Mass Effect 3 Powers Guide

mass effect 3 class guide

With the launch of Mass Effect 3 just around the corner, it's high time you started strategizing. After all, those Reapers aren't going to defeat themselves, and with the wide range of powers the game has on offer, you've got plenty of weighty decisions to make if you're going to save the galaxy.

To make things a bit easier, we've thrown together a guide highlighting all the powers Commander Shepard and his team will have access to in Mass Effect 3, broken down by class and character. Take a look, and start planning your battles now. That is, unless you want the Reapers to slaughter defenseless little girls.

First up, we'll run through the powers that are available to each of the six different classes you can choose when customizing Commander Shepard. If you'd like to know more about any of the individual abilities, just click it to go to its page on the Mass Effect wiki, where you can find an rundown of exactly what the power does and how it will progress as you level it.

Adepts are biotic specialists, and their list of available powers reflects this fact rather heavily. If you care less about guns than sending your enemies cartwheeling through the air, this is the class for you.

Default powers:

  • Biotic Mastery (passive)
  • Singularity
  • Warp

Unlockable powers:

  • Fitness
  • Cluster Grenade
  • Pull
  • Shockwave
  • Throw

Engineers have access to a unique set of tech abilities that make them excellent for support roles. They're less powerful than other classes in a head on fight, but they're able to take down enemy defenses with ease and call in drones and turrets for assistance during battle.

Default powers:

  • Tech Mastery (passive)
  • Combat Drone
  • Incinerate

Unlockable powers:

  • Fitness
  • Cryo Blast
  • Overload
  • Sabotage
  • Sentry Turret

Infiltrators are the rogues of the Mass Effect universe. While their powers draw heavily from tech skills, what really sets them apart is their ability to go invisible with Tactical Cloak. This offers a huge strategic advantage at any distance, whether picking enemies off from afar with a sniper rifle or getting in close for the melee kill.

Default powers:

  • Operational Mastery (passive)
  • Disruptor Ammo
  • Tactical Cloak

Unlockable powers:

  • Fitness
  • Cryo Ammo
  • Sticky Grenade
  • Incinerate
  • Sabotage

Sentinels draw their powers from the tech and biotic trees. They're designed to be fast and furious up-close fighters, as their exclusive Tech Armor ability allows them to take a much heftier beating than the other classes. If you want to charge into battle Krogan-style, the Sentinel is a solid choice.

Default powers:

  • Offensive Mastery (passive)
  • Throw
  • Tech Armor

Unlockable powers:

  • Fitness
  • Lift Grenade
  • Warp
  • Cryo Blast
  • Overload

Soldiers are designed to excel in straight up gun-on-gun combat. (Who'd have guessed that one, right?) If you're looking to play Mass Effect 3 like a straight-up shooter, the Soldier will cater to your playstyle best.

Default powers:

  • Combat Mastery (passive)
  • Adrenaline Rush
  • Incendiary Ammo

Unlockable powers:

  • Concussive Shot
  • Fitness
  • Cryo Ammo
  • Disruptor Ammo
  • Frag Grenade

Vanguards offer a blend of the best traits from the Soldier and the Adept. Their selection of abilities is designed to reward those who like to toss around the enemy before shooting him full of holes.

Default powers:

  • Assault Mastery (passive)
  • Fitness
  • Incendiary Ammo
  • Biotic Charge

Unlockable powers:

  • Cryo Ammo
  • Nova
  • Pull
  • Shockwave

Of course, the Mass Effect series is all about commanding a squad of the galaxy's best soldiers, so you'll also be able to call on your team to use their special abilities in the heat of battle. Here's a complete list of the game's squadmates, along with the powers they'll be able to command during a battle. Be warned, though: the list may contains a few minor spoilers for anyone who wants to go in dark.

Ashley Williams

  • Disruptor Ammo
  • Concussive Shot
  • Inferno Grenade
  • Marksman

David Anderson

  • Concussive Shot
  • Frag Grenade
  • Fortification
  • Incendiary Ammo
  • Alliance Admiral (passive)

Garrus Vakarian

  • Concussive Shot
  • Frag Grenade
  • Fortification
  • Incendiary Ammo
  • Turian Rebel (passive)

James Vega

  • Incendiary Ammo
  • Carnage
  • Fortification
  • Frag Grenade

Kaiden Alenko

  • Reave
  • Barrier
  • Overload
  • Cryo Blast

Liara T'Soni

  • Singularity
  • Warp
  • Stasis
  • Warp Ammo
  • Pure Biotic (passive)

Tali'Zorah vas Normandy

  • Defense Drone
  • Energy Drain
  • Combat Drone
  • Sabotage