Mass Effect

Commander Shepard

The first human Spectre, Commander Shepard is the protagonist of the Mass Effect Trilogy. Exposed to a Prothean beacon on Eden Prime, they learned that every 50,000 years, a race of sentient starships known as the Reapers wipe out all advanced life in the galaxy, and their return is imminent. No matter their gender, backstory, skills, or choices, Commander Shepard is the absolute best hope the galaxy has for survival.

Mass Effect 1 Physicals - Strength

Knocks out a man with a single punch to the head (source)
Throws another person out of the way of the beacon (source)
Knocks away a puppeted asari corpse (source)
Knocks over Wrex with a shotgun whip, who describes himself as weighing 800 lb (source)

Mass Effect 1 Physicals - Speed/Mobility

Performs quick draws (source)
Leaps out of the way of Saren’s thrown grenade (source)
Avoids biotic blasts from Saren (source)
Escapes a collapsing mine (source)

Mass Effect 1 Physicals - Durability

Greatly increases damage protection with Immunity (source) (Solider/Infiltrator)
Dragged and strangled by Saren, then breaks free with a punch (source)
Sent tumbling through a glass ceiling (source)
A large chunk of Sovereign crashes into the Council Chambers, and they are mostly unharmed (source)
Blown back by an explosion and sent spinning off a piece of rubble, though this does cause suit damage (source)

Mass Effect 1 Physicals - Misc

Resets the cooldown times of all talents with Adrenaline Burst (source) (Soldier/Vanguard)
Uses the Beacon with no real harm, which according to Liara would have utterly destroyed a lesser mind (source)
Goes from a hovering Normandy to the ground through unclear means (source)
Dies from falling to a nearby planet in a suit venting atmosphere, but those who recover the body are surprised at how much is left (source)

Mass Effect 2/3 Physicals - Enhancements

Bones are enhanced with a synthetic weave, rendering them nearly unbreakable and allowing medi-gel to repair bone trauma in days (source)
Muscles are perforated with micro-fibers to increase strength and decrease muscle damage (source)
Skin has a synthetic fiber run through it that increases its durability and allows medi-gel to be more effectively applied (source)
Has a large amount of miscellaneous cybernetics, to the extent that they can be somewhat hacked (source)

Mass Effect 2/3 Physicals - Strength

Modifications potentially allow them to deliver 2000 pounds of force with a strike (source) (Striking)
Can destroy large fragile crates with strikes (source) (Striking)
Can knock around security mechs and even destroy their limbs with strikes (source) (Striking)
Blocks strikes from Kai Leng and punches through his sword (source) (Striking)
One shots a merc and seems to beat up a krogan off screen (source) (Striking)
One shots a physically augmented Cerberus trooper in body armor (source) (Striking)
One shots turians, who Grunt notes to be more durable than humans (source) (Striking)
Shoves a merc through a skyscraper window (source) (Striking)
Kicks away a charging varren (source) (Striking)
Pulls a husk off them and then crushes its head with a stomp (source) (Striking)
Staggers the Shadow Broker with punches and a strike of a rifle (source) (Striking)
Pushes back the Shadow Broker by ramming into his omni-shield and then struggles against him; the Shadow Broker could smash a massive high-tech table and throw a chunk hard enough to knock out one of Shepard’s squadmates (source) (Striking)
Moves a large piece of rubble off of Zaeed (source) (Lifting/Grappling)
Lifts a large slab of rubble off themselves from a prone position, and then another off a squadmate (source) (Lifting/Grappling)
Casually moves aside a large metal beam (source) (Lifting/Grappling)
Helps slightly lift a large piece of wreckage (source) (Lifting/Grappling)
Sends a turian flying (source) (Lifting/Grappling)
Helps lift and throw a geth (source) (Lifting/Grappling)
Pulls a foe through a sturdy window (source) (Lifting/Grappling)
Walks through a biotic battle and pulls back Samara’s arm (source) (Lifting/Grappling)
Can wield the Claymore shotgun without issue, which has enough kickback to break a human arm (source) (Soldier/Vanguard)
Can wield the Widow sniper rifle without issue, which weighs 39 kg and has enough kickback to shatter a human arm (source) (Soldier/Infiltrator)

