Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer/Character Customization/Soldier

Soldiers are renowned for their impressive fire support, flexibility, and speed. Soldiers are masters at dealing weapon damage.

Human Soldier
Humans joined the galactic community after discovering a Prothean data cache on Mars in 2148. Their devotion to understanding and adapting to modern warfare left the staid Council races stunned. Humanity's persistence and unflappable spirit has taken them further than anyone in the galaxy could have imagined.

Alliance soldiers are renowned for their impressive fire support, flexibility, and speed. Humans have quickly integrated new technology into their combat gear and can unleash VIs, drones, and artillery on the battlefield.

Player Notes

 * General Notes
 * A human Soldier can use Adrenaline rush to not only increase damage inflicted significantly, but also in some cases increase their damage resistance and even give extra shielding.
 * Frag Grenades are a necessity since they can kill groups of enemies at once, which overcomes the Soldier's biggest weakness - being swamped by weak enemies.
 * Concussive Shot is a matter of personal choice, but it can lock down single enemies, or even groups if used correctly, as well as acting as a means of setting up detonations such as Fire Explosions, or Tech Bursts.
 * It's best to take a medium-heavy loadout approach, since Adrenaline Rush can be used quite frequently even with recharge speeds of -50 up to -70%.
 * If using Concussive Shot, consider a lighter loadout to make sure enemies are continually locked down by Concussive Shot, since you can use it more regularly.
 * With a low enough weight, a human Soldier can use a Revenant with magazine upgrade and Adrenaline rush to maintain a constant stream of slugs down range. This can allow a human Soldiers to do damage, constantly, something no other class or race can do without powers or team mates.
 * Cerberus
 * Guardians need to be dealt with with either Armor Piercing Rounds, or Piercing Mods or weapons with base piercing such as the Widow.
 * Consider using either a fast firing weapon when Phantoms are moving, or a powerful weapon (such as a sniper rifle) and aim for the head when they remain in cover or are stationary.
 * Atlases can be dealt with in any which way you see fit, but caution should be used since they will usually blow your shields off in just one shot, then your health will follow if you dont find cover quick.
 * A good tactic to deal with Atlases is to use Adrenaline Rush to auto-reload a weapon instantaneously - this allows single shot weapons to do double the damage in a short space of time, and for automatic weapons to keep up a continuous stream of fire.
 * Reapers
 * The heightened weapon damage from Adrenaline Rush allows weapons like the Paladin, Widow, Black Widow, or other anti-armor weapons to become extremely deadly against Brutes, Ravagers and Banshees.
 * Whether up close or at range, make sure you have at least one anti-armor weapon with you to combat said enemies.
 * For Banshees and Marauders, consider using an assault rifle or SMG, as these are most effective against their shields/barriers.
 * Geth
 * Geth are a bit of a nuisance with their Geth Hunters, Rocket Troopers, and Geth Primes constantly stunning you, but aside from the Geth Prime the geth have no instant-kill moves, so Soldiers can rest easy knowing they aren't going to get impaled. That being said, the stuns that you are hit with by said enemies can really hurt your effectiveness in combat.
 * Since every single enemy (Geth Troopers excluded) you encounter has at least a layer of shields, consider taking an anti-shield weapon such as the Reegar Carbine - which also fills the close quarters role in case Hunters or Pyros get too close.
 * Consider a sniper rifle for longer ranges, for softening the shields of enemies. *Using Adrenaline Rush after a fired shot to auto reload will devastate Rocket Troopers, Hunters (if you're lucky enough to see them) and Pyros. Use your medium-long range weapon until enemies get close, then switch to your close quarters weapon.

Krogan Soldier
Krogan are large bipeds native to the planet Tuchanka, a world known for its harsh environment, scarce resources, and vicious predators. Until the invention of gunpowder, the leading cause of krogan fatalities was "eaten by predators." Though slow, krogan can take tremendous damage in combat, allowing them to inflict grievous harm with impunity.

