Young, brash, and dangerous, James is one of the best soldiers in the Alliance, but he’s also on a fast track to burning out.
He works hard, plays hard, and drinks hard. Some see him as reckless, and his superiors see him as fearless, but those who know him best know there’s a self-destructive side to his heroics.
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TACTICAL ROLE
James Vega’s size and bulk do not lie. At first glance, it is easy to see that he’s built for taking and dishing out damage.
Nearly all of James’s powers are geared for damage output, except two of his unique powers—Fortification and Arms Master (his passive power); these are best suited for tanking.
When properly upgraded, Fortification and Arms Master allow James to take more damage, making him a perfect spearhead for tactical maneuvers.
Send him in first when advancing on enemy troops or send him off alone to flank the enemy’s vulnerable side.
If you want to concentrate on damage output but not utilize James as a tank, pour the majority of his upgrade points into damage-dealing powers like Carnage, Frag Grenade, and Incendiary Ammo.
The combination of Incendiary Ammo and Frag Grenades (when upgraded to Rank 5b) can increase the amount of damage inflicted on enemies with the least amount of ammunition expended.
Frag Grenade’s added bleed effect and Incendiary Ammo’s ability to also inflict damage over time can stack up, causing vulnerable organic targets to suffer increased damage beyond the initial impact.
POWERS
FRAG GRENADE
Lob this grenade at your enemy, and the shrapnel will take care of the rest. Effective against armor.
Ranks 1 through 3 Analysis
Frag Grenades are useful in nearly all combat situations. At Ranks 1 through 3, a well-aimed grenade can serve as a great medium- to long-range weapon. Hurl it ahead of you and inflict damage on unsuspecting foes.
Rank 4 Analysis
At Rank 4 you can choose to either increase the damage output or its damage radius. If you want to concentrate on dishing out maximum damage, choose Rank 4a.
However, Rank 4b will increase the impact radius of your grenade, allowing you to damage more enemies.
Rank 5 Analysis
Rank 5 allows you to either increase the amount of grenades you can carry or add a bleed effect to all organic targets. For players who want to be offensive powerhouses, consider carrying more grenades.
Rank option 5a will ensure that you always have plenty of grenades for nearly all combat scenarios. James is essentially a Soldier, so the more ammunition and explosives he has, the better.
Rank option 5b, however, can also help maximize damage on organic (nonsynthetic) targets.
The bleed effect left by grenades can add a significant amount of damage to enemies, especially if you’ve chosen Rank 4b (increase in impact radius).
The drawback to Rank 5b is that it won’t affect synthetic targets such as the geth or turrets.
Rank 6 Analysis
At maximum rank, players can either increase armor-piercing abilities or add an EMP pulse to the explosion to affect shields.
Both options help further weaken protected enemies, but once again, you must choose whether you’ll be weakening organic (armored) or synthetic (shielded) enemies.
If you chose Rank 5b (adding a bleed effect), then select Rank 6a to complement your power selection.
INCENDIARY AMMO
Shoot and your enemy will burst into flames. Increases weapon damage, eats through armor, and can make an enemy panic.
Ranks 1 through 3 Analysis
Incendiary Ammo is a great power for a damage-dealer like James because it makes all weapon fire even more lethal.
With Incendiary Ammo (or any Ammo power), it’s best to activate it before every mission and make sure you keep it active at all times.
When active, it extends damage over time and sets enemies ablaze.
It also functions as a “source” power that can be detonated using other powers like Concussive Shot, Sticky or Frag Grenades, or even Carnage.
Rank 4 Analysis
At Rank 4, Incendiary Ammo can either increase damage to health and armor (4a), or you can gain the ability to automatically grant it to all squadmates when active (4b).
The choice really breaks down to whether you want James to tank and dish out as much damage as you can or want him to hang back as part of the squad.
If you’re playing as a class that does not have an Ammo power (Cryo Ammo, Warp Ammo, or Incendiary Ammo), you can select Rank 4b and gain the use of James’s Incendiary Ammo when he’s on a mission with you.
