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Assignments are the name given to side missions in Mass Effect . Assignments  do not advance the story but completing them can help the player understand the inner workings of the Mass Effect's universe, the interactions between Races , etc

Assignments in Mass Effect

Shepard's background .

These assignments depend on the pre-service history the player chooses while creating the character

• Citadel: Old, Unhappy, Far-off Things
• Citadel: Old Friends
• Citadel: I Remember Me

Squad Member 

These assignments are related to your Normandy Crewmates.

• Garrus: Find Dr. Saleon
• Tali and the Geth
• Wrex: Family Armor

Citadel First Visit

These assignments are first available since your first visit to the Citadel, and remain so for the rest of the game.

• Citadel: Asari Consort
• Citadel: Doctor Michel
• Citadel: Homecoming
• Citadel: Jahleed's Fears
• Citadel: Presidium Prophet
• Citadel: Reporter's Request
• Citadel: Rita's Sister
• Citadel: Scan the Keepers
• Citadel: Schells the Gambler
• Citadel: Signal Tracking
• Citadel: The Fan
• Citadel: Xeltan's Complaint
• Missing Person

Citadel Second Visit

These assignments become available after completing one of the three major Missions (Feros, Noveria o rescuing Lara T'Soni)

• Citadel: Family Matter
• Citadel: Planting a Bug
• Citadel: Snap Inspection
• Citadel: The Fourth Estate

Citadel Detainee Visit

These assignments are only available during the time you are detained at the Citadel.

• Citadel: Our Own Worst Enemy
• Citadel: Negotiator's Request

These assignments are specific to Feros

• Feros: Data Recovery
• Feros: Geth in the Tunnels
• Feros: Power Cells
• Feros: Varren Meat
• Feros: Water Restoration

These assignments are specific to Noveria

• Noveria: Espionage
• Noveria: Smuggling

These assignments are specific to Virmire

• Virmire: Assisting Kirrahe's Team
• Virmire: Wrex and the Genophage

Galaxy Collection

These assignments require you to travel Citadel space and finding hidden collectibles.

• UNC: Prothean Data Discs
• UNC: Turian Insignias
• UNC: Valuable Minerals
• UNC: Locate Signs of Battle
• UNC: Asari Writings

Uncharted Space

Assignments from Uncharted Space in the galaxy

• A Person of Interest
• Doctor at Risk
• Geth Activities
• Investigate Facility
• Mercenaries
• Investigate Samples
• Investigate Shipments
• Strange Transmission
• UNC: Asari Diplomacy
• UNC: Cerberus
• UNC: Colony of the Dead
• UNC: Dead Scientists
• UNC: Depot Sigma-23
• UNC: Derelict Freighter
• UNC: Distress Call
• UNC: Espionage Probe
• UNC: ExoGeni Facility
• UNC: Geth Incursions
• UNC: Hades' Dogs
• UNC: Hostage
• UNC: Hostile Takeover
• UNC: Listening Post Alpha
• UNC: Listening Post Theta
• UNC: Lost Freighter
• UNC: Lost Module
• UNC: Major Kyle
• UNC: Missing Marines
• UNC: Missing Survey Team
• UNC: Privateers
• UNC: Rogue VI
• Unusual Readings

Morality-dependent

Assignments that depend on Commander Shepard's alignment.

• UNC: Besieged Base
• UNC: The Negotiation

Bring Down the Sky

Assignments for the first  DLC  for  Mass Effect

• X57: Bring down the Sky
• X57: Avoid the Blasting Caps
• X57: Missing Engineers

Pinnacle Station

Assignments for the second  DLC  for  Mass Effect

• Pinnacle Station: Combat Missions
• Pinnacle Station: Convoy
• Pinnacle Station: Vidinos

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Mass Effect Legendary Edition: 15 Assignments In The First Game You Need To Play

As an RPG, Mass Effect contains plenty of side objectives for players. With the release of the Legendary Edition, which are most worth your time?

The first Mass Effect game revolves around Commander Shepard and their quest to hunt down Saren and Sovereign to save the galaxy from destruction. However, the protagonist doesn't spend all of their time on a single quest. Alongside the game's main missions is an abundance of assignments for players to complete, all of which are included in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition .

RELATED: Mass Effect: All Alien Squad Members In Thea Franchise, Ranked

The side quests focus on other happenings in the galaxy, which Shepard needs to sort out. They offer a nice reprieve from the main quest and add some life to the galaxy, making it feel lived in. Some assignments can be a little repetitive, but plenty of others are worth playing.

Updated on January 16th, 2022 by Talha Bin Rizwan: The first game from the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition trilogy has players take control of Commander Shepard to save the galaxy from the Saren, Sovereign, and the Geth. In addition to the main quest, players can undertake many side quests that are found all over the galaxy. These side missions, or assignments, as the game calls them, add some variety to the gameplay allowing Shepard to help people in a more one-on-one way. While some side-quests can be tedious for players, other side missions can be just as engaging as the main quest, if not more.

15 Garrus: Find Dr. Saleon

Loyalty missions don't exist in the original game, but some assignments relate to specific companions. For instance, the search for Dr. Saleon concerns perhaps the best squadmate , Garrus. Dr. Saleon, aka Dr. Heart, is a cruel Salarian who used to clone organs inside his patients' bodies to sell, often causing complications for the victims. When he was a part of C-Sec, Garrus tried to stop the evil physician, but Saleon slipped away.

If Shepard talks to the Turian enough throughout the game, he'll tell the tale of Dr. Saleon and give the Commander coordinates to find the villain. The action in the assignment is limited, yet the compelling backstory makes up for it. Plus, it's always nice to see great characters like Garrus get some spotlight.

14 Asari Consort

Shepard can find the consort’s chambers in the southeastern part of the Citadel. Inside, they will meet Sha’ira the consort, who’ll task them with getting a Turian General to leave her alone. The general is spreading lies about Sha’ira and all Shepard will need to do is talk to him.

