Vanguard suggested build for ME1?

This probably still the best guide:
ME1 Basic Vanguard Leveling Guide

You obviously don't have access to bonus powers during a first playthrough. So you could put those point in charm/intimidate if you want.
Otherwise I'd put those points in Lift or the vanguard's passive first.

Just a few quick things.

I point it out, but for the most part you need more points in Charm than you do in Intimidate to pass all the persuasion checks. This isn't the end of the world (difference in max needed is 12 vs 10), so that is just two points. Really just means throwing more points in Charm early or putting off the side quests a little.

I agree that you can just throw the Assault Rifle points I list into Charm early. You can try to save it for Lift, but that isn't unlocked until Throw 7, and ME1 locks higher parts of the talent line for a few levels. Residual points could also be put in Shotguns, just keep in mind the weird Carnage-Barrier glitch.

Another thing that shouldn't be too big a deal is that the plot points I mention for each level should be a little different since you won't be gaining XP as quickly (don't have XP bonus achievements yet).

You want Tali, Garrus, or Kaiden as one of your main squadmates since they can unlock everything for you. You can use whoever you want as your second squadmate. If you have not unlocked all squadmate achievements yet, run with any two you want. Personally I tend to run with Kaiden and Liara everywhere since they have the best power sets for crowd control.

I definitely recommend focusing on Pistols as your main weapon. Pistols with Master Marksman can slightly out damage-per-second (DPS) assault rifles.

Right, that level cap does exist. Though IIRC level 50 is only reached around the last leg of the game anyway in a complete new game without XP bonuses.

ME1 achievements (with description of the bonus provided by unlocking them) are accessible from the main menu. IIRC they are located in the 'Extras' sub-menu.

Yeah it seems like I should use Tali for max in Electronics/Decryption and then Liara for Singularity/control? I just got Liara now - also on that note, is there a suggested playthrough order? Such as, go here first, do this side quest, etc - for max xp and best progression with abilities? I seem to remember a good order. Like, as I said, I just finished picking up Liara so instead of going right to Feros or Noveria, I'm guessing I should do side quests first--but which ones?

I usually just save Bring Down the Sky till after the "end" - then start me2 right after that.

p.s. i missed a few Paragon checks already around the Citadel - got the quests finished but not with Charm, meh.  I keep maxxing out Charm as I can first before I put it in other things.

If I just shoot an enemy in the Mako and kill it - I still get xp i see.  So I get more if I hop out of the Mako first?

There is no preferred order of doing quests, although Therum is usually the story-required mission that people complete first, since you recruit Liara for completing it, and it is probably the easiest of the main story missions. Feros has the highest Charm check in the game (all 12 points), so you may want to save that for near the end.

The Rogue VI mission on Luna (where you get your class specialization) unlocks when you reach level 20. I recommend you do that as soon as you can after reaching level 20 so you get your class specialization as soon as possible. Biotics are not very good on this mission; I recommend two tech squadmates. The mission will become unlocked when Hackett tells you about it when you use the galaxy map. Note that other incoming calls can take precedence, so you may need to use the galaxy map more than once before it unlocks.

Regarding progression, here are some easy missions for early game (I forget some of the names):
- One of the Gemini sigma planets, where you find the ship with the brain-dead guy on the life support machine. You only need to fight his grieving (biotic) girlfriend.
- Artemaus Tau > Edolus. Just a Thresher Maw.
- Hawking Eta > the only planet/moon you can land on. Mission about Major Kyle. You can talk Kyle and his biotic followers down if you have enough charm or intimidate. There are some mercs/salvagers elsewhere that you can fight (just shoot them with the Mako) and a Thresher Maw.

Also, in the Armstrong Cluster, 3 of the first 4 Geth Incursion series of missions do not require you to leave the Mako, so you can take everything out in the Mako without a whole lot of trouble.

Regarding the -50% XP penalty for killing with the Mako: It does not matter a whole lot in the long run. I've done playthroughs where I kill as much in the Mako as I can, and playthroughs where I try to kill everything on foot. The difference in the end was... 2 levels (level 58 versus level 56). So you actually do not need to worry about missing XP as much you might think.


