Mass Effect 2: The Specialist - A Soldier That Can Cloak (Derivative Infiltrator build by Miss Yuna
Oct 22, 2016 21:31:31 GMT
Post by RedCaesar97 on Oct 22, 2016 21:31:31 GMT
ATTENTION: This guide was originally created by Miss Yuna of Atlanta on the old BioWare Social Network (BSN) forums. I am recreating it here so it does not disappear when the old BSN forums shut down.
This is a bit of a read, so I'm sorry for the wall of text. TonyGunslinger's 'Agent' Infiltrator inspired me to create a similar build. While his build focuses on disabling enemies through clever use of his and his squad's powers as a means of indirect combat(brilliant, by the way), mine is more direct. I call this build "Specialist" because it specializes in weapon use and positioning, as well as team synergy.
1. Overview.
THE SPECIALIST
4 Squad Disruptor Ammo
0 Cryo Ammo
4 Enhanced Cloak
4 Incineration Blast
1 AI Hacking
4 Agent
4 Tungsten Ammo
Recommended Loadout: M-96 Mattock, M-97 Viper, M-9 Tempest, M-3 Predator, M-100 Grenade Launcher
2. In-Depth Analysis.
Gameplay veterans will see right away what I'm trying to do. This isn't an Infiltrator so much as a Soldier that swapped out Adrenaline Rush for Tactical Cloak and somehow threw Incinerate into the mix. You will be doing almost all of your damage with your weapons. The reasoning for my power evolutions and weapon choices is as follows.
Squad Disruptor Ammo: This should be fairly self-explanatory. Shielded and synthetic enemies will be ripped to shreds by a team of three with Disruptor Ammo active. Often, your squad mates will strip shields for you, leaving you free to do other things.
Zero points in Cryo Ammo: I don't like the cryo mechanic. I never have. This is mostly a personal preference, as I usually have to go out of my way to use cryo attacks under any circumstances.
Enhanced Cloak: This is a choice that will probably confuse a lot of people or just make them laugh. Assassination Cloak is widely regarded as the better evolution, largely because in almost any circumstance, it is. However, my build is centered entirely around the idea of keeping Tactical Cloak active for as long as possible. It allows the player to cross entire battlefields and gain an immensely advantageous position. A good example would be on Grunt's recruitment mission. I've used Enhanced Cloak multiple times to run past huge swaths of Blue Suns, decimate the Heavies in the back row, then have me and my squad catch enemies in inescapable crossfires. I chose Enhanced Cloak because it's not about the damage you can do. It's about positioning.
Incineration Blast: Originally, I used Heavy Incinerate as a means of stripping armor from foes. However, I found that the Mattock is much more effective in this endeavor, and switched to Incineration Blast with the interest of panicking multiple foes. Incineration Blast also quickly strips the armor from Husks, allowing an application of Improved Flashbang Grenade(Kasumi), Throw Field(Thane), Pull Field(Jacob), or Area Reave(Samara) to quickly dispose of large groups of the creatures once I've torched their armor off.
One point in AI Hacking: I'll admit it. This is a gimmick. However, it's a gimmick that has saved my butt multiple times, allowing me precious seconds to heal when I throw my fat into the fire by mistake. Any synthetic, when hacked, makes your life easier, but this is most apparent when used on one of a group. LOKI Mechs are common. Another cute little thing you can do with this is when a YMIR Mech is down to nothing but health and there are no enemies left but it, hack it for six seconds of free headshots. As I said, it's a gimmick, but it's a fun gimmick.
Agent: Choosing power duration over power damage further enhances Enhanced Cloak. Add this to the tech duration bonus, and Tactical Cloak stays active for almost twelve seconds. You might not always need those twelve seconds, but I've had multiple occasions where I sat in cover and let enemies stroll past me. When Cloak fades, their goose is cooked.