Mass Effect 2/3 Physicals - Speed/Mobility

Sees a Reaper charging up its gun in slow motion (source) (Reactions)
Sees Eva Core charging forwards in seemingly slow motion (source) (Reactions)
Charges a man as he’s turning his gun (source) (Reactions)
Blocks strikes from Kai Leng (source) (Reactions)
Can experience a time slow down of 60% in ME2 and 35% in ME3 while looking through a scope (source) (Infiltrator)
Boosts awareness to grant a 50% time dilation (upgradable to 70%) that also works while moving using Adrenaline Rush (source) (Soldier)
Dodges point blank pistol shots (source) (Dodging)
Dodges a point blank shotgun blast, though they start moving before the shot is fired (source) (Dodging)
Dodges gunfire coming up through an elevator roof (source) (Dodging)
Takes down two guards despite one firing an assault rifle at them (source) (Dodging)
Aim dodges turret fire (source) (Dodging)
Charges a man, avoiding a gunshot in the process (source) (Dodging)
Tackles a woman to the ground before a person can shoot (source) (Dodging)
Dodges a canister throw with enough force to smash against a wall (source) (Dodging)
Dodges a falling piece of a chandelier (source) (Dodging)
Dodges a point blank flamethrower (source) (Dodging)
While recovering, disarms a distracted woman holding them at gunpoint and evades gunfire (source) (Dodging)
Rolls under a swing from the Shadow Broker (source) (Dodging)
Dodges a strike from their clone and then avoids shotgun blasts (source) (Dodging)
Dodges a stab from behind his head from Kai Leng (source) (Dodging)
Dodges shots from a Reaper by rolling (source) (Dodging)
Runs up the side of a collapsing satellite dish and leaps onto a platform (source) (Mobility)
Escapes the Collector Base while being fired upon, and makes a decent jump (source) (Mobility)
Surprises Cerberus troops leaping out of an escape pod (source) (Mobility)
Makes a decent jump onto the Normandy (source) (Mobility)
Leaps into the air to strike a brute (source) (Mobility, Cinematic Trailer)
Escapes a collapsing floor, and then climbs up a large piece of hanging rubble after the floor gives way (source) (Mobility)

Mass Effect 2/3 Physicals - Durability

Slammed into a wall by Grunt (source) (Unarmored)
Shepard’s clone takes several punches to the face from the original (source) (Unarmored)
Blown back into a wall by a shockwave and then goes sliding down the steep side of a building (source) (Unarmored)
Blown back into a wall, though this does knock them out for a bit (source) (Unarmored)
Falls through a glass floor, crashing into multiple objects before finally hitting the ground, and gets back up (though they are reduced to one bar of health) (source) (Unarmored)
While severely injured, is caught up in a point blank explosion and can survive (source) (Unarmored)
Knocked back by a strike from the Shadow Broker’s omni shield and takes another strike that sends them crashing into Liara (source) (Armored)
In gameplay, can take a hit from a brute, which are strong enough to bust a large hole through steel reinforced concrete (source) (Armored, In gameplay)
Blown back by a nearby blast from an Atlas, a mech whose guns can blow a person apart and destroy large amounts of rock (source) (Armored)
Flipped over and then strangled by Legion (source) (Armored)
Tackles Tela Vasir through a window and is then slammed into the ground by a biotically enhanced kick (source) (Armored)
Unharmed by an elevator rapidly descending five stories (source) (Armored)
Blown back by a turian fighter crashing near them and gets right back up (source) (Armored)
Falls several stories and gets back up (source) (Armored)
Knocked back by a pulse from Javik (source) (Armored)
Knocked out for a bit by the crash of several floating platforms, but gets back up soon after without much trouble (source) (Armored)
Walks off a skycar crash (source) (Armored)
Can survive limited exposure to venting plasma (source) (Armored)
Blown back into a wall by an explosion, though this knocks them out for a bit (source) (Armored)
Shakes off a trip mine (source) (Armored)
In gameplay, can take an explosion that blows apart several nearby crates (source) (Armored, In gameplay)
Blown back by a bomb’s explosion, which seems to kill or at least injure a nearby salarian, and gets right back up (source) (Armored)
Blown back by a close range gunship missile (source) (Armored)
Survives a direct hit from Harbinger’s beam, which vaporizes people, flips tanks, and destroys gunships, though Shepard is severely injured and their armor is completely destroyed (source) (Armored)
Does 183 pull ups (source) (Endurance/Resistance)
Has been shot so many times they have a template for the paperwork (source) (Endurance/Resistance)
Shot through the shoulder and keeps firing with that arm (source) (Endurance/Resistance)
Has a much higher than normal alcohol tolerance (source) (Endurance/Resistance)
Wakes up way earlier than expected while being reconstructed and requires multiple sedatives to put back down (source) (Endurance/Resistance)
Over two days, requires increasingly strong doses of sedatives to keep them asleep, which ultimately fail to work (source) (Endurance/Resistance)
Knocked out but not seriously harmed by a poison that killed every human that drank it previously (source) (Endurance/Resistance)

