This page of IGN's Mass Effect Legendary Edition wiki guide covers all the key choices you can make in all three games, including what their effects and consequences are across the trilogy.
One of the hallmarks of the Mass Effect Trilogy is its ability to let you make choices for Shepard during conversations, story moments and gameplay, with effects ranging for very minor to far-reaching across the galaxy. These pages document the most notable choices and consequences across all three games.
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WARNING: It goes without saying that there are HEAVY spoilers in these pages across ALL THREE GAMES. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK, and don't scroll down too quickly!
If you want to go to the Choices page for each game (where we also list the Moderate Choices), click one of the links below.
- Mass Effect 1 Choices and Consequences
- Mass Effect 2 Choices and Consequences
- Mass Effect 3 Choices and Consequences
Below, we'll list all of the major choices and consequences you make across the Mass Effect Trilogy, arranged roughly chronologically. The choices for each decision are listed first, followed by the consequences of each within a Spoiler Box.
To jump to a specific section of this page, click one of the links below.
- Major Mass Effect 1 Choices and Consequences
- Major Mass Effect 2 Choices and Consequences
- Major Mass Effect 3 Choices and Consequences
As before, there are MAJOR SPOILERS across ALL THREE GAMES in this section of the guide. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
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Recruiting Garrus
It's entirely possible to complete the "Citadel: Expose Saren" Mission without meeting Garrus Vakarian at the Med Clinic (however this requires meeting and recruiting Urdnot Wrex). If that's the case, he'll be waiting for you outside the central C-Sec elevator after you've exposed Saren and been made a Spectre. From here you can decide if you want to recruit him:
Recruit Garrus
Ignore Garrus
Recruiting Wrex
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It's entirely possible to complete the "Citadel: Expose Saren" Mission without meeting Urdnot Wrex at C-Sec (however this requires meeting and recruiting Garrus Vakarian). If that's the case, he'll be waiting for you outside the central C-Sec elevator after you've exposed Saren and been made a Spectre. From here you can decide if you want to recruit him:
Recruit Wrex
Ignore Wrex
Find Liara T'Soni
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One of your early Missions is to search for Liara T'Soni in the Artemis Tau cluster. Her reaction to you can differ greatly depending on whether you complete more than one Mission World before going after her.
Find Liara After One or Fewer Mission Worlds
Find Liara After Feros and Noveria
Find Liara After Virmire
Feros: Fate of the Colony
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During this important Mission, you'll have the opportunity to complete side-quests, use Charm / Intimidate to convince Fai Dan, and use special gas grenades to help ensure the survival of the colony. The fate of the colony is then decided by a survival check based on whether you did these actions.
Save the Colony
Shut Down the Colony
Noveria: The Rachni Queen
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At the very end of the Noveria Mission line, you'll have an encounter with the Rachni Queen, and must choose whether to spare her and let her escape, or kill her with acid.
Spare the Rachni Queen
Kill the Rachni Queen
X57: Bring Down the Sky
The DLC Mission Bring Down the Sky has an important decision at the end, where you must choose between saving the hostages and let Balak go, or sacrifice them so you can attack Balak.
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Save the Hostages
Attack Balak
Virmire: Wrex and the Genophage
Early into the Mission on Virmire, you'll learn that Saren has found a cure for the Genophage in this lab, and Wrex is furious that it'll be destroyed. You'll have to confront him at the beach to find a resolution.
To convince Wrex to stand down, you'll need to have 8 Charm points or have completed the "Wrex: Family Armor" Assignment in order to open up the requisite options to save him. Otherwise, you can shoot him yourself, order Ashley to shoot him if you told her to "Stay Alert" earlier, or can't find a resolution that will result in Ashley killing him herself.
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Wrex Lives
Wrex Dies
Virmire: Kaidan and Ashley
Towards the end of Virmire, you'll be forced to choose to rescue either Kaidan or Ashley, who will be at the bomb site and the AA tower (who is where depends on who you assigned to Kirrahe's team before the assault).
Consequences
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Saren Conversation on Virmire
At the end of the Virmire Mission, you'll get into an extended conversation with Saren over his allyship with Sovereign. Towards the end you'll have an Investigate option on the left side: this marks when the important final choice with Saren will appear.
If you pick "It's already happened!" or "You are indoctrinated", you'll open up Persuasion options that will have an effect later in the game.
Consequences
Final Saren Conversation
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In your last conversation with Saren, you'll have the option to convince him to resist the Reaper implants. This requires a full 12 points into either your Charm or Intimidate stat, but if you picked the Charm / Intimidate option back on Virmire, you'll only need 9 points. If you can't, you'll have to pick "This is pointless".
