Biotic/Tech Explosions, vs just shooting.

[N7_Shadow]

I was surprised when looking at the global achievement stats, and less than 10% got the achievement for these achievements (biotic and tech combos). I can get the required number in one battle. So I wondered why so few get them.

Thinking about it for awhile, I think the problem lies in the fact that most tech and biotics do absolutely nothing to shields, barriers and armor. A few do something to armor.

But I think most people, after stripping shields/barriers, just figure it's easier to finish it off with the guns. And truthfully, it often is. Unless you are trying to preserve ammo, then it often makes no sense to pause for a second to do the combos.

I always that that was a bit off, that there wouldn't at least be biotic/tech combos that do significant damage to t shields, and barriers. You can do damage to armor with the proper combos, AFAIK, but it seems to be really insignificant compared to just using guns with mods and ammo designed to defeat armor.

For Mass Effect 4, I would like to see Biotics and Tech given a bit of a boost by allowing combos to either do significant damage to shield and barriers, or weaken them significantly, like Warp does to armor. So in this way, especially against the tougher enemies, you would want to get combos on them, as soon as possible, to debuff them.

[alexander_dougherty]

The problem is balance, give powers too much effect and you remove the need for guns...

What I personally do is wait until I get the shields/armour down to the point that a power will destroy the last vestiges of that shield/armour, seems to get the achievements that way.

Oh and some achievements only seem to work if they are done by a companion and not Shepard.... if more people get the power achievements the stats should shift...

[Replica]

I find it easy, ME 2's one is bugged so it takes ages but biotics are powerful, it's more a case of how you use them and many are more comfortable shooting- biotics as supplemental.

[alexander_dougherty]

Originally posted by Replica Velocity:

I find it easy, ME 2's one is bugged so it takes ages but biotics are powerful, it's more a case of how you use them and many are more comfortable shooting- biotics as supplemental.

Bit of a blend myself, using Biotics and Tech powers as much as shooting in the easy parts, focusing more on shooting in the harder parts, with Biotics and Tech used tactically

[MENACING!]

It's really well balanced in ME2. I love adepting on insanity, something often seen as not effective because of how biotics don't affect protected enemies. But remember biotic detonations have AoE, you should choose one enemy to strip from his defenses and, ideally, use your squad's Pull and your Warp. This takes one enemy and everyone elses defenses to at least half.

So it might be easy to kill with weapons, but a well placed biotic detonation is really powerful, and feels rewarding as hell.

[Mr Robert House]

I do hate how in ME1 overload etc ends up being a waste of time to cast, since your guns end up so powerful

Physics powers stay good though

[DeadBeat]

Power combos don't really start to shine until ME3 anyway. In ME2 you have your basic 'pull', 'warp' combo for a biotic explosion after protections have been removed whereas in ME3 you have tech bursts, fire explosions, cryo explosions and biotic explosions. You can cast incinerate on an armoured target such as a brute which primes it for a fire explosion. You can then cast warp to detonate the incinerate creating the said fire explosion while simultaneously priming the brute for a biotic explosion because warp acts like a primer and detonator. Next you hit it with a 'throw' and you get your biotic explosion.

incinerate>warp (fire explosion)/ warp now primer>throw (biotic explosion). Three powers are cast and the result is two explosions one fire and the other biotic. The strength of these explosions is predicated on the evolution of the lowest ranked power used. It's just learning the gameplay mechanics to increase the efficacy of these combos thereby making guns secondary rather than primary damage dealers in ME3 at any rate.

[5ean5ean]

I like how it is..... being a strip and shoot playstyle myself. More options is always better. I just don't like the power combo playstyle myself bc it's kinda boring.