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[NJ Shlice]

I've been using a pretty good mass effect app i found in the AppStore called "ME2:Reference Guide" and in the Thank Yous section it says NeoGAF. Anyone know who's app this is?

Anyways, the app is pretty cool. It lists all characters and classes and shows their squad powers, upgrades, etc.

 

[Mirimar]

Thank God for Reave on the IFF mission..goddam, I'm doing it on Hardcore and I can't imagine that place on Insanity without a Krogan -_-; Actually I'm not even looking forward to it on Insanity as the place is cheap as hell.

 

[Kenaras]

My experience runs opposite of dresden's.

I have beaten the game as a Soldier, Vanguard, Sentinel and Infiltrator on insanity.

Vanguard, Infiltrator, Sentinel are the best classes in that order.

Vanguard the quickest, Infiltrator the safest and Sentinel the easiest (and the most diverse. Very fun class to use). Soldier was weird in that it could get the job done but was not all too exciting to use (vindicator aside).

The main reason that Vanguards perform so well is that Charge stops re-spawns, so you never fight anywhere close to the amount of enemies the other classes do. If this was not the case, Infiltrator would easily be the best class in the game, broken melee move or not.

Now if you do not know the game well enough, you do not know when and how to kill spawn-traps and this can cause you to be overwhelmed.

I need to watch some Vanguard YouTube vids or something. I've beaten the game with a Vanguard, but I did it by fighting primarily at range. Charge was generally only for playing cleanup at the end of a fight. On Insanity, if I charge near the beginning of a fight I die long, long before it finishes recharging. Hell, I'm seeing red veins on the screen pretty much as soon as the charge animation finishes.

 

[GuardianE]

I need to watch some Vanguard YouTube vids or something. I've beaten the game with a Vanguard, but I did it by fighting primarily at range. Charge was generally only for playing cleanup at the end of a fight. On Insanity, if I charge near the beginning of a fight I die long, long before it finishes recharging. Hell, I'm seeing red veins on the screen pretty much as soon as the charge animation finishes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE56V5sVj28&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXcNFEU0kiY

You've just been learned about Vanguards.

 

[Az987]

I just beat the game. Took me about 39 hours lol

 

[Mirimar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE56V5sVj28&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXcNFEU0kiY

You've just been learned about Vanguards.

Uhh...Wow? Lvl 9 Vanguard can do all that? Gonna have to try that after my Infiltrator run :lol

 

[Kenaras]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE56V5sVj28&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXcNFEU0kiY

You've just been learned about Vanguards.

I think my problem is that I've only tried Vanguard Insanity on NG+, so I'm level 28 with no upgrades at the start. I'll have to try from level 1 and see if that makes any difference. If that's not it, I don't know what it is.

 

[Erico]

Vanguards can be painful to play as before you max out Charge, so a lot of people abandon Charge early on and play as a more long distance Vanguard (I know I did). Also, you sort of have to accept that shotguns are pretty much melee weapons in ME2. But once you can get the 4th level Heavy Charge with its max shield boost, go back and retrain for it and Vanguards really start to shine. You can go hog wild charging things after that.

Also more Vanguard fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwEBST7L1z8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSSzu7Sjqik

 

[Zel3]

So I'm playing as a soldier femshep and my god it looks like I'm carrying a freaking tank on my back. :lol

So many weapons.

 

[GuardianE]

Vanguards can be painful to play as before you max out Charge, so a lot of people abandon Charge early on and play as a more long distance Vanguard (I know I did). Also, you sort of have to accept that shotguns are pretty much melee weapons in ME2. But once you can get the 4th level Heavy Charge with its max shield boost, go back and retrain for it and Vanguards really start to shine. You can go hog wild charging things after that.

Also more Vanguard fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwEBST7L1z8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSSzu7Sjqik

What shotgun is that? Is it the standard with +ammo capacity? I'm just curious since I never went back after I got the Claymore and I don't have a shotgun that has 8 rounds in it.

 

[Kenaras]

What shotgun is that? Is it the standard with +ammo capacity? I'm just curious since I never went back after I got the Claymore and I don't have a shotgun that has 8 rounds in it.

M-27 Scimitar Assault Shotgun. You get it

Spoiler

during Samara's recruitment mission

.

 

[GuardianE]

M-27 Scimitar Assault Shotgun. You get it

Spoiler

during Samara's recruitment mission

.

Crap. I may have missed it. Is there a way to pick up weapons you may have missed along the way?

 

[Erico]

What shotgun is that? Is it the standard with +ammo capacity? I'm just curious since I never went back after I got the Claymore and I don't have a shotgun that has 8 rounds in it.

It's the Scimitar, the 2nd shotgun with the ammo upgrade I think. The Claymore would be one-shotting things, but the Scimitar's big clip and fast fire rate are good trade-off's, too.

