Infiltrator Guide (Mass Effect 2)

See also: Mass Effect 1 Infiltrator Guide

Infiltrator is the most rogue-like class of Mass Effect 2, and combines the versatility of tech skills with the freedom of attacking at long range from sniper rifles. Sniper rifles provide opportunities to eliminate groups of targets at extreme range presenting very little risk to the rest of the party. The available tech skills allow you to deal with shielded, armored and regenerating enemies, leaving only barriers as the only defense you'll need NPC aid to counter easily.

The Infiltrator is the quintessential sniper class, and an expert at guerrilla warfare.

Talents
The selection of a character's talents can be an important choice, as there are only a limited number of skill points that may be assigned. Indeed, there are not enough points to raise every skill to its maximum, though you can raise many to that level, and a number of skills are useful at a certain level.

Combat
Pistols: Pistols can be useful in close quarters and their higher rate of fire, when compared to a sniper rifle, makes them better suited against quickly moving enemies at mid to short range. Pistols are more effective against armored enemies, than against shielded or barriered enemies.

Sniper Rifles: Sniper rifles are the single most damaging mode of attack for an infiltrator. Sniper Rifles, like the pistols, are very effective against armored enemies, but weak against shielded or barriered enemies.

Submachine Guns: SMGs are rapid fire weapons that can be used in close range combat. Very effective against shielded or barriered enemies.

Tech
Disruptor Ammo: The disruptor ammo is very effective against shields and synthetics. When upgraded, the % of weapon damage is increased and the duration of overheating and disabling an enemy is also increased. After the maxed level, one can choose either Heavy disruptor ammo or Squad Disruptor Ammo. Heavy Disruptor ammo is preferred because it increases the damage of your weapons on shields tremendously. Snipers are weak against shields, but with the heavy disruptor ammo, snipers become strong against shields.

Recommended: 4-Heavy Disruptor Ammo

Cryo Ammo: Cryo Ammo gives a chance for a player to freeze the enemy. As good as it sounds, it is not effective on higher difficulties. What I want is a build that is good for all difficulties. Cryo ammo isn't the skill that promises that. It only freezes the enemy when they have no defenses.(health)With the enemies stacking up barriers/shields with armors and health, freezing them is going to take a long and hard time.

Recommended:0

Tactical Cloak: This is the infiltrator's bread and butter. Tactical Cloak gives the infiltrator many options. It can be used for flanking, backstabbing, escaping, sniping, etc. It has a great synergy with the SMG, pistol, and most importantly the sniper rifle. Tactical Cloak + SMG makes the infiltrator the HIGHEST DPS class in game. That is why we are going to max this skill to assassination. It will be explained why assassination is specialized.

Recommended:4-Assassination Cloak

Incinerate: One of my favorite skills in Mass Effect 2, incinerate burns through armor and health. It is very effective against armor. What the infiltrator can do with this build is take out a range of enemies, from barriered, to shielded, and to armored. And incinerate scratches the armored ones off. Like the disruptor ammo, incinerate is maxed out, but its up to the individual to choose the specialization.

Recommended:4-Heavy Incinerate/Area Incinerate

AI Hacking: As I have mentioned above, this build is a build that will work in all difficulties. AI hacking won't cut it when it's on insane. It's practically useless. When enemy shields are stacked up, it can't be hacked! That means you have to shoot down the shields, then hack. It's a waste of time, and seriously your job is to bring a synthetic down, and you already have the skill to do that, disruptor ammo. Like the cryo ammo, Ai hacking isn't worth the points.

Recommended:0

Operative: Well I told you I was going to explain why I chose the assassination Cloak, well here it is. But first, let's look at the operative. There are 2 specializations, Agent and Assassin. Agent gives better CDs on skills, more health and also more paragon/renegade pts. Assassin on the other hand grants more weapon damage, a more sniper slowdown while scoped. Assassin would be the better option because of all the investment into ammo abilities because they work off the modifier for weapon damage (and the additional 6% works off of that) with the choice of agent if want to be able to access paragon or renegade options earlier or feel the need to get 5% more health over the weapon damage.

Recommended:4-Assassin

Bonus Talent Warp Ammo: As I have mentioned before, the infiltrator basically has shield and armor counters, but what about barriers? Well, warp ammo is the answer. Heavy Warp Ammo increases the weapon damage by 50% against barriers. I maxed incinerate and disruptor ammo, and the same will go to the warp ammo. Max it to the Heavy Warp ammo. Your snipers will be great against barriers, and with assassination cloak, enemies will drop quick.

Recommended:4-Heavy Warp Ammo

Skills and explanations: The Infiltrator build I have listed above is meant for one thing and for one thing only, bring your enemies DOWN! With the disruptor ammo as your disposal, no shielded and synthetic enemies can stand in your way, with incinerate, no armored enemies will stand in your way, with warp ammo, no barriered enemies will stand in your way. To add insult to injury, assassination cloak might just be an overkill. With all these skills put together, all enemies will be destroyed at your mercy.