Tungsten Ammo (AP Ammo): This build's main weapons are the Mattock and the Viper. Tungsten Ammo was chosen to maximize their strengths rather than cover their weaknesses. Armored enemies stand absolutely no chance in hell against the Specialist because of this. Krogan are especially trivialized; it's as simple as ripping off their armor with Viper barrage, then burning them and letting them flail about as you reload. Rinse and repeat.
M-96 Mattock: This assault rifle is a shorter-range version of the Viper with a bit more punch. However, it is still extremely accurate, and it works fantastically in tandem with Cloak, allowing the Specialist to line up the perfect first shot of a deadly barrage. In addition, while it excels against armor, it is also effective against shields and barriers, meaning that Disruptor Ammo is very effective, as is Warp Ammo if Jack is chosen to accompany the Specialist into combat(which, in my case, she often is). This is the Specialist's go-to weapon. It is optimal in almost any circumstance.
M-97 Viper: I don't think I even need to explain this. I chose assault rifles over the Widow, so the sky-high DPS of the Viper is on the other side of my heavy weapon from the Mattock. It isn't as widespread as the Mattock, but sniping is sniping, and the Infiltrator class is good at it.
M-9 Tempest: This weapon was put in place specifically to deal with shielded enemies. Flanking geth or the aforementioned Blue Suns will result in close-quarters combat more often than not, and while the Mattock is a better option for, say, vorcha, the Tempest absolutely annihilates shields and biotic barriers at short range. As an added bonus, stripping the shields of two Heavies, then killing them both typically requires no reloading, as the Tempest holds a staggering fifty rounds per clip. This build doesn't prioritize close-quarters combat; if it did, I would have chosen shotguns, not assault rifles. However, the Tempest is the best submachine gun at point blank.
M-3 Predator: I don't use this weapon often, as the Mattock, Viper, and Tempest are all better options for whatever situations the Specialist encounters. The absolute worst-case scenario sees the Specialist using this pistol as a 'Mattock lite' when both the Mattock and Viper are out of ammunition, but a good Specialist would never allow that to happen. I also use it in the situation I described above in which a hacked YMIR Mech is the only remaining enemy. I slap Tungsten Ammo on my Predator and bombard its face over and over. What else am I going to shoot with my pistol?
M-100 Grenade Launcher: Large hordes of enemies are best dealt with using this. Scatter them all, then either let your squad mates clean up or pull out your Mattock and go to work. It's one of the most basic heavy weapons in the game, but it's also one of the best. A side note, though, is that I personally replace it with the Cain on the mission to attack the derelict Reaper. I absolutely bloody hate the fight against the Reaper Core and its army of irritating husks, so I prefer to just skip it.
3: Squad Mate Analysis.
This section details each of the game's twelve squad mates(screw Morinth) as it pertains to synergy with the Specialist. Squad mates are presented in recruitment order(for me personally) and assigned a letter grade appropriate to their effective synergy with this build. The highest grade is A+, and the lowest is F. I'll tell you right away that no squad mate is an F, but a couple might come damn close to it.
Jacob Taylor:
Recommended Build: Pull Field(4), Squad Incendiary Ammo(4), Cerberus Specialist(4)
Alternate Recommended Build: Pull(1), Squad Incendiary Ammo(4), Cerberus Specialist(4), Heavy Barrier(4)
Many of the game's earlier missions practically force Jacob's presence. It could be worse(the game could be forcing me to bring the utterly worthless Morinth), but Jacob is still not the best choice for the Specialist. His weapon damage is below average and his mismatched powers don't lend themselves well to anybody(except for the Adept or Sentinel, maybe). That said, he can work well in tandem with Miranda or Thane, using Pull to set up deadly Warp explosions, and Squad Incendiary Ammo allows him to lend a valuable hand against organic foes, which are never challenging for the Specialist. Overall, he is usually disregarded in favor of a character who provides more synergy, but the alternate build mentioned above allows him to perform well as a slightly more cautious Grunt equivalent.
