 seconds being much easier to calibrate).


On an unrelated note, playing as a Sentinel I find myself baffled by the design of Tech Armor in ME3. Why take it from full holographic armor in 2 to covering only the front of your character in 3? It doesn't make sense from any in-universe perspective I can think of, and from an out-of-universe one it just looks stupid by comparison, at least in my opinion.

Zevox

I think it's a small matter, but I did note how weird it was. But tech armor is omnipresent; the visual effect is separate from the actual protectionist affords.


For anyone on 360, I am more than willing to help get your Commendation pack. I will probably be on tomorrow when it starts and Saturday and Sunday evening/night (10ishPM EST).

GT: Krade2k20
Send another message with your friend request so I know you're from here, please.

I'll probably post this again in the new thread when we get one.


Well I'm a PC player. I'll gladly join in, but... Well I prefer not using voice chat if possible. I'm sensitive on that subject. :smallredface:

Origin name: Sunrust

You should know it's me because of the profile picture of Zrin from Darkspore.

Also, completed Priority: Tchaunka. Really easy mission. Dark Channel -> Warp completely destroys groups of everything named a Husks or Cannibals :smalltongue:

Alright. I'll put these two on the list, of y'all don't mind?


Love the thread title!

I've got something to spice up your weekend: Mass Effect Cocktails. (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117216-Get-Hammered-With-These-Mass-Effect-Character-Cocktails) My favorite so far is Thane's ("The Neck Snap.") Jack's and Wrex's require a better man than I.

The quad kick looks... Nice.
Seriously though, Psychotic Biotic isn't hardcore, it's Tacky. Tastes like crap, and can cause minor chemical damage? Why?


Even if I were to host, the Striker still seems completely impractical.

The striker straddles the border between sidearm and mainline gun. It's remarkably useful on a stun and gun caster, like salarian engineer. Strap on cryo ammo (or disruptor or warp, for bursts), drop a power on a target, and then unload a bunch of explosives at their feet up to their head. With armor piercing mod, you're able to freeze enemies around corners and through cover. Damage isn't bad, and RoF gets pretty fun.


As for the Widow, I have both it and the Piercing mod at first level. I'm honestly not sure what to slap on the Widow and Mantis. The enchanced scope mod is good, but only against Cerberus with those **** smoke grenades.

The sniper mod should let you see through anything you can shoot through, right? This means you can scope enemies behind thin cover.

Try not to use the AP mod on the widow. It increases the distance of penetration but severely decreases damage. The AP mod overwrites the Gina's basic stats.


You missed me on the PC list.

Name on GITP: Landis963
System: PC
Name on Origin: landis963
Preferred Classes: Anything "caster", although I've been looking to break back into the Vanguard business. *Currently have a lv. 20 Salarian engineer I use for gold farming.

Sorry, it was 4 am and I just did a copy/paste. I'll rectify.
EDIT: names added. Considering making a formatting project out of those lists. Such a mess!

[Mr._Blinky]

Your N7 rank must be broken then. It continues to rise based on levelexperience; in fact it takes less experience to increase n7 rank from 350 to 351, than to go from level 18 to level 19. Promoting boosts it, but it is not just a sum of class levels. Otherwise mine would have hit 500 a while ago.

Nope, it's based on aggregate level-ups; every time you gain a level in any class, your N7 rank goes up by 1, and any time you promote a character it goes up by 10. It's easier to go from N7 350 to N7 351 than level 18 to 19 because all you have to do is whip out a level 1 guy and level him up once, which takes far less experience. If you were to fully level each of your classes and never promote them, then your max N7 rank is 120, but if you then promote a class you get an automatic +10 and now have another 20 levels of that class to go through, each one raising your N7 rank by 1. I've got 455 because I've promoted a lot of classes in the past and then leveled them back up to 20 or near it, but I could be at a much higher rank if I ever promoted my Engineers and Infiltrators that I've kept at max-level for weeks now so I can use them on Gold.

[Zevox]

That's odd. Only ponythread could really present a problem, but maybe you frequent more threads than I do.
Maybe. Mine fluctuate depending on what's currently active, but I always have at least few here in the video games section, plus a few more in the media section, including ponythread. Occasionally I stop by the OotS section as well.


Your N7 rank must be broken then. It continues to rise based on levelexperience; in fact it takes less experience to increase n7 rank from 350 to 351, than to go from level 18 to level 19. Promoting boosts it, but it is not just a sum of class levels. Otherwise mine would have hit 500 a while ago.
That's simply not the case. Here, I can give you a precise breakdown of my own:

Total N7 Rank: 143

Math:
Adept 20
Engineer 20
Sentinel 20
Vanguard 40 (Promoted once.)
Infiltrator 20*
Soldier 13*
Promotion 10

(20*4) + 40 + 13 +10 = 143, a perfect match. And it has stayed there for some time now, so I'm absolutely certain that my playing level 20s is not raising it one bit.

*Since I know those two will raise some eyebrows given my stated opinions on the classes, a quick explanation. I deployed my Turian Soldier back during our discussion of class shield/hp values, to check what it had, so that gets added to my score. The Infiltrator was a Human, who I deployed back when trying to play solo to build Galactic Readiness, because I'd seen people here saying that cloak makes solo play much easier. It didn't work out for me, but her level gets added to my score now anyway. All actual levels in both classes come from cards from boosters. (I've gotten a lot of Human Infiltrator cards, and a pretty good number of Geth ones as well. Again, more reasons for me to hate the booster system.)

Zevox

[Psyren]

SiuS, Zevox is right about N7 - it's sum of class levels + 10 per promotion, nothing more nothing less.

[Aotrs Commander]

Phew. Just managed it. Level 41, and with a bit of judicious reloading on salvaging drones, and a bit of luck with a Hard weapons locker, I've got my requisite four Tungsten and Shredder VIIs.

(So the answer is, SiuiS, if you're struggling to get 'em on weapons drops, your best bet is drone salvage (between levels 37 and 42, obviously).)

Right. Nest stop, Pinnicle Station so I can get the apartment and thus the good weapons!



Edit: I am a dirty cheating bugger.

After several tries pratting about on the hunt, I thought, "bugger this for a game of soldiers" and set it to Casual, so as to not spend hours pratting about on mindless combat. I felt guilty for a moment, then realised that having Kaiden hack the system and quietly turn the difficulty down to rub the Turian guys nose in it was exactly the kind of jerkass thing Evil Idiot Shepard was do! (Ironically making the Turian's accusations accurate...!)

(I did it normal the first time around, so I'm no longer going to feel guilty about splattering it on casual for the sake of playing not-fun missions...)

[Morty]

The striker straddles the border between sidearm and mainline gun. It's remarkably useful on a stun and gun caster, like salarian engineer. Strap on cryo ammo (or disruptor or warp, for bursts), drop a power on a target, and then unload a bunch of explosives at their feet up to their head. With armor piercing mod, you're able to freeze enemies around corners and through cover. Damage isn't bad, and RoF gets pretty fun.

It seems a wee bit too heavy for me to give to a power-using character.

[Anarion]

It seems a wee bit too heavy for me to give to a power-using character.

Try using one of the medium to heavy but very strong guns on a power-using character. Adepts not so much, but engineers or sentinals can get pretty good mileage out of having one really nice gun. Their powers stun anyway, so you can often stun and then kill rather than having to use the powers twice with a worse gun. Plus guns are (imo) easier to aim at extreme long range compared to several powers.

Now, pardon me while I rage a moment.
Rage
So, for some reason my Internet has decided to misbehave. Not random d/cs or such, which I can deal with, no, it's just continual sluggishness. I move my mouse up and down, the character on screen moves up and then down about 0.2-0.5 seconds later. 0.2-0.5 seconds is a REALLY long time and it's utterly ruining me. It screws up power targeting because I'll fire when the red reticule comes up, but then lose it and the power won't home. It screws up accurate headshots because I'll fire right before the geth do their stupid bunny hop and the shot won't go off until after the hop. I'll see an enemy right in front of me, hit melee and then get meleed myself and die before it goes off. I think it's getting to the point where I simply can't play the game. I can still get some kills and assist a party, but it's the MOST FRUSTRATING THING EVER. I just utterly do not see how to play this game with any amount of lag. Argh!!

Oh and lest I forget, banshees. Just banshees. Today I've been pulled through a crate and DOWN A LADDER!!! by banshees that on my screen were several yards distant.

Ah, much better.

[Starsign]

I got me a Geth Engineer and GPS! :smallbiggrin:

...Now to decide how to build him. Equipping a GPS will mess up his cooldown time for Overload, which I prefer to use a lot. (I'm a power-heavy guy) My Geth Turret is set for Defensive rather than Offensive, and I am definitely not bothering with melee. My basic question would be, what should I go with?

A) Ignore Overload altogether and bring the Geth Plasma Shotgun.

B) Forsake the Geth Plasma Shotgun and focus on Overload and low cooldowns.

C) A different plan that anyone could tell me about.

Also I dunno whether to use Hunter Mode or not, though I keep thinking that I REALLY should for the Power bonuses.

[Sholos]

It's fun, but not reliable on Gold. I've got it to level 3 and with the clip mod you get a total of 29 shots. I like it for goofing around on Bronze, but it just can't hold up on Gold. Kind of like the Falcon in that regard. Super awesome and fun on Bronze (if you're host, at least), crumby on Gold.

Falcon + Cryo rounds is actually pretty useful on Gold. Or Disruptor rounds for Tech Burst heaven.


Phew. Just managed it. Level 41, and with a bit of judicious reloading on salvaging drones, and a bit of luck with a Hard weapons locker, I've got my requisite four Tungsten and Shredder VIIs.

Okay, I have to ask, why prefer Tungsten and Shredder to Polonium?

[Tome]

I got me a Geth Engineer and GPS! :smallbiggrin:

...Now to decide how to build him. Equipping a GPS will mess up his cooldown time for Overload, which I prefer to use a lot. (I'm a power-heavy guy) My Geth Turret is set for Defensive rather than Offensive, and I am definitely not bothering with melee. My basic question would be, what should I go with?

A) Ignore Overload altogether and bring the Geth Plasma Shotgun.

B) Forsake the Geth Plasma Shotgun and focus on Overload and low cooldowns.

C) A different plan that anyone could tell me about.

Also I dunno whether to use Hunter Mode or not, though I keep thinking that I REALLY should for the Power bonuses.

Same here! :smallbiggrin:

Though I too am wondering how best to stat up my newly acquired Geth Engineer.

Anyone got any advice?

[Xondoure]

Falcon + Cryo rounds is actually pretty useful on Gold. Or Disruptor rounds for Tech Burst heaven.



Okay, I have to ask, why prefer Tungsten and Shredder to Polonium?

Because they deal the most straight damage? By a pretty significant amount too, unless there's calculations I haven't seen that say otherwise.

[Landis963]

for the guys asking about Geth Engineer builds: Do not, I repeat, do not, underestimate Hunter Mode. The primary function of it is to see where the enemies are, and this is a priceless feature for the small price of a little extra fragility. The power bonus is gravy compared to that function, IMO. As for general stats: my first instinct is go for the powers (and thus forsake the GPS), but it depends on what you want out of it.

[Derthric]

for the guys asking about Geth Engineer builds: Do not, I repeat, do not, underestimate Hunter Mode. The primary function of it is to see where the enemies are, and this is a priceless feature for the small price of a little extra fragility. The power bonus is gravy compared to that function, IMO. As for general stats: my first instinct is go for the powers (and thus forsake the GPS), but it depends on what you want out of it.

I agree, my Geth Engineer uses Hunter Mode almost constantly. Its extremely useful on maps with horrid site lines, such as Glacier and Condor. And when Cerberus drops those smoke grenades you just laugh at them in binary and blast through it with pinpoint accuracy. You can spot anything in the next room over, or that cloaked phantom. It pushes you to be far far more cautious since your need your shields and they get dropped by half. But appropriate use of a shield regen turret you can be amazingly persistent.

[Arbitrarity]

Same here! :smallbiggrin:

Though I too am wondering how best to stat up my newly acquired Geth Engineer.

Anyone got any advice?

I prefer just using the GPS, but I doubt you have the luxury of GPS X for 100% cooldown. That being the case, try Avenger, Carnifex, Phalanx, and maybe GPR/GPSMG

[Edge]

My Geth Engineer is specced thusly:

Geth Turret 6 (Full Defensive)
Hunter Mode 6 (Focused on Damage)
Overload (Chain, Neural Shock, Shield/Barrier Damage)
Networked AI 5 (Focusing on power damage)
Fitness 3.

I only carry around the Geth Pulse Rifle X. I hear a lot of bad things about it, but it serves me well on Gold with an Extended Barrel V and Piercing Mod V. Between those mods, Networked AI's geth weapon damage bonus and Hunter Mode, it tears through enemies other than Banshees. I've found that Cryo Ammo helps immensely in that regard for its armour weakening effect.

Also, since I've haven't put my MP details up yet:
GITP Name: Edge
Gaming System: Xbox 360
Name on Gaming System: UnbrokenUnbowed
Preferred Classes: Primarily Adept, Engineer and Vanguard, but I can run whatever's needed. Not the best Infiltrator due to only being a mediocre sniper at best.

[Morty]

Alright, I guess I might as well finally ad my name to the list. Don't think I'd be of any use on Gold, though. I find Silver stupidly hard, most of the time.

GiTP Name: Morty
Gaming System: PC
Name on gaming system: Morty901
Preferred classes: Anything that's not a Vanguard, really.

In other news, today I found another Arc Pistol, weapon that I found mostly impractical. I have it on level 5 now. Hooray? :smallannoyed:

[Dhavaer]

Ouch. Just came within a hair's breadth of a gold full extraction, but someone went down with 1 second on the clock. So close...

[Arbitrarity]

Had a near full extraction on Ghost/Reapers. Blew pretty much all my consumables, eventually one of our Geth Infils got grabbed by a Banshee 30s before extraction. Considering that game was a 40 minute slugfest starting with a level 17 (N7 31) Engineer... surprisingly decent performance.

[Zevox]

Okay, just had a particularly odd game of gold. Firebase White, Cerberus. My teammates were playing like they were on lower difficulties - sitting atop the ladder near the start, running around liberally. After trying to help them with this in the first wave and watching the team nearly get wiped out - a couple of times in one wave no less - I decided the game was a lost cause, so I ignored the others and went to sit in the defensive position in the console room.

Only somehow, the others didn't get wiped out. Quite the contrary, we made it to full extraction. And in spite of most of the enemies spawning in areas designed to attack my teammates instead of me, I somehow got second place - guess it was all of those Atlases I soloed.

Oh, but I did learn that it's probably unwise for an Asari Adept to use Disruptor Ammo. I noticed it interfering with my biotic combos, causing my throws to set off tech bursts instead, so I just stopped using my gun entirely in most cases shortly into the game.

My rewards for that game were rage-inducing however. I purchased three Veteran Packs, and every one of them contained an Asari Vanguard card. A class I already had all the customization options for. And I am nowhere near having all my uncommon guns maxed out (quite the contrary, if any of them are rank 5 or above, I'd be surprised - I know all the ones I care about aren't). :smallfurious:

Zevox

[Sagonene]

Normal day of work then Zevox? Yeah, using the weekend to take advantage of the supply packs to shore up my rocket and medikit supply.

Anyone else disturbed we're killing corrupted Asari sex vampires on Mother's Day? It clicked this morning... we're doing merc work for the justicars... sometimes as a justicar, oddly enough. Some Asari mother's day card has a picture of her daughter being gunned down in a slum on some crappy human hiveworld.... that is what Firebase Giant is, right? "Oh, random stranger... it's what I WANTED for Mother's Day!"

Got my gold run last night, still wondering if I'll have time to send out some Asari condolence cards between my own and the missus' Mom's tomorrow.

Also, feel free to invite me anytime... getting gold to farm status and playing silver for fun these days.

Sago

[Aotrs Commander]

Well, I've done me four... (Experience tells me that I can do about four multiplayer games before the lag sets in and I need to do a reboot.)

I tried gold, emphasis on try. Even taking my Turian Sentinel, fighting Geth on Firebase White and using what little boost gubbins I had on hand, we got creamed on wave 6 by some hunters because we had to defend the upload point on that open spot where we got flanked.

To hard for me, I think, especially since while my Mattock II ain't bad, it ain't great.

So I went and did a trio of Bronze vrs Reapers for the Banshee goal. Tried Hunter Mode for my Geth engineer. It's... eh, even switching to my "best" weapon (Mantis IX) instead of the Geth SMG, it didn't seem earth shattering, but eh, I was considering not getting it at all, so... (I am sufficiently crap as to really feel the shield loss!)

(I'm so bad, I only just learned about the spacebar+a/d sidestep jump today by accident. That's... really kinda sad.)



However, it must be said, coming in cold off ME 1 REALLY did not help.

As for some insane reason, shift, space and E have all changed jobs (HUD was space now shift, space is run when it used to be shift, and E is now not activate, 'cos space does that too. I lost a lot of seconds on the gold match trying to res my team or active the doohickeys by punching them (because I mapped E to melee and Q to Power 1 in ME 3 to save killing my hand when playing Krogan Vanguard!).



Eh, I've done my part, I think. Maybe when they do another one when I'm not having to fight my own control mindset (because I,m a numpty with my controls most of the time, let alone when my automatic hard-wired instructions are pressing the wrong dan button...) And I've stocked up on Medigel and stuff, and finaly got as Sniper Extension barrel.

Back to ME 1, I think!

[Landis963]

Some Asari mother's day card has a picture of her daughter being gunned down in a slum on some crappy human hiveworld.... that is what Firebase Giant is, right? "Oh, random stranger... it's what I WANTED for Mother's Day!"

Firebase Ghost is the slum on the human hiveworld. but yeah, that is kinda creepy now that I think about it.

[Tome]

So I went and did a trio of Bronze vrs Reapers for the Banshee goal. Tried Hunter Mode for my Geth engineer. It's... eh, even switching to my "best" weapon (Mantis IX) instead of the Geth SMG, it didn't seem earth shattering, but eh, I was considering not getting it at all, so... (I am sufficiently crap as to really feel the shield loss!)

Hunter Mode works best when your weapon can penetrate cover. That and the increased tactical awareness are the real strong points. The stat boosts are a secondary, though still really nice, part of it.

A Javelin with a Piercing Mod on a Geth Infiltrator is where it gets really nasty.

[Aotrs Commander]

Hunter Mode works best when your weapon can penetrate cover. That and the increased tactical awareness are the real strong points. The stat boosts are a secondary, though still really nice, part of it.

A Javelin with a Piercing Mod on a Geth Infiltrator is where it gets really nasty.

Which is why I was considering not bothering for my engineer (don't have any piercing mods, and only Widow I otherwise); though enough people were raving about it on their Geth engineers I figured I might as well sink a point into it and see.

[Sholos]

Because they deal the most straight damage? By a pretty significant amount too, unless there's calculations I haven't seen that say otherwise.

Just looked them up on the wiki. I had a vast misunderstanding on how the chemical rounds worked. I always saw that the toxic damage was bigger than the random damage against certain enemy types, but apparently that's not how it works. So that's good to know...

[Morty]

Mass Effect 1 becomes a cakewalk after a certain point no matter what ammo you're using, anyway. :smalltongue:

[Zevox]

Mass Effect 1 becomes a cakewalk after a certain point no matter what ammo you're using, anyway. :smalltongue:
Indeed. In truth the mods in ME1 never actually seemed to do anything to me anyway. The only exceptions being the auto-healing armor mod, which was so good as to be a no-brainer to use every time, and the one late-game ammo mod that turned your shots into little explosions, which I personally found unusable due to the massive heat increase it caused.

Zevox

[Tome]

Which is why I was considering not bothering for my engineer (don't have any piercing mods, and only Widow I otherwise); though enough people were raving about it on their Geth engineers I figured I might as well sink a point into it and see.

You'd want at least Rank 5 if you're using it on an Engineer - that gets you a boost to Power Damage and Cooldowns. Rank 1 isn't really going to do much on it's own.

Of course, if you tend to take enough damage on Bronze and Silver that the reduced shields come into play regularly, and you aren't taking full advantage of the increased tactical awareness, then it's probably not worth it. It's almost always worth it on Gold though, since your Shields basically evaporate instantly anyway.

[Morty]

Indeed. In truth the mods in ME1 never actually seemed to do anything to me anyway. The only exceptions being the auto-healing armor mod, which was so good as to be a no-brainer to use every time, and the one late-game ammo mod that turned your shots into little explosions, which I personally found unusable due to the massive heat increase it caused.

Zevox

I think people used the exploding ammo for entertainment value... give your team shotguns, load them with exploding ammo, mod them to reduce heat increase and you have a team with rocket launchers.

[Aotrs Commander]

Indeed. In truth the mods in ME1 never actually seemed to do anything to me anyway. The only exceptions being the auto-healing armor mod, which was so good as to be a no-brainer to use every time

And yet if you lot had not said that already, I'd have ignored those mods this time around as well...! (First playthroughs, I think I went mainly the up armour/shield mod ones...)


You'd want at least Rank 5 if you're using it on an Engineer - that gets you a boost to Power Damage and Cooldowns. Rank 1 isn't really going to do much on it's own.

Of course, if you tend to take enough damage on Bronze and Silver that the reduced shields come into play regularly, and you aren't taking full advantage of the increased tactical awareness, then it's probably not worth it. It's almost always worth it on Gold though, since your Shields basically evaporate instantly anyway.

Noted.

[Tome]

Anyone else disturbed we're killing corrupted Asari sex vampires on Mother's Day? It clicked this morning... we're doing merc work for the justicars... sometimes as a justicar, oddly enough. Some Asari mother's day card has a picture of her daughter being gunned down in a slum on some crappy human hiveworld.... that is what Firebase Giant is, right? "Oh, random stranger... it's what I WANTED for Mother's Day!"

You had me in a bit of a panic with that post, thinking I'd forgotten to get something for Mother's Day. Mother's Day was March 18th here in the UK. :smalltongue:


I think people used the exploding ammo for entertainment value... give your team shotguns, load them with exploding ammo, mod them to reduce heat increase and you have a team with rocket launchers.

You could also load it into a Sniper Rifle along with some Scram Rails for a weapon that overheated in a single shot but dealt massive damage.

[SiuiS]

Nope, it's based on aggregate level-ups; every time you gain a level in any class, your N7 rank goes up by 1, and any time you promote a character it goes up by 10. It's easier to go from N7 350 to N7 351 than level 18 to 19 because all you have to do is whip out a level 1 guy and level him up once, which takes far less experience. If you were to fully level each of your classes and never promote them, then your max N7 rank is 120, but if you then promote a class you get an automatic +10 and now have another 20 levels of that class to go through, each one raising your N7 rank by 1. I've got 455 because I've promoted a lot of classes in the past and then leveled them back up to 20 or near it, but I could be at a much higher rank if I ever promoted my Engineers and Infiltrators that I've kept at max-level for weeks now so I can use them on Gold.


SiuS, Zevox is right about N7 - it's sum of class levels + 10 per promotion, nothing more nothing less.

This fails to explain how my N7 rank increased by 4 while leveling my turian soldier from 18-20. I bought no packs, I deployed no other units.


It seems a wee bit too heavy for me to give to a power-using character.

It is heavy, on the edge of tollerable. It's not a gun you can port into your existing play style most days.

