mass effect one assignments

Mass Effect Assignments: how to start every side quest & assignment

While you’ll be doing a lot of running and gunning across the Galaxy, Mass Effect is still a traditional RPG in many ways. That naturally means a whole bunch of side quests - or Assignments,  as they’re known officially in the game.

As with the various character classes, abilities and class specializations in Mass Effect 1, the assignments featured are pretty typical RPG tropes - various quests that offer up rewards like XP, items, gear, paragon or renegade alignment points, and of course new and unique storylines. Completing the majority of the game nets you the ‘Completionist’ trophy/achievement - so if you’re going for that, you’ll need to tidy up the majority of the assignments.

One advantage of the branching, multi-game narrative of Mass Effect is that several of these side quests and assignments can also feature choices that have consequences in Mass Effect 2 and 3 - if you do the quest.

On this page, we’ll list every side quest assignment in Mass Effect, plus where to start them and any other key information completionists will need to know - broken up by each of Mass Effect’s core locations:

• Citadel Assignments, part 1

Normandy Squadmate Assignments

• Citadel Assignments, part 2
• Story Planet Assignments on Feros, Noveria & Virmire
• Citadel Assignments, part 3
• DLC Assignments
• Collectible assignments

Uncharted World Assignments

Citadel Assignments Part 1

These assignments are available from your very first visit to the Citadel very early in the game, though some assignments unlock gradually as more of the Citadel becomes available to you. 

• Citadel: Asari Consort: visit the Consort’s Chambers on the Presidium and speak to Nelyna and then Sha’ira.
• Citadel: Doctor Michel: head to the Lower Wards Med Clinic again any time after taking down Fist in Chora’s Den as part of the main story. 
• This quest evolves into a ‘second part’ called ‘Citadel: Doctor Michel is Safe’
• Citadel: Homecoming: once Tali has joined your party, speak to Samesh Bhatia near the embassy area commons area, not far from where there’s an Avina terminal.
• This quest leads to several follow-up quests as the storyline twists and turns, including Citadel: Jahleed's Secret ,   Citadel: Jahleed and Chorban , followed by one of a number of finales such as Citadel: Jahleed Returns Materials , Citadel: Jahleed Arrested , Citadel: Jahleed Set Free . 
• Citadel: Presidium Prophet: after the council reject your claims about Eden Prime and the Citadel: Expose Saren main quest begins, find a C-Sec Officer and Hanar on the Presidium in the wide open area near the Citadel Tower. 
• Citadel: Reporter's Request: as soon as you can access the Upper Wards (once you’re working to expose Saren), find Emily Wong near the stairway to Flux. Alternatively, picking up the OSD in Fist’s office in Chora’s Den also retroactively gives you the quest. 
• This quest evolves into Citadel: Rita's Sister and Chellick and Citadel: Rita's Sister is Safe as you progress it.
• Citadel: Scan the Keepers: this assignment is dropped into your lap; after meeting the council, a Salarian is right in your path, fiddling with a keeper. A squadmate will even point them out. Chat to the Salarian, Chorban, to start the quest. If you’ve already started the Citadel: Jahleed’s Fears quest before this one, Chorban will move to the Lower Markets, where you can still get the quest from him. We’ve got a guide to the Keeper Locations to get you through this quest.
• Depending on choices you make, this assignment will change into either Citadel: Schells' Scanner Given Away or Citadel: Schells has his Data .
• Citadel: Signal Tracking: visit Flux Casino on the Lower Wards and examine a ‘Suspicious Gambling Machine’ in the upstairs corner to start this quest. We’ve got a guide on the signal tracking locations if you need help.
• Citadel: The Fan: you’ll find Conrad Verner standing in the Markets area of the Upper Wards. There are three stages to this assignment; you’ll need to visit Verner when you first gain access to the wards, then again after becoming a Spectre, and one last time after completing any of the three main story worlds.
• As it progresses, this quest changes name to Citadel: Xeltan Convinced .
• Missing Person / UNC: Privateers: get this assignment by speaking to Garoth in the Citadel Tower after your second meeting with the council. Alternatively, it can be received by hacking a computer terminal on Noveria. It will also automatically trigger if you find and scan the MSV Majesty in the Horse Head Nebula.

Once you’re back on the Normandy after your first Citadel Visit, you’ll have the chance to talk to your squadmates during down time aboard the ship. If you keep talking to them, three of your alien squad members will have requests for you.

What squadmates have to say changes each time you complete a main story mission; you may have to complete one or two story missions before they give you their request and the associated assignment .

• Garrus: Find Dr. Saleon: keep talking to Garrus and he’ll gradually reveal information about this C-Sec case gone wrong, which eventually gives you a location to head to.
• Tali and the Geth / Tali’s Pilgrimage: Tali will tell you about her pilgrimage, but this assignment only pops when you clear a Geth Base on Solcrum as part of UNC: Geth Incursions. There’s a terminal you can interact with in that planet’s Geth Stronghold, and you can then gift that data to Tali aboard Normandy.
• Wrex: Family Armor: keep talking to Wrex and talking about his past; he will ask you to retrieve his family armor, which was stolen. Alternatively, you can find the assignment goal on Tuntau in the Phoenix System of Argos Rho; finding the armor first gives you the quest, then you can turn it in by talking to Wrex. We recommend, for various reasons, that you do this quest before heading to Virmire .

Citadel Assignments Part 2

These assignments will be available the next time you visit the Citadel after completing any one of the three ‘core’ story planet missions of Therum, Noveria, or Feros .

Three of the quests that unlock this point are a branch based on your pre-service history character background - each background gets one exclusive side quest. The other three are available to all.

