Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Discussion

[Kirjava]

If a Geth Prime catches you out in the open and you're, say, a Vanguard (oh, and if your Biotic Charge won't activate, hilarious when that happens) then in all likelihood you're dead. Three shots you can't dodge, which stagger you so you can't do anything, and effectively one-hit you? Nice one. Doubly so if there's a Homing Rocket Douchebot around as well.

All my rage aside, I enjoy the multiplayer enough to play it until 4am just wish now that when I've saved up 99k for a Premium Spectre pack it would give me something I didn't already have... I wanna play as a Geth or a Drell or a Quarian!

Speaking of races, does anyone have any advice for playing Batarian Soldier? I enjoy him, but he seems a bit... limited.

[Hirmetrium]

their Brawlers more than anything else. They exist to get upclose, shotgun people, and punch them. I suggest a mixed build of Shotgun/pistol+blades n' grenades. Skip the blade armour (or go 5/3 on grenades armour)

[Sturmhaubitze]

Batarians need standing cover to be at an advantage, since you lack the dodges that can get you from crouching cover to crouching cover. Pop around a corner, fire off ballistic blades, and finish off staggered enemies with melee or weapon fire. Since you have so much base health and shields you can afford to take the melee buffs in the fitness tree without making yourself weak. I prefer Blade armor over grenades, since I can never seem to find enough greandes in ammo crates, and the damage reduction and reflection with Blade Armor has saved my life a few times.

[Kirjava]

See, I can't figure out exactly how to use Blade Armour. Most of the time I completely forget to pop it off in the heat of combat, because I'm thinking more about how to kill the sodding Geth (the only guys who really make me lose my cool, as might be obvious by now), and a ranged power like Warp would be lovely right about now, hence my preference for the grenades. And no matter who I play, my shields and health disappear on Silver in a heartbeat, which leads me to always preferring the health and regeneration upgrades in the Fitness tree... I tried the new N7 shotgun (something beginning with C?) with him, and it's good, but the need for pinpoint accuracy counterbalances its ability to do damage at magical ranges. It's also hard to cooperate with pubs, so I end up unsupported a fair bit...

[Sturmhaubitze]

You turn on Blade Armour at the beginning of the match and leave it on.

[Kirjava]

Really? Mine seems to pop off randomly. Oh well.

[Sturmhaubitze]

It shouldn't, it's a toggle ability that puts visible blades on your armour. You might be accidentally hitting the toggle button again to turn it off.

[Kirjava]

I guess so! Are the blades omni (ie glowing) or anything? If not perhaps they should be, it's easy to tell when you've got your Tech Armour on, because you're glowing.

[Sturmhaubitze]

Nope, there's no glow. The best way to tell is to look at the power icon and see if it's red. You can also see the blades sticking out of your character's shoulders.

[Starblade]

Getting tired of multiplayer? Too bad! More DLC on the way. Same guy who leaked the last one:

3 new maps: London, Vancouver, Rio
Platinum Difficulty
3 weapons: LMG, shotgun, pistol
6 new classes:


Fury: "Fury operatives use implants to fuel biotics and their incredible movement speed. These operatives wind an unpredictable path on the battlefield, moving in and out of combat before returning to unleash a sweeping biotic attack on their unsuspecting targets."
Destroyer: "The Destroyer's T5-V Battlesuit gives these strong-but-slow soldiers mech-like protection. Driven by eezo-assisted actuators, these frontline troopers carry heavy weapons onto the battlefield."
Demolisher: "The Demolisher uses grenades to attack at range and to terrorize the battlefield. Demolishers can also create a supply pylon that stocks allies with an unending reserve of grenades and thermal reloads."
Paladin: "The Paladin carries a powerful omni-shield onto the battlefield to block enemy fire. The Paladin also uses the shield as a heavy-melee weapon that, when modified with incindiery or cryo upgrades, creates a devastating combination attack."
Shadow: "Shadow infiltrators use implants to dramatically improve agility, making them slippery combatants on the battlefield. Their monomolecular blades are a menace from cover and close range."
Slayer: "Slayers use implants to dramatically improve mobility. Their dizzying sword attacks can hit multiple opponents, and the Slayer's ability to slip fire makes them hard to pin down on the battielfield."

[Misiok]

I am impressed by the constant support ME3 is getting. It's as if they cared.

[Codex]

Man I might have to get back into ME3 MP by the looks of it...

[Akranadas]

They human classes?

[Starblade]

Yes, they are all human classes. Actually, three of the classes can be summed up by their models as Not Kasumi, Not Kai Leng, and Not a Phantom.

[Codex]

Cool, really want to try to learn Not Kasumi. Kasumi was awesome, shame there wasn't actually more content for her.