Against a group, area power then pepper them with explosives. Against a single unit, stun, then destroy (focused fire from the striker adds up fast). But often times you will have to be more aware; if there is a single enemy here and three around the corner, you don't drop a power on the solo guy because you'll need to stagger the group.


I got me a Geth Engineer and GPS! :smallbiggrin:

...Now to decide how to build him. Equipping a GPS will mess up his cooldown time for Overload, which I prefer to use a lot. (I'm a power-heavy guy) My Geth Turret is set for Defensive rather than Offensive, and I am definitely not bothering with melee. My basic question would be, what should I go with?

A) Ignore Overload altogether and bring the Geth Plasma Shotgun.

B) Forsake the Geth Plasma Shotgun and focus on Overload and low cooldowns.

C) A different plan that anyone could tell me about.

Also I dunno whether to use Hunter Mode or not, though I keep thinking that I REALLY should for the Power bonuses.

I would say play as a protected sniper.
Set up a fox hole by getting lots of good cover and putting your turret just off your position (so enemies shooting it won't accidentally hit you)
Use hunter mode, passive increase and the GPS to set up crossfire. Pick off medium ranged targets, stunlock then charge, etc. try to find high ground, so you can instead back away from the ledge instead of taking cover.

Your turret should keep you alive with its shield recharge, and you can leave Jim behind to cover if your position gets over run.


Alright, I guess I might as well finally ad my name to the list. Don't think I'd be of any use on Gold, though. I find Silver stupidly hard, most of the time.

GiTP Name: Morty
Gaming System: PC
Name on gaming system: Morty901
Preferred classes: Anything that's not a Vanguard, really.

In other news, today I found another Arc Pistol, weapon that I found mostly impractical. I have it on level 5 now. Hooray? :smallannoyed:

It's not bad, really. Just awkward.
Also, will get on that name thing.



You could also load it into a Sniper Rifle along with some Scram Rails for a weapon that overheated in a single shot but dealt massive damage.

this was most fun with sniper training; you had an even shot of hitting an enemy, or seeing the ground at your feet explode.

[Landis963]

I would say play as a protected sniper.
Set up a fox hole by getting lots of good cover and putting your turret just off your position (so enemies shooting it won't accidentally hit you)
Use hunter mode, passive increase and the GPS to set up crossfire. Pick off medium ranged targets, stunlock then charge, etc. try to find high ground, so you can instead back away from the ledge instead of taking cover.

Your turret should keep you alive with its shield recharge, and you can leave Jim behind to cover if your position gets over run.


Where exactly (i.e. on which map) would such a foxhole be viable? The only places I can think of which meet the criteria of "high ground, lots of good cover, space for turret that enemy fire directed at it doesn't hit you but it still recharges your shields" are the map room on Firebase Giant and maybe the LZ in Firebase Dagger (behind the central tower, I mean). If "high ground" isn't completely necessary, then that bottom room in Firebase White (the place where you congregate on gold behind a decoy) or the server room a level up on the same map would also qualify. I can think of no other positions on either Firebase Hydra or Condor (both of those maps are porous enough to preclude "protected"-ness), nor any other positions on the remaining maps.

also, who's Jim? The turret?

[SiuiS]

Where exactly (i.e. on which map) would such a foxhole be viable? The only places I can think of which meet the criteria of "high ground, lots of good cover, space for turret that enemy fire directed at it doesn't hit you but it still recharges your shields" are the map room on Firebase Giant and maybe the LZ in Firebase Dagger (behind the central tower, I mean). If "high ground" isn't completely necessary, then that bottom room in Firebase White (the place where you congregate on gold behind a decoy) or the server room a level up on the same map would also qualify. I can think of no other positions on either Firebase Hydra or Condor (both of those maps are porous enough to preclude "protected"-ness), nor any other positions on the remaining maps.

also, who's Jim? The turret?

There are several on most maps, especially since hubtermode let's you know when your position is compromised.
Condor has both ends of the giant, open mountain pass, one of the actual foxholes, the piping at the bottom, and the mister platform by the tanks.
White has the console room, the LZ, the top of the stairs, the furthest wing by the ammo dump that looks over the LZ, the side open area ourside of the console room.
Ghost has the rooms to either side of the LZ, the main hacking room, the central chamber, and a culdesac in the central recess that quickly becomes a death box.
Giant has the door to the console room... Giant has almost all of Giant, actually.
Dagger has both LZs, the far wing down the left ramp from spawn, the corner a straight shot away from that, and the round space beneath the central chamber. The chamber itself also works.

Any place you canoperate in safely, while both you and your turret can shoot, is good. Some are more open than others; that's why you spawn anew turret and bug out. Enemies should only come from one directoon. If they aren't, relocate.

Jim was what my phone did when I wrote 'him' and hit the H key just a smidge too far to the right.

[Anarion]

There are several on most maps, especially since hubtermode let's you know when your position is compromised.
Condor has both ends of the giant, open mountain pass, one of the actual foxholes, the piping at the bottom, and the mister platform by the tanks.
White has the console room, the LZ, the top of the stairs, the furthest wing by the ammo dump that looks over the LZ, the side open area ourside of the console room.
Ghost has the rooms to either side of the LZ, the main hacking room, the central chamber, and a culdesac in the central recess that quickly becomes a death box.
Giant has the door to the console room... Giant has almost all of Giant, actually.
Dagger has both LZs, the far wing down the left ramp from spawn, the corner a straight shot away from that, and the round space beneath the central chamber. The chamber itself also works.

Any place you canoperate in safely, while both you and your turret can shoot, is good. Some are more open than others; that's why you spawn anew turret and bug out. Enemies should only come from one directoon. If they aren't, relocate.

Jim was what my phone did when I wrote 'him' and hit the H key just a smidge too far to the right.

Enemies coming from one direction is the key thing here. And in most cases you should still look around every so often since hunter mode can tip you off if there's a new spawn somewhere. Also, if you're playing against reapers and brutes or banshees are coming you might want to relocate earlier than you think you have to. They can get to block space and make it hard to move if they get too close.

By the way, I propose that we officially name the shield turret Jim.

[Dhavaer]

I just got a Kishock, a Widow and an Infiltrator in the same pack. I think it's trying to tell me something.

[Landis963]

There are several on most maps, especially since hubtermode let's you know when your position is compromised.

Serves me right for forgetting about that after singing its praises a few posts up. Most of the ones you list make sense, although it appears I was right about Hydra since you neglect to mention a single one from there.

[SiuiS]

Enemies coming from one direction is the key thing here. And in most cases you should still look around every so often since hunter mode can tip you off if there's a new spawn somewhere. Also, if you're playing against reapers and brutes or banshees are coming you might want to relocate earlier than you think you have to. They can get to block space and make it hard to move if they get too close.

By the way, I propose that we officially name the shield turret Jim.

Well, there are two ways of looking at it. "control the enemy movement", and "try not to get surrounded, overwhelmed in a killbox, and die". They're about the same. It's not even w choice I make, I just naturally try to limit the number of enemy bullets finding me. That being said;

Starry Notion's Guide to Maybe Not Dying So Much
Making asymmetrical warfare work for you


Be the Silverback- you're a guerilla. It's you and maybe three other non-professional fighters with limited resources and communication trying to irritate an army. There's no getting around this, so work with it. Your job is to harass. If you can kill something, great! If not, then weaken it and move on.
Unless they're shielded. Shielded enemies "regenerate". Kill the buggers.

Sightlines cut both ways- if you can't shoot an enemy, it can't shoot you. But you can maybe still shoot it (yes, I know, ignore the contradiction). This means it's perfectly possible to throw powers at an enemy or sidestep left-right-left-right repeatedly, hitting that stationary berk while he 'compensates' for your mevement by shooting walls. It's also perfectly viable to take a position slightly skewed to the enemy and recover shields in plain sight because the Ai is too dumb to hit you.

Effect lines are weird- this one is important, especially when geth farming. See, line of effect seems to be based on a combination of sprite position and reticle direction. This is what kills people who bounce Wall to wall without reviving someone. Revives (and objectives) can be activated from about two, sometimes three meters away horizontally. Vertical distance is weird though. If you can aim it properly, you can revive an ally who is below you at the foot of the ladder (firebase: white) while staying mostly in cover at the top of the ladder. You can also grab objectives on the other side of cover, or around corners.
You know, do you don't get shot.

Control the enemy- this is the one some powople have trouble with.
Remember, everything on the map, every single unit, has four targets - you're one of them. So the enemy isn't going to get smart. They are going to locate you, and then they are going to walk at you while holding down the trigger.
This turns a hectic shoot out where you get flanked into 'I've been here for a while, and the enemies have thinned. They probably spawned by the door, let's book it'.

There are also times when this works in your favor in really, really dumb situations. For example, those three ravagers can't shoot you through that brute. Sure, being in shotgun range of a brute sucks, but it's better than the alternative (though objectively worse than being somewhere better to begin with). Or you can keep an atlas running in circles. Or ravagers because they don't shoot at point blank. These are more things to keep keep in mind hen you're already screwed.

The downside here is that your allies do this, too. The most controlled proof comes on geth farming. 4 units in the console room, geth come from 2 directions. Move a single unit outside the room perimeter, and enough enemies will go for them specifically that you'll occasionally be hit from behind.

The enemy hates soft cover, too- things that work against you also disrupts the enemy, you just don't here them cry about it. Not being able to shoot through allies, not being able to see through smoke, not being able to clear a grenade quick enough... Sometimes this leads you to do things for the enemy reaction, not the direct effect. Shoot powers so the enemy dodges. Toss a grenade to scatter a group. Shoot blindly to keep someone behind cover. Run outside and get shot, then run back in so all the enemies come after you (this is where you set up an ambush).

Like Clockwork- each arena has a series of similar features; mostly round, defensible areas on or near the perimeter, and good cover between these defense points. Knowing this, you can usually do a good job on solo runs by drawing things out. Keep the enemy following you in a giant circuit and occasionally turn around and shoot them. When they get too close, or you suspect they are spawning behind you, book it.

Be mindful- this isn't a formula. It can go wrong. If you think it is a formula, it WILL go VERY WRONG. A lot of this comes from feeling. Knowing when you can run through a group of enemies, and when you can't (pyros and phantoms usually mean no, you can't). Knowing when you can safely activate a beacon and when you should clear out a few more foes. Knowing when to press your luck, and when you're just messing up your allies. Running a circuit is fine, unless you go too fast or too slow, or don't know where enemies spawn. Knowing where your team is and what they are shooting. These are all good ideas.

-

There we are. That was wittier in my head, but I've spent two hours on this, most of which was having a good idea then spending forever being busy, and vaguely remembering what I hoped to convey. So yeah. Apologies in advance XD

Hydra is difficult. I played on it three times ever. One of those was just running around observing, but I don't know the spawn points for enemies. There is a weird cubby a friend likes to use with Justicar that I've never tried, and three or four in circuit by the command tower (the tower, the next joint off the tower, the bridge to ammo, the weird side room with a hack in it occasionally), but my gaming career has become about 20 minutes of meh every week or so. And most of that was being dumb with a Krogan for what the children call "the Lulz".

[Aotrs Commander]

Hydra is difficult. I played on it three times ever. One of those was just running around observing, but I don't know the spawn points for enemies. There is a weird cubby a friend likes to use with Justicar that I've never tried, and three or four in circuit by the command tower (the tower, the next joint off the tower, the bridge to ammo, the weird side room with a hack in it occasionally), but my gaming career has become about 20 minutes of meh every week or so. And most of that was being dumb with a Krogan for what the children call "the Lulz".

Really? Hydra is like my new favourite map, now (overriding even White). It's pretty great for the Vanguards (nice wide-open middle for charging and long-range shooting...)

[SiuiS]

Really? Hydra is like my new favourite map, now (overriding even White). It's pretty great for the Vanguards (nice wide-open middle for charging and long-range shooting...)

The colors are in just the right part of the spectrum that everything becomes a moving zebra. I had fun with it - reminds me of golden eye level design - but my heart remains with Firebase: Ghost.

Turned off the rumble on my controller, and was able to double my maximum playtime! I can now play four matches before giving up. Did two golds, a bronze and a failed gold. So I've got my commendation pack coming. Only took out a single banshee myself though. I gave up when it became clear that the sun attacks were not in my favor. Banshee grabbed me out of the melee attack that would have killed her, and a brute who interrupted his own charge attack animation to instagib me. No fun, that.

Also, bought two premium spectre packs. The first one was the most painful ever; hornet V and geth pulse rifle V. Laaame. The second gave me some okay stuff though; an ops pack +1, a striker VI, and a scorpion II. Not the geth I wanted (I'm still rocking just the battlemaster of the new dudes) but those last two are slick. The ops packs suck though; I can't get my hand into position for them XD

[Aotrs Commander]

The colors are in just the right part of the spectrum that everything becomes a moving zebra. I had fun with it - reminds me of golden eye level design - but my heart remains with Firebase: Ghost.

Turned off the rumble on my controller, and was able to double my maximum playtime! I can now play four matches before giving up. Did two golds, a bronze and a failed gold. So I've got my commendation pack coming. Only took out a single banshee myself though. I gave up when it became clear that the sun attacks were not in my favor. Banshee grabbed me out of the melee attack that would have killed her, and a brute who interrupted his own charge attack animation to instagib me. No fun, that.

Also, bought two premium spectre packs. The first one was the most painful ever; hornet V and geth pulse rifle V. Laaame. The second gave me some okay stuff though; an ops pack +1, a striker VI, and a scorpion II. Not the geth I wanted (I'm still rocking just the battlemaster of the new dudes) but those last two are slick. The ops packs suck though; I can't get my hand into position for them XD

I'm just glad you're still able to play at all, mate!

And, if it's any marginal consolation, the fact you're using a console controller is what lets you. You have been completely screwed if you had to use the keyboard...



Also, Bioware, can we have an event for the Geth at some point? Y'know, because it's all been Reapers and Cerberus...

[Zevox]

Really? Hydra is like my new favourite map, now (overriding even White). It's pretty great for the Vanguards (nice wide-open middle for charging and long-range shooting...)
Seriously? I personally find Hydra to be the worst map, rivaled only by Reactor. Too much open space, too much low cover, too few walls: it's just too easy to get swarmed and flanked in general on that map. Plus most of the king-of-the-hill objective positions are awful to try and defend, as is the evac point. Even as a Vanguard I want enough stuff around to keep too many enemies from focusing on me at once, and that map does not provide it except in one corner that everyone mostly avoids in my experience.

Zevox

[Aotrs Commander]

Seriously? I personally find Hydra to be the worst map, rivaled only by Reactor. Too much open space, too much low cover, too few walls: it's just too easy to get swarmed and flanked in general on that map. Plus most of the king-of-the-hill objective positions are awful to try and defend, as is the evac point. Even as a Vanguard I want enough stuff around to keep too many enemies from focusing on me at once, and that map does not provide it except in one corner that everyone mostly avoids in my experience.

Zevox

Must be another difficulty thing...

[Tome]

Whoo! Finally unlocked the Geth Infiltrator and Asari Adept, right after each other. With the Krogan Soldier I also picked up, this leaves me with only the Krogan Vanguard left to unlock class wise.

I do wish I had a Javelin already though. My Widow II is nice, but the increased ability to shoot through walls and the Geth damage bonus would make it really nice for my Infiltrator.

[Morty]

Something strange happened to me just now. I entered a Silver match against Cerberus as Salarian Engineer, but immediately after the hosting player left, and I was left there with just one other player, a Human Infiltrator. I didn't want to just leave, so I decided to see how long we'll last. Turns out we lasted until the extraction...

[Tome]

Something strange happened to me just now. I entered a Silver match against Cerberus as Salarian Engineer, but immediately after the hosting player left, and I was left there with just one other player, a Human Infiltrator. I didn't want to just leave, so I decided to see how long we'll last. Turns out we lasted until the extraction...

Both of you had a way to keep enemies from targeting you, so it's not all that unbelievable. That's how a lot of folks win Gold matches, after all.

[ShinyRocks]

Oh, man. Just the WORST luck with Gold runs today. Just trying to do one White Geth Gold to get the Commendation pack and it wasn't happening.

Wiped with four or five different groups on Wave Six/Seven because half of them insisted on being 'heroes' and staying outside the console room meaning we couldn't properly funnel the Geth into the room and those of us who did stay there didn't have the firepower necessary. I've tried from outside and there's not enough cover for four. Another one we got overrun on Wave Two. TWO!

And then this afternoon it was me (Salarian Engineer) plus another Salarian Engineer, a Salarian Infiltrator and an Asari Adept. The Adept kept yelling 'Stop using Energy Drain!' (because it interfered with his Biotic Explosions) and 'Energy Drain sucks!' and 'Energy Drain is useless compared to my Biotic Explosions!' and 'STOP USING ENERGY DRAIN!' and, best of all, 'You're messing* up my game!' and then he just quit on Wave Four.

Sorry, but with three Salarians fighting Geth, Energy Drain is gonna happen. I honestly think he expected us all to just stand and shoot while he boomed stuff. I deliberately tried to avoid what he was Warping, but that wasn't enough.

Anyway, that one we three-manned until Wave Nine when they gave us a Geth Engineer, and I finally got my full extraction.

* He didn't say messing. He said another word, which starts with F.

[Beowulf DW]

Tried an all Sentinel party. Turian (me), Human, and two Krogans. So much glowing armor. We made it to wave 8 on Silver. It was still fun though.

[Zevox]

And then this afternoon it was me (Salarian Engineer) plus another Salarian Engineer, a Salarian Infiltrator and an Asari Adept. The Adept kept yelling 'Stop using Energy Drain!' (because it interfered with his Biotic Explosions) and 'Energy Drain sucks!' and 'Energy Drain is useless compared to my Biotic Explosions!' and 'STOP USING ENERGY DRAIN!' and, best of all, 'You're messing* up my game!' and then he just quit on Wave Four.

Sorry, but with three Salarians fighting Geth, Energy Drain is gonna happen. I honestly think he expected us all to just stand and shoot while he boomed stuff. I deliberately tried to avoid what he was Warping, but that wasn't enough.
Understandable, on both ends (well, aside from the "quitting on wave four" part, and the line about Energy Drain sucking in general). Playing with an Engineer using Overload/Energy Drain is very frustrating for an Asari Adept, since it does interfere with biotic combos, and tech bursts are nothing compared to biotic combos. With three of you there he probably couldn't even do my usual solution to the matter (throw first to detonate any tech effects with minimum cooldown time spent, then warp -> throw for the combo, toss two throws if another electric power gets put on during warp cooldown since for some reason tech bursts take priority over biotic combos when both can be set off). On the flip side of course, it's hardly reasonable to expect Salarian Engineers to give up their best means of fighting Geth, particularly given it also restores their shields, which is particularly important on gold.

Just not a good team composition overall I'd say. Trade the Salarian Infiltrator for another Asari Adept or a Justicar to help him with his combos and it might work, but with the Salarians outnumbering the Asari three-to-one, it can't help but neuter the Asari's damage output.

Zevox

[Xondoure]

Understandable, on both ends (well, aside from the "quitting on wave four" part, and the line about Energy Drain sucking in general). Playing with an Engineer using Overload/Energy Drain is very frustrating for an Asari Adept, since it does interfere with biotic combos, and tech bursts are nothing compared to biotic combos. With three of you there he probably couldn't even do my usual solution to the matter (throw first to detonate any tech effects with minimum cooldown time spent, then warp -> throw for the combo, toss two throws if another electric power gets put on during warp cooldown since for some reason tech bursts take priority over biotic combos when both can be set off). On the flip side of course, it's hardly reasonable to expect Salarian Engineers to give up their best means of fighting Geth, particularly given it also restores their shields, which is particularly important on gold.

Just not a good team composition overall I'd say. Trade the Salarian Infiltrator for another Asari Adept or a Justicar to help him with his combos and it might work, but with the Salarians outnumbering the Asari three-to-one, it can't help but neuter the Asari's damage output.

Zevox

Well in such a case, abandon combo strategy and start spamming throw or warp (depending on which is more useful. I'd be inclined to say throw with all the energy drains flying about, but if warp was properly specced it would also serve well enough.

[SiuiS]

Well in such a case, abandon combo strategy and start spamming throw or warp (depending on which is more useful. I'd be inclined to say throw with all the energy drains flying about, but if warp was properly specced it would also serve well enough.

Agreed. If you've got expose then warp is totally worthwhile. And throw is pretty beastly. The guy was just being a dink.

[Zevox]

Well in such a case, abandon combo strategy and start spamming throw or warp (depending on which is more useful. I'd be inclined to say throw with all the energy drains flying about, but if warp was properly specced it would also serve well enough.
Abandoning combos does what I said before - neuters the Asari's damage output. She goes from setting off the most powerful explosions in the game every few seconds to tossing either a power that does decent but not outstanding damage (and has significantly reduced effect on shields) or a power that is great against mooks but near worthless against anything with protection. Plus stasis, but that's only particularly good against select enemies (Phantoms, Engineers, and Hunters principally) or groups of weaker enemies, and you see less and less of most of those the further you advance into a gold mission.

Honestly, I just don't think Engineers and Adepts make good teammates in general, thanks to the whole tech burst/biotic combo situation. Adepts can try to work around it in the manner I mentioned before, but it's still frustrating and slows your damage output down. I can only imagine what being on a team where everyone else was a Salarian would be like...

Zevox

[ShinyRocks]

I totally understand why he was frustrated, but his attitude just stank. Given that we were managing really well (one of the smoothest Gold teams I've ever had), and he was still contributing a lot (because a Tech Burst against a whole bunch of Geth is still pretty damaging), combined with his 'messing up my game' outburst, it was obvious he just considered us all to be there to facilitate him, rather than it being a, you know, team thing.

Agreed that ideally you either need two Biotics, or none at all, but his unwillingness to look for other ways to be effective (Warping everything armoured, Throw-staggering stuff that's too close etc) bugged.

[Arbitrarity]

powercombo_biotic:{
combodamage:(X=100.0f,Y=250.0f)
comboforce:(X=500.0f,Y=1000.0f)
comboradius:(X=300.0f,Y=500.0f)
maxtargets:4

powercombo_cryo:{
combodamage:(X=50.0f,Y=125.0f)
comboforce:(X=200.0f,Y=450.0f)
comboradius:(X=300.0f,Y=500.0f)
freezeduration:(X=2.0f,Y=5.0f)
maxtargets:4
resistancedurationmultiplier:3.0f
speedreduction:0.3f

powercombo_electric:{
beamduration:2.0f
combodamage:(X=75.0f,Y=200.0f)
comboforce:(X=200.0f,Y=450.0f)
comboradius:(X=450.0f,Y=750.0f)
maxtargets:4

powercombo_fire:{
combodamage:(X=100.0f,Y=250.0f)
comboforce:(X=300.0f,Y=600.0f)
comboradius:(X=300.0f,Y=600.0f)
damagepersecond:(X=20.0f,Y=50.0f)
dotduration:(X=3.0f,Y=3.0f)
maxtargets:4


Pretty sure throw-detonating 3 Energy Drains is better than a BE, even with both detonate evolutions. Warping big targets doesn't hurt though.
Oh, and those numbers are from before the BE radius nerf, so they'll be comparable radius after Detonate effects are included.

