Changes the Mass Effect 2 squadmates powers to make them much more efficient on an insanity playthrough.
Requirements
DLC requirements
DLC name
Zaeed - The Price of Revenge
Alternate Appearance Pack 1
Kasumi - Stolen Memory
Lair of the Shadow Broker
Alternate Appearance Pack 2
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Update 3.1 (What's New):
Added an extra power to each character
What does this mod do?
This mod gives each squadmate new powers, and makes some minor adjustments to their powers. This makes them much more formidable on Insanity, especially for squadmates who were lackluster (Jacob, Jack, Tali) by providing them more options.
Now each squadmate in Mass Effect 2 will have a total of 7 abilities/powers. They each also have a unique ability, and each power that they have fits their class (so no biotic powers on Grunt, or tech powers on Samara for the most part).
Also now all squadmates have access to all powers even if you haven't completed their loyalty mission. To unlock the powers for Shepard, you will have to complete their loyalty mission however. If this isn't the case, let me know.
It is likely after the loyalty mission (for each squadmate), it will assign a point to their loyalty power. This is vanilla behavior from the game, although maybe I am wrong and it won't do so.
Also if you install this mod in a game that is currently being played through/a current saved game, the distribution of skillpoints won't be applied. The game keeps the skillpoints distribution in your save file, so if you met a squadmate already - any points they have distributed will be locked in. On the other hand, if you start a new game and go to meet a new squadmate, they will have the new skill distribution applied. I'd recommend a power cooldown mod so that you and your squadmates can use more than one power at once on Insanity. (Alternative version: here).
Why? Squadmates with passive powers (barrier, fortification) will spam it and you will not have them use their other powers. This makes it so you can actually use their powers. Maybe a bit cheat like but on Insanity, I find it makes it much nicer to play through.
ME3 (OT) Version: Here ME2 - Legendary Edition Version: Here ME3 - Legendary Edition Version: Here
Main Squad: Unique Powers:
Miranda: Tech Armor Jacob (Class changed to Sentinel): Barrier Mordin: Cryo Ammo Garrus: Fortification Jack: Shockwave Grunt: Armor-Piercing Ammo Thane (Class changed to Sentinel): Dominate Tali: Neural Shock Samara/Morinth: Reave & Warp Ammo Kasumi: Shadow Strike Zaeed: Carnage Legion: Geth Shield Boost
Temporary Squadmates: Liara (Adept), Wilson (Engineer)
This makes it so each character has a unique power that no other squadmate has (other than Samara/Morinth who share the same unique powers), and that you have a more balance squadmate roster. You now have one Adept, two Engineers, three Infiltrators, three Sentinels, two Soldiers, and one Vanguard.
Now you don't have a plethora of Adepts/Vanguards (who basically were Soldiers because their biotics were useless on Insanity for the most part). With their original powers, Jack/Jacob/Morinth were useless on Insanity as they acted as worst soldiers. This was due to their biotic skills being useless due to shields/armor/barriers. With this mod, the squadmate's classes are more balanced, and their powers are way more useful. It also makes sense lore-wise for the most part (Thane/Jacob must have some tech skills to be a candidate for the vents, so nothing is really unlore friendly).
Skill points are distributed as followed:
Miranda: 3 points in Cerberus Officer
Jacob: 2 points in Cerberus Veteran, 1 point in Pull (required to get past the prologue)
Zaeed: 3 points in Mercenrary Veteran
Jack: 3 points in Subject Zero
Thane: 3 points in Drell Assassin
Grunt: 3 points in Krogan Berserker
Garrus: 3 points in Turian Rebel
Legion: 3 points in Geth Infiltrator
Samara: 3 points in Asari Justicar
Morinth: 3 points in Ardat-Yakshi
Kasumi: 3 points in Shadow Strike
Tali: 3 points in Quarian Machinist
Mordin: 3 points in Salarian Scientist
Liara: 3 points in Asari Scientist
Why? 2 points are automatically assigned at the beginning of the game to Miranda and Jacob while the rest of the squad gets 1 point. (Meaning they all have 1 less point than these two). By providing 3 points, every squadmate now has the same amount of points.