Letter Grade: C+
Miranda Lawson:
Recommended Build: Unstable Warp(4), Area Overload(4), Cerberus Leader(4), Slam(1)
Her powers compliment the intent behind her creation; Miranda really is perfect, or at least damn near it. The Specialist will learn to love Miss Lawson, as her squad-wide damage buff and duo of immensely useful powers ensure that she is never a bad decision. She works well with almost anyone, but she especially shines when she is accompanied by the Specialist and Samara, as the justicar covers any bases Miranda does not while also providing a valuable Pull for her Warp.
Letter Grade: A+
Zaeed Massani:
Recommended Build: Heavy Concussive Shot(4), Mercenary Warlord(4), Inferno Blast Grenade(4)
Zaeed's biggest draw is his absurdly high weapon damage, topping every other squad mate except Thane, with whom he ties. However, his second-biggest draw is being the only recruitable squad mate with Disruptor Ammo. The Specialist has that base covered, which severely limits Zaeed's usefulness in the long run. Heavy Concussive Shot allows him to decimate biotic barriers(not to be overlooked!) and, as stated earlier, his weapon damage is sky-high. Inferno Grenade also has occasional utility against Husks and vorcha. He is not a terrible choice, but the Specialist does what he does, and does it better.
Letter Grade: B-
Mordin Solus:
Recommended Build: Heavy Incinerate(4), Salarian Savant(4), Neural Shockwave(4)
Mordin is a man of extremes. He was designed to do one thing and one thing only, and that one thing is to kill a lot of krogan. His two most powerful powers(in my opinion) are Incinerate and Neural Shock, and while Neural Shock is very effective against organic targets, his hyper-powered Incinerate is his biggest draw. While the Specialist already boasts Incinerate, it does not have the oomph that Mordin's has, and that increased damage is a lifesaver against charging krogan. On any mission that does not feature krogan or vorcha, Mordin's usefulness is limited to nonexistent. Without regenerations to halt, he becomes a Neural Shock dispenser, and Neural Shock does not merit a squad mate slot by itself. On any mission that does feature krogan or vorcha, however, he is an almighty godsend.
Letter Grade: B
Garrus Vakarian:
Recommended Build: Heavy Concussive Shot(4), Area Overload(4), Turian Renegade(4)
Functionally, Garrus is an altered Miranda. Warp has been traded for Concussive Shot(not nearly as useful), but Garrus's Overload outstrips Miranda's by a considerable degree, making him excellent at taking down shielded enemies such as Blue Suns. Against shielded enemies and geth, there are few better choices, and Garrus also brings solid weapon damage to the party. The Specialist grants him Disruptor Ammo as well, increasing his role as something of a mini-Specialist. He doesn't have Miranda's versatility, but there will be many situations where he outshines her...and everyone else.
Letter Grade: B+
Kasumi Goto:
Recommended Build: Rapid Shadow Strike(4), Area Overload(4), Improved Flashbang Grenade(4)
One of the most unique party members, Kasumi is one of only two squad mates with three powers that will see frequent use(the other being Samara). Shadow Strike, when fully evolved into Rapid Shadow Strike, makes Kasumi excellent at finishing off enemies whose protections are gone or softening up hardier foes. Shadow Strike is also a valuable distraction aid, and one that rarely costs Kasumi her consciousness(and, by proxy, the Specialist one unit of medi-gel). Overload is Overload. Nothing to say about it. Flashbang Grenade is one of the best powers in the game, and on missions where the Specialist will face Collectors, Kasumi is possibly the most valuable companion because of it. Constantly nullifying Harbinger means that Miss Goto more than earns her keep, allowing the Specialist to focus on the ever-present swaths of more important opponents. The tradeoff for such high utility is that Kasumi's weapon damage is poor, and her useless passive talent makes her the squishiest squad mate in the game. In addition, Shadow Strike causes her to abandon prior directions re her location, and she will continue to flit about as she pleases, which could end her very quickly. If her high upkeep isn't too much of a deterrent, the Specialist will see great things from this master thief, but she may be a little too high-maintanence for a lot of people.
