Replaying Mass Effect (3) again

[Psyren]

But she starts off better than they.

If you can start the game picking Advanced locks but the only ones the party comes across for the next several levels/areas are Basic, the difference isn't relevant. By the time you start running into the harder ones, you'll have plenty of time to increase the relevant skills.

Running Garrus as my only techie, there wasn't a single lock/safe I had to backtrack for.

[LibraryOgre]

Whereas I always found Tali to be incredibly stout in the game... especially once you get the double-boost armors. Give her a good shotgun, a health regen armor mod and a shield boost armor mod, on top of the bonus from Electronics, and she'll eat damage pretty well... but I also don't play on the higher difficulties.

[Anteros]

I definitely had to backtrack a few times for locks. I never placed a huge emphasis on hacking though.

Tali really is useless on almost every mission for all 3 games though. She's made of paper and uses a shotgun. It's not a good combination. Plus, her skills are very niche.

[Avilan the Grey]

Tali, with the super-armor on (black and red one) is probably sturdiest, actually in ME1. In ME2 she's not great and in ME3 she only survives if you give her the long range shotgun (the companions actually switches AI behavior if you have it, and treat it as a rifle so they stay on medium range).

I get why we "have" to take her to the base on her homeworld, but damn how much easier it would be with two tanks (EDI and James).

[Anteros]

So, speaking of Mass Effect. I don't know if any of you read DC comics, but the recent Justice League Rebirth was basically a rip/homage to Mass Effect where the league fights off a Reaper.

[Avilan the Grey]

I'm selective. I don't care for JLA so I don't read it. Nor Bats or Supes.

Current titles I'm reading are WW, Teen Titans and Green Lanterns, the last two only because I was curious.

[Psyren]

Tali really is useless on almost every mission for all 3 games though. She's made of paper and uses a shotgun. It's not a good combination. Plus, her skills are very niche.

Strongly agree - shotgun AI and her frailty just do not go well together in all three games. But you never need to bring her anywhere in ME1 (Kaidan and Garrus can work equally well). For ME2 and ME3, you kinda just have to power through it and accept that those missions are going to be a little harder, though ME3 at least gives you her Energy Drain for some powerful tech bursts.

I definitely had to backtrack a few times for locks. I never placed a huge emphasis on hacking though.

I avoided backtracking by "maxing out" (read - getting to Master and then ignoring) Decryption and Electronics first thing on the party tech every time. Not only are they good for picking locks, both skills are also useful in combat; Electronics buffs your tech character's shields through the roof, and also gives them Overload to fry enemy shields in turn, while Decryption lets you Sabotage enemy guns to take them out of a fight while you take out their allies.

The only enemies these two skills are useless against are the fully-organic ones: Rachni, Varren and Thresher Maws. These enemies also ignore shields, rendering high Electronics even more useless. However, Kaidan has Neural Shock and biotics to counter the first two and Garrus' AI keeps his distance. All you have to do is postpone Noveria/Peak 15 until later in the game, which shouldn't be a problem since you want to go pick up Liara and bring her to that for the Benezia scenes anyway.

[Anteros]

I don't know who this Kaiden you keep talking about is, but he sounds like he always dies in game 1.

[Avilan the Grey]

I don't know who this Kaiden you keep talking about is, but he sounds like he always dies in game 1.

Never understood the pure loathing some people have for him (or for Ash for that matter). He suffers from being fairly normal and not a Hot Babe (tm).
As far as I can tell if you haven't played that Star Wars game the voice actor was in, there is a higher chance you keep him alive (according to statistics online. Can't find them now though).

[Rodin]

Never understood the pure loathing some people have for him (or for Ash for that matter). He suffers from being fairly normal and not a Hot Babe (tm).
As far as I can tell if you haven't played that Star Wars game the voice actor was in, there is a higher chance you keep him alive (according to statistics online. Can't find them now though).

Of the two, I've always been a Kaidan fan. Then again, I'm that weird guy that liked Jacob and thought he got really shafted by Mass Effect 3. It's nice having normal people around sometimes.

Mordin still my bestie, though. His "sorry, not my species dear" speech still cracks me up and I about died laughing on my first playthrough since my FemShep hadn't romanced anyone and I hung out with him the most.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

Again, I don't know why, but to me the Asari looks male.

Throughout the games there was a decent variety of Asari faces; Rana Thanoptis wasn't exactly a model candidate in ME1 (looks better in ME2 though). I agree that the trailer sample looks kind of off, but hey maybe she comes from a long line of rough people. And having an entire species that is attractive by human standards is weird anyway. Maybe trailer girl is real popular with Krogan, or whatever.

