The SAM implant enhances Ryder’s mind and body, fine-tuning it and providing unique bonuses to his combat effectiveness. These ability-optimizing augmentations are called profiles. Only one profile can be active (or “equipped”), but can be swapped out at any time (through the pause menu or through the favorites wheel). Profiles are unlocked by spending skill points into the three power specializations.
There are seven profiles each leveling up in rank as more skill points are spent into its requisite power group (up to a sixth rank). As profiles are unlocked based on how you invest your skill points, their bonuses tend to synergize with your play style. In addition to enhancing existing stats, profiles add unique effects further differentiating them.
There’s one profile per power group, unlocked by heavily focusing in one group. These make up the three “pure” profiles. Then there are three “hybrid” profiles derived from combining two of the three power groups. These are unlocked by dividing your points evenly into the two specialties required. Finally, the Explorer profile is unlocked by evenly distributing your points into all three power groups.
Skill Points Requirements
| Profile | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 | Rank 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure (Soldier, Engineer, Adept) | 6 | 24 | 54 | 99 | 156 | 232 |
| Hybrid (Sentinel, Vanguard, Infiltrator) | 3 | 12 | 27 | 50 | 78 | 116 |
| Explorer | 2 | 8 | 18 | 33 | 52 | 78 |
Soldier
Power Specialty Focus: Combat
Unique Effect:
- Markman’s Focus: Grants a temporary, stacking damage bonus for every target killed.
- Summary: Soldier profiles enhance firearm proficiency, fine-tuning Ryder’s ability in focusing down high-priority threats. All bonuses are specifically geared toward weapon use.
| Enhanced Stat | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 | Rank 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon Damage | 10% | 12% | 14% | 16% | 18% | 20% |
| Weapon Accuracy | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% |
| Damage Resistance | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
| Weapon Clip Size | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% |
Engineer
Power Specialty Focus: Tech
Unique Effect:
- Combat Drone: A drone that enhances tech power recharge speeds and defends the Engineer with a self-destructing EMP blast if an enemy is detected within its proximity. The enhanced recharge-rate bonus is lost while the drone itself is recharging after self-destruction.
- Summary: Tech profiles maximize Ryder’s power combos and all aspects of tech constructs. Activating the Engineer profile is highly recommended if you’re fond of the powerful Remnant VI tech construct, especially since you can set up combos between the Remnant VI and yourself.
| Enhanced Stat | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 | Rank 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Combo Damage | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Tech Construct Health | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Tech Construct Health Regeneration | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Tech Construct Damage | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Tech Restoration and Defense | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
Adept
Power Specialty Focus: Biotic
Unique Effect:
Biotic Echoes: Biotic combos set off additional explosions on enemies hit by the initial combo.
Biotic Jump and Evades: Instead of using jump-jets, Ryder uses biotic power to perform these maneuvers, enhancing evade-dash distance.
- Summary: Adept profiles greatly enhance all biotic power aspects. Biotic powers are already proficient for disabling groups of enemies—larger effect radiuses combined with biotic echoes lets you set off biotic nukes on clumps of foes.
| Enhanced Stat | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 | Rank 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biotic Force | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% |
| Biotic Area-of-Effect Damage | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% |
| Biotic Area-of-Effect Radius | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% |
| Biotic Effect Duration | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Biotic Combo Radius | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
Sentinel
Power Specialty Focus: Biotic, Tech
Unique Effect:
- Tech Armor: Improves survivability once shields are down, granting +30 damage resistance to red health.
- Summary: Sentinel profiles offer a unique blend of enhancements to a niche set of powers. “Shield-Powered” upgrades for Lance and Nova (powers cost shields instead of having a recharge time) are improved by consuming less shields. Additionally, powers that restore shields (like Charge) or provide barriers are also enhanced.
| Enhanced Stat | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 | Rank 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Combo Damage | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% |
| Tech Recharge Speed | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% |
| Power Shield Cost Reduction | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Power Restoration and Defense | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
Vanguard
Power Specialty Focus: Biotic, Combat
Unique Effect:
- Siphoning Strike: Melee attacks siphon shields, restoring 20% of max shields per successful hit. (Thus, faster and more frequent attacks benefit more from this than slower ones). Biotic Jump and Evades: Instead of using jump-jets, Ryder uses biotic power to perform these maneuvers, enhancing evade-dash distance.
- Summary: Vanguard profiles enhance a “tank” play style, naturally augmenting the tried-and-true Charge and Nova loadout. They also synergize well with strong melee weapons. Not only do your melee attacks deal more damage, but you regain lost shields from successful strikes, giving you a krogan-like resilience.
| Enhanced Stat | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 | Rank 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melee Damage | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Melee Force | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
| Biotic Recharge Speed | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% |
| Power Shield Cost Reduction | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Max Shields | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% |
Infiltrator
Power Specialty Focus: Tech, Combat
Unique Effect:
- Battlefield Awareness: Reveals enemies behind walls while viewing through a scope.
- Cloak Evades: Evades grant a brief cloaking effect so enemies can’t target you.
- Summary: Infiltrator profiles make for the quintessential sniper. Faster recharge times on Tactical Cloak and Energy Drain, in addition to an incredibly high weak-point damage bonus, allows for easy assassinations. Go for headshots, then fade into the shadows to reposition yourself to another sniping cover point.
| Enhanced Stat | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 | Rank 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon Accuracy | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Weapon Stability | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Tech Recharge Speed | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
| Weapon Headshot/Weak Point Bonus | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% | 100% |
Explorer
Power Specialty Focus: Combat, Biotic, Tech
Unique Effect:
- Biotic Blink: Evade dash is replaced with a teleporting effect that travels farther than normal dashes. Also allows you to bypass barriers.
- Summary: A jack-of-all-trades profile, increasing all important aspects of each specialty. While spreading your skill points thin may not seem like an attractive option at first, Explorer profiles compensate for this lack of specialization handsomely with the unique biotic Blink ability. Biotic Blink replaces your standard evade and allows you to teleport great distances (even flashing past certain physical barriers!).
| Enhanced Stat | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 | Rank 5 | Rank 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon Damage | 5% | 7% | 9% | 11% | 13% | 15% |
| Damage Resistance | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 |
| Tech Recharge Speed | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% |
| Biotic Power Damage | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% |
| Power Restoration and Defense | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% |