Armored like a tank--and as slow as one--an angry krogan has more going for it than the species' infamous belligerence. It should come as no surprise that a krogan dishes out as much punishment as they're able to take on the battlefield.

Player Notes

 * General Notes
 * Krogan are the most capable of withstanding damage out of all the races.
 * Krogan are however very slow, and not capable of rolling, or going from cover-to-cover. This means they are very susceptible (like turians and batarians) to instant-kill moves from Phantoms, Atlases, Brutes, and Banshees.
 * Krogan Soldiers are the most shielded and healthy of all the races and are the only Soldiers capable of improving their physical protection.
 * Rage can improve their protection by up to 30% and their Fortification skill can also give up to 30% protection - this makes them very resistant to small arms and capable of withstanding even the hardest of hits.
 * Alternatively, one can focus purely on raw melee damage, giving a 100% increase when Fortification is purged, 80% more melee when enraged, 95% melee as standard, and another 75% when a Heavy Melee kills an enemy. If one wishes, they can also equip a Bayonet on a shotgun, and a melee stunner on a pistol for a further 50% melee damage. This combination can give 400% extra melee damage, and that's without Strength Enhancers, which give a further 25,50, or 100% melee damage boost. All in all, with all these benefits you can potentially increase the strength of your melees five-fold. This colossal boost to damage can allow you to take out any infantry with a single heavy melee on Bronze, almost all of them on silver, and a great deal of them in just one or two hits on Gold. Be sure to purge Fortification every 15-20 seconds to maintain the additional 100% melee damage, but also make sure you re-apply Fortification to retain the 25% protection bonus. A further 5-15% melee damage bonus can be gained from the Hydraulic Joints gear.
 * Krogan Soldiers can also be loaded out with Fortification and Inferno Grenade. This combination (if Fortification isnt purged at all) means there are no power cooldowns to worry about and therefore you can give your krogan all the heavy weapons and become extremely effective at dealing and taking damage. However, Inferno Grenades are a finite supply.
 * Cerberus
 * Krogan can be devastating at close range, but be wary of Phantoms and Atlases - they can execute their instant kill moves and remove you from the fight outright. *If going for the Fortification-Inferno Grenade loadout, load a heavy assault rifle, and shotgun for a flexible all-range outfit. Remember, you cannot move quickly, so if a Phantom gets close try to retreat, melee it if you can or cause it to try evade you.
 * Reapers
 * Krogan can quickly tear through Reaper forces and it is tempting to run in regardless; since they are slow, if Banshees get close the player should make a tactical retreat since they can insta-kill you.
 * Brutes can be a dangerous too, but they can be dealt with swiftly with an anti-armor load out, such as the Claymore with the Shotgun Shredder mod.
 * Husks are great melee targets since they are physically frail, and once you gain Rage, you will be very difficult to kill.
 * Ravagers can deplete your shields and health quickly with their Swarmers and cannon, but efficient use of Inferno Grenades will neutralise that threat and render Ravagers vulnerable to a heavy melee attack.
 * Geth
 * A Krogans' bane. Since many of the geth are capable of stunning you with melee attacks, shotguns, rockets, or pulse cannons, sticking to cover is imperative to survive. While they cannot interrupt you when you are charging them with a heavy melee, you will often take significant damage just trying to deal with one enemy and can interrupt you if they hit you before you try the charge.
 * Use the same loadout as you would for Cerberus, shotgun and assault rifle, as this will give you a good all-range loadout.
 * Stick by your allies and stay behind something solid and ideally, has a good height, to prevent them from shooting you whilst in cover.

Turian Soldier
Turians adhere to a strict moral code: "The needs of the group outweigh that of the individual." Discipline is the foundation of turian society. A turian line never collapses; its troops fall back in order, setting ambushes as they go. You will only see a turian's back when they're dead.

Turians receive the best military training in the galaxy. Their proficiency with a wide range of weapons, as well as their unmatched focus and determination, make up for their lack of speed and agility. They are a redoubtable ally on any battlefield.

