Mass Effect 3: Best Character Builds by the Numbers – Turian Soldier

In honor of the Turian race getting a huge buff this week, I’m going to break down the best build for the Turian Soldier.

BEST BUILD: 6/0/6/6/6

Q: Which powers should I invest in, Proximity Mine, Concussive Shot, or Marksman?

A:  Marksman and Proximity Mine – skip the Concussive Shot.

Here’s why, mathematically (DPS values assume you equip a Piranha X w/Smart Choke, High Caliber Barrel V, Shotgun Amp V, Shotgun Rail Amp III, Armor Piercing Ammo IV):

With Marksman spec’d for Rate of Fire (ROF) increased to 50%, your DPS goes from 2793 to 3732 – almost a 1000 point jump.

Proximity Mine spec’d for 20% additional damage to targets makes your DPS jump from 2793 to 3352 – almost a 600 point jump.

Concussive Shot spec’d for damage only adds 231 DPS to your total.  You do the math.

Q:  Should I increase the duration on Marksman (slot 5)?

A:  Yes.

Here’s why:  While Marksman is active, you can’t use Proximity Mines, so the trade-off is really between increased ROF duration and damage bonus frequency.  Assume you’re terrible at getting headshots (the tier 5 alternative to duration).

So, the way you actually play in the game will be as follows:

1) Fire Proximity Mine (PM)
2) Wait for power to recharge – 3.17 seconds
3) Turn on Marksman and fire weapon for duration
4) Wait for power to recharge – 1.9 seconds
5) Repeat steps 1-4

Let’s look at the upgrade for Marksman duration to 10.2 seconds, broken down into total damage with ROF and damage taken bonuses:

Now look at the upgrade for Marksman if you go with headshot damage and forgo the duration, giving you a 7.8 duration instead:

As you can see, you get over 100 more DPS with a greater duration for ROF bonus than you do for using your PM more often.

Q:  Is Proximity Mine or Marksman better against a single boss target (ie. Atlas)?

A:  Proximity Mine.

Here’s why, mathematically:  The bonuses for Proximity Mine stack, so each time you hit the same target with one, you increase the damage by a multiplier of 1.2.

If you rely on Marksman alone against a single target, your DPS is:

If you rely on Proximity Mines alone against a single target, your DPS is greater because the damage bonus stacks:

Here is the handy tool I used to Spec out the character with all the bonuses – click here if you want to experiment for yourself!

That’s it for the Turian Soldier – any questions or comments are welcome!