Charm / Intimidate
"This is pointless"
The Destiny Ascension
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During this Mission, after encountering Saren you'll have to choose whether or not to order the Alliance Fleet to save the Destiny Ascension, or ignore it to focus on Sovereign.
Save the Destiny Ascension
Focus on Sovereign
The Human Councilor
Through your actions in the final Mission, you'll be able to choose the Human Councilor who will join/lead the Citadel Council, between Udina and Anderson.
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Consequences
In the original release of the game, this choice isn't actually remembered in your save, since the game doesn't save after it. When importing a Mass Effect 1 save into Mass Effect 2, you'll be asked about this choice early on, and who you choose there will be reflected in 2 and 3.
However, this choice is correctly remembered in Legendary Edition, so you won't be asked about it in Mass Effect 2.
Vido Escapes Zaeed Choice
During Zaeed: The Price of Revenge, you'll be forced to either help some factory workers escape the exploding facility, or ignore them and go after Vido. If you chose the former Paragon option, Vido will escape and Zaeed will get himself trapped under some debris. There are three possible outcomes here.
"You brought this on yourself"
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"I'm leaving you here"
This option is only available after Shepard has survived the Suicide Mission with Zaeed and at least two other Squad Mates.
Any other option
Normandy Upgrades
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One of the earliest ways you can affect the way the Suicide Mission plays out is to purchase three specific upgrades for the Normandy to bolster its defenses and firepower. Not purchasing one will guarantee a profoundly negative effect during a Suicide Mission scene that tests that attribute of the Normandy.
Silaris Armor Tech
The Silaris Armor Tech is unlocked by asking Jacob about Normandy upgrades, and costs 15,000 Palladium.
Thanix Cannon
The Thanix Cannon is acquired by talking to Garrus about Normandy upgrades, and costs 15,000 Platinum.
Cyclonic Shield Tech
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The Cyclonic Shield tech can be unlocked by talking to Tali about Normandy upgrades, and costs 15,000 Platinum.
Awakening the Tank-Bred Krogan
After you complete the Mission "Dossier: The Warlord", you'll wind up back on the Normandy with Dr. Okeer's tank-bred Krogan in lieu of the doctor. At this point, you have the choice to open the tank or keep it sealed.
Open the Tank
Keep it Sealed
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Miranda: The Prodigal
In the second half of Mass Effect 2, you can acquire Miranda's Loyalty Mission, The Prodigal. Completing or Ignoring this Mission will have a direct effect on Mass Effect 3.
Completed The Prodigal
Ignored The Prodigal
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Jack VS Miranda
After you complete Miranda: The Prodigal and Jack: Subject Zero (their Loyalty Missions), when you next return to the Normandy you'll have to settle a big argument between the two. Successfully calming both of them down requires passing a very high Persuasion Check.
Charm / Intimidate
"Back off, Miranda" / "Too back, Jack"
Maelon's Data
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At the end of Mordin's Loyalty Mission Old Blood, you'll be faced with the choice of either destroying Maelon's research data, or holding on to it. This will have a direct effect on a character in Mass Effect 3.
Spare the Data
Destroy the Data
Samara: The Ardat-Yakshi
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Samara's Loyalty Mission is one of the few where it's possible to fail it, and is the only one where failure can occur at two different points. These are when you enter the club to attract Morinth's interest, and when talking to Morinth herself at the club table. If you fail to complete four club activities, or choose the wrong questions and responses at the club table, Morinth will leave.
Morinth Leaves
Morinth Doesn't Leave
Samara VS Morinth
At the end of Samara's Loyalty Mission, Samara: The Ardat-Yakshi, you meet up with Morinth in her apartment, and Morinth will seduce you. If you can pass the extremely high Persuasion check and avoid "Can't... think...", you'll resist her, and will now be able to choose between Samara or Morinth in the final confrontation, rather than siding with Samara automatically.
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Kill Morinth
Kill Samara
Thane: Sins of the Father
Thane's Loyalty Mission is yet another that can be completed with him being Disloyal to you. Towards the end of the Mission you'll be in some upper catwalks, and must periodically inform Thane of the position of a Turian politician named Talid. You'll have a limited amount of time to do so.
Keep Track of Talid
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Lose Track of Talid
Tali: Treason
Tali's Loyalty Mission is one that you can complete but have Tali come out Disloyal to you anyway. It all depends on what you pick at the end of Tali's trial, and what you choose won't just affect Tali's Loyalty, but Mass Effect 3 as well.