• Citadel: I Remember Me: only available if your Shepard has the Colonist background. You’ll automatically get a call about this quest after arriving on the Citadel and using the elevator from the docking bay.
• Citadel: Old Friends: only available if your Shepard has the Earthborn background. Find Finch in Chora’s Den.
• Citadel: Old, Unhappy, Far-Off Things: only available if your Shepard has the Spacer background. Talk to Zabaleta in the Wards Access corridor area.
• Citadel: Family Matter: near the Presidium financial district and Barla Von’s office, there's two people audibly arguing. Insert yourself into their conversation.
• Citadel: Planting a Bug: you must have completed Citadel: Reporter’s Request for Emily Wong. If you have, find Wong in the Citadel Tower to get this continuation.
• Citadel: Snap Inspection: this will automatically occur as you step off the Normandy when it first arrives back at the Citadel. 
• Citadel: The Fourth Estate: the reporter Khalisah Al-Jilani can be found at the bottom of the elevator from the docking bay; talk to her to take on this verbally-charged assignment.

Story Planet Assignments: Feros, Noveria, & Virmire

Mass Effect’s handful of story-critical planets also have a few assignments of their own - though it’s only a few for each planet, and Therum actually has no side quests at all, being a much more straightforward affair. Here’s the quests you can expect on each planet:

Noveria Assignments:

• Noveria: Espionage: as you explore the port in Noveria, you’ll be approached by an Asari named Mallene Calis, giving you this side quest. If you agree to help her, the quest continues. If you refuse, it is marked as completed.
• Noveria: Smuggling: there’s a Hanar Merchant named Opold on Noveria, in the port area. Chat to it and it’ll ask for your help smuggling an item.

Feros Assignments:

• Feros: Data Recovery: when you’re in the Mako heading from Zhu’s Hope to the ExoGeni facility, you can stop and head into ruins - speak to the scientists hiding within. 
• Feros: Geth in the Tunnels: after speaking to Fai Dan as part of the main story and then dealing with some Geth, speak to him again. You can also get the quest by heading into the tunnels and blowing up the transmitter.
• Feros: Power Cells: once you’ve met Fai Dan in Zhu’s Hope, talk to May O’Connell, who hangs out near the area entrance.
• Feros: Varren Meat: once you’ve free reign to look around Zhu’s Hope, talk to Davin Reynolds.
• Feros: Water Restoration: find and talk to Macha Doyle inside the Zhu’s Hope colony.

Virmire Assignments:

• Virmire: Assisting Kirrahe's Team & Virmire: Wrex and the Genophage : both unmissable quests that will pop part-way into the Virmire mission - with the Wrex mission only happening if you recruited him. We’ve got a full guide to the choices on Virmire that helps explain the decisions you’re making here.

Citadel Assignments Part 3

While you can go back and forth to the Citadel as much as you like, these assignments will be made available when the story takes you back to the Citadel and for a brief period you can’t leave there. 

• Citadel: Our Own Worst Enemy: once Captain Anderson asks you to meet him in Flux but before you do go to join him, talk to Charles Saracino, who is leading a group of protestors. 
• Citadel: Negotiator's Request: once Captain Anderson asks you to meet him in Flux, you’ll be able to talk to Mr. Keeler near the entrance to Flux to get this assignment.

DLC Assignments: Bring Down the Sky & Pinnacle Station

The DLC for Mass Effect adds two new locations with associated story missions - Asteroid X57 and Pinnacle Station. Note that Pinnacle Station is only available in the original releases of the game, not the Legendary Edition remaster . Bring Down The Sky is available in both.

Bring Down the Sky / Asteroid X57 Assignments:

• X57: Bring Down the Sky: simply land on the asteroid; this is the main story mission.
• X57: Avoid the Blasting Caps: will be introduced to you over comms when you turn off the first fusion torch.
• X57: Missing Engineers: either find one of the engineers out on the Asteroid or speak to Simon Atwell later in the main quest.

Pinnacle Station Assignments: 

• Pinnacle Station: Combat Missions: visit Pinnacle Station. Talk to Admiral Ahern, then Ochren. 
• Pinnacle Station: Convoy: clear Admiral Ahren’s special scenario to get this quest.
• Pinnacle Station: Vidinos: beat the high score of a challenge to start this quest.

Galactic Collectible Assignments

Each of these five assignments relate to various resources that can be found on the uncharted worlds you can land the Mako on through the galaxy as presented in Mass Effect. Each of these quests automatically begins the first time that you pick up one of these resources on any uncharted world.

Keep in mind that in most of these cases, there are more of these resources to be found than required to finish each quest. Aside from some cash and XP, there is no bonus to finding ‘extra’ resources.

• UNC: Prothean Data Discs
• UNC: Turian Insignias
• UNC: Valuable Minerals
• UNC: Locate Signs of Battle
• UNC: Asari Writings

These assignments make up the bulk of the side quests in the game - relatively random encounters you can have out in space while exploring the galaxy.

Most of these quests can be acquired in multiple ways - either through stumbling on the quest location while exploring a planet, through hacking computers and terminals, through overheard news reports and banter, or even through distress signals. Many of these quests have multiple names depending on how you first acquire them - so we bundle each quest together with its multiple monikers below.