Letter Grade: A-
Jack:
Recommended Build: Shockwave(2), Pull(3), Primal Adept(4), Squad Warp Ammo(4)
I've tried very hard on multiple occasions to make Jack work due to my fondness for her character. At first, the best I could say about Jack is that she makes fights against Collectors much easier due to Squad Warp Ammo and Pull. Further investigation revealed that she also works very well alongside Thane when any protections the squad encounters can be easily stripped by the Specialist. Due to her Warp Ammo, both biotic barriers and shields are trivialized by barrages from the Tempest and Mattock, and armor was never an issue for the Specialist. Therefore, Jack is a reliable Pull bot, possibly an even better one than Samara, but at the end of the day, a Pull bot is still a Pull bot. The Specialist can do both better and much worse.
Letter Grade: B
Grunt:
Recommended Build: Heavy Concussive Shot(4), Krogan Pureblood(4), Heavy Fortification(4)
Grunt is not hard to figure out. He's a damage-soaking thickie, and on certain missions, that works really well. Soldiers are distracted. Husks are slapped aside like flies at the hands of his mighty shotgun. However, with no truly viable powers, he is useless at range, and that hurts him more than it does anybody else. If Grunt can get up-close and personal then he can wreck shop. Luckily for him, the odds are rarely stacked against him, and his utility is universal. The Specialist loves him for that.
Letter Grade: B+
Samara:
Recommended Build: Throw(2), Pull(3), Sapiens Justicar(4), Area Reave(4)
When the Specialist first recruits her, she is a Pull bot and interchangable with Jack. However, completion of her loyalty mission grants Samara the absolutely stellar Reave, allowing her to shatter armor and decimate biotic barriers. This creates a whirlwind of endless utility for the justicar. Collector barriers and krogan armor are both ripped to shreds by Reave, or perhaps they're stripped by the Specialist, allowing Samara to Pull an enemy and set them up for a Warp explosion from Miranda or Thane. Pull bots are good enough on their own, but Reave turns Samara into a goddess. No one is safe.
Letter Grade: A
Thane Krios:
Recommended Build: Throw Field(4), Unstable Warp(4), Drell Marksman(4)
Yes please and thank you. The highest weapon damage in the game and the presence of Warp solidify Thane's utility on the spot. Another excellent choice for Collectors, but a force to be reckoned with almost anywhere, Thane is one of the very best companions for the Specialist. In addition, Throw Field grants him surprising prowess at Husk elimination, to the point where he is adept at creating lovely smear paintings on the wall with green pulp that once groaned obnoxiously.
Letter Grade: A+
Tali'Zorah vas Normandy:
Recommended Build: Attack Drone(4), Quarian Mechanic(4), Area Drain(4)
I'll be up-front about this. I never use Tali outside of her loyalty mission. I didn't ever use her in the first game either. That said, her utility against shielded enemies is almost as strong as Garrus's due to Energy Drain, and the added bonus of Combat Drone makes her just as good as Garrus at what he does, just in different areas. Her weapon damage isn't seeing his anytime soon, but Combat Drone provides an incredibly valuable distraction, allowing the Specialist to recuperate if Enhanced Cloak is down. Her awful health and low weapon damage hamper her a bit, but all in all, Tali is a very justifiable choice for those Specialists that have fallen in love with her.
Letter Grade: B+
Legion:
Recommended Build: AI Hacking(2), Combat Drone(3), Geth Assassin(4), Improved Geth Shield Boost(4)
As endearing as Legion's character is, it is acquired too late in the game to be reliable, and its talents are too thinly spread to be useful. I use it exactly twice: on its loyalty mission, then to fight the Oculus. It is of no use against Collectors(the only opponents I fight after acquiring it), and even against synthetic foes, Tali or Garrus would be better choices. I like Legion a lot, but the Specialist has no use for it in combat. Its only saving graces are the utility of Combat Drone and slightly above-average weapon damage.
