Biotics are some of the most spectacular and devastating abilities you can unleash during combat in Mass Effect. The first entry in the trilogy gave Shepard and their crew only a small handful of Biotic powers to work with but that number grew steadily with each subsequent title. All in all, there are about two dozen such powers to choose from throughout Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
In the original, the types of powers you can use (if any) are limited based on your class, but from ME2 onward players can unlock a fair number of Biotic abilities regardless of their specialization. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to use Biotics yourself in order to see them in action, but why should you let your squad mates have all the fun?
10/10 Singularity
Singularity is one of Mass Effect’s most iconic Biotic powers, and arguably one of the best ones as well. The ability to pull whole swaths of enemies off the ground and have them floating around helplessly is very useful indeed. Singularity is particularly good in Mass Effect 2 where it can last up to 45 seconds, giving you plenty of time to finish off enemies trapped within its gravitational field.
The main thing that prevents Singularity from ranking higher on this list is the fact that it’s not really devastating per se. Singularity does a negligible amount of direct damage even at higher ranks and is only effective against unprotected targets. Singularity is a fantastic ability to use in conjunction with other Biotic powers, but it’s not particularly impressive all by itself. It is tons of fun to use, though.
9/10 Warp
Warp is one of the first Biotic powers you’ll be able to get your hands on in the original Mass Effect and continues to show up all throughout the trilogy. While it may not look all that impressive compared to other Biotics found on this list, Warp is extremely powerful when used against certain types of enemies. In addition to dealing damage over time, Warp also stops health regeneration, which comes in handy when fighting against Krogan, Vorcha, or Cannibals.
The main issue with Warp is that it’s pretty inconsistent throughout the trilogy. For instance, Warp completely stops health regeneration in the first two games but in ME3 it prevents enemies from regenerating only for as long as the power is active. Meanwhile, in the original game Warp is the go-to Biotic power for taking out armored targets but in the other two titles it’s often more effective against barriers. In other words, Warp’s effectiveness will vary greatly depending on which of the three games you’re currently playing.
8/10 Throw
Throw is a solid power that can be used either offensively or defensively depending on the situation. On one hand, Shepard can use Throw to fling enemies into walls and other objects for a significant chunk of damage. At the same time, the power can also be used to create space between the player and enemies who manage to get into melee range.
Similar to a lot of other Biotic powers, Throw’s damage can vary greatly depending on how hard targets collide with walls or other objects. In order to achieve maximum efficiency, the player needs to be good at aiming and positioning, which isn’t always easy in the heat of battle. Throw is only effective against unprotected targets but has a very fast recharge time in ME2 and ME3, which makes it very useful in those games in spite of its drawbacks. The recharge time is significantly longer in ME1, but you’ll still want to use it there, too, mainly because there aren’t a lot of other powers in the original game.
7/10 Lash
Lash is one of Aria’s signature abilities, and you’ll see her use it a lot in the Omega DLC. Once you complete the DLC, you can pick it up from the Med Bay as a bonus power and start flinging enemies around just like her. Lash can perhaps best be described as a better version of Pull. While it’s not as good at incapacitating enemies and setting them up for combos, it’s certainly a lot more devastating.
Lash only does a moderate amount of initial damage but pulls enemies off the ground with massive force and causes them to take a bunch of extra damage upon landing or colliding with an object in mid-air. In addition, Lash has a lot of utility as it can stagger most enemies in the game, even sizable ones like Banshees and Scions, while also being able to easily remove a Guardian’s shield. On the flip side, the power has an unusually long cast animation, which makes it less than ideal against fast-moving targets.
6/10 Shockwave
Shockwave is a bit like a fancy car. It’s fast, it’s loud, it’s flashy, and using it makes you feel like a badass. True to its name, this power generates a shockwave of mass effect fields that knock away enemies and objects caught in their path. Much like Throw, Shockwave hits enemies with enough force to fling them into the air. However, it also does a lot of damage on impact and can be used to stagger most types of enemies.
One of the best parts about Shockwave is that it can pass through cover, allowing Shepard to hit enemies that are hiding behind crates and walls. This aspect of the power can be exploited to a high degree in ME2 where the ability has a longer range. However, in ME3 Shockwave has better upgrades, so it’s still very useful in both games. One fun side effect of Shockwave is that it can be used to trigger explosive objects at range. Just make sure you’re not standing next to a canister when using it because you might blow yourself up instead.