Story-required missions after Eden Prime:
- Therum
- Feros (completing Feros unlocks the Maroon Sea cluster)
- Noveria (completing Noveria unlocks the Styx Theta cluster)
- Virmire, unlocks after completing any 2 of Therum, Feros, or Noveria
Completing all story-required missions will force you back to the Citadel. After you leave the Citadel for the last time, you cannot return, so any unfinished side quests cannot be completed. I recommend leaving Virmire to the very end.


Regarding Charm/Intimdate:
- You get 1 free Charm/Intimidate point for filling 10%, 25% and 75% of the Paragon/Renegade meter. These points also unlock 2 more pips of the Charm/Intimdate talent bar.
- You get 1 free Charm and Intimidate points for becoming a Spectre, and unlocks 3 more pips in the Charm/Intimidate talent bars.
- After reaching 75-80% of the Paragon/Renegade meter, the Paragon/Renegade-specific mission will unlock. (Hackett will call and tell you about it when you next activate the galaxy map)
So you can get a maximum 4 free Charm or Intimdate point in a single playthrough (1 for becoming a Spectre, and 3 more if you align Paragon or Renegade throughout the game.

Thanks guys for the input. Heading to Noveria shortly, at charm 10 now and level 19. I'll do advanced class mission soon - maybe ill do a couple of sides then do that before Noveria.

Question: when do I want Tali to come with me? I'm cool with using Liara all the time and Kaidan for ultra-control. But I know Tali can be useful for AI hacking - just cant remember if u want her for Noveria. I'm guessing Feros, Virmire?

Also which pistol/armor should i be using. Right now i have: Scorpion 1 (still) for armor and Stinger 2. Working on getting tactical armor up now to unlock medium.

thanks.

p.s. which sides do i need to do which carry over story-wise for ME2/ME3? Going to do Hades Dogs next I think.

1. I would bring Tali to missions where you know there is going to be a lot of synthetic enemies. Think the Geth Incursion (Armstrong Cluster) series of missions. I find she is only partially useful on missions with 50-100% organic enemies. Tali is good for like the first half of Feros, which is mostly synthetic enemies, but is absolutely dreadful at the final part which is all organic enemies, mostly Thorian Creepers and it is too late to switch her out by that point because the game cuts you off from the Normandy. (As soon as you drop down the hole in Exogeni building, you cannot go back to the Normandy until you complete Feros).

Tali is okay on Noveria since it is about 50% Geth enemies. Her unlocking skills are always useful. Her Damping is... well Damping is rarely good. You basically need the best equipment for max cooldown to make Damping decent. I always skill Damping on all my squadmates now I am disappointed in it so much.

2. Pistols: Generally, always use the pistol with the highest damage. Once you get enough credits, you can purchase the HMWP Pistols (Spectre Pistols) which are the best in the game.

3. Armor: Generally, you want armor that provides the most damage protection or possibly shields (I think damage protection is better, but you could make a case for shields). Exception: Armor with two mod slots are VIII armor. You may may want to purchase amror with two mod slots as soon as possible, which may have less damage protection than your current armor with one mod slot.

Thanks for all the detailed info! Just beat Benezia. I'm getting a little worried though. I think i'm level 25 or so. I still have 10 charm points and the last two aren't unlocked. I definitely don't want to go to Feros till I can pass that check. Of course, I'm picking all the Paragon options I can in convos.

Still have Hostile Takeover, Wrex's quest - off hand can't remember the rest - couple of more UNC missions. I dont remember having to save Feros till the very end but I'm a bit rusty.

Anyway, I guess just do everything i can minus Feros?

Thanks for the info. Haven't done: Dead Scientists, Geth Incursions, Hostile Takeover - yeah i think I did Hostage already.

Is there any story benefit by saving Jeong for ME2/ME3? I know ive done it before, just didnt realize it was such a pain to do.

How do I do Virmire before Feros?

Thanks for the detailed reply UpUp. Btw, was your old name "UpUpAndAway"?

Feels strange to do Virmire before Feros, and makes less sense. I may just have to live with not being able to talk down Jeong, especially if it doesn't have any ME2/ME3 repercussions. Yeah I realized I must have had bonus charm, xp points when I played many times on console, and this is first time on PC so no bonuses.