Grenades are hand-tossed explosive charges that appear in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 3, in different forms.
Mass Effect
In Mass Effect the Systems Alliance uses the Mark 14 grenade, designed with retractable stabilizing fins. If the fins are extended, the grenade can be tossed like a discus, and glides long distances. With the fins retracted, the grenade can be lobbed over walls and other obstacles.
Most grenades can adhere to flat surfaces and have a 10-second fuse, allowing them to be used as makeshift shaped-charge mines or booby-traps. They can be triggered to detonate before their fuse runs out by a signal from any military hardsuit’s built-in communications gear.
The Mark 14 grenade can be modified in the field for special purposes. Common upgrades include high explosive, flashbang, and thermite paste incendiary charges. More exotic varieties include charged particle proton charges, Bose-Einstein "cryo" condensates, and cobalt-salted micro-nukes.
Gameplay
On the Xbox 360 gamepad, press BACK to throw a grenade, and then press BACK again to detonate. On the PC the 'R' key functions the same way. A grenade will automatically explode after 10 seconds. Only the player, as Commander Shepard, can use grenades during gameplay; Saren and Tali appear to throw tech proximity mines in cutscenes.
Throughout the game, grenades are often found in crates. When opening a crate, look to the bottom left for the grenade symbol. Here it will have a number beside it representing how many grenades have been acquired from that crate.
If you complete Admiral Ahern's special scenario on Pinnacle Station, he gives Shepard his home on Intai'sei. Inside, is a device that will allow the Commander to fully replenish their grenade stocks.
During Mass Effect, Commander Shepard will have access to four main types of Grenade Upgrades: Cryo, Fusion, Incendiary and High Explosive. A mission from Juliana Baynham on Feros will give Shepard access to a fifth type of grenade which contains Anti-Thorian Gas.
Grenade efficiency and damage can be increased through higher levels of grenade upgrades and the grenade carry limit can be increased from various vendors throughout the game.
Mass Effect 2
Two types of grenades appear as loyalty powers in Mass Effect 2 available only with DLC. Unlike the other games, grenades in Mass Effect 2 are not limited by quantity but function on cooldowns like all other powers. Grenade powers are lobbed like traditional grenades when used by Shepard, rather than homing in on a target.
The grenade powers are:
- Flashbang Grenade - A disorientating concussive charge is thrown that inflicts minor damage and incapacitates all nearby targets.
- Inferno Grenade - Launches a volatile grenade that explodes on impact, sending searing waves of flame in all directions. This fire damage is effective against armor.
Note: Unlike other powers, Inferno Grenade can damage Shepard and squadmates. Flashbang Grenade will not affect Shepard or squadmates.
Mass Effect 3
Grenades appear in Mass Effect 3 as Grenade Powers. Unlike in Mass Effect, most grenades in Mass Effect 3 are lobbed like traditional grenades when used by the player. Some grenade powers are also fired as offensive projectiles or primed from the omni-tool to augment personal defenses. Grenades are collected in the environment, and they are used and consumed in the form of grenade. Unlike regular powers, however, grenade powers do not have a recharge time, and can be thrown at any time regardless of the recharge stage of the player's other powers; provided the player has available grenades in reserve.
Investing ranks in multiple grenade powers may increase maximum available grenades, as certain power evolutions of grenade powers can increase the maximum grenade capacity storage. These grenades are a shared pool, and any grenade power activated further depletes grenades available for all other grenade powers. In multiplayer, gear (Grenade Capacity, Shock Trooper Upgrade, and Warfighter Package) can also increase grenade capacity.1
Grenade powers include:
- Arc Grenade - Stun and electrocute your enemies with an EMP-packed grenade (multiplayer only).1
- Armor-Piercing Arrows - Armor-piercing charges increases damage and the number of arrows fired simultaneously (multiplayer only).2
- Cain Trip Mine - Attaches a C4 proximity explosive to any surface (multiplayer only).2
- Cluster Grenade - Lob this biotic grenade cluster at your enemies and watch them fly.
- Concussive Arrows - Concussive charges increases impact force and knocks down unarmored enemies. (multiplayer only).2
- Frag Grenade - Rip your enemies apart with this shrapnel-packed grenade.
- Homing Grenade - Launch this seeking grenade to track down a target, causing a massive explosion on impact (multiplayer only).3
- Inferno Grenade - Cluster-bomb a small area with incendiary munitions.
- Lift Grenade - Throw this grenade into a group of enemies to send them flying.
- Multi-Frag Grenade - Launch multiple frag grenades by upgrading the T5-V Battlesuit's right gauntlet (multiplayer only).3
- Nightshade Blades - Launch a short-range volley of venom tipped blades to paralyze non-shielded targets (multiplayer only).2
- Repair Matrix - Reinforce armor with metal-repelling Foucault currents to increase movement speed, decrease damage taken, and to regenerate shields for a short duration (multiplayer only).2
- Sticky Grenade - Stick this grenade to your opponent, and the explosion will tear apart the target and shrapnel will damage other enemies caught in the blast.
- Stimulant Pack - A specially designed ops survival pack that temporarily increases survivability and all damage output.4
1 Requires Rebellion Pack DLC
2 Requires Reckoning Pack DLC
3 Requires Earth Pack DLC
4 Requires Retaliation Pack DLC in multiplayer, Citadel DLC in single-player