Mass Effect 3: Top 10 n00b vs. Pro Tactics for Gold/Platinum Farming UPDATED
Is there anything worse than starting a Random match and realizing that none of the n00bs playing with you know where to camp? Here is a list of the most common disparities between Pros and n00bs. Of course, a real Pro will run around the map like a killing machine, so this is intended just for easy farming:
1. Firebase White
Top of the landing pad? Bad idea. You will get flanked from all sides. The best place to camp is downstairs in the room – more cover and nothing spawning behind you. Even with the new Firebase White map after the Retaliation DLC, this is true. Two people can cover the new stairs leading down by standing just outside the back door while two people can stay behind the console. Enemies will come through the front door rather than around the back, making it easy to pick them off.
2. Firebase Ghost
n00bs stay near the spawn site, which becomes a kill box in Gold/Platinum. There is precious little cover and enemies will flank you from all directions. A better spot to camp is the container box on the other side of the map with the ammo crate inside.
3. Firebase Giant
n00bs and Pros alike will camp at the top of the ramp on Giant, but Pros know that you have to put at least one person in the back as well, otherwise enemies will spawn behind you. Also, two people can camp in the back above the ladder while two are on the ramp leading to the bottom right next to it – enemies rarely spawn at the top of the room, so you can easily farm all the enemies coming from the bottom.
4. Firebase Condor
Taking the high ground is a good idea in theory, but there’s not a lot of cover up there and you will get flanked easily. Holding down the site where you spawn is easier – no enemies will spawn behind you and you can concentrate fire on all the enemies at the single chokepoint.
5. Firebase Goddess
The room at the top of the stairs is easily overwhelmed and there are too many points of entry. Holding down either side of the gold statue in the middle is actually a lot easier, especially with a decoy or turret on each side. There are ammo boxes on both sides and many escape routes.
6. Firebase Hydra
n00bs will want to stay near the spawn site, sometimes taking cover in the circular room to the right. The easiest place to farm the level is actually the glowing blue orb room – you only need to hold down two entryways and you can lead enemies like Banshees around the blue orb without exposing yourself to the enemies outside the room.
7. Firebase Jade
A lot of people stay near the spawn site or at the top of the map, but those positions are easily flanked and if you’re not careful, the enemies will spawn in the top room with you. Additionally, for some reason the enemies below hit you when you are above way more frequently than when they are on top and you are below. The better way to go are the rooms at the bottom, especially if you have a decoy set out.
8. Firebase Rio
N00bs have the tendency to stay in the middle of the map where enemies will spawn in front of you as well as behind. The better way to do it is to go to the far end of the map where the crates are. You can snipe enemies that spawn on the other side and they won’t appear behind you. Also, there is a big crate in the back with an ammo box that Banshees, Atlases, and Brutes can’t get inside, so it’s a great place to fall back!
9. Firebase Reactor
n00bs will stay near the extraction zone where they can snipe at enemies coming through the reactor. The problem with this is that your entire side and back is open to attack. Pros will camp on the other side of the reactor where there is more cover and enemies only come from two sides.
10. Firebase Glacier
Now that the little hiding room is gone after the Retaliation DLC, there isn’t really a great way to camp and farm Glacier. But, four heavy hitters (Turian Ghost with Harrier, anyone?) running around from top to bottom of the map should be able to easily speed run this map still.
The screenshots are a nice addition to the post.
Condor high ground is better because it let you asses whats happening on the map.. you need to be mobile when playing condor, camping will get you killed and the “choke” point is to wide and there’s also a high ground with cover that can give you problems.. There’s also one problem when staying on the player spawn site, Ammo!..
Yeah, you have to hold down the entire area outside of the spawn site (including ammo box) if you choose to camp the bottom of the map. My problem with the high ground is when Primes can shoot you from all the way across the map. And I agree, running around is always better especially on such a large map, but it’s hard to get PUGs to be willing to do that … we should play together sometime!
If you are playing on pc i’d be glad to do some runs with you… I’ve been playing Pug most of the times most of my friends stopped playing..
I don’t agree on firebase jungle. The “noob spot” has many advantages you don’t get in the other one. For example, the long corridor that let you concentrate your fire straight at the enemy with perfect cover, while being able to flank them by the side rooms to the left and the path to the right and/or falling back through them. Biggest drawback: lack of cover from the extraction area, which enemies can quickly overrun. This can be nearly negated as you take cover along the right path mentioned above, or retreat inside the side rooms toward the stairs. If needed you can then temporary go the “pro spot”, and alternate these two whenever needed.
About the said pro spot now, it definitely doesn’t lack any cover, I’ll give you that. However, here comes the big hairy but: cover from one side is exposed to the other, and vice versa. Only exception: the low walls surrounding the main entrance (entrance which can become an excellent mini-choke point with a juggernaut against atlases, praetors, etc by the way). Stay behind the inside covers to face the stairway, and you risk some heavy fire from the principal entrance, greatly reducing your efficiency. Unable to contain the enemies, you begin to let them enter the place where they can hit your squadmates focused on the other side. If your team is correctly coordinated, ok, you can compensate this drawback most of the time, but that’s sometimes a risky gamble. The ammo crate is also pretty exposed.
So, basically, the pro spot isn’t bad, it’s far from that in fact, but same thing goes for the noob spot. It has undeniable qualities to slow down opponents and fall back whenever needed, whereas the pro spot is more enclaved and offers less mobility if things happens to go wrong.
Anyway, that was a long way of saying “everything else is just pure truth, right on and kudos to you ;D”
Hahahaha, ok, fair enough! I agree with you, there is definitely more than one way to camp maps, particularly in Firebase Jade and particularly if you have a competent team. Let’s play sometime! Leave your GT and I’ll add you :)
Already did miss: Laarn :D But I only play on pc, I don’t know if that’s a problem?(Anyway you wouldn’t miss anything I’m not very good, still managing to chainfail in gold :3).
excellent post, very informative. I wonder why the opposite experts of
this sector don’t understand this. You must proceed your writing. I’m sure, you have a huge readers’ base already!
So much BS. only a n00b camps. A pro team stays on the move and lays waste to everything in their path. nothing comes from behind because it’s already been smoked.
Some good strategy that I’m now reading WAY after the fact. Why didn’t I discover you sooner?