Player Notes

 * General Notes
 * The main strength of the turian Soldier is their ability to turn a fairly weak weapon into a very solid weapon choice, such as the N7 Hurricane, M-9 Tempest, or Geth Plasma SMG. They can improve their accuracy to decrease recoil, headshot damage to down targets faster, and/or rate of fire to give weapons an extremely high level of damage per second (DPS).
 * The turian Soldier excels with the Scimitar, as Marksman increases the weapon's fire cap, allowing the player to spam it into enemies at close range. This is incredibly effective on bronze, as regular infantry only require two body shots to be killed.
 * They can also utilise either Proximity Mines to damage multiple foes or weaken multiple foes, or the Concussive shot to lock-down enemies.
 * Turians also have higher than average shielding (750 minimum) and are capable of withstanding more damage than humans or vorcha. However, they are slow and cannot dodge, but they can do a cover-to-cover roll. This makes them prone to instant-kill moves.
 * Because they do have useful powers, it is recommended to keep to a moderate-light loadout to keep recharge times at a lowish level.
 * The player may wish to equip a secondary weapon like the Geth Plasma SMG just to be sure they have a second weapon should the first run out of ammunition. This loadout can - especially when the weapons are leveled up be fairly light, allowing great balance between powers and weapons.
 * Cerberus
 * This is where turian Soldiers excel. Their lethality against infantry enable them to kill even Phantoms in no time at all.
 * However, be careful around Phantoms since they can instantly kill you more easily than some races as you cannot roll away.
 * A fast firing weapon (ideally with good damage) works really well here, such as the Phaeston, Hurricane, or M-76 Revenant as it can be sprayed across infantry, softening them up for allies.
 * While they can also kill Atlases, they take longer to kill. Utilise a Revenant and a Piercing mod to ensure you can take on armoured opponents.
 * Reapers
 * Turians can have trouble with Banshees and Brutes, since they close in on a player that cannot retreat quickly, but are deadly against everything else. *Consider loading out an M-92 Mantis for anti-armour, and either a Geth Plasma SMG, Hurricane, or Phaeston to destroy the barriers and general killing.
 * Because the slow speed of turians, make sure to avoid contact with Banshees.
 * Geth
 * Stick to cover when you can to avoid being stunned as much by the Geth Hunters, Primes, and Rocket Troopers, as they will quickly destroy you if you let them, since you cannot dodge their attacks easily.
 * Since all geth are shield-based (except Geth Troopers), equip a fast firing and high damaging weapon like the Hurricane, or Geth Plasma SMG.
 * Optionally the player could also equip the Reegar Carbine to give themself a devastating close quarters weapon.
 * Do not try to rush out into the open - you will be cut down very quickly.

Battlefield 3 Soldier
Humans joined the galactic community after discovering a Prothean data cache on Mars in 2148. Their devotion to understanding and adapting to modern warfare left the staid Council races stunned. Humanity's persistence and unflappable spirit has taken them further than anyone in the galaxy could have imagined.

Alliance Soldiers are renowned for their impressive fire support, flexibility, and speed. Humans have quickly integrated new technology into their combat gear and can unleash VIs, drones, and artillery on the battlefield.

Player Notes

 * General Notes
 * Battlefield 3 Soldiers should be considered exactly the same as the standard Human Soldier. The only real difference is Carnage replaces Concussive shot.
 * Considering the lack of damage Carnage typically has, its best to forego it. As such, a moderate-heavy loadout is the best option to give you a good weapon -Adrenaline Rush ratio.
 * Cerberus
 * Since Concussive Shot does not exist with these Soldiers, you should be slightly more cautious as you have no way to knock enemies back so you can retreat. Aside from that, you should once again treat the Battlefield 3 Soldiers tactics the same as the normal Human Soldier.
 * Reapers
 * No Concussive shot means you should be a lot more cautious. Treat the Battlefield 3 Soldiers' tactics exactly the same as the normal human Soldier. Remember to flee from Banshees and Brutes if they get too close.
 * Geth
 * Since Concussive shot isnt an option, the geth cannot be stopped easily. Be careful here since like the Human soldier, you will quickly find yourself getting slaughtered.