5/10 Reave
Reave works a bit like Warp in that it prevents enemies from regenerating while also dealing damage over time and draining their health. The health-draining ability is exclusive to ME2 and only works on organic targets, for obvious reasons. In addition, Reave also provides buffs for the player – a temporary health bonus in ME2 and a temporary damage reduction in ME3. Much like Warp, Reave is effective against armor and barriers, which makes it particularly devastating when combined with Biotics that incapacitate targets left unprotected by Reave.
Reave is one of the strongest single-target powers in Mass Effect Legendary Edition and can even be upgraded to affect multiple enemies at once in both ME2 and ME3. Unlike some other powers on this list, Reave has no travel time and can instantly hit enemies, including those hiding behind the mobile covers, such as Guardians. Reave can’t be exploited to cause damage to enemies hiding behind solid cover but you’ll get tons of utility out of this power despite that.
4/10 Charge
Vanguard is one of the most popular classes in Mass Effect and that’s in no small part thanks to this Biotic power. True to its name, the power allows you to charge across the battlefield and smash into a target with tremendous force. Depending on your upgrades, upon arriving at your destination you can either knock back your primary target along with nearby enemies or send everybody flying in a small radius around you. The AoE version of Charge is overall better in ME2 than in ME3.
Charge is a devastating power indeed, but it’s also a very risky one to use willy-nilly since it puts you in melee range of enemies that are still left standing after you’ve finished casting it. The good news is that Charge has an additional effect that mitigates that vulnerability to a certain extent. In ME2 you gain extra shield strength and shield duration while in ME3 you get to restore some of your barrier whenever you use Charge. In addition, you’re completely invulnerable to damage during the one or two seconds it takes to cast the power.
3/10 Dark Channel
Dark Channel is Javik’s signature power, and it gives us an idea of the sort of terrifying Biotics the Protheans must have been using. Back in the day, you needed to own the From Ashes DLC to get access to both Javik and this power, but that’s no longer the case thanks to Mass Effect Legendary Edition. But just like with Lash, you’ll need to pick this up as a bonus power from the Med Bay before you can use it.
Dark Channel is a very straightforward damage-over-time power that works similarly to Reave. It doesn’t have as many bells and whistles attached to it, but it lasts for much longer; up to 42 seconds with the right upgrade compared to Reave’s maximum of 8 seconds. Dark Channel is effective against both protected and unprotected targets and comes with the added benefit of jumping to another target once the primary one dies. When used against weak enemies, the power can kill and jump between several targets before it expires.
2/10 Nova
Nova is a pretty unique Vanguard-exclusive ability that uses Shepard’s barrier to generate a devastating Biotic blast around them. The intensity of the blast is determined by the strength of the barrier, so you’ll generally want to use Nova when your barrier is full. Nova is one of the few Biotic powers that do full damage to all types of protections by default and can be upgraded to deal a ton of extra damage to shields, armor, and especially barriers. The power has a relatively small radius, but it can hit enemies hiding behind cover provided you’re close enough to them.
Nova is a pretty strong power all by itself but it becomes vastly more potent when combined with Charge. Charge can instantly restore your barrier with the right upgrade and has next to no recharge time when using light equipment. You can Charge in, cast Nova, wait a couple of seconds, Charge again, cast Nova, and repeat this process endlessly. Charge + Nova is easily one of the best combos in Mass Effect Legendary Edition, even if it does tend to get a bit boring after a while.
1/10 Flare
Pound for pound, Flare is the most devastating Biotic power in the trilogy. The power works much like a grenade in that it causes a huge explosion upon impact that sends enemies flying far and away. However, unlike regular grenades, Flare doesn’t have a limited number of charges and can be used to trigger Biotic explosions. In fact, this is probably the best power to use for that express purpose because it’s particularly effective against enemies that have already been incapacitated.
Flare’s main downside is that it takes a while to recharge after each use. Presumably, this was done intentionally to offset the fact that it’s so powerful. That said, you can get the recharge speed down to only about five seconds or so with the right equipment and upgrades. Another thing to keep in mind is that Flare is a projectile much like Warp or Throw, so it can miss its mark on occasion. Just remember to first incapacitate enemies with something like Lift or Singularity and you’ll be certain to hit your mark every single time.