Charm / Intimidate / Rally the Crowd
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"We have no evidence"
"Yes. Here is the evidence"
Fate of the Geth Sniper
After you complete the Reaper IFF mission at the Derelict Reaper, you'll have escaped with the shell of a Geth Sniper who shows familiarity with Shepard. Once you're back on the Normandy, you can go to the AI Core to decide whether activate the Geth to talk with it first, or sell it to Cerberus.
Activate the Geth Sniper
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Sell the Geth Sniper
Tali VS Legion
After you complete both the Tali:Treason and Legion: A House Divided Loyalty Missions, when you next board the Normandy you'll find them in a big argument. As with Jack and Miranda, you'll need to pass a very high Persuasion check so you can pick a Charm / Intimidate option that settles both parties without making them Disloyal.
Charm / Intimidate
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"Back off, Tali" / "Legion, stop transmitting"
Fate of the Crew
After you complete the Reaper IFF Mission on the derelict Reaper, where you pick up Legion, the Collectors eventually will show up and steal the Normandy's crew (this happens after you complete four non-DLC Missions and/or Assignments, or run out of of them, whichever happens first).
Once the crew is taken, the amount of Missions and Assignments you complete before starting the Suicide Mission directly impacts the fate of the Normandy's crew.
No Delay
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Delay of 1-3 Missions and/or Assignments
Delay of 4 or More Missions and/or Assignments
Fate of the Collector Base
The very last decision you'll make at the end of Mass Effect 2's storyline will be to decide what to do with the Collector Base. You can choose to either destroy it, or save it. This may have a direct effect on Mass Effect 3.
Destroy the Collector Base
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Save the Collector Base
Suicide Mission Choices
The Suicide Mission is easily the most important Mission in Mass Effect 2: the way you prepare for it and the Loyalties of your team will have a huge effect on how the mission will go. On top of that, specific choices and calls you make during the Mission can also major effects on the Squad and Mass Effect 3, sometimes regardless of how well you prepared beforehand.
- For a full breakdown on what effects your decisions will have, visit the How the Suicide Mission Works page of the Mass Effect 2 guide.
- To see how specific Squad Mate deaths will affect Mass Effect 3, visit the Suicide Mission Deaths Consequences section of Mass Effect 2's Choices and Consequences page.
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Virmire Survivor on Mars
While on Mars, the first full Mission of the game, you'll be accompanied by your Virmire Survivor, who'll be either Kaidan or Ashley. Your choices here will have an effect on what they think of you later in the game, which will be very important.
Paragon Choices
Renegade Choices
Illusive Man Conversations
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Starting with Priority: Mars, you'll have four conversations with The Illusive Man about his intentions and the state of the Galaxy. Which choices you have in the first three will have a very major effect on how the fourth one will play out. It all depends on if you can pick every Charm / Intimidate option in these conversations, INCLUDING the ones hidden under Investigate options.
Used all Charm / Intimidate Options
Did Not Use All Charm / Intimidate Options
War Assets and EMS
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After Priority: Mars, Shepard will be able to amass War Assets by completing Missions, Assignments, and helping the citizens of the Milky Way. These increase your Effective Military Strength, or EMS, and this number will have a profound effect on the game's finale.
The numbers below apply specifically to the Legendary Edition release of the game. This is comparable to the original 2012 release with the Extended Cut installed, but the exact numbers will be different.
Less than 1,600 EMS
1,600 - 2,099 EMS
2,100 - 2,599 EMS
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2,600 - 3,099 EMS
3,100 EMS or Higher
Grissom Academy
After Priority: Palaven, you'll be given the Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation Mission. While other early Missions will also expire if you don't complete them before Priority: The Citadel 2, this particular Mission has stronger consequences if you let that happen.
Mission Completed
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Mission Ignored
Priority: Tuchanka
In the finale of the Krogan storyline, you'll learn before the final Mission that the Shroud was in fact sabotaged by the Dalatrass to ensure that any Genophage cure wouldn't work. While in a vehicle convoy to the Shoud, you'll have the opportunity to bring this up to the STG Doctor (either Maelon or Wiks) and the Krogan Leaders with you in the vehicle.
This particular choice will have a direct bearing on how the end of the Mission will go, and determines the fate of the Krogan. The effects of NOT warning the Krogan leaders specifically will depend on if Wrex and/or Eve are dead.
