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| Batarian Slasher |
As always we begin with the powers, now for those of you who have read my previous character reviews you'll know that i don't really like Warp, at least not when I'm planning on doing Biotic Explosions all game long. So it may surprise you to hear that with the game plan I devised (more on this later on), it actually wasn't soo bad to use, just in case you don't know my views on Warp you can read more in my review of the Asari Huntress. A quick re-cap is that it can prime and detonate power combinations, it has a moderate cool down time that isn't particularly suited to setting of a chain of Biotic Explosions in quick succession and it has a lengthy travel time that means it is quite often easily dodged by the enemy (assuming lag doesn't make it miss first). Warp does a nice chunk of damage to an enemy upon making contact but the thing that makes the power better is that it can be specced to weaken enemy units, exposing them to take more damage from your weapon fire or another power. If I'm planning on putting the maximum amount of points into Warp, I always go this route because on the higher difficulties, being able to soften enemies up that little bit more is always nice.
Moving onto Lash, this power allows you by default to pull any non-armoured or non-shielded enemy towards you, dealing a decent amount of damage in the process. In previous reviews such as that of the Batarian Brawler (you can also find a bit more info on Lash there), I've stated that I don't really like this power but again for some reason with the Batarian Slasher, it just seems to work. The reason why I sometimes have mixed feeling about the power is because at times it feels like you either have to invest fully into it or not bother with it at all, in order to get the best out of it and your skill points. On higher difficulties mid level Lash is very weak and will rarely kill even basic level troops in one hit, heck even Husks/Abominations can often get back up, which just further underlines it's issues. However if you max it out and go with the additional Damage Over Time and Shield Penetration evolutions, you'll find that it's usefulness and effectiveness at killing enemies increases dramatically.
Moving onto Lash, this power allows you by default to pull any non-armoured or non-shielded enemy towards you, dealing a decent amount of damage in the process. In previous reviews such as that of the Batarian Brawler (you can also find a bit more info on Lash there), I've stated that I don't really like this power but again for some reason with the Batarian Slasher, it just seems to work. The reason why I sometimes have mixed feeling about the power is because at times it feels like you either have to invest fully into it or not bother with it at all, in order to get the best out of it and your skill points. On higher difficulties mid level Lash is very weak and will rarely kill even basic level troops in one hit, heck even Husks/Abominations can often get back up, which just further underlines it's issues. However if you max it out and go with the additional Damage Over Time and Shield Penetration evolutions, you'll find that it's usefulness and effectiveness at killing enemies increases dramatically.
The final power on the Batarian Slasher is Cluster Grenades, named as such because by default you will toss out two projectiles each time you use the power, with the option to spec for a third via 'Shrapnel Count'. It's one of the weaker grenades but what it lacks in damage it definitely makes up for in force and as far as I'm aware it's the only grenade power that generates a force effect on the enemies that it hits. If you don't quite understand what i mean by force, basically think of using Biotic Charge and seeing the enemy stagger as a result, this is caused by a force generated by that power. Cluster Grenades release a similar force when they explode which can stagger and even send enemies flying across the room. It's worth mentioning that though they can be quite powerful, they are also the most erratic of the grenade powers, occasionally all projectiles will land in the same location but sometimes all three can fly in different directions reducing the damage you were hoping to dish out. One of the most frustrating things about these grenades is that they are incredibly bouncy, that is to say you could throw them at the feet of an enemy unit, only to see them fly off over/away from the target and explode harmlessly a few metres away. It appears that unless you actually hit an enemy target with the grenades directly, they won't explode on contact, so always try to hit the target you're aiming at, this will also get the most out the force generated from the explosion. A little known fact about these grenades is that they are considered a Biotic ability, so you can set off Biotic Explosions in the process of using them.
This leads me very nicely onto the subject of my game plan for the Batarian Slasher, well as with any Adept character, I believe that Biotic Explosions should be the order of the day. Again readers of previous articles will know that I'm a big fan of using Biotics and I could happily spend many a game just running around blowing enemies up with that deep resounding BOOM! That being said I also like my Biotic characters to be fast and agile because they're usually quite squishy, which means that utilising fast paced hit 'em hard and run tactics tends to be ideal, as it means you're more likely to survive encounters with the enemy. So as you can imagine, my original view on the Batarian Slasher was that he would be somewhat similar to the Krogan Shaman i.e. a tanky but slow moving Biotic character, in other words not really my cup of tea. Now it's true that the Batarian Slasher is a slow mover but I think that his powers make up for that fact, for instance Lash is a long reaching power and has the ability to draw enemies towards, this means you don't need to rush them. Cluster grenades can operate at close or long range and so again, you don't need to close in fast on the enemy to use them, though as I mentioned earlier, hitting enemies directly makes them more effective, something tricky (but not impossible) to achieve over great distances.
