Naturally, not every being you encounter in the galaxy greets you with an open hand. Those aligned with evil will attack at a moment’s notice, from lowly mercenaries to advanced robots programmed to kill on sight. When you do find yourself in a combat situation, your second-best weapon is knowledge (it’s hard to argue that the gun at your side is not the best).
Profiles of the enemies you encounter throughout your adventure are placed throughout the walkthrough section of this guide so you know how to deal with them when you meet them for the first time.
However, there is a standardized approach for detailing your enemies found in each profile. Each enemy profile includes listings for the foe’s carried weapon and any special powers or defenses. The profile also lists a classification for the enemy so you have intel on how much resistance to expect from the target.
- Minion: A low-level enemy with average intelligence.
- Elite: An intelligent enemy with good attack strength and use of powers.
- Sub-boss: A very intelligent enemy with good defenses, powerful weapons, and aggressive use of powers.
[001]
[001] When you target an enemy, you immediately see the current condition of its defenses beneath its name. This information is located along the top of the screen. The base of the enemy information is its health, which is indicated by a red bar.
If the enemy has shields, armor, or barriers, meters for those defenses appear over the health bar.
Enemy Health: Health is the baseline of enemy vitality. Once health has been reduced to zero, the target dies.
Enemy Armor: Enemy armor is shown with an orange bar. Armor can be removed by shooting the enemy or using powers on it, even if the power itself does not have the desired effect on the target. The best powers for breaking through armor are Warp and Incinerate. Heavy pistols, sniper rifles, and assault rifles are good for depleting armor, especially if equipped with incendiary ammo.
Enemy Shields: Tech-based shields are displayed as a blue bar. Like armor, shields prevent most powers from having the desired effect, but casting a power on a shielded enemy still does damage to the shields. The best weapons to use against shields are rapid-fire ones, such as the submachine gun or assault rifle. Disruptor ammo is effective against shields, and the Overload power can dismantle a shield.
Enemy Barrier: Biotic-based barriers are noted with purple bars. You can weaken a barrier by shooting it or casting a power on it, although the barrier will thwart the main effect of the power. The best weapons against barriers are submachine guns, shotguns, and assault rifles. Concussive Shot and Warp are useful against barriers, too.