[Xondoure]

Quite honestly Warps that damage defenses are absolutely brutal to heavy enemies, and if that many energy drains were flying about throw would be quick and deadly (especially with tech bursts.)

[Morty]

While I'm looking forward to possibly playing Vorcha - provided I can find them, that is - what I'd really like to see in an update are new enemies for each of the three factions.

[Xondoure]

While I'm looking forward to possibly playing Vorcha - provided I can find them, that is - what I'd really like to see in an update are new enemies for each of the three factions.

How about a new faction?

[Landis963]

How about a new faction?

That would require a SP mission or series of missions to introduce them; and frankly, new enemies for the original factions would require DLC SP missions as well. Although if they bring back the Abominations or the Scions (or, god forbid, the Praetorians) they wouldn't need too much fanfare.

[Morty]

I can't really think of any new faction that would make sense. However, there's plenty more to be done with the existing ones. And I don't think an SP mission that introduces them would be necessary.

[Xondoure]

That would require a SP mission or series of missions to introduce them; and frankly, new enemies for the original factions would require DLC SP missions as well. Although if they bring back the Abominations or the Scions (or, god forbid, the Praetorians) they wouldn't need too much fanfare.

Pretty much, the collectors are there and waiting. Would it really be so hard to bring them back?

[Aotrs Commander]

Or even just add a few new Reapers (from a Volus, Drell (Drell/Hanar fusion, maybe, a sort of biotic ninja-bouncy tentically thing...?), Quarian, Vor'Cha... Heck, a Reaper Elcor could be a nasty artillery thing, a bit like a Ravager, even.)

[Xondoure]

Or even just add a few new Reapers (from a Volus, Drell (Drell/Hanar fusion, maybe, a sort of biotic ninja-bouncy tentically thing...?), Quarian, Vor'Cha... Heck, a Reaper Elcor could be a nasty artillery thing, a bit like a Ravager, even.)

...I am now angry they didn't just use Elcor for Ravagers if you destroyed the Rachni.

[Beowulf DW]

Cerberus jump jet troopers? Sort of a biotic charge but with tech?

Bring back the Armature-class Geth?

I'd love to see something done about the insta-kill attacks that the Banshees and Phantoms have. I've gotten pulled into them when I was clearly out of sword/arm's reach.

[Landis963]

Pretty much, the collectors are there and waiting. Would it really be so hard to bring them back?

This is true. I mean, their models are in the game, at least they're in From Ashes (the flashbacks before you open Javik's pod). A follow-up would dovetail nicely with the time set aside for all DLC (that would be just before the final series of missions, stopping there due to spoilers). Just give them the Cerberus Trooper AI, add in some old Collector weapons, and make up a new Reaper to assume direct control over them, (causing an AI switch from Trooper to Marauder, and adding the cover-busting mechanic from ME2), and you're good to go.

[Sanguine]

and make up a new Reaper to assume direct control over them

Actually, that not necessary. Harbinger is still alive and kicking up until the Crucible is fired.

Which is one of my main non-ending complaints with ME3s story. Harbinger didn't get an onscreen death.

[Xondoure]

Actually, that not necessary. Harbinger is still alive and kicking up until the Crucible is fired.

Which is one of my main non-ending complaints with ME3s story. Harbinger didn't get an onscreen death.

Really that all harbinger got was a cameo.

[Sagonene]

All they could afford was a cameo... sure, Harbringer had a great role in ME 2 but as soon as the reviews came in he got that new agent and suddenly...

He gets called for the interview: "We are superior."
He refuses to interview: "Embrace perfection."
They offer money: "You are shortsighted."
They offer a bigger part: "We are limitless."
He demands producer/director credit: "Relinquish your form to us."
They say he's being a diva: "Your attack is an insult."
They offer more money: "You cannot resist"
They request more time to negotiate: "You prolong the inevitable."
They recycle voice clips from ME2 and send him a small check: "Irrelevant!"

Seriously, I expect to see him on the Hollywood News checking out of Rehab and announcing his new sitcom with Charlie Sheen: "The forces of the universe bend to me."

All falls apart in episode six... cancelled mid-season for re-runs of Big Survivor Idol.

Sago

[Landis963]

As I recall, Harbinger is none too pleased with the Collectors' lack of results in ME2:

You have failed. We will find another way. Releasing control.

I don't think he'd try them again and hope for better results. Maybe if they get Sovvy's voice actor back, and have an expy of Sovvy lead them against the better judgment of Harbinger.

Also, :smalltongue: lol at Sagonene's "interview".

[Sanguine]

Huh. Didn't remember that line.

[Yana]

Not that I'm trying to be elitist here or anything (and failing for that matter ), but how can some people be so bad at multiplayer? It's as if they go out of their way to die on the other side of the map and then yell if I don't come to their rescue time and again.

Then there are the people who ignore the objectives (namely king of the hill). I mean, really guys? Do you not want the extra credits or something? Is it that hard to stand in the glowing circle with the rest of the team?

If I'm farming White/Geth/Gold, I almost invariably find myself as the requisite Salarian Engineer because no one ever seems to want to or have it, even the 1000+N7 people. Not that it isn't a good class, but I'd prefer the Geth or Human one more.

Basically, I'm just getting sick of having to almost constantly carry the rest of my team to victory.

[Landis963]

Huh. Didn't remember that line.

It was in the penultimate cutscene, during Harbinger's end-of-game villain monologue. You might remember the first part of that speech:


Human [i.e. Shepard], you've changed nothing. Your species has the attentions of those infinitely your greater.

Then he turns his ire upon the Collectors, and visibly releases control from the Collector General when he says he does, to be converted rapidly into paste by some sort of bomb.

[Zevox]

Then there are the people who ignore the objectives (namely king of the hill). I mean, really guys? Do you not want the extra credits or something? Is it that hard to stand in the glowing circle with the rest of the team?
If it's a Vanguards, it's understandable - their MO does not lend itself to holding a small, set position. Though they should still stay near enough that they're drawing attention away from their allies and getting support fire from them. For anyone else though, yeah, that's just dumb.


If I'm farming White/Geth/Gold, I almost invariably find myself as the requisite Salarian Engineer because no one ever seems to want to or have it, even the 1000+N7 people. Not that it isn't a good class, but I'd prefer the Geth or Human one more.
...why exactly is a Salarian Engineer "requisite" there? I mean, I know decoy is handy, but I don't think you actually need one - certainly not if the players know what they're doing with the classes they do pick.

Zevox

[Yana]

And usually, the lack of a Salarian Engineer is backed by a competent team that stays in the same room. This group in particular that I just fought with decided it was the acme of intellect to stay in the open areas to the right, or to run around in search of foes. On Gold.

I got the 15 revive medal after round 4, if that gives you any idea as to how fast these guys were dropping. Also, none of them were vanguards, so I'm not seeing any excuses.

Edit: Apologies if I seem brusque, I'm just slightly fed up with having lackluster teams.

[Anarion]

Not that I'm trying to be elitist here or anything (and failing for that matter ), but how can some people be so bad at multiplayer? It's as if they go out of their way to die on the other side of the map and then yell if I don't come to their rescue time and again.

Then there are the people who ignore the objectives (namely king of the hill). I mean, really guys? Do you not want the extra credits or something? Is it that hard to stand in the glowing circle with the rest of the team?

If I'm farming White/Geth/Gold, I almost invariably find myself as the requisite Salarian Engineer because no one ever seems to want to or have it, even the 1000+N7 people. Not that it isn't a good class, but I'd prefer the Geth or Human one more.

Basically, I'm just getting sick of having to almost constantly carry the rest of my team to victory.

A lot of people are just impatient and hate feeling like they're not contributing. Particularly if your safe position has 1 or 2 spots with really good fire lines and other spots are slightly worse. People seem to get upset if someone else is getting all the kills, so often if there's a sniper with a black widow in the best firing spot, they just leave the area. Ditto if there are a couple adepts clearing out enemies as fast as they come into view.

[Zevox]

And usually, the lack of a Salarian Engineer is backed by a competent team that stays in the same room. This group in particular that I just fought with decided it was the acme of intellect to stay in the open areas to the right, or to run around in search of foes. On Gold.

I got the 15 revive medal after round 4, if that gives you any idea as to how fast these guys were dropping. Also, none of them were vanguards, so I'm not seeing any excuses.

Edit: Apologies if I seem brusque, I'm just slightly fed up with having lackluster teams.
Ah. Personally, that's the kind of team I'd give up on as a lost cause then and there - play out the first game as best I could, then leave and look for another group. Heck, that's not too far from the team I had for my gold match last weekend, and I'm still amazed we made it out, much less to full extraction.

Zevox

[Sagonene]

Decoy puts a road block in the way. That's literally all it is for. It keeps them standing right there and no further. If the decoy drops, then they move closer to the nest corner and literally the only way to get overrun is to not reset the decoy. Dropping from shots over the console is going to happen when you shoot too much.

I play Salarian Engy on gold when playing with new people. However, if the loadout is 2 adept, 1 infliltraitor, it's not absolutely necessary as long as the adepts know how to chain explosions. then Geth engy for shield turret & chain overload is MUCH more useful.

Sago

[Derthric]

Not that I'm trying to be elitist here or anything (and failing for that matter ), but how can some people be so bad at multiplayer? It's as if they go out of their way to die on the other side of the map and then yell if I don't come to their rescue time and again.

Wait wait people actually talk in your matches? You and I have played about 3 or 4 times and you represent about 90% ofthe conversations I have had in ME3.


Then there are the people who ignore the objectives (namely king of the hill). I mean, really guys? Do you not want the extra credits or something? Is it that hard to stand in the glowing circle with the rest of the team?

If I'm farming White/Geth/Gold, I almost invariably find myself as the requisite Salarian Engineer because no one ever seems to want to or have it, even the 1000+N7 people. Not that it isn't a good class, but I'd prefer the Geth or Human one more.

Basically, I'm just getting sick of having to almost constantly carry the rest of my team to victory.


A lot of people are just impatient and hate feeling like they're not contributing. Particularly if your safe position has 1 or 2 spots with really good fire lines and other spots are slightly worse. People seem to get upset if someone else is getting all the kills, so often if there's a sniper with a black widow in the best firing spot, they just leave the area. Ditto if there are a couple adepts clearing out enemies as fast as they come into view.

I was doing some gold farming geth on white on my Salarian Engineer and was placing the decoy, was in a spot with bad sight lines so really was just popping up to hit anything coming down the inside staircase. Its frustrating when you feel like you are being carried but I knew I had to stay and keep that decoy up. I wish I could see how much fire it took over the course of a match.

My problem with people and objectives is on Gold and even some silver matches where we are in a good defensive position and the kill 4 targets comes up. People will charge off to kill them. If we stay put they will enter our killzone and we won't end up separated or with no safe area. But no lets go running around that corner and make friends with those turrets. Brilliant!

[Beowulf DW]

My problem with people and objectives is on Gold and even some silver matches where we are in a good defensive position and the kill 4 targets comes up. People will charge off to kill them. If we stay put they will enter our killzone and we won't end up separated or with no safe area. But no lets go running around that corner and make friends with those turrets. Brilliant!

I have noticed that I do best in matches where everyone sticks together. I often go out of my way to make sure that no one is off on their own. On good teams, we're almost invincible while we stick together.

[SiuiS]

Abandoning combos does what I said before - neuters the Asari's damage output. She goes from setting off the most powerful explosions in the game every few seconds to tossing either a power that does decent but not outstanding damage (and has significantly reduced effect on shields) or a power that is great against mooks but near worthless against anything with protection. Plus stasis, but that's only particularly good against select enemies (Phantoms, Engineers, and Hunters principally) or groups of weaker enemies, and you see less and less of most of those the further you advance into a gold mission.

Honestly, I just don't think Engineers and Adepts make good teammates in general, thanks to the whole tech burst/biotic combo situation. Adepts can try to work around it in the manner I mentioned before, but it's still frustrating and slows your damage output down. I can only imagine what being on a team where everyone else was a Salarian would be like...

Zevox

I disagree with this principle.

See, the adept can deal comparable damage to everyone else. They also have a build that does exceptional damage with the right set up. Being Ina situation where your pet technique doesn't work doesn't neuter your class, it just reduces it a bit, just like fighting reapers diminishes sabotage or armor diminishes machine guns.

If you have to play your class in the top ten percent of efficiency to have fun, that's not onthe class at all.

The general you, not you specifically, Zevox.


Not that I'm trying to be elitist here or anything (and failing for that matter ), but how can some people be so bad at multiplayer? It's as if they go out of their way to die on the other side of the map and then yell if I don't come to their rescue time and again.

Then there are the people who ignore the objectives (namely king of the hill). I mean, really guys? Do you not want the extra credits or something? Is it that hard to stand in the glowing circle with the rest of the team?

If I'm farming White/Geth/Gold, I almost invariably find myself as the requisite Salarian Engineer because no one ever seems to want to or have it, even the 1000+N7 people. Not that it isn't a good class, but I'd prefer the Geth or Human one more.

Basically, I'm just getting sick of having to almost constantly carry the rest of my team to victory.

Yeah, that's never very fun.
I'm good with salarian engineer because I can't make my doods move very well. But when we've got soldiers and vanguards chomping at the bit with no one capable of doing anything to synthetics? That's pretty bleh.


If it's a Vanguards, it's understandable - their MO does not lend itself to holding a small, set position. Though they should still stay near enough that they're drawing attention away from their allies and getting support fire from them. For anyone else though, yeah, that's just dumb.

...why exactly is a Salarian Engineer "requisite" there? I mean, I know decoy is handy, but I don't think you actually need one - certainly not if the players know what they're doing with the classes they do pick.

Zevox

There's the problem.
Too often, players go into multiplayer to get their fun (see psychotic biotic example from before) and that sense of entitlement gets in the way of just playing for fun. Remarkable how much stress comes from something as simple as "my fun" instead of "our fun" or the like you know?

[Zevox]

I disagree with this principle.

See, the adept can deal comparable damage to everyone else. They also have a build that does exceptional damage with the right set up. Being Ina situation where your pet technique doesn't work doesn't neuter your class, it just reduces it a bit, just like fighting reapers diminishes sabotage or armor diminishes machine guns.

If you have to play your class in the top ten percent of efficiency to have fun, that's not onthe class at all.

The general you, not you specifically, Zevox.
And I disagree with your analysis.

Asari Adepts may not be rendered useless by having their biotic combos disrupted or anything, but I didn't claim that - I said their damage was neutered, which is simply fact. Solo powers do minor damage compared to those powers plus biotic combos. The frustration here comes from being in a situation where your teammates are actively hindering you and the team by dropping your damage output that significantly. Which is a huge difference from powers that simply aren't as effective against certain targets - that's inherent to that power, and based on it and the enemies you're targeting with it. This is coming from your allies.

That's the crux of the problem: being put into a situation where your allies are a problem, and not due to their skill or lack thereof, but simply due to their class features interfering with yours.

Also, please do not to make sweeping statements about what anyone "has to do to have fun," whether directed specifically at me or not. That's just rude.

Zevox

[Arbitrarity]

Pretty sure detonating 3 Tech Bursts via Throw (or Warp, for armor) does comparable damage to a Biotic Explosion, even with both Detonate upgrades. It's also more consistent (lead with throw on unarmored, shorter cooldown on dodge, targetting is easy with AOE throw and Energy Drain), and about as effective for shredding groups (similar radius, better stagger, similar damage).

[Zevox]

Pretty sure detonating 3 Tech Bursts via Throw (or Warp, for armor) does comparable damage to a Biotic Explosion, even with both Detonate upgrades.
I sincerely doubt it. While I don't remember the exact numbers that someone posted a while back, biotic combos did significantly more than tech bursts, and two detonate upgrades doubles the biotic combo damage.

Zevox

[Arbitrarity]

I sincerely doubt it. While I don't remember the exact numbers that someone posted a while back, biotic combos did significantly more than tech bursts, and two detonate upgrades doubles the biotic combo damage.

Zevox

I posted them last page, albeit in spoilers. Again.


powercombo_biotic:{
combodamage:(X=100.0f,Y=250.0f)
comboforce:(X=500.0f,Y=1000.0f)
comboradius:(X=300.0f,Y=500.0f)
maxtargets:4

powercombo_cryo:{
combodamage:(X=50.0f,Y=125.0f)
comboforce:(X=200.0f,Y=450.0f)
comboradius:(X=300.0f,Y=500.0f)
freezeduration:(X=2.0f,Y=5.0f)
maxtargets:4
resistancedurationmultiplier:3.0f
speedreduction:0.3f

powercombo_electric:{
beamduration:2.0f
combodamage:(X=75.0f,Y=200.0f)
comboforce:(X=200.0f,Y=450.0f)
comboradius:(X=450.0f,Y=750.0f)
maxtargets:4

powercombo_fire:{
combodamage:(X=100.0f,Y=250.0f)
comboforce:(X=300.0f,Y=600.0f)
comboradius:(X=300.0f,Y=600.0f)
damagepersecond:(X=20.0f,Y=50.0f)
dotduration:(X=3.0f,Y=3.0f)
maxtargets:4

I'll note biotic radius was nerfed down to 200.0f, 400.0f a couple of weeks ago. So post-detonate, you're looking at 200f-500f damage for a biotic det, versus 75f-200f for electric. 3 tech bursts is then 225-600, which is better (and yes, you do get 3 throws per regular warp/throw combo) After radius nerf and detonate radius increase, they have equal radius.

Incoming Geth Gold buffs, and Eagle buffs. Fun times.

[Zevox]

I posted them last page, albeit in spoilers. Again.



I'll note biotic radius was nerfed down to 200.0f, 400.0f a couple of weeks ago. So post-detonate, you're looking at 200f-500f damage for a biotic det, versus 75f-200f for electric. 3 tech bursts is then 225-600, which is better (and yes, you do get 3 throws per regular warp/throw combo) After radius nerf and detonate radius increase, they have equal radius.
...I don't suppose you could translate those into something understandable? Because I cannot read lines of code, and don't know what the "f" you're adding to those numbers means.

Zevox

[Xondoure]

The only real difference would be that tech bursts don't give the biopics as much points because someone else set up. And thus the leader board begins to fall apart.

[SiuiS]

And I disagree with your analysis.

Asari Adepts may not be rendered useless by having their biotic combos disrupted or anything, but I didn't claim that - I said their damage was neutered, which is simply fact. Solo powers do minor damage compared to those powers plus biotic combos. The frustration here comes from being in a situation where your teammates are actively hindering you and the team by dropping your damage output that significantly. Which is a huge difference from powers that simply aren't as effective against certain targets - that's inherent to that power, and based on it and the enemies you're targeting with it. This is coming from your allies.

That's the crux of the problem: being put into a situation where your allies are a problem, and not due to their skill or lack thereof, but simply due to their class features interfering with yours.

In that sense, I have to agree.

What I meant was that I view detonations as a bonus, rather than a lack of detonations being a penalty. I set the base at class+gun, and leave the tricksy stuff out.


Also, please do not to make sweeping statements about what anyone "has to do to have fun," whether directed specifically at me or not. That's just rude.

Zevox

I don't see where I did. Unless you mean where I said IC someone absolutely must play to the hilt to enjoy themselves? That's not a seeping generalization, it's an if > then to determine fault in a discussion where we were specifically discussing which side was at fault.


...I don't suppose you could translate those into something understandable? Because I cannot read lines of code, and don't know what the "f" you're adding to those numbers means.

Zevox

I'd be interested in someone else's take. I brought it up with some informed friends, and all we can figure is that the formula is additive probably. The f could mean its a discrete variable on its own or that it's a function establishing parameters that can be referenced elsewhere in the code.

What we can do is compare, since they all use the same f.


The only real difference would be that tech bursts don't give the biopics as much points because someone else set up. And thus the leader board begins to fall apart.

That's not really the leader board falling apart though.

[Xondoure]

That's not really the leader board falling apart though.

How so? Without the detonator those combos wouldn't go off at all yet the primer get's the credit (from what I've seen anyways.) Shouldn't both get equal points for it?

[Landis963]

Um. (http://kotaku.com/5910634/sony-site-reveals-new-mass-effect-3-dlc) This is the first I've heard of this.

So who wants to take bets on exactly how many grains of salt should be taken with this announcement?

[Dhavaer]

Very few. The Operation Silencer announcement mentioned the Vorcha joining the fight; I believe the event before the Resurgence release said something similar for Batarians.

[ShinyRocks]

The frustration here comes from being in a situation where your teammates are actively hindering you and the team by dropping your damage output that significantly.

That's where we disagree.

Energy Drains will hinder biotic combos, that will hinder the Biotic player - that does not by any means equate to hindering the team.

You've argued before, I think, that ultimately, more kills = better for the team, and I guess that's what you're getting at here. I see the logic, but it's not always true. In my case with the shouty Asari, yes, perhaps we would have gone EVEN faster if he'd set up and detonated his explosions, but the fact is as a team we were doing really well and even without explosions he was contributing a lot of damage (topping the scoreboard).

The team was in no way hindered by the lack of explosions, and his only frustration was that he wasn't getting to play in HIS way; I don't believe for one second he was concerned about the good of the team.

As for the new pack: what's a Phoenix?

[Landis963]

As for the new pack: what's a Phoenix?

The wide-eyed, idealistic Bioware fan in me wants it to be the raloi. however, my money's on it being a cloned squadron of the race introduced in "From Ashes". (this is the spoiler-free thread, right?)

[Morty]

They already did mention Vorcha, but the mention of "Quarian Enginers and Infiltrator" kinda... throws me. Since, you know, they've been around since the beginning...
Mind you, I'm really curious as to what Vorcha Sentinels are going to look like. Biotic powers I can see among Vorcha, but tech?

[Dhavaer]

They already did mention Vorcha, but the mention of "Quarian Enginers and Infiltrator" kinda... throws me. Since, you know, they've been around since the beginning...

I'm guessing male character models. May or may not have different powers.

[Arbitrarity]

...I don't suppose you could translate those into something understandable? Because I cannot read lines of code, and don't know what the "f" you're adding to those numbers means.

Zevox

Not exactly certain, but judging from the multiplayer balance thread (http://social.bioware.com/forum/Mass-Effect-3/Mass-Effect-3-Multiplayer-Discussion-/Multiplayer-Balance-Changes-9544143-1.html), the damage directly corresponds (probably increases up the range as enemy health increases, or as power ranks increase) and 100 radius is 1m. Force is probably N, like other powers.

Oh, and I just noticed tech and fire bursts got buffed as of May 3 (to 100-250, like explosions) so that's actually a damage ADVANTAGE for tech bursts.

[Zevox]

In that sense, I have to agree.

What I meant was that I view detonations as a bonus, rather than a lack of detonations being a penalty. I set the base at class+gun, and leave the tricksy stuff out.
I can't say I agree. Being able to cause those detonations is as much a part of the class as the powers that cause them, and more a part of the class than any gun.


I don't see where I did. Unless you mean where I said IC someone absolutely must play to the hilt to enjoy themselves? That's not a seeping generalization, it's an if > then to determine fault in a discussion where we were specifically discussing which side was at fault.
That's just it - you made a generalized assumption about the mindset of players frustrated by such a situation and assigned fault based on that.


How so? Without the detonator those combos wouldn't go off at all yet the primer get's the credit (from what I've seen anyways.) Shouldn't both get equal points for it?
That's something that's bugged me slightly for a while as well.