[Starblade]

Before someone accuses me of making up bullshit:

http://i.imgur.com/Zknv0.png
http://i.imgur.com/zCogI.png
http://i.imgur.com/4X8Nm.png
http://i.imgur.com/kT0U4.png
http://i.imgur.com/Mw7oV.png
http://i.imgur.com/mzGl4.png

Also this guy has successfully called every other dlc to date so I'm thinking they put stuff in the files of the last one to prepare for the next, or something.

[Akranadas]

Paladin looks pretty boss.

[Aesaar]

Yes, they are all human classes. Actually, three of the classes can be summed up by their models as Not Kasumi, Not Kai Leng, and Not a Phantom.

And Not a Guardian!

Despite the issues everyone has with the ending, Bioware really is doing a good job with the multiplayer support. I'm impressed that they're still giving out free content.

[Deunan]

Really hoping that this is
http://i.imgur.com/4X8Nm.png
The demolisher. She'd fit my playstyle perfectly and looks the best of them.

[Aesaar]

I think this is the Destroyer. Description mentions a battlesuit, which this is.

With 6 new unique characters, there will hopefully be something that suits me (Destroyer and Paladin look like they might). I didn't like the Vorcha, and Phoenix guys were too squishy for my tastes, despite the very high CC damage output.

[Kirjava]

The Destroyer (if that is indeed he) looks like a slightly beefier-with-more-edges Soldier.

Hope these classes come in more alien shades too, I'm hoping to increase my odds of getting a Drell!

[Saberdark]

All of those models seem based off something already in the game actually. The Destroyer resembles the Terminus Armor and what I'm assuming to be the Demolisher looks like the Cerberus Engineer (albeit a female version). They still look pretty nice though with my luck I'll never get one anyway. The only DLC class I have so far is the Geth Infiltrator.

Not sure we need another difficulty. I'd rather have more modes or enemy types. Maybe a gametype that mixes units from all the factions in or something, like when they had Banshees with everyone. It gets a bit stale fighting the same enemy mixes every time.

[Kirjava]

Why don't they make NEW ENEMIES (gasp)?!? Trying to think who they could be, but anything that isn't riddled with Geth-levels of bullshittery is fine by me.

Curious about what sort of luck other people have had unlocking classes (apart from Saberdark, lolz)... Off the top of my head, I've got both Asari Adepts, Turian/Krogan/Batarian Soldiers, Turian/Krogan/Vorcha Sentinels, none of the Engineers, Female Quarian and Salarian Infiltrators and the Phoenix Vanguard.

[Gorb]

Well apart from RENEGADE VORCHA, what other enemies could there be?

RENEGADE SINGULAR KROGRAN BATTLEMASTER. What a set of Waves that would be

EDIT: actually a "Mercenary" type enemy would be interesting. Very interesting, imo.

[Langy]

They could always bring back the mechs from ME2, or evil Krogans, or whatever.

[Starblade]

Yeah, give us Blood Pack, Eclipse, and Blue Suns as enemy types. They all had enough for a full enemy type. Hell, give us some collectors, there are mentions they're still around in some form or another. Say Harbinger had some chilling inside him for a while or something.

RENEGADE SINGULAR KROGRAN BATTLEMASTER.

A boss wave of krogan battlemasters would be amazing. Charge versus charge! Carnage versus carnage! Headbutt versus headbutt!

[Thorno]

I hope they bring back the Collectors. I'm sure the Reapers could clone some more or something.

[Riess]

Rampant wildlife! Wave after wave of Varren, Pyjaks, Six-legged cows, and Klixen.

[Gorb]

Elemental skags everywhere.

Wait.

Damn.

[Codex]

A boss wave of krogan battlemasters would be amazing. Charge versus charge! Carnage versus carnage! Headbutt versus headbutt!

I remember the first time I saw two Krogans headbutting in MP and I couldn't stop laughing. Even when I was getting shot at I just couldn't shoot straight.

Damnation...

[Lautaro]

Like I commented in the BSN, I've be happy if they included at least one new variant of enemy for the Platinum dificulty: something like Harvesters for Reapers, Armatures (or Dropships) for Geth and maybe gunships for Cerberus.

Someone else suggested the idea of a game mode where you should take down a Reaper Destroyer... so much potential.

[Sturmhaubitze]

I've been buying premiums constantly and have finally gotten every Rare gun to Level 10, and almost every Rare character to their max appearance options level. The only character I still don't have is the Asari Justicar, so I expect to see her show up repeatedly in the next dozen premiums I buy. Really annoying how she's eluded me all this time. Hopefully I can get her, and the remaining appearance options for the ones I have, before the new DLC drops. Then I'll be guaranteed to get the N7 character cards in the premiums I buy... rather than having to wait and wait and wait... like I did last time.

