Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Catch-All – Shepards with Jobs

The appeal in soloing is that you can do it at your own pace and in your own way, and whether you succeed or fail is all on you. The game generally isn't balanced in favor of soloing so most classes need to use a bunch of one-use equipment items and in-mission consumables to stand a chance. There are a few notable exceptions, particularly the Krogan Vanguard.

First rule of soloing is always go with Geth. They don't have any units with instant-kill moves.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

Yeah, I think of Biotic Charge as a defensive power whose primary ability is to restore shields. Shoot things and, when your shields are down, charge to get them back. For the Asari, follow LobsterMobster's advice; avoid Lift Grenades, go for Stasis Bubble, and, for your weapon, a pistol with a scope plus either ultralight materials (to keep cooldown at 200%) or, if you've got the available weight capacity, a cranial trauma mode. Basically, stasis, headshot, stasis, headshot, and so forth. Ridiculously effective. Charge when you have to, otherwise, just pop people in the head.

I'm using a Geth Pulse Rifle with the melee boost attachment on my Asari right now because it's light and has great accuracy (I think that puts me around 175% recharge). My pistol (and pistol mod) selection is pretty weak, but I could switch to a Carnifex for better damage but I think actually more weight.

Good to know about Stasis. I'd been building out both Stasis and Lift Grenades pretty much equally to experiment. Once I hit 20 I'll promote her and fix everything. I do have her built out to get 100% shield regen from a Charge, but it's just too fun to fly halfway across a map and take out a cluster of grunts in one go--I don't think I could just use Charge defensively Though on lower difficulties I guess both tactics are valid anyway. I'm not sure I'd be so reckless on Gold+.

complexmath wrote:

I'm using a Geth Pulse Rifle with the melee boost attachment on my Asari right now because it's light and has great accuracy (I think that puts me around 175% recharge). My pistol (and pistol mod) selection is pretty weak, but I could switch to a Carnifex for better damage but I think actually more weight.

If you can, or when you can, I'd encourage you to try the Talon shotgun-esque pistol or Disciple shotgun. Both are very light, but close range and do better damage than the GPS, and also stagger better. I admit I never found a particularly good use for the GPS--it's like fighting with a middle tier supersoaker.

I like the GPR because it's accurate at range, so I can headshot reasonably well at distance or spray enemies up close. I've considered switching to a shotgun (I do have the Disciple) but wasn't sure if I'd want to lose a ranged attack. I'll have to give it a try though.

Right, GPR not GPS, duh.

The Disciple actually does have a bit of range on it--it's not brilliant or anything, but it's acceptably effective at middle distance.

EDIT: Got the challenge. A bunch of pubbies, Gold, Geth, on Reactor. As all y'allz have likely guessed, it's a matter of patience, timing, and luck, but eminently doable. I only had one misfire--not a waste because it was an Oh sh*t moment, but I was annoyed that I only killed 4. As long as you group isn't panicky spammers, it should be fine.

Soloing is an interesting challenge. I have gotten close with a level 20 Demolisher (escort mission at the end screwed me) and made it to wave 7 with a level 5 Shadow and done it with the Krogan Vanguard at level 17. Once I get some better gear (Like a Reagar V or better) I would like to try silver.

SpacePPoliceman, Was it your first try for the challenge?

Got the Challenge done the first five minutes I played and got a Hurricane V.

Squeegee_Joe wrote:

SpacePPoliceman, Was it your first try for the challenge?

Kinda. I waited until someone else got a Killstreak, but that wasn't happening with the first crew I got.

Man, I struggled tonight with the pubbies. I managed to get a 2 KS medal, but the rest of the side let me down.

Just got mine. Did it solo on Bronze by about wave 6. My Drell Assassin really came in handy. That Recon Mine is a awesome. I got a Valkyrie II for my efforts.

Ok, really enjoyed playing with you guys this arvo. That was fun. Lag wasn't too bad either so it looks like I should be able to join you guys more often.