Once done, they can return to Sha’ira where they can get one of two rewards, either a romance scene or a Prothean trinket that leads to an easter egg on the planet Eletania.

13 UNC: Missing Marines

Relatively early in the game, Shepard can speak with Admiral Kahoku, who sends him on an assignment to find his missing marines. At the last known coordinates of Kahoku's team, the player finds only dead bodies and a huge Thresher Maw.

In the original game, fighting the giant monster wasn't too interesting. Yet, the Legendary Edition has made several exciting alterations to Thresher Maw battles. Maws now have sensory tentacles that players must shoot to get it out of hiding, which adds more variety to fights. Furthermore, their aim is incredible as they predict the Mako's movements, making their acid spit much harder to dodge.

12 Noveria: Espionage

Not every assignment in Mass Effect is about violence. In 'Noveria: Espionage,' Shepard has to keep Rafael Vargas talking while a device hacks into his personal network.

RELATED: Every Mass Effect Race & Their Population Size

To please the Asari who gave Shepard the job, the player has to convince Vargas that they're genuinely interested in buying something from Binary Helix. Since this is Mass Effect , there are multiple ways for the quest to play out, partially based on whether Shepard is Paragon or Renegade. It all makes for a unique and compelling assignment that players can find near the Hotel bar on Noveria.

11 Homecoming

The quest is a short one but may have an emotional impact on players. The quest can be acquired after Tali joins Shepard’s party. They will find an NPC in front of the embassy front desk at the Presidium who is trying to get the Alliance to recover his wife’s body from Eden Prime.

Shepard can intervene on his behalf and talk to the clerk responsible who will release the body. It’s a small quest that takes only a few minutes to complete, but it is one of the few which can touch the players emotionally.

10 Citadel: The Fan

Despite featuring sparingly in the trilogy, Conrad Verner is a memorable character. He's a fanatic of Shepard's, desperate to follow in his hero's footsteps. At different points during the first game, he'll be waiting down in the Citadel markets.

As part of 'Citadel: The Fan,' the Commander has several conversations with Verner. During each talk, Verner's enthusiasm and delusion is funny to watch. Shepard's reaction to their number one fan is always entertaining, regardless of the protagonist's moral alignment.

9 UNC: Geth Incursions (aka Geth Activities)

The Geth are among the most powerful races in the Mass Effect universe , so Admiral Hackett is understandably concerned that they have multiple outposts in the Armstrong Nebula. As usual, it's up to Shepard to put an end to the Synthetics' activities. The Commander must go around to each outpost and destroy the Geth forces waiting there.

The enjoyment of this assignment depends on players' feelings about the new Mako, as it features heavily in the mission. However, the main reason to do this quest is the important terminal at the final base. Shepard can give the data retrieved from this terminal to Tali, which will strengthen their relationship.

8 Rita's Sister

This side mission can be acquired at Flux where players will overhear a waitress, Rita, talking to her Volus manager about her sister. Upon exploring, Shepard learns that Rita’s sister is working on a dangerous assignment for C-Sec, and she is worried about her sister’s safety.

Shepard is then contacted by a C-Sec officer and can assist him in dealing with the matter themselves. In doing so, Shepard will complete the assignment he gave to Jenna, Rita’s sister, after which she will be free to go.

7 UNC: Rogue VI

'UNC: Rogue VI' is an assignment given to the player by Hackett. The Alliance Admiral asks Shepard to go to Earth's moon and destroy the out-of-control VI that's taken over Luna Base. During the mission, the Commander and their team shoot through an abundance of flying drones.

As players spend most of the story facing Geth or Krogan, the drones are a nice change of pace. The real reason to complete this quest, though, is because it rewards the player with a Class Specialization. If players choose the right Specialization, it can make them significantly stronger.

6 Hostile Takeover:

The mission is available after Shepard completes the main missions on the planets Therum, Noveria, and Feros. They’ll need to hack one of the terminals at the C-Sec Academy to pick this side mission up. C-Sec will be investigating a suspected criminal named Helena Blake who can be found in the Financial District.

She’ll ask Shepard to take out two of her business partners. The quest is short but fun and depending on how players complete the quest, Helena Blake will appear in the second game of the trilogy.

5 UNC: Cerberus

Players might not remember that Cerberus is barely involved in the first game's adventures. However, in the rest of the Legendary Edition , the morally questionable organization plays a significant part in the story. In fact, Mass Effect 2 feels a little weird without knowing why people hate the Illusive Man's crew.

RELATED: Mass Effect: Miranda Lawson's Best Quotes, Ranked

Admiral Kahoku gives players the chance to learn about the group, tasking them with investigating a few of their research facilities as part of the 'UNC: Cerberus' assignment. During the lengthy mission, Shepard finds out some horrifying information, helping flesh out the story.

4 Wrex: Family Armor

If players want to hear Wrex deliver great lines throughout the entire trilogy , they should do his family armor quest. Completing this assignment isn't the only way to keep this Krogan alive, but it is the easiest.

To acquire the mission, Shepard has to regularly talk with Wrex on the Normandy until he reveals that his family armor is in the hands of a Turian pirate. During the assignment, players will storm the base of the trophy hunter and attempt to kill plenty of his people in an entertaining battle.

3 Shepard’s Backstory Missions

During character creation, players select a background for Shepard out of three choices; Earthborn, Colonist, and Spacer. These allow players to determine Shepard’s origins and how they started their journey to become a galactic legend. During the game, Shepard will be prompted to pursue certain missions based on the background selection.

With Earthborn, Shepard helps a former friend help his companion escape. With Colonist, a person from Shepard’s colony needs their help in stopping a suicide. And with Spacer, Shepard will help a man who claims to be their mother’s friend. These missions are small but allow players to flesh out their Shepard as a character.

2 Virmire: Assisting Kirrahe's Team

Shortly after arriving on Virmire, Shepard will meet a Salarian captain named Kirrahe. It doesn't take the leader long to become popular with players, as he's a very likable character.