Letter Grade: D
This is a bit of a read, so I'm sorry for the wall of text. TonyGunslinger's 'Agent' Infiltrator inspired me to create a similar build. While his build focuses on disabling enemies through clever use of his and his squad's powers as a means of indirect combat(brilliant, by the way), mine is more direct. I call this build "Specialist" because it specializes in weapon use and positioning, as well as team synergy.
1. Overview.
THE SPECIALIST
4 Squad Disruptor Ammo
0 Cryo Ammo
4 Enhanced Cloak
4 Incineration Blast
1 AI Hacking
4 Agent
4 Tungsten Ammo
Recommended Loadout: M-96 Mattock, M-97 Viper, M-9 Tempest, M-3 Predator, M-100 Grenade Launcher
2. In-Depth Analysis.
Gameplay veterans will see right away what I'm trying to do. This isn't an Infiltrator so much as a Soldier that swapped out Adrenaline Rush for Tactical Cloak and somehow threw Incinerate into the mix. You will be doing almost all of your damage with your weapons. The reasoning for my power evolutions and weapon choices is as follows.
Squad Disruptor Ammo: This should be fairly self-explanatory. Shielded and synthetic enemies will be ripped to shreds by a team of three with Disruptor Ammo active. Often, your squad mates will strip shields for you, leaving you free to do other things.
Zero points in Cryo Ammo: I don't like the cryo mechanic. I never have. This is mostly a personal preference, as I usually have to go out of my way to use cryo attacks under any circumstances.
Enhanced Cloak: This is a choice that will probably confuse a lot of people or just make them laugh. Assassination Cloak is widely regarded as the better evolution, largely because in almost any circumstance, it is. However, my build is centered entirely around the idea of keeping Tactical Cloak active for as long as possible. It allows the player to cross entire battlefields and gain an immensely advantageous position. A good example would be on Grunt's recruitment mission. I've used Enhanced Cloak multiple times to run past huge swaths of Blue Suns, decimate the Heavies in the back row, then have me and my squad catch enemies in inescapable crossfires. I chose Enhanced Cloak because it's not about the damage you can do. It's about positioning.
Incineration Blast: Originally, I used Heavy Incinerate as a means of stripping armor from foes. However, I found that the Mattock is much more effective in this endeavor, and switched to Incineration Blast with the interest of panicking multiple foes. Incineration Blast also quickly strips the armor from Husks, allowing an application of Improved Flashbang Grenade(Kasumi), Throw Field(Thane), Pull Field(Jacob), or Area Reave(Samara) to quickly dispose of large groups of the creatures once I've torched their armor off.
One point in AI Hacking: I'll admit it. This is a gimmick. However, it's a gimmick that has saved my butt multiple times, allowing me precious seconds to heal when I throw my fat into the fire by mistake. Any synthetic, when hacked, makes your life easier, but this is most apparent when used on one of a group. LOKI Mechs are common. Another cute little thing you can do with this is when a YMIR Mech is down to nothing but health and there are no enemies left but it, hack it for six seconds of free headshots. As I said, it's a gimmick, but it's a fun gimmick.
Agent: Choosing power duration over power damage further enhances Enhanced Cloak. Add this to the tech duration bonus, and Tactical Cloak stays active for almost twelve seconds. You might not always need those twelve seconds, but I've had multiple occasions where I sat in cover and let enemies stroll past me. When Cloak fades, their goose is cooked.
Tungsten Ammo (AP Ammo): This build's main weapons are the Mattock and the Viper. Tungsten Ammo was chosen to maximize their strengths rather than cover their weaknesses. Armored enemies stand absolutely no chance in hell against the Specialist because of this. Krogan are especially trivialized; it's as simple as ripping off their armor with Viper barrage, then burning them and letting them flail about as you reload. Rinse and repeat.