Otherwise, select Rank 4a and increase his ability to inflict as much damage as possible.
Rank 5 Analysis
At Rank 5, James can select to either carry 30 percent more ammunition or to increase headshot damage by 25 percent.
To make the best use of this selection, take into account what types of weapons James will be equipped with.
James cannot carry a sniper rifle, so don’t select Rank 4b in hopes of making him a deadly sniper-class squadmate.
Instead, select it if you frequently task James with attacking from a distance with an assault rifle.
Again, if you prefer James to serve as the team’s tank, equip him with a shotgun and select Rank 4a.
He’ll benefit from the increased ammunition count when engaging enemies in close combat—the shotgun’s best range.
Rank 6 Analysis
Both options in Rank 6 increase Incendiary Ammo’s damage output. However, Rank 6a is for a health and armor damage increase across the board.
This makes all shots with Incendiary Ammo all the more powerful since it’s a good general increase to overall damage. Rank 6b adds an entirely new effect to shots taken using Incendiary Ammo.
Instead of simply dealing more damage to health and armor, it ignites enemies and explodes, causing more damage in a wider radius and reaching more enemies nearby.
Your Rank 6 option should depend on whether you want James to take down enemies one at a time, or if you want to use him like a tenderizer, softening up groups of enemies for the rest of your squad to finish off.
FORTIFICATION (UNIQUE)
Reinforce armor using protective Foucault currents. Purge the current and send its charge to your gauntlets for increased melee damage. Slow power use.
Ranks 1 through 3 Analysis
This power’s true strength is in close-quarters combat. When active, James will take less damage and will gain melee damage output.
When equipped with a shotgun, this power can be James’s bread and butter. Activate it before rushing into battle and James can inflict a great deal of damage on enemies using melee attacks alone.
Couple it with the ultradestructive power of a shotgun, and you’ll frequently find that James has the situation handled before you can even reach the target.
Rank 4 Analysis
Rank 4 options depend on whether you want James to function more like a damage-absorbing tank or a damage-dealing tank. If your squad is built to rush and overwhelm enemies, then select Rank 4b.
This will increase James’s ability to deal damage in melee combat and end hostile encounters quicker.
However, if you want James to be an all-purpose tank capable of taking on groups of enemies alone while the rest of the squad handles other foes, or if you want him to be a one-man flank or a one-man front line, then select Rank 4a.
This will allow him to take more damage while you execute your tactical maneuvers.
Rank 5 Analysis
This rank option is about offense vs. defense. Keep your Rank 4 selection in mind when making a choice here. If you want James to be a more defensive soldier, select Rank 5a.
This will recharge his shield quicker and keep him in the fight longer. To go with an offensive powerhouse, select Rank 5b.
It will increase the damage dealt by powers, as opposed to weapons fire, so using Carnage while Fortification is active will increase Carnage’s damage and force by 20 percent.
Rank 6 Analysis
Rank 6a reduces that power speed penalty by 30 percent. This will let James unleash destructive power blasts while not sacrificing any speed in the power department.
Selecting Rank 6b will reduce the amount of damage James takes overall. If you’ve selected 4a and 5a, select Rank 6b to make James as tough and durable as possible.
Carnage (Unique)
Rip a target into shreds with this vicious blast. Major collateral damage to enemies nearby. Effective against armor.
Ranks 1 through 3 Analysis
By far one of James’s best powers, Carnage is perfect for players who want James to be a damage-dealing machine.
It’s not the most graceful or elegant of the powers, and it may not even be the most unique, but it is one of the most effective powers across the board.
This singular blast can shred through many foes with ease even if they’re equipped with armor.
Rank 4 Analysis
At this rank, you must choose whether to use Carnage to shred single enemies, one at a time, or whether to use it to soften enemies in groups.