OK, so we now have the means but how do incorporate all the above into an effective tactic for the Batarian Slasher? Well assuming you specced everything like I did i.e. Warp with Expose and Pierce, Lash for Damage Over Time with Shield Penetration and max Cluster Grenades with Shrapnel Count, you should be able to reliably set off Biotic Explosions. Traditionally you'd probably use Warp as your main priming power, so it might seem odd that I actually used Lash more on this particular kit. The reasons for this are because firstly it has a fast recharge time, which means you can quite quickly detonate it with Warp and secondly I think it's less easily dodged by enemies than Warp, especially over larger distances. When I was playing, I'd hook basic and shielded enemies with Lash, this would bring them closer to me and do damage in the process, then while they're trying to pick themselves up, I'd slap them with a Warp. Most of the time enemies were still face down on the floor when I was able to use Warp and this meant that they couldn't do squat to dodge it, which meant I could reliably set off a BE, kicking them while they're down so to speak ;P Armoured troops are a trickier prospect because they aren't affected by Lash but that's where the Cluster Grenades come into play, most armoured units are either slow or big, this means they are much less likely to dodge Warp [Dragoons are the exception to the rule unfortunately but can still be handled the same way]. Once you've hit them with Warp, you toss out a Cluster 'nade and hopefully watch them get knocked back, usually they won't be killed outright but while they're staggered you can finish them off with some gunfire to the face. For the toughest bosses you simply keep your distance and repeat the process until they're dead, it shouldn't take too long, especially if everyone is gunning for the same target. It's as simple as that and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well this tactic can work on all the factions. [You can also Warp then Lash to detonate a BE a non-armoured unit but I don't think it's as good as the other way round]
In this next section I'll discusses what weapon I think would be suited to the Batarian Slasher for when he isn't setting off Biotic Explosions or just dragging enemies along the ground for fun :P Well like all characters where you're going to be using your powers more often that not, I'd suggest something fairly light, i mean after all you only need something to finish off those toughest of enemies that would have already been severely weakened. There are plethora of choices from all five categories that would fit but I feel the two best categories are the Shotguns and Assault Rifles because there is equipment that increases their damage and allows you to hold extra grenades. I've never used a Sniper on a Biotic character because you're generally in close quarters and they're designed for mid-long range engagements, not to mention the only ones I'd consider using on Gold are too heavy. An SMG is always a good choice for a Biotic, generally light weight, most have a good rate of fire and decent damage plus they're designed with CQC fights in mind, the Hurricane gets my vote as per usual. You could use a Heavy Pistol, which by the way also has some complimenting equipment available but I feel that most are too weak to bring as your back up or have a rate of fire that is too slow, something that isn't good on a character who can't move around quickly and who will often have to stand and fight. I tried the Piranha with the Batarian Slasher and while it worked well, I felt it's range was too limiting, other longer range shotties were a bit too heavy. So it fell to the ARs, plenty of options here, the Cerberus Harrier is good as always and the Batarian kits can carry extra ammo, which is a nice bonus. If however you don't have it at high enough level for the weight to be manageable then the Mattock is decent alternative.
Those of you who often play as Adepts might recognise a part of the game plan I outlined above, hitting enemies with Warp and then causing a Biotic Explosion with Cluster grenades is a tactic similarly employed on the Drell Adept, except he uses Reave in place of Warp. In fact that's where I got part of my inspiration for the game plan I devised for Batarian Slasher and the more I look at the two characters the more I realise that they're essentially the same, hence they're ideal for a character comparison. First off the DA is a very mobile but also super squishy Biotic character whereas the BS is a less agile but tougher character. Cluster grenades on both kits are the same so there's no need to talk about that but the other two powers, Pull and Reave for the DA and Lash and Warp for the BS do warrant a comparison. Pull and Lash are very similar except Lash can be specced to affect enemy units with shields while Pull cannot, however Pull has the ability to affect multiple targets at once whereas Lash will only ever attach itself to one target. By default Pull does no damage to an enemy (though it can be specced to do so) but they are removed from combat for a brief period of time, Lash not only puts them out of play but does a fair bit of damage in process, so is in my opinion much better in all aspects. I like Reave because it immediately affects a target and cannot be avoided, the fact it also offers the user some damage reduction (if used on an organic target) is also a nice benefit but the Drell is soo squishy, I do sometimes wonder if it makes that much difference. Like Warp, Reave can prime and detonate power combinations, there are however differences between the two; Warp lingers on the target longer than Reave and Warp does most of it's damage in the initial hit whereas Reave does steady damage over time, eventually totalling more than Warp. I can use the Drell Adept but Pull just isn't effective enough for me and the fact that he's soo fragile just puts me off further, the Batarian Slasher seems to be able to overcome all the DAs problems with his powers and as such for me, