Like in most RPGs, players need to earn XP in Mass Effect Legendary Edition to level up and unlock more powerful abilities for Shepard and their squadmates. Almost every mission a player completes in-game across the Mass Effect trilogy can award some XP, but completing other activities can award more XP more quickly. Though the leveling systems differ between all three games in Mass Effect Legendary Edition, the primary means of earning XP and leveling up to improve powers with Squad Points do not change much. When players earn enough XP to level up, they can unlock new powers for Shepard and their squadmates, increase the potency of those abilities, and even choose a powerful upgrade or specialization for each ability.
Generally, players don't need to be completists to earn XP in Mass Effect Legendary Edition, but the more planets they explore, enemies they face, and side missions they complete, the more they will earn. The DLC missions now included with the base games in Mass Effect Legendary Edition also provide more opportunities to maximize XP. Here are some activities players can complete across all three games in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition trilogy to earn more XP and level up more quickly.
How to Level Up Faster in Mass Effect Legendary Edition
To earn more XP and level up faster in Mass Effect Legendary Edition, players will need to be somewhat more thorough in their approach to galactic exploration. Often, exploring leads to anomalies and more resources Shepard can investigate and gather, which always translates to bonus XP. Exploring is also important for receiving interesting and challenging Mass Effect side missions that can supplement XP gained from just completing the main story. If players have high enough XP to reach the last available character levels in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, these gains transfer to the next game and allow Shepard to start at a much higher level and with more power to their abilities.
Some of the best things to do for more XP in each game are listed below:
Mass Effect
- Survey every available planet for minerals.
- Visit all landmarks mapped while exploring in the Mako, salvage probes, and investigate anomalies.
- Complete all optional assignments from Hackett.
- Talk to NPCs like Dr. Michel and the Feros colonists to receive and complete side missions.
- Talk to squadmates and complete their personal assignments.
- Pick up extra Medi-Gel even while supplies are full.
- Open crates and unlock doors.
- Discover Codex information.
- Kill enemies while outside the Mako (only in the original Mass Effect, not Legendary Edition).
- Force more waves of enemies to appear by refusing to destroy their ships, and farm XP from kills. This is especially possible during UNC: Geth Incursions.
- Begin and complete the Bring Down the Sky DLC.
Mass Effect 2
- Reach the final character levels in Mass Effect and import that character.
- Scan planets for rare minerals and anomalies.
- Complete Anomaly investigations and associated side missions.
- Upgrade weapons and armor.
- Complete all squadmate Loyalty missions.
- Pick up extra Medi-Gel even while supplies are full.
- Open crates, hack terminals, and bypass safes.
- Discover Codex information.
- Begin and complete the Project Firewalker, Lair of the Shadow Broker, Overlord, and Arrival DLCs.
- After beating Mass Effect 2 once, play with the same character in New Game Plus mode.
Mass Effect 3
- Reach the final character levels in Mass Effect 2 and import that character.
- Scan all planets while evading the Reapers and collect resources.
- Complete all side missions.
- Upgrade weapons and armor.
- Visit with squadmates while at the Citadel.
- Help settle disputes while exploring.
- Pick up extra Medi-Gel even while supplies are full.
- Open crates, hack terminals, and bypass safes.
- Discover Codex information.
- Force fights with waves of enemies to go on longer. Can be done by not destroying Harvesters right away.
- Begin and complete the From Ashes, Omega, Leviathan, and Citadel DLCs.
- Complete challenges at Armax Arsenal Arena.
- After beating Mass Effect 3 once, play with the same character in New Game Plus mode.
In Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, players can exploit their XP gains by changing the difficulty setting to Insanity when they come across a Medical Station. On Insanity, opening Medical Stations grants 300 more XP than players would get on Normal difficulty. As there are no limits to the number of times players can change their difficulty, they should be able to easily gain XP and level up this way. It may also work for Codex entries and opening crates and terminals.
Each time Shepard levels up in Mass Effect Legendary Edition, they will receive a number of Squad Points. In the Character menu, players can use these squad points to level up their powers and abilities. In Mass Effect 2, spending 10 points on a power allows the player to choose a potent upgrade for that power. In Mass Effect 3, players can select a branch from two options on that power's skill tree to upgrade it in multiple different ways. Leveling up also affects squadmates, so players should be sure to also select and invest in powers for them.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with backward compatibility for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.