Squadmate Build Compendium: ME2 Edition

This is a resource for new and old players alike who want an easy resource for making decisions on how to allocate skill points for Shepard's companions. Everyone is welcome to post their own builds.


Jacob
Pull: Pull Field
Incendiary Ammo: Inferno Ammo
Cerberus Operative: Cerberus Specialist
Barrier: 1

Reason: Pull Field is chosen because Pull is mainly used as fodder for Warpsplosions, so duration doesn't matter; better to hit multiple enemies with it if possible. Inferno Ammo and Cerberus Specialist were chosen so that Jacob can actually do some decent damage. Squad Inferno Ammo may be better if Shepard doesn't have any ammo powers. Barrier is simply not worth putting points in.

Miranda
Warp: Heavy Warp
Overload: Area Overload
Cerberus Officer: Cerberus Leader
Slam: 1

Reason: Miranda's job is to strip enemy protections. Heavy Warp was chosen to maximize damage against protections. Even when Pull is available, the base radius of Warpsplosions is big enough to warrant the extra damage from the Heavy evolution. Area Overload was chosen because enemies have a tendency to cluster together, and it's beneficial to be able to hit as many as possible. Cerberus Leader was chosen because adding an extra 15% to Shepard's weapon damage is one of those bonuses that is simply too good to give up. Slam is not worth putting any points into.

Mordin
Incinerate: Incineration Blast
Cryo Blast: 0
Salarian Scientist: Salarian Savant
Neural Shock: Neural Shockwave

Reason: Again, the area evolutions were chosen because enemies tend to cluster. Salarian Savant was chosen because Mordin's defenses will never be good, making the weapon damage bonus more valuable. Neural Shockwave was also chosen because the duration is already the same as the base cooldown time, making the alternative redundant. While Cryo Blast is the better power compared to Neural Shock, I am not willing to give up the AOE Incinerate, and I play Lair of the Shadow Broker too late in the game to be able to respec Mordin and evolve both Incinerate and Cryo Blast.

Garrus
Concussive Shot: 2
Overload: Area Overload
Turian Rebel: Turian Renegade
Armor-Piercing Ammo: 3

Reason: Armor-Piercing Ammo already gives a 50% boost against health and armor, with the boost going even higher because of Garrus's high power damage bonus. Since enemies tend to cluster, evolving Overload gives better overall results than evolving AP Ammo unless Shepard does not have an ammo power, in which case Squad AP Ammo might be more useful than Area Overload. Turian Renegade was chosen because Garrus will never have good defenses, but the fact that AP Ammo benefits from the power damage boost means that Garrus's weapon damage is much higher than the numbers make it seem so long as the enemy doesn't have shields or barriers, which Garrus has other ways of dealing with.

Jack
Shockwave: Heavy Shockwave
Pull: 0
Subject Zero: Primal Adept
Warp Ammo: Heavy Warp Ammo
(or)
Shockwave: 3
Pull: 2
Subject Zero: Primal Adept
Warp Ammo: Heavy Warp Ammo

Reason: Pull loses a lot of use on higher difficulties because all enemies start with protection, but Shockwave can stagger even protected enemies, opening them up for gunfire and allowing it to retain some use. Warp Ammo is a significant boost to Jack's weapon damage and the evolution should not be given up regardless of which path Jack takes. If the player does want to use Pull, it is better to take the points out Shockwave; level 2 Pull gets the job done with Warpsplosions. Primal Adept is chosen because, regardless of what is done with Jack's active powers, she does best when she is able to use them as often as possible.

Grunt
Concussive Shot: 3
Incendiary Ammo: Inferno Ammo
Krogan Berserker: Krogan Warlord
Fortification: 2

Reason: The 50% armor boost from level 2 Fortification gets the job done in terms of Grunt's defenses. Anything else is just overkill. That's why Inferno Ammo and Krogan Warlord were chosen to bump up his damage. Level 3 Concussive Shot also gives Grunt some utility in getting rid of enemy barriers.