Not exactly certain, but judging from the multiplayer balance thread (http://social.bioware.com/forum/Mass-Effect-3/Mass-Effect-3-Multiplayer-Discussion-/Multiplayer-Balance-Changes-9544143-1.html), the damage directly corresponds (probably increases up the range as enemy health increases, or as power ranks increase) and 100 radius is 1m. Force is probably N, like other powers.

Oh, and I just noticed tech and fire bursts got buffed as of May 3 (to 100-250, like explosions) so that's actually a damage ADVANTAGE for tech bursts.
Okay, but there's still a pretty significant flaw with your argument here. To assume that you're getting three tech bursts for every biotic combo you would be getting is to assume perfect coordination and timing across the whole team - one Salarian casts Energy Drain, the Asari casts throw, then as soon as that burst goes off the next Salarian casts his Drain, and so on. Else you're not getting three tech bursts for every potential biotic combo. And that is significantly less likely to happen than the Asari just casting warp and throw in succession, and the Asari will be getting comparable effects out of that, while freeing up the Salarians to attack other things.


Um. (http://kotaku.com/5910634/sony-site-reveals-new-mass-effect-3-dlc) This is the first I've heard of this.

So who wants to take bets on exactly how many grains of salt should be taken with this announcement?
Vorcha Soldier makes sense given the comment in the recent operation's announcement. Vorcha Sentinel I don't really get, since I can't honestly see Vorcha with biotics or tech powers, but I guess they didn't want to limit them to one class or something? Eh. I do find it weird that the new Engineer and Infiltrator would just be Quarians, without any additional name like the Justicar had, and am wondering what the heck a "Phoenix" is for Adept and Vanguard.

Zevox

[Arbitrarity]

That's fine; perfect coordination isn't required. If the AA can get two Tech Bursts out (out of three possible throws), he's still on par after the Tech Burst damage buff. Considering he can detonate any member of the shocked targets due to Throw AOE and Energy Drain AOE, this is trivial. (see Reave/Throw spam for how detonating AOE's work; detonates only one affected target in AOE, other's are still vulnerable to detonation)
Not as efficient as an Overload (instantaneous travel, also sets up), but certainly on par for "damage resulting directly from my actions that would not happen otherwise in this team". In terms of team kill speed, I'm not even trying to include the actual Energy Drains, which put throw-detting further ahead, and not trying to account for the extended firing time Salarians get from recharging their shields.

There are circumstances where Engineers will mess up biotic combos with energy drain/overload. If you aren't prepared/coordinated, and are trying to get Biotic Explosions, one badly-synchronized engineer will neuter your damage (overload->warp->throw->overload.... does about a third the damage of overload->throw->warp->throw->overload... Especially annoying on Banshee/Atlas armor)
When there are three engineers, and you have tech-burstable targets everywhere, with no one detonating? Spam detonators, it'll do the same teamwide damage, and let everyone function normally. Somewhere in the middle (1-2 overload/energy drain), you need to get a feel for the recharge time on your ally, detonate their electric powers with throw, and then get your BE's out.

[Sagonene]

A steady hand and a black widow can screw up a detonation of any sort. Annoying if you were trying to clear a room, but not worth complaint.

This is a team game and I measure success as full extraction, no one dropped. Hard on gold at the best of times. I often don't top the chart but no matter, if I kept my party winning, I count it as a success.

Yes, on bronze or silver with a lvl 15+ of most classes, I can get scary numbers but the point is getting that paycheck that let's me improve my guns or buy more missles.

Sago

[Derthric]

So I got my Commendation pack, which was small only 3 items I seem to recall them being larger. But no victory pack. I assume this means that the 3 million banshees turned out to be a bridge too far as many predicted?

[Wraith]

So, I've (finally) decided that I like Silver more than Bronze.

I'm not a particularly competitive or highly skilled Player, but when I can get up from Bronze to make a hot drink, come back and still be top of the Leaderboard by the end of Extraction then it's pretty obviously time to take off the baby gloves :smalltongue:

The first match was a disaster. I was the only (Human) Engineer beside three Quarian/Geth Infiltrators on Condor, versus Cerberus, and I think I got dropped by every single Phantom to hit the field. Damn, but for someone making a statement by running around with a sword, their pistol is NASTY. I spent the last 4 Waves in last place, but managed to hit my rhythm for the Extraction and finished in third only to be kicked from the team. That seemed a bit harsh, but I guess I can't blame them too much - it was a shoddy display even by my own standards. I won't even use the excuse that I don't like Condor very much; after Reactor, it's always host to my weakest performances.

The second match was completely different. My Male Engineer is spec'd for Missile-Drone, High-Damage Overload and High-Damage Incinerate and seemed to struggle, so I turned my Female Engineer into Area-Effect Overload and filled up Health and Alliance Training instead of Drone, and my God but it was a big difference.
Might have helped that I was fighting Geth and on Dagger (probably my favourite map), but by Wave 5 my score was higher than the other three players added together, hitting a personal best of about 112k by Extraction.

Might tinker with Incinerate a bit - I like having that spec'd for Recharge and High Damage to use as a remote 'Kill Switch' against Troopers that I can't be bothered to chase down - but I have you guys to thank for salvaging my Silver career; AoE really is the way to go for amusing results. :smallsmile:

[Mr._Blinky]

So I got my Commendation pack, which was small only 3 items I seem to recall them being larger. But no victory pack. I assume this means that the 3 million banshees turned out to be a bridge too far as many predicted?

Yeah, they did an announcement that we didn't manage to kill the 3,000,000 banshees. I got my Commendation pack with a Hurricane II though, so I'm not really complaining.

[Joran]

So I got my Commendation pack, which was small only 3 items I seem to recall them being larger. But no victory pack. I assume this means that the 3 million banshees turned out to be a bridge too far as many predicted?

Survey says... yup. We failed. We should all feed bad ;)

http://blog.bioware.com/2012/05/16/operation-silencer-update/


It is with great regret that I must announce the withdrawal of forces from several colonies in asari space. Reinforcing them proved untenable. While Operation SILENCER inflicted substantial casualties, the Reapers learned from our victories against the brutes, and they now know how to protect their own.

[Zevox]

So, grabbed my commendation pack... and got an upgrade to my N7 sniper rifle.

...remind me, was there a reason I participate in these events? Because I haven't gotten anything worth a damn to me since that Graal in the victory pack from first one, and if the past couple are any indication they've since changed the victory packs to just give out expendables rather than anything worthwhile.


Considering he can detonate any member of the shocked targets due to Throw AOE and Energy Drain AOE,
Wait, you're assuming AoE Energy Drain? Is that at all common? Because I haven't seen it out of Salarians I've played with, and I know I went with max single-target damage on it for my Salarian Engineer.


A steady hand and a black widow can screw up a detonation of any sort. Annoying if you were trying to clear a room, but not worth complaint.
That's entirely different - if your target gets gunned down before you can combo it, it's still dead. If your combo gets interrupted by someone else's power, you've just slowed down the process of killing it, potentially allowing it to be a greater threat depending on what it is. It's only a bit annoying if you really wanted the damage on other nearby targets, and on gold there's usually plenty of other durable targets you can switch to for that.

Zevox

[Tome]

So, grabbed my commendation pack... and got an upgrade to my N7 sniper rifle.

...remind me, was there a reason I participate in these events? Because I haven't gotten anything worth a damn to me since that Graal in the victory pack from first one, and if the past couple are any indication they've since changed the victory packs to just give out expendables rather than anything worthwhile.

Well, the N7 Sniper is basically one of the two best sniper rifles in the game. The SMG you can get is also pretty good for it's class. Not sure about the other N7 guns, but the main draw of the Commendation packs is the chance of an N7 weapon.

But if neither of those guns interest you, then you're probably participating because it's more fun to have clear goals to aim for when playing?


Wait, you're assuming AoE Energy Drain? Is that at all common? Because I haven't seen it out of Salarians I've played with, and I know I went with max single-target damage on it for my Salarian Engineer.

I specced mine for AoE. It's really, really good.

With an AoE Energy Drain and a Mantis X I regularly hit first or second place on the leaderboards (not a perfect metric, but it does indicate I'm dealing some decent damage) when using my Salarian Engineer - and I'm not even that great a sniper, so I'm inclined to blame the Energy Drain. :smallbiggrin:

So yes, I'd expect it to be rather common when doing White/Geth/Gold runs with a Salarian of either stripe.

[Starsign]

Okay! Completed Rannoch on Insanity. The three Geth Primes near the end are probably the hardest thing next to the Atlas Mech on Eden Prime. (when done early that is) Aside from that, all systems go for the next mission.

...Oh yeah, next mission. :smalleek: Spoilers below
I'm going to bring Javik for Thessia due to plot reasons. Since this missions is full of Reaper foes, AND I have to bring Liara, this could get ugly fast. Does anyone have advice they recommend in preparation for this mission?

[Zevox]

Well, the N7 Sniper is basically one of the two best sniper rifles in the game. The SMG you can get is also pretty good for it's class. Not sure about the other N7 guns, but the main draw of the Commendation packs is the chance of an N7 weapon.

But if neither of those guns interest you, then you're probably participating because it's more fun to have clear goals to aim for when playing?
I don't use sniper rifles. Don't play either of the classes that favor them (Soldier or Infiltrator), and I am not the sharpshooter type at all.

I've been hoping to get the shotgun or maybe SMG (I don't know, I've heard it has terrible recoil, and I already find the Hornet unusable due to recoil) N7 weapon out of those packs, but no, rank 2 sniper rifle, rank 1 pistol, and while I tried the pistol, it was not at all impressive.

Honestly though, thinking about it, even if I got a weapon I'd like to use out of one of those packs - and it seems that my luck is just not good enough to have that happen - the fact that I'd be unable to upgrade it other than out of these events would render it simply inferior to my other weapon options that I can get to higher ranks more easily.

All I can figure for how they could fix that is to find a way to program it such that once you have the weapon unlocked from an event pack you can find upgrades to it in regular packs, while still leaving the initial weapon acquisition locked to the events.

Zevox

[Landis963]

...Oh yeah, next mission. :smalleek: Spoilers below
I'm going to bring Javik for Thessia due to plot reasons. Since this missions is full of Reaper foes, AND I have to bring Liara, this could get ugly fast. Does anyone have advice they recommend in preparation for this mission?

Upgrade Liara's weapons to max, reset her powers, and respec for low cooldown/high damage, respectively. Other than that, pray. Oh, and go in packing Javik's assault rifle, preferably with some ammo power. It kills Harvesters dead. If you want to bring a bonus power, bring a shield-stripper (e.g. Overload and Energy Drain), so that Liara can singularity all the Marauders.

[Starsign]

Upgrade Liara's weapons to max, reset her powers, and respec for low cooldown/high damage, respectively. Other than that, pray. Oh, and go in packing Javik's assault rifle, preferably with some ammo power. It kills Harvesters dead. If you want to bring a bonus power, bring a shield-stripper (e.g. Overload and Energy Drain), so that Liara can singularity all the Marauders.

Well on Insanity I refuse to go with any other bonus power than Defense Matrix :smalltongue: So I'll be relying on Liara's Warp Ammo. Sadly it isn't like Ashley's amazing Disruptor Ammo, but it'll have to do. So long as it's like the final mission where Husks and Cannibals come out in immense numbers, things shouldn't be problematic. The worrying part comes in being able to take down Banshees and Brutes quickly, both of which Liara struggles with. (Warp isn't as good a armor/barrier eliminator as I wish it was)

[Landis963]

Well on Insanity I refuse to go with any other bonus power than Defense Matrix :smalltongue: So I'll be relying on Liara's Warp Ammo. Sadly it isn't like Ashley's amazing Disruptor Ammo, but it'll have to do. So long as it's like the final mission where Husks and Cannibals come out in immense numbers, things shouldn't be problematic. The worrying part comes in being able to take down Banshees and Brutes quickly, both of which Liara struggles with. (Warp isn't as good a armor/barrier eliminator as I wish it was)

What class is your Shep? If he's tech-oriented, the lack of Overload et. al. shouldn't be a problem, but guns and biotics-oriented Sheps might have a bit more trouble. (Sheer damage might do it - Carnage comes to mind - but YMMV)

[Zevox]

The worrying part comes in being able to take down Banshees and Brutes quickly, both of which Liara struggles with. (Warp isn't as good a armor/barrier eliminator as I wish it was)
So, I take it you're not playing a biotic Shep? Because if you were, having Liara around would be a godsend - constant biotic combos kills everything. Granted I've only played on hardcore rather than insanity, but I'm currently playing my Sentinel Shep, and Liara comes everywhere with me, because having her Stasis and Warp to setup up easy combos is just too godlike.

Actually, you said you're bringing Javik, right? Dark Channel + Warp = combo. Have both maxed out and Warp with the detonate upgrade and you should be good to go.

Zevox

[Starsign]

What class is your Shep? If he's tech-oriented, the lack of Overload et. al. shouldn't be a problem, but guns and biotics-oriented Sheps might have a bit more trouble. (Sheer damage might do it - Carnage comes to mind - but YMMV)


So, I take it you're not playing a biotic Shep? Because if you were, having Liara around would be a godsend - constant biotic combos kills everything. Granted I've only played on hardcore rather than insanity, but I'm currently playing my Sentinel Shep, and Liara comes everywhere with me, because having her Stasis and Warp to setup up easy combos is just too godlike.

Actually, you said you're bringing Javik, right? Dark Channel + Warp = combo. Have both maxed out and Warp with the detonate upgrade and you should be good to go.

Zevox

I actually play Sentinel, I just have Tech Armor and Defense Matrix both on at the same time for the 70% Damage Protection (and still have 3-4 second cooldowns :smalltongue:) For me, I find that guns work MUCH better on stronger foes than powers. Biotic Detonations are definitely worth using, however by themselves they won't kill a Banshee or Brute. My detonations work better with Javik than Liara because he shares similar cooldown times (Liara is VERY fast, but typically waits for me) and has an Assault Rifle over poor SMGs. My worry is that by having to use Liara, I lose out on another AR user AND the very powerful Disruptor Ammo. I speak like this is the difference between life and death, so I'm probably worrying too much. Not really worried at the ending bit. Even without Disruptor Ammo the 'boss' should be an absolute joke.

[SiuiS]

How so? Without the detonator those combos wouldn't go off at all yet the primer get's the credit (from what I've seen anyways.) Shouldn't both get equal points for it?

I don't have anything definitive, but it seems to me that each unit is worth soapy points, evenly divided based on damage done, and also a bonus based on who got the kill. The primer does not always get the kill; the primer does get credit for the burst however.


Um. (http://kotaku.com/5910634/sony-site-reveals-new-mass-effect-3-dlc) This is the first I've heard of this.

So who wants to take bets on exactly how many grains of salt should be taken with this announcement?

Huh. Wonder what a Phoenix is?
Quarian re-drops would be nice; help out all the people who don't have one yet.


The wide-eyed, idealistic Bioware fan in me wants it to be the raloi. however, my money's on it being a cloned squadron of the race introduced in "From Ashes". (this is the spoiler-free thread, right?)

Oooh, right, right. That makes loads of sense.

I motion that Javik NOT be a spoiler. The opening screen of the game tells you all about it. So if that is the new race, we're not saying anything new.


I'm guessing male character models. May or may not have different powers.

Goodness I hope so~


I can't say I agree. Being able to cause those detonations is as much a part of the class as the powers that cause them, and more a part of the class than any gun.

So? The ability to cause tech explosions is also part of the Asari adept. They aren't losing out at all, things just aren't going according to plan.


That's just it - you made a generalized assumption about the mindset of players frustrated by such a situation and assigned fault based on that.

Thats not an assumption. If the game is going swell, you're winning, etc., and your complaint is that the other players are playing? That is objectively a problem with that player.

In the same vein, bronze is too easy. That's not a problem with the game, that's a problem with my expectations.


I don't use sniper rifles. Don't play either of the classes that favor them (Soldier or Infiltrator), and I am not the sharpshooter type at all.

I've been hoping to get the shotgun or maybe SMG (I don't know, I've heard it has terrible recoil, and I already find the Hornet unusable due to recoil) N7 weapon out of those packs, but no, rank 2 sniper rifle, rank 1 pistol, and while I tried the pistol, it was not at all impressive.

Honestly though, thinking about it, even if I got a weapon I'd like to use out of one of those packs - and it seems that my luck is just not good enough to have that happen - the fact that I'd be unable to upgrade it other than out of these events would render it simply inferior to my other weapon options that I can get to higher ranks more easily.

All I can figure for how they could fix that is to find a way to program it such that once you have the weapon unlocked from an event pack you can find upgrades to it in regular packs, while still leaving the initial weapon acquisition locked to the events.

Zevox

the shotgun might not be up your alley; remember, it's a sniper rifle/heavy pistol in the shotgun slot.
That being said, it's darn good. Irritatingly successive to shield gate, but solid.

[Zevox]

I actually play Sentinel, I just have Tech Armor and Defense Matrix both on at the same time for the 70% Damage Protection (and still have 3-4 second cooldowns :smalltongue:)
In that last case, you should still be able to use Liara as a constant biotic combo machine. Just max out throw on yourself and warp on her, taking detonate on both. Bam, every few seconds you've got the most powerful explosions in the game going off. Toss in Javik's Dark Channel and you've got a slightly weaker version in between every shot from Liara (assuming the cooldowns you mentioned were for more average powers like warp, so throw will still be faster).

Or you could, you know, ditch Defense Matrix and have much faster cooldowns, enabling you to throw out your own warp -> throw in between Liara's warps.


For me, I find that guns work MUCH better on stronger foes than powers. Biotic Detonations are definitely worth using, however by themselves they won't kill a Banshee or Brute.
That is the total opposite of my experience. Repeated biotic combos shred Banshees, and especially Brutes. I tore through the Banshees from the end of Samara's cameo mission just recently quickly enough that I didn't even need to back up thanks to having Liara and Kaiden with me. Granted again, this is on hardcore rather than insanity, but I can't imagine insanity gives them that much more hp than hardcore. And Brutes have been just a minor speedbump whenever they show up - something that merely takes two combos instead of one.


Oooh, right, right. That makes loads of sense.

I motion that Javik NOT be a spoiler. The opening screen of the game tells you all about it. So if that is the new race, we're not saying anything new.
I don't think it does honestly, for precisely the reason you brought up in that second paragraph. The description of From Ashes itself advertises that it contains a Prothean squadmate - why would they say that openly for the main game's DLC, but use a code name for the multiplayer?


So? The ability to cause tech explosions is also part of the Asari adept.
Not really. Asari Adepts cannot set up tech bursts on their own, an important distinction.

(Plus honestly I'm still baffled by why they have biotic powers setting off tech bursts at all. You'd think they'd want to keep biotic and tech power sets distinct and separate - they certainly left biotic combos as requiring two biotic powers.)


Thats not an assumption. If the game is going swell, you're winning, etc., and your complaint is that the other players are playing? That is objectively a problem with that player.
...I think we're just going to have to drop this line of conversation, because I'm struggling to think of a way to continue which won't have me coming off as rude or aggressive.



the shotgun might not be up your alley; remember, it's a sniper rifle/heavy pistol in the shotgun slot.
I'd like to make that determination myself. After all, I'm fine with pistols. And without a scope I sincerely doubt it'll come off like a sniper rifle to me.

Zevox

[Starsign]

In that last case, you should still be able to use Liara as a constant biotic combo machine. Just max out throw on yourself and warp on her, taking detonate on both. Bam, every few seconds you've got the most powerful explosions in the game going off. Toss in Javik's Dark Channel and you've got a slightly weaker version in between every shot from Liara (assuming the cooldowns you mentioned were for more average powers like warp, so throw will still be faster).

Or you could, you know, ditch Defense Matrix and have much faster cooldowns, enabling you to throw out your own warp -> throw in between Liara's warps.
Thank you for the offer, but I like my survivability, so I will stick with Defense Matrix. Having 1-2 second cooldowns would make Liara redundant anyway since she can't Warp -> Throw like I can. I'd rather take Kaiden if I have him since he can tank MUCH better due to Barrier and Reave.


That is the total opposite of my experience. Repeated biotic combos shred Banshees, and especially Brutes. I tore through the Banshees from the end of Samara's cameo mission just recently quickly enough that I didn't even need to back up thanks to having Liara and Kaiden with me. Granted again, this is on hardcore rather than insanity, but I can't imagine insanity gives them that much more hp than hardcore. And Brutes have been just a minor speedbump whenever they show up - something that merely takes two combos instead of one.
I'm pretty sure enemies have a MUCH greater resilience to biotic effects on Insanity. A Dark Channel -> Warp will do about 2 Bars of Armor damage to a Banshee. Brutes are a minor speedbump no matter how you look at it, it's the Banshees that are dangerous. I honestly cannot believe you can kill Banshees in seconds on Insanity; Hardcore possibly, but not Insanity.

I mean it may depend on the party though. I always kill Kaiden on Virmire because I like Ashley better (those two are the best party members in the game IMO, sucks how you can't use them together) so Reave might have something to do with it.

[Xondoure]

Oh you can devastate them with combos. Look at multiplayer gold. Combos tear right through.

[Starsign]

Oh you can devastate them with combos. Look at multiplayer gold. Combos tear right through.

I'm honestly sucky at multiplayer. The problem there is I have never touched Sentinel because I play the Asari Vanguard (for Stasis) Salarian/Geth Engineer (Decoy/Geth Turret) or Geth Infiltrator. Typically I find other people do the job better than me and if I get in the way, it screws the whole thing over.

It's easier in Singleplayer due to being able to command your partners, however I find the Particle Rifle is MUCH better for killing everything and I use Biotic Detonations for Crowd Clearing. PR is just much better DPS from my experience.

I mean I know it doesn't help that Liara is by far my least favorite party member, but I try to be unbiased as I can (without much luck :smallredface:)

And... We've never really agreed on anything yet, have we Xondoure? :smalltongue:

[Zevox]

Having 1-2 second cooldowns would make Liara redundant anyway since she can't Warp -> Throw like I can.
No, but she can set you up with her warp, which doesn't affect your cooldowns at all. So you get an additional combo in between every one of yours solo for a fraction of the time it takes you to do it on your own, since all you're doing is the throw half. That adds up very quickly. And Javik or Kaiden add another in a similarly reduced timeframe, albeit a somewhat less powerful one.

Really, that's what makes biotic combos so insane in the main game: with your companions firing powers on your command (and with no travel time no less) you can keep those explosions going quite consistently in a very short period of time.


I'm pretty sure enemies have a MUCH greater resilience to biotic effects on Insanity. A Dark Channel -> Warp will do about 2 Bars of Armor damage to a Banshee.
Dark Channel doesn't get detonate. Check what you get off Warp -> Throw with both maxed and with detonate. Then consider what I outlined above with Liara.


I mean it may depend on the party though. I always kill Kaiden on Virmire because I like Ashley better (those two are the best party members in the game IMO, sucks how you can't use them together) so Reave might have something to do with it.
Reave's main benefit is that it can either prime or detonate combos - it doesn't get the detonate upgrade, so it's actually less potent than warp -> throw combos, and Kaiden's cooldowns are not as good as Liara's. He's a backup.

