Mass Effect 2 [thread contains spoilers]

[Liverandbacon]

There'd better be a way to side with or take over Cerberus. Getting put on trial just for killing 300,000 Batarians?! This is yet another example 2180's political correctness going too far. I mean, I'm no racist, I have an alien friend, but I'm just saying what everyone's thinking. Killing 300,000 Batarians is doing the galaxy 300,000 favors. There's a reason every other species hates them, even if they don't admit it.

 

You know what, the media claims the Terra Firma party are a bunch of racist far-right wingnuts who hate science, but they're pretty much the only one willing to put some restrictions on aliens. They're getting my vote next election.

[Primogen]

Hey, restrict all the other aliens, but don't get in the way of my blue-skinned space babes.

[Taak Farst]

WHERE THE HELL IS MY TALI?!

 

She better be a squad mate or ill just cry.

[Titanius Anglesmith]

I don't like the idea of having the ME1 love interests forced back on my squad at all. And what about Miranda, Tali, and Jack? I thought it was pretty much guaranteed that they would be in the game, what with the whole "there will be consequences if you're 'unfaithful'" thing.

 

EDIT: And I just realized this is the Mass Effect 2 thread.

[Taak Farst]

oh god why dont we just merge the two threads and rename it Mass Effect

[mstr kenobi]

There'd better be a way to side with or take over Cerberus. Getting put on trial just for killing 300,000 Batarians?! This is yet another example 2180's political correctness going too far. I mean, I'm no racist, I have an alien friend, but I'm just saying what everyone's thinking. Killing 300,000 Batarians is doing the galaxy 300,000 favors. There's a reason every other species hates them, even if they don't admit it.

 

You know what, the media claims the Terra Firma party are a bunch of racist far-right wingnuts who hate science, but they're pretty much the only one willing to put some restrictions on aliens. They're getting my vote next election.

I'm hoping for that too after being totally pro humans in 3 playthroughs

 

I don't like the idea of having the ME1 love interests forced back on my squad at all. And what about Miranda, Tali, and Jack? I thought it was pretty much guaranteed that they would be in the game, what with the whole "there will be consequences if you're 'unfaithful'" thing.

 

I prefer Miranda to Ashley or Liara easily, if Ashley shows a little bit of atitude... i'm telling her to shove it.

[Primogen]

You know, is it really being 'unfaithful' when they pretty much have abandoned you, refuse to trust you, etc?

[mimartin]

Just why would you expect them to trust you? The equivalent would be showing up after two years working with Al-Qaeda. Not really sure even my immediate family would trust me under those circumstances.

[Prime]

OK starting to get going in this game. Any leveling up tips? I assume maxing out one ability before moving to the next one is still the way to go. Any suggestions for abilities I should focus on?

[DarthParametric]

Depends on the class. I wouldn't be maxing out one ability before putting points in others - seems an odd strategy. You'll want to put at least a few points in pretty much every ability ASAP usually, as generally the most useful abilities for each class start off locked.

[mimartin]

Any suggestions for abilities I should focus on?

What DarthParametric wrote. My only suggestion is don’t neglect your Class Power early in the game. It really depends on your playing style, but I find the percentage bonus in Paragon/Renegade can come in handy during certain circumstances during the game. It doesn’t hurt that Class Powers also gives you other bonuses too including health, weapons and powers.

[Totenkopf]

OK starting to get going in this game. Any leveling up tips? I assume maxing out one ability before moving to the next one is still the way to go. Any suggestions for abilities I should focus on?

 

Agree w/DP on ability choices as relates to class. Also, are you talking only about Shep or teammates as well? If you want to max out abilities, I'd suggest you pick the one you might think most useful and then try to be more balanced on the others. No need to max out in some kind of linear progression, might be more of a handicap than not. If playing a soldier, I usually go for the AP/tungsten ammo choice and max it out before the others. I think if sentinel(?), the tech armor is usually my maxout choice. As far as squad, I usually try to max out things like incendiary ammo or biotic pull first (or in Legion's/Tali's case, the drone) before moving on to filling out the others. As to singularity, it seems weaker or less effective than in ME, at least in my experience.