During the assault on Saren's base, the Commander can help the charismatic Captain stay alive. To do so, players have to complete 'Virmire: Assisting Kirrahe's Team'. The objective to destroy the Geth flyers is the one that really matters, but it's worth completing the entire assignment, as it's enjoyable to help out allies.

1 X57: Bring Down the Sky

Originally, Bring Down the Sky was an expansion for the first game, but now it's included as part of the Legendary Edition . The main quest is a lot longer than a typical assignment, and it sees Shepard attempt to stop a group of Batarians from destroying a colony named Terra Nova.

New enemies, fun action, and a solid story make the Bring Down The Sky assignment one of the best. In fact, if it had more connection to Saren or Sovereign, it would feel more like a main mission as opposed to side content.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

MORE: Mass Effect: Everything You Need To Know About The Reapers

Mass Effect Choices & Consequences: decisions that matter across the trilogy

If the  Mass Effect Trilogy  is famous for anything, it's for its use of  choices and consequences , where there's a great range of decisions for players to make throughout the series, with decisions having repercussions not just in the game where you make them, but also often in recurring storylines across all three games.

Now, it's true that much of this choice and consequence is simply smoke and mirrors; say you kill one character and their role in the next game is still present, just replaced by a slightly-different character - but ultimately many of these decisions do add up to make for a satisfying and unique-feeling experience across all three games in the series. All of this is retained, of course, in the newly remastered  Mass Effect Legendary Edition  - except now, it's all in one handy package.

On this page, we break down  every major choice in the Mass Effect trilogy that severely impacts the story and carries from one game to the next . You can use this page to cross-reference or plan your approach in your save - and understand what actions are going to have the most wide-reaching consequences. Any choices not listed on this page don't have a major impact on the over-arching story . In order:

• Mass Effect Save Import - how stats, levels, credits and more transfer to ME2
• Minor ME1 Story Consequences in later games
• Major Story Choices & Decisions in ME2 that matter in ME3
• Major Ending-changing choices in ME3
• Mass Effect 3 Ending Choices Explained

Mass Effect save import - how stats, levels, credits and more transfer to ME2

When the time comes to transfer from the first Mass Effect to the second, you’ll be able to import your save and continue on with your same Shepard.

At a basic level, this infers some mechanical bonuses, though because the systems of Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 are quite different, many things don’t map 1:1. Outside of story, this is how the ME1 to ME2 transfer works:

• A small amount of your Paragon & Renegade scores will carry over, meaning that you’ll have a representation of roughly how you acted in ME1 right away.
• Level 1-49 ME1 characters will get 1000 XP (raising you to ME2 level 2), 20,000 credits, and 2500 of ME2’s upgrade resources.
• Level 50-59 ME1 characters will get 2000 XP (level 3), 30,000 credits, and 5000 of each upgrade resource.
• Level 60 ME1 characters get 4000 XP (level 5), 50,000 credits, and 10,000 of each ME2 upgrade resource.
• In Legendary Edition, this will be adjusted to match if you play on the new Legendary Level Scaling , which sets the level cap instead at 30 and rebalances progression. Being at level cap will give you the same rewards, with the bounds adjusted down from there. 
• If you’ve amassed 1,000,000 credits in Mass Effect to get the ‘Rich’ achievement, you’ll begin ME2 with an extra 100,000 credits.
• This will all function slightly differently if you use the rebalanced levelling found in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, but you will still get XP, cash, and alignment bonuses based on your actions in ME1 when importing to ME2. 

Major Choices & Decisions that carry over from Mass Effect 1

Service history & psychological profile.

In your character creation, as well as crafting Shepard's face you'll have to choose a 'Service History' from three different options and a 'Psychological profile' from three other options. There is no right or wrong answer here; each is slightly different and unique. We've got a guide explaining the difference between the Spacer, Colonist, Earthborn, Sole Survivor, War Hero, and Ruthless backgrounds - and whichever you choose will follow your Shepard all the way through the trilogy.

Romance Choice: 

Shepard’s choice of romantic love interest from Mass Effect carries over into Mass Effect 2. If you romanced a character who has a reduced role in Mass Effect 2, you will have the option to stay loyal to them or to pursue a new relationship. 

That, in turn, will have an effect in Mass Effect 3, or in the case of Liara, in the ME2 Shadow Broker DLC story.

Kaidan or Ashley on Virmire: 

The choice of whose life to save during the mission on Virmire will obviously determine which character appears in both ME2 and ME3. Whoever you choose to save in the Virmire choice  has a reduced role in ME2, but a larger role in ME3 where they can even be a squadmate again.

Wrex’s Fate: 

Wrex’s fate can be wildly different depending on your actions in ME1, as recruiting him isn’t even mandatory.

• Recruiting Wrex: if you choose not to recruit Wrex at all in ME1, the subsequent games will work the same as if he dies during ME1. 
• Wrex on Virmire: if Wrex is killed on Virmire, he is replaced by his brother Wreav in ME2 and ME3. Wreav has a very different attitude to Wrex, and his presence means your options with the Krogan in ME3 are quite different.
• Wrex’s Armor: in ME1, Wrex will eventually offer up a side quest where you can retrieve his family armor. If you complete this quest, he can mention the fact you did under certain circumstances in ME3.
• More on this can be found in our guide to the Virmire choices, which has a whole section on Wrex .

Garrus’s Fate:

Like Wrex, you can technically skip recruiting Garrus at all in ME1 (however you must pick up one of the two), but what happens after that is more clear-cut than with Wrex. If you do recruit him, there’s a subtle choice at play:

• Recruiting Garrus: if you skip recruiting Garrus, he will still end up on Omega in ME2 where you re-encounter him - but obviously, if you’re old friends and squadmates, the dialogue & dynamic is very different.
• Paragon or Renegade Garrus: throughout ME1, you’ll be able to have mild philosophical debates with Garrus. In these conversations, you can push him towards a more Paragon or Renegade mindset with your dialogue choices. This will be reflected in his ME1 dialogue, but also in his attitude when you meet him in ME2, and what actions he took between the two games.