• UNC: Asari Diplomacy / Mercenaries: after completing one story planet, talk to Nassana Dantius in the lounge area of the Citadel’s Presidium embassies area. Alternatively, the quest automatically begins if you assault a merc base on Sharjila in the Macedon system.
• UNC: Colony of the Dead / Investigate Samples: hack a terminal in the ExoGeni building on Feros - or go to Chasca in the Matano system and enter one of the planet’s research stations.
• UNC: Dead Scientists / Doctor at Risk: find a clue on a terminal on Noveria, or get it automatically when you first enter the Newton system.
• UNC: Derelict Freighter: any time after finishing the story mission on Feros, find this ship drifting in the Caspian System of the Maroon Sea Cluster, hidden in an asteroid belt. 
• UNC: Distress Call / Unusual Readings: hack the computer in Udina’s office on the Citadel, or go to Metgos in the Argos Rho cluster’s Hydra system.
• UNC: Espionage Probe / Investigate Shipments: simply take the Normandy to the Voyager Cluster’s Amazon system.
• UNC: ExoGeni Facility / Investigate Facility: obtain the quest by unearthing a transmission while on Feros, or get the assignment by landing on Nodacrux in the Maroon Sea cluster.
• UNC: Geth Incursions / Geth Activities: acquired by hacking a Geth terminal on Feros or terminal on Virmire, but it’s more easily obtained by visiting the Armstrong Nebula, where it’ll be given to you on arrival.
• UNC: Hostage: you’ll get a message from Admiral Hackett the first time you enter the Farinata System of the Hades Gamma cluster.
• UNC: Hostile Takeover / A Person of Interest: either talk to Helena Blake in the Citadel Presidium Financial District after becoming a Spectre, or decrypt a terminal in C-Sec Academy.
• UNC: Major Kyle / Strange Transmission: unlocked by hacking various terminals on Feros, the Citadel, or Noveria. Alternatively, navigate to the Century system of the Hawking Eta cluster to get it automatically.
• UNC: Missing Marines / UNC: Cerberus / UNC: Hades' Dogs: after becoming a Spectre, speak to Admiral Kahoku in the Citadel Tower to get the Missing Marines assignment. Alternatively, take Normandy to Edolus in the Artemis Tau cluster to get the assignment that way. Once Missing Marines is completed, UNC: Cerberus triggers when you next use the galaxy map, and that quest leads directly to UNC: Hades’ Dogs. 
• UNC: Listening Post Alpha / UNC: Listening Post Theta / UNC: Depot Sigma-23: after completing Noveria, go to the Styx Theta cluster. Enter the Erebus system to pick up a distress signal.
• UNC: Lost Freighter: locate the missing ship in the Gemini Sigma cluster’s Ming System. 
• UNC: Lost Module: simply enter the Hercules system in the Attican Beta cluster to be given the assignment. 
• UNC: Missing Survey Team: commonly overheard in Citadel elevators. Alternatively, just go to the planet Trebin in the Hades Gamma cluster’s Antaeus system.
• UNC: Privateers / Missing Person: talk to Garoth on the Citadel Tower after becoming a Spectre. Alternatively, find and scan the MSV Majesty in the  Horse Head Nebula. It’s near the planet Xawin.
• UNC: Rogue VI: once you reach a certain level, Admiral Hackett will call you to give you this assignment the next time you travel to a new system. This assignment is how you unlock Shepard’s specialization class .

Finally, there are two assignments that are exclusive to different moralities. They only trigger if you've amassed a certain amount of Paragon or Renegade points, and are themed around what each morality axis is good at:

• UNC: Besieged Base:  Admiral Hackett will contact you when you use the Galaxy Map once you qualify, which will require at least 80% of Paragon points.
• UNC: The Negotiation:  Admiral Hackett will contact you when you use the Galaxy Map once you qualify, which will require at least 80% Renegade points.

Finished with ME1? We've got the same guide for the ME2 side quests if you enjoyed this - just click on through!

Mass Effect™ Legendary Edition

Squadmate Side Quests

This section of IGN's Mass Effect wiki guide covered the three Squadmate Side Quest Assignments. Here you'll learn how to unlock them, how to complete them, and how to make the right choices for your playthrough!

How to Unlock Squadmate Assignments

• Wrex: Family Armor
• Tali: Pilgrimage
• Garrus: Find Dr. Saleon

The Squad Mate Assignments are unlocked by talking to Garrus, Wrex and Tali in the lower decks of the Normandy. There are three stages for each of them, and you can start as soon as they're recruited from the Citadel.

Here's how to progress these conversations:

• Talk to the relevant Squad Mate and pick the upper-left option on the Dialogue Wheel if it's present.
• Check the Investigate section to see if there are any new options.
• Once you've done that, complete any Mission World, or progress/complete an Assignment on an Uncharted World. Completing an Assignment that takes place aboard a spaceship does not count towards this.
• When you get to the third stage, you'll unlock their Assignment.

Every Squadmate Side Quest

While talking with Wrex, you learned that a Turian artifact collector named Tonn Actus is currently in possession of the Urdnot clan's family armor. Wrex has (reluctantly) asked you to go to planet Tuntau to recover it for him, and doing so would go a long way towards getting on the Krogan's good side!

This Assignment, also known as Tali and the Geth, tasks you with keeping an eye out on anything related to the Geth and how they've changed since they first drove the Quarians beyond the Perseus Veil. Doing so would provide Tali with a Pilgrimage gift more than worthy enough of her father's reputation.

While talking with Garrus, he told a story about Dr. Saleon, an unhinged doctor who sold organs grown inside his own men to sell on the black market, but got away thanks to using civilians as hostages. Garrus has the co-ordinates to him, and is hoping Shepard would investigate since C-Sec didn't want to follow up on it.

Up Next: Wrex: Family Armor

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Missing Person (or UNC: Privateers)  is an Assignment   in Mass Effect . Missing Person  is about Garoth's missing brother.  Assignments  are secondary quests in Mass Effect , that are not mandatory to progress the game's story, but provide context and flavor by meeting interesting NPCs  of all kind of Races , granting additional experience, and letting the player visit extraordinary and unique planets.

Missing Person Walkthrough

Once you enter the Strenuus system of the Horse Head Nebula, search the area above and to the left of the planet Xawin , for the MSV Majesty. Scanning the ship reveals a radiation trail leading to the planet. You have to do this in order to be able to land on Xawin .

After landing in the Mako, head northwest to find the privateer base. Keep in mind that Xawin  is a level one cold hazard planet, so limit your time outside the Mako. The front and back of the base are guarded by mercenarys and Alliance Heavy Turrets. There are four Alliance Heavy Turrets on the exterior and four Mercenary Snipers, two in the front and two in the back. 

