Gameplay
From Complete Mass Effect
Contents |
[edit] Weapons
All weapons in Mass Effect fire metal projectiles using mass accelerator technology. Element zero cores reduce the weight of the projectile, allowing relatively tiny projectiles to be fired at extremely high speeds. The bullet, once fired, shatters or flattens when it strikes the target, increasing the force imparted, rather than punching a hole straight through.
Weapons in the Mass Effect universe have effectively infinite ammunition. The ammo is broken off from a solid block of metal near the rear of the gun and is deposited directly into the barrel. Since the bullets fired are tiny, this block is dense enough to allow for an effectively infinite amount of projectiles to be detached. Each weapon determines the necessary weight needed for the block to reach the target and slices the blocks off as a result.
Each weapon has a different talent line. Getting more points in a certain weapon's talent increases accuracy and damage for that weapon, and can unlock special weapon talents. Weapons can be upgraded using weapon and ammo modifications.
[edit] Assault Rifles
Main Article: Assault rifle types
Assault rifles are Soldier-specific weapons with the highest rate of fire in the game. They balance power, range, and accuracy, making them effective multi-purpose weapons.
Weapon Talent: Overkill - Allows longer, more accurate bursts of assault rifle fire. Unlocked at four talent points.[1]
[edit] Pistols
Main Article: Pistol types
The standard sidearm of the Alliance military, the pistol exchanges stopping power for ease of use and balanced range, accuracy, and rate of fire. Most character classes have basic training in pistols.
Weapon Talent: Marksman - Boosts pistol accuracy by 60% and damage by 20%. Increases rate of fire by 2 rounds/sec and reduces overheating by 33%. Unlocked at three talent points.[2] Marksman can be upgraded by placing more talent points into Pistols.
[edit] Shotguns
Main Article: Shotgun types
Ineffective at long or medium ranges, with a slow rate of fire, shotguns are devastating close range weapons. The only character classes that can use a shotgun skillfully are soldiers or vanguards.
Weapon Talent: Carnage - Fires a blast of particles increasing weapon damage by 50% to any enemy within 2m of its impact point. Unlocked at four talent points.[3]
[edit] Sniper Rifles
Main Article: Sniper rifle types
Sniper rifles are long range weapons with the highest stopping power and range in the game. Unfortunately, they have a slow rate of fire and suffer from weapon stability problems. They are ineffective at close range. The only character classes that can use a sniper rifle skillfully are soldiers or infiltrators.
Weapon Talent: Assassination.[4] Assassination increases the damage of the next shot fired by either 50, 125, or 225 percent, based on the number of points placed in sniper rifles.
[edit] Tips and Tricks
- Crouch when firing a weapon, you gain a substantial accuracy bonus
- Allow weapons to "cooldown" during combat
- Take cover and look for firing positions you can hide your squad at
- Switch Ammo types depending on the enemy you are fighting
- Use your biotic/tech abilities
- In later parts of the game, equipping a pair of Frictionless Materials to your weapon effectively grants you "Unlimited Ammo" (negates cooldown). This also comes in handy when playing on Hardcore and Insane difficulties.
[edit] Armor
Body armor in Mass Effect is a combination of both body armor and kinetic barriers. Kinetic barriers are mass effect fields that can deflect bullets and other high speed projectiles. Unfortunately, kinetic shields lose strength after deflecting bullets.
Body armor in Mass Effect is species specific, a Krogan cannot wear the same armor as a human. Armor also comes in three different types, Light, Medium and Heavy. Armor can be upgraded with Armor modifications. [5]
Main Article: Human/asari armor types
Main Article: Turian armor types
Main Article: Krogan armor types
Main Article: Quarian armor types
[edit] Talents
Talents are what determine base numbers of the characters' stats and grants them their abilities. Talents have multiple ranks and at each additional rank the stat modifiers are increased, an ability is granted or improved, or a different talent is unlocked. Characters are increase the ranks of their talents when they level up. The talents available to each character is dependent on their class.
[edit] Combat Talents
Combat talents increase damage and health.
[edit] Assault Training
Increases melee and weapon damage. Also grants the Adenaline Burst ability, which resets all cooldown times on abilities so they are instantly available to use again.
[edit] Basic Armor
Increases effectiveness of Light Armor.
[edit] Combat Armor
Increases effectiveness of all Armor, allows the use of Heavy Armor, and grants the Shield Boost Ability, which recharges shields when used.
[edit] Fitness
Increases health and grants the Immunity ability, which temporarily reduces damage taken.
[edit] Tactical Armor
Allows the use of Medium Armor and increases effectiveness of both Light and Medium Armors.
[edit] Tech Talents
Tech talents grant abilities that use the holographic Omni-Tool to damage synthetic enemies, shields or heal teammates. [6]
[edit] AI Hacking
Grants the AI Hacking ability, which drives a single robotic target berserk. A hacked robot will attack anything in range. Reduces the cooldown time on all three mine powers, so you can use them more often.
