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Mass Effect • Walkthrough • Side Missions • Classes • Characters • Equipment • Gameplay • Planet Guide • Achievements • Downloadable Content

Contents 1 Upgrades 1.1 Weapon Upgrades 1.2 Ammo Upgrades 1.3 Armor Upgrades 2 Equipment Licenses

Upgrades

Placing an upgrade in a slot (X button on the equipment menu) will improve its performance in some way. Low level equipment has one upgrade slot while high-level equipment has two slots.

Weapon Upgrades

Levels I to III

• Combat Sensor: reduces sensor jamming. Not really helpful.
• Heat Sink: allows more shots before overheating, a great upgrade for any weapon
• High-Caliber Barrel: more damage, but lower rate of fire and heat absorption. At higher levels this upgrade is called rail extension and scram rail.
• Improved Sighting: 5% better accuracy
• Recoil Damper: reduces kickback to improve accuracy.

Levels IV to VII

• Combat Scanner: more effective than combat sensor, but still not worth it.
• Kinetic Stabilizer: similar to recoil damper, but more effective.
• Rail Extension: more damage, but lower rate of fire and heat absorption. Similar to rail extension and high-caliber barrel.

Levels VIII to X

• Combat Optics: reduces sensor jamming and gives a slight stability bonus
• Frictionless Materials: similar to heat sink, but more effective
• Kinetic Coil: similar to kinetic stabilizer, but more effective
• Scram Rail: more damage, but lower rate of fire and heat absorption. Similar to rail extension and high-caliber barrel

Ammo Upgrades

The ammo upgrade slot is accessed in the same place as the weapon upgrade for that weapon. You can only have one ammo upgrade per weapon.

Levels I to III

• Anti-Personnel: does 15% more damage against organic targets, normal damage against synthetic targets.
• Armor Piercing: does 15% more damage against synthetic targets (including geth), normal damage against organic targets.
• Chemical: additional damage over time
• Hammerhead: increases weapon force (chance of knocking down a target), excellent for use with shotguns. Not as effective as Sledgehammer rounds.
• Phasic: 20% of damage bypasses shields, but does 30% less damage
• Radioactive: increases your target's cool down times. Good mainly against biotic opponents.

Levels IV to VII

• Cryo: normal damage, 10% of damage bypasses shields, target gets a 20% accuracy penalty.
• Incendiary: 50 extra damage over 10 seconds, target gets a 10% accuracy penalty.
• Polonium: additional damage over time.
• Proton: 40% of damage bypasses shields, but does 20% less damage.
• Shredder: does 25% more damage against organic targets, normal damage against synthetic targets.
• Tungsten: does 25% more damage against synthetic targets (including geth), normal damage against organic targets.

Levels VIII to X

• High Explosive: five times the weapon force, but also five times the weapon heat.
• Inferno: additional damage over time.
• Sledgehammer: increases weapon force (chance of knocking down a target), excellent for use with shotguns.
• Snowblind: 20% extra damage, target's rate of fire and accuracy are impeded. An excellent all-around upgrade.

Armor Upgrades

Levels I to III

• Armor Plating: 5% better protection
• First Aid Interface: increases healing, reducing your need for medi-gel.
• Hardened Weave: 10% additional resistance to biotic and tech attacks.
• Motorized Joints: 10% additional hand to hand damage.
• Shield Battery: 40% stronger shields.
• Shield Regenerator: 15% faster shield regeneration
• Shock Absorbers: 10% less chance of being knocked down by gunfire or biotic attacks
• Stimulant Pack: cooldown times decreased by 5%
• Toxic Seals: 30% less toxic damage

Levels IV to VII

• Ablative Coating: 10% better protection
• Energized Weave: shields recharge 20% faster, 15% additional resistance to biotic and tech attacks.
• Exoskeleton: 25% additional hand to hand damage, 30% less chance of being knocked down by gunfire or biotic attacks
• Kinetic Buffer: 10% faster cool down times
• Medical Interface: increases healing, 30% less toxic damage
• Shield Modulator: stronger shields

Levels VIII to X

• Combat Exoskeleton: 25% additional hand to hand damage, 50% less chance of being knocked down by gunfire or biotic attacks
• Energized Plating: 15% better protection
• Kinetic Exoskeleton: shields recharge 25% faster
• Medical Exoskeleton: increases healing, 50% less toxic damage
• Shield Interface: stronger shields

Equipment Licenses

Before you're allowed to purchase equipment from a manufacturer you must purchase a license. These licenses are acquired from merchants you encounter during your adventures. There is also a level requirement for purchasing a license. Once you have a license, that manufacturer's equipment will be available for purchase from the requisitions officer on the Normandy.

Manufacturer	Cost	Level Requirement	Where to Buy
Hahne-Kedar	Free	1	You start the game with this license
Spectre	Free	1	Automatically when you get the Xbox live achievement "Rich"
Aldirn Labs	100	1	Citadel, C-Sec
Elanus Risk Control	100	1	Citadel, Lower Market
Elkoss Combine	100	1	Citadel, Upper Market
Sirta Foundation	100	1	Citadel, Financial District
Ariake Tech	6280	18	Citadel, C-Sec
Armali Council	6280	18	Virmire, Salarian Camp or the Asari Diplomacy side mission.
Devlon Industries	6280	18	Citadel, Financial District
Haliat Armory	6250	18	Feros, Zhu's Hope
Rosenkov Materials	6280	18	Noveria, Port Hanshan
Armax Arsenal	30000	36	Citadel, Upper Market
Geth Armory	30000	36	Citadel, Lower Market
Kassa Fabrication	30000	36	Citadel, C-Sec
Serrice Council	30000	36	Citadel, Financial District

The Spectre gear is arguably the best gear in the game. To get it, you must get the "Rich" achievement, and to get that achievement all you have to do is get 1,000,000 credits. When you get close to this amount, sell all of your excess gear until you have the required amount. Then visit the Requisition Officer on the Normandy to buy the gear. Once you have the achievement you won't loose access to the gear if your funds drop below a million credits. You also gain access to Spectre gear for all your careers.