Once you clear the exterior area, head inside the complex, and save your game, a tough fight awaits you. You will find some more snipers and regular Mercenaries. Two of them are Krogan , and they will try to approach you to take advantage of their Shotguns  and close-counter abilities, like Charge . Use powers to keep them at bay.

When all the mercenaries are down, loot all you find in the first level. You can find a storage locker, that requires easy Decryption  and in the back room there is a disposal canister. Head upstairs and turn right to find two more crates.  One is in the corner past the power junctions, the other one is atop a pile of crates to the left. 

When you enter the next room you will find a computer that grands you a Codex Entry, provided you haven't gotten it already, a Secure Storage Locker that requires average Decryption , an aid stations and sadly, Captain Willem's dead body. You get a text that has different content depending on how you acquired the Assignment . Once you are done, leave and head to the Citadel . Speak to Garoth to complete the Assignment , and the talk to him can earn you some Renegade or Paragon points, depending on your choices.

How to unlock Missing Person

You can obtain Missing Person  in three different ways:

• You can speak to Garoth in the Citadel Tower. He appears after your second meeting with the Council. He asks for your help finding the MSV Majesty, captained by his brother Willem. He believes that the ship has fallen victim to a mechanical failure or to privateers. 
• You can acquire it at  Noveria  by hacking a computer, that can be found in room below Lorik Qui'in 's office in the Synthetic Insights offices.
• You can head direclty to the Strennus system of the Horse Head Nebula and scan the MSV Majesty, near the planet Xawin . Acquiring the Assignment  like this, directly names it UNC: Privateers .

Enemies found on Missing Person

• Alliance Heavy Turret
• Mercenary Sniper

Missing Person Rewards

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What we know about Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday after being hit by a cargo ship, with large parts of the bridge falling into the Patapsco River.

At least eight people fell into the water, members of a construction crew working on the bridge at the time, officials said. Two were rescued, one uninjured and one in serious condition, and two bodies were recovered on Wednesday. The remaining four are presumed dead. The workers are believed to be the only victims in the disaster.

Here’s what we know so far.

Baltimore bridge collapse

Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship , sending at least eight people from a construction crew into the water. Follow live updates and see photos from the scene .

How it happened: The container ship lost power shortly before hitting the bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said. Video shows the bridge collapse in under 40 seconds.

Victims: Divers recovered the bodies of two construction workers who died , while finding other vehicles trapped and probably containing the other victims, officials said. They were fathers, husbands and hard workers . The entire crew aboard the container ship Dali survived . First responders shut down most traffic on the four-lane bridge after the crew issued an urgent mayday call. It saved lives, Moore said.

Economic impact: The collapse of the bridge, which severed ocean links to the Port of Baltimore, adds a fresh headache to already struggling global supply chains . See how the collapse will disrupt the supply of cars, coal and other goods .

History: The Key Bridge was built in the 1970s and spanned the Patapsco River. Rebuilding the bridge will probably take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars, experts said.

• Baltimore begins massive and dangerous cleanup after bridge collapse Earlier today Baltimore begins massive and dangerous cleanup after bridge collapse Earlier today
• Baltimore port workers are ‘living in a dream’ as harbor remains blocked March 28, 2024 Baltimore port workers are ‘living in a dream’ as harbor remains blocked March 28, 2024
• Rebuilding Baltimore’s Key Bridge will likely take years, experts say March 27, 2024 Rebuilding Baltimore’s Key Bridge will likely take years, experts say March 27, 2024

Completionist Achievement Guide

• View history

• 1.1 Prologue
• 1.2 Exposing Saren
• 1.3 Finding Liara T'Soni
• 1.4 The Citadel
• 1.5 Noveria
• 1.7 Uncharted Space
• 1.8 The Citadel Redux
• 1.9 Uncharted Space Redux
• 1.10 Virmire
• 1.11 Citadel Detainee
• 2.1 Character Creation
• 2.2 Morality
• 2.3 Difficulty Achievements
• 2.4 Ally Achievements
• 3 Possible Career Paths
• 4.1 General Guides
• 4.2 Achievement Guides

This is a brief guide intended to outline a reasonable order to complete 100% of all missions and assignments . It covers experiencing virtually all of the content of Mass Effect .

There are a number of other excellent achievement specific guides listed below . These should also be consulted for specifics concerning those achievements.

Note that this is not intended to be a walk-through in the usual sense: it is more of a checklist. It is not necessary to complete the game more than once to gain the "Completionist" achievement.

This checklist will provide one possible order for accomplishing all of the missions and assignments .

• In order to ensure that it is possible to gain the various ally achievements it is extremely important not to trigger any assignments until after Liara T'Soni has been rescued.
• Codex entries ;
• armory licenses ;
• medi-gel and grenade capacity upgrades .
• It is assumed that the player will interact with every object and character possible at each step. For the most part, no explicit instructions are given concerning dialog choices. It is assumed that players using characters with a Paragon agenda will favor those choices (and Charm choices in particular); likewise for Renegade and Intimidate . Over the course of several games the player should be able to see the basic, Paragon , and Renegade outcomes of each situation.
• UNC: Prothean Data Discs → UNC: Collection Complete
• UNC: Turian Insignias → UNC: Collection Complete
• UNC: Valuable Minerals → UNC: Survey is Complete
• UNC: Locate Signs of Battle → UNC: Entire Collection is Found
• UNC: Asari Writings → UNC: Collection Complete
• Following each system mission or assignment it is assumed that the player will speak to each crew member, exhausting all available dialog trees, and advancing any romance . (In practice, this is more often than is really necessary.)

• Talk to Nihlus about the Protheans . This is critical for the Scholar achievement.
• Talk to either Ashley Williams or Captain Anderson about the geth . This is critical for the Scholar achievement.
• If investment in Decryption is high enough, hack the security locks for the shed holding Dr. Warren and Manuel and the one holding Cole .
• Upon meeting Cole, talk to him about the attack, the Prothean Beacon , and the ship before getting ready to leave, and then use Charm / Intimidate to gain a weapon upgrade and the name of his contact for the smuggling ring in addition to the pistol that Cole found.
• Confront Powell about the ring, take the grenades that he smuggled, and use Charm/Intimidate to gain a grenade upgrade .
• Head straight to the Citadel , avoiding all assignments .