For clarity, while Eve will always be alive when you warn them of the sabotage, if you didn't save Maelon's data she'll be dead by the time the effects play out. So, we'll refer to Eve as Alive if you saved Maelon's data and Dead if you didn't, even though she's technically always alive when this choice appears.
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Warn Them of Sabotage
Don't Warn Them - Wrex and/or Eve Are Alive
Don't Warn Them - Wrex and Eve Are Both Dead
Conversations With Miranda
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Throughout Mass Effect 3 you'll have three conversations with Miranda on the Citadel, provided she survived Mass Effect 2. While the first conversation is inconsequential, the second and third have requirements that you MUST meet in order to have her live through her storyline.
- The first is with your second conversation with her after Priority: The Citadel 2, and requires you to have either read Kai Leng's dossier at your Private Terminal beforehand so you can warn her about him, OR kept her Loyal in Mass Effect 2.
- The second is in your third conversation, where you must give her access to Alliance resources.
- If you Romanced Miranda, a third requirement is to not break up with her in the third conversation.
Something also worth mentioning is that Miranda is guaranteed to die anyway if you didn't secure her Loyalty by completing Miranda: The Prodigal in Mass Effect 2.
Requirements Met
Requirements Not Met
Fate of the Virmire Survivor
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At the end of the Cerberus coup during Priority: The Citadel 2, your choices regarding the Virmire Surivor will come into play. Each effort you made to build or erode their trust will have contributed to a points total, and the number of points will determine how this confrontation will go.
In particular, having a very high or very low amount of points will result in an automatic outcome. If you're somewhere in the middle, meanwhile, you'll have to pass a Persuasion Check to sway them. Here's how these can go:
High Amount of Points / Pass the Persuasion Check
Low Amount of Points / Fail the Persuasion Check
Kallini: Ardat-Yakshi Monastery
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After Priority: Citadel II you'll receive this Mission, which ends with you escaping the destroyed Ardat-Yakshi Monastery with Falere, Samara's daughter. If Samara survived Mass Effect 2, she'll be present as well, which can alter how this scene transpires.
Samara is Alive
Samara is Dead
Rannoch: Geth Fighter Squadrons
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After the Geth Dreadnought Mission, you'll pick up this Mission after the debriefing. Whether you complete this before Priority: Rannoch or not will have a profound effect on your options at the end of that Mission.
Mission Completed
Mission Ignored
Priority: Rannoch
At the end of Priority: Rannoch, you'll have to try and conclude the war between the Geth and Quarians to complete the Mission. There are three possible outcomes, however one of them is locked behind a high Reputation check and specific Quarian / Geth-related decisions in Mass Effect 2 and 3.
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Allow the Upload
Let the Geth Die
Persuasion: Rally the Fleet / Warn the Fleet
Henry Lawson Interrupt
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At the end of Priority: Horizon, you'll have a climactic standoff with Henry Lawson, who is holding his daughter Oriana captive. There is a very specific situation where you can get Miranda killed even if you met every requirement in the Conversations with Miranda.
The situation described here is when you pick "I just want Oriana", which you'll be forced to choose if you don't have enough Reputation to clear the Persuasion Check. When you pick this option, you'll get a Renegade Interrupt as Oriana struggles to get free.
Miranda's fate after this scene isn't detailed here; whether she lives through the scene after this one is determined by what you did in the Conversations with Miranda section, and thus isn't discussed here.
Pull the Interrupt
Ignore the Interrupt
Crucible Choice
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At the very end of the game, you'll make the last decision of the Mass Effect Trilogy: how to deal with the Reapers. You can have up to three options here, and the availability and effects of each will be determined by your Effective Military Strength, or EMS. The exact details for how to access these and affect their variants are detailed above in the "War Assets and EMS" section.
It's worth noting that the EMS numbers listed below only apply for the Legendary Edition of the game. Visit the Endings page of the Mass Effect 3 guide to see the numbers for the original 2012 version, with and without the Extended Cut DLC installed.
Destroy
Control
Synthesis
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Refuse
Up Next: Romance Options and Guides
Top Guide Sections
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- Mass Effect Legendary Edition Differences and Changes
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- Complete Mass Effect Trilogy Walkthrough
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In This Wiki Guide
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is a collection of the first three games in the classic sci-fi RPG series, all remastered for modern gaming platforms.
Developers
BioWare
Publishers
Electronic Arts
Franchises
Mass Effect
Features
Steam Deck Playable
Initial Release
May 14, 2021
Platforms
+1
Genres
Compilation, RPG