And honestly I almost always kill Kaiden too. I have only two files where I didn't - the one I'm playing now, where I decided to romance him, and my Fail Shep, where I left him alive because, well, Fail Shep.

Zevox

[Starsign]

No, but she can set you up with her warp, which doesn't affect your cooldowns at all. So you get an additional combo in between every one of yours solo for a fraction of the time it takes you to do it on your own, since all you're doing is the throw half. That adds up very quickly. And Javik or Kaiden add another in a similarly reduced timeframe, albeit a somewhat less powerful one.

Really, that's what makes biotic combos so insane in the main game: with your companions firing powers on your command (and with no travel time no less) you can keep those explosions going quite consistently in a very short period of time.

Dark Channel doesn't get detonate. Check what you get off Warp -> Throw with both maxed and with detonate. Then consider what I outlined above with Liara.
I'll restate what I mentioned in a slightly different manner, if Shepard has near-instant cooldowns, there is no point to have Liara assist. She is better off doing something else than assisting with someone who doesn't need a millisecond improvement on detonations. In my case, her low cooldowns will help as she will be setting up combos for both Shepard and Javik. However I prefer a stronger gun user like Ashley or Garrus.

Also Throw does NOT work against anything with Armor. This makes Warp -> Throw inefficient or useless on Banshees, depending if enemies are nearby one or not. IMO it would be much more effective to take Kaiden and Javik together; both have ARs and I can go Reave -> Warp and Dark Channel -> Warp instead of a combo that cannot be done on such dangerous foes. Warp Ammo can detonate, however the result is at such poor potential that it's not worth bothering. Disruptor Ammo + Assault Rifle (preferably Particle Rifle) can destroy enemies much easier and without having to spend a power when I might need to gain shields back with Defense Matrix.

Again, this is in part because I do NOT like Liara. Another part is that, by my experience, I do not see all her usefulness that people outline and have a better time with other squadmates than her. Javik and the Particle Rifle I find essential to my plan; without him, Liara might be more profitable. However here she is not needed nor do I find her useful enough to replace Ashley or Javik. (doesn't help that I like Ashley and Javik the most)

[Zevox]

I'll restate what I mentioned in a slightly different manner, if Shepard has near-instant cooldowns, there is no point to have Liara assist. She is better off doing something else than assisting with someone who doesn't need a millisecond improvement on detonations.
That is simply not the case. There's a huge difference between waiting three seconds in between every combo (as a minimum-cooldown Shepard does for her warp -> throws) and getting two combos every four seconds (as the additional combo from Liara + throw gets you). It adds up big time.


Also Throw does NOT work against anything with Armor.
It doesn't do much on its own, no (though it definitely doesn't do nothing - I've sometimes gotten credit for killing armored enemies with a throw that I was setting off a combo with in multiplayer, which would only be the case if the little damage throw did killed them before the combo damage hurt them), but it still sets off combos, which is all it needs to do. The combos outclass either throw or warp solo by so much it's not even funny.


This makes Warp -> Throw inefficient or useless on Banshees, depending if enemies are nearby one or not.
Oh no no no no. Warp -> throw is never inefficient. Since both get detonate, it's the single the most potent combination of powers in the game, bar none. (The only other powers that get detonate are Singularity, which can only prime powers and does nothing to enemies with protections, and shockwave, which is inferior to both warp and throw in several ways.)

Zevox

[Starsign]

That is simply not the case. There's a huge difference between waiting three seconds in between every combo (as a minimum-cooldown Shepard does for her warp -> throws) and getting two combos every four seconds (as the additional combo from Liara + throw gets you). It adds up big time.
This is provided Shepard can't get combos off in two seconds on his own, which he can if you optimize for cooldown times. Doing this however will cost me my durability, so I do not find it worth it. Again, the Particle Rifle does wonders and frankly is the best way to take down foes. I'd rather have Ashley help assist in gun damage than bring in another Biotic who dies to a rocket hit, unlike every other squadmate.


It doesn't do much on its own, no (though it definitely doesn't do nothing - I've sometimes gotten credit for killing armored enemies with a throw that I was setting off a combo with in multiplayer, which would only be the case if the little damage throw did killed them before the combo damage hurt them), but it still sets off combos, which is all it needs to do. The combos outclass either throw or warp solo by so much it's not even funny.

Oh no no no no. Warp -> throw is never inefficient. Since both get detonate, it's the single the most potent combination of powers in the game, bar none. (The only other powers that get detonate are Singularity, which can only prime powers and does nothing to enemies with protections, and shockwave, which is inferior to both warp and throw in several ways.)

Zevox
I've stated before. It does NOT WORK on ANYTHING with armor, barriers or shields. Those are why there are other options to Throw. If you find Throw still works on such foes, you show me. Otherwise I have no reason to believe I can kill Banshees by going Warp -> Throw all day. Enemies do not crowd around a armored foe as much as you'd like to think.

Also Singularity does NOT get the Detonate effect. Instead it can detonate after expanding it's use. I've said before, Singularity is VERY combo detonate unfriendly, and it's one more reason why I don't use Liara.

[Xondoure]

In my experience Liara is nothing but amazing to have around. Specced for powers, and cool downs over damage her warps/stasis flies everywhere. Leaving shepard to biotic explosion everything ever. It's so effective it can be rather hilarious. And to clarify, just because the red "off" sign shows up doesn't mean the power is useless. It just means that the effect is reduced. However biotic explosions do not suffer from this reduction.

Shepard alone can't really get a warp throw combo down much more than 3 seconds or so simply because it takes that long for the powers to fly.

Whereas Liara's abilities are instantaneous. So the only limiter is Shepard's throw animation. Additionally, with warp specced to expose any damage dealt is amplified. This meaning that weapons deal significantly more damage, which more than makes up for her lack of an AR or Sniper when added together with squad warp ammo, if you really don't want to give the combo option a try.

[Yana]

Alternatively! You could always do what my Shepard did: Ignore all this Biotic crap, let Liara keep her date with the floor, and have you and Garrus go to town on the Reapers while ACDC plays in the background by killing foes the way they were meant to be killed, with a bullet/particle beam to the head.

I had no issue beating Thessia with Liara/Garrus as a Soldier, and I didn't have any of those fancy DR powers either. REAL Shepards just shoot stuff til it dies, and then shoot it some more just to be sure! :smalltongue:

[Starsign]

Alternatively! You could always do what my Shepard did: Ignore all this Biotic crap, let Liara keep her date with the floor, and have you and Garrus go to town on the Reapers while ACDC plays in the background by killing foes the way they were meant to be killed, with a bullet/particle beam to the head.

I had no issue beating Thessia with Liara/Garrus as a Soldier, and I didn't have any of those fancy DR powers either. REAL Shepards just shoot stuff til it dies, and then shoot it some more just to be sure! :smalltongue:

You know what? Excellent idea! Most of my damage has come from spamming the Particle Rifle on the strongest foes. Due to my success so far, I have no reason to believe I can do better by bringing Liara to spam Warp on foes; my strategy and opinions won't change. I'll bring Ashley instead of Javik and go crazy with Particle Rifles and Disruptor Ammo. I won't be brought down by a frail, weak asari!

So Zevox, Xondoure, I think we're done our conversation. Yana has just won me over along with the rest of the thread with her inspiring words. :smallbiggrin:

[Aotrs Commander]

IIn the same vein, bronze is too easy. That's not a problem with the game, that's a problem with my expectations.

If it was any harder, I doubt very much I have played even as much as I have...

As a general rule, though, I'm just not all that interested in being "challenged" by a game, so long as it's not quite so easy it's boring. (However, my definintion of "quite so easy it's boring" can go a fair way into the former before it gets to the latter... Given my choice of Civ IV and similar games is to streamroller over musketmen with armour (or Dreadnoughts, if playing with the sci-fi mod on, which I always do.))

The quickest way to make get give up on a game entirely is come to a section that I have to do over and over because I keep getting killed and frustrated, because as soon as I get frustrated, it's not fun and therefore is no point playing if I can't get around it in a reasonable time-frame.

[Morty]

I played my first Gold match today. Firebase White against Geth. We huddled behind one of those L-shaped covers and fired from there. I kept a Decoy up all the time. Abusing the cover and the decoy was all that kept us alive, I think.
Finally, we were wiped during Wave 10, because we could no longer stay in cover and the Geth murdered us while we were powering up the 4 targets. So, yeah. I'm not likely to try again.

[Yana]

You know what? Excellent idea! Most of my damage has come from spamming the Particle Rifle on the strongest foes. Due to my success so far, I have no reason to believe I can do better by bringing Liara to spam Warp on foes; my strategy and opinions won't change. I'll bring Ashley instead of Javik and go crazy with Particle Rifles and Disruptor Ammo. I won't be brought down by a frail, weak asari!

So Zevox, Xondoure, I think we're done our conversation. Yana has just won me over along with the rest of the thread with hisinspiring words. :smallbiggrin:

Glad you see things my way, though contrary to what my avatar may suggest, I am a guy. :smalltongue:

[Zevox]

This is provided Shepard can't get combos off in two seconds on his own, which he can if you optimize for cooldown times.
No actually, you cannot. This is something I'm entirely certain of, since my first character, an Adept, had minimum cooldown times with no increase from anything like Tech Armor, and could not fire off warp -> throw that fast. This is because past a certain point the increases you're getting to your cooldowns just are not increasing them by more than a very small fraction of a second, due to being percentage-based.

Plus even if you could, it would just mean that you'd be getting two every three seconds or less with Liara's warp added into the mix. Having another character capable of firing that power independently of you will always give you another explosion faster than you could do it solo, unless you could get your cooldowns down to literally nothing, which obviously you cannot.


I've stated before. It does NOT WORK on ANYTHING with armor, barriers or shields. Those are why there are other options to Throw. If you find Throw still works on such foes, you show me. Otherwise I have no reason to believe I can kill Banshees by going Warp -> Throw all day. Enemies do not crowd around a armored foe as much as you'd like to think.
And on this you are simply factually wrong. Warp -> Throw always works on anything, shields, armor, or barriers. Shields will reduce the damage from warp and throw themselves, and armor and barriers will reduce the damage from throw itself, but the combo from them will always go off, and always do big damage. I have done this more times than I could possibly count in both single-player and multiplayer, so I know it for an absolute fact.


Also Singularity does NOT get the Detonate effect. Instead it can detonate after expanding it's use.
Hm, I could have sworn that Singularity got it as one of its rank 4 upgrades, but looking on the wiki I see you are correct. Wonder how I made that mistake. Oh well, the point still stands - getting the detonate upgrade on both and being able to make a combo go off on anything makes warp and throw the most potent power combination there is.

In any event, I have an idea on this matter. I actually just recently completed Rannoch in my own file, so I'm approaching the Thessia mission you're so worried about. I can turn my own difficulty up to insanity for that and give you a report of how it goes for me. I'll even bring Javik instead of Kaiden if you'd like, to make our team composition identical, although the two serve very similar roles, especially since my build for Kaiden has him with no points in Barrier.


REAL Shepards just shoot stuff til it dies, and then shoot it some more just to be sure!
If by "real" Shepards you mean "puny soldiers who have to rely on their weapons rather than their god-like powers," then yes, that is what "real" Shepards do :smalltongue: .

Zevox

[Starsign]

Zevox, apparently you missed this.


You know what? Excellent idea! Most of my damage has come from spamming the Particle Rifle on the strongest foes. Due to my success so far, I have no reason to believe I can do better by bringing Liara to spam Warp on foes; my strategy and opinions won't change. I'll bring Ashley instead of Javik and go crazy with Particle Rifles and Disruptor Ammo. I won't be brought down by a frail, weak asari!

So Zevox, Xondoure, I think we're done our conversation. Yana has just won me over along with the rest of the thread with her inspiring words. :smallbiggrin:

So I repeat myself, conversation is over. You are not going to be able to prove me wrong on my own opinion that is based on my experience.

[Zevox]

Zevox, apparently you missed this.



So I repeat myself, conversation is over. You are not going to be able to prove me wrong on my own opinion that is based on my experience.
I needed to correct your factual errors regardless, as well as admit my own on the matter of Singularity getting the detonate upgrade. If you're not interested in my suggestion regarding me doing the Thessia mission on insanity, that's fine - though honestly I think I'll do it anyway, since hardcore has proven to be a cakewalk in this game.

Zevox

[Xondoure]

Zevox, apparently you missed this.



So I repeat myself, conversation is over. You are not going to be able to prove me wrong on my own opinion that is based on my experience.

That's fine. Although as long as you have her along I see no reason not to use squad warp ammo as well as spam armor reducing, weapon and power damage to target increasing warp.

Why? Because both weaken armored targets, and shred barriers. So... yeah, way more useful against banshees which I don't think does anything to armor.

TL;DR: If you have to use Liara, why not use her? :smallconfused:

[Starsign]

Okay! So I completed Thessia. What do I have to comment?

Well for one, do NOT give Javik the Power Passive Bonus for his Vengeful Ancient ability (the one that gives 10% boost to power damage, duration, and recharge to everyone) when Liara is on the team. If she has 100% recharge rate already, Javik's boost causes it to go 110% and actually overlap. This ended up with Liara's Stasis and Warp to have 5-6 seconds in recharge speed. (and I never bothered working on Singularity) This caused her to be a lot less useful than she should be. While she still had use with Warp every now and then, 75% of her job was just there for Warp Ammo and 15% shooting with her Scorpion due to this glitch. Dark Channel can cause MANY biotic explosions due to how it swarms to another foe after the current one dies.

Liara got killed 3 times, (two at the horde where the gunship assists you with rockets, and once on Kai Leng because she is worthless against him and he kills her instantly) Javik once (gunship with rockets area again; decided to take him anyway instead of Ashley) and I got through without dying. Kai Leng went about as expected. (he kills Liara instantly, and then does nothing else but fancy flips as I marauder his shields repeatedly) The level in general went better than I expected. The Scorpion is actually very powerful and ends up being the weapon I make my squadmates use if they can't use a Particle Rifle.

So next is that final N7 mission, and then Horizon. After that I'm holding off from completing the game until the Extended Cut DLC comes out; doing so just to be sure that it only works before the point of no return and because London is a very lame final mission.

tl;dr, A glitch made Liara only useful for Warp Ammo, Kai Leng was a joke, Scorpion is awesome, not doing endgame until Ending DLC is out.

EDIT: Horizon finished. Done every other sidequest now. All that's left is the last two missions... Which is past the point of no return. So waiting on the ending DLC till I do that.

I do gotta say, ME3 Insanity, even if it's really easy, is a lot more fun than ME2 Insanity.

[Morty]

:smallsigh: I've had an incredibly rotten luck with packs lately. One Spectre and Premium Spectre Pack after another, I get weapons I don't need. Last time, I got a Hornet. This time, another Hornet. Also a Geth Plasma Shotgun. The only more or less useful thing I've found lately was a Carnifex upgrade. Of course, no Batarian Soldier in sight.

[SiuiS]

Not really. Asari Adepts cannot set up tech bursts on their own, an important distinction.

(Plus honestly I'm still baffled by why they have biotic powers setting off tech bursts at all. You'd think they'd want to keep biotic and tech power sets distinct and separate - they certainly left biotic combos as requiring two biotic powers.)

Well, detonations are a product OC biotic power, not of Asari adepts. Plenty of casters can't set up their own combines. Doesn't make them unviable.


...I think we're just going to have to drop this line of conversation, because I'm struggling to think of a way to continue which won't have me coming off as rude or aggressive.

That's fair :smallsmile:




I'd like to make that determination myself. After all, I'm fine with pistols. And without a scope I sincerely doubt it'll come off like a sniper rifle to me.

Zevox

I admittedly added in HPs as a comparison due to second-guessing my statement. It's an interesting gun. I haven't tried it out since I first picked it up, but I found it unsatisfactory. That's mostly because I was using it wrong though.


Thank you for the offer, but I like my survivability, so I will stick with Defense Matrix. Having 1-2 second cooldowns would make Liara redundant anyway since she can't Warp -> Throw like I can. I'd rather take Kaiden if I have him since he can tank MUCH better due to Barrier and Reave.

Biotic combos are useful because they deal a % of the lifeboat in damage. If an explosion does 2 bars on a banshee - 1/5th its health - then a spec'd team would destroy a banshee in less than 4 seconds (three detonations). Six seconds if you haven't had time to shoot it at all.

This is approximately equal t a full team of heavies with the particle rifle. Spirits but that thing is H4x. I'm doing new game plus, I'm going to boost it to rank X and I'm going to dance through the game, I'm sure of it.


Okay! So I completed Thessia. What do I have to comment?

Well for one, do NOT give Javik the Power Passive Bonus for his Vengeful Ancient ability (the one that gives 10% boost to power damage, duration, and recharge to everyone) when Liara is on the team. If she has 100% recharge rate already, Javik's boost causes it to go 110% and actually overlap. This ended up with Liara's Stasis and Warp to have 5-6 seconds in recharge speed. (and I never bothered working on Singularity) This caused her to be a lot less useful than she should be. While she still had use with Warp every now and then, 75% of her job was just there for Warp Ammo and 15% shooting with her Scorpion due to this glitch. Dark Channel can cause MANY biotic explosions due to how it swarms to another foe after the current one dies.

Liara got killed 3 times, (two at the horde where the gunship assists you with rockets, and once on Kai Leng because she is worthless against him and he kills her instantly) Javik once (gunship with rockets area again; decided to take him anyway instead of Ashley) and I got through without dying. Kai Leng went about as expected. (he kills Liara instantly, and then does nothing else but fancy flips as I marauder his shields repeatedly) The level in general went better than I expected. The Scorpion is actually very powerful and ends up being the weapon I make my squadmates use if they can't use a Particle Rifle.

So next is that final N7 mission, and then Horizon. After that I'm holding off from completing the game until the Extended Cut DLC comes out; doing so just to be sure that it only works before the point of no return and because London is a very lame final mission.

tl;dr, A glitch made Liara only useful for Warp Ammo, Kai Leng was a joke, Scorpion is awesome, not doing endgame until Ending DLC is out.

EDIT: Horizon finished. Done every other sidequest now. All that's left is the last two missions... Which is past the point of no return. So waiting on the ending DLC till I do that.

I do gotta say, ME3 Insanity, even if it's really easy, is a lot more fun than ME2 Insanity.

it was way more fun, yes.
I didn't have that problem with the cool downs though. She stuck with me. Maybe it was something else?

Scorpion or carnifex/paladin are mandatory for light weapon squad members. They don't interfere with anything, and deal boucoup damage.

[thugthrasher]

I'd be interested in someone else's take. I brought it up with some informed friends, and all we can figure is that the formula is additive probably. The f could mean its a discrete variable on its own or that it's a function establishing parameters that can be referenced elsewhere in the code.


I'm a couple of days late on this, but the f likely isn't as complicated as you might think. In many programming languages, 2.0 is stored as a "double" by default, the f just tells it to store it as a floating point number (or "float"), instead. The reason you would want to do that is to save space (which is extremely important in console games), as doubles take (shockingly) double the space of a float (doubles are useful when using very large numbers). Many programmers use the f even when they don't have to, just as a matter of being consistent.

Long story short, the f likely changes nothing about the number, it's probably just a way to save memory.

[Starsign]

Biotic combos are useful because they deal a % of the lifeboat in damage. If an explosion does 2 bars on a banshee - 1/5th its health - then a spec'd team would destroy a banshee in less than 4 seconds (three detonations). Six seconds if you haven't had time to shoot it at all.

This is approximately equal t a full team of heavies with the particle rifle. Spirits but that thing is H4x. I'm doing new game plus, I'm going to boost it to rank X and I'm going to dance through the game, I'm sure of it.

I didn't have that problem with the cool downs though. She stuck with me. Maybe it was something else?

Scorpion or carnifex/paladin are mandatory for light weapon squad members. They don't interfere with anything, and deal boucoup damage.

I do really like biotic explosions for the percentage damage, however I prefer to gun my way through in addition to using detonations. My file is imported from ME2 rather than New Game + but the difficulty is easy either way.

As for Liara's long cooldowns, I'm SURE that it was Javik's passive overlapping. When I check the bar for her Power Recharge Speed, it comes up as empty for 110%.

When I played for the first time, I never bothered with Javik's sidearm since he had an Assault Rifle. When I had to use EDI or Liara, I made them stick with a Tempest SMG. As I realize, a Scorpion is much, MUCH better. It also comes early, so that's a plus. Still prefer ARs :smalltongue:

[Dhavaer]

:smallsigh: I've had an incredibly rotten luck with packs lately. One Spectre and Premium Spectre Pack after another, I get weapons I don't need. Last time, I got a Hornet. This time, another Hornet. Also a Geth Plasma Shotgun. The only more or less useful thing I've found lately was a Carnifex upgrade. Of course, no Batarian Soldier in sight.

This why I wish there were a trading system. I have two spare batarian soldiers I'd be happy to swap for something.

[Psyren]

The nice thing about biotic combos is that they scale with difficulty. As long as you have 6 ranks in both the setup and detonation you can tear through things pretty quickly; Warp+Throw with the upgrades turn you into a vortex of destruction.

My next playthrough (NG+ Insanity) will be an Adept Shepard build that fires no bullets at enemies (except at Eva on Mars, Marauder Shields and similar sequences.) Should be a ton of fun!

[Valaqil]

So, I'm sure this has been posted at least a time or two in the last few threads, but I'm wary of spoilers. (With minor exception, I'm actually spoiler free on ME3.) A friend just let me borrow ME3. Anything I should know before starting? Helpful tips that you guys wished you had known? I've got an Adept and Infiltrator that I'm going to import. I looked at the OP, but all I saw there was a link to a weapon spreadsheet.

[Aotrs Commander]

So, I'm sure this has been posted at least a time or two in the last few threads, but I'm wary of spoilers. (With minor exception, I'm actually spoiler free on ME3.) A friend just let me borrow ME3. Anything I should know before starting? Helpful tips that you guys wished you had known? I've got an Adept and Infiltrator that I'm going to import. I looked at the OP, but all I saw there was a link to a weapon spreadsheet.

You should be mostly free of spoilers here (most of that is in the ending thread.)

Weapon-wise, as inflitrator, the Mantis you get early on is probably the best sniper rifle you get until the very late game. Upgrade the weapons you're planning to use as soon as you get them, as it reduces weight and gives you more ammo.

You will want to make sure you acquire a sniper-rifle scope fairly early, as some enemies create smoke which you can't see through otherwise (fairly important for a sniper!)

(The assault rifle you get off the DLC is a very good weapon for rilfe-users, if even you don't use it yourself.)

Be aware, you can't go back to areas, so make sure you've picked everything up before you leave a mission zone. I missed one quest object on the Eden Prime mission (if you have the DLC), and had the quest sat open and uncompletable throughout the entire game.

Also, if you don't want to miss anything, make sure you go around the Citidel fairly frequently, and listen to every conversation, and make sure you do all the side-missions before you do Priorities (with the excepion of the Eden Prime DLC one, which doesn't matter), as if you don't do them there and then, they can (and eventually) will disappear as you complete the main story missions (unlike in ME 1 and 2), so rushing to get all your squadmates may not be the best plan.

The game is largely fantastic until the last ten-fifteen minutes (which is why the ending is not generally well-recieved.)