Tali & the Geth Data:

When recruiting Tali, you’ll have the option to give her the Geth Data, in order to help her with her pilgrimage. You can also give her Geth data acquired during a certain side mission. This has no major story impact, but Shepard can then mention this act of kindness during ME2. 

Feros - Colonists & Shiala:

During the Feros: The Thorian mission, you’ll have the opportunity to save the lives of the colonists of Zhu’s Hope, and Shiala the Asari Commando. If you save the majority of the colonists, you’ll meet a representative of them on Illium in ME2 and get a side quest from them. If Shiala herself survives, she will be that representative. 

Further, in ME3, if living, these colonists add to your War Assets. 

Noveria - Gianna Parasini:

Shepard can encounter Gianna Parsini on Noveria. You’re invited to join her for a drink at the hotel bar, and learn about what she’s doing there. If you choose to help her, she will appear on Illium in ME2 to offer you a side quest.

In ME3, she will email you again, asking for further help, which you can do with your Spectre credentials.

Noveria - the Rachni Queen’s Fate: 

The fate of the Rachni Queen is a major plot point in the first Mass Effect, at the culmination of the planet’s main mission.

• In ME2, you’ll meet a character and receive a message from the queen on Illium. If she survives Noveria, Shiala will be the messenger. This grants a sidequest assignment.
• In ME3, you will meet the Rachni Queen on a side mission, and again choose if you want to spare the queen and have her join your side, or kill her. If spared again, she joins you fully.
• In ME2, your actions will be acknowledged in news reports overhead in ambient dialogue.
• In ME3, you’ll end up meeting a clone of the Rachni Queen. You can choose to spare or kill the clone, but if you spare the clone and try to have it join your side, it will betray you.

Virmire - Rana Thanoptis:

On Virmire you’ll encounter Asari scientist Rana Thanoptis , and you’ll have the opportunity to spare her or shoot her. If you spare her, she will show up in Mass Effect 2. She will then go on to be mentioned in a report in Mass Effect 3, but not seen.

Virmire - the fate of Captain Kirrahe:

This iconic Salarian Captain talks about holding the line. If he survives, this will be reflected in dialogue with Mordin in Mass Effect 2.

You can then meet Kirrahe again in Mass Effect 3, assuming he survived. Additionally, Kirrahe is one of two characters (the other being Thane) that can prevent the death of another character in ME3. If Thane is dead, Kirrahe will save that character’s life. If neither is alive come ME3, that character will die.. 

The Tale of Conrad Verner:

Conrad Verner is Shepard’s adoring fan. You can resolve the quest kindly, or by threatening Conrad, and this impacts the following games:

• Due to a bug, Conrad will always accuse Shepard of threatening him when you meet in ME2.
• In ME3, he will apologize for that accusation if it was incorrect, and if you’ve completed certain other assignments he can add to your war assets.

UNC: Rogue VI:

This side quest is minor, tasking Shepard with taking out a rogue Virtual Intelligence (VI) that is present on Earth’s Moon. It doesn’t actually have any story consequences, but completing this quest unlocks some notable dialogue options in Mass Effect 2, all of which relate to a major artificial intelligence presence in the latter two games. Further background information on the project can be found in ME3.

Bring Down The Sky - Balak’s Fate:

In Bring Down the Sky, which was originally a DLC, you’ll stop a Batarian scheme on an asteroid. At the end, you’ll have the opportunity to kill Balak, the ringleader, or spare him. If Balak survives, news reports in ME2 will mention he is at large, and then you can meet him on the Citadel in ME3, where he can become a War Asset.

The Fate of the Council: 

Your decisions at the end of ME1 will determine the make-up of the council in subsequent games. This has a minor impact on dialogue going forward:

• In ME2, there will be minor dialogue differences. Notably, the council will reinstate your Spectre status as a show of good faith.
• In ME3, the Destiny Ascension, the Council’s flagship, will appear in the final space battle, and is a war asset - but this is balanced out by a lessening of alliance war assets. 
• In ME2, there will be new council characters. They won’t feel inclined to reinstate Shepard’s Spectre status.
• In ME3, your Spectre status is finally reinstated. In the final battle, the Alliance war assets are stronger, but you do not have the Destiny Ascension.

Anderson or Udina for Councilor: 

In the original version of ME1, this is actually bugged; your choice doesn’t save, and so you’ll get to choose again in a ‘memory test’ at the start of ME2. However, here's what to expect depending on if you choose Udina or Anderson for the councilor post…

• If you choose Udina , he is hostile to Shepard. If he sits on a new council, your Spectre status won’t be reinstated until ME3.
• If you choose Anderson , your Spectre status will be reinstated regardless of if the original council survived or not. By ME3, Udina will have replaced Anderson as Ambassador anyway.

Minor ME1 story consequences

The following characters will unlock some exclusive nods in future games if you interact with them in ME1. 

This changed interaction might result in exclusive lines of dialogue when you meet the character again, or alternatively might simply take the form of an email from the character or overhearing something about them on the news - presuming that you spoke to them and/or completed their quests, and they survived the fact. 

These don’t institute any major changes, but exactly what dialogue appears in ME2 and ME3 will vary based on what you say and do with or to these characters.

