Combats Talents in Mass Effect is an area of expertise that refers to abilities based around combat, Weapon damage and accuracy, as well as enabling the use of certain Equipment, like type of Armor, grenades, trip mines, and more. As you level up, you acquire Talent Points that you can spend to improve these aspects of your character. The talents available to you and your squad are determined by the Class selected in Character Creation.
Availability
All starting Classes in Mass Effect have at least one Combat Talent at their disposal (be it available from the beginning or as an unlockable), except for the Sentinel class
Combat Talents
Pistols
Improves accuracy and damage when wielding Pistols. Activates the Marksman ability that lets you fire more quickly and accurately for a short time.
Special Ability:
Shotguns
Improves accuracy and damage when wielding Shotguns. Activates the Carnage ability that lets you fire a huge blast from your shotgun that damages enemies.
Special Ability:
Assault Rifles
Improves accuracy and damage when wielding Assault Rifles. Activates the Overkill ability that lets you fire your weapon in longer, more accurate bursts.
Special Ability:
Sniper Rifles
Improves accuracy and damage when wielding Sniper Rifles. Activates the Assassination ability that increases the damage of your next sniper shot.
Special Ability:
Armor
Improves the amount of damage your armor can absorb and may allow you to equip Medium or Heavier armor, depending on your class. Activates the Shield Boost ability that restores your shields in combat.
Depending on the class selection this talent can vary between three types of Armor talent: Basic Armor, Combat Armor and Tactical Armor.
Special Ability:
Assault Training
Increases melee and weapons damage. Activates the Adrenaline Burst ability that resets the cooldown times on all your talents so that they can be used immediately.
Special Ability:
Mass Effect Combat Talents
Name |
Effect |
Ability |
Class |
| Pistols | Depending on the talent level improves accuracy from 10% to 30% and damage from 5% to 20% when wielding Pistols. |  Marksman |
For Soldier, Vanguard, Infiltrator and Engineer it is a starting talent class. For Adept class it is unlocked at Basic Armor talent Level 5. |
| Shotguns | Depending on the talent level improves accuracy from 10% to 30% and damage from 5% to 20% when wielding Shotguns. |  Carnage |
For Soldier class it is unlocked at Pistols Talent level 4. For Vanguard class it is unlocked at Pistols Talent level 6. |
| Assault Rifles | Depending on the talent level improves accuracy from 10% to 30% and damage from 5% to 20% when wielding Assault Rifles. |  Overkill |
Available only to Soldiers, the Turian Agent, and the Krogan Battlemaster as a starting talent. |
| Sniper Rifles | Depending on the talent level improves accuracy from 10% to 30% and damage from 5% to 20% when wielding Sniper Rifles. |  Assassination |
For Soldier class it is Unlocked at Assault Rifles Talent level 7. For Infiltrator class it is Unlocked at Pistols Talent level 5. |
| Basic Armor | Improves the amount of damage your armor can absorb and increases effectiveness of Light Armor. Depending on the talent level increases damage reduction and hardening from 5% to 20%. |  Shield Boost |
For Adept class it is a starting talent class. For Engineer class it is unlocked at Pistols Talent level 6. Quarian Machinist |
| Combat Armor | Improves the amount of damage your armor can absorb and at level 7 allows you the use of Heavy Armor. Depending on the talent level increases damage reduction and hardening from 5% to 20%. | Shield Boost |
For Soldier class it is a stating talent. Krogan Battlemaster |
| Tactical Armor | Improves the amount of damage your Armor can absorb, allows the use of Light Armor, and unlocks Medium Armor at higher levels. Depending on the talent level increases damage reduction and hardening from 5% to 20%. | Shield Boost |
For Infiltrator it is a starting talent class. For Vanguard and the Turian Agent class it is unlocked at Assault Training talent level 5. |
| Assault Training | Depending on the talent level increases melee damage from 30% to 64% and weapons damage from 1% to 9%. |  Adrenaline Burst |
For Soldier and Vanguard classes, it is a Starting Talent. |
| Fitness | Boosts your health, upping the maximum damage you can take before dying. Depending on the talent level increases health from 10% to 30%. |  Immunity |
For Soldier class it is unlocked at Assault Rifles Talent level 7. For Infiltrator class it is unlocked at Tactical Armor Talent level 6. Krogan Battlemaster |