Tali
Combat Drone: Explosive Drone
AI Hacking: 0
Quarian Machinist: Quarian Mechanic
Energy Drain: Area Drain

Reason: Explosive Drone was chosen because the alternative simply won't last long enough to do anything on higher difficulties. AI Hacking was left alone because evolving it would require sacrificing either Quarian Machinist or Energy Drain, neither of which is worth it. Because AI Hacking is not used and the Drone will get destroyed regardless, Quarian Mechanic was chosen because the weapon damage boost is more valuable. As always, Area Drain was chosen because enemies, especially the geth that it is most useful against, tend to cluster together.

Thane
Throw: 3
Warp: Heavy Warp
Drell Assassin: Drell Marksman
Shredder Ammo: 2

Reason: Throw is brought up to level three to accommodate situations where an enemy can be killed by sending them off a ledge. Heavy Warp was chosen to focus on wearing down armor and barriers. Drell Marksman was chosen because the extra health from the alternative is nowhere near worth giving up a 50% weapon damage bonus. Shredder Ammo is not a good skill, but unless you're willing to do Lair of the Shadow Broker early, there's nothing else to spend points on. If you are willing to play LOtSB early, the points in Shredder Ammo should be used to get Throw Field instead.

Samara
Throw: Throw Field
Pull: 0
Asari Justicar: Sapiens Justicar
Reave: Area Reave
(or)
Throw: 3
Pull: 2
Asari Justicar: Sapiens Justicar
Reave: Area Reave

Reason: The usual problem with Pull on higher difficulties applies. Throw provides some crowd control of its own on unprotected enemies and can insta-kill multiple husks at once if Throw Field is chosen. If Pull is desired for Warpslosions, the points should be taken out of Throw. Reave is one of the game's best powers, which is why it should be evolved to affect as many enemies as possible. Sapiens Justicar was chosen so that Reave can be used as often as possible.

Legion
AI Hacking: 3
Combat Drone: Explosive Drone
Geth Infiltrator: Geth Assassin
Geth Shield Boost: 2
(or)
AI Hacking: Area AI Hacking
Combat Drone: 0
Geth Infiltrator: Geth Assassin
Geth Shield Boost: Improved Geth Shield Boost

Reason: AI Hacking is another power that loses value on higher difficulties. Still, it can be useful since Legion has to put points into it anyway. Explosive Drone works well with Legion's recharge speed bonus. Two levels of Geth Shield Boost along with Legion's unique upgrades gets the job done defensively, so the attack bonus of Geth Assassin gets better results. Alternately, Combat Drone can be left alone and those points put into Legion's other powers. If it can be pulled off, turning multiple enemies against their companions can be very useful, and Improved Geth Shield boost makes Legion an even better marksman.

Zaeed
Concussive Shot: 2
Disruptor Ammo: 3
Mercenary Veteran: Mercenary Warlord
Inferno Grenade: Heavy Inferno Grenade

Reason: Zaeed's weapon damage is high enough that Disruptor Ammo doesn't need to be evolved unless Shepard doesn't have any ammo powers. Mercenary Warlord was chosen because, as with Thane, a 50% weapon damage boost is too good to give up. Unlike other direct damage powers, Inferno Grenade's base AOE is already on par with the area evolutions of other powers, so it was evolved for maximum damage instead.

Kasumi
Shadow Strike: Deadly Shadow Strike
Overload: 0
Master Thief: Master Infiltrator
Flashbang Grenade: Improved Flashbang Grenade

Reason: Deadly Shadow Strike was chosen because killing an enemy is not guaranteed, and increasing the damage makes better use of Shadow Strike's multipliers against protections. Overload was left alone because Shadow Strike already does double damage against shields, while also doing double damage against armor and barriers, making Overload redundant. Improved Flashbang Grenade was chosen because Flashbang Grenade's damage leaves something to be desired no matter which evolution is chosen, but its disabling effect is unique among player powers, so it is better to capitalize on that with the Improved version. Master Infiltrator was chosen because Shadow Strike and Flashbang Grenade are both great abilities that Kasumi should be able to use as often as possible.