Feedback: Think a power doesn't fit a character, or a better one would work? Want a character to have a certain power? Let me know, and I can try to see if I'll apply changes. I tried to keep each squadmate having a unique power, and tried to keep their powers within their classes. I also had to think about continuation with the Mass Effect 3 version of this mod which meant I had to make some selective choices.
I also wanted to keep things lore friendly (a power would have to be within the character's 'designated' class or they have that power in Mass Effect 1/3 or it made sense from a lore perspective like Thane/Jacob being Tech Specialist which means they have some tech skill knowledge). Obviously I had to make some exceptions because there are a limited number of powers in Mass Effect 2 so there will be some overlap.
Some powers (Charge, Adrenaline Rush, Shadow Strike) don't work on squadmates. This is why they weren't included as an option.
downloading the zipfile and dragging it into the Mod Manager
click Import Mod and then select and Apply Mod
Requirements:
It is recommended to have the DLC, but if you don't have it, the mod should work fine.
Compatibility: You need to have the original mods installed if you're installing the patches inside the mod otherwise you'll have issues with weird textures or meshes or game issues. (Although I don't know why you would try installing a patch if you don't have the original mod installed, but putting this here in case).
Everything else should be compatible unless it changes a squadmate's power.
----------------------------- - Each power added/change and the reasoning as to why: - -----------------------------
For a lot of these characters, I wanted to differentiate them from the Legendary Edition versions of the mods I made and thus they have different powers. The reasoning is because:
1. Mass Effect 3 has different version of custom powers/multiplayer powers for each version
2. If you decide to play whichever game (for whatever reason) then the powers on each character are different thus giving you a different playthrough (alongside different mods as the original trilogy versus the legendary edition have different mods available).
I also wanted to try to 'roleplay' a class for them/their abilities as I wanted to try to make the squadmates very different from the legendary edition version.
Issues?:
If you have any issues - feel free to write in the comments what your issue is. Although I'd recommend a clean install/new save (thought from testing, the mod does work on current saves as long as you haven't installed ALOT). If you're using other mods, please write in the comments what mods you are using alongside this one.
Realistically, the best bet would install a clean game, install this mod - and slowly install mods one by one until you figure out the conflict. If you list some of your mods however, I may be using the same ones and can tell you if there is an issue (if I don't use one of the mods for example).
If something isn't working as intended (i.e. at a certain point in the game, they lose their powers or skills points aren't distributed correctly) - then let me know. Although try to include as much information as possible: where in the game is it (the more precise the better i.e. right when Garrus joins), what the issue is, etc.
As for changing powers in the future for these squadmates - it likely won't happen (although I may make small changes/requested changes if there is a valid reasoning or enough people provide feedback). I redid this mod a lot of times to incorporate changes/new powers and I think I have it at a very good point that keeps individual squadmate's with unique powers while also providing usefulness for everyone on Insanity.
FAQ:
Why give so many squadmates Disruptor Ammo/Incendiary Ammo?
1. Ammo powers are nice support options that allow for a Shepard who doesn't want to invest in ammo skills to invest in other powers and/or for Shepard's with Ammo Powers to evolve it to the non-squad option for each squadmate.
2. Incendary/Disruptor Ammo are two of the best ammo powers in the game and heavily compliment a squadmate's kit. It may feel like overlap, but they are options if you want to invest in them (all characters have at least five powers you can invest in so you have some options in how you want to level them). Plus there are limited powers within Mass Effect 2 to give to squadmates while retaining some difference between them/having a unique power for each.
3. Someone requested more squadmates to have Incendiary Ammo/Disruptor Ammo - and I thought it was a reasonable request.
Why does the Mass Effect 2 Legendary Edition have different powers?
Some of the squadmates actually have overlap with having the same exact abilities, and I tried to include some differences to make for a different playthrough for each game (in case you own both versions and want to play both). Plus, after editing both files for both games - it became annoying to do the exact same thing over and over, so I wanted to re-adjust some abilities.
I also just wanted different versions of powers to try out. It would get really boring if you used the exact same powers for the original trilogy and the legendary version.