• Barla Von the Volus as found in the Citadel Presidium
• Cerberus (the organization) from UNC: Missing Marines, UNC: Cerberus, and UNC: Hades’ Dogs
• Chairman Martin Burns from UNC: Hostage
• Chorban from Citadel: Scan the Keepers
• Corporal Toombs from UNC: Dead Scientists
• Dr. Chloe Michel from Citadel: Doctor Michel
• Emily Wong from Citadel: Reporter’s Request
• Fist from the main Citadel quests , if you let him live
• Han Olar the Volus on Noveria
• Harkin in the Citadel’s Citadel Chora’s Den, as part of the quest to find Garrus
• Helena Blake from UNC: Hostile Takeover
• Khalisah Al-Jilani, the journalist who asks to interviews Shepard on the Citadel
• Major Kyle from UNC: Major Kyle
• Nassana Dantius from UNC: Asari Diplomacy
• Samesh Bhatia from Citadel: Homecoming
• Sha’ira from Citadel: Asari Consort
• Sirta Foundation (the organization) from UNC: Besieged Base
• Finch from Citadel: Old Friends (Earthborn background only)
• Hannah Shepard (mother) from Citadel: Old, Unhappy, Far-Off Things (Spacer background only)
• Talitha from Citadel: I Remember Me (Colonist background only) 

Mass Effect 2 save import - how stats, levels, credits and more transfer to ME3

Things are much simpler transferring over to Mass Effect 3 than they are going from the original to ME2. Your Shepard carries over directly; so if you are at the level cap of 30 in ME2, you’ll begin ME3 at level 30 with a new cap of 60. You’ll have a chance to change Shepard's class if you want, however. 

Other elements have individual circumstances and setups:

• Any credits will not carry over.
• 15% of your Paragon and Renegade Points carry over
• Collectibles are reset, but can be regained either through buying them or finding them throughout the Normandy, including the Space Hamster, which is hiding in Engineering. If you’d asked Kelly to feed your fish, you can recover your fish from her by tracking her down. 
• Some ship upgrades carry over, but others do not.
• Any leftover ME2 resources are converted into ME3 War Assets.

Major Choices & Consequences that carry over from Mass Effect 2

These are the major decisions you’ll make in Mass Effect 2 that will have a large, material impact on ME3 going forward:

Squad Member Fates:

In ME2, every single member of your squad can die in the final suicide mission, depending on which choices you make. Every living character that Shepard befriended in a significant way shows up towards the end of ME3, but several also show up before that. Naturally, the dead can’t appear. We've got more details on how the Suicide Mission works and what choices to make to have everyone survive on a separate page.

In addition, every character has a ‘loyalty mission’, which if completed makes the character… well, loyal. Loyal characters have a greater chance of surviving ME2's finale, where anybody can perish, and in several cases they go on to have some minor differences in ME3 when compared to if they're disloyal. You can learn more about this concept in our Mass Effect 2 Loyalty Missions guide , but just to summarize, this is what to expect:

• Shepard: if Shepard dies, you obviously cannot import into ME3 at all. Game over!
• Garrus: if he survives, he will be available as a squad member again in ME3.
• Grunt: if he dies, he will be replaced by a generic Krogan. If he lives but is disloyal, he can die in ME3. 
• Jack: if she dies, she won’t be present in ME3 to save another minor character from death.
• Jacob: if dead, his role in ME3 will be replaced by a minor character.
• Kasumi: if dead, or if skipped, she won’t appear in ME3. If living, she gives you a side quest, and her loyalty status changes some of its dialogue.  
• Legion: if killed, it is replaced by a weak replica in ME3. If given to Cerberus, it will appear as an enemy in Cerberus HQ during ME3. Legion’s Loyalty Mission can have an impact, too - as described below.
• Miranda: if dead, she won’t appear. If not loyal, she can die during the events of ME3.
• Mordin: if he dies, he will be replaced by either Maelon or Wiks, depending on who survives his loyalty quest - as described below.
• Samara: if she dies in the suicide mission, she’s absent from ME3 entirely, and isn’t replaced. The outcome of Samara’s loyalty quest will also have an impact on ME3, described below.
• Tali: if she survives, she will be available as a squad member again in ME3. The outcome of her loyalty mission also has an impact on ME3, described below.
• Thane: if he dies in the final mission, he won’t appear at all. Thane has a major side role to play in ME3, and if both he and Captain Kirrahe from ME1 are dead, a major NPC will die.
• Zaeed: if he is skipped or dies, he won’t appear. If he survives, you will meet again during ME3, regardless of loyalty status.

Normandy Crew Status:

The rest of the NPC Normandy Crew can live or survive ME2 depending on how events play out. If Dr. Chakwas, Ken, and Gabby survive the events of ME2, you can re-recruit them in ME3.

If Kelly Chambers survives ME2 and if you accepted her dinner date invitation, you can meet her again on the Citadel in ME3.

Romance Status:

As in ME1 your romance status in Mass Effect 2 will carry over to Mass Effect 3. You will have the opportunity to continue any relationship started in ME2 in the next game. If you choose not to pursue a relationship in ME2, this counts as staying ‘loyal’ to your ME1 love interest, if you have one, allowing you to continue that relationship instead.

Old Blood - Mordin, Maelon & the Research Data

Mordin’s loyalty mission takes you back to the question of the Krogan Genophage. Salarian scientist Maelon has been working on a cure to the genophage. You’ll have the choice between saving the cure research data or destroying the data. In addition, Mordin moves to kill Maelon, but you can interrupt to save his life. 

• If you save the cure , it can naturally lead to a better relationship and chance for the Krogan in ME3, also gaining their support in the war - but this will lose you Salarian War Assets.
• If you delete the data , you can instead fake the Genophage. This lets you gain the Krogan war assets without losing Salarian support, but only if Wrex also died in ME1 - otherwise, it can have grave consequences.

If Maelon survives and Mordin dies, Maelon takes his place throughout ME3. If both are dead by the end of ME2, they will be replaced by Wiks. 

Treason - Tali, exile and her father

Tali’s loyalty mission sees her put on trial, with Shepard acting in her defense. If you are able to have Tali found not guilty and prevent her exile from the fleet but without implicating her father, you’ll have an easier time brokering a peace between the Quarians and Geth in ME3. 