Firearms - Firearm Types and Firepower

Shoots through a pipe carrying flammable gas with one shot, and ignites it with the second (source) (Heavy Pistol)
Shoots through an elevator window bordering a vacuum (source) (Heavy Pistol)
Quickly guns down a krogan (source) (Heavy Pistol)
Pistol rounds can blast through a krogan’s head at point blank range and go right through a quarian’s head to lodge in a shuttle’s bulkhead (Heavy Pistol, Novels)
The M-3 Predator can blow apart the head of a LOKI Mech (source) (Heavy Pistol, M-3 Predator)
The M-5 Phalanx has no loss in stopping power compared to a soldier’s assault rifle and possesses a built-in laser sight (source) (Heavy Pistol, M-5 Phalanx)
The M-6 Carnifex could cause a ceiling to collapse with multiple shots (source) (Heavy Pistol, M-6 Carnifex, Paragon Lost)
The M-11 Suppressor is a specialized silenced pistol (source) (Heavy Pistol, M-11 Suppressor)
A silenced pistol is barely audible to a person at close range (source) (Heavy Pistol, M-11 Suppressor)
The M-77 Paladin has unquestionably superior firepower to the Carnifex, though with smaller clips (source) (Heavy Pistol, M-77 Paladin)
The Acolyte fires ammunition similar in effect to a warp bomb, devastating shields and barriers (source) (Heavy Pistol, Acolyte)
The Arc Pistol uses a laser to ionize the air and create an electric shock that can be charged up (source) (Heavy Pistol, Arc Pistol)
The Scorpion fires projectiles that stick onto foes and then explode, and can very quickly bring down Cerberus troops (source) (Heavy Pistol, Scorpion)
Blows apart a large statue with a single shot (source) (Submachine Gun)
The M-4 Shuriken can pretty quickly bring down an armored Krogan (source) (Submachine Gun, M-4 Shuriken)
The M-4 Shuriken could tear up a Krogan’s armor and blow apart the head of a collector with a single shot (source) (Submachine Gun, M-4 Shuriken, Paragon Lost)
The M-12 Locust can pierce through kinetic barriers at a distance of 25 meters (source) (Submachine Gun, M-12 Locust)
The M-25 Hornet can go right through a soldier’s helmet with one shot (source) (Submachine Gun, M-25 Hornet)
The Blood Pack Punisher automatically fires armor piercing rounds out of a second barrel (source) (Submachine Gun, Blood Pack Punisher)
The Geth Plasma SMG fires toroids that flash convert shrapnel into plasma (source) (Submachine Gun, Geth Plasma SMG)
Shotguns hit with massive amounts of force and can inflict grievous injuries (Shotgun, Novels)
The M-22 Eviscerator fires serrated metal wedges and can blast apart the wall of a cave (source) (Shotgun, M-22 Eviscerator)
The M-23 Katana could shred collectors and with sustained point blank fire blasts through a massive Praetorian (source) (Shotgun, M-23 Katana, Paragon Lost)
The M-27 Scimitar can decapitate a vorcha and send its head flying across the room (source) (Shotgun, M-27 Scimitar)
The M-300 Claymore, while since rendered safer, originally had enough kickback to break a human arm, and leaves people in body armor a bloody mess (source) (Shotgun, M-300 Claymore)
The M-300 Claymore could blow apart the head of a thresher maw after being swallowed (source) (Shotgun, M-300 Claymore, Cinematic Trailer)
