Is Decryption A Bad Bonus Power?

[ShockerCyclone]

So i've been doing an Adept run with Decryption as a bonus but i'm begining to think it was a mistake as Assult Rifles and Electronics may have been a better choice. I thought it i had Decryp[tion the i could get into some computers but thats just for the bit on Virmire when you get to the camp. i only have AR, Decrypt and Elect unlocked so far.

What is the best option?

[stcaFylnO]

It might be better to bring an ally that has Decryption instead of burning the bonus slot on it.

The achievment-unlocks only function if the main character (Shepard) uses the talent, so maybe start some temporary characters (Soldier, Engineer, Sentinel), and spam the appropriate talent, then have more options when starting a new character?

I'm thinking about doing Marksman for an Adept, that way Shepard could atleast have a solid weapon. Master Marksman is... I don't want to say OP, but it is ludicrous.



add - and edited -

The pistol talent lasts long enough to wreck enemies, but the rifle's is pretty short duration. Only a second difference, but it feels like mroe, since the pistol doesn't spray wasted shots. It can even be toggled between with the sniper rifle's Assassination to melt enemies at longer range than what seems reasonable for a pistol.

As for Decryption vs. Electronics: Some objrects require the former, others the latter, so bringing a tech character is best. I forgot: Can't even bypass mini-game if talent rating isn't high enough. :/

[ShockerCyclone]

Actually i know Electronics boosts sheilds so thats a plus for that one.

[stcaFylnO]

Good point, that is nice. I didn't even think of that

[[MOSS]-BurningUp]

It depends on who your 2 favorite companions are as far as I know Decryption is one of the most important skills in the game. As an Adept I would assume you have Garrus in your party anyway I dunno.

[stcaFylnO]

I'm fooling around with a soldier today and trying out your Overload idea for more shields and to help strip enemy shields.

My memory was fuzzy regarding the rifle's Overkill, but now I recall why I didn't like it years ago... The pistol's Marksman is like a mini sniper tool and can even be toggled between the sniper's Assassination to wear down tough enemies at long range. The rifle's Overkill just sprays a lot of wasted ammo at such ranges. I always felt like it had a shorter duration, but that was just my fuzzy human brain; actually it is only a second shorter. It just feels less effective since it isn't as versatile; however, at proper ranges and especially versus large targets, it just wrecks things.

add- I forgot, the pistol achievment adds 25% duration for Marksman.

I'm with BurningUp, I tend to look for talents that are missing from my squad buildup, or they are rare and goad me into using the same allies all the time (Hacking, Singularity, Neural Shock). Or, I look at what the character is missing, like a weapon for Adept.

[Synavix]

I just did my first adept playthrough on hardcore + insanity (2 runs back-to-back to hit 60) and I took decryption as well. It had been a really long time since I played the game, so I just took it because I saw a few people recommend it online. I....didn't like it. I took it mainly because I like to be able to open every container and door, but it's just so much easier to take one of the companions that know BOTH decryption and electronics by default.

I think if I tried it again I might go for AR training, but mostly just for early game. Like a few other people have said, the maxed out pistol skill is actually crazy good. Pinpoint accuracy (meaning you can actually use it to snipe enemies on ledges or thresher maws + turrets from far away) and you can just hold fire for the entire duration without ever worrying about overheating. At max rank it's almost ready again by the time the previous one ends. I was actually able to beat all of pinnacle station on Insanity with just the pistol.

In ME2 Insanity I took energy drain instead (steals shields) and so far I'm enjoying that choice a lot more.

[stcaFylnO]

ShockerCyclone,

Electronics/Overload on that Soldier was working fine, but I'd still rather have Barrier instead (more powerful). With a tech-head in party, I've never needed the Overload. I then started playing Wrex with Liara and Overload really was nice, but as Synavix was just talking about, I end up not having both techs. Even if I took Decryption/Sabotage, it still wouldn't be feasible due to the warning listed below:

Warning:
NPC allies only have 7 talent slots in wheel; on Liara, one of them seems dedicated for weapon related talents or possibly it is locked (bugged). This means Liara can't have all six of her biotic talents and the Elecctronics/Overload... she ends up with a blank space when the sixth biotic overwrites her Overload... this sucks. In contrast, Wrex can have all six combat & biotic talents, and then the seventh will auto adjust between Shotgun/Carnage and Rifle/Overkill (Wrex rulz). Beware, I think there is a similar bug with an Adept Shepard, where one talent gets displaced when using bonus talent.

add - Maybe it is just that Liara is bugged, because Kaiden can do seven powers :/
Kaiden has the same problem; too many force powers and not a single weapon talent. However, he can have all of them, so again, Shepard doesn't need Overload or Sabotage to help carry the load.

[ShockerCyclone]

So I gave it a lot of thought and I've restarted my Adept character with the Assault Rifle bonus. Extra shield might have been good for a Soldier but the Assault Rifle really is hard to beat in the early game combat. I'll be relying more on powers later once I get the cool down lower though. And if anyone's interested my plan was to romance Garrus in the later games.

[stcaFylnO]

I bet you'll love it.

I'm going to make one too, sounds fun; I was about to go with Shotgun/Carnage to use with Singularity, but both have a limited range. Your idea of AR allows for longer range shots and the spread can be tolerated, wihle providing higher DPS than pistol when swarmed.

---------------------------------

It has been so many years since I played this, I forget a lot of details. A few more problems with selecting a tech skill during my Soldier experiment:

He can't use an omni-tool, so no bonuses.

As stated earlier, Barrier is stronger and Shock Trooper bufs it further.

[Syad]

assault rifle is by far the best option on everyone unless you need a skill for some synergy or something, i don't remember anymore. Adept sure doesn't need anything. It's better than Pistols because you don't need to max AR, just a couple of points will suffice.

[Syad]

Originally posted by Synavix:

I was actually able to beat all of pinnacle station on Insanity with just the pistol.

Pistol is the best weapon in the game. ( player only, cause the AI doesn't use or doesn't use often
Marksman) Devs played too much Halo.

[stcaFylnO]

The AR Adept is working out well. I only had to spend 1 point to unlock Overkill, rather than 8 for Marksman, so by level 7, all powers were unlocked.

I grabbed Kaiden and Garrus, so now we have Neural Shock, Damp, and Singularity. We are only missing AI Hack, so Tali may be useful as an alternate. Also, with ~12 powers at low level, the enemies rarely get to attack (if in range of powers anyway).

I'm playing similar tactics as an Infilitrator: Hide allies out of LOS, have Shepard take cover in LOS, spam powers from followers via Shepard's LOS (won't work with weapon based talents though), then use Shepard when it is safe to lean out of cover... easy so far.

[Eternie]

Just a quick question are there any combos that can be done in ME1?
I know that was introduced to ME2 or ME3 tactic, having played all years ago my mind is fuzzy as well.

[stcaFylnO]

Not in ME1, sad to say. However, there is no linked timers, so if you take 3 power heavy characters, get two level X medical mods on each, then you can spam powers at an insane rate. Also, you can still debuff enemies in the chain of attacks, like Warp, then Overload, then others.

[Eternie]

I'm just replaying this time with an Engineer to get my remaining achievements in ME1 with liara and me having singularity and had hoped to use warp or overload for extra damage. However most detail in the wiki is about ME2 or 3.