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Disambiguous This article is about the Collector enemy in Mass Effect 2. For the Cerberus unit in Mass Effect 3, see Guardian.

Collector Guardians are elite Collector combatants.

Capabilities[]

Offensive

Guardians possess a more powerful variant of the Collector Assault Rifle. Their weapons utilize a burst-fire mode similar to M-15 Vindicators which can be devastating to shields on higher difficulties. As with other Collector troops, Guardians have wings that they often use to drop into combat.

Defensive

Guardians have strong biotic barriers and can deploy circular yellow energy barriers similar to the Hex Shields utilized by the geth. These shields can block most conventional weapon fire and projectile powers that hit them directly, but can be destroyed by damage. Guardians can shoot through their own ballistic shields.

Tactics[]

  • Like all other Collector soldiers, Guardians can be possessed by Harbinger.
  • The Guardian's weapon is powerful and accurate, capable of depleting shields in a single burst on higher difficulties.
  • The Guardian's circular yellow shield is effective at blocking projectile powers and powerful single shots from weapons like heavy pistols, sniper rifles, and heavy weapons like the M-100 Grenade Launcher. Rapid-fire weapons and shotguns can quickly destroy the shields.
  • Flashbang Grenade can hit Guardians past their deployable shields and overheat their weapons even while they still have the protection of their barriers, making it an effective way of suppressing their fire. It can also suppress the recharge time of their shield, and interestingly causes any currently active shield to collapse.
  • The initial detonation of Inferno Grenade can penetrate terrain or objects, including a Guardian's shield. While the radius of the detonation is small, it's usually large enough to hit a Guardian through its shield, stunning it and causing the shield to collapse. The shrapnels can also stun the Guardian and collapse the shield, though they can't pass through the shields or terrain.
  • Their ballistic shields do not block hitscan powers such as Reave, thus making it an effective power when fighting them.
    • Overload does less damage but can likewise pass through the shields, as can Energy Drain.
    • Neural Shock can also penetrate the shields but will only affect the Guardian if their barrier has been destroyed, in which case they will be stunned like any other organic, and the shield will immediately collapse as well.
    • Stasis will also collapse the shield and has the advantage of working on even protected Guardians.
  • Powers that lock on and arc such as Warp and Incinerate can sometimes be "bent" around the shields if launched at the right angles.
  • Heavy weapons with a large area of effect can be used to hit Guardians from angles that bypass the shield; the M-920 Cain and the M-490 Blackstorm deal damage through all types of physical cover and terrain.
  • The Grenade Launcher can damage a Guardian behind its shield if a fired grenade also destroyed the shield.
  • The Collector Particle Beam quickly destroys their shields.
  • Arc Projector shots can chain to hit Guardians hiding behind their shields, and shots can pass through the shields to hit them directly if they are the primary target.
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