The Disciple fires shells packed with microscale submunitions (source) (Shotgun, Disciple)
The Geth Plasma shotgun fires superconducting projectiles that can be electrified (source) (Shotgun, Geth Plasma Shotgun)
The Graal Spike Thrower fires oversized flechettes and was designed for hunting thresher maws (source) (Shotgun, Graal Spike Thrower)
The Reeger Carbine is a shotgun that works similarly to the arc pistol, and can generate a sustained current (source) (Shotgun, Reeger Carbine)
The Venom Shotgun fires rounds that explode on impact and can also fire micro grenades (source) (Shotgun, Venom Shotgun)
Assault rifle rounds can tear up solid objects, sever limbs, and send people flying (Assault Rifle, Novels)
The M-76 Revenant could shred rock and blow apart another gun with a single shot (source) (Assault Rifle, M-76 Revenant, Paragon Lost)
The M-96 Mattock could punch through a decent amount of rock (source) (Assault Rifle, M-96 Mattock, Paragon Lost)
The Adas Anti-Synthetic Rifle fires electrical attacks at medium to long range (source) (Assault Rifle, Adas Anti-Synthetic Rifle)
The Chakram Launcher fires lightweight ammunition discs that explode on impact (source) (Assault Rifle, Chakram Launcher)
The Collector Rifle could send a Collector Boss sliding back and stagger James Vega despite their shields (source) (Assault Rifle, Collector Rifle, Paragon Lost)
The Geth Pulse Rifle fires lightweight slugs wrapped in a plastic envelope (source) (Assault Rifle, Geth Pulse Rifle)
The Particle Rifle is shown to disintegrate those it kills (source) (Assault Rifle, Particle Rifle)
The Phaestorm has kickback dampers for each shot, letting it pack more a punch than other weapons its size (source) (Assault Rifle, Phaestorm)
The Striker Assault Rifle fires high impact-slugs that detonate on contact, with an increased rate of fire (source) (Assault Rifle, Striker Assault Rifle)
Can blow apart enemy’s heads and punch a large hole through a Geth platform (source) (Sniper Rifle)
Sniper rounds effortlessly rip through body armor from over a mile away (Sniper Rifle, Novels)
The M-29 Incisor could break rock and send a man flying with a shot to the shoulder (source) (Sniper Rifle, M-29 Incisor, Paragon Lost)
The M-92 Mantis could cut a vorcha in half at the waist and blow apart a krogan’s head, ripping off its arm despite body armor (source) (Sniper Rifle, M-92 Mantis, Paragon Lost)
The M-98 Widow, while modified to not have as much kickback, has the same firepower as when it was a 39 kg sniper rifle designed to bring down armored vehicles with enough kickback to shatter a human arm (source) (Sniper Rifle, M-98 Widow)
The Black Widow has an increased fire rate without sacrificing stopping power (source) (Sniper Rifle, Black Widow)
The Javelin fires a jet of superheated ferrofluid that cuts through nearly anything it hits (source) (Sniper Rifle, Javelin)
The Kishock Harpoon Gun fires harpoon-like spikes equipped with disruptors to destroy synthetics (source) (Sniper Rifle, Kishock Harpoon Gun)
The Kyrsae Sniper rifle’s ammunition is both armor piercing and explosive (source) (Sniper Rifle, Kyrsae Sniper Rifle)