Subject Zero - Jack & Aresh 

During Jack’s loyalty mission , Subject Zero, Jack will come face-to-face with Aresh Aghdashloo, another child test subject. If Shepard can persuade Jack to spare Aresh, you can hear about his exploits saving lives during ME3. 

The Ardat-Yakshi - Samara vs Morinth

Samara’s loyalty mission sees her tracking down her own daughter. In the mission, you’ll face a choice between helping Samara, or betraying her in favor of her daughter. 

• If Samara is saved from Morinth , she can go on to the suicide mission. If she survives that she will appear in ME3 to help, and also be a war asset.
• If Samara is killed and replaced by Morinth in ME2, Samara of course won’t appear in ME3. Morinth will send you an email, but will later be encountered as a corrupted, warped Banshee enemy on earth, having been taken by the Reapers.

A House Divided - Legion & the Heretic Geth:

In Legion’s loyalty mission , you will have the option to rewrite and reset the ‘Geth Heretics’. Your choice will not impact Legion’s loyalty, but it will impact ME3 somewhat.

• If the Heretic Geth are rewritten, in the next game the Geth war asset will be more powerful, but the Quarian War Asset will be weaker. 
• If you destroy the heretics instead, you have a greater chance at being able to broker a peace between the Geth and Quarians in the next game, and the Quarians will have a stronger war asset.

Shepard’s Spectre Reinstatement:

Depending on what happened with the council during ME1, you may be offered the opportunity to have Shepard’s Spectre status reinstated by the Citadel Council. You can accept or not; it only has a minor immaterial impact on ME2 dialogue, and then in ME3 you’ll be reinstated again regardless.

The Continuing Adventures of Conrad Verner

You can meet Conrad again on Illium, assuming you came into contact with him during the course of the first Mass Effect. Completing his little quest here will make him reappear on the citadel during Mass Effect 3.

Khalisah al-Jilani - the journalist

You should’ve encountered al-Jilani in the first Mass Effect. If you’re again interviewed by her in ME2, your response will be noted and impact your final encounter in ME3. 

Fate of The Collector Base

The biggest single choice you have in Mass Effect 2 is the fate of the collector base at the end of the game. 

• If you keep the Collector base , you’ll get some more War Assets for it. If you reach the end of ME3 with a very weak fighting force, keeping it ensures you have access to the ‘Control’ ending. 
• If you destroy the Collector base , you lose those assets. In a situation where you reach the end of ME3 with a very weak fighting force, destroying it means you will only have access to the ‘Destroy’ ending.

DLC Completion Impact

Several of the Mass Effect 2 DLC episodes have minor impacts in Mass Effect 3 if you choose to complete them. Here we list those changes by DLC:

• Zaeed - The Price of Revenge: Zaeed appears in ME3, assuming he survives the events of ME2. 
• Kasumi - Stolen Memory: Kasumi appears in ME3 if she survives ME2, and provides a side quest. There will be slight dialogue and story differences depending on if you chose to keep or destroy the graybox .
• Operation Firewalker: causes some minor ambient dialogue aboard the Normandy in ME3.
• Overlord: Gavin Archer will appear during a Mass Effect 3 mission. His dialogue varies depending on how Overlord ends.
• Lair of the Shadow Broker: change some dialogue throughout ME3. 

Mass Effect 3 choices & consequences

You can transfer into Mass Effect 3 with just one game of history behind you in ME2, or you can transfer in with a save file that began in ME1 and then journeyed through ME2. Regardless of which way around that goes, the save import functions in broadly the same way - and this time it’s very simple: 

• Shepard carries over directly with the same level and skills, though you can respec if you wish.
• The new level cap is level 60. 
• No cash or collectibles carry over, but you can regain them by buying or finding them. 
• No cash carries over.
• 15% of your Paragon or Renegade points carry over.

Major Choices & Decisions that have Consequences at the end of Mass Effect 3

Obviously there’s no fourth game for Mass Effect 3 to import into (at least, not yet, and quite probably never) - and so you don’t have to worry about what carries forward to the next game. However, a number of key choices throughout the game’s story do feed directly into the later events throughout its runtime, and of course into the ending. Here, we run down those:

Ashley or Kaidan on Mars

You’ll encounter Ashley or Kaidan - whoever survived the events on Virmire in ME1 - on Mars right at the start of ME3. They join you as a squad member, but it’s a temporary arrangement. Kaiden or Ashley will be watching you in this mission...

• If you choose primarily Paragon (Blue) dialogue options, they will be more friendly towards you, which has a significant impact on events including them later in the game.
• Meanwhile, if you choose primarily Renegade (Red) dialogue options, they will be suspicious and distrusting of you. This has an effect later, and can even potentially lead to their death.

Conversations with The Illusive Man

While he’s not as ever-present as in Mass Effect 2, throughout ME3 you’ll have a number of provocative conversations with The Illusive Man. One specific aspect of these conversations will deeply impact one final conversation with him towards the end of the game.

What you need to do, to keep your options open, is make sure that you use a Charm (Blue) or Intimate (Red) dialogue choice every time you have the opportunity to in every conversation with the Illusive Man. If you do this, you will have access to more dialogue options in a final conversation with him near ME3’s climax, which will allow you to save a friend from disaster.

Grissom Academy & Jack

So long as Jack survived ME2, you’ll be able to meet up with her again during the Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation side quest. This mission is time sensitive - it can expire if you don’t get to it in time. 

• If you keep them in a support role , they will live, which is referenced subtly in some endings.
• If you send them to the front lines they will perish, likewise referenced in certain endings.
• If you fail to go there , they will be captured by Cerberus and brainwashed. Later in the game, you will have to kill Jack, who appears as a generic Cerberus enemy. 

Tuchanka and the Fate of the Krogan

You’ll return to Tuchanka in Mass Effect 3, and finally come to a conclusion in the ongoing storyline of the Krogan and the Genophage. This mission has several variables that depend on the events of ME1 and 2. The basic choice is between warning the Krogans or not, however.