[Anteros]

Never understood the pure loathing some people have for him (or for Ash for that matter). He suffers from being fairly normal and not a Hot Babe (tm).
As far as I can tell if you haven't played that Star Wars game the voice actor was in, there is a higher chance you keep him alive (according to statistics online. Can't find them now though).

It's funny, I actually like Carth and hate Kaiden. Carth has legitimate reasons for his trust issues, and eventually gets past them. Kaiden questions and undermines you for no reason and openly mistrusts you until halfway through game 3 despite having every reason to trust you.

[Douglas]

It's funny, I actually like Carth and hate Kaiden. Carth has legitimate reasons for his trust issues, and eventually gets past them. Kaiden questions and undermines you for no reason and openly mistrusts you until halfway through game 3 despite having every reason to trust you.

I'd say openly working with Cerberus would be a strong reason for anyone who knows about them to distrust you. Sure, it was an alliance of convenience and necessity that you have now ended, but that's really hard to prove to anyone who wasn't actually there with you when you told the Illusive Man to **** off. Even killing Cerberus troopers in job lots doesn't really count, because Cerberus would count that a trivial cost for all sorts of longer term plots involving getting a trusted-but-actually-indoctrinated Shepard to betray people at a critical point.

[Anteros]

I'd say openly working with Cerberus would be a strong reason for anyone who knows about them to distrust you. Sure, it was an alliance of convenience and necessity that you have now ended, but that's really hard to prove to anyone who wasn't actually there with you when you told the Illusive Man to **** off. Even killing Cerberus troopers in job lots doesn't really count, because Cerberus would count that a trivial cost for all sorts of longer term plots involving getting a trusted-but-actually-indoctrinated Shepard to betray people at a critical point.

Nope. Sorry. If I've saved your life multiple times and you have personally witnessed me save entire planets, the Citadel, and the Council from destruction? You don't get to question my loyalties any more.

[Douglas]

Nope. Sorry. If I've saved your life multiple times and you have personally witnessed me save entire planets, the Citadel, and the Council from destruction? You don't get to question my loyalties any more.

All of that was before you died, and got resurrected by and worked with an organization known for brainwashing and involuntary control of its minions. How does he know that this guy walking around in Shepard's body still has Shepard's mind and priorities, paired with a free will, rather than Cerberus implants or Reaper indoctrination controlling him?

Yes, Shepard's loyalties should be nearly beyond question, but Kaidan has substantial reason to suspect that Shepard's identity or free will might be compromised.

[Psyren]

Never understood the pure loathing some people have for him (or for Ash for that matter). He suffers from being fairly normal and not a Hot Babe (tm).
As far as I can tell if you haven't played that Star Wars game the voice actor was in, there is a higher chance you keep him alive (according to statistics online. Can't find them now though).

*raises hand*

Yeah I never played KOTOR (not a huge Star Wars fan) though I did finally get both titles on a Steam Sale so I may rectify that someday.

Of the two, I've always been a Kaidan fan. Then again, I'm that weird guy that liked Jacob and thought he got really shafted by Mass Effect 3. It's nice having normal people around sometimes.

Mordin still my bestie, though. His "sorry, not my species dear" speech still cracks me up and I about died laughing on my first playthrough since my FemShep hadn't romanced anyone and I hung out with him the most.

I don't see a correlation here honestly - I love Kaidan but I dislike Jacob. (And man oh man did they bungle Jacob's romance - from FemShep being written like a total creeper in ME2, to needing DLC for a proper resolution to his philandering in ME3.)

All of that was before you died, and got resurrected by and worked with an organization known for brainwashing and involuntary control of its minions. How does he know that this guy walking around in Shepard's body still has Shepard's mind and priorities, paired with a free will, rather than Cerberus implants or Reaper indoctrination controlling him?

Yes, Shepard's loyalties should be nearly beyond question, but Kaidan has substantial reason to suspect that Shepard's identity or free will might be compromised.

All this, and besides, he comes around fairly quickly if you keep visiting him. (Or even if you don't, and save the Salarian Councillor.) You can get him to stand down on trust alone even if you never visit him and were curt to him on Mars.

[Anteros]

All this, and besides, he comes around fairly quickly if you keep visiting him. (Or even if you don't, and save the Salarian Councillor.) You can get him to stand down on trust alone even if you never visit him and were curt to him on Mars.

I don't hold his actions on the Citadel attack against him really. It's more of a gameplay thing because Ashley does it too. Besides, Cerberus was attacking the Citadel. It's understandable he'd want to verify for threats, and he does come around quickly.

What annoys me is that he continues to question your authority/decisions in every conversation you have, even after he joins the crew. It takes him far too long to come around considering the things you've been through together.