Firearms - Weapon Modifications

Weapon upgrades in ME1 are the same regardless of weapon type, improving detection capabilities, sighting, firepower, or decreasing heat generation or recoil (source) (Mass Effect 1)
Weapon upgrades in Mass Effect 2 are specific to weapon types, applied upon research, and increase the damage and utility of the weapons (source) (Mass Effect 2, Heavy Pistol Upgrades)
Submachine Gun Upgrades (source) (Mass Effect 2)
Shotgun Upgrades (source) (Mass Effect 2)
Assault Rifle upgrades (source) (Mass Effect 2)
Sniper Rifle Upgrades (source) (Mass Effect 2)
Weapon upgrades in Mass Effect 3 are items applied to individual weapons, varying by type but generally increasing accuracy, damage, penetration, melee damage, etc. (source) (Mass Effect 3, Heavy Pistol Upgrades)
Submachine Gun Upgrades (source) (Mass Effect 3)
Shotgun Upgrades (source) (Mass Effect 3)
Assault Rifle Upgrades (source) (Mass Effect 3)
Sniper Rifle Upgrades (source) (Mass Effect 3)

Firearms - Ammo Modifications

In Mass Effect 1, ammo upgrades could be applied individually to weapons, including anti-personnel, armor piercing, anti-kinetic barrier, cryogenic, incendiary, explosive, and radioactive types (source) (Mass Effect 1)
Visuals of some ME1 ammo types (source) (Mass Effect 1)
Incendiary rounds can char a window black and blow apart a krogan’s head (source)
Mass Effect 2/3 ammo upgrades are powers that can be applied and changed to individual weapons (Mass Effect 2/3)
Armor Piercing Ammo is shaped and hardened to deal more damage to armor and health, and can be upgraded to tungsten or squad-wide effect (source) (Bonus)
In ME3, Armor Piercing Ammo can pierce through 0.7 meters of cover and can be upgraded in various ways (source) (Mass Effect 3)
Cryo Ammo delivers a payload of sub-atomic particles to snap freeze a target, and can be upgraded to improve freezing capabilities or grant squad-wide effect (source) (Soldier/Infiltrator/Vanguard)
In ME3, Cryo Ammo can be upgraded in various ways (source) (Mass Effect 3)
Disruptor Ammo electromagnetically pulses to disrupt shields and synthetics, incapacitate synthetics, and overheat weapons; can be upgraded to cause synthetics to critically overload and explode or provide squad-wide effect (source) (Solider/Infiltrator)
In ME3, Disruptor Ammo can be upgraded in various ways (source) (Mass Effect 3)
Incendiary Ammo burns foes, blocking regeneration and damaging armor; can be upgraded to create a blast with a 3-meter radius or grant squad-wide effect (source) (Soldier/Vanguard)
In ME3, Incendiary Ammo can be upgraded in various ways (source) (Mass Effect 3)
Shredder Ammo shreds and deals more damage to unshielded organics; can be upgraded to deal more damage or provide squad-wide effect (source) (Bonus)
Warp Ammo uses a biotic mass effect field keyed into ammo to deal increased damage to barriers and enemies affected by biotics; can be upgraded to tear flesh and metal like a miniature disruptor torpedo or provide squad-wide effect (source) (Bonus)
In ME3, Warp Ammo can be upgraded in various ways (source) (Mass Effect 3)

Firearms - Marksmanship

Shoots a moving crane from a good distance away (source)
One shots a vorcha from across a room with a pistol (source)
Headshots a running merc without hitting Jack who is much closer (source)
Casually shoots out a security camera (source)
Non-fatally shoots a woman being held hostage to hit the hostage taker (source)
Quickly headshots several indoctrinated salarians (source)
Quickly guns down several mercs (source)
Quickly guns down multiple husks (source)
Quickly guns down a Geth platform with a turret (source)
Shepard’s clone shoots a rifle out of the original’s hands (source)
Shoots a husk mid-leap and then guns down another while one-handed wielding an assault rifle (source) (Cinematic Trailer)
Snipes a bottle thrown into the air (source)
Headshots a mech with a sniper rifle from 150 meters away (source)