 

[sublime085]

I know everyone has already beat the game five times and everything, but I'm about 15 hours in my first playthrough and I'm really loving the game so far.

I'm really enjoying playing as a Vanguard. Especially since I got the ability to use sniper rifles.

The new powers are pretty nice. Using shockwave on a half a dozen husks bearing down on you is so satisfying. The way they all just bounce out of the way is hilarious. I'm not too crazy about charge though, I always use it at the wrong time and it gets me killed.

Now I'm torn as to whether I'm gonna go out tonight or if I'm gonna stay in and play some more.

 

[Mirimar]

Any word on the DLC shotgun? Probably going to be starting with that on my Vanguard insanity run

 

[pringles]

Side note: I do think it is somewhat stupid recurring characters need to their side mission before being loyal to you.

I think calling it "loyalty" is a bit inaccurate. When you actually look at what the missions for those characters were it makes sense.

Spoiler

Tali was accused of treason and Garrus wanted to chase down the traitor.

. It didn't feel as though the characters didn't trust you until you did some silly task for them, it just felt like they had things they needed to do before being able to focus 100% on the mission.

Also: it's a game.

 

[Dresden]

And even better about Vanguards now is that you get the Eviscerator from the start of the game. That thing does around 140+ damage a shot. For comparison's sake, the Katana does something like 90, and the Scimitar 80, with the Claymore doing 200+.

 

[GuardianE]

I think calling it "loyalty" is a bit inaccurate. When you actually look at what the missions for those characters were it makes sense.

Spoiler

Tali was accused of treason and Garrus wanted to chase down the traitor.

. It didn't feel as though the characters didn't trust you until you did some silly task for them, it just felt like they had things they needed to do before being able to focus 100% on the mission.

Also: it's a game.

Maybe instead of loyalty to Shepard, it's really loyalty to the cause?

And even better about Vanguards now is that you get the Eviscerator from the start of the game. That thing does around 140+ damage a shot. For comparison's sake, the Katana does something like 90, and the Scimitar 80, with the Claymore doing 200+.

Where do these stats come from?

 

[Dresden]

I think my problem is that I've only tried Vanguard Insanity on NG+, so I'm level 28 with no upgrades at the start. I'll have to try from level 1 and see if that makes any difference. If that's not it, I don't know what it is.

Oh, man. No wonder. The enemies seem to have double the health of what Insanity usually has. I remember starting my Engineer again on Insanity+, only to quit when every enemy took two full clips from the Collector rifle (and this was with Tungsten ammo) to take down.

Where do these stats come from?

Here.

Whoa whoa whoa, I just looked at the chart again and it's changed! It used to list shotguns as firing four pellets at once, now it has 8!

 

[Kenaras]

Maybe instead of loyalty to Shepard, it's really loyalty to the cause?

I think the Illusive Man explained it as "resolving any personal issues, allowing them to concentrate fully on the mission". (Paraphrasing.)

Where do these stats come from?

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/xbox360/file/944907/58941

 

[Erico]

Yeah, with the Eviscerator you can also sort of justify skipping the Claymore and picking up Assault Rifles. Vanguards with AR's is blasphemy, I know, but the Vindicator does really come in handy in miniboss fights.

 

[Dresden]

Yeah, with the Eviscerator you can also sort of justify skipping the Claymore and picking up Assault Rifles. Vanguards with AR's is blasphemy, I know, but the Vindicator does really come in handy in miniboss fights.

I chose Claymore, but even the Scimitar is just as good with it's fast fire rate. I wish I'd taken AR or SR, would've made the final boss much easier than just Reave spam.

 

[GuardianE]

Here.

Whoa whoa whoa, I just looked at the chart again and it's changed! It used to list shotguns as firing four pellets at once, now it has 8!

Ooooo, numbers! One of the biggest things missing from ME2, in my opinion. This is incredibly helpful. Thank you!

It makes sense that it's 8 pellets, since I'm pretty sure the shotgun fires more than 4 pellets.

Even with the Eviscerator available, I had to choose the Claymore out of principle. It's essentially a giant brick with a trigger. What's not to love?

 

[Kenaras]

Whoa whoa whoa, I just looked at the chart again and it's changed! It used to list shotguns as firing four pellets at once, now it has 8!

On top of that, I'm almost positive they used to fire four pellets - I experimented with watching the shot spread. One of the biggest problems with shotguns beyond melee range is that four pellets with random spread just isn't enough to reliably hit things. Maybe they patched it to eight?

 

[GuardianE]

On top of that, I'm almost positive they used to fire four pellets - I experimented with watching the shot spread. One of the biggest problems with shotguns beyond melee range is that four pullets with random spread just isn't enough to reliably hit things. Maybe they patched it to eight?

