M-96 Mattock

The M-96 Mattock Heavy Rifle is an assault rifle in Mass Effect 2.

In-Game Description
Medium-range, semi-automatic rifle effective against armor, shields, and barriers. Upgrades the Avenger assault rifle.

The Mattock is a semi-automatic hybrid weapon with an assault rifle's low heat production and a sniper rifle's punch. Though it does not have a sniper rifle's precision scope, marksmen favor its increased power over that of an assault rifle to bring down hardened targets. Its lack of a full-auto setting is advertised as a feature rather than a shortcoming since it curbs a soldier's tendency to spray inaccurate fire under stress.

Acquisition
Available through purchase of the Firepower Pack DLC.

Squad Use
This weapon can be used by Garrus, Grunt, Legion, Samara/Morinth, and Zaeed. Squad members are even more effective with the Mattock than they are with the Vindicator making it the most powerful assault rifle in the hands of an ally.

Player Notes

 * On the battlefield, the M-96 Mattock fills a tactical role similar to that of the M-15 Vindicator or an M-97 Viper, functioning as a high-accuracy, semi-automatic battle rifle with a smaller ammo reserve but strong armor-piercing capabilities. As it lacks fully automatic fire, it is not recommended for close-range fighting against large waves of attackers, especially husks.
 * The entire clip can be emptied during the course of one unevolved Adrenaline Rush or one Hardened Adrenaline Rush, making it a good alternative to the Vindicator for a Soldier. Although the entire clip cannot be emptied during the course of a single Heightened Adrenaline Rush, the higher weapon damage bonus granted by Heightened Adrenaline Rush (+140% as opposed to +100%) aids in conserving the Mattock's limited ammo reserve. This makes the M-96 Mattock one of the most effective weapons in Adrenaline Rush mode.
 * With all six possible assault rifle damage upgrades, the penetration upgrade, a Kuwashii Visor equipped, and Heightened Adrenaline Rush active, the M-96 Mattock will inflict approximately 180 damage to an enemy with a headshot. This is double the base damage of the M-97 Viper with no upgrades. Adding Armor Piercing Ammo, Warp Ammo or Inferno Ammo can increase this value to nearly 220 damage per headshot, which is comparable to a round from the M-92 Mantis.
 * The Mattock appears to have an increased chance of disabling synthetics and causing weapon overheat when using Disruptor Ammo and an increased chance of "bursting" when using Inferno Ammo.

Trivia

 * The Mattock was balanced differently from other assault rifles. The rifle does very high damage per shot, but offsets this by significantly limiting the ammo available, forcing players to make each shot count.
 * A Mattock is a hand tool similar to a pickaxe, that was often used by infantry as a form of improvised pole-arm during the Middle Ages.
 * Like the Vindicator, the Mattock fires on full-auto during cutscenes despite being semi-automatic.