Talk:Biotics

Shepard is a L3 because Kaidan says something like "I spike higher than L3s except for you, Commander."

Shepard would have to be an L3-R. L3's, according to the article, are 25 or younger. Shepard is around the age of 29 during the game, according to other articles. 76.15.134.106 03:17, 30 June 2008 (UTC)
 * This was originally mentioned under L2s: see |article history. --Tullis 06:49, 30 June 2008 (UTC)

Why are L3s 25 or younger? L3s were created 13 years ago. If L3s are 25 or younger, it means everyone gets an implant before they are 12 years old. But Kaidan was at least 16 when he got his implants. Then there is Shepard who seems can be a 29 year old L3. 98.197.189.78 15:36, 7 July 2008 (UTC)
 * *cracks open Galactic Codex: Essentials Edition 2183* "The optimal age of implantation is with the onset of puberty (around 12 years of age)." Same source says that L3s are all 25 or younger. I don't know, it seems odd to me. Humans were still figuring out biotics when the L2s were implanted, and the L1s had been implanted much too late to be useful. Maybe they were still experimenting and it wasn't until the L3s that they found the right implant and right age to use them at. As for Shepard being an L3... according to the GCEE there was another accidental exposure incident in 2154 which fits Shepard's birth date, but that still doesn't explain why Shepard (who is only a few years younger than Kaidan) wasn't at BAaT as well and (if biotic) doesn't have an L2 implant. Like I say - odd. --Tullis 15:47, 7 July 2008 (UTC)


 * "Optimal" doesn't necessarily mean that everyone gets their implants at puberty. Also keep in mind that the printed Galactic Codex was written by Microsoft based on our internal docs. While we did have a chance to edit it, we had only a couple of days while we were all working crunch to get the game finished. In the event of a discrepency between the print codex and the in-game dialogue and codex, defer to what's said in-game. *cracks open the dev team's timeline doc*
 * 2151 - A shipping accident at Singapore International Spaceport exposes downwind communities to containers of dust-form element zero. [Kaidan exposed in utero to element zero] Alliance begins construction of Arcturus Station.
 * 2152 - Roughly 30% of the children born in Singapore after element zero exposure suffer from cancerous growths. 70% seem normal.
 * 2154 - Shepard is born; apparently was exposed in utero to element zero.
 * 2156 - Some children of Singapore exhibit minor telekinetic abilities.
 * 2158 - Humans learn potential of biotics. Original exposures now actively tracked. Roughly 10% of the initial exposed children show some level of biotic ability. Kaidan and Shepard not detected.
 * 2160 - Conatix Ind. contracted to develop biotics program. BAaT training established on Jump Zero.
 * 2163 - Earliest human-compatible biotic implants attempted. L1 implants yield minimal results due to late implantation. Accidental exposures too infrequent to contribute to research in a meaningful way. Second generation exposures "arranged" in a number of drive system failures over populated areas.
 * 2166 - Turian "expert" brought in to Jump Zero to oversee biotic program.
 * 2167 - L2 implants created. Kaidan among first to get the new implants. His potential increases dramatically but with discomfort. Others yield "unfortunate" results.
 * 2168 - Shepard, 14 years old, received secondary exposure to element zero. Permanent biotic inclination manifests.
 * 2169 - Kaidan, 17 years old, accidentally kills trainer after being provoked. Diplomatic incident forces closure of BAaT training. Kaidan refuses further training.
 * 2170 - Biotic training assumed by military and select private R&D companies, renamed divisions of original Conatix Industries. L3 implants created.
 * 2171 - Shepard officially detected as a biotic and fitted with L3 implants at 17.
 * 2173 - Kaidan returns to military on his own terms. One of the few original biotics from the BAaT program that remains "stable." Refuses retrofit.
 * Stormwaltz 16:54, 7 July 2008 (UTC)


 * There we go, mystery solved. : ) I'll put another comment under the implant section. Thanks! --Tullis 18:31, 7 July 2008 (UTC)

Quarian Biotics?
Exactly when did Tali say there were Quarian biotics at all? In all my playthroughs I've heard her say anything about that or much at all, despite her being one of my allies several playthroughs. --Delsana 22:21, 17 May 2009 (UTC)
 * She says it in an elevator conversation with Kaidan. --Tullis 23:57, 17 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Oh well that makes sense, no wonder I've never seen it, I haven't used Kaiden and Tali together before. --Delsana 00:28, 18 May 2009 (UTC)

Calorie requirements
This line from the Codex has always stuck me as a bit odd:

"The standard Alliance combat ration for a soldier is 3000 calories per day; biotics are given 4500."

My brother is a soldier, and the standard calorie ration for him and his regiment is closer to 6000 calories a day, even when they're just on exercise. Either the Alliance is pumping some very nutritious air through its ships, or the human metabolism has got a lot more efficient. : ) --Tullis 17:03, 21 June 2009 (UTC)

The codex does say alliance soldiers receive a standardized package of genetic enhancements, and while complete re purposing is illegal making the metabolism more efficient would be well within legal bounds. That and it may be referring to a single ration, who knows how many rations per day they eat;) -Belial

Besides the possibility of genetically enhanced metabolisms, it's possible that Alliance soldiers simply don't do much. There are at least four marines on the Normandy whose only physical activity seems to be saluting Sheppard. There doesn't appear to be room for exercise equipment on the Normandy, and most marines on an Alliance vessel would probably only see action in the event of hostile boarding parties making it aboard the ship. Blueshield925 21:50, 9 July 2009 (UTC)


 * All good points. I guess it was too much to hope that someone in the future would invent chocolate air. --Tullis 03:02, 10 July 2009 (UTC)

What confuses me about this is that biotics such a large ration. The Codex says that biotics takes a toll on metabolism, but I can't figure out why it would. Biotics use their abilities by manipulaing the eezo nodules in their nervous systems. The last time I checked, the energy required to fire neurons was miniscule: a lot lower than a single calorie. So why would a biotic need half again the caloric intake of another soldier when all they're doing is thinking really hard? Blueshield925 06:19, 12 July 2009 (UTC)


 * I think it's because they have to generate enough current in order to generate a noticable effect from eezo nodules. All the implant does is sync everything up, and allow the user to turn it into something. It would probably require firing the neuron alot more often than normal, and with greater effect.