• If you warn the Krogans , the sabotage will be undone so the Krogans can get their cure. You will get the Krogan support for the war, but no Salarian support.
• If Wrex is alive or if you saved Maelon’s data during Mordin’s ME2 loyalty mission , the scientist with you will realize what is happening and make an attempt to stop it; you can either let him fix it (losing Salarian support), or stop him (keeping Salarian support but losing/weakening Krogan support.
• If Wrex is dead and you also didn’t save Maelon’s data in ME2, you can talk the scientist around to supporting the act of sabotage, keeping Salarian Support and some Krogan support.
• If the cure goes through as intended, without sabotage, you will always lose the support of the Salarians. However, if Wrex is alive, the Krogan support is worth more.

Kallini, the Ardat-Yakshi, and Samara

So long as Samara survived the events of ME2, a way into ME3 you’ll get a mission where you’ll meet her. In a scene towards the end of the mission, there will be a Paragon Interrupt to save Samara’s life.

If Samara is dead, you will also have to decide the fate of her daughter, Falere. Your choice has no greater impact on the rest of the game.

Miranda’s Fate

You’ll have several conversations with Miranda on The Citadel throughout ME3 if she lived through ME2. In order for her to live, you have to say or do certain things in these conversations.

• You must read up on Kai Leng using your private terminal aboard the Normandy and then warn her about him in your second conversation. This will later save her life even if she wasn’t Loyal in ME2 . 
• In your next conversation with her, give her access to Alliance Resources to continue her work.
• If you were romancing Miranda, you must not break up with her.

If she lives, Miranda can appear in the Citadel DLC, towards the end of the game, and as a war asset.

The Rachni & the Krogan in the Attican Traverse

When you head to the Attican Traverse to assist a team of Krogan warriors, you’ll encounter a Rachni - either the Queen from ME1 if you spared her, or a new Rachni leader. You’ll be faced with a choice, with the consequences depending on ME1 actions:

• If it’s the original Rachni Queen and you choose to help her , she will join the war on your side.
• If you killed the Rachni Queen in ME1 and choose to help her , she will later betray you, depleting a number of War Assets.
• If he’s alive, Grunt’s fate in this mission is determined by if he was loyal in ME2. 

Geth, Quarians, and Events on Rannoch

This refers to two separate events and missions. First of all, there is a side mission, Rannoch: Geth Fighter Squadrons. If you’re going to tackle this, you must do so before the Priority: Rannoch mission, as it can impact your choices in that mission.

• If you rescue Admiral Koris during the Rannoch: Admiral Koris side mission by using Charm/Intimidate to persuade, it’ll make getting this option easier, too.
• Allow the Upload will make the Geth kill all the Quarians. In this outcome, Tali will kill herself in response, regardless of your relationship.
• If you Stop the Upload , the Geth will die - including Legion - but the Quarians will survive.

Mass Effect 3 Endings: how to get them via War Assets & Military Strength

Throughout pretty much all of Mass Effect 3, every choice you make will be raising or lowering your ‘Total Military Strength’. This stat represents your ‘fighting power’ in your final showdown with The Reapers, with the more people in the galaxy you convince to come help fight, raising the number. 

Everything from which of your squadmates is living to minor side quests can influence this number, including many of the choices above. We've got a separate page explaining all the losses and gains you can make to the War Assets that influence your Total Military Strength , should you need it. 

In the original game, your Total Military Strength then had a negative percentage applied to it based on your 'readiness rating', which was influenced by ME3's multiplayer mode. This would give you your 'Effective Military Strength', or EMS, which is the score that would be used to decide your ending. In the Legendary Edition remaster of ME3, that system has been removed, and your Total Military Strength alone determines your options and outcome in the ending of the game. 

So, depending on the version of ME3 you play, at the end of the game your choices will vary based on either your EMS or your TMS. There are five different levels of choice in the finale - the higher the Military Strength, the more choice you have. Generally speaking, over around 3100 in the original game's extended cut and in the region of 7600-7800 in the legendary edition will be enough to give you all potential choices and give you the option of unlocking the best Mass Effect 3 Endings .

At the lowest EMS level, you won’t have a choice at the end of the game. Your ending will be either ‘Control’ or ‘Destroy’, with which determined by if you chose to Keep or Destroy the collector base at the end of ME2. Both endings take on a devastating form, ending many friendly lives.

At the next EMS level, you will get to choose between the ‘Control’ or ‘Destroy’ endings - and additionally, the ‘Destroy’ ending is less devastating to innocents. 

Once your EMS gets into the medium range, which will be the mid-high 2000s in the original game and around 4000 in the Legendary Edition, you’ll still have a choice between ‘Control’ or ‘Destroy’, but they will no longer be devastating to anyone but the Reapers.

At the second-highest level of EMS, you will unlock a new option - ‘Synthesis’. Synthesis is the most positive overall ending. Additionally, if you pick Destroy, Shepard has a chance to live in a credits tease - but only if Anderson wasn’t killed by The Illusive Man.

At the highest level, you can choose between any of the three ending options, but also you will always see the end-game tease that Shepard lives on.

UNC: Listening Post Alpha

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Listening Post Alpha in the Erebus system is reportedly being attacked by unidentified life forms and is requesting assistance.

• 1 Acquisition
• 2 Preparation
• 3.1 Surface
• 3.2 Rachni Infested Mine

Acquisition [ ]

The plot on Noveria must be completed first before gaining access to the gateway cluster Styx Theta .

Simply entering the Erebus system triggers a distress call from Lieutenant Durand and this assignment will appear in your journal . If you landed first on Altahe and explored the Alliance facility there, you will gain this assignment from one of the terminals in the comm room of the base.

Preparation [ ]

Combat in this assignment is a mix of outdoor and claustrophobic scenarios against swarms of organic, unshielded enemies. Consider equipping everyone's armor with regeneration and/or anti-toxin upgrades . As the enemies are also deadly in close range, having biotic backup plus whichever combination of hard-hitting / anti-organic ammo mods will be of particular use here.

