Biotics

The term biotics refers to powers that are accessed and augmented by using bio-amps, or users thereof. The effects are produced through biological manipulation of dark energy. The various realizations range from the ability to knock adversaries over or lift them helplessly into the air, create barriers impervious to enemy fire, or even unleash small gravitational vortices that draw in enemies and environmental debris. Three of the main character classes can use biotic talents -- Adepts, Vanguards, and Sentinels -- along with squadmate classes Asari Scientist and Krogan Battlemaster.

Background
All asari are natural biotics from birth (see below), though not all choose to develop their abilities. Biotics of other species, such as humans, are individuals who were exposed to dust-form element zero ('eezo') in utero and, beating the odds, developed eezo nodules throughout their nervous system. The natural electrical impulses in the body can create mass effect fields from these nodules, producing the effects seen as biotic abilities.

In humans, about one in one hundred exposures will result in a person with moderate, stable biotic talents that are worth training. However, there is a risk the eezo will cause medical complications instead, such as terminal cancer, and even if biotic talents manifest themselves, they aren't always permanent. In extremely rare cases, humans who were exposed in utero, yet did not manifest biotic talents, can develop them in puberty through secondary exposure to element zero.

All biotics are sensitive to mass effect fields, but each biotic must first be trained and then wired for an implant - usually at puberty - to use their talents to any useful degree. A biotic has to essentially develop conscious control of their nervous system, which is a long, slow process. Once trained, a biotic can generate and control dark energy to move objects, generate protective barriers or restrain enemies. This is done using a technique called 'physical mnemonics'; the biotic uses a physical gesture to cause the right neurons and eezo nodules to fire and create the desired effect. Bio-amps are artificial devices used to increase a biotic's talent in a particular discipline.

Talents
NOTE: (S) = Starting (U) = Unlockable


 * Barrier - Adept/Asari Scientist (S), Sentinel (S), Krogan Battlemaster (S), Vanguard (U)


 * Lift - Adept/Asari Scientist (U), Sentinel (U), Vanguard (U)


 * Singularity - Adept/Asari Scientist (U)


 * Stasis - Adept/Asari Scientist (U), Sentinel (U), Krogan Battlemaster (U)


 * Throw - Adept/Asari Scientist (S), Sentinel (S), Vanguard (S), Krogan Battlemaster (U)


 * Warp - Adept/Asari Scientist (S), Vanguard (S), Krogan Battlemaster (S)

Human Biotics
After a series of starship accidents in the 2150s, which dispersed element zero over various settlements, the first human biotics were born, though not all were initially detected. By the time the children were teenagers, the Alliance had realised the enormous military potential of biotics through contact with the Citadel, and set up a company called Conatix Industries to develop implants for humans and track down element zero exposures. There are rumours that, after the link between element zero and biotics was made, some human colonies may have been deliberately exposed under cover of 'industrial accidents'.

In 2160 Conatix established the BAaT programme on Jump Zero, quietly hiring turian mercenaries as teachers, but after one of these instructors, Commander Vyrnnus, died, BAaT was shut down. The Alliance military eventually set up other training programmes to handle biotics, but the records pertaining to BAaT remain classified. Later projects would prove more successful. Human biotics currently have some oversight from the Alliance Parliamentary Subcommittee for Transhuman Studies.

Most modern human biotics use the Alliance's L3 implant, which is safe to use but not particularly powerful. However, some older biotics are stuck with L2 implants, which allow abilities to spike higher - using an L2 implant, Kaidan Alenko's abilities are apparently comparable to an asari's - but at a cost. L2 implants are notorious for causing medical complications such as insanity, mental impairment, or extreme physical pain. It is possible to 'upgrade' from an L2 to an L3 implant, but the procedure is dangerous and unethical. Many L2s are angry at the way the Alliance has - in their view - abandoned them and want reparations for their suffering. In some cases, extreme physical or psychological stress can cause even stable biotic implants to flare up and cause similar health problems.

Human biotics can face prejudice from those who are religiously or philosophically opposed to their physiological modifications. This is mostly due to ignorance: some people (wrongly) believe that biotics can read and control people's minds. There have also been cases of biotics who misuse their abilities - cheating at roulette, for example, or playing practical jokes like pulling people's chairs out from under them - being attacked by frightened mobs, and sometimes even killed.

Despite these concerns, the Alliance military welcomes biotics with open arms and offers huge recruitment incentives. Because of the massive physical efforts involved in biologically generating dark energy, biotic soldiers have a larger daily calorie ration and are given energy drinks to keep their blood sugar and electrolytes up. The electrical fields in their bodies mean they are also prone to small static discharges when they touch metal.