[Zevox]

Be aware, you can't go back to areas, so make sure you've picked everything up before you leave a mission zone. I missed one quest object on the Eden Prime mission (if you have the DLC), and had the quest sat open and uncompletable throughout the entire game.
Note that is not actually a problem in most cases, as most items you can find in missions will be put into stores - specifically the Specter Shop - if you don't pick them up on the mission. It's just that one DLC-mission side-quest where it's an issue.

Also, for your Adept, a couple of changes to be aware of from ME2. Warp now has a secondary effect that weakens enemy defenses, leaving a persistent effect behind on hit. This enables it to set up biotic combos on anything (regardless of defenses), which can be detonated with throw or shockwave. This is easily the single most powerful tool in the Adept's arsenal now, particularly since all three of those powers can get upgrades which increase the power of biotic combos they set off.

Pull will be worth putting a rank or two in, since there are enemies in the game that carry tower shields that block all bullets and powers, which it can remove. That's all it'll be good for though, so feel free to ignore it otherwise.

Singularity no longer staggers enemies with protections, so it's less useful now. Liara's stasis power, which you can get as a bonus power (though the unlock point for that is very late in the game), gets an upgrade at its final rank that turns it into an AoE bubble effect, and since it works even on enemies with shields or barriers it effectively becomes a better version of singularity at that point.

You may already be aware of this, but there's a new weight system in the game. Weapons have different weight values, and the heavier your loadout, the longer your power cooldowns become. Using more powerful weapons will thus usually mean reducing the frequency with which you can use powers. You can reduce weapon weight by upgrading them, but for a lot of weapons, especially sniper rifles, even that won't let you use them without cooldown penalties, especially if you want to use more than one weapon. (An exception being SMGs, which get a mod you can use to reduce their weight drastically, making them an ideal backup weapon if you're trying to keep cooldowns low.)

Oh, but that weight system does not apply to your squadmates. Give them any weapons you feel like, their cooldowns will not be affected.

I would recommend upgrading any weapon you expect to use much to max rank (5). There's plenty of money to go around in this game, so as long as you're not trying to buy literally everything (there are a few ultra-expensive weapons you're probably best off skipping, since there are cheaper weapons that are very similar to each of them), you can afford to rank up quite a few weapons and still buy all the other stuff you'll want.

Zevox

[Psyren]

@Adept - My advice is in parts:

- Use the retrain trick. (load up your ME2 save, purchase a retrain from Mordin's research terminal, then don't save it without spending any points. When you load that Shep into ME3, your points will still be unspent, allowing you to max out Warp and Throw, and split the rest of your points between your passive, fitness, and make sure you get at least one point in Pull. Spec both Warp and Throw for combo radius/damage (they stack) as well as general damage because it applies too. Maxing both before Palaven/Menae is a must so you can tear through the Brutes there with ease. And on Tuchanka, enjoy nuking Harvesters without firing a single shot :smallamused:

Speaking of which...

- Pull > Singularity, especially early on when you're fighting Cerberus (Guardians) a lot. In fact, if you want to neglect the latter entirely and bring Liara for it (her cooldown is as short as yours) feel free. But I personally liked Singularity on my Shep from on iconic standpoint (symbol of his biotic skill and all.) Pull also has an evolution that fires two projectiles - this makes it almost impossible for enemies to dodge, and even if they do, you can get the cooldown just as far as Singularity's.

- Chat up Liara! You want Stasis (especially Bubble Stasis) before Sanctuary/Cronos, to deal with pesky Phantoms. Unlike ME1 and ME2, you don't have to wait until NG+ to assign a bonus power, so the sooner you get it the better. Bubble Stasis can also take down multiple Guardians.

- Combos: These are your bread and butter. Warp/Throw for anything with protections (especially shields, your bane - watch out for Marauders and Centurions, who will also irritatingly dodge-roll your Warp.) Pull/Throw for anything unprotected. Spam Throw for Husks until you have breathing room to Pull->Throw.

- Overload: Squadmates with this are a godsend, because again Shields are your bane. Overload + Twinned Pull (two projectiles) into a combo can take out a whole pack of Marauders or Centurions in seconds. Kaidan is the best here because he can detonate or enable combos with his Reave, but Garrus and EDI are just as good.

[Starsign]

Y'know? Speaking of Pull, has anyone ever tried doing Pull -> Throw Detonations when both of them have their "Double Pull/Throw" evolution? (this would require either an Adept Shepard or Javik and Adept/Sentinel Shepard) I can see this being one of the most insane, crowd clearing strategies in the game. Or at the very least, visually pleasing. :smalltongue:

[Zevox]

- Pull > Singularity, especially early on when you're fighting Cerberus (Guardians) a lot. In fact, if you want to neglect the latter entirely and bring Liara for it (her cooldown is as short as yours) feel free. But I personally liked Singularity on my Shep from on iconic standpoint (symbol of his biotic skill and all.) Pull also has an evolution that fires two projectiles - this makes it almost impossible for enemies to dodge, and even if they do, you can get the cooldown just as far as Singularity's.
I don't agree with this. The only advantage Pull has is its shorter cooldown. Singularity can grab many enemies and stays out for a good while, which is a boon in the main game since you face a lot of unprotected enemies. It also effectively cannot be dodged, since it sets up wherever it impacts and has a good radius. And Double Pull is almost certainly unreliable, since if it's at all like Double Throw it's impossible for you to tell where the second one will go.

I'd advise sticking to one or two points in Pull, just to deal with Guardians' tower shields, and that's it. Singularity is the better investment for clearing mook crowds otherwise. Or heck, even just throw itself can easily be spammed to wipe the floor with mooks - causing combos is just a bonus against them.


Unlike ME1 and ME2, you don't have to wait until NG+ to assign a bonus power, so the sooner you get it the better.
Minor correction: you never needed New Game+. In ME1 you needed to unlock the power via an achievement and could then set it at the start of any new file, in ME2 you could set them as soon as you started unlocking them via loyalty quests.


Y'know? Speaking of Pull, has anyone ever tried doing Pull -> Throw Detonations when both of them have their "Double Pull/Throw" evolution? (this would require either an Adept Shepard or Javik and Adept/Sentinel Shepard) I can see this being one of the most insane, crowd clearing strategies in the game. Or at the very least, visually pleasing. :smalltongue:
I kind of doubt it, due to the aforementioned problem with double powers: you just can't properly aim the second shot.

Zevox

[Yana]

Why bother with pull though? All you need to deal with Guardians is a weapon with armor piercing, or Garrus.

[Zevox]

Why bother with pull though? All you need to deal with Guardians is a weapon with armor piercing, or Garrus.
One of those depends on Garrus shooting the Guardians when you want him to. The other mostly works with sniper rifles, maybe powerful enough pistols or shotguns. Using weapons that won't drop the Guardian in just one, maybe two piercing shots is going to be less efficient than just pulling his shield away. I know, I've tried in multiplayer with a Predator X with a piercing mod - it does kill them, but takes much longer than you'd prefer.

Also, you may not be using weapons that can benefit from a piercing mod that way. For instance, my current single-player game, which is using the Scorpion with the Tempest as a backup weapon (which, since I never run out of ammo on the Scorpion due to rarely using it and ammo being everywhere in this game, for all practical purposes means I'm just using the Scorpion). The Scorpion can't benefit from the pistol piercing mod, and SMGs don't get a piercing mod.

Also, I've played a few games of single-player on insanity now. Not really seeing a difference from hardcore honestly. I'm still tearing through things like they're tissue paper. Even Banshee lifespans are still measured in single-digit seconds.

Also, I've found the best way to kill Phantoms ever: Stasis, two shots from a Scorpion, Throw. Result is a biotic combo taking out their barriers and some of their health, then the Scorpion shots exploding and finishing off the rest while they're still flying through the air from the combo. It is glorious. :smallbiggrin:

Zevox

[Starsign]

Also, I've found the best way to kill Phantoms ever: Stasis, two shots from a Scorpion, Throw. Result is a biotic combo taking out their barriers and some of their health, then the Scorpion shots exploding and finishing off the rest while they're still flying through the air from the combo. It is glorious. :smallbiggrin:

Zevox

I'll one up you on that. Overload -> Slam. First one kills their barriers, second one kills their health. Optimizing for Power Damage does wonders :smalltongue:

[Zevox]

I'll one up you on that. Overload -> Slam. First one kills their barriers, second one kills their health. Optimizing for Power Damage does wonders :smalltongue:
Nah, yours doesn't end with them exploding in mid-air. Much less glorious. :smalltongue:

Zevox

[Starsign]

Nah, yours doesn't end with them exploding in mid-air. Much less glorious. :smalltongue:

Zevox

Ah wait, you were talking about flashy combos. Sorry I was talking about practical methods. :smallredface:

So how is the Scorpion on Multiplayer? I've heard that it... Isn't very good there.

[Zevox]

Ah wait, you were talking about flashy combos. Sorry I was talking about practical methods. :smallredface:
Mine is both - thus "glorious." :smalltongue:


So how is the Scorpion on Multiplayer? I've heard that it... Isn't very good there.
Wouldn't know - it's an ultra-rare, so I don't have it. I'd imagine it should hold up fine at least up to silver myself, but then again I'm the guy who barely uses weapons anyway.

Zevox

[Morty]

This why I wish there were a trading system. I have two spare batarian soldiers I'd be happy to swap for something.

That's God's own truth. I'm sure some people would be delighted to have that Asari Vanguard I have all the upgrades for. I think I could stand to part with the Geth Engineer too.

[Valaqil]

Thanks for all of the advice! I retrained my points in ME2 and went with 5 ranks of Warp/Throw, 2 each of Singularity/Pull, and a small handful of ranks in Fitness/Passive/Grenades. Liara already has Bubble Stasis, and it's definitely useful. That was a great tip. Between bubble, pulling shields, and combos, I'm destroying everyone. I'm using Assault Rifle and Pistol at the moment, but I may swap Pistol back out for SMG soon. Or drop it entirely. My cooldowns are so fast that I barely shoot anyway...

I'm alternating playing it with a couple of other games (my first free time to really play in a couple of weeks) but it's fun so far. I'm only to investigating Mars, so far. Only complaint FOV. Good grief. It's really hard for me to see things. I'm constantly getting turned around. But combat is very easy so far, and I'm having fun.

[SiuiS]

EDIT: the crusader shotgun is interesting. It packs a lot of punch, but unlike pistols or sniper rifles, it seems to have a firing delay. It's subtle, but s lot of shots I would land with a heavy pistol missed with the shotgun.

Some OC the trouble is that it fires too slow to compensate if I miss at close range (luckily, I was a Krogan). It does indeed benefit from armor piercing as well, as many an atlas or nemesis found. It's big trouble? Weight. Puts me at 0%, which is agonizingly slow for a vanguard. I also found myself dropping carnage more often, if only for the artificial boost to rate of fire. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but it looks like the geth plasma shotgun, or maybe my shiny new eviscerator, can achieve similar results without the weight penalty.


I'm a couple of days late on this, but the f likely isn't as complicated as you might think. In many programming languages, 2.0 is stored as a "double" by default, the f just tells it to store it as a floating point number (or "float"), instead. The reason you would want to do that is to save space (which is extremely important in console games), as doubles take (shockingly) double the space of a float (doubles are useful when using very large numbers). Many programmers use the f even when they don't have to, just as a matter of being consistent.

Long story short, the f likely changes nothing about the number, it's probably just a way to save memory.

That was one of the possibilities, but your explanation makes more sense; friend couldn't get it layman enough for me.


I do really like biotic explosions for the percentage damage, however I prefer to gun my way through in addition to using detonations. My file is imported from ME2 rather than New Game + but the difficulty is easy either way.

As for Liara's long cooldowns, I'm SURE that it was Javik's passive overlapping. When I check the bar for her Power Recharge Speed, it comes up as empty for 110%.

When I played for the first time, I never bothered with Javik's sidearm since he had an Assault Rifle. When I had to use EDI or Liara, I made them stick with a Tempest SMG. As I realize, a Scorpion is much, MUCH better. It also comes early, so that's a plus. Still prefer ARs :smalltongue:

I don't remember the squad mates having a percent bar? And certainly their actual casting time was static regardless.

I'll have to test that out.
I gave her and EDI the scorpion. It made them palatable, but not good. Liars was ace for powers though.


So, I'm sure this has been posted at least a time or two in the last few threads, but I'm wary of spoilers. (With minor exception, I'm actually spoiler free on ME3.) A friend just let me borrow ME3. Anything I should know before starting? Helpful tips that you guys wished you had known? I've got an Adept and Infiltrator that I'm going to import. I looked at the OP, but all I saw there was a link to a weapon spreadsheet.

The biggest is that there is a mission involving a Bomb. When playing, do that mission ASAP. It is the one seemingly timed mission that is ACTUALLY TIMED.

Allies don't have weight, so give them the biggest baddest stuff you've got.

Don't melee banshees.


Ah wait, you were talking about flashy combos. Sorry I was talking about practical methods. :smallredface:

So how is the Scorpion on Multiplayer? I've heard that it... Isn't very good there.

it's... Nice.

On silver, with AP mod and ammo power it's decent. All explosions are decent with ammo powers. I could have sworn AP let the explosions go through cover (I've killed guardians by pegging their shields) but I'm not certain. And it probably has the usual host explosive issues. Too heavy for the returns though.

[Zevox]

Well, I have finished my Sentinel file. Playing from Thessia onward on insanity instead of hardcore, can't say I noticed much difference. I think the only real changes I noted were Brutes taking three biotic combos to kill instead of two, and Cannibals not dying immediately from Reave + Throw combos (they'd be left with a bar or two life; easy to finish off, but slightly annoying that the combo alone didn't do it). Though I did notice on the couple of occasions that I did die that there were no longer checkpoints in the levels - I had to restart from the beginning. That really sucked when I got killed at the final fight with Reaper forces before the end due to getting careless during that final mass-Banshee wave.

Zevox

[Starsign]

Well, I have finished my Sentinel file. Playing from Thessia onward on insanity instead of hardcore, can't say I noticed much difference. I think the only real changes I noted were Brutes taking three biotic combos to kill instead of two, and Cannibals not dying immediately from Reave + Throw combos (they'd be left with a bar or two life; easy to finish off, but slightly annoying that the combo alone didn't do it). Though I did notice on the couple of occasions that I did die that there were no longer checkpoints in the levels - I had to restart from the beginning. That really sucked when I got killed at the final fight with Reaper forces before the end due to getting careless during that final mass-Banshee wave.

The last fight with Reaper forces at the end (when the helicopters assist you) is probably the hardest part of the mission. Where you start, there isn't really good cover for one to take out the enemies quickly. I ended up moving back to give me more space. I also make judicious use of Quick Saving since I never trust Auto Saves :smalltongue:

[VanBuren]

EDIT: the crusader shotgun is interesting. It packs a lot of punch, but unlike pistols or sniper rifles, it seems to have a firing delay. It's subtle, but s lot of shots I would land with a heavy pistol missed with the shotgun.

Some OC the trouble is that it fires too slow to compensate if I miss at close range (luckily, I was a Krogan). It does indeed benefit from armor piercing as well, as many an atlas or nemesis found. It's big trouble? Weight. Puts me at 0%, which is agonizingly slow for a vanguard. I also found myself dropping carnage more often, if only for the artificial boost to rate of fire. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but it looks like the geth plasma shotgun, or maybe my shiny new eviscerator, can achieve similar results without the weight penalty.



That was one of the possibilities, but your explanation makes more sense; friend couldn't get it layman enough for me.



I don't remember the squad mates having a percent bar? And certainly their actual casting time was static regardless.

I'll have to test that out.
I gave her and EDI the scorpion. It made them palatable, but not good. Liars was ace for powers though.



The biggest is that there is a mission involving a Bomb. When playing, do that mission ASAP. It is the one seemingly timed mission that is ACTUALLY TIMED.

Allies don't have weight, so give them the biggest baddest stuff you've got.

Don't melee banshees.



it's... Nice.

On silver, with AP mod and ammo power it's decent. All explosions are decent with ammo powers. I could have sworn AP let the explosions go through cover (I've killed guardians by pegging their shields) but I'm not certain. And it probably has the usual host explosive issues. Too heavy for the returns though.

Actually, the Grissom Academy mission is timed as well.

[SiuiS]

Actually, the Grissom Academy mission is timed as well.

Good point. I should have known that.

On the Crusader shotgun; I didn't like it, but now I have a hard time using any other shotgun, so it must have made a decent impression.

On tech armor et al; I have confirmed that it works like extra equipment. Or I have numbers that seem to indicate so on initial examination. This took me way too long to get, do I'm not doing the math to check the percentages any time soon. I imported ME2 shep and switched to sentinel. Free start with 30 levels, and the first weapons bench shows up on mars. With one listed exception, the numbers are taken with tech armor and barrier at rank five with no penalty reduction.

Powers and times
Tech armor slows power use by 80%
Barrier slows power use by 60%
Tech armor + barrier slows power use 140%?

Predator (+200% recharge)
Warp 2.67 / 3.64 (TA) / 3.33 (B) / 5
Cryoblast 2 / 2.73 n(TA) / 2.50 (B) / 3.75
Throw 1.33 / 1.82 (TA) / 1.67(B) / 2.50

predator & avenger (+125% recharge)
Warp 3.56 / 5.52(TA) / 4.85 (B) / 9.20
Cryoblast 2.67 / 4.14 (TA) / 3.64 (B) / 6.90
Throw 1.78 / 2.76 (TA) / 2.42 (B) / 4.60

Mantis & avenger (0% recharge bonus)
Warp 8 / 14.40 (TA) / 12.80 (B) / 19.20
Cryoblast 6 / 10.80 (TA) / 9.60 (B) / 14.40
Throw 4 */ 7.20 (TA) / 6.40 (B) / 9.60

And there is no way to get to guns that have working, non-25% denominations for weight without playing for several hours. So. Should really do this stuff during decent hours.

Mantis & predator (+50% recharge); TA modified to 50% penalty
Warp 5.33 / 8 (TA) / 8.80 (B) / 12.80
Throw 2.67 / 4 (TA) / 4.40 (B) / 6.40
Cryoblast 4 / 6 (TA) */ 6.60 (B) / 9.60

I will upgrade tech armor and see if -150% and a 50% penalty from TA give the same time as a straight -200%. I will also check and see if tech armor affects cool down when already at -200%, and such.

Mantis/predator/shuriken/katana (-150% recharge)

Warp 20 / 26.40 (TA) / 24.80 (B) / 31.20
Throw 10 / 13.20 (TA) / 12.40 (B) / 15.60
Cryoblast 15 / 18.30 (TA) / 18.60 (B) / 23.40

Full load out (-200% recharge)
Warp 24 / 30.40 (TA) / 28.80 (B) / 35.20
Throw 12 / 15.20 (TA) / 14.40 (B) / 17.60
Cryoblast 18 / 22.80 (TA) / 21.60 (B) / 26.40


So what this means for me, is that at best a sentinel will be running around with a +150% recharge bonus... And at worst, a -280% recharge time with tech armor and max encumbrance. So while there is a certain tolerance for strong characters to stay at +200, there is no lower limit and weak characters are not protected at -200.

It also means that the game actually caps weapons at -200%, and doesn't invisibly carry over. Carrying a widow, claymore, paladin and revenent is no worse than any other -200% load out. In fact, it's noticeably better.

The Battlemaster then, can carry a decen pistol and SMG, and rock approximately 170% cool down bonus. Conversely, my old method of throwing on black widow, claymore, and tech armor? Not so clever, if it didn't gel so wonderfully.

-

One more thought, that I tried for fun before throwing in the towel: caster-build soldiers are surprisingly fun.
Concussive shot at 6 (ammo carrier upgrade), frag grenades, Alliance Training at 5 (power boost and capacity), and some fitness. Using the hornet with capacity and damage upgrades, +200% recharge.

Final game had me competing with a nova!nguard and battlemaster. I got fed up of being cowardly on wave 3, and went on the offensive. I sprang from 880 points, to second place (though still 30k behind the nova!nguard) when we died on wave 10.

Concussive shot is now worthwhile, and is potentially its own extra damage source: rank 5 allows you to deal double damage to frozen targets, rank 6 let's you add your ammo to the shot. Cryo ammo, yeah?
The hornet is terrible I'd you're trying to snipe, but very effective if you just try to keep it going in the right direction. On dagger I was able to harass enemies at the extreme range, even killed two. Incendiary ammo is best so far; gun a mook to his last shred, and when he catches on fire, kill him with concussive shot. Fire explosions are beastly when reliable!

My favorite bit was that our last match was against Reapers. Hornet V, incendiary II and concussive shot made me more ferocious than the battlemaster. Against any strong unit, I did insane damage, frequently taking out ravagers, brutes and banshees from a safe distance. Grenades are icing on the cake, and worked best as traps. Roll them along the ground and try to time the fuse for when the target is in range... Or lob them all straight into a banshee or brute, or group of ravagers on occasion.

Phantoms and guardians were my bane however. Phantoms because my soldier is low level and had no fitness, so I'd I had a clear LoS, so did they. Guardians because I didn't have grenades in that match, and they were too mobile to easily snipe with such a temperamental gun as the hornet.

All in all, a fun build. I want to try disruptor ammo to see if I can self-support tech explosions.

[masterjoda99]

Speaking of sentinel, is it just me, or does it feel like sentinel is slow to really get the ball rolling in me2. Between spending my first few levels trying to max out the passive, then tech armor, it feels like it takes a while to be able to play in a way other than just guns guns and more guns like a glorified higher shield soldier.

[Zevox]

Speaking of sentinel, is it just me, or does it feel like sentinel is slow to really get the ball rolling in me2. Between spending my first few levels trying to max out the passive, then tech armor, it feels like it takes a while to be able to play in a way other than just guns guns and more guns like a glorified higher shield soldier.
That would be because you spent your first levels maxing out the passive and tech armor. Personally I always get a couple of ranks in everything I want to use before going for ranks 3 and 4, precisely so that I have access to all my desired powers quickly, then I start maxing things out from there.

Zevox

[Sagonene]

That works but I make a beeline for getting Reave or throw AE and overload jumps quick.

Stun or damage spread around much quicker improves my effectiveness.

Sago

[Zevox]

That works but I make a beeline for getting Reave or throw AE and overload jumps quick.

Stun or damage spread around much quicker improves my effectiveness.

Sago
He's referring to ME2, not ME3. No overload chains in that one, and honestly I never found any AoE effects to be particularly good there. Enemies don't bunch up that much in 2.

Zevox

[Wraith]

Ladies and Gentlemen - Operation SHIELDWALL has been announced for this weekend! :smallsmile:


The Reapers are targeting our training centers, and your mission is to draw their fire and attention. Put them on the defensive! Buy us time, and the reinforcements in training will soon back you up.

Allied Goal: Promote 50,000 characters.
Squad Goal: Promote 3 characters.
Special Circumstance: Due to the failure of Operation SILENCER, more banshees will spawn with Reaper enemies and might also spawn with other enemies.

Squad Goal Success: Squad members awarded a Commendation Pack.
Allied Goal Success: All players awarded a Victory Pack (high chance of containing a Rare weapon).

