Biotic Orbs

Biotic Orbs is a biotic power in Mass Effect 3's multiplayer mode.

Power Ranks[]

Rank 1: Biotic Orbs[]

Summon 3 biotic orbs to float around you. Use the power again to launch an orb at your target. Each floating orb increases the recharge speed of your powers by 10%.

Highly effective against armor and barriers.

• Recharge Speed: 24 sec
• Damage: 250
• Radius: 1.50 m
• Recharge Speed Per Orb: 10%

Rank 2: Recharge Speed[]

Increase recharge speed by 25%.

• Recharge Speed: 19.20 sec
• Damage: 250
• Radius: 1.50 m
• Recharge Speed Per Orb: 10%

Rank 3: Damage[]

Increase damage by 20%.

• Recharge Speed: 19.20 sec
• Damage: 300
• Radius: 1.50 m
• Recharge Speed Per Orb: 10%

Rank 4: Damage/Impact Radius[]

Rank 5: Damage/Recharge Speed[]

Rank 6: Expose/Orb Count[]

Player Notes[]

Mechanics

• Biotic Orbs is one of the few universal detonator powers, capable of setting off all four types of Power Combos.
• The cooldown of Biotic Orbs is fairly long and works similarly to other powers with "charges" like the hammer powers of the Krogan Warlord Sentinel and the Geth Juggernaut Soldier's Siege Pulse.
  • Biotic Orbs will speed up its own cooldown as long as the Orbs are active.
  • It's still possible to fire Biotic Orbs even when the player is disabled by a Seeker Swarm as long as charges remain; however, recasting it is disabled until the effect wears off
  • A +200% power recharge speed bonus from loadout will allow the recharge time to be about 8 seconds instead of 24 seconds (or roughly 19 seconds at Rank 2 and above), allowing orbs to be used as a semi-consistent form of attack.
• The rank 6 Expose evolution does not prime targets for Biotic Explosions; thus, it likewise does not work with the biotic damage bonus of Warp Rounds.

Strategies

• There are two basic strategies for using Biotic Orbs: passive and active.
  • When used passively, Biotic Orbs are employed as a set-it-and-forget-it power solely for the passive recharge speed buff; the volus can then focus on using its other powers as often as possible.
    • This also has the potential advantage of allowing either the Volus Adept or Volus Protector Vanguard to carry a heavier weapon loadout, as both Charge and Stasis have evolutions that provide a chance of not triggering a cooldown.
  • When used actively, the orbs are being expended instead of just being kept on. This can serve three main purposes: debuff, detonate, or direct damage.
    • With the Expose evolution, a maximum debuff of +45% damage can be achieved, which is equal to the Volus Engineer's peak debuff, albeit in a smaller area. This can greatly speed up the takedown of hard targets against which Charge is dangerous and Stasis useless.
    • The orbs can be also spent on detonating the Power Combos primed by Stasis, by the team, or by an ammo augmentation. With a light-to-medium weapon loadout, Biotic Orbs provide the detonation power required to make full use of Disruptor Rounds.
    • Finally, it's possible to simply use the orbs as a direct attack for their regular damage or to stun infantry targets. However, the damage of Biotic Orbs is relatively small.
• The waiting time between waves is a good moment to empty the orb reserve and recast it at full strength.

Availability[]

• Single-player: N/A
• Multiplayer: Volus Adept, Volus Protector Vanguard