User blog:LilyheartsLightning/The MEWiki Arsenal Awards 2012

In Mass Effect 1, you didn't get new weapons; you got new numbers. Mass Effect 2 changed up the system, so that you get functionally different weapons...well, two or three of each category without DLC.

Mass Effect 3 introduced a large arsenal of weapons and added more weapons through both single-player and multiplayer DLC. Each weapon bears different functionality, with different balances between power, capacity, accuracy, weight, and other attributes.

But what weapons are considered the best? Is there a weapon which holds a significantly larger share of fans than others of its type?

This series of polls will determine which weapons are favoured by the Mass Effect Wiki Community. There is one poll for each category of weapon, with the top-scoring weapons in each category entering into a final poll to determine the best weapon of Mass Effect. Heavy weapons present in Mass Effect 2 but absent in ME3 are included in the heavy weapons poll.

Best Assault Rifle? Adas Anti-Synthetic Rifle Cerberus Harrier Chakram Launcher Collector Assault Rifle Geth Pulse Rifle M-8 Avenger M-15 Vindicator M-37 Falcon M-55 Argus M-76 Revenant M-96 Mattock M-99 Saber N7 Typhoon N7 Valkyrie Particle Rifle Phaeston Striker Assault Rifle

Best Heavy Pistol? Acolyte Arc Pistol Executioner Pistol M-3 Predator M-5 Phalanx M-6 Carnifex M-77 Paladin M-358 Talon N7 Eagle Scorpion

Best Shotgun? AT-12 Raider Disciple Geth Plasma Shotgun Graal Spike Thrower M-11 Wraith M-22 Eviscerator M-23 Katana M-27 Scimitar M-300 Claymore N7 Crusader N7 Piranha Reegar Carbine Venom Shotgun

Best SMG? Blood Pack Punisher Collector SMG Geth Plasma SMG M-4 Shuriken M-12 Locust M-25 Hornet N7 Hurricane

Best Sniper Rifle? Black Widow Collector Sniper Rifle Javelin Kishock Harpoon Gun Krysae Sniper Rifle M-13 Raptor M-29 Incisor M-90 Indra M-92 Mantis M-97 Viper M-98 Widow N7 Valiant

Best Heavy Weapon? Arc Projector Collector Particle Beam Geth Spitfire ML-77 Missile Launcher M-100 Grenade Launcher M-451 Firestorm M-560 Hydra M-622 Avalanche M-920 Cain Reaper Blackstar

Feel free to announce your picks in the comments section, or to discuss various weapons from the series.