Exposing Saren

Note: Avoid triggering any assignments!

• Talk to the Citadel Council in the Citadel Tower .
• Find Harkin at Chora's Den .
• Find Garrus Vakarian at the Med Clinic .
• Talk to Emily Wong (near stairs leading to Flux) and pick up Citadel: Reporter's Request (before you kill Fist in order to get the Charm/Intimidate option).
• Speak to Urdnot Wrex at C-Sec .
• Go back to Chora's Den and take care of Fist . Leave Fist's OSD alone until after you've rescued Liara T'Soni .
• Go to the alleyway and rescue Tali'Zorah nar Rayya .
• Go back to the Citadel Council and receive your status as a Spectre .
• Purchase medi-gel capacity upgrades I and II . (Required before upgrade III becomes available from Opold or Commander Rentola .)
• Purchase all entry level armory licenses .
• Purchase all available armory licenses as level/funds allow.
• Purchase all available grenade capacity upgrades as funds/level allow.

Finding Liara T'Soni

Note: If you are already at least level 20, it will be impossible to avoid triggering the UNC: Rogue VI assignment at this point. This will not adversely affect the ally achievements , as only 75% of the assignments are necessary.

• Go to the Knossos system in the Artemis Tau cluster and rescue Liara from the planet Therum .
• Survey the Knossos system.
• Survey the Athens system.

The Citadel

• Be sure to complete Citadel: Xeltan Convinced first in order to receive a trinket from Sha'ira which will be used on the planet Eletania .
• Talk to Dr. Chloe Michel about Armistan Banes
• Once the assignment is complete, talk to Captain Anderson about Armistan Banes
• Citadel: Family Matter
• Citadel: The Fourth Estate
• Citadel: Homecoming
• Citadel: Jahleed's Fears → Citadel: Jahleed's Secret → Citadel: Jahleed and Chorban | Citadel: Jahleed Returns Materials | Citadel: Jahleed Arrested
• Prerequisite: Citadel: Reporter's Request .
• Citadel: Presidium Prophet
• Prerequisite: Emily Wong will be absent until you pick up Fist's OSD .
• Citadel: Rita's Sister → Citadel: Rita's Sister and Chellick → Citadel: Rita's Sister is Safe
• Citadel: Scan the Keepers
• Citadel: Schells the Gambler → Citadel: Schells' Scanner Given Away | Citadel: Schells has his Data | Citadel: Schells' Scanner is Taken
• Citadel: Signal Tracking
• Citadel: Xeltan's Complaint → Citadel: Xeltan Convinced
• Prerequisite: Colonist background.
• Prerequisite: Earthborn background.
• Prerequisite: Spacer background.
• Meet with Conrad Verner for the first time.
• Meet with Garoth .
• Hack terminal (if possible; if not wait until The Citadel Redux ).
• Meet with Helena Blake .
• Hack terminal.
• Meet with Admiral Kahoku
• After Citadel: Doctor Michel is Safe , having talked to Dr. Michel and Captain Anderson , talk to the admiral about Armistan Banes

• Noveria: Espionage
• Noveria: Smuggling
• Hack terminal
• Purchase medi-gel capacity upgrade III . ( Opold and Commander Rentola are the sole sources.)
• Purchase all available grenade capacity upgrades as level/funds allow.
• Noveria: Geth Interest → Noveria: Matriarch Benezia → Noveria: Death of a Matriarch
• Noveria: Leave Port Hanshan
• Noveria: Lorik Qui'in
• Noveria: Peak 15
• Noveria: Reactor Repair
• Noveria: Reconnect Landlines
• Noveria: Contamination
• Noveria: Rift Station
• Noveria: Quarantine
• Noveria: The Hot Labs

• Feros: Geth in the Tunnels
• Feros: Power Cells
• Feros: Varren Meat
• Feros: Water Restoration
• Purchase the Haliat Armory license . ( Ledra is the sole source.)
• Purchase all available medi-gel and grenade capacity upgrades as level/funds allow.
• Feros: Geth Attack → Feros: The Thorian → Feros: Colony Saved
• Feros: Data Recovery
• Hack terminal inside freighter

Uncharted Space

• Bring Down the Sky
• Pinnacle Station
• Prerequisite: Feros
• Note: This assignment is affected by Psychological Profile (Sole Survivor).
• Prerequisite: UNC: Listening Post Alpha
• Prerequisite: UNC: Listening Post Theta
• UNC: Distress Call
• Note: This assignment is affected by Psychological Profile (War Hero).
• UNC: Geth Incursions
• UNC: Hostage
• Prerequisite: Noveria
• UNC: Lost Freighter
• UNC: Lost Module
• Note: This assignment is affected by Psychological Profile (Ruthless).
• UNC: Missing Survey Team
• Garrus: Find Dr. Saleon → Garrus: Dr. Saleon is Dead
• Prerequisite: UNC: Geth Incursions
• Wrex: Family Armor
• UNC: Asari Diplomacy
• UNC: Missing Marines
• UNC: Privateers

The Citadel Redux

• Use Charm / Intimidate to get access to the 'prototype asari mods'.
• Meet with Conrad Verner for the second time.
• Meet with Helena Blake (if you haven't already).

Uncharted Space Redux

Note: This is the final opportunity to complete assignments outside of the Citadel .

• Prerequisite: UNC: Missing Marines
• Prerequisite: UNC: Cerberus
• UNC: Hostile Takeover
• Prerequisite: Level 20
• Prerequisite: 80% Paragon .
• Prerequisite: 80% Renegade .