Stealth patch because everyone complained that the Vanguard sucked? And now they'll be godly?

 

[Dresden]

On top of that, I'm almost positive they used to fire four pellets - I experimented with watching the shot spread. One of the biggest problems with shotguns beyond melee range is that four pellets with random spread just isn't enough to reliably hit things. Maybe they patched it to eight?

That'd be insane.

I beat the damn game before the new shotgun, and then they patch this shit up? What next, Vanguards fire unicorns and rainbows with Shockwave?

 

[Kenaras]

Stealth patch because everyone complained that the Vanguard sucked? And now they'll be godly?

Just reclaiming their rightful throne.

Edit: If they did patch it from four to eight, they probably halved the damage each pellet deals. Still a major improvement, though.

Edit2: Invisible pellets would make sense too.

 

[Erico]

I remember reading that big Vanguard thread on the Bioware forums, and they said that the shotgun fires 4 additional invisible pellets. Dunno if that was confirmed or not.

 

[GuardianE]

I don't think there was a patch, though. Look at the numbers. It would make sense that a point blank shotgun blast would do as much damage as a long range sniper shot. Considering the test Youtube video where Tungsten+Claymore=One Shot Kills on Insanity, the damage amount actually makes sense.... I think.

 

[John Harker]

Guys, need some help. Kinda wigging out.

My ME1 data isn't showing up on the Import Character screen.
What gives? it says no character information available, but it should all be there.

I played ME1 on a different hard drive, but I just spent an hour transferring it from that HD to my MU and from my MU to the new hard drive. It's all there, my profile and save data... why isn't it showing up when I try to Import?

Any suggestions?? I almost don't even want to play ME2 if I can't continue...

 

[GuardianE]

Guys, need some help. Kinda wigging out.

My ME1 data isn't showing up on the Import Character screen.
What gives? it says no character information available, but it should all be there.

I played ME1 on a different hard drive, but I just spent an hour transferring it from that HD to my MU and from my MU to the new hard drive. It's all there, my profile and save data... why isn't it showing up when I try to Import?

Any suggestions?? I almost don't even want to play ME2 if I can't continue...

I think the transferring is your problem. Your character data may not be what has all the info, but rather the profile data + character data. I'd suggest booting up Mass Effect (on your new HD) and hopefully you have a save before the final boss.

 

[Inferno313]

Guys, need some help. Kinda wigging out.

My ME1 data isn't showing up on the Import Character screen.
What gives? it says no character information available, but it should all be there.

I played ME1 on a different hard drive, but I just spent an hour transferring it from that HD to my MU and from my MU to the new hard drive. It's all there, my profile and save data... why isn't it showing up when I try to Import?

Any suggestions?? I almost don't even want to play ME2 if I can't continue...

Load up a save right before the final boss and kill it. The import file may not have been carried over. That gets created at the very end of the game.

 

[Dead]

So I'm doing a 100% Jerk Shepard run of ME1 and ME2 atm

Currently in ME1 and god damn, no matter how much you trash talk Ashley, she somehow always turns it around. It's goddamn frustrating :lol

 

[Gattsu25]

So I'm doing a 100% Jerk Shepard run of ME1 and ME2 atm

Currently in ME1 and god damn, no matter how much you trash talk Ashley, she somehow always turns it around. It's goddamn frustrating :lol

She really wants to swallow your kids

 

[Dead]

She really wants to swallow your kids

do not want

 

[John Harker]

I think the transferring is your problem. Your character data may not be what has all the info, but rather the profile data + character data. I'd suggest booting up Mass Effect (on your new HD) and hopefully you have a save before the final boss.

I see what you're saying. Yea, and I don't want to copy over my profile data since that would obviously be outdated compared to the new one.

Okay, I'll try the ME1 disc and see if that that somehow magically synchs everything up.

 

[GuardianE]

I see what you're saying. Yea, and I don't want to copy over my profile data since that would obviously be outdated compared to the new one.

Okay, I'll try the ME1 disc and see if that that somehow magically synchs everything up.

Yeah, the import data is created every time you beat the game, so as long as you can beat it again relatively quickly, that'll recreate whatever import data you had lost.

 

[K.Jack]

Load up a save right before the final boss and kill it. The import file may not have been carried over. That gets created at the very end of the game.

^I had to do this once.

 

[John Harker]

Aye, thanks gents. That worked.

Weird popping in a game I haven't played since 5/2008 and trying to beat the last boss, but it was actually pretty easy. It auto saved and I popped in ME2 and presto, the import is there.

Weird, but yea, you're right, it must be the save file + profile file and now my gamertag has both on this hard drive, so thanks!

