.1B.03. Fighting and Cover

Learn the core mechanics of combat in Mass Effect! Master cover, enemy tactics, squad AI, weapon ranges, and vital health regeneration to survive every firefight.

Alright, let's talk about staying alive in a firefight in Mass Effect. The game does a pretty good job explaining the basics of cover, but it's worth hammering home: your best bet in most situations is to fight from cover, with your back to the danger. Seriously, if you see cover, expect enemies to be right around the corner.

You'll run into a few types of enemies. Some are slow and steady, others will charge right at you, but most will hang back and shoot from a distance. The ones that charge, even though they seem a bit dim, are often the most dangerous because they close the distance so fast. Always make them your first priority.

For those enemies who prefer to snipe from afar, get a feel for their firing patterns. Most will shoot for about five seconds, maybe a bit longer for heavy weapons because of the projectile travel time, and then duck back into cover. Once you've got the timing down, you can actually pop out of your cover and start shooting *as* their stream ends, not after they've completely retreated. This lets you get in more damage.

On lower difficulties, you might get away with not using cover if enemies can't hit you due to angles. But honestly, staying in cover is the best way to let your health and armor regenerate. It's your main healing mechanic, so use it!

Your squadmates' AI can really change based on what weapon they're using. Give them a Sniper Rifle, and they'll usually hang back and take potshots. Give them a Shotgun, and they'll rush in close, sometimes without much regard for their own safety. With other weapons, they'll find a middle ground, using cover and only moving when they absolutely have to. You can give them orders, but sometimes there's a bit of a delay before they act on them.

Your distance from an enemy really matters for damage. For pretty much everything except sniper rifles, your weapons will do double damage at short range – think about five paces away. Just remember, enemies get that damage bonus too!

Where you hit an enemy also makes a big difference. Aiming for the head means more damage, and you can target their heavy weapon packs, arms, or legs too. Don't forget about melee, either. At very close range, you can knock back enemies without defenses with your fists, but it's usually not the best strategy since other enemies can still shoot you while you're busy brawling.

See red veins popping up on your screen? That's your cue that you're critically low on health. Immediately find cover and wait about 5 seconds. Your armor and health will start regenerating. If you can't get to cover fast enough, just sprint away. You've got about 12 seconds of sprint before needing an 8-second cooldown. There's no med-kit pickup or anything like that – waiting for regen is your only option.

It's also a smart move to reload your weapon while you're safely in cover. Reloading takes about 1.5 seconds. Here’s a pro-tip: you can often time your reloads, ability uses, and peeking out of cover to happen almost simultaneously. You can even reload and use abilities at the same time, whenever you need to.