1) I'm 1 level of Sentinel and 8 levels of Adept away from a full set, so that's pretty much in the bag already (unless I go stupid again and Promote them Friday Night before the event is actually happening, like last time.... :smallyuk: )

2) Emphasis mine. I really hope that is what it sounds like - a random chance of having a Banshee spawn into a game vs. Geth or Cerberus! :smallbiggrin:

3) I wonder what'd happen if the Community failed several challenges in a row, now that we're getting 'penalties' like this. Would be pretty cool if one day someone at BIOWARE just flicked a switch and suddenly there were no more individual Enemy Forces; just a big mess of Cerberus, Geth and Reapers all appearing at the same time! :smalltongue:

[Landis963]

Oh man oh man oh man, I really hope I can get enough work done to participate in this. I currently have two named level 20 Engineer operatives (a salarian and a geth), and I think a level 10+ something else techy. I also have a level 8 named krogan vanguard and most of my other classes have just leveled up once or twice with char customization bonus XP. What exactly happens if you have two named chars in a class, then you go to promote?

Also, it's really nice that they give us an easy event after the "kill 3m Banshees" one.

[Arbitrarity]

Another 6 promotions coming up from me. Time to go level my Vanguard.

[Partof1]

Cool, I have 1 that's 20, 1 that's like 19, and another one I'm not sure of that I think is right around there.

I think I'll do this event.

[SiuiS]

So my caster soldier is pretty decent. Warp ammo isn't as good as incendiary but still handy, especially against banshees. I saw what everyone means about Hydra though. That place is a mess if crossfire.

[Derthric]

I have 4 classes ready for promotion, Sentinel, Engineer, Infilitrator, and Adept. I'll be able to do my part and then some!

[Zevox]

Ladies and Gentlemen - Operation SHIELDWALL has been announced for this weekend! :smallsmile:
More important to me than what you noted (since odds are good I won't actually play ME3 this weekend - busy playing other games right now) is that it says that the victory pack this time will have a high chance of containing a rare weapon, meaning that it will actually be worth a damn, unlike the last couple that were nothing but expendables.

Honestly, I don't know if I'll be participating though, even though it wouldn't even require me playing actual matches. I don't want to promote my classes, and especially not that many of them. I'd rather just have them ready to go for silver and gold matches any time I feel like playing, and not have to worry about re-leveling them. Plus as I noted after the last one I don't know if the commendation packs even appeal to me at this point.

Zevox

[Aotrs Commander]

Honestly, I don't know if I'll be participating though, even though it wouldn't even require me playing actual matches. I don't want to promote my classes, and especially not that many of them. I'd rather just have them ready to go for silver and gold matches any time I feel like playing, and not have to worry about re-leveling them. Plus as I noted after the last one I don't know if the commendation packs even appeal to me at this point.

Zevox

Yeah, I agree. I mean, it's kind of an easy goal (I could do it right now, I've got three level 20s), but like you, I prefer having them on hand; not only that, but not "wasting" the war assets, 'specially as I'm not sure what they add to... Are they like permenant across your account, add to whichever save you boost up next, what? ('Cos if I want to play my Evil Idiot Shep to completeion, I really don't want an more permenant war assers!)

[Dhavaer]

Yeah, I agree. I mean, it's kind of an easy goal (I could do it right now, I've got three level 20s), but like you, I prefer having them on hand; not only that, but not "wasting" the war assets, 'specially as I'm not sure what they add to... Are they like permenant across your account, add to whichever save you boost up next, what? ('Cos if I want to play my Evil Idiot Shep to completeion, I really don't want an more permenant war assers!)

They're permanent across your account. How long is the Origin update supposed to take? It's had a full but flickering progress bar for two hours and vacillates between 60 hours, 1 hour and 5 minutes to go.

[Aotrs Commander]

They're permanent across your account. How long is the Origin update supposed to take? It's had a full but flickering progress bar for two hours and vacillates between 60 hours, 1 hour and 5 minutes to go.

Having seen your post, I booted up Origin for the update, and it did it inside two or three minutes.

Sounds like you're got a serious lock-up or something there, mate. I'd cancel and try again (maybe after a reboot.)

[Dhavaer]

Cancelling and trying again worked. Just a few minutes, like yours.

[Morty]

More Banshees? That's going to be a bucket of fun. :smallyuk: At least this time we have a squad goal I can actually reach.
Also, another Premium Spectre Pack and still no Batarian Soldier. Not even a Krogan Soldier. Does this game have an algorithm that makes you less likely to find new characters the more you already have or something? :smallannoyed:

[Yana]

Well, it took me almost 2 months to get Salarian infiltrator, so my credits would be on "yes".

[Derthric]

Well, it took me almost 2 months to get Salarian infiltrator, so my credits would be on "yes".

I am going to say no, within a month I had all the original classes unlocked. I now have the 2 geth and the batarian Sentinel unlocked. So I honestly truly believe its random and that the random number god hates us all.

That aside, looky what Bioware just announced (http://blog.bioware.com/2012/05/24/mass-effect-3-rebellion-pack/).

If they think naming a gun after Kal'Reegar is enough for killing him off in an email, they are sorely mistaken.

[Landis963]

Apparently "Pheonix" translates to "ex-Cerberus". Which is, IMO, a shame. And no ex-Cerberus Engineers or anything?

[Aotrs Commander]

Apparently "Pheonix" translates to "ex-Cerberus". Which is, IMO, a shame. And no ex-Cerberus Engineers or anything?

Yeah, wow, what a let down. Cerberus Engineers with something approaching those doody turrets would have been nice... As it, is really jusy another human set. Woo, the excitement.

Where's our damned Elcor tank troopers, Bioware? And our Volus...thing...doing...guys... *sigh* Well, maybe if we're getting male Quarians there's a cat-in-hell's chance we might get female Turians at some point, because there is no reason at all we don't have those...

[Morty]

I admit that I'm disappointed by the Adept and the Vanguard being slightly different humans, but I'm looking forward to playing the Vorcha. Which means that I'll unlock the ex-Cerberus guys with several upgrades but fail to find the Vorcha... :smalltongue:

[Starsign]

I admit that I'm disappointed by the Adept and the Vanguard being slightly different humans, but I'm looking forward to playing the Vorcha. Which means that I'll unlock the ex-Cerberus guys with several upgrades but fail to find the Vorcha... :smalltongue:

That pretty much sums up my thoughts too. I didn't have interest in Soldiers until Vorcha, so this should be good. :smallbiggrin:

I'll just... Need to go max out my Sentinel and Adept so I can promote them, especially the Sentinel.

[Corvus]

I'm glad its ex-Cerberus and not Protheans - that would have been a step too far.

But the ex-Cerberus Vanguards dual-wield biotic whips. Whips I say.

More details.


NEW CHARACTERS

Vorcha Soldier
Thanks to their unique physiology and their Bloodlust ability, the Vorcha are joining the fight and are perfectly suited for the utilitarian soldier kit.

Vorcha Sentinel
The innate aggressiveness found within the Vorcha make them shockingly durable combatants, and when coupled with their Flamer skill, the Vorcha sentinel is a force to be reckoned with.

Male Quarian Engineer
Quarians have spent centuries at perpetual salvage and ship repair; the survival of their species depends on this technical expertise. When bringing the new Arc Grenade to the fray, the Quarians prove their prowess as effective engineers on the battlefield.

Male Quarian Infiltrator
The Male Quarian Infiltrator must actively rely on stealth while in the heat of battle, and when they make use of their Tactical Scan ability, they quickly prove their mettle while continuously dishing out the pain.

Ex-Cerberus Vanguard
When the Illusive Man turned to indoctrination in order to ensure the loyalty of his troops, many Cerberus operatives defected and joined the Alliance in order to stop the Reapers. Now that we’re on the same team, Ex-Cerberus Vanguards (along with their new Lash attack) are quickly proving their worth.

Ex-Cerberus Adept
A result of the Illusive Man's early experiments in enhanced human physiology, Ex-Cerberus subjects are highly skilled combat and biotics specialists. As a result, Ex-Cerberus Adepts can lay waste to the enemy with their Smash and Singularity powers.

NEW MAPS
Firebase Jade - Surrounded by huge waterfalls, Firebase Jade overlooks an ancient reservoir built by the salarians centuries ago. Set up strategic chokepoints inside the base’s main buildings to get the jump on your enemy, and work with your team to meticulously clear each room to achieve victory.

Firebase Goddess - Nestled in the epicenter of a Thessian metropolis, Firebase Goddess is one of the last strongholds of asari resistance against the Reapers. With its circular layout, Firebase Goddess is a tough location to control. This arena combines heavy cover and elevated firing positions, so stay light on your feet.

NEW WEAPONS

Cerberus Harrier Assault Rifle - These Cerberus-modified Mattock rifles are fully automatic. Cerberus gunsmiths reined in the recoil issues, resulting in a gun that stay on target, but delivers slightly less punch per round than a standard Mattock. As such, the weapon is typically utilized by Cerberus’ elite troopers, who train constantly to make every burst count.

Reegar Carbine Shotgun - This electrical weapon improves upon the arc pistol’s design by generating a sustained current on its target. This weapon is named for the Quarian Reegar family, whose marines have served valiantly against the Geth.

Krysae Sniper Rifle - This Turian antimaterial rifle is modified to kill Reaper enemies. The Krysae’s scope uses a rangefinder that adjusts to keep the target in proper proportion to the shooter, which comes in useful when the sniper is forced into close range. Its specialized ammunition is both armor-piercing and explosive. In a desperate move, the Turians released its specifications over the extranet so that nearly anyone with a fabricator could manufacture this weapon to help the war effort.


New In-Mission Objective
Randomly occurring during waves 3, 6 and 10, this new objective will demand that teams retrieve a high priority package and securely escort it to a designated extraction zone on each map.


New Gear Slot
A new slot will be available on the equipment screen, offering players a persistent gameplay bonus that will not expire after the end of a match. These new items will vary from weapon upgrades to character enhancements and will be available through reinforcement packs.

[Landis963]

[snip]

New Gear Slot
A new slot will be available on the equipment screen, offering players a persistent gameplay bonus that will not expire after the end of a match. These new items will vary from weapon upgrades to character enhancements and will be available through reinforcement packs.

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYzOQFpGPYE) I think demonstrates my opinion on this announcement.

[Zevox]

That aside, looky what Bioware just announced (http://blog.bioware.com/2012/05/24/mass-effect-3-rebellion-pack/).
Hm, interesting. I personally don't care that the Adept and Vanguard are ex-Cerberus rather than an alien honestly - what counts most is their powers, not so much their race. I'll be curious to see what they have, and particularly what their new powers can do.

That the male Quarian Engineer has a new electric grenade is kind of a let-down to me, since I can't aim grenades to save my life, but maybe his other powers will make up for it. And I still can't imagine a Vorcha Sentinel, at all.

The Reegar Shotgun sounds like it'll be a mix of the Arc Projector from 2 and the Particle Rifle, so I'm looking forward to that. The new assault rifle sounds a bit bland, but may be worth using. And new sniper rifle, as always, doesn't matter to me.

The new objective sounds like it'll be a pain on gold, I must say. Probably no problem on bronze or silver though.

And a new permanent gear slot? Very nice - I approve of us getting some actual customization options rather than just expendables.


If they think naming a gun after Kal'Reegar is enough for killing him off in an email, they are sorely mistaken.
...why exactly do they need to make up for that? In a war like the Reaper invasion, people have a tendency to die, and not only when the big hero is conveniently around them to see it. And since Kal'Reegar was a very minor character, he's a perfectly reasonable target for something like that.

Zevox

[Landis963]

...why exactly do they need to make up for that? In a war like the Reaper invasion, people have a tendency to die, and not only when the big hero is conveniently around them to see it. And since Kal'Reegar was a very minor character, he's a perfectly reasonable target for something like that.

Zevox

People are butthurt about relegating a fan favorite's death to the e-mails, and apply the same vitriol to it as they do the endings. the same thing happened with Aresh from Jack's loyalty mission, except he wasn't a fan favorite and so he slipped under the radar. I personally think his death scene should have been an easter egg if we go to x system between two random consecutive story missions, where we get to help him out but he still dies in a cutscene, but I reserve my rage for more fitting things. Such as the endings.

[Anarion]

Huh, new stuff sounds pretty exciting, especially the persistent gear slot. I have the 20s at the moment to just complete the objective, so I might do that. Honestly though, I haven't touched ME3 since Diablo 3 came out. So there's that problem. Also the fact that I bought a ton of specter and resurgence packs and don't have a single geth class but nearly maxed the stupid kishock harpoon gun, about which I am still bitter.

[VanBuren]

EA fired over a press release earlier today confirming that Mass Effect 3's rumored multiplayer add-on, the Rebellion Pack, will be made available for free to owners of the game starting on May 29th. Included in the DLC are two new maps, six new characters, a new mission objective, an entirely new equipment slot, and more weapons:


BIOWARE UNLEASHES NEW MULTIPLAYER CONTENT WITH MASS EFFECT 3: REBELLION PACK

Strengthen your forces and battle for new territories with the next downloadable content pack for Mass Effect™ 3 multiplayer! Available to download at no additional charge*, the Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack adds two brand-new maps, a new team objective and a new equipment slot to the game’s critically-acclaimed cooperative experience. The Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack will also introduce new unlockable characters, including the Vorcha, ex-Cerberus operatives and Male Quarians. Also available are all new weapons and items that can be obtained through reinforcement packs in the game’s multiplayer store.

The Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack will be available starting May 29 on XboxLIVE® and the Origin™ client software and on PlayStation® Network in North America on May 29 and in Europe on May 30.

The Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack includes the following content:

• Two New Action-Packed Maps – Land on Firebase Jade, located in a Salarian STG base on Sur’Kesh and fight to control Firebase Goddess on the Asari homeworld of Thessia.
• Six Powerful New Unlockable Characters – Level and promote six new unlockable characters, including the ex-Cerberus Adept and Vanguard, the Vorcha Soldier and Sentinel or the Male Quarian Engineer and Infiltrator.
• New In-Mission Objective – Randomly occurring during waves 3, 6 and 10, this new objective will demand that teams retrieve a high priority package and securely escort it to a designated extraction zone on each map.
• New Gear Slot – A new slot will be available on the equipment screen, offering players a persistent gameplay bonus that will not expire after the end of a match. These new items will vary from weapon upgrades to character enhancements and will be available through reinforcement packs.
• Lethal New Weapons – Eliminate the enemy with deadly new weapons, including the Cerberus Harrier, Krysae Sniper Rifle, and Reegar Carbine.

As part of the Mass Effect 3 Galaxy at War** system, success in the cooperative multiplayer experience in Mass Effect 3 links back to the player’s single-player campaign, helping Commander Shepard rally the forces of the galaxy to eliminate the Reaper threat once and for all. Multiplayer puts players in the role of a team of elite Special Forces soldiers sent to protect resources and assets that can help the greater war effort.

Mass Effect 3 has received over 75 perfect scores and won over 50 awards from critics around the world. For more information on Mass Effect 3, please visit http://masseffect.com, follow the game on Twitter at http://twitter.com/masseffect or "like" the game on Facebook at http://facebook.com/masseffect. Press assets for Mass Effect 3 can be found at www.info.ea.com.

* OFFER EXPIRES MAY 29, 2014. INTERNET CONNECTION AND ORIGIN (EA), XBOX LIVE GOLD, OR PLAYSTATION NETWORK ACCOUNT REQUIRED. VALID ONLY AT THE ORIGIN CLIENT SOFTWARE (WWW.ORIGIN.COM/ABOUT), XBOX LIVE MARKETPLACE OR PLAYSTATION STORE. VALID WHEREVER MASS EFFECT 3 IS SOLD. MASS EFFECT 3 FULL GAME, MASS EFFECT 3 ONLINE PASS AND ORIGIN ACCOUNT (EA) REQUIRED TO USE/PLAY DOWNLOAD. OFFER MAY NOT BE SUBSTITUTED, EXCHANGED, SOLD OR REDEEMED FOR CASH OR OTHER GOODS OR SERVICES. MAY NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER, GIFT CARD, REBATE OR DISCOUNT COUPON. PRODUCT SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED, TAXED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. LIMIT ONE OFFER PER PERSON. YOU MUST MEET THE MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENTS, WHICH VARY BY COUNTRY, TO REGISTER FOR AN ORIGIN ACCOUNT (EA). EA MAY RETIRE ONLINE FEATURES AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE POSTED ON WWW.EA.COM/2/SERVICE-UPDATES.

** THE MASS EFFECT 3: GALAXY AT WAR FEATURE CAN BE ACTIVATED VIA THE ONLINE PASS CODE FOUND IN EVERY NEW COPY OF MASS EFFECT 3.

[SiuiS]

More Banshees? That's going to be a bucket of fun. :smallyuk: At least this time we have a squad goal I can actually reach.
Also, another Premium Spectre Pack and still no Batarian Soldier. Not even a Krogan Soldier. Does this game have an algorithm that makes you less likely to find new characters the more you already have or something? :smallannoyed:

Your current set affects your pulls, I think.
I had vanguard, infiltrator, sentinel, engineer at 20, and got four ultra rates put of the last eight packs; until the Asari justicar a bit ago, no classes out of the last 20 packs.
I promote my units (three hours before we find out about Shieldwall :smallsigh:) and suddenly I'm getting uncommon class unlocks and customization options for my classes? I forgot I couldget redundant cards.

So I'm going out on a limb and saying that you get more guns when you're at max level.


I am going to say no, within a month I had all the original classes unlocked. I now have the 2 geth and the batarian Sentinel unlocked. So I honestly truly believe its random and that the random number god hates us all.

That aside, looky what Bioware just announced (http://blog.bioware.com/2012/05/24/mass-effect-3-rebellion-pack/).

If they think naming a gun after Kal'Reegar is enough for killing him off in an email, they are sorely mistaken.

That better be one buck of a carbine!

[SPOILERS!
it's apparently not.

Also, I am kind of sad that we get ex-Cerberus units. They are their own race now? Cyborg is a species? Ah well. The quarians have promise though they sound boring. Arc grenade? A hunter mode knock-off?

Personally, I think I'm most looking forward to running around as a pink circus with my Flamer power. Because I'm immature.


Huh, new stuff sounds pretty exciting, especially the persistent gear slot. I have the 20s at the moment to just complete the objective, so I might do that. Honestly though, I haven't touched ME3 since Diablo 3 came out. So there's that problem. Also the fact that I bought a ton of specter and resurgence packs and don't have a single geth class but nearly maxed the stupid kishock harpoon gun, about which I am still bitter.

Yeah... It's still fun when I can swing it, but i find I'll pay today for yesterday's gaming. *cradles wrist*

Onthe upside, I got an Asari justicar!
On the downside it sucks.

The bubble is strange. It does not actually warp targets; instead, targets inside the bubble are treated as having the warp condition for Combo detonation. Point in fact, it is probably an incomplete warp status and that could explain why enemies take more damage while in the bubble - a weakened Expose effect.

The bubble can sort of be used offensively is multiple targets nearby are Reaved though, except as I vaguely remember Zevox mentioning (too late!) there's an artificial delay so you can't "spam" bubbles.

It's fun, but there is something wrong when my main tactic on an Asari is gun down shields, pull, then detonate with reave.

-

I also have an Indra! It's a better Raptor, and doesn't seem too bad. I got about half a clip out with cloak boosts. Sadly, I got it at the tail end of my run so I played three waves on bronze then shut the system off.

[Tebryn]

So I'm going out on a limb and saying that you get more guns when you're at max level.

You don't. You only get Character cards because they give XP. Once you've maxed a gun it doesn't come in a pack again.

[Beowulf DW]

Just a small issue regarding the Vanguard that I've been rolling around in my head. Is it better to go for Shockwave or Nova? Before I promoted my first Vanguard, I used Shockwave with the lift upgrade to set up biotic combos with Biotic Charge. I found it to be quite effective. Now, I'm maxing out nova, and I must say that I don't seem to be doing as well as I used to.

Am I missing something? Or am I simply not playing the Vanguard properly?

[Zevox]

Just a small issue regarding the Vanguard that I've been rolling around in my head. Is it better to go for Shockwave or Nova? Before I promoted my first Vanguard, I used Shockwave with the lift upgrade to set up biotic combos with Biotic Charge. I found it to be quite effective. Now, I'm maxing out nova, and I must say that I don't seem to be doing as well as I used to.

Am I missing something? Or am I simply not playing the Vanguard properly?
Nova, by a long shot. Nova synergizes with Charge absolutely perfectly: it can be used while Charge is in cooldown, does big damage over an area, and with the right rank 5 upgrade speeds up your cooldowns. And since Nova's damage is based on the strength of your shields when you use it and Charge restores your shields, well, like I said, perfect synergy. A Vanguard with a light enough weapon load can destroy practically anything short of the top-tier units just by spamming Charge -> Nova -> repeat once both are maxed out.

Shockwave interferes with Charging since it has a cooldown as well, and only works on unprotected enemies. It's pretty much a crap power honestly, and more so on a Vanguard than on any other class because it's so averse to the Vanguard's MO. I'd highly advise not putting a single point into it on a Human Vanguard.

Zevox

[Edge]

An argument could be made for a Human Vanguard to go Charge 6, Nova 6, Shockwave 3, Alliance Training 5, Fitness 6. That argument mainly being that a pure Novaguard doesn't really need either of the benefits of Alliance Training's level 6 evolutions, and the Shockwave gives them something to do in hack missions.

[Zevox]

An argument could be made for a Human Vanguard to go Charge 6, Nova 6, Shockwave 3, Alliance Training 5, Fitness 6. That argument mainly being that a pure Novaguard doesn't really need either of the benefits of Alliance Training's level 6 evolutions, and the Shockwave gives them something to do in hack missions.
I wouldn't agree with that at all. One of the rank 6 upgrades from Alliance Training is a 20% weight reduction to all weapons, which is simply perfect for allowing the Vanguard to use heavier or more weapons while keeping her cooldowns low.

Zevox

[Edge]

I wouldn't agree with that at all. One of the rank 6 upgrades from Alliance Training is a 20% weight reduction to all weapons, which is simply perfect for allowing the Vanguard to use heavier or more weapons while keeping her cooldowns low.

Zevox

I merely stated the option existed, I did not endorse it. :smalltongue:

But the weight reduction makes little difference to me. I typically run my Novaguards with a Phalanx X with Barrel and Melee Stunner and nothing else.

[Beowulf DW]

Thanks for the advice. I have a level 12 vanguard at the moment, and I was going with the Charge/Nova combo just to see how well it works. I guess I'll get a better feel for it as time goes on.

[Zevox]

Thanks for the advice. I have a level 12 vanguard at the moment, and I was going with the Charge/Nova combo just to see how well it works. I guess I'll get a better feel for it as time goes on.
Indeed. It doesn't get as devastating as I was saying until you max out both powers, and preferably also have the bonus power damage from your class skill rank 5 as well, so being only mid-level does limit it somewhat. It'll get better, both with levels and practice.

Zevox

[Beowulf DW]

The Talon pistol with extended barrel and scope helps a bit, too. I find it hilarious that my favorite shotgun right now is a pistol

[Krade]

Does anybody know exactly when the Shieldwall starts? I know previous operations usually started later in the day (6pm PST IIRC), so I don't want to promote my characters now only to have it not count because I did it an hour early. I've looked everywhere I know to look and haven't found any reference to the time.

[Dhavaer]

It's definitely started now.

[Krade]

Aaand server's down.

Whelp, guess I'll play something else for a bit...

Edit: Nevermind, I guess it's working... wierd. Oh well.