[DarthParametric]

On the higher difficulties I found that biotics, aside from Warp, were fairly useless, but as far as companions go you generally aren't overwhelmed with choice in this regard anyway. For companions, I'd suggest focusing on Warp and Overload first and foremost (for those that have them) and any ammo abilities they may have.

[Prime]

Depends on the class.

Silly me! I'm playing a soldier.

 

I wouldn't be maxing out one ability before putting points in others - seems an odd strategy. You'll want to put at least a few points in pretty much every ability ASAP usually, as generally the most useful abilities for each class start off locked.

I guess I look at it this way. Using an ability makes all unavailable for a certain amount of time. If there is an ability that is superior to others in most cases, it seems to me to be sensible to max it (or at least favor it) first, since it is likely that it is the ability you are going to use again when the wait time expires. In ME1 I maxed my assault rifle skill before all my other weapons, since at the end of the day I was going to use it 80% of the time anyway.

 

My only suggestion is don’t neglect your Class Power early in the game.

Yes that class power seemed the obvious one, just wasn't sure of there were others that actually helped more that I was missing from the descriptions.

 

Thanks for the other suggestions Tot and DP.

[DarthParametric]

For the Soldier, their abilities are primarily ammo types. You'll want to at least have a few points in Disruptor and Incendiary ASAP, as you'll be switching between those two constantly. I never used Cryo much, but some people swear by it. Adrenaline Rush can be used in the same manner as the Infiltrator's class power - using the time dilation effect in combination with the Widow is one way to go. Concussive Shot is pretty useful on lower difficulty levels, but less so on higher ones. I brought it out mainly against swarming Husks, but you can also use it on enemies made airborne by biotics. Combat Mastery, the Soldier's class power, is probably what I would focus least on. I wouldn't be maxing it to the exclusion of the other powers. Put a few points in it when you can and leave it at that.

[Achilles]

@Prime:

 

Adrenaline Rush - 4 (Heightened evolution)

Concussive Shot - 4 (Heavy evolution)

Disruptor, Incendiary Ammo - 3

Cyro Ammo - 2

Combat Mastery - 4 (Shock Trooper)

Armor-Piercing Ammo -3

 

The last one is a bonus power that you won't be able to unlock until you complete the corresponding character's loyalty mission. Also, you most likely won't be able to get to level 30 on your first round (unless you're a completionist), so leave cryo ammo at 1 and do the best you can on your bonus power if you find yourself short on points.

 

Your ammo priority should be Disruptor, since it tears through shields, wrecks synthetics, and temporarily renders enemy weapons useless. Cryo should be only on your shotgun or in situations where it's warranted (i.e. Krogan), therefore you can leave it at 1 and be just fine. You'll want to get Incendiary Ammo to 2 fairly quickly (very helpful in the early game), but can leave it there until later.

 

 

Similarly, Concussive Shot can probably be largely ignored until you've maxed out your passive skill, but you definitely want it close to maxed or maxed by late-game due to the amount of enemies with Barriers that you'll encounter (CS does 3.5 damage against this defense).

 

Shorter version: Combat Mastery/Adrenaline Rush should vie for first place in your list of priorities, followed by Disruptor Ammo, then Concussive Shot/Incendiary Ammo, then Cryo.

 

I hope that helps.

 

EDIT re: DP's advice: Combat Mastery boosts your damage, the time reduction for Adrenaline Rush, and gives a bonus to your ammo powers. Also, it will be absolutely essential for some morality checks unless you play 100% to one side of the spectrum or the other

[DarthParametric]

Those distributions assume you will be maxing out to level 30, which I guess on an initial playthrough will probably be the case when you do all the side-quests. On subsequent playthroughs though I often don't hit the cap as I ignore all the side-quests, so I was coming from that perspective.

