*spoilers* Which specialist survives?

[mattig]

Hello all, I'm trying to get through the ending of the game. Every time I played through this game in the past, I always sent legion in, and he always survives. But now, I sent him in and he died. Then I tried tali, and she died.

Is there a rule of thumb to who lives and dies?

just to be clear, I did accidently romance jack. and all my guys did their loyalty missions.

[Kenny32673]

You mean into the vents?

It's been a while but if I remember correctly your choice of fire team leader decides whether the tech specialist lives or dies. Choose Garrus, Miranda or Jacob for that role and Legion, Tali or Kasumi as the tech specialist and it should be good.

Anyone else as the fire team leader means your squad are not as organised as they could be and can't prevent your tech specialist from getting shot in the face.

[Supermarine]

I chose Samara as the leader (which everyone praised) and Legion for the vents because I didn't want to risk Tali. Legion took a shot to the head and died instantly just after getting the job done. Everyone was loyal.

[Kenny32673]

Yep. Samara is not a good fire team leader. She is good for the biotic bubble though.

[mattig]

so its my team leader? interesting. I was choosing zaheed, figuring his years of combat experience and neutrality with the whole rivlarly between jack and miranda. I'll give it a shot and see what happens.

[Supermarine]

Originally posted by MonkeySeeker:

Yep. Samara is not a good fire team leader. She is good for the biotic bubble though.

For that I chose Jack, and obviously succeeded. I believe she's the best for that job. See below for more on Samara.

Originally posted by mattig89ch:

so its my team leader? interesting. I was choosing zaheed, figuring his years of combat experience and neutrality with the whole rivlarly between jack and miranda. I'll give it a shot and see what happens.

Quite strange... I actually chose Samara because of 800+ years of experience...

[Kenny32673]

Yeah Jack's good for the biotic bubble too (as is Morinth if you choose her over Samara).

Zaeed is terrible as a team leader, all his stories end with his squad dead and him as the only survivor which is a clue as to his abilities. He is however great for holding the line at the end as is Garrus and Grunt who can hold the line all on his own and walk out of it alive.

There's only two sometimes three squadmembers who are good for each role.

Tali, Legion or Kasumi in the vents.
Miranda, Jacob or Garrus as the fireteam leader (on either of the two occassions)
Jack, Samara or Morinth as the biotic (NEVER Miranda, loyal or not she will fail)
Tali or Mordin are best choices to send back as crew escorts since they are the squishiest squad members and have the highest chance of dying holding the line.

[mattig]

Belive it or not I have beaten the game a few times already. looking back now, about 9 or so. but its been a few years since I even turned on this game. so I know some things about it, but I don't remember all of it. I'm beating the game again, because I lost my previous saves, and only just got me3.

As the crew escort back, I choose samara and grunt. grunt gets them there, but a few die, and samara always gets them there no problem. I never did try anyone else for that role. And right at the end, I always take the good doctor and tali (mainly because I always felt they were the squishiest, and needed to be looked after). also, I always have jack do the bubble, she hasn't let me down yet.

[mattig]

when your right, your right! I let garrus lead, and legion survived. Woo! now time to mop on my remianing quests and play it through one more time for that widow sniper rifle.

Though I am curious what happens in me3 when you romance someone else. I might try for miranda next, and see what happens.

anywho thanks all!

[Stoob]

I was only ever able to get Kasumi out of the vents alive, but I always let Miranda lead the fire team. I usually sent Mordin or Tali with the crew, because they seemed most randomly squishy in the final fight where you have no control over the circumstance. But then, I pondered that to get Mordin out alive, possibly you have to have that final convo with him where he says that now Maelon is sorted out, he can concentrate on the task at hand or something to that effect. And maybe something similar for Tali. Been a while. :)

[Kenny32673]

Whether you have the final conversation with Mordin has no effect on anything. The hold the line part is based on an average defensive score. Each squad mate has a defensive score and the average is worked out based on who is left holding the line.

The average score requirements are different depending on how many people are left holding the line, though the required average for everybody still alive to stay alive remains at 2.0.

If you have 5 or more holding the line then:

• If the average score of everybody left behind is 2.0 or more then everybody survives.
  
• If the average score is 1.5 or higher but less than 2.0 then 1 squadmate dies.
  
• If the average score is 0.5 or higher but less than 1.5 then 2 squadmates die.
  
• If the average score is less than 0.5 then 3 squadmates die.

If you have 4 holding the line then:

• If the average score of everybody left behind is 2.0 or more then everybody survives.
  
• If the average score is higher than 1.0 but less than 2.0 then 1 squadmate dies.
  
• If the average score is 0.5 or higher but less than or equal to 1.0 then 2 squadmates die.
  
• If the average score is less than 0.5 then 3 squadmates die.
  
• If the average score is exactly 0.0 then everybody dies.

If you have 3 holding the line then:

• If the average score of everybody left behind is 2.0 or more then everybody survives.
  
• If the average score is 1.0 or higher but less than 2.0 then 1 squadmate dies
  
• If the average score is greater than 0.0 but less than 1.0 then 2 squadmates die
  
• If the average score is exactly 0.0 then everybody dies.

If you have 2 holding the line then:

• If the average score of everybody left behind is 2.0 or more then everybody survives.
  
• If the average score is gretaer than 0.0 but less than 2.0 then 1 squadmate dies.
  
• If the average score is exactly 0.0 then everybody dies.

If you have just 1 left holding the line then:

• If their score is at least 2.0 they survive.
  
• Less than 2.0 and they die.

1 person always survives Holding the Line unless the average is 0.0 or they're the only defender with a value less than 2.0. If the one person who survived Holding the Line is the only surviving squadmate from the whole mission, the game will play it as if everyone had died. This is because you need at least 2 surviving squadmates for Shepard to live.

Defensive scores:

• Garrus, Grunt and Zaeed have the highest scores (4 each if loyal, 3 if not)
  
• Thane, Legion, Jacob, Samara/Morinth and Miranda have the next highest (2 each if loyal, 1 if not)
  
• Kasumi, Tali, Mordin and Jack have the lowest scores (1 each if loyal, 0 if not) - So if for example you have all 4 of these holding the line and take two of your stronger crew with you to the final battle then that will obviously bring the average score down and 1 or more squadmates will die.

Death priority order:

Non-loyal squadmates have priority over loyal, then weaker squadmates have priority over stronger ones (so if Legion is non loyal and Mordin is loyal for example then Legion would die first, assuming your average score is <2.0).

01. Mordin
02. Tali
03. Kasumi
04. Jack
05. Miranda
06. Jacob
07. Garrus
08. Samara/Morinth
09. Legion
10. Thane
11. Zaeed
12. Grunt

This is taken from a much more detailed guide on the whole suicide mission by BSN member Pacifien here[social.bioware.com]