MASS EFFECT: Tip Sheet #1 -- Miscellaneous Beginner Stuff

Here are some tips I've discovered to help along your Mass Effect Experience.

• ALWAYS HAVE A CHARACTER WITH ENGINEER SKILLS IN YOUR PARTY
  
  The engineering skill has two talents that are vital to exploring the Milky Way: Electronics and Decryption. The electronics talent is used to unlock most containers, including probes that have fallen to the ground. The Decryption talent is used for unlocking containers that use encrypted data locks, such as computer terminals and secure containers. If you want to have lots of cash and omnigel, you are going to need to be able to open any container you come across and these two skill enable that.
  
  
• MAX OUT YOUR ENGINEERS' ELECTRONICS AND DECRYPTION TALENTS BEFORE ALL OTHERS
  
  This is related to the first tip -- once you start jumping off the main questline and begin exploring, you will immediately come upon probes and secured containers that require high talent levels in either electronics or decryption. Not having a high enough skill means that you cannot open the container (even with OmniGel) until you have raised the required talent level and returned to the container location. Even then, the original failed attempt will require that you use some of your valuable OmniGel to open the container. There are no second chances at the button mashing minigame.
  
  
• MAX OUT YOUR MAIN CHARACTER'S CHARM OR TAUNT TALENTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE
  
  There are dialog options fairly early in the game that require the maximum charm/taunt points to be applied for the options to be available. If you see a darkened charm/taunt in the dialog ring, it means you don't have ennough points applied to that talent -- and you won't be able to choose those options. So always level up your conversation skill of choice, ignoring all other skills, whenever there is a free space available. If not, you could miss key opportunities to increase your Paragon or Renegade status.
  
  
• IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE GAME, TURN UNWANTED GEAR INTO OMNIGEL -- DON'T SELL IT.
  
  You are going to need OmniGel when you go exploring to fix your rover. You are also going to need it to open containers whenever you bungle the button-mashing mini-game. You can carry up to 999 OmniGels, so don't be afraid to gel everything you can get your hands on. (When driving the rover, it will look like you can only carry 99 OmniGels, but the Equipment screen will show you the actual number you are carrying.) My rule of thumb is to convert any equipment with a Mark I, II or III value and sell anything with a Mark IV rating or higher.
  
  
• DECIDE ON TWO COMPANION CHARACTERS EARLY IN THE GAME AND STICK WITH THEM
  
  Not only will this get you two achievements at the end of the main quest (using XXX character 85% of the time) but it also simplifies your decisions about what equipment to gel or sell. For example, my A-team is Ashley and Tali -- a Human and a Quarian. That means that I can sell or gel all Asari, Krogan and Turian armor that I find without begin too concerned. (I do occasionally re-outfit my other characters when I'm in the ship's bay, but I'm not overly concerned about it -- they are rarely needed except for specific missions.)
  
  Also, my Shepard has no biotic abilities. Since Tali and Ashley also do not use biotics, I am able to gel/sell biotic pumps without regret.
  
  What this leads to is that you can quickly re-outfit your main team from the equipment screen when you are planetside and immediately gel any unused, low-level equipment from the same screen. Unused high-level equipment (Mark IV and higher) should be sold -- unless you REALLY need the gel.
  
  One other benefit: between your missions and the sales value of all the HQ equipment you aren't hoarding, you should find yourself earning the Rich achievement (over 1,000,000 credits in your account) in 20-25 hours of gameplay.One other note: you can only have 150 items in your possession at one time. That includes upgrades and ammo. So keeping your larder lean will also keep you from being forced to gel any equipment you scavenge.

CONVERSATION POINTERS:

• Conversation options on the right side of the wheel usually lead to a conclusion/termination of the conversation. Options on the left tend to expand the conversation.
  
  
• If you want the full experience, always select and thoroughly explore the "Investigate" option when it appears.
  
  
• Slightly charming answers usually appear at the 1:30 position of the wheel. (Unless an Investigate option has opened up too many follow-up options.)
  
  
• Slightly taunting answers usually appear at the 4:30 position of the wheel.
  
  
• Very charming answers will appear in blue text at the 10:30 position when available. This is the best path to Paragon points and a non-violent resolution to a situation. If the option is grayed-out, you have insufficient Charm talent to exercise that option.
  
  
• Highly taunting answers appear in red text at the 7:30 position when available. This leads to high Renegade points and potentially will start a firefight. If the option is grayed-out, you have insufficient Taunt talent to exercise that option.