Walkthrough [ ]

Surface [ ].

Land on Nepmos and make your way to the listening post. From afar you may notice they're shooting at something, and as you drive closer you see they're under attack from rachni . Three marines on three barricade-platforms against a swarm of brown claws and tentacles. Note: Unlike other battles, you will gain no experience points, credits , nor loot from the rachni killed in this segment.

There is a small generator in the middle of the camp that supplies power to the twin rocket turrets on the base perimeter. However, it needs a power source. You can either activate the turrets by connecting the generator to the Mako , or keep using the Mako for your own purposes. Hooking up the Mako to the generator disables the vehicle, so there's a tradeoff to consider. The base turrets cannot be targeted by the critters and direct hits from them can one-shot the bugs, though they have a slow firing rate and their rockets can be outrun by the bugs. To use the Mako again, you will have to disconnect it. Distance of the Mako to the generator is irrelevant, you can park the vehicle anywhere and connect them both with no problems.

If you choose to conduct the battle on foot with the Mako powering the turrets, you'll have your choice of a mobile offense out in front of the Alliance soldiers, or remaining in cover on the center platform/barricade. The latter course does offer the substantial benefit that the rachni spittle will basically never hit you; your squad can be afforded similar protection if you manually order them into the open slot of one of the other platforms. In addition to the tactics you might normally use against rachni, immobilizing them through any means will also tend to improve the accuracy of the rocket turrets.

The rachni attack in three waves, including the one you witness going in. All of them are Rachni Soldiers that emerge from the holes a few meters in front of the listening post. After the first two waves you get two 1-minute rest periods to heal up, configure your loadouts, etc. If you talk to Lieutenant Durand or interface with the game menus during the lulls, the timer stops until you exit the conversation or resume the game. She will tell you that this assault has been happening for the last few days and that the few marines remaining are all that is left of a platoon of 90. There will be some slight dialogue changes depending on whether you finished UNC: Listening Post Theta first.

After the third wave, talk to Durand to get things going. One of the marines will say that one of the UAVs has found a hollow space about 500 meters below the surface. Lt. Durand will ask Shepard to check it out. Choose your responses, then decide on your next course of action. If you haven't done Listening Post Theta yet, you're doing this only after escaping from the Citadel lockdown, and you selected the middle response when Durand mentions the other outpost, Shepard informs her of both the Citadel and Fifth Fleets being after the Normandy . Otherwise, the discussion is solely about the matter at hand.

At this point the assignment proper is already as good as complete for the purpose of unlocking the Gorgon system for the third assignment leg UNC: Depot Sigma-23 . Accomplishing UNC: Listening Post Theta is the other criterion required. Clearing the Rachni Infested Mine now on your map is optional, though you need to in order to close the journal entry.

If you have other places to be, or not really seeking extra loot and/or experience, then you can return to the Normandy. Otherwise, head over to the mine on the southwest. Before you leave, grab the med kit from one of the shacks, and an upgrade kit and another med kit from the other.

Note: It is possible to just let Durand and her cohorts do the fighting while you and your team wait out the rachni waves. They're fairly durable and can occasionally invoke Immunity to bolster their damage reduction. Durand's buddies can die from the onslaught, but she herself won't even if she's swamped by rachni claws. However, this will take a long time even with assistance from the turrets (and will result in the cutscene locating the nest to be missing a marine if both died), so unless you're cooking up snacks in the background or something it's still recommended you do your part.

Rachni Infested Mine [ ]

The mine is slightly northwest of the listening post, or southwest from the initial Mako landing zone. Note: If you stumbled upon the mine before saving the listening post the door will be locked. It will be unlocked after speaking with Durand after the third wave.

Head down the entrance tunnel to reach the first room. When you reach the first room you will see some holes on the far wall, but nothing will come out of them. Before entering the tunnel to the main room there is a locked crate off to the right of the entrance that requires Easy Decryption . This is a good point to save the game because of the many rachni you will encounter in the main room.

In the main room there are eight rachni holes, each of which will only release its rachni when a squadmate gets close. When you enter the room, watch your right because there will be a hole there, though it will only release one Rachni Soldier; the remaining holes will release one to three apiece - it's twenty rachni if you choose to clear the whole room, and unlike the ones near Durand these rachni do provide experience points. Keep cover in mind as you do this. Clear out all the holes before heading to the tunnels in the back of the room. There is an open crate to the north of the main chamber, and another in the south-eastern corner.

The two branch tunnels are the next rooms. This is another good save point because you will face Rachni Soldiers and Rachni Brood Warriors . Note that the Brood Warriors have some biotic potential and use stasis and a form of barrier to defend themselves, so be prepared for quite a fight, but the Brood Warriors will come out last. You have to enter the room, i.e. step out of the tunnel, in order to get the rachni to come up from their holes.

• The right-hand tunnel has two Rachni Soldiers and a Brood Warrior. Once you have killed one of the Rachni Soldiers, the Brood Warrior will emerge. The locked crate in the room requires Easy Decryption.

Note that the the left room has an angled tunnel and jump, stopping the rachni from leaving the room, allowing you to fight from the main room and use the walls as cover. The right room is flat; rachni and the Brood Warrior will charge towards you. Run in, pull the rachni out, and find some sort of cover/obstruction to stop them from going into melee.

Upon the deaths of the two Brood Warriors a lore message pops up to report that you've eliminated the rachni on the planet. There is no need to return to Lt. Durand as she will have nothing new to say.

Enemies [ ]

• Rachni Brood Warrior
• Rachni Soldier
• This assignment may be a homage to the book/movie Starship Troopers .
• There also seems to be a bug where Shepard or the teammates 'float' quite far above the ground when near Lt. Durand or the other Alliance soldiers. This is easily fixed by moving far away from them ‒ Shepard will harmlessly 'fall down', and the teammates will teleport to Shepard's side.
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