[Partof1]

I promoted my 3 guys about an hour ago, and got nothing :(

[Zevox]

I promoted my 3 guys about an hour ago, and got nothing :(
New to the weekend events I take it? You don't get the commendation packs right away. They get sent out next Tuesday night or Wednesday, along with the victory packs if the objective for the entire community was reached.

Zevox

[Partof1]

Ah, I had considered that possibility, but figured immediate rewards made more sense.

At any rate, I keep getting characters when I want weapons. Pretty cool characters, too, but I've been enjoying what I've got. Not content with my guns.

[Landis963]

At any rate, I keep getting characters when I want weapons. Pretty cool characters, too, but I've been enjoying what I've got. Not content with my guns.

I know what you mean. I've been wanting a Widow for the longest time now, and I keep getting overweight shotguns.

Also, thank you to the person who brought the lv. 6 alliance training weight reduction to all weapons thing to my attention. It really helped me clamp down on my plan for my Novaguard build. (incidentally, I'd forgotten what a rush it is to play novaguard).

In other news, my Novaguard, my Salarian engie, and my geth infiltrator are all promoted to the Galaxy at War thing. Which means: Commendation Pack for me! Yay! Except my Salarian engie was my cash cow for gold farming. I currently have a single Human Sentinel, and I'd rather build her up first before starting a new char just for purposes of gold farming. Any build pointers for Sentinel on Gold?

[Partof1]

Actually, one of 2 guns I got today was the Widow. I liked the Mantis, so this should be okay. The other gun was an Arc pistol. I have no idea about this thing.

[Zevox]

I know what you mean. I've been wanting a Widow for the longest time now, and I keep getting overweight shotguns.
I'd trade you my Widow IV for any ranks in Graal or Claymore you had to spare, if this game allowed for that... *grumblegrumbleboostersystemsucksgrumblegrumble*


I currently have a single Human Sentinel, and I'd rather build her up first before starting a new char just for purposes of gold farming. Any build pointers for Sentinel on Gold?
While I haven't played a Human Sentinel on gold, the fact that it has Warp and Throw makes it pretty straightforward. It's an Asari Adept without Stasis. Max Warp and Throw, taking detonate on each, and spam biotic combos. Either ignore tech armor for minimum cooldowns and max out both your class skill and fitness, or take it for the defense and power damage boost and take only 5/3 on the other two - I'm not sure which is better there, though I was playing the former before unlocking my Asari Adept, just not on gold.

Zevox

[Landis963]

While I haven't played a Human Sentinel on gold, the fact that it has Warp and Throw makes it pretty straightforward. It's an Asari Adept without Stasis. Max Warp and Throw, taking detonate on each, and spam biotic combos. Either ignore tech armor for minimum cooldowns and max out both your class skill and fitness, or take it for the defense and power damage boost and take only 5/3 on the other two - I'm not sure which is better there, though I was playing the former before unlocking my Asari Adept, just not on gold.

Zevox

Thanks for the tips, I'm probably going to forgo Tech Armor next time I get around to respeccing (I have 3 respec cards just waiting to be used). Also, she's lvl. 12 - I might break her in on silver once I'm done with the respec. At least until she's level 15.

[James the Dark]

This just in; Geth Farming right now is suicide. Banshees. Banshees everywhere amongst the geth...

[Dhavaer]

Promoted Soldier, Sentinel and up to level 14 on Infiltrator. Turns out my new Paladin does very nice on a Quarian Infiltrator.

[Edge]

Anyone interested in running some Silver or Gold at the moment?

GITP Name: Edge
Gaming System: Xbox 360
Name on Gaming System: UnbrokenUnbowed
Preferred Classes: Primarily Adept, Engineer and Vanguard, but I can run whatever's needed. Not the best Infiltrator due to only being a mediocre sniper at best.

[Morty]

Right, so I unlocked a Batarian Sentinel. Would've preferred a Soldier, but I'll take what I can get. Any advice on how to develop him? And what weapons to use?

[Krade]

Got into an argument with a kid last night about the "Banshees don't take extra headshot damage" thing. His trump card to prove me wrong was "I've been playing this game a looong time. I know what I'm talking about. Look at the scoreboard." After I finished laughing, I looked at the scoreboard and got another good laugh. We just finished wave 7 and he's only 5k ahead of me. On Silver. And I was a level 1 turian soldier. He was in the mid-teens, turian sentinel with a Saber III. By the end of the game I had passed him squarely, but a phantom snuck up on me at extraction and I died. Still only just barely passed me, though.

I don't usually rub my high score in anyone's face, but if they want to start something about it, I'll finish it. Especially if I was only level 1 at the time.

Edit: Source (http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Banshee)

■Despite being humanoid, the Banshee is immune to headshots, and does not take extra damage from them. Instead of the head, aim for the bigger target that is her bloated belly.

[Landis963]

This just in; Geth Farming right now is suicide. Banshees. Banshees everywhere amongst the geth...

That's what I figured. Haven't been to the gold farm since I promoted my salarian Engie, and it was level 20 before the event started.


Got into an argument with a kid last night about the "Banshees don't take extra headshot damage" thing. His trump card to prove me wrong was "I've been playing this game a looong time. I know what I'm talking about. Look at the scoreboard." After I finished laughing, I looked at the scoreboard and got another good laugh. We just finished wave 7 and he's only 5k ahead of me. On Silver. And I was a level 1 turian soldier. He was in the mid-teens, turian sentinel with a Saber III. By the end of the game I had passed him squarely, but a phantom snuck up on me at extraction and I died. Still only just barely passed me, though.

I don't usually rub my high score in anyone's face, but if they want to start something about it, I'll finish it. Especially if I was only level 1 at the time.

Edit: Source (http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Banshee)

I actually ran into that same fallacy while playing Silver matches last night. A Banshee got caught up on that balcony on Firebase White, just above that choke point that's directly in front of the LZ. (To quote one of my squadmates: "Best glitch ever") I was pegging her in the face with every single shot (don't remember whether I had an ammo power or not) and it wasn't taking out more than one bar of armor at a time. I remember griping about it too.

[Aotrs Commander]

This just in; Geth Farming right now is suicide. Banshees. Banshees everywhere amongst the geth...

Welp, looks like I'm gonna avoid playing ME 3 for a bit then, until the Banshees go back to normal, as I have little interest in being punished for not playing ME 3 enough (and I am not really bothered about fighting lots of banshees all the time, since I'd rather fight pretty much anything aside from Banshees). (And my suspension of belief is somewhat stretched if Banshees are appearing frequently with everything else...)

Eh, not like I've finished my ME run through yet, plus there's D3, so no real loss. (Not that I was planning playing this weekend anyway, what with the games convention and all!)

[Partof1]

I am enjoying my Batarian Sentinel. Blade Armour is solid, and I'm running him with a Carnifex and a Wraith shotgun, both with melee and damage attachments.

It's much fun, and the double barrelled shotgun lets me yell "Get off my lawn" a lot more than I reasonably should.

[SiuiS]

You don't. You only get Character cards because they give XP. Once you've maxed a gun it doesn't come in a pack again.

I am aware of this. I am also aware of clocking twenty hours of gameplay getting guns (none of which are maxed out), and as soon as I promoted that stopped. Anecdotal, but worth investigating.



Shockwave interferes with Charging since it has a cooldown as well, and only works on unprotected enemies. It's pretty much a crap power honestly, and more so on a Vanguard than on any other class because it's so averse to the Vanguard's MO. I'd highly advise not putting a single point into it on a Human Vanguard.

Zevox

Shockwave is a poor choice for a vanguard, yes.
It is not a pretty-much-crap power however.


I'd trade you my Widow IV for any ranks in Graal or Claymore you had to spare, if this game allowed for that... *grumblegrumbleboostersystemsucksgrumblegrumble*


While I haven't played a Human Sentinel on gold, the fact that it has Warp and Throw makes it pretty straightforward. It's an Asari Adept without Stasis. Max Warp and Throw, taking detonate on each, and spam biotic combos. Either ignore tech armor for minimum cooldowns and max out both your class skill and fitness, or take it for the defense and power damage boost and take only 5/3 on the other two - I'm not sure which is better there, though I was playing the former before unlocking my Asari Adept, just not on gold.

Zevox

On tech armor; it's not a bad idea to max tech armor at all. While it slows your power use slightly, it works like a combination of fitness and alliance training; you end up with functionally higher health and shields, And your choice of power or melee boost.


Anyone interested in running some Silver or Gold at the moment?

GITP Name: Edge
Gaming System: Xbox 360
Name on Gaming System: UnbrokenUnbowed
Preferred Classes: Primarily Adept, Engineer and Vanguard, but I can run whatever's needed. Not the best Infiltrator due to only being a mediocre sniper at best.

Want this added to the OP?


I am enjoying my Batarian Sentinel. Blade Armour is solid, and I'm running him with a Carnifex and a Wraith shotgun, both with melee and damage attachments.

It's much fun, and the double barrelled shotgun lets me yell "Get off my lawn" a lot more than I reasonably should.

Hm. Worth a shot. I just got one but haven't looked at what the differences between blade armor and tech armor are. If they get the power damage boost I think I'll give him shockwave and go to town.

[Beowulf DW]

Finally got a Batarian Soldier! Whoooo!:smallbiggrin:

[Edge]

Want this added to the OP?

Sure, that'd be great. :smallsmile:

[James the Dark]

For those leery of Infiltrators: You don't need to snipe. In fact, all of the Infiltrators I have run use the Mattock. I find that the Mattock, if you've got fast fingers, can get a good amount of shots before your cloak drops. Even if you've speciallized for Stealth duration, or One Free Power, you can do a lot of harm with a weapon which forgives poor twitch accuracy.

When I geth farm, it's a Quarian Inf with a Mattock and Berserk Sabotage. To level up that Quarian, I use a Shield-drain salarian. They have fairly simple styles of play, but can really clean house if you slap a scope and a piercing mod onto that rifle.

[Edge]

For those leery of Infiltrators: You don't need to snipe. In fact, all of the Infiltrators I have run use the Mattock. I find that the Mattock, if you've got fast fingers, can get a good amount of shots before your cloak drops. Even if you've speciallized for Stealth duration, or One Free Power, you can do a lot of harm with a weapon which forgives poor twitch accuracy.

When I geth farm, it's a Quarian Inf with a Mattock and Berserk Sabotage. To level up that Quarian, I use a Shield-drain salarian. They have fairly simple styles of play, but can really clean house if you slap a scope and a piercing mod onto that rifle.

I use the Geth Plasma shotgun on my geth infiltrator, and it works wonders. I assume it's a bug, but if you fully charge a shot before you cloak, and then fire once your cloak is fully up, it doesn't break your cloak, allowing you to get another cloaked shot in, and another as the cloak breaks and you still have the bonus damage.

Tears through banshees faster than biotic explosions, in my experience.

[Morty]

I tried using a Plasma Shotgun with my Geth Infiltrator. I found it impractical. It's easy to miss and you leave yourself exposed to fire.
And I still don't know how to develop my Batarian Sentinel... should I bother with Shockwave? I guess that for a weapon, I'll take a heavy pistol with melee stunner.

[Tome]

I tried using a Plasma Shotgun with my Geth Infiltrator. I found it impractical. It's easy to miss and you leave yourself exposed to fire.
And I still don't know how to develop my Batarian Sentinel... should I bother with Shockwave? I guess that for a weapon, I'll take a heavy pistol with melee stunner.

Submission Net + a gun that can take advantage of it. Heavy Pistols and Snipers work best in my opinion.

Skip Shockwave altogether, focus on being able to punch things, take a hit, immobilise enemies and then capitalise on that immobilisation for easy headshots.

At least, that's the way I did it.

[Landis963]

What's the best way to get that Hijacker achievement in MP (killing the driver of an Atlas and taking his place)? The wiki is useless in terms of pointing people in the right direction. I'm assuming communication and an armor-piercing sniper rifle are necessary, but apart from that I'm not sure.

[Wraith]

I don't think you can do it at all in MP - I've tried with every sniper rifle and pistol that I own, solo and with companions, and I've never been able to break the canopy open, let alone get inside.

Which makes sense, really - a Take And Hold objective would be much, much easier with a rocket launcher and an Instant Kill melee attack :smalltongue:

[Morty]

Submission Net + a gun that can take advantage of it. Heavy Pistols and Snipers work best in my opinion.

Skip Shockwave altogether, focus on being able to punch things, take a hit, immobilise enemies and then capitalise on that immobilisation for easy headshots.

At least, that's the way I did it.

I guess that makese sense. I used Shockwave to detonate Warp with my Human Adept, but that won't work with the Batarian Sentinel. I guess that if I only use the Submission Net, I might not have to worry about cooldowns too much, so maybe I'll finally use the Kishock Harpoon Gun.

[Landis963]

I don't think you can do it at all in MP - I've tried with every sniper rifle and pistol that I own, solo and with companions, and I've never been able to break the canopy open, let alone get inside.

Which makes sense, really - a Take And Hold objective would be much, much easier with a rocket launcher and an Instant Kill melee attack :smalltongue:

Dang. Ah well, I'll wait for new game + to grab that achievement.

[Mr._Blinky]

What's the best way to get that Hijacker achievement in MP (killing the driver of an Atlas and taking his place)? The wiki is useless in terms of pointing people in the right direction. I'm assuming communication and an armor-piercing sniper rifle are necessary, but apart from that I'm not sure.

You can't. Hijacking Atlases is only possible in single-player; shooting the cockpit in MP just does extra damage.

Also, going back to a conversation from a bit ago, I've found that the best use of the Geth Infiltrator is to go all the way on the melee spec.; it's very high risk, but very high reward. Essentially, go 6/6/6/0/6 on skills, ignoring Networked AI completely, since you really don't need weapon or power damage. Instead, go for Damage/Melee/Bonus Power on Cloak, Damage/Damage Taken/Damage on Prox. Mine, Recharge/Damage/Speed & Vision on Hunter Mode, and Melee/Melee/Melee on Advanced Hardware. Then load yourself up with either a light shotgun with a bayonet, or else a heavy pistol with a melee stunner (I use my Carnifex X, which works wonders and give me a ranged option).

Tactic is that you cloak, run into the middle of a group of guys, drop a Prox. Mine, and immediately start pulsing them with your melee. It's important to know how to melee though; Geth Infiltrator will continue pulsing if you just hold the button, but this is too slow, so instead what you need to let yourself stand back up and then pulse again, which pretty much triples the speed. I've cleared entire rooms of enemies in seconds; imagine what a decent Novaguard does on Bronze, and that's what this guy does on Gold. With the bonuses from Tac. Cloak and Martial Artist, you end up doing ~400% melee damage, and when that's in the wake of a Prox. Mine on Gold you'll kill any Tier-1 enemy in a single pulse, two or three pulses for Tier-2, and still relatively quick for any Tier-3s, though those require a bit more strategy (also note than Phantoms go down like chumps to this tactic, especially since Hunter Mode reveals them).

The only downside to this is that between the pulsing and Tactical Cloak, you generally spend the game with no shields and on your last sliver of health, so be warned that it does turn you into a glass cannon. But I personally feel that the absurd offensive is more than enough to make up for the lack of defense; played right, most enemies won't be alive to shoot back by the time they've recovered from the Prox. Mine stagger and you uncloaking.

TL;DR version: try the Geth Infiltrator Melee build, you'll end up turning a roughly 3 meter area around you into a death zone.

[Yana]

Well, I just had an amusing match where I was accused of being too good. I was playing my under leveled vanguard on bronze for fun and I was in the process of doing what vanguards do the best: Charging around and killing stuff.

After the second wave was shredded, one of my teammates declared that I was stealing all of his kills by going into "his" side of the map. He promptly declared that he would no longer help out and that he intended to go camp in a corner with his friend for the rest of the match. To elaborate, neither of them went afk as they still shot stuff that ended up on "their" side of the map, but they refused to rouse themselves otherwise.

Naturally, two of our objective waves were "hold the line", and true to form, these two chuckleheads camped their side of the map, wasting their time (and more importantly, mine). Hell, they were so petty that they couldn't even be bothered to head to the LZ, so we all lost a fair chunk of xp purely out of spite.

I'm really at a loss as to how anyone could be that petty.

[Landis963]

Naturally, two of our objective waves were "hold the line", and true to form, these two chuckleheads camped their side of the map, wasting their time (and more importantly, mine). Hell, they were so petty that they couldn't even be bothered to head to the LZ, so we all lost a fair chunk of xp purely out of spite.

I'm really at a loss as to how anyone could be that petty.

Well, there's "petty", and then there's "too dumb to live". I mean really, refusing to go to the LZ when your contact is literally yelling at you to "get a move, soldier!" would get you killed stone dead were this a real operation.

[SiuiS]

I use the Geth Plasma shotgun on my geth infiltrator, and it works wonders. I assume it's a bug, but if you fully charge a shot before you cloak, and then fire once your cloak is fully up, it doesn't break your cloak, allowing you to get another cloaked shot in, and another as the cloak breaks and you still have the bonus damage.

Tears through banshees faster than biotic explosions, in my experience.

I did not know that! Can't wait to get an infiltrator. After promotion yesterday I played with the engineer. Wish I'd gone flamethrower at rank six; it doesn't heal fast enough to save me, and having a 3 second cool down instead of 8 doesn't matter when I only need it to heal me once... Made melee super hilarious though!


I tried using a Plasma Shotgun with my Geth Infiltrator. I found it impractical. It's easy to miss and you leave yourself exposed to fire.
And I still don't know how to develop my Batarian Sentinel... should I bother with Shockwave? I guess that for a weapon, I'll take a heavy pistol with melee stunner.

The gps benefits a LOT from smart choke. Like, better grouping than some pistols benefits. My favorite is its karmic strike feature; a charged shot wildfire if you go down. If you have a bead on someone, they usually die~

Batarian sentinel... I was disappointed to find their armor option did not increase power damage. I tried shockwave anyway, and found it really good. Not great, but worthwhile and fun considering there weren't better options.

Armor at 6, with defense, shield recharge, and reduced penalty. Shockwave with width, length and lift (though lift isn't as hood as it is on an adept; I'll do speed next time). Net at 6, with the area effect shock and slow armored targets effect. Phalanx with melee stunner, geth SMG with heat sink.

Shockwave saved my patuckus on hydra, given the number of times I knew enemy locations but couldn't target. Capture net > shockwave staggers banshees 100% of the time, because of the tech burst.the radius shock effect was useless on big units, and almost useless on regulars - It triggered once.

What the batarian IS good at is melee. I falcon punch'd brutes and ravagers and it worked. Also, lift, then capture net turns an enemy into a heavy bag. They hang upside down at fist height.

Shockwave has three modes, 0, 3 and 6. If you max it and play with it, it's a lifesaver. If you don't want rank 6 somewhere else, it couldn't hurt. If you don't use it at all, you're not missing out. And if my suboptimal choices are any indication, a melee spec batarian is beastly. So that's probably where you want to take him. A good sniper rifle, or a shotgun and scoped pistol, will cover you at every range.


I guess that makese sense. I used Shockwave to detonate Warp with my Human Adept, but that won't work with the Batarian Sentinel. I guess that if I only use the Submission Net, I might not have to worry about cooldowns too much, so maybe I'll finally use the Kishock Harpoon Gun.

This is what I'm going to try.


You can't. Hijacking Atlases is only possible in single-player; shooting the cockpit in MP just does extra damage.

Also, going back to a conversation from a bit ago, I've found that the best use of the Geth Infiltrator is to go all the way on the melee spec.; it's very high risk, but very high reward. Essentially, go 6/6/6/0/6 on skills, ignoring Networked AI completely, since you really don't need weapon or power damage. Instead, go for Damage/Melee/Bonus Power on Cloak, Damage/Damage Taken/Damage on Prox. Mine, Recharge/Damage/Speed & Vision on Hunter Mode, and Melee/Melee/Melee on Advanced Hardware. Then load yourself up with either a light shotgun with a bayonet, or else a heavy pistol with a melee stunner (I use my Carnifex X, which works wonders and give me a ranged option).

Tactic is that you cloak, run into the middle of a group of guys, drop a Prox. Mine, and immediately start pulsing them with your melee. It's important to know how to melee though; Geth Infiltrator will continue pulsing if you just hold the button, but this is too slow, so instead what you need to let yourself stand back up and then pulse again, which pretty much triples the speed. I've cleared entire rooms of enemies in seconds; imagine what a decent Novaguard does on Bronze, and that's what this guy does on Gold. With the bonuses from Tac. Cloak and Martial Artist, you end up doing ~400% melee damage, and when that's in the wake of a Prox. Mine on Gold you'll kill any Tier-1 enemy in a single pulse, two or three pulses for Tier-2, and still relatively quick for any Tier-3s, though those require a bit more strategy (also note than Phantoms go down like chumps to this tactic, especially since Hunter Mode reveals them).

The only downside to this is that between the pulsing and Tactical Cloak, you generally spend the game with no shields and on your last sliver of health, so be warned that it does turn you into a glass cannon. But I personally feel that the absurd offensive is more than enough to make up for the lack of defense; played right, most enemies won't be alive to shoot back by the time they've recovered from the Prox. Mine stagger and you uncloaking.

TL;DR version: try the Geth Infiltrator Melee build, you'll end up turning a roughly 3 meter area around you into a death zone.

yeah. Even better; if you hold melee as you are revived, you will skip windup (and standup) and your first frame of being alive again will stagger enemies!

I'd say pack the plasma shotgun with a bayonet and smart choke. It's too good of a gun once you get used to it.

Personally, my first build will be designed with my javelin in mind though. It was okay on my salarian, I'd like to see it work as something other than "that ultra rare that exists only to ruin my cool downs".

[Beowulf DW]

Well, I just had an amusing match where I was accused of being too good. I was playing my under leveled vanguard on bronze for fun and I was in the process of doing what vanguards do the best: Charging around and killing stuff.

After the second wave was shredded, one of my teammates declared that I was stealing all of his kills by going into "his" side of the map. He promptly declared that he would no longer help out and that he intended to go camp in a corner with his friend for the rest of the match. To elaborate, neither of them went afk as they still shot stuff that ended up on "their" side of the map, but they refused to rouse themselves otherwise.

Naturally, two of our objective waves were "hold the line", and true to form, these two chuckleheads camped their side of the map, wasting their time (and more importantly, mine). Hell, they were so petty that they couldn't even be bothered to head to the LZ, so we all lost a fair chunk of xp purely out of spite.

I'm really at a loss as to how anyone could be that petty.

Some people will cut off their noses just to spite their faces. They probably thought that they could really hammer home just how much they disliked you by doing something detrimental to themselves. That, or they're simply way to prideful.

[Krade]

So I played a Silver game against Reapers with a level 1 human Infiltrator and a Claymore X. Definitely not as effective as level 20, but decent enough to top the team. One guy quits around wave 6 or 7 so it's just me, a Justicar and a Krogan... soldier? Can't remember. We soldier on through the final waves and then, just 25 seconds from extraction, game freeze. I kinda felt bad cuz I was host, which meant the other two had to restart extraction. No idea if they made it or not. A little upset that now I have to play another full game with the level 1 infiltrator, but I suppose I'll live.

Edit: People keep talking about putting the smart choke on the GPS. In my experience, it does either nothing or close enough to nothing that I don't notice it.