Mass Effect Andromeda Tips and Tricks

Mass Effect Andromeda isn’t the first game in the series, but there are enough changes that some people might feel lost. In addition, there are plenty of new players jumping into Mass Effect for the first time. This article offers Mass Effect Andromeda tips and tricks to help you gain an edge when you first start playing the game. Follow these Mass Effect Andromeda tips and tricks to learn some quick pointers you may have missed otherwise. Most of these Mass Effect Andromeda tips and tricks are geared toward the beginning of the game, but if you follow them they will make later portions of the game much easier as well.

Physical Stats Matter

How you level up is determined by your specific play style. However, we highly recommend that you focus on Physical Stats first. With a focus on Physical Stats you’ll be dishing out more damage, boosting your shields, and your shots will be more accurate. This makes almost everything else easier to do, especially in the early game. It’s also important to remember your allies. If you neglect them it won’t matter how much you’ve leveled yourself up, you’ll still struggle through some parts of the game.

Craft All the Things

There are two parts to crafting, Research and Development. When it comes to Research, you unlock blueprints so you can make various weapons and other gear. However, the Research part of this is just to get the blueprints. You still have to make the items in the Development menu once you’ve obtained the blueprints. If you can’t make something, press Square (PS4) or X (Xbox One) to see what materials you’re missing. Make sure you scan every item when you’re down on planets so you can earn Research Points. There are three areas for this (Milky Way, Remnant and Heleus), all with different sets of points and unique gear.

Scan Wisely

When you’re in a solar system, you can scan each planet individually, but usually the rewards aren’t worth the effort required. More often than not you’ll spend time heading to a planet only to find a small amount of experience points or some minerals that don’t really help much. Instead of scanning each individual planet, you can maximize the value of a scan by scanning for the anomaly found in each solar system.

Crafting Items and Minerals

When you’re on the ground of a new planet, make sure you hook up Forward Stations to unlock mining zones in the immediate area. Once that’s done you can hop in the Nomad, turn the mining computer on and drive toward a mining zone. Once the resource levels are at their peak, drop a drone for a nice haul. If you have the time to burn you can collect everything, but if you’re trying to maximize your time, just hit the peak resource levels and be on your way.

Modify the Nomad

You can make a number of adjustments and enhancements to the Nomad to make your adventuring that much better. You’ve probably already figured out that you can change how the Nomad looks, but the customization doesn’t stop there. There are a number of different mods that will greatly enhance your experience when down on planets, so make sure you’re checking merchants for Nomad mods whenever you can.

Unlocking AVP Pods

Money is scarce in the early game, especially when you’re looking to improve your guns and gear, buying items from the various merchants you encounter. When you unlock an AVP pod you get a boost that can be extremely beneficial as you progress through the game. Focus on Commerce pods that offer 500 credits every 45 minutes that pass. This will help you earn the credits you need to pick up new guns and gear. You can then shift to the Science pod for a mineral boost so you don’t have to spend so much time on planets.

For more tips and tricks you can check out our Mass Effect Andromeda guide hub!