I don't even care which N7 I get; they all look like fun.

[Starblade]

Whoever decided that vanguards should be able to be harmed mid-charge on Platinum is a jerk.

[Sturmhaubitze]

Haven't tried Platinum yet, still prefer Silver and Gold for fun.

Unlocked the Paladin and Slayer.

Paladin is a flexible support class with strong melee, and a situational shield for when you want to distract enemies. Can be played like an Engineer, but functions better as a close-ranged melee/caster hybrid due to the melee and debuff potential. Slightly stronger shields than other humans, but otherwise just as fragile, so shouldn't be played too recklessly.

Slayer seems fun, but haven't gotten the hang of him yet. Your dodge is a short-ranged teleport that uses up about 5% of your barrier, but you can go through walls with it. Melee attacks also involve teleportation and sword slashes, but light ones don't use up barrier. Phase Disruptor eats up 50% (or 33% with an evolution, even though the text says 25%) of your barrier and sends out a beam that explodes on impact for high damage and blast radius, no cooldown, giving you a good ranged option if you're not under fire. Biotic Slash is basically Smash, but with longer wind up time and greater range. Haven't decided whether to max out Charge and Disruptor, to create a pattern of disruptor x3 > charge > melee survivors > repeat, or play it more like a Cerberus Vanguard with Charge and Slash instead.

[Starblade]

Never mind, it's just a fun new bug. Also a bug: Cloak doesn't stop enemies from seeing you sometimes.

[RexOmniaLupus]

Got the Slayer and Demolisher so far here. The Slayer's Phase Disruptor reminds me of a ranged Nova, so just Charge to restore your shields. By the way Sturmhaubitze, I believe the evolution you referred to reduces the barrier drain by 25% (so 37.5% of shields), not to 25% used. Biotic Slash is pretty cool (and hits stuff through walls, yay!) However, he doesn't seem able to self-detonate biotic combos, so I'm not sure why it has an evolution that increases combo damage. I guess you just have to hope you have another compliant biotic on the team.

The Demolisher is interesting, but sometimes frustrating since all your offensive powers are grenades. Either you're capable of massive damage with no care for cooldown, or you're useless. The class passive ups your grenade capacity (by up to 3 with the right evolutions), and the pylon can give extra drops, but even so if there are other grenade-spammers on your team, or it's a one-grenade-per-box map you're going to find yourself empty sometimes - bring a good gun. Arc Grenades are still nice, though I think the Demolisher is my least favorite class for them. You don't get the damage boost from Tactical Cloak like the Quarian Male Infiltrator, and you can't Tech Burst as easily as a Quarian Male Engineer since you need to use another grenade up to do so. Homing Grenades seem decently powerful - they remind me of Sticky Grenades, but they'll actually kill stuff because they lock on.

Also got all three new weapons, but I haven't played much with them yet. Still haven't played Platinum, or any new maps.

Your dodge ... can go through walls

Whoa. Must try this.

Also a bug: Cloak doesn't stop enemies from seeing you sometimes.

This isn't new though. It's also not clear how much is the mechanic working as intended (Cloak isn't supposed to be total invisibility), and how much is the AI cheating. Whenever it happens against Geth, I just tell myself they're using Hunter Mode, makes me feel a little better.

[Starblade]

(Cloak isn't supposed to be total invisibility)

Yeah, that's the new bug. On occasion, no matter what, they will see you, even if they shouldn't be able to. I'm more impressed they broke charge. What did they even need to touch?

[Master Chief]

On the one game of Platinum I played against the Geth on Rio, no matter the range, situation, or enemy, the Geth always saw through the cloak. Couldn't even cloak and poke, the second I looked out they were already shooting at me. Cloak was utterly useless.

On Gold, it worked as usual, that is I was undetected if I cloaked from behind cover or far away, and only detected if I got close, cloaked in vision of guys like Primes, or stood in the open too long. Pretty sure Platinum just cheats like a motherfucker.

Also got a shitty Vorcha in a pack, I want my N7s, screw the dumb aliens. I must get my riot shield.

[Sturmhaubitze]

Also got a shitty Vorcha in a pack, I want my N7s, screw the dumb aliens. I must get my riot shield.

The Bioware forums can't decide whether the Paladin is good or bad. Lots of threads on how it needs to be buffed or completely changed, and other threads on how to use it and top the score charts. Personally I'm in the latter category.