Batarian Soldier
Little is known about the batarian homeworld of Khar'shan or its inhabitants. As a result, the race is judged by those whom the Hegemony allows to travel beyond its borders: organized crime enforcers, pirate boarding parties, slaver gangs, and gladiatorial combatants.

Batarians are large brawlers that use nets and spiked weapons to capture targets...or to bleed them dry on the battlefield. If an opponent gets too close, a batarian enforcer bludgeons them with spiked armor and enforcement gauntlets.

Player Notes

 * General Notes
 * Batarian Soldiers' Ballistic Blades are lethal at close-quarters, capable of dealing with any enemy, but they are ineffective at range unless using appropriate weapons. Ballistic Blades can be thought of as a shotgun with a cooldown. A build utilizing Ballistic Blades as often as possible should aim for a higher cooldown.
 * Builds utilizing only Blade Armor and Inferno Grenade have no need for low cooldown times unless the player is attempting to reactivate Blade Armor after deactivating it.
 * Batarians are unable to evade, making them more vulnerable to instant-kill moves.
 * Cerberus
 * A piercing mod is recommended to deal with Guardians. Ballistic Blades may substitute for a shotgun, allowing a greater diversity in weapon choice.
 * Phantoms are agile opponents. Attempting to melee or use Ballistic Blades on them is not recommended due to the batarian's inability to roll.
 * Reapers
 * Many Reaper units are armored or unprotected. Anti-armor weapons along with Ballistic Blades can quickly deal with them.
 * Geth
 * Close-quarters engagements on geth are not recommended; Geth can flank players and stun them with melee attacks, opening them up to attacks from other geth units.

Vorcha Soldier
Vorcha are considered vermin by other species inhabiting Citadel space, but their unique physiology and innate aggressiveness make them shockingly durable combatants.

A vorcha's resilience and malleable DNA allow them to evolve and adapt to any situation, making them formidable opponents on the battlefield. Their lightning-quick pounce is a direct result of their societally ingrained bloodlust.

Player Notes

 * General Notes
 * Bloodlust can be triggered by any kill, not just melee kills. Each Bloodlust stack lasts only fifteen seconds, which forces Vorcha to constantly kill in order to keep the maximum bonuses that Bloodlust offers.
 * Flamer can be combined same time as the Reegar Carbine, offering a dramatic boost in power against stronger enemies like Atlases, Banshees, Brutes, Phantoms, Ravagers, Geth Pyros and Geth Primes. Flamer does not have a fixed quantity attached to it and can be used any time.
 * Melee combat should be approached carefully. Vorcha can be killed when attempting heavy melee against stronger enemies or large groups.  Misjudgment of health in enemies with instant-kill animations places one in grave danger of these attacks.


 * Cerberus
 * Flamer high damage evolution can effective kill groups of unprotected Cerberus units very quickly at close range. Against Phantoms and Atlases, caution should be used since on higher difficulties they can easily inflict more damage than you can handle. It is these kinds of enemies that you should consider staying close to team mates. Opt for a penetration weapon, or Piercing Mod on one of your weapons to make sure Guardians dont get the edge on you.


 * Reapers
 * Flamer high damage evolution can effective kill groups of unprotected Reapers, due to the majority of enemies having armor, or just health. With the Armor Damage evolution for Flamer and both health regeneration evolutions, the vorcha Soldier is capable of taking down Ravagers and Brutes easily. The green acid puddle that Ravagers release upon death also deals minimal damage to the vorcha, provided that Bloodlust stacks are still active.


 * Geth
 * Flamer high damage evolution can effective kill groups of unprotected geth units, as it does very high damage to armor. Otherwise, all geth (except Geth Troopers) have shielding protecting themselves from any flame attacks. While capable of regenerating, the geth are "hard-hitting" specialists, and will drop vorcha's health quicker than they can regenerate, especially when being attacked by multiple enemies at once, so a "cautious but aggressive" approach would be best here.