M-96 Mattock: This assault rifle is a shorter-range version of the Viper with a bit more punch. However, it is still extremely accurate, and it works fantastically in tandem with Cloak, allowing the Specialist to line up the perfect first shot of a deadly barrage. In addition, while it excels against armor, it is also effective against shields and barriers, meaning that Disruptor Ammo is very effective, as is Warp Ammo if Jack is chosen to accompany the Specialist into combat(which, in my case, she often is). This is the Specialist's go-to weapon. It is optimal in almost any circumstance.
M-97 Viper: I don't think I even need to explain this. I chose assault rifles over the Widow, so the sky-high DPS of the Viper is on the other side of my heavy weapon from the Mattock. It isn't as widespread as the Mattock, but sniping is sniping, and the Infiltrator class is good at it.
M-9 Tempest: This weapon was put in place specifically to deal with shielded enemies. Flanking geth or the aforementioned Blue Suns will result in close-quarters combat more often than not, and while the Mattock is a better option for, say, vorcha, the Tempest absolutely annihilates shields and biotic barriers at short range. As an added bonus, stripping the shields of two Heavies, then killing them both typically requires no reloading, as the Tempest holds a staggering fifty rounds per clip. This build doesn't prioritize close-quarters combat; if it did, I would have chosen shotguns, not assault rifles. However, the Tempest is the best submachine gun at point blank.
M-3 Predator: I don't use this weapon often, as the Mattock, Viper, and Tempest are all better options for whatever situations the Specialist encounters. The absolute worst-case scenario sees the Specialist using this pistol as a 'Mattock lite' when both the Mattock and Viper are out of ammunition, but a good Specialist would never allow that to happen. I also use it in the situation I described above in which a hacked YMIR Mech is the only remaining enemy. I slap Tungsten Ammo on my Predator and bombard its face over and over. What else am I going to shoot with my pistol?
M-100 Grenade Launcher: Large hordes of enemies are best dealt with using this. Scatter them all, then either let your squad mates clean up or pull out your Mattock and go to work. It's one of the most basic heavy weapons in the game, but it's also one of the best. A side note, though, is that I personally replace it with the Cain on the mission to attack the derelict Reaper. I absolutely bloody hate the fight against the Reaper Core and its army of irritating husks, so I prefer to just skip it.
3: Squad Mate Analysis.
This section details each of the game's twelve squad mates(screw Morinth) as it pertains to synergy with the Specialist. Squad mates are presented in recruitment order(for me personally) and assigned a letter grade appropriate to their effective synergy with this build. The highest grade is A+, and the lowest is F. I'll tell you right away that no squad mate is an F, but a couple might come damn close to it.
Jacob Taylor:
Recommended Build: Pull Field(4), Squad Incendiary Ammo(4), Cerberus Specialist(4)
Alternate Recommended Build: Pull(1), Squad Incendiary Ammo(4), Cerberus Specialist(4), Heavy Barrier(4)
Many of the game's earlier missions practically force Jacob's presence. It could be worse(the game could be forcing me to bring the utterly worthless Morinth), but Jacob is still not the best choice for the Specialist. His weapon damage is below average and his mismatched powers don't lend themselves well to anybody(except for the Adept or Sentinel, maybe). That said, he can work well in tandem with Miranda or Thane, using Pull to set up deadly Warp explosions, and Squad Incendiary Ammo allows him to lend a valuable hand against organic foes, which are never challenging for the Specialist. Overall, he is usually disregarded in favor of a character who provides more synergy, but the alternate build mentioned above allows him to perform well as a slightly more cautious Grunt equivalent.