[edit] Damping
Grants the Damping proximity mine, which temporarily disables the Tech and Biotic powers of any enemy caught in the blast. Also increases the explosion radius of the three mine powers. [7]
[edit] Decryption
Used to unlock containers and doors, and hack encrypted computer terminals. Grants the Sabotage proximity mine, which overheats the weapons of any enemy caught in the blast. Also boosts the damage of all three mine powers.
[edit] Electronics
Used to repair, bypass or modify electronics. Grants the Overload proximity mine, which does extreme shield damage to any enemy caught in the blast. Also increases the shielding provided by your armor.
[edit] First Aid
Increases the amount of health restored when you heal your squad. If multiple squad members have First Aid then they all contribute to the amount restored.
[edit] Medicine
Reduces the cooldown time on First Aid, so you can heal your squad more often. Once again, all squad members with Medicine contribute towards this reduction. Also grants the Neural Shock ability which knocks out and does toxic damage to a single organic target.
[edit] Biotic Talents
Biotic abilities are the result of implants, which allow the user to harness dark energy. The user can only gain the ability to use Biotics when he or she is selecting one of the Character Classes. Biotics in mass effect give the user an active combat power only.
[edit] Barrier
Barrier creates a dark energy wall that will protect against most enemy fire. Unlike Geth kinetic barriers which appear as impenetrable hexagonal objects in the game world, Barrier manifests as a temporary boost to the user's personal shield. Barriers are extremely useful when dealing with multiple enemies. The higher you increase in the Barrier skill, the longer it lasts and the more damage it absorbs.
[edit] Lift
Lift is a biotic talent that forces enemies in the targeted area to hover in the air for a short period of time, rendering them unable to attack yet vulnerable to weapons fire. The duration and area of Lift are increased when more points are spent to improve the talent. Using the Throw talent on an enemy under the influence of Lift significantly increases the distance that an enemy is thrown, and can result in the enemy taking falling damage. Lift conserves horizontal momentum, and enemies Lifted while running will hurtle through the air in a parabolic arc.
[edit] Singularity
Singularity creates a powerful mass effect field at a designated location. This field affects any object vulnerable to biotics within a certain radius of the impact point. Enemies and objects caught in the field are lifted into the air, incapacitated, and vulnerable to attack. Singularity differs from Lift in that affected objects "orbit" around the impact point and are confined to the target region for the duration of the effect. Singularity is a very useful crowd control ability.
Both the radius of the singularity field and its duration increase as more talent points are spent in this skill.
[edit] Stasis
Stasis renders an enemy unable to fight or move. Unfortunately, Shepard and his squad cannot damage the target either.
Note: The damage immunity component of stasis may be countered by taking the specialization class Bastion. [8]
[edit] Throw
Biotics can use Throw to force enemies off their feet. The force exerted by Throw increases as more points are put into the talent. Throw is resisted by massive enemies, and by equipment that increases a character's Physics Threshold.
[edit] Warp
Warp does a large amount of damage over time to the opponent by using rapidly shifting mass effect fields to tear an enemy apart.
[edit] Human Class Talents
These talents are available to Shepard based on what class you choose to play.
[edit] Adept (talent)
Reduces recharge time on biotic abilities and increases biotic protection.
[edit] Engineer (talent)
Reduces recharge time on tech abilities and increases tech protection.
[edit] Infiltrator (talent)
Reduces overheating of Pistols and Sniper Rifles. Also reduces damage taken from tech mines.
[edit] Sentinel (talent)
Reduces recharge time of tech and biotic abilities and increases Pistol damage and accuracy.
[edit] Soldier (talent)
Increases health and health regeneration.
[edit] Vangaurd (talent)
Increases biotic protection and damage done by Pistols and Shotguns.
[edit] Specialized Human Class Talents
After completion of the Rogue VI assignment, Shepard is awarded a class specialization. This will change Shepard's class talent to a specialized class talents that adds new effects in addition to the ones the original class talent provided.
[edit] Bastion (talent)
Decreases recharge time of biotic abilities and provides bonuses for Barrier and Stasis.
[edit] Commando (talent)
Increases weapon damage and provides bonuses to Assassinate, Immunity, and Marksman.
[edit] Medic (talent)
Provides bonuses to First Aid and Neural Shock and reduces their recharge time.
[edit] Nemesis (talent)
Increases damage done by biotic abilities and provides bonuses to Throw and Warp.
[edit] Operative (talent)
Decreasing recharge time of tech abilities and provides bonuses to Overload and Sabotage.
[edit] Shock Trooper (talent)
Increases health and provides bonuses to Adrenaline Burst and Immunity for Soldiers or Barrier for Vangaurds.
