Grenades are now more powerful, while Biotic Explosions are less effective

May 3, 2012 07:51 GMT  ·  By

BioWare has just released a brand-new multiplayer balance update for the online mode in Mass Effect 3, this time making changes to a wide array of mechanics and options, from weapons to grenades or the XP and Credit rewards.

Mass Effect 3 delivers an intense cooperative multiplayer experience, with players teaming up and facing off against waves of enemies in a variety of maps.

In order to keep the experience fair, developer BioWare has kept on releasing weekly balance updates that improve weapons or powers that aren’t capable enough, or decrease the potency of other ones.

This week, BioWare has made improvements across the board for several powers and weapons, including many grenades, as well as the Arc Pistol and the Wraith Shotgun. Some powers saw their stats decrease, however, including the Biotic Explosion combo move.

Modifications were also made to the core mechanics, with more XP and credits being given to players in certain waves, while the Cerberus Atlas is now more likely to grab players that get too close to it.

Check out the full list of changes in this new balance update for Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer below.

Frag Grenade Power - Base damage increased from 650 to 750 - Evolution 3 increase to max grenades increased from 1 to 2 - Evolution 4 extra damage to organics increased from 40% to 50% - Evolution 5 armor damage bonus increased from 65% to 75% - Evolution 6 shield damage bonus increased from 65% to 75%

Inferno Grenade Power

- Base damage per second increased from 100 to 125 - Evolution 3 increase to max grenades increased from 1 to 2

Sabotage Power

- Damage from weapon backfire increased from 200 to 300 - Evolution 2 weapon backfire damage bonus increased from 50% to 60% - Delay before weapons backfire reduced from 2 to 1.5 seconds

Biotic Explosion Power Combo

- Impact radius reduced from [3.0-5.0] meters to [2.0-4.0] meters

Arc Pistol

- Damage increased from [61.6-76.8] to [70.2-87.7] - Encumbrance decreased from [1.25-0.7] to [1.1-0.6]

Wraith Shotgun

- Damage increased from [89.5-111.9] to [102.3-127.8]

Cerberus Horde Wave Data

- (Silver) Extraction wave: reduced number of Guardians from 4 to 3 and added a single Phantom

Atlas

- (Silver) Increased chance to sync kill players from 50% to 60% - (Gold) Increased chance to sync kill players from 60% to 80%

Objective Waves (Waves 3, 6, and 10) - Increase XP rewards for completing objectives from 2000 to 3000

XP Rewards

- Random Faction XP bonus increased from 15% to 25% - Random Map XP bonus increased from 10% to 15%

Credit Rewards

- Total credits rewarded for a match is unchanged - Increased share of total credits for wave 6 by 10% - Decreased share of total credits for wave 10 by 10%

BioWare is reportedly working on a new DLC pack for the multiplayer in Mass Effect 3, so expect to hear some more news soon enough.