I think the issue is that people are misled as to how the class functions, and they're disappointed when it fails to deliver on that. The omni-shield cover is very situational and not the cornerstone of the class. It's a useful thing to do once in a while, that's it. The fact that your Heavy Melee is as fast as light melee for other characters, can freeze or ignite, and can hit an additional enemy, is really really good. But he's not a melee tank like the Krogan or Vorcha, so you have to pair it up with Snap Freeze or Energy Drain. Stick to confined areas, use your powers to stagger / chill / freeze / weaken, then finish off with the shield. Very effective.

[Aesaar]

What pretty much everyone agrees on is that the Destroyer's missile launcher is utterly worthless.

[Sturmhaubitze]

I don't have a Destroyer yet, but I do want to give the missile launcher a try because multi-frag grenades don't really interest me much. I'm not a huge fan of grenades in general, but when I get the Demolisher I'll at least have a supply pylon to give me more. I also really want the Shadow and Fury, which everyone on the forums think are the best of the six.

[Aesaar]

It shoots randomly at targets in front of you (not manually fired), it has a tendency to run into walls and other obstacles, it saps 500 shields when it's active, and on the whole has less DPS than a Predator X pistol.

[Sturmhaubitze]

Deployable turrets have the same issues (shooting into walls, etc.), so that doesn't bother me so much. The loss of shields might be a problem; how much do you have without the missile launcher active?

[Aesaar]

1000 default. The actual penalty is -50% to shields. If the missiles could be relied upon to deal decent amounts of damage, it might actually be worth it. ~375 damage every 3.5 seconds (with all damage evolutions) that can't reliably hit is not worth it. If they buffed it, either by increasing the damage or decreasing the shield penalty, it might be. Right now, you're better off maxing out the other powers. The grenades are much more reliable.

To put it in perspective, max damage Overload does the same damage, but is targeted and doesn't sap shields.

It's still a pretty good tank class. Since it's got obscene amounts of health/shields and no dodge move, it plays a lot like a Sentinel with grenades.

[RexOmniaLupus]

I just experienced the best glitch ever. During the extraction wave of a Gold match, my shields were refilling instantaneously. As I was playing an N7 Slayer, this let me use infinite Phase Disruptors. The enemy was Cerberus, so I spent those two minutes delivering sweet, sweet justice to every Phantom in sight with my god-mode palm cannon.

[Sturmhaubitze]

After getting a Shadow last night, now I can see why people are disappointed with the Slayer. The Shadow plays more like what people envisioned the Slayer to be.

Shadow Strike is the power with the starting point in it, not Tactical Cloak. You teleport behind your target (or closest position if you can't get behind them) and hit them with your sword. Melee damage buffs improve this damage, as do buffs in the Sword Mastery tree. There's an evolution for 40% damage reduction for 5 seconds after using it, and one for refilling your shields after hitting an enemy with shields/barriers, so it can almost act like Biotic Charge. Since it's a power, the bonus power evolution for Tactical Cloak keeps you cloaked after using it once. Shadow Strike can prime for a tech burst with an evolution.

Tactical Cloak is tactical cloak, but you no longer need to take it.

Electric Slash is like Smash for ex-Cerberus, and acts almost exactly like Biotic Slash except it's a tech power. Just like Biotic Slash, it cannot prime tech bursts, only detonate.

Starting health/shields is 500/500, and maximum is 775/775, making her a little weaker than most classes. You have no teleportation melee nor dodges, just regular movement, but you move faster than most humans and there's evolutions to further boost movement speed.


One build is to go for tactical cloak and shadow strike evolved for maximum damage, and cloak before using it. Another is to spec more for damage reduction and durability, and use a combination of electric slash to damage enemies behind walls, and then shadow strike to finish them off or escape from trouble. And probably some variants in between those extremes. There's little synergy to using weapons with this class, aside from wanting a melee damage mod to your gun.


Now my Slayer is played more like a caster type that also happens to have good melee ability. I use the Phase Disruptor a lot, and use Biotic Charge to refill barrier. I score pretty well doing that, and I die a lot less.

[Hirmetrium]

I got an N7 Demolisher last night. You can keep your silly slayers and shadows. I throw a massive number of grenades and most gold enemies explode in a glorious shower of death. The demolisher is simply a very powerful and easy to play class.

Looking forward to trying out some of the other N7 classes. They have obviously made a real effort to make satisfying and powerful classes that have lots of unique talents and tricks.

[Riess]

So another free and rather large update is coming to MP, indeed the largest so far, including the Collectors as fourth enemy faction and a whole big bunch of other stuff. Trailer!

I for one intend to jump back in for a bit to have a look at things.

EDIT: Volus Adept! My sides...

[Thorno]

Also, Volus.















Not even joking.

http://social.bioware.com/forums/for...4421892-1.html

Looks like a pretty decent addition, depending on how different the classes are power-wise.

[Langy]

Whaaat. Volus adepts? Biotic god incoming, I suppose.