Weapon Upgrades

This article is about weapon upgrades in Mass Effect. For weapon upgrades in Mass Effect 2, see Research. For weapon upgrades in Mass Effect 3, see Weapon Mods.

Weapon Upgrades are applied to assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles and pistols to augment them. Each weapon has one ammo upgrade slot and at least one weapon upgrade slot; better weapons have two weapon upgrade slots in addition to the ammo slot.

Detection Upgrades

Combat Sensor

Description: Some enemies - especially Geth Hoppers - use jamming technology to block your weapon radar. The Combat Scanner upgrade improves detection levels, making these enemies visible.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Detection Level:	1	2	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Combat Scanner

Description: Some enemies use jamming technology to block your weapon radar. The Combat Scanner upgrade improves detection levels, making these enemies visible.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Detection Level:	-	-	-	4	5	6	7	-	-	-

Combat Optics

Description: An advanced VI package maximizes effectiveness of combat radar while increasing maximum accuracy.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Detection Level:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	9	10
Max Accuracy:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+15%	+18%	+21%

Tips & Tricks:

1. You do not have to personally equip these upgrades to benefit from their increased detection. So long as one of your party has it equipped on a weapon they have drawn, your radar will reflect the enhancement.
2. While in the Mako, if you approach Geth and find your radar jammed, exit the Mako and draw a weapon with one of these upgrades equipped, then, without re-holstering the weapon, enter the Mako and the vehicle's radar will receive the benefit of the detection upgrade. (A bug, but a very useful one).
3. Tip 1 also applies to Tip 2. (All tips discovered using PC game version 1.01a/Steam and confirmed on the Xbox360 version on 2-16-10. Untested on other versions or platforms).
   
   

Accuracy Upgrades

Accuracy controls the size of the HUD circle and time to stabilize after zooming. Increasing accuracy shrinks the HUD circle minimizing bullet spread. Accuracy of a weapon decreases while moving (Mobile Accuracy).

Improved Sighting

Description: Increases maximum accuracy.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Max Accuracy:	+5%	+7%	+9%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Note: Combat Optics - in Scanners, provides the best Accuracy up grades.

Heat Dampening Upgrades

Heat Sink

Description: Absorbs and dissipates the heat typically generated when firing.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Heat Absorption:	+10%	+12%	+14%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Frictionless Materials

Description: Frictionless Materials give rounds more power at impact while minimizing weapon overheating.

Note:  Frictionless Materials shares the same stats as Kinetic Coil, but varies where "Weapon Stability" is changed to "Heat Damping."

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+5%	+6%	+7%
Heat Damping:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+20%	+24%	+28%

Barrel Upgrades

High Caliber Barrel

Description: Fires larger rounds for more damage. However, the rate of fire is slowed and the weapon will overheat more quickly.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	+10%	+12%	+14%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rate of Fire Penalty:	-20%	-20%	-20%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Heat Absorption Penalty:	-20%	-20%	-20%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Rail Extension

Description: Modifies the length of the barrel to increase damage. However, this also increases weapon overheating.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	-	-	-	+20%	+23%	+26%	+29%	-	-	-
Heat Absorption Penalty:	-	-	-	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-	-	-

Scram Rail

Description: This prototype upgrade greatly increases damage, but it also causes your weapon to overheat more quickly.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+20%	+23%	+26%
Heat Absorption Penalty:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-10%	-10%	-10%

Stability Upgrades

The effect that Weapon Stability has on game play is not well defined. It does not increase accuracy, reduce bullet spread, stead a weapon after zooming or taking damage, and it seems to have no effect on the HUD circle whether stationary or moving. Many players have theorized on it’s effects, but as of yet, none have presented any facts. For a more practical, in game effect, to use accuracy use Combat Optics.

Recoil Damper

Description: Reduces kickback to improve accuracy.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Weapon Stability:	+10%	+12%	+14%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Kinetic Stabilizer

Description: Advanced VI functionality reduces weapon kickback to improve accuracy.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Weapon Stability:	-	-	-	+15	+18	+21%	+24%	-	-	-

Kinetic Coil

Description: Kinetic Coils improve stability by reducing kickback and increase projectile acceleration for extra damage.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+5%	+6%	+7%
Weapon Stability:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+20%	+24%	+28%

Note: Kinetic Coil shares the same stats as Frictionless Materials, but varies where "Heat Damping" is changed to "Weapon Stability."

Cut Upgrades

The following weapon upgrade was cut before release and can only be acquired through PC Cheats.

Hyper Rail

Description: A hyper rail upgrade extends the barrel of the weapon and "overclocks" its mass accelerator equipment. Its hypervelocity slugs impact with enough force to be useful against lightly armored vehicles, but produce significant heat and recoil.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage:	+100%	+100%	+100%	+100%	+110%	+120%	+130%	+140%	+150%	+160%
Physics Force:	+40%	+40%	+40%	+40%	+45%	+50%	+55%	+60%	+65%	+70%
Heat Absorption:	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%
Weapon Stability:	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%