Forum:Ally Achievements

I have read many forums and FAQs about the ally achievements and they all seem to have conflicting information. I think if any site should have the most complete and accurate information about the achievements, it should be this one, since so many people seem to have trouble with these achievements, especially the Asari one. On other forums people may list how many assignments/quests they have done with the characters in their party and/or at what point in the game they received the achievements, but almost everything I've seen seems to be missing some relevant piece(s) of information or conflicts with something else said about it. That's why I think this site could use a page dedicated to those achievements alone with more detailed information about them.

The only information I could find here was on the Achievements page which says that you must complete the majority (75%) of the game with that character, and lists how many missions and assignments that is for each. For the Asari, it says you must complete 13 missions and 51 side quests with Liara. There are only 14 missions total that you can complete with her; Feros, the ten Noveria missions, Virmire, Ilos, and Race Against Time. However, I have read that people have gotten the achievement for Liara before going to Ilos, such as upon finishing Virmire or during the Citadel detention, but that would mean a total of 12 missions were completed with Liara at that point in the game (all but Ilos and Race Against Time). There could be an explanation though; if the mission in which you find Liara counts towards the Asari achievement, since she is with you when you complete the mission, however she is not technically a member in your party, so I wouldn't think it would count. Of course, there is also the possibility that the people who have claimed this are mistaken, but I have read multiple accounts of people saying they received the Asari Ally achievement before going to Ilos. It would be nice to have some clarification on these issues; whether or not the mission in which you find Liara counts towards her achievement, if this information is known, and whether it is in fact 12 or 13 missions which need to be completed with her.

The 51 assignments requirement does coincide with what others have said as far as I remember, although I am not sure. There are a total of 61 assignments in the game (not including Bring Down The Sky), 58-59 of which you can get during one playthrough (only one of three of the assignments based on Shepard's background, and I am not sure of whether or not it is possible to get both 75% Paragon and Renegade in your first playthrough (without using the glitch), but I think the average player wouldn't get both in one playthrough, so you would typically only get one of the two morality assignments). And many people have said it is not necessary to complete the five UNC collection assignments to get the achievement, so subtracting those five assignments would bring the total down to 53-54 assignments. It is reasonable to assume that is correct, as it is likely people didn't complete a couple other assignments, or did not have Liara in their party when they did (such as in one of the Garrus, Wrex, or Tali assignments), and would potentially miss a couple others. And I have read accounts in which people have said they did exactly that and still managed to get the Asari Ally achievement. So, I assume this information is in fact correct, although it seems awfully close.

Also, a few other issues/uncertainties that have been brought to my attention from reading forums; A lot of people seem to think that it is necessary to not initiate the quests until the ally is in your party, for example the assignments on the Citadel, because supposedly they will not count unless the ally is in your party from the moment the quest appears in your journal. However, I do not believe this is true, as a good amount of the UNC assignments are received while on the Normandy when there is no one in your party. Also, if that were true I believe it would be impossible to complete the 51 assignments with Liara, assuming that this site is correct in that. So, if a page were made for these achievements, I think it would be good to point out that it is not necessary to refrain from receiving quests before you have acquired the desired ally, or if someone has information to the contrary, although it seems unlikely, then it would be very useful to point that out as well.

Another uncertainty I have come across is whether completing the five UNC collection assignments while on a planet, with the allies in your party, as oppose to on the Normandy while surveying, will count towards the achievements or not. Assuming you don't make a point to complete the assignments while on a planet, it is likely that you will complete one or two of them on the Normandy, so this could be relevant information as well. I would assume they would count if completed on the planets, but I am not 100% sure, so if someone does know for sure whether or not they count, it would be good to point that out as well.

I'm sure there are other issues and questions people have come across, but that is all I can think of at the moment. Many people have claimed that the ally achievements are bugged because, I think, they simply do not have answers to these questions, and because there are so many conflicting reports about what people have done to get these achievements. I use this site regularly while playing Mass Effect, and I have yet to find one piece of information, besides these ally achievement issues, that is not discussed on this site. I think it would be great to finally have an end-all to all these questions and issues that have been asked/brought up so many times, if someone actually does have the answers. So, I guess I am requesting the addition of a page dedicated to the Ally Achievements, with more detailed information about them in general, and for each ally specifically, especially Liara since hers is the most difficult. And I hope what I have written would help serve as a pointer of some of the common issues people have expressed, and have not yet received definitive answers. If anyone could oblige or perhaps offer a little insight, that would be wonderful, and I think the mass effect community would be very grateful. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

PS - Sorry for the length.