Letter Grade: C+
Miranda Lawson:
Recommended Build: Unstable Warp(4), Area Overload(4), Cerberus Leader(4), Slam(1)
Her powers compliment the intent behind her creation; Miranda really is perfect, or at least damn near it. The Specialist will learn to love Miss Lawson, as her squad-wide damage buff and duo of immensely useful powers ensure that she is never a bad decision. She works well with almost anyone, but she especially shines when she is accompanied by the Specialist and Samara, as the justicar covers any bases Miranda does not while also providing a valuable Pull for her Warp.
Letter Grade: A+
Zaeed Massani:
Recommended Build: Heavy Concussive Shot(4), Mercenary Warlord(4), Inferno Blast Grenade(4)
Zaeed's biggest draw is his absurdly high weapon damage, topping every other squad mate except Thane, with whom he ties. However, his second-biggest draw is being the only recruitable squad mate with Disruptor Ammo. The Specialist has that base covered, which severely limits Zaeed's usefulness in the long run. Heavy Concussive Shot allows him to decimate biotic barriers(not to be overlooked!) and, as stated earlier, his weapon damage is sky-high. Inferno Grenade also has occasional utility against Husks and vorcha. He is not a terrible choice, but the Specialist does what he does, and does it better.
Letter Grade: B-
Mordin Solus:
Recommended Build: Heavy Incinerate(4), Salarian Savant(4), Neural Shockwave(4)
Mordin is a man of extremes. He was designed to do one thing and one thing only, and that one thing is to kill a lot of krogan. His two most powerful powers(in my opinion) are Incinerate and Neural Shock, and while Neural Shock is very effective against organic targets, his hyper-powered Incinerate is his biggest draw. While the Specialist already boasts Incinerate, it does not have the oomph that Mordin's has, and that increased damage is a lifesaver against charging krogan. On any mission that does not feature krogan or vorcha, Mordin's usefulness is limited to nonexistent. Without regenerations to halt, he becomes a Neural Shock dispenser, and Neural Shock does not merit a squad mate slot by itself. On any mission that does feature krogan or vorcha, however, he is an almighty godsend.
Letter Grade: B
Garrus Vakarian:
Recommended Build: Heavy Concussive Shot(4), Area Overload(4), Turian Renegade(4)
Functionally, Garrus is an altered Miranda. Warp has been traded for Concussive Shot(not nearly as useful), but Garrus's Overload outstrips Miranda's by a considerable degree, making him excellent at taking down shielded enemies such as Blue Suns. Against shielded enemies and geth, there are few better choices, and Garrus also brings solid weapon damage to the party. The Specialist grants him Disruptor Ammo as well, increasing his role as something of a mini-Specialist. He doesn't have Miranda's versatility, but there will be many situations where he outshines her...and everyone else.
Letter Grade: B+
Kasumi Goto:
Recommended Build: Rapid Shadow Strike(4), Area Overload(4), Improved Flashbang Grenade(4)
One of the most unique party members, Kasumi is one of only two squad mates with three powers that will see frequent use(the other being Samara). Shadow Strike, when fully evolved into Rapid Shadow Strike, makes Kasumi excellent at finishing off enemies whose protections are gone or softening up hardier foes. Shadow Strike is also a valuable distraction aid, and one that rarely costs Kasumi her consciousness(and, by proxy, the Specialist one unit of medi-gel). Overload is Overload. Nothing to say about it. Flashbang Grenade is one of the best powers in the game, and on missions where the Specialist will face Collectors, Kasumi is possibly the most valuable companion because of it. Constantly nullifying Harbinger means that Miss Goto more than earns her keep, allowing the Specialist to focus on the ever-present swaths of more important opponents. The tradeoff for such high utility is that Kasumi's weapon damage is poor, and her useless passive talent makes her the squishiest squad mate in the game. In addition, Shadow Strike causes her to abandon prior directions re her location, and she will continue to flit about as she pleases, which could end her very quickly. If her high upkeep isn't too much of a deterrent, the Specialist will see great things from this master thief, but she may be a little too high-maintanence for a lot of people.