Biotic Implants
Biotics are classed according to their strength and implantation:

Source: Galactic Codex: Essentials Edition 2183
 * L1. These biotics can manipulate small objects but aren't strong enough to be offensively viable, because the L1s were implanted after puberty.
 * L2. The L2 implants were first implemented in 2167. The results vary wildly - some L2s are hardly stronger than an L1, others are strong but unstable, while a few are powerful and stable, but suffer discomfort from their implants. L2s are all around the same age.
 * L3. In 2170, the L3 implant was developed. L3 biotics are consistently stable with moderate ability; while not as strong as an L2, L3s are safe from dangerous side effects. Because of the implementation date, most L3s are 25 or younger.
 * L3-R. Short for 'L3-retrofit', this is an L1 or L2 who has undergone extremely dangerous brain surgery to replace their implant with a newer model.
 * L3-X. Implants installed in an unsuitable candidate.
 * L4. A new implant used on the children in the Ascension Project; these implants use biotic amplifiers with inbuilt VI interfaces to allow for monitoring and improved performance. L4 implants give about a 10-15% increase in biotic ability in 90% of subjects, compared to L3s, with no currently known side effects.

Note: For more on Commander Shepard as a biotic, see the Talk page.

Biotic Extremists
Some unstable human biotics have turned their back on the galactic community for their own reasons. Many L2s, frustrated with their health problems and the lack of support, are quite militant in their anger toward the Alliance and take direct action. Other biotics believe they have been abandoned by the Alliance and, rather than fighting back themselves, seek prominent figures who can champion their cause, or join communes. A few, the most dangerous, believe biotics are the 'evolution of humanity' and that their talents make them innately superior to other humans.

Biotics usually attack in large groups, armed with pistols or shotguns. Their favoured tactics are using Throw to knock squad members down, alongside Warp to cause greater damage. With enough warning, it is possible to dodge their Throw attacks and then hit them with gunfire while their abilities are on cooldown. The best talents to use against them are Damping - to kill their biotic abilities - or Neural Shock to knock them flat. Biotics rarely use heavy armour, meaning they are vulnerable to melee attacks.

Dangerous biotic factions are involved in several assignments:


 * UNC: Major Kyle
 * UNC: Hostage
 * UNC: Besieged Base
 * Cerberus also has biotics on its payroll, usually working as research technicians.

Alien Biotics
Biotic abilities are of varying rarity and status in other species:


 * Almost all asari are naturally biotic to some degree and tend to have stronger talents than humans. Asari physiology, which enables them to unite their nervous system with a member of a different species, gives them a level of natural control over their abilities that humans have to struggle for over years of training. Biotic ability is mandatory for asari who want to go into military service. The most powerful train as asari commandos.
 * Salarian biotics are unusual and highly prized. The salarian military does not risk them in the front lines but uses them in the intelligence services.
 * In turians, biotics are also unusual and generally not much better than a human L3. They are viewed with some suspicion by the general infantry and tend to be deployed in specialist groups called 'Cabals' for key missions.
 * The few krogan biotics tend to be extremely powerful and often train to become krogan battlemasters like Skarr or Wrex. Before the genophage, krogan biotics in the military were usually officers, because the rank-and-file were overawed by their talents. Originally, it was possible for krogan to become biotics through surgery, but there was a high mortality rate. Since the genophage has already decimated krogan numbers this practice has been discontinued.
 * According to Tali, quarian biotics are very rare. It is speculated that this is due to their life aboard the Migrant Fleet. Element zero is such a rare resource that it is probably too precious to be 'spent' on encouraging biotic potential in quarians, and because the quarians live aboard ships, any engine accident severe enough to release dust-form element zero would also be fatal to the crew.
 * Bring Down the Sky features batarian biotics who are trained as shock troopers.

Notable Biotics

 * Commander Shepard (see Talk page)
 * Dr. Liara T'Soni
 * Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko
 * Urdnot Wrex
 * Matriarch Benezia
 * Saren Arterius
 * Hendel Mitra
 * Gillian Grayson
 * Skarr
 * Shiala and all clones


 * Sergeant Kaira Stirling
 * Nick
 * "Dr." Alestia Iallis
 * Rahna
 * Commander Vyrnnus
 * Helena Blake
 * Julia (see UNC: Lost Freighter)
 * Dahlia Dantius (see UNC: Asari Diplomacy)
 * Any asari commando
 * Any krogan battlemaster
 * Any rachni brood warrior

Trivia

 * Semantically, the word 'biotic' simply means 'life', as in 'pertaining to living organisms'.
 * The terms 'L2' and 'L3' are occasionally used in E.E. 'Doc' Smith's classic Lensman novels, referring to Lensmen who have gone through the second or third echelons of mental training.