[edit] Alien Class Talents
Other than Ashley and Kaiden, your party members will have unique classes to their own that come with its own class talent.
[edit] Asari Scientist (talent)
Reduces recharge time of biotic abilities and increases effectiveness of First Aid.
[edit] Krogan Battlemaster (talent)
Increases health regeneration, melee damage, and physics resistance.
[edit] Quarian Machinist (talent)
Increases tech resistance and shield capacity.
[edit] Turian Agent (talent)
Increases accuracy of all weapons and damage done by Assault Rifles and Sniper Rifles.
[edit] Special Talents
There are three talents that are only available to Commander Shepard, regardless of class.
[edit] Charm
Opens new Paragon dialog tree options and grants Store Discount, which reduces the price of items bought.
[edit] Intimidate
Opens new Renegade dialog tree options and grants Motivated Buyer, which increases the price of sold items.
[edit] Spectre Training
Unlocked once Shepard becomes a Spectre. Increases damage and duration all abilities, health, maximum accuracy, and accuracy regeneration.
[edit] Character Classes
Main article: Character Classes
Mass Effect has 6 classes, at the start of the game you select one while making your character. Depending on which class you choose the core gameplay will change focus between Combat, Biotic and Tech.
[edit] Adept
Adepts are biotic specialists. Starting out equipped with pistols and light armor, the true strength of the adept is through the upgradeable implants that give them their biotic powers. These powers can be used to lift or throw objects, shield the party and disable or destroy enemies.
Starting Talents:
* Basic Armor (light only) * Throw * Barrier * Warp
Unlockable Talents:
* Pistols * Lift * Stasis * Singularity
[edit] Soldier
Soldiers are combat specialists ideal for the front lines of a firefight. Soldiers begin the game trained with skills in both pistols and assault rifles, they have improved health and the ability to wear medium combat armor. As you progress through the game you can unlock assault training, skills with shotguns and sniper rifles, become able to perform first aid on yourself and party members, and wear heavy combat armor.
Starting Talents:
* Pistols
* Assault Rifles
* Combat Armor (medium to start,
upgrading to heavy)
* Fitness
Unlockable Talents:
* Shotguns * Sniper Rifles * First Aid * Assault Training
[edit] Engineer
Engineer
Engineers are tech specialists. Using the holographic OmniTool they can decrypt security systems, repair and/or modify technical equipment, disrupt enemy weapons or shields and heal their party. Even though they begin the game with only pistols and the OmniTool, engineers can unlock the ability to wear light armor and to reverse engineer enemy technology. They can also learn to put up protective shields and to heal the party.
Starting Talents:
* Pistols * Electronics * Decryption * First Aid
Unlockable Talents:
* Basic Armor (light only) * Reverse Engineering * Shielding * Medicine
[edit] Infiltrator
Infiltrators combine combat and tech abilities, and specialize in killing or disabling enemies at long range. Infiltrators are trained to use OmniTools, but the focus is on decryption and offensive abilities rather than healing. They can train with pistols or sniper rifles, and can learn to wear medium armor.
Starting Talents:
* Pistols * Tactical Armor (light to start, upgrading to medium) * Electronics * Decryption
Unlockable Talents:
* Sniper Rifles * Fitness * Shielding * First Aid
[edit] Sentinel
Sentinels combine biotic and tech abilities. Typically they use biotic abilities and advanced healing skills to defend allies, though they can also disrupt opponents with biotic or Tech attacks. They are more efficient at tech and biotics than other classes, but at the expense of combat. Sentinels can only use light armor, and receive no advanced weapon training.
Starting Talents:
* Throw * Barrier * Electronics * First Aid
Unlockable Talents:
* Lift * Stasis * Decryption * Medicine
[edit] Vanguard
Vanguards are biotic warriors. They combine offensive biotic abilities and weapons training to quickly take down opponents, and are especially deadly at short range. They can train with pistols and shotguns, and can learn to wear medium armor.
Starting Talents:
* Pistols * Fitness * Throw * Warp
Unlockable Talents:
* Shotguns * Tactical Armor (light to start, upgrading to medium) * Lift * Barrier
[edit] References
- ↑ http://img249.imageshack.us/my.php?image=overkill1mk2.jpg
- ↑ http://img249.imageshack.us/my.php?image=marksman1qx7.jpg
- ↑ http://img249.imageshack.us/my.php?image=carnage1sr0.jpg
- ↑ http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sniperriflesue5.jpg
- ↑ Mass Effect: Revelation by Drew Karpyshyn ISBN: 978-0-345-49816-8 pg40
- ↑ http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=594803&forum=104&sp=15 - Brian Mills comment
- ↑ http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=594803&forum=104&sp=0 - Jason Attard's comment
- ↑ http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=595547&forum=104&sp=30 - Brian Mills' comment