Letter Grade: A-
Jack:
Recommended Build: Shockwave(2), Pull(3), Primal Adept(4), Squad Warp Ammo(4)
I've tried very hard on multiple occasions to make Jack work due to my fondness for her character. At first, the best I could say about Jack is that she makes fights against Collectors much easier due to Squad Warp Ammo and Pull. Further investigation revealed that she also works very well alongside Thane when any protections the squad encounters can be easily stripped by the Specialist. Due to her Warp Ammo, both biotic barriers and shields are trivialized by barrages from the Tempest and Mattock, and armor was never an issue for the Specialist. Therefore, Jack is a reliable Pull bot, possibly an even better one than Samara, but at the end of the day, a Pull bot is still a Pull bot. The Specialist can do both better and much worse.
Letter Grade: B
Grunt:
Recommended Build: Heavy Concussive Shot(4), Krogan Pureblood(4), Heavy Fortification(4)
Grunt is not hard to figure out. He's a damage-soaking thickie, and on certain missions, that works really well. Soldiers are distracted. Husks are slapped aside like flies at the hands of his mighty shotgun. However, with no truly viable powers, he is useless at range, and that hurts him more than it does anybody else. If Grunt can get up-close and personal then he can wreck shop. Luckily for him, the odds are rarely stacked against him, and his utility is universal. The Specialist loves him for that.
Letter Grade: B+
Samara:
Recommended Build: Throw(2), Pull(3), Sapiens Justicar(4), Area Reave(4)
When the Specialist first recruits her, she is a Pull bot and interchangable with Jack. However, completion of her loyalty mission grants Samara the absolutely stellar Reave, allowing her to shatter armor and decimate biotic barriers. This creates a whirlwind of endless utility for the justicar. Collector barriers and krogan armor are both ripped to shreds by Reave, or perhaps they're stripped by the Specialist, allowing Samara to Pull an enemy and set them up for a Warp explosion from Miranda or Thane. Pull bots are good enough on their own, but Reave turns Samara into a goddess. No one is safe.
Letter Grade: A
Thane Krios:
Recommended Build: Throw Field(4), Unstable Warp(4), Drell Marksman(4)
Yes please and thank you. The highest weapon damage in the game and the presence of Warp solidify Thane's utility on the spot. Another excellent choice for Collectors, but a force to be reckoned with almost anywhere, Thane is one of the very best companions for the Specialist. In addition, Throw Field grants him surprising prowess at Husk elimination, to the point where he is adept at creating lovely smear paintings on the wall with green pulp that once groaned obnoxiously.
Letter Grade: A+
Tali'Zorah vas Normandy:
Recommended Build: Attack Drone(4), Quarian Mechanic(4), Area Drain(4)
I'll be up-front about this. I never use Tali outside of her loyalty mission. I didn't ever use her in the first game either. That said, her utility against shielded enemies is almost as strong as Garrus's due to Energy Drain, and the added bonus of Combat Drone makes her just as good as Garrus at what he does, just in different areas. Her weapon damage isn't seeing his anytime soon, but Combat Drone provides an incredibly valuable distraction, allowing the Specialist to recuperate if Enhanced Cloak is down. Her awful health and low weapon damage hamper her a bit, but all in all, Tali is a very justifiable choice for those Specialists that have fallen in love with her.
Letter Grade: B+
Legion:
Recommended Build: AI Hacking(2), Combat Drone(3), Geth Assassin(4), Improved Geth Shield Boost(4)
As endearing as Legion's character is, it is acquired too late in the game to be reliable, and its talents are too thinly spread to be useful. I use it exactly twice: on its loyalty mission, then to fight the Oculus. It is of no use against Collectors(the only opponents I fight after acquiring it), and even against synthetic foes, Tali or Garrus would be better choices. I like Legion a lot, but the Specialist has no use for it in combat. Its only saving graces are the utility of Combat Drone and slightly above-average weapon damage.
Letter Grade: D