 

As far as the class power being essential for morality checks, I disagree on that point, but YMMV. I would suggest if you are trying to play as anything other than 100% Paragon or Renegade, you are operating outside the game's design parameters. This is Bioware - there is no grey.

[Achilles]

Those distributions assume you will be maxing out to level 30, which I guess on an initial playthrough will probably be the case when you do all the side-quests.

I don't have to guess how far you read before you opted to respond.

 

On subsequent playthroughs though I often don't hit the cap as I ignore all the side-quests, so I was coming from that perspective.

I am able to get to 30 doing nothing but the main story (including loyalty missions). Then again, I also import a level 60 shepard, play on the 360 (long service medal achievement) and have Kasumi and Zaeed on the team.

 

As far as the class power being essential for morality checks, I disagree on that point, but YMMV. I would suggest if you are trying to play as anything other than 100% Paragon or Renegade, you are operating outside the game's design parameters. This is Bioware - there is no grey.

There have been neutral options every time I've played. *shrugs*

 

The morality mechanics are boring so I won't go into them unless someone really wants me to, but as I said, they are essential for some of the morality checks unless you play how DP thinks we should.

[mimartin]

The morality mechanics are boring so I won't go into them unless someone really wants me to, but as I said, they are essential for some of the morality checks unless you play how DP thinks we should.

 

Guess I play the game the wrong way too, because I need it for morality checks early in the game. I play almost 100% Paragon, but I also do the loyalty missions as soon as party member ask. To me it does make sense to make them wait to solve their problem until my morality is high enough to deal with the aftermath.

[Achilles]

I meta-game the loyalty missions, but I do it for the purpose of role playing (). Doing Jack's loyalty mission before Miranda's makes the context of the fight...odd, therefore I always do the inverse. I also try to do both of theirs relatively early, due to the fact that you need >60% of total Paragon to enable the option and >50% of the Paragon bar filled to use it. Waiting until later makes the first part of that equation impossible unless you're 100% paragon and not taking Shock Trooper by that point makes the second part similarly impossible.

[mimartin]

I do the first come first serve method on the loyalty mission. Miranda has always asked Shepard first. Even if asked at the same time, I go with Miranda's first because it makes more sense to do it first. Saving Someone > Blowing Stuff Up. If Jacob asked at the same time then I go Miranda > Jacob > Jack.

The living outweighs the 10 years missing and both outweigh blowing stuff up

[Achilles]

I do Miranda > Samara > Jack.

 

Samara's loyalty mission has another big check that is difficult to make if you are playing neutral. Missing it hurts your chances with Miranda and Jack. Making it really helps.

 

Pro-Tip: avoid visiting new planets or hubs if you have big morality checks that you want to make. Opening up previously unvisited areas increases the total morality points possible, thereby diminishing your chances of triggering the option (unless, of course, you get a every point possible, in which case you break exactly even).

 

^^^^

 

This includes the Normandy itself, so don't forget to talk to your squad members.

[mimartin]

I have never even picked up Samara before doing Miranda, Samara and Jack's loyalty mission.

[Achilles]

I have never even picked up Samara before doing Miranda, Samara and Jack's loyalty mission.

 

For the reason listed above, I try to avoid opening new areas until I pass the morality checks. Since travelling to Illium for Miri's LM puts the Illium morality points on the table, I do as much as I can there (Miri's LM, Samara, Thane), then do Samara's LM, then Jack's.

 

Like you said, some things take priority. Saving someone, then stopping a murderer, then blowing stuff up, then lunch, then the Collector Ship

[Taak Farst]

Like you said, some things take priority. Saving someone, then stopping a murderer, then blowing stuff up, then lunch, then the Collector Ship

 

Come to think of it, when does shepard EVER go to the toilet O.o??

He can drink so much in ME2, but NEVER!!!