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The Sandstorm is an assault rifle in Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Description[]

A highly accurate rifle, the Sandstorm was developed by exiles from the Nexus after their arrival in Heleus. The design of the semi-automatic weapon has been streamlined and appears to adapt certain non-Initiative technologies.

Features[]

The Sandstorm is the only weapon in the game besides sniper rifles to have a built-in scope. While this does provide a significant accuracy boost, the severe restrictions on peripheral vision it imposes on the shooter make it unsuited for close quarters combat.

The singleplayer Sandstorm Ranks I-IX uses Vanadium for development while Rank X uses Element Zero.

Compared to most weapons, the multiplayer Sandstorm saw numerous reductions to its stats due to its power. Its damage increased as of the very last update, though its clip size, max ammo, and rate of fire are all diminished. Its reload time is actually increased from 1.5 seconds to 1.6 seconds.

Strategies[]

  • For a semi-automatic assault rifle, it has a large clip and a lot of reserve ammo.
  • Because it is unsuited for the frantic nature of close-quarters battle, it is best treated as a designated marksman's rifle, dealing with threats from mid- to long-range.

Singleplayer
  • A common augmentation to use with the Sandstorm is the Beam Emitter. The Beam Emitter essentially converts the weapon to fully automatic, while eliminating any recoil, and makes full use of the weapon's extreme damage per second, which is designed to be limited by its normally semi-automatic rate of fire. The downside of the Beam Emitter is the high ammunition consumption, which the weapon is not designed for.

Multiplayer

Stats[]

Singleplayer
Rank Damage Rate of Fire Max Clip Size Max Ammo Accuracy Weight
I 148 210 14 126 68 35
II 158 210 14 130 73 33
III 167 210 14 133 76 31
IV 177 210 14 137 78 29
V 186 210 14 140 56 23
VI 196 210 14 144 81 25
VII 206 210 14 147 82 23
VIII 215 210 14 151 83 21
IX 225 210 14 154 84 19
X 234 210 14 158 85 18

Multiplayer
Rank Damage Rate of Fire Max Clip Size Max Ammo Accuracy Weight
I 450 100 12 120 68 35
II 460 100 12 122 73 33
III 470 100 12 125 76 31
IV 480 100 12 129 78 29
V 490 100 12 132 80 28
VI 500 100 12 136 81 25
VII 510 100 12 139 82 23
VIII 520 100 12 143 83 21
IX 530 100 12 146 84 19
X 540 100 12 150 85 18

Development[]

Rank Rd icon milkyway orange Research Cost Omni-gel canister icon Omni-Gel Canister Beryllium icon Beryllium Lithium icon Lithium Vanadium icon Vanadium MEA Augmentation Slot For Tables Augmentation Slots
I 125 20 100 50 10 0
II 140 30 110 50 10 3
III 155 30 130 60 20 3
IV 170 30 140 70 20 3
V 185 40 160 80 20 3
VI 200 40 170 80 20 3
VII 215 40 180 80 20 3
VIII 230 40 190 90 20 3
IX 245 50 190 90 20 3
Rank Rd icon milkyway orange Research Cost Omni-gel canister icon Omni-Gel Canister Beryllium icon Beryllium Lithium icon Lithium Element zero icon Element Zero MEA Augmentation Slot For Tables Augmentation Slots
X 260 50 200 100 20 3
Total 1925 370 1570 750 20 (Ez)
160 (V)
N/A

Trivia[]

  • Although the Sandstorm is stated to be an Exile invention, it sees widespread use among the rabidly xenophobic Roekaar as their standard infantry armament. No explanation is ever given why the Roekaar have such a preference for something developed by some their worst enemies, nor where or how they acquired their extensive stockpiles of Sandstorm rifles.
  • Similarly, Vederia Damali wields a Sandstorm rifle aboard the Ark Leusinia in Cora Harper's loyalty mission. Since the Leusinia had no contact with anything in Heleus but the Kett prior to Ryder's intervention, and the kett are unlikely to have brought the weapon aboard, it is somewhat mysterious how Vederia acquired it.
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