If you’ve chosen Frag Grenades Rank 4b and Incendiary Ammo Rank 6b, then you’d do well to also select Rank 4a of Carnage.
This increases the damage radius of all your powers and maximizes the amount of damage that James can do to small groups. However, if you want James to single-handedly take on Brutes and Banshees, then select Rank 4b.
This will help increase the damage he can do to a single enemy and ease the pressure for the rest of the group when encountering these tougher foes.
Rank 5 Analysis
If an enemy is on the ground, it can’t fight back. In many cases, it’s often better to knock enemies down or away than it is to inflict damage.
Fast foes like Phantoms can take bullets and quickly recover on their way to their next attack.
When facing these foes, it’s better for James to knock them down and allow the rest of the squad to take them out.
If James is going to function like the first line of offense on a well-rounded team, select Rank 5a. He’ll knock them down, and the rest of the team will knock them out.
For squads that require James to use multiple powers and to attack quickly rather than heavily, select Rank 5b.
This will increase the recharge speed of James’s powers and allow him to use powers more frequently.
Rank 6 Analysis
Both of the final Carnage ranks increase damage. Rank 6a increases damage to armored foes like Cerberus soldiers, and Rank 6b simply increases damage across all types of targets.
Rank 6b is the obvious choice since not every enemy you face is armored, but Rank 6b is especially useful against any enemy with armor, including Cannibals that have fed and certain Geth Troopers.
ARMS MASTER (UNIQUE)
Boost offensive and defensive abilities.
Ranks 1 through 3 Analysis
The first three ranks of this passive skill raise James’s health and shields and weapon damage bonuses to 60 and 30 percent, respectively.
You can stop here and use any future upgrade points on other powers if you’d like. After all, even with the first three ranks upgraded, James becomes a formidable opponent capable of tanking in most situations.
Rank 4 Analysis
If you do invest more points in James’s passive powers, you can select to either take more damage or dish it out. The two choices in Rank 4 complement many of James’s other power trees.
Rank 4a will allow you to take more damage, augmenting his tanking abilities. Conversely, Rank 4b will augment James’s damage output, making him deadlier on the battlegrounds.
Make your selection here based on your Fortification choices. If you chose both Durability options in Fortification, select 4a here as well.
Rank 5 Analysis
This is another rank where you must choose between damage increases or the ability to stay in a fight longer.
Even though option 5b doesn’t directly increase your shields or health, it will help keep James’s shields charged longer by reducing the delay in shield-recharge time.
That means his shields will go into recharge mode faster and get him back into the battle quicker. Rank 5a is a simple increase in power damage, which is never a bad thing. Powers like Carnage and Incendiary Ammo will become even more deadly.
BUILD OPTIONS
TANK: DEFENSIVE
- Fortification: Ranks 4a, 5a, 6b
- Incendiary Ammo: Rank 5a
- Arms Master: Ranks 4a, 5b, 6b
There are different ways to tank with James. A defensive tank can hold off large enemies or engage small groups while the rest of the team either inflicts damage or accomplishes tasks and maneuvers.
A defensive tank won’t inflict a lot of damage, but he will absorb it.
TANK: OFFENSIVE
- Arms Master: Ranks 4b, 5a
- Fortification: Ranks 4b, 5b
- Frag Grenade: Ranks 4a, 5b, 6a or 6b
- Incendiary Ammo: Ranks 4a, 5b, 6b
- Carnage: Ranks 4b, 6b
Where a defensive tank can fend off enemies for the rest of the squad, an offensive-minded tank can inflict a lot of damage at the cost of absorbing it.
An offensive tank won’t be able to stand toe-to-toe for long against a Brute or a Banshee, but he shouldn’t need to.
With this combination of powers, James can deplete an enemy’s health nearly entirely or at least enough for the rest of the squad to finish them off.
ROMANCE
Even though you can interact and speak with James on plenty of occasions (to get to know all about him and his rich history), James Vega is not a romance option for either male or female Shepard.