• Do not kill Wrex if you are trying to acquire the Krogan Ally achievement.
• Convincing Wrex is one of two ways to gain the Charismatic achievement.
• Purchase the Armali Council license . ( Commander Rentola is the sole source.)
• Virmire → Virmire: Saren's Plan → Virmire: Assault
• Virmire: Assisting Kirrahe's Team → Virmire: Kirrahe's team

Citadel Detainee

• Meet with Conrad Verner for the third and final time.
• Citadel: Negotiator's Request
• Citadel: Our Own Worst Enemy

• Ilos: Find the Conduit
• Convincing Saren to commit suicide is the other way to acquire the Charismatic achievement.

Multiple Characters and Replays

In order to experience every possible assignment and to gather all possible achievements , it is necessary to play through Mass Effect at least four times. If one follows the possible career paths :

• the first game will yield all but three of the assignments and the majority of the achievements;
• the second will yield a few further achievements;
• the third will provide two further assignments and several more achievements;
• the fourth will see the final assignment and finish up the last possible romance combination.

Further replays may be required to gain the Extreme Power Gamer achievement and/or the various talent achievements .

Character Creation

When creating a custom Commander Shepard , several immutable characteristics must be chosen which will affect all future play using that character, even if a new game is started.

• Gender affects which romances are available.
• Pre-Service History affects which background specific assignment is available.
• Psychological Profile slightly affects how certain assignments play out.
• Class affects which talents are available and therefore which talent achievements can be gained using that character.

The default "quick start" Commander Shepard is a male Soldier , Earthborn, and a Sole Survivor.

Morality affects certain dialog choices available during each game (and therefore the outcome of certain assignments) as well as a morality-specific mission. A character's morality is represented by running tallies of Paragon and Renegade points (to a maximum of 330 each). Accumulating Paragon points unlocks higher levels of the Charm talent; Renegade points unlock Intimidate levels.

When starting a new game, Paragon and Renegade points are reset, but any Charm or Intimidate levels already earned are not. Thus, with enough play, it is possible to have both maximum Charm and Intimidate at the same time. (It is even possible to do so without spending a single talent point in the process, if you have the patience. See Morality .)

Certain dialog options will only be open to characters possessing high enough Charm or Intimidate talents. As a result it is typically not possible to see all of the possible assignment outcomes until about the fourth game.

Difficulty Achievements

The two difficulty level achievements need at least three games to acquire:

• the first at Casual, Normal, or Veteran difficulty to unlock Hardcore ;
• a second at Hardcore difficulty to gain the Distinguished Combat Medal and unlock Insanity ; and
• a third at Insanity to gain the Medal of Valor .

Both of these achievements will be gained by following the possible career paths .

Ally Achievements

The six ally achievements are linked to the Completionist achievement in that they require a given squad member to be present for 75% of the assignments. Therefore at least three games are needed to acquire these achievements:

• the first game using the same two squad members at all times;
• a second using a different two squad members at all times; and
• a third using the final two squad members at all times.

Following the possible career paths will result in gaining all six of these achievements.

Possible Career Paths

Although Mass Effect features six primary classes and six specializations , the twelve possible combinations do not themselves materially affect the content of the game. (For example there are no class specific missions.) As such, this guide will forebear from suggesting the fourteen or so replays that would be necessary to cover them all along with all of the achievements .

In fact, the only major distinction that matters from the perspective of this guide are the talents available which fall into three broad categories: combat , biotic , and tech . Therefore the possible career path outlined here is just that: one possible path that can potentially yield all of the various talent achievements . There are plenty of other possible variations with respect to class and team members: let your play style and role-playing be your guide.

Here is one possible set of careers along with a list of the achievements which can be expected at each step.

• Charismatic
• Colonial Saviour
• Completionist
• Council Legion of Merit
• Distinguished Service Medal
• Geth Hunter
• Honorarium of Corporate Service
• Medal of Exploration
• Medal of Heroism
• Medal of Honor
• Power Gamer
• Quarian Ally
• Search and Rescue
• Spectre Inductee
• Distinguished Combat Medal
• Extreme Power Gamer
• Krogan Ally
• Long Service Medal
• Soldier Ally
• Medal of Valor
• Sentinel Ally
• Turian Ally
• (None but provides the final background specific assignment and romance .)

General Guides

• Mass Effect System Guide
• Assignments

Achievement Guides

• Ally Achievement Guide
• Rich Achievement Guide
• Weapon and Ability Achievements Guide
• Morality for Paragon / Renegade achievement
• Mass Effect
• 2 Romance (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Mass Effect Fan Finally Fixes One Of The Trilogies' Saddest Stories

• The "Thane Lives" mod allows players to save the beloved character from his tragic fate in Mass Effect 3 , adding a new dynamic to the game.
• Thane's return is more about aesthetics than gameplay, as he helps lead the Drell fleet but cannot be recruited as a companion.
• Mass Effect 4 is in the works, following the success of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition , but release details remain unknown.

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is loaded with memorable characters and its fair share of heartbreaking moments but one dedicated fan wants to give one of the Trilogy's most beloved heroes the ending he deserves . Throughout Commander Shepard's quest to halt the advance of The Reapers, the stalwart human encounters many allies who wish to join his crusade against an unstoppable force. One such person is Thane Krios, a Drell assassin, who is revealed to be dying of a terminal illness and ultimately sacrifices himself for the greater good.

Posted to Nexus Mods by creator Scottina123 , players who want to see Thane survive his encounter with Kai Leng and overcome his severe case of Kepral's Syndrome can now do so with a simple add-on. Installing the aptly titled "Thane Lives" mod tweaks several major events in Mass Effect 3 , preventing Thane from dying during Cerberus' coup on The Citadel and instead having him return to The Normandy where Commander Shepard can continue chatting with him. To further sell the experience, he'll also comment on any completed missions and other crew members will even acknowledge his presence.

Mass Effect's Saddest Character Deaths

Thane's return is more thematic than functional.