 

[FoeHammer]

I'm on my second run on Insanity and I'm about to hit the final mission. Honestly, I was scared shitless when I started as I had heard that Horizon, the Collector Ship, etc were damn near impossible on Insanity difficulty. Either I'm really awesome or extremely lucky, but I haven't had any problems whatsoever (most likely luck). I didn't even die on the Collector Ship and I heard that people bumped the difficulty down because of that level.

I did beat the game on Normal with my first character from ME1 and then imported another one of my ME1 characters for the Insanity run. Not only did I receive the ME1 bonuses, but I also got a bunch of stuff for beating ME2 making mineral scanning almost irrelevant (thank you Jesus). I rolled a soldier and pumped all my stats into Shock Trooper, Squad Warp Ammo, and Hardened Adrenaline Rush. I brought Miranda into every mission for her squad booting skills and brought whoever I thought could help the most on that specific mission as the other teammate (i.e. Tali/Garris for Geth, Grunt for the Husks).

If you are wanting to start an Insanity run, I definitely recommend my above settings. It's been pretty easy thus far and a lot more fun than the normal settings. Make sure to upgrade the hell out of your weapons and armor (duh). I did take the Collector rifle and with Warp Ammo as that thing rapes anything I've come across.

 

[Arde5643]

Haha. Engineer shotgun looks so awesome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCaOxYVHtNU

 

[John Harker]

I was an Infiltrator in ME1. I enjoyed it. Can't decide what to pick for ME2 though.

I don't really care for the heavy weapons, but I would like to use sniper rilfes and some skill abilities, what's the best hybrid class? Sentinel? I could do Inflitrator again, but it be nice to try some biotic moves. Argh.

 

[Arde5643]

I was an Infiltrator in ME1. I enjoyed it. Can't decide what to pick for ME2 though.

I don't really care for the heavy weapons, but I would like to use sniper rilfes and some skill abilities, what's the best hybrid class? Sentinel? I could do Inflitrator again, but it be nice to try some biotic moves. Argh.

Just go infiltrator - one of most fun classes in the game.

The infiltrator just shines insanely as one of the best and most fun classes in the game once you get the Widow sniper rifle.

It's always fun trying to conserve and prioritize your Widow shots since sniper ammo is so few and between unless you use the viper (worse choice than the Widow).

Incinerate is a very useful ability and AI hacking and cyro are fun abilities as well.

The only class I can say that's not too fun is the vanguard class in the beginning due to charge sucking at early levels.

 

[See You Next Wednesday]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE56V5sVj28&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXcNFEU0kiY

You've just been learned about Vanguards.

Also more Vanguard fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwEBST7L1z8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSSzu7Sjqik

will watch.

 

[Jhoan]

Without spoiling anything, does the decision you made in the end of ME1

Spoiler

whether to save the council or or not and who you picked

play a big or a small role in this game? I only want a yes/no answer.

 

[Dresden]

Haha. Engineer shotgun looks so awesome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCaOxYVHtNU

Interesting. The lengths to which people will go to challenge themselves...

Also, the Bioware forum is just full of trolls. Wow.

 

[FoeHammer]

Without spoiling anything, does the decision you made in the end of ME1

Spoiler

whether to save the council or or not and who you picked

play a big or a small role in this game? I only want a yes/no answer.

No, at least in my opinion from playing it both ways. It could have bigger implications in ME3, but who knows.

 

[Portugeezer]

Best MOTHAFUCKING game I have played this generation.

Damn, give me some DLC already.

 

[John Harker]

Did I accidently skip a scene or something, how is Joker walking?

Still early obviously, but combat sure is a bit weird. No weapons, armors, stats, health bar or really shield bar present will take awhile to get used to. Can't hear or anything either, and now there's ammo clips? All the RPG combat elements are almost totally stripped away. I don't like at least that I can't see my teammates health/armor

 

[Arde5643]

Interesting. The lengths to which people will go to challenge themselves...

Also, the Bioware forum is just full of trolls. Wow.

It's a far better experience in 2nd playthroughs using fun builds than optimal builds in single player RPGs like these.

For example, in my next playthrough I'm going to have an AR carrying infiltrator instead of Widow which will use the agent specialization to reduce recharge time on cloak so that I can do more flanking with the cloak and AR.

Other than that, there's also the AR carrying adept who uses singularity to stun opponents and then rushing in and shooting then using warp to detonate them at close range.
Similar to this but with less melee rage :lol : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1oR0YQrdoY


Regarding adepts:
The adept's singularity and pull really trivialize a lot of the battles in the game as long as they don't involve Geth Prime, YMIR, or praetorian.

Battles where I have to bunker down and kill enemies one by one with other classes, the adept just effortlessly shut down the entire squad with singularity, pull, and warp.
It's insane how overpowered the adept is against most enemies in the game.

And on the extreme side, the battles against sub-bosses like geth prime, YMIR, praetorian are so annoying because it's basically just bunkering down and either shooting or spamming warp.