To ensure the best outcome in the popular action RPG Mass Effect Legendary Edition, players must make one correct decision after another as the protagonist Shepard. One false move will inevitably lead to a failed mission, the death of a key character, and ultimately prevent players from achieving the utmost success in the game.
Whether it's choosing to save or kill Wrex, free or enslave the Rachni Queen, cure or sabotage the Genophage Cure, rescue or allow The Council to be destroyed, etc., discover the shrewdest gameplay options in Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
Spare The Rachni Queen
One of the first important decisions Shepard is forced to make in the popular action RPG is whether to take or spare the life of the Rachni Queen. Killing her will result in the Reapers replacing her with a fake Queen and carrying on business as usual, thereby rendering the decision moot.
On the contrary, saving the Rachni Queen will pay priceless dividends down the line, especially when she returns as a major War Asset in Mass Effect 3. As such, the best choice is to save the Rachni Queen's life, which the Council will approve of and reward gamers for.
Save Wrex
Another beneficial choice comes when opting to save or kill Wrex, the beloved Krogan squadmate and bounty hunter who works alongside Shepard throughout the series. Killing Wrex is a monumentally bad idea if players want to beat the game with optimal results.
Rather, the best option is to save Wrex's life by completing his side quest before heading to Virmire. Saving Wrex will not only bestow Shepard with valuable Charismatic Achievement points that will help later on but keeping Wrex by his side the rest of the way will also lead to a more successful playthrough.
Rescue The Council
By the end of Mass Effect 1, another crucial decision comes when Shepard must choose between saving the Council and sacrificing the human fleets or rescuing the humans and letting the Council perish. The moral quandary is a tough one to navigate, but saving the Council is the smartest long-term play.
In addition to gaining 28 Renegade Points, the gratitude shown by the Council for saving them will pay off strongly down the line when it allows Shepard to elect either Anderson or Undina to the Council. Even better, the Council will return as a major War Asset for Shepard in Mass Effect 3.
Complete Loyalty Missions
By the time Mass Effect 2 comes around in the awesomely remastered video game, the best choice a player can make to achieve the most desirable playthrough is to complete every character loyalty mission. The more loyalty points each character earns, the stronger the overall team becomes and their chance to succeed will substantially increase.
Failing to complete any of the 12 character loyalty missions will inevitably lead to major problems during key missions as the game progresses. In particular, the Suicide Mission will be almost impossible to pass unless Shepard's crew demonstrates their unwavering loyalty to him.
Spare Balak
During the DLC side quest Bring Down the Sky, a ruthless terrorist named Balak fires a large asteroid at a nearby planet. Another moral dilemma that crystallized the difference between Paragon and Renegade, it's best to make a short-term sacrifice for a long-term benefit.
By sparing Balak, the hostages on planet Terra will certainly die. However, Balak will return in Mass Effect 3 and bestow his Batarian War Assets to Shepard's fleet and dramatically increase his chances of defeating the game. By contrast, killing Balak will severely hamstring Shepard's resources down the line.
Save Eve & Maelon's Data
One surefire way to save Eve's life and ensure the strength of Shepard's team is to save Maelon's data during Mordin's Loyalty Mission. Shepard has the option of physically saving or deleting the key intel. Deleting it will effectively end Eve's life and saving the data will spare her life and help Shepard in Mass Effect 3.
By saving Maelon's data and Eve's life as well, the decision will pay off in Mass Effect 3 when Karlos takes down the Reaper and a health update on Eve's life is given. Once Eve rejoins the team, the chances of Shepard conquering the game increase mightily.
Upgrade At Normandy SR-2
One of the best choices Shepard can make is to spend all of the priceless items accrued throughout the quests on upgraded equipment on the Normandy SR-2 spaceship. Many players are so eager to move ahead that they often skip this basic opportunity to improve Shepard's resources.
By obtaining the Thanix Cannon, Heavy Ship Armor, and Multicore Shielding upgrades in the Normandy SR-2, Shepard dramatically increases the chances for his entire squad to survive and thrive as one fully-functional unit.
Stop The Rannoch War
Another big decision for Shepard comes when observing the Rannoch War between Geth and Quarians, two longstanding rivals who could devastate the universe. Tasked with either interfering or allowing the war to proceed, Shepard's best choice is to end the war and broker a peace treaty between the two sides by deliberately saving Admiral Zaal'Koris' life.
By saving the Admiral and neutralizing the skirmish between the two warring factions, Shepard is able to grant stability in the region and quell the violent mortality that has been raging between the two sides for eons. This allows for a much smoother transition into the endgame.
Cure The Genophage
Once opting to save Wrex on Virmire, he will present Shepard with the choice of either curing the Genophage or sabotaging the cure. Without question, the most prudent option is to cure the Genophage despite the tricky ruse presented by Dalatrass.
Dalatrass wants Shepard to sabotage the cure so that Mordin, Wrex, and the other Krogan believe they've been immunized. It's a psychological ploy meant to keep the Genophage as contagious as possible. Therefore, the smartest choice for Shepard is to ignore Dalatrass' duplicity and cure the Genophage for good.
Destroy The Crucible
At the conclusion of Mass Effect 3, Shepard must decide to control or destroy the Crucible. While each choice is subjective due to the various possible outcomes, the best way to ensure Shepard's survival is to choose to destroy the Crucible.
By destroying the Crucible, the mysterious Reapers will cease to be and their existential threat will be rendered moot. However, this option will also create considerable collateral damage. The second-best option in this regard is to Synthesize the Crucible, essentially sacrificing Shepard's soul and fusing all organic and non-organic lifeforms as unified allies.