ME1 - Basic Adept Leveling Guide

This is a repost of the thread I made Dec 4, 2014.  I have updated to correct a bone-headed error, and made it a little more in line with the later guides.

Objective: Outline a path for a relatively standard adept created as a new character and played through level 40 or so. This guide my have some plot spoilers in order to give an idea of when certain levels may be achieved with a relatively standard but somewhat completionist run.

Bonus Power: Will take Assault Rifle training, but you can substitute any of the other three weapons. Shotguns do not require much investment at all for the entire game to be useful, so if you would prefer using those points somewhere else, consider that weapon class. Keep in mind that Shotgun DPS does not compare favorably to late game AR or Pistol DPS, although it does give you a bit of CC via knockdown. Late game AR can beat Pistol in DPS with the exception of when Master Marksman is activated, and some people skip Pistol altogether if they take ARs. I do not as I prefer to have both.

Charm / Intimidate: I prefer to be able to pass most checks in the game at some point. This requires either 10 Intimidate or 12 Charm. This does not mean the Intimidate check is always lower than the Charm check, but simply that the highest checks have the previous requirements. In general the checks will be within a point or so of each other. The general point however is that you need less investment to pass all (worthwhile) checks with Intimidate, specifically 6 invested points + your 4 free points. If you don't care, you can spend these points elsewhere.

Assumptions: The only important assumption is that you have already played through the game at least once to unlock bonus weapon talents. A secondary assumption for the rough level to mission estimates is you have XP bonuses from achievements. However, I would argue that this guide is fairly useful even if you cannot level quite as fast as I suggest and even if you don't have any bonus talent. That said I typically do not recommend Adept as a first character to ever play in Mass Effect, but you might still find this guide helpful if you plan to use this class for your first game. Just remember you will accumulate XP slower, but you will also be capped to Level 50.

I will go by level early, then possibly skip levels later. Parenthesis will indicate the latest milestone or power unlocked in the talent tree.

See this post for some more general thoughts and glitches of which to be wary.

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Prologue and Expose Saren

Level 1

Points: 3 + 2 initial

Basic Armor 1
Throw 1 (Basic)
Warp 1 (Basic)
Barrier 1 (Basic)
Assault Rifles 1 (Overkill)

You start out with a point in Throw and Warp. You then have 3 points to spend. I would work towards Pistols via the Armor tree as well as invest in level 1 Barrier.  In general we are going to try to get Lift and Marksman as soon as they are available (which is Level 5 and 6 respectively).

Slap a point into bonus power, especially if AR.  If your bonus is Shotguns, but that one into Armor and skip that talent for a while.  It is better to unlock Pistols slightly faster than get to Carnage.

Level 2

Points: +3 (8)

Basic Armor 3 (Shield Boost)
Throw 1 (Basic)
Warp 1 (Basic)
Barrier 1 (Basic)
Assault Rifles 1 (Overkill)
Intimidate 1

Around the time you get Williams you should have hit Level 2.  I invest the 1 point in Intimidate in preparation for Cole and the farmers here, then keep working towards Pistols via the armor line.  Alternatively you can skimp on an Intimidate point here for Throw.

Level 3

Points: +3 (11)

Basic Armor 3 (Shield Boost)
Throw 3 (Basic)
Warp 1 (Basic)
Barrier 1 (Basic)
Assault Rifles 1 (Overkill)
Intimidate 2

You should be level 3 before you get to the farmers.  Two points into Throw, one more in persuade.  The max intimidate check on Eden Prime is actually 3 at the smuggler, but I wouldn't worry about that one too much. If you want it, skip a point in Throw now and put it towards Intimidate.  Depending on background, choices, etc you might have a freebie intimidate by now but I am not showing it yet.

Level 4

Points: +3 (14)

Basic Armor 4 (Shield Boost)
Throw 5 (Basic)
Warp 1 (Basic)
Barrier 1 (Basic)
Assault Rifles 1 (Overkill)
Intimidate 2

You should hit Level 4 around the climax fight on Eden Prime. Throw points in Throw.  Throw's cap here is only 5.  Another point in armor line.

Level 5

Points: +3 (17)

Basic Armor 5 (Shield Boost, Unlock Pistols)
Throw 6 (Basic, Unlock Lift)
Lift 1 (Basic)
Warp 1 (Basic)
Barrier 1 (Basic)
Assault Rifles 1 (Overkill)
Intimidate 3 (1 Freebie)

Congratulations, you have Lift.  This is the level you should be for the beginning of Expose Saren. It is likely this is the level you will be when you confront the Assassins outside Chora's Den.  If you can, Lift one and fling the other off with Throw.  Throw is good in its own right for knocking down an assassin.  Kaidan should also have Sabotage, use as needed.  Lift will also be helpful with the Krogan Bouncer later (try to get him in the air before he uses Immunity or can get his "second wind").

Basic Armor is at 5, which unlocks Pistols.  That is the last point that you will put in that line for a long time.

I assume a morality gimme in Intimidate here, and 3 is the max you need of Charm or Intimidate for Expose Saren, and importantly for Dr Michel’s quest.

Level 6

Points: +2 (19)

Basic Armor 5 (Shield Boost, Unlock Pistols)
Pistols 2
Throw 6 (Basic, Unlock Lift)
Lift 1 (Basic)
Warp 1 (Basic)
Barrier 1 (Basic)
Assault Rifles 1 (Overkill)
Intimidate 3 (1 Freebie)

Unfortunately at 6 we only get 2 points per level, and we are 1 point short of Marksman level if we put a point in the bonus talent.  But you have good CC and the Stinger II is fairly competent in its own right.  Other than bonus, you would have to rob Lift or Intimidate to get it here.

Level 7

Points: +2 (21)

Basic Armor 5 (Shield Boost, Unlock Pistols)
Pistols 3 (Marksman)
Throw 6 (Basic, Unlock Lift)
Lift 1 (Basic)
Warp 1 (Basic)
Barrier 1 (Basic)
Assault Rifles 1 (Overkill)
Intimidate 4 (1 freebies)

What you do here depends somewhat on how you plan to proceed with the game. You can either bank the 2 points in order to get Unity immediately at Level 8, or you can grab Marksman and put another point in Intimidate or Charm here if you plan to do some Citadel sidequests before leaving the Citadel the first time.  A third alternative is to start towards Singularity in the Warp tree. I show the Intimidate option here as I like to wander around the Citadel before leaving the first time, although since this level probably happens during the Fist / Quarian section, you might just play through it.

Level 8

Points: +2 (23)

Basic Armor 5 (Shield Boost, Unlock Pistols)
Pistols 3 (Marksman)
Throw 6 (Basic, Unlock Lift)
Lift 1 (Basic)
Warp 1 (Basic)
Barrier 1 (Basic)
Assault Rifles 1 (Overkill)
Spectre Training 2
Intimidate 5 (2 freebies)

You will probably hit Level 8 when you become a Spectre. This will also give you a free charm an intimidate point as well as unlocking Spectre Training. I show the two points in Spectre Training to work towards Unity.

I tend to do some Citadel side quests at this points, and 6 Intimidate (or 7 Charm) should allow you to do all of them available to you at this juncture, and if you want to knock them all out you can take one of the Spectre points and put it there.  It makes sense to do Dr Michel’s quest (only 3 Intimidate for her quest, but 6 Charm if you don't want to fight) and then potentially to exploit her generosity in order to make enough to buy a HMWP VII pistol or HMWA VII rifle if you want to make life easier on yourself early game.

Also Tali at Level 8 should be able to get Master Decryption and Master Electronics meaning she can already unlock every crate in the game for you before you leave the Citadel.