Firearms - Weapon Abilities

While wielding a sniper rifle, Assassination allows the next shot to deal massively increased damage (source) (Solider/Infiltrator)
While wielding a shotgun, Carnage (ME1) fires a blast of particles with a max impact radius of 3 meters (source) (Soldier/Vanguard)
Carnage (ME3) fires a viscous blast from their weapon that causes a great deal of collateral damage and can be upgraded (source) (Bonus)
Concussive Shot fires an explosive shot that hits with 450 Newtons, upgradable to 600 Newtons or a 3-meter blast radius (source) (Solider)
In ME3, Concussive Shot hits with 360 Newtons and can be upgraded in various ways (source) (Mass Effect 3)
While wielding a pistol, Marksman (ME1) increases accuracy and rate of fire at the cost of more heat production (source)
Marksman (ME3) boosts weapon accuracy and fire rate for 7.8 seconds and can be upgraded in various ways (source) (Bonus)
While wielding an assault rifle, Overkill generates less heat at the cost of less accuracy (source) (Soldier)

Defensive Tech - Body Armor

Walks along the outside of the Citadel in a presumably zero-g and vacuum environment (source)
Walks through a section of the Normandy completely open to space (source)
Fights along the outside of the Shadow Broker’s ship, where enemies detached from the surface immediately go flying (source)
Operates and fights in the Heretics’ base, which has little air or gravity (source)
Uses mag boots to traverse a docking terminal connecting starships (source)
In Mass Effect 1, Shepard and squadmates can operate in hazardous environments for a limited period before taking damage, including extreme heat (source) (Mass Effect 1, Heat)
Operates on Xawin, which has a surface temperature of -131 degrees Celsius (source) (Mass Effect 1, Cold)
Operates on Sharjilla, which has an atmospheric pressure of 39.16 Earth Atmospheres (source) (Mass Effect 1, Pressure)
Operates on Eletania, which possesses an ecosystem that induces anaphylactic shock in non-native organics that inhale it (source) (Mass Effect 1, Toxins)

Defensive Tech - Kinetic Barriers

Blocks a point blank pistol shot (source)
Blocks a point blank shot from a submachine gun (source)
Blocks Collector gun fire (source) (Cinematic Trailer)
Disabled by a shot from Garrus’s sniper rifle, with him claiming he could have done more (source) (Limitations)

Defensive Tech - Armor/Shield enhancement

In Mass Effect 1, can equip various armor upgrades that can enhance durability, shields, and combat ability (source) (Mass Effect 1)
In ME2, has various upgrades that increase shield capabilities and can let them instantly regenerate when knocked down (source) (Mass Effect 2)
Defense Matrix reinforces armor with Foucault currents, which can be purged to restore shields, and can be upgraded in various ways (source) (Bonus)
Fortification reinforces armor with a non-Newtonian fluid that hardens when struck to provide a defense boost, which can be upgraded to increase its duration or alter its chemistry to increase durability (source) (Bonus)
In ME3, Fortification reinforces armor with a Foucault current, which can be purged and the charge sent to the gauntlets to increase melee damage, and can be upgraded in various ways (source) (Mass Effect 3)
Shield Boost rapidly restores shields (source)
Geth Shield Boost reinforces kinetic barriers with a high energy Geth shield, which can be upgraded to increase its strength or duration (source) (Bonus)
Tech Armor creates an energy armor suit around their shields, which when destroyed detonates with a force of 160 Newtons (upgradable to 240 Newtons), and can boost Shepard’s other powers while in effect (source) (Sentinel)
In ME3, Tech Armor can be detonated at will and upgraded in a variety of ways (source) (Mass Effect 3)

Defensive Tech - Cloaking

Tactical Cloak deploys a temporary cloaking field; performing an attack drops the cloak, but that attack does much more damage; can be upgraded to provide a huge attack bonus or increase its duration (source) (Infiltrator)
In ME3, Tactical Cloak can be upgraded in a variety of ways (source) (Mass Effect 3)

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