• Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Characters Unlock
• Mass Effect 3 Best Weapons

Basically, I'm a big fan of this game, in particular multiplayer, and wanted to give my two cents on the available weapons. I own and have used almost all of them (special pre order weapons like the collector rifle discluded) so I feel most of my opinions are credible and mor the most part original. Let me know what you think/ if you disagree with my analysis of certain weapons, please respond. Also, apologize for any typos or gramatical errors. There will be some.

** denotes a gun I do not have

Mass Effect 3: Earth adds new mods, gear, maps, characters and weapons to Mass Effect 3's multiplayer experience. Check out all the action in this new trailer! Free Download to Xbox 360 Mass Effect™ 3: Earth Multiplayer Expansion. 4.5 out of 5 stars from 3401 reviews 3,401. Release date.

Shotguns

Rare Level- Common

M-23 Katana- The Katana is the standard shotgun option in Mass Effect 3. As compared with other shotguns it has a large clip, low weight, low damage, short range, and a fast reload time. While it is a decent weapon due to its large clip, its low damage and range make it impractical as you will need to be close range to kill anything with it, yet it takes several shots to defeat most enemies. Essentially if you miss a shot you are in serious trouble, and good luck with multiple enemies. Not a bad secondary weapon due to its low weight among shotguns.

Rare Level - Uncommon

M- 27 Scimitar- The Scimitar is an interesting shotgun in that it is automatic but also functions as semi automatic. With the exception of the Reegar (if you even count that as a shotgun), it has tied for the largest clip among shotguns with the Piranha. Coincidentally, it has the lowest damage per shot. Personally, I havent used the Scimitar much at all, not since I first started playing multiplayer because there frankly are much better shotgun options capable of taking out enemies. The Mass Effect Wiki points out that in the right hands, the Scimitar can be very effective and just as efficient as nearly any other shotgun. I however, am inclined to disagree because the longer a gun takes to kill any enemy, the more you are exposed to gunfire and attacks from other enemies. Sure, that wont make much of a difference on bronze or early waves of harder difficulties, but try defending a hack objective on gold difficulty with a Scimitar. You will be fkd.

**M- 22 Eviscerator- The Eviscerator is a lightweight shotgun with a small clip, decent damage, and good accuracy. It is comparable to the Katana, except it is slightly lighter, does a good bit more damage, and only has 3 shots per clip. As you can see, the Eviscerator is one of the 4 guns I do not have and therefore have not used along with the Typhoon, Talon, and Paladin. It seems quite unremarkable which explains why other players seldom choose it. I should mention though, that its light weight make it a nice secondary choice for a weapon.

Rare Level- Rare

M-300 Claymore- The Claymore is an extremely powerful shotgun that fires 1 round per clip, does devastating damage, and weighs a ton. Due to the implications of its weight, I typically like to use the Claymore with power irrelevant classes like Krogans. For example, the Krogan Sentinel is a great class to use the Claymore with along with another heavy weapon as two of its 3 powers (tech armor and cluster grenade) dont require recharge to effectively make a killing machine, albeit one that cant use powers. Otherwise, the claymores weight makes it difficult to use in a power concentrated class even at level X. It is very effective against shields and especially armor, and still moderately effective against barriers. Overall, a very good shotgun, but its weight and one shot clip necessitate the right class.

Disciple- The disciple is a light semi automatic shotgun with four shells per clip dealing low damage, but retaining high accuracy for a shotgun. It also has an effect that staggers most targets (even shielded targets) and can stun enemies. The Disciple has great stats on paper, but personally I hardly ever use it. My feelings regarding shotguns is that unless it deals moderate to high damage it is useless, because other weapon classes are typically lighter and more effective while dealing comparable damage. While the disciple can make a good backup weapon for certain classes such as vanguards, there are much better choices, and considering the fact that it is a golden rare item, it takes a while to level up.

Geth Plasma Shotgun- The GPS is a heavy shotgun that fires a three shot round consisting of three plasma particles in a triangle arrangement. It can also be charged for critical damage. The Geth Plasma shotgun is one of my personal favorites as it has multiple shots per clip, 3-5 depending on if you charge the weapon or not, does very good damage, has a nice rate of fire, and is surprisingly accurate at close range. It also has a tracking effect that seems to improve both as you charge the gun and as you level it up. This effect makes it effective at both close and medium/medium long range. The mass effect wiki points out that there is a lag in between firing and impact, which can make hitting moving opponents a challenge, but I have found that the tracking effect helps negate that, and its 5 shot clip allows you to fire from the hip without too much worry. Personally, I like the GPS with vanguards, but it can be effectively utilized with many classes, not to mention the possible damage bonus with geth characters. If you need any convincing of this weapons usefulness, Geth Hunters, some of the most difficult and annoying enemies in the game, utilize the geth plasma shotgun.