Despite Thane surviving Kai Leng's assault and seemingly holding off Kepral's Syndrome, the mod is more for aesthetics than mechanics. He can't be recruited into Shepard's active party and instead spends all his time on the Normandy where he assists in leading the Drell fleet against the Reapers, functioning like a War Asset rather than a companion . Perhaps the best part is that the "Thane Lives" mod will see the assassin included in the Citadel DLC pack as he even shows up at the celebratory party Shepard and their crew throw upon finally pushing back their enemy.

While many Mass Effect fans hold Mordin Solus' selfless sacrifice as the saddest death in Mass Effect 3 , Thane's tragedy is a close second . Throughout Mass Effect 2 , the game goes to great lengths to show the assassin at his full potential only for all of that to be taken away as his terminal illness claims his body. Fortunately, his final heroic stand is the actual cause of his death, an act that Thane believes better suited his way of life.

Mass Effect's Future Is Still Unknown

Released in 2021, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition serves as the best version of Bioware's iconic sci-fi RPG trilogy, providing remastered visuals, overhauled combat, and collecting nearly every piece of DLC into one package. The rerelease was well-received amongst fans but many are questioning when Mass Effect 4 will arrive after the disappointment that was Mass Effect: Andromeda . Bioware has confirmed that it's working on a fourth game , even releasing a brief teaser trailer for the project, but no further insight into its launch has been provided at the time of writing.

Source: Scottina123/Nexus Mods

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Franchise Mass Effect

Platform(s) PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One

Released May 14, 2021

Developer(s) BioWare

Publisher(s) Electronic Arts

Genre(s) Sci-Fi, Action, RPG

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A Total Solar Eclipse Is Coming. Here’s What You Need to Know.

These are answers to common questions about the April 8 eclipse, and we’re offering you a place to pose more of them.

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By Katrina Miller

On April 8, North America will experience its second total solar eclipse in seven years. The moon will glide over the surface of our sun, casting a shadow over a swath of Earth below. Along this path, the world will turn dark as night.

Skywatchers in Mexico will be the first to see the eclipse on the mainland. From there, the show will slide north, entering the United States through Texas, then proceeding northeast before concluding for most people off the coast of Canada.

Why eclipses happen is simple: the moon comes between us and the sun. But they are also complicated. So if you’ve forgotten all of your eclipse facts, tips and how-to’s since 2017, we’re here to explain it for you.

But before we dive in, there is one thing to know that is more important than anything else: It is never safe to look directly at the sun during an eclipse (except for the few moments when the moon has fully obscured its surface). At all other times, watch the event through protective eye equipment . Read on to learn about how to watch an eclipse safely.

What is a total solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon orients itself between Earth and the sun, shielding the solar surface from our view.

In cosmic terms, it is unusual that this happens: the moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, but it is about 400 times closer to us. That means that when these two celestial bodies are aligned, they appear to be the same size in the sky.

What other types of eclipses are there?

Annular solar eclipses occur when the moon is farther from Earth and appears too small to completely shield the sun’s surface. Instead, the outer part of the solar disk remains uncovered — a “ring of fire” in the sky.

Partial solar eclipses happen when Earth, the moon and the sun are imperfectly aligned. The moon only obscures a chunk of the sun. There will be two in 2025.

Earth can also get between the moon and the sun, creating a lunar eclipse. This can be observed once or twice a year .

How dark will it be during the eclipse?

In any given place along the eclipse path , the event will last around two hours or more.

The event will commence with a partial solar eclipse, as the moon takes a small bite out of the sun’s edge, then consumes more and more of its surface. According to NASA , this can last anywhere from 70 to 80 minutes.

The phase of the eclipse where the moon has completely blocked the sun’s surface is called totality. This is the only time the event can be viewed with the naked eye.

The length of totality varies by location. In April, some places will experience this phase for more than four minutes; others, for only one to two minutes.

During totality, the sky will get dark as night and the temperature will drop. Wispy white strings of light from the sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, will suddenly be visible. Lucky viewers may even spot a thin, reddish-pink circle around the edge of the moon. That’s the chromosphere, an atmospheric layer below the sun’s corona. Its color comes from the presence of hydrogen throughout the layer.

After totality, the sun will slowly peek out from behind the moon again — another partial eclipse that will last the same amount of time as the first one. The moon will recede until the sun is back to normal brightness in our sky.

How can I watch the solar eclipse safely?

In general, avoid looking directly at the sun without special equipment to protect your eyes. Inexpensive options for watching the eclipse include paper solar viewers and glasses. If you are using equipment purchased for a past solar eclipse, make sure to inspect it. Toss anything with scratches or other signs of damage.

According to NASA , it is not safe to look at the sun through any optical device while using paper glasses or viewers. To watch the eclipse through cameras, binoculars or telescopes, buy a special solar filter.

The only time you can view a solar eclipse with the naked eye is during the moments of totality. Once the moon begins to reveal the surface of the sun again, return to watching the event through protective equipment to avoid injury.

What happens if I look at the eclipse without protection?

In general, staring directly at the sun, even for a few seconds, can cause permanent damage to your eyes . This can range from blurry or distorted vision to something even more serious, like blind spots. Because there are no pain receptors in the retina, you won’t feel it while it’s happening.

The same is true during an eclipse — except during the brief moments of totality, when the moon has hidden the face of the sun. At all other times, use protective eye equipment to view the event.

What do I do if I can’t find eclipse glasses?

If it’s too late to get glasses or viewers, there’s always a do-it-yourself option: a pinhole camera to indirectly experience the eclipse. You can create one using cardstock , a cardboard box , a kitchen strainer or even your fingers . These designs project an image of the eclipse onto the ground or some other surface that is safe to look at.

Where are the best places to watch the eclipse?

The total eclipse will sweep across large portions of Mexico, the United States and eastern Canada. For the most dramatic show, it’s best to experience the eclipse along the path of totality , which is where the moon will completely blot out the sun.