Missed you guys tonight, and the bug that prevents me from joining you also messed things up. Ended up getting it on a Gold Pub run. Got an Eagle III for my troubles. I still can't believe, after 1 year, my Black Widow is still at level 1.

I still can't believe, after 1 year, that there are players who cannot connect to each other and have to use an intermediary to host and play together. And even they, they can't ever speak to each other on the in-game voice. f*ckin EA.

They must be messing with me intentionally.... Crusader is now level 8.

Wooo! Arsenal pack gave me a Black Widow II!

So I tried soloing. That was... interesting. I see that it is great to try out unfamiliar characters and that's what I did. The longest I managed to stay alive for was seven minutes, yay!
I learned that I should probably stay away from biotic charge, that's just not me. Next I tried an Adept with shockwave and warp and singularity. Wasn't there supposed to be a way to set up biotic explosions somehow? I can never send two things after another, the recharge time is too long. And I get shot in the mean time cause I keep standing there like an idiot.

But I did well with my new quarian engineer lady, played her in the public matches and I even came out on top once, that never happened before.

kexx wrote:

Wooo! Arsenal pack gave me a Black Widow II!

Gah! Even after a year of playing I still don't even have a level 1 Black Widow

For those last looking to try Solo runs: Try Geth on Giant. I did one as a Vorcha Sentinel just to grind Grabs, and I finished it easily while only using one consumable, a rocket. And I was only level 16.

I dunno what was going on last night. I died... a lot. Had a lot of fun though and tried out a bunch of new characters. I love that they all start at around level 17 now. If only I had more free skill resets.

Reactor is also pretty good for soloing, if you continually circle the map and use long straightaways (i.e. reactor core) to kite and micro down trailing baddies. Finished a gold in 35 minutes, which was faster than my best time on Giant.

Clemenstation wrote:

kite and micro down trailing baddies.

And outing myself as the total newbie here, what's kite and micro?

kite = get badguys to follow you so you can mow them down en-masse while backpedaling / retreating to take right-hand-advantage cover. Running away to get better position is essential when soloing so you don't get surrounded and stunlocked to death.

micro = probably not the best word to use, but basically refers to prioritizing badguys in a big clump. For example, when fighting Geth, I try to first get the bombers out of the way from a distance because their close-up grenade drop can interrupt my charge->heavy melee routine. Conversely, pyros can wait unless there are 3 or 4 of them, because they are easy to stun individually with a heavy melee, and their flamethrower isn't too effective against my crazy stacked barriers. I usually avoid taking on Primes until all the rest of the mooks are dead.

Right-hand advantage, by the way, is an important aspect of third person shooters. Since characters tend to be right-handed and carry their weapons on the right, you generally want to be behind cover (NOT 'taking cover' / snapping to the wall, as 'popping out' will fully expose you) and shooting out from the right side. This way, your character's body is protected and only your gun is exposed -- you can shoot badguys, but they can rarely hit you.

Shotgun battles in Gears of War will force you to learn this mechanic intimately.

Clemenstation wrote:

Right-hand advantage

I had NO IDEA!!!

Thank you, I learned something today!

Clem, what characters have you used to Solo Gold? Just this morning I saw you don't need to Solo Platinum to get Lone Wild, and I am thinking about going for it.

I am mow a Council Operative. If I ever see the back of an Asari's head, it will be too soon.

Clemenstation wrote:

Reactor is also pretty good for soloing, if you continually circle the map and use long straightaways (i.e. reactor core) to kite and micro down trailing baddies. Finished a gold in 35 minutes, which was faster than my best time on Giant.

I agree on that map. It indeed is great for soloing. But I can't seem to win a solo Silver. Maybe I'm just being stubborn and not switching to an 'easier' class, but it is kinda hard. I'd be too intimidated right now to try solo Gold.

CptGlanton wrote:

I am mow a Council Operative. If I ever see the back of an Asari's head, it will be too soon.

Nobody needs to read the details of your slashfic, space pervert.

I like the new version of White for Solo as well as Hyrda. I find that they are both easy maps to kite on.