Graal Spike Thrower- The Graal Spike Thrower also is a heavy semi automatic shotgun capable of charging up single shots to fire a more powerful version. It is fundamentally very similar to the Geth Plasma Shotgun, although it has a slightly smaller clip and does slightly less damage. It does make up for this though with a natural armor piercing ability which ignores the damage penalty of armor. Some people think this effect makes it better than the geth plasma shotgun, particularly on higher difficulties, but I would favor the GPS slightly. They are both the same rare level, so I guess it comes down to preference and which one you are randomly rewarded more often.

N-7 Piranha- Despite its N7 classification, the Piranha is a rare shotgun that has a large clip, medium weight, low recoil, and good damage. I only recently unlocked it, so havent gotten to explore it with a variety of classes, but holy **** is it good. Along with the Scimitar it has the largest clip of any shotgun, with a standard 8 round magazine. It also fires very quickly with low recoil allowing it to be used ideally fired from the hip while moving. Ive really enjoyed using it with the batarian sentinel as that class grants it a bonus in magazine size, and it compliments ballistic blades very nicely, although Im sure there are lots of good combinations for the piranha. Useful against most enemies, and personally, I think it is the best shotgun overall.

Reegar Carbine- The Reegar Carbine is an automatic shotgun that fires a continuing current at close range. It is limited by range and its clip empties quickly. However, it deals devastating damage at close range, capable of taking out multiple basic footsoldiers or even shielded enemies in one clip very quickly. The only thing that keeps the Reegar classified as a shotgun is its near point blank range capabilities. Despite these capabilities, it is very powerful, and in addition does extra damage to shields and barriers. I like to think I was original in pairing this gun with my Vorcha Sentinel, but if you look at any guide, theyll tell you the same thing. Both Vorcha classes have the bloodlust power which increases damage and health regeneration which negates the damage you take while moving into carbine effective range. They also both have the flamer power, which is devastating against armor making you equipped to deal with any enemy. Otherwise the Reegar burns through ammo at an annoying pace, and may cause you to take too much damage to make it practical. Even with classes like vanguards it can be dangerous, because for maximum effectiveness you stand still and aim leaving you exposed.

Rare Level- Ultra Rare

M-11 Wraith- The Wraith is a light powerful shotgun holding two shots per clip. You might look at the wraith and wonder why it is marked as ultra rare, but it actually is a very versatile weapon. For one it low weight, being one of the lightest shotguns making it practical for use with another weapon and or a power heavy class. Also, it deals good damage while being decently accurate, especially with the smart choke upgrade. Finally, it has a very fast reload time allowing for more shots per minute (did I just make that term up?) than most shotguns. Equipping the damage and accuracy upgrades, or using a class with bonuses in these areas makes the wraith very effective. Its biggest flaw is probably the time in between shots, but you still can get the two shots off pretty quick. Overall, very useful and versatile.

Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Characters Unlock

Rare Level- N7

N7 Crusader- The Crusader is a highly accurate semi automatic shotgun dealing good damage and weighing in as a heavyweight. The Crusader is an interesting take on the shotgun, and in my opinion is not even a shotgun at all. It fires a single round to a point rather than a spray, making it useful at much longer ranges than other shotguns. In fact there is no range penalty with the crusader, so if you feel so inclined you actually can use it like a sniper or semi auto assault and go for headhsots although its four shot per clip capacity and high recoil are somewhat restrictive. Its less adept at close range as you can miss much more easily, but it still proves to be useful against big enemies that are easy to hit like atlases and brutes, especially with powers like adrenaline rush. It also is one shot headshot on silver on unshielded enemies which is fun. Its major drawback is its massive weight. Along with the claymore, it is the heaviest shotgun in the game, and one of the heaviest weapons overall, so dont plan on bringing powers to the party. Im not a huge fan due to the weight problem, but it is kind of fun to snipe with a shotgun, and it does do good damage per clip with certain passive powers. More of a novelty gun in my opinion than a useful one.

Overall rank of shotguns

1. Piranha
2. Geth Plasma Shotgun
3. Wraith
4. Claymore
5. Reegar Carbine
6. Graal Spike Thrower
7. Crusader
8. Disciple
9. Katana
10. Scimitar

*Eviscerator

Pistols

Rare Level- Common

M- 3 Predator- The Predator is your standard heavy pistol dealing decent damage per shot, being semi automatic in form, and having a decent sized clip. While much less powerful than the other pistols, and most guns overall, the predator can fire surprisingly quick for a semi auto gun and retains good accuracy while firing. Despite this weapons low weight, and comfortable clip sizes, it simply is too weak to make it a practical choice on silver or above unless you plan on keeping shooting to a minimum and power spamming to a maximum.

Rare Level- Uncommon

M- 5 Phalanx- The phalanx like the Predator is a fairly standard pistol dealing more damage per shot than its basic counterpart, but firing slower and having a slightly smaller clip. I consider the Phalanx to be an upgrade to the predator because it does more damage and seems to be more accurate at virtually no additional weight. On higher difficulties the name of the game is dispatching enemies quickly so as to minimize the damage you take during the fight, so the Phalanx is generally preferable to the Predator, but is inferior to other pistols.

Rare Level- Rare

M- 6 Carnifex- The carnifex truly embodies the term heavy pistol as it starts to introduce the pistols in mass effect that more closely resemble magnums of today. It weighs a good deal more than the Predator or Phalanx, but packs a much greater punch. A few headshots with the Carnifex can take out most shielded enemies, and one clip will be able to kill almost any non boss enemy with good accuracy. Another one of my most favorite classes is the Asari Adept with just the carnifex, because a stasis carnifex combo can kill any enemy without armor fairly quickly even on gold. The main weakness of the carnifex is its small clip size (only 6 shots). You can use the magazine upgrade but personally Im a big fan of the scope/ headshot upgrades which further increase its utility when paired with stasis. Very well balanced sidearm.

Acolyte- The Acolyte is a light pistol specifically designated for taking out shields and barriers. It does good damage overall, but has a small clip and requires a charge to fire. I personally am very biased against the Acolyte because I see pistols as fast firing guns to be used at close range and deal good damage quickly. The Acolyte excels at none of these things. You have to charge it which can be very annoying in a firefight, its projectile is slow moving and susceptible to gravity, and it only has three shots per clip. To be fair, the acolyte really is more of a utility weapon for dealing with shielded and barrier enemies than a standalone weapon, but even against some of those enemies it proves ineffective. Phantoms Banshees, and other fast moving enemies will prove difficult to land hits on with the acolyte and by missing you leave yourself quite exposed. Not one of my favorites.

Arc Pistol- The arc pistol is an interesting pistol capable of both fast semi automatic fire and a slower more powerful charged shot. Due to these capabilities, the arc pistol is very versatile as it can be charged and used like a Carnifex/Paladin, or fired quickly to be used like the Phalanx. Unfortunately, it is heavier than most other pistols, and charging it consumes extra time and ammo, so unless you plan on using both firing modes extensively, I wouldnt recommend the Arc Pistol. I also must note that it stuns geth enemies naturally making it particularly useful against geth. I was a little disappointed with this gun after using the arc projector basically the whole time in ME 2, but when upgraded the arc pistol is a nifty gun.

Mass Effect 3 Best Weapons

Ultra Rare

**M-77 Paladin- The Paladin is a more powerful version of the carnifex weighing slightly more, and doing more damage, but having 4 shots instead of 6. Ive really been badly wanting this gun since I started playing ME3 and probably have bought close to 100 premium spectre packs to no avail. From using the paladin in campaign, I can say it is a very fun gun to use. Its high power make it a one or two headshot kill on the majority of enemies, and is capable of dealing punishing damage against armor too. Unfortunately, its ultra rare status makes it that much harder to obtain than the carnifex, so you likely will have it at a much lower level than other pistols. Its one of the rarer guns to see overall, as even players who have it will tend to favor other classes of weapons, but paired with the right class it can be a standalone armada. (When I got the N-7 Paladin, for a second I thought it was the gun, and then nearly broke some stuff out of frustration)

**M-358 Talon- The Talon, popularized by guardians, is a heavy pistol that functions very similarly to a shotgun. Once again I dont have the talon, so can only speculate, and even more so than the Paladin, it is one of the rarest guns to see in multiplayer action. Its basic stats reveal that it is very heavy but deals massive damage, particularly at close range. This would suggest it is a useful gun as a backup for soldiers or for vanguards who can rapidly close large distances with biotic charge. Unfortunately I cant speak to how it stands up against shotguns in general, but it seems like an interesting gun.

Scorpion- The Scorpion is a heavy pistol that fires time fuse explosives that stick to enemy units and neutral surfaces. The scorpion has a small clip and high weight, but deals good damage and can damage multiple enemies with a single shot. The scorpion is more of a novelty than an actual useful weapon in my opinion. Dont get me wrong, its very fun to use and can take out enemies and get you serious assist points, but it is far too slow and limited to be useful. In addition to only having 4 shots per clip (magazine upgrade is a must), its shots take what seems like forever to explode. I cant tell you the number of times Ive stuck an enemy with one of the rounds only for some douche teammate to steal the kill. If youve played ME 3 you know all too well how people squabble over kills and points, and that makes using the Scorpion frustrating and challenging. It also is surprisingly ineffective against large enemies like banshees and atlases. Overall, I cant think of many reasons to use the Scorpion over other rare and ultra rare guns, especially at its weight.

Rare Level- N7

N7 Eagle- The eagle is a fully automatic pistol with the largest clip among pistols, a good fire rate, and low weight, but expectedly doing low damage per shot. The eagle is a pretty good gun because it does decent damage due to its automatic nature, and has both low weight and recoil making it useful for power dependent classes and close range hip fire. Using a magazine upgrade, or character that has ammo bonuses, it can deliver serious damage in no time at all. Its low weight make it a viable sidearm for nearly any class, and I would speculate it has one of the best weight: damage per clip ratios of any gun in the game, not to mention the fact that it can be effectively used on the move. Difficult to obtain, as it can only be acquired via weekend challenges, but worth the wait.

My rank of Pistols

1. Carnifex

2. Eagle

3. Arc Pistol

4. Phalanx

5. Scorpion

6. Acolyte

7. Predator

**Paladin

**Talon