The Path of the Eclipse

On April 8, a total solar eclipse will cross North America from Mazatlán, Mexico, to the Newfoundland coast near Gander, Canada. Viewers outside the path of the total eclipse will see a partial eclipse, if the sky is clear .

Percentage of

the sun obscured

during the eclipse

Indianapolis

Little Rock

San Antonio

Viewers near Mazatlán, a beach town on the Pacific shoreline of Mexico, will be the first place to experience totality on North America’s mainland. Various sites in Mexico along the eclipse’s path will experience the longest duration of totality — as long as four minutes and 29 seconds.

Cities across the United States, including Dallas, Indianapolis and Cleveland, will most likely be hot spots for the upcoming eclipse. Other notable locations include Carbondale, Ill., which also saw totality during the solar eclipse in 2017; small towns west of Austin, Texas, which are projected to have some of the best weather in the country along the eclipse path; and Niagara Falls, if the skies are clear. Six provinces of Canada are in the path of totality, but many of them have a very cloudy outlook.

When does the eclipse begin and end?

The show begins at dawn, thousands of miles southwest of the Pacific shore of Mexico. The moon starts to conceal the sun near Mazatlán at 9:51 a.m. local time. Viewers near Mazatlán will experience totality at 11:07 a.m. for four minutes and 20 seconds.

Then the moon’s shadow will swoop through Mexico, crossing over the Texas border at 1:10 p.m. Eastern time. Totality in the United States will start at 2:27 p.m. and end at 3:33 p.m. Eastern time.

Canadians will experience the solar eclipse in the afternoon for nearly three hours. The eclipse concludes beyond Canada’s boundaries when the sun sets over the Atlantic Ocean.

How long will the eclipse last?

The duration of totality depends on how far a given location on Earth is from the moon. Places with the longest totality are closest to the moon and farther from the sun. The speed of the lunar shadow is slowest over spots with the longest totality.

In April, the longest period of totality will occur over Durango, a state in Mexico, for a total of four minutes and 29 seconds. Along the centerline, the location of shortest totality on land is on the eastern coast of Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, for about two minutes and 54 seconds. But totality is even shorter along the edges of the total eclipse path; in some places, it lasts less than a minute.

How fast does the eclipse move?

Solar eclipses may seem to happen slowly, but the moon’s shadow is racing across the surface of Earth. Exact speeds vary by location. Eclipse calculators estimate the shadow will move between about 1,560 m.p.h. and 1,600 m.p.h. through Mexico, and more than 3,000 m.p.h. by the time it exits the United States. The eclipse will reach speeds exceeding 6,000 m.p.h. over the Atlantic Ocean.

When was the last total solar eclipse in the United States?

According to the American Astronomical Society , total solar eclipses happen once every year or so, but they can only be viewed along a narrow path on Earth’s surface. Many occur over water or other places that can be difficult to reach. A given location will experience totality once in about 400 years.

But some places get lucky: Carbondale, a college town in southern Illinois, saw the total solar eclipse in the United States on Aug. 21, 2017, and will experience another one this April. San Antonio experienced an annular eclipse last October, and is also in the path of totality for this year’s eclipse.

Do other planets experience solar eclipses?

Yes, any planet in our solar system with a moon can experience a solar eclipse. In February, a Martian rover captured Phobos , one of the red planet’s moons, transiting the sun.

The moons on other planets, though, appear either smaller or larger than the sun in the sky . Only Earth has a moon just the right size and at just the right distance to produce the unique effects of totality.

How will things on Earth change during the eclipse?

As the eclipse approaches its maximum phase, the air will get cooler, the sky will grow dimmer, shadows will sharpen and you might notice images of crescents — tiny projections of the eclipse — within them. Along the path of totality, the world will go dark while the moon inches toward perfect alignment with Earth and the sun.

Animals will also react to the solar eclipse. Bees stop buzzing , birds stop whistling and crickets begin chirping. Some pets may express confusion . Even plants are affected, scientists found after the solar eclipse in 2017 . They have diminished rates of photosynthesis and water loss similar to, though not as extreme as, what happens at night.

What if I can’t get to the path of totality?

Viewers in locations away from the eclipse path will see the moon partially blot out the sun, though how perceptible the effects are depends on the site’s distance from the centerline. (The closer you are, the more remarkable it will be.) Still, it won’t be quite like experiencing the eclipse during totality.

Remember that you should always wear protective eye equipment while watching a partial eclipse.

If you can’t make it to the path of totality but still want to experience it, many organizations are providing live video streams of the eclipse, including NASA and Time and Date . The Exploratorium, a museum in San Francisco, will also offer a sonification of the eclipse and a broadcast in Spanish.

What have we learned from solar eclipses?

In the 1800s, a French astronomer discovered the element helium by studying the spectrum of sunlight emitted during an eclipse. These events also allowed the first scientific observations of coronal mass ejections — violent expulsions of plasma from the sun’s corona — which can cause power outages and communication disruptions on Earth. Scientists also confirmed Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which says that massive objects bend the fabric of space-time, during a solar eclipse in 1919.

And there is more to discover. This April, NASA plans to fly instruments on planes to capture images of the solar corona, and launch rockets to study how the drop in sunlight during an eclipse affects Earth’s atmosphere. A radio telescope in California will try to use the moon as a shield to measure emissions from individual sunspots .

The public is joining the fun, too. During the eclipse, a team of ham radio operators will beam signals across the country to study how solar disturbances can affect communications. Some people along the path of totality will record sounds from wildlife . Others will use their phones to snap pictures of the eclipse to help sketch out the shape of the solar disk .

An earlier version of this article referred imprecisely to eclipse on other worlds. Some appear larger than the sun in sky, they are not all partial eclipses.

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Katrina Miller is a science reporting fellow for The Times. She recently earned her Ph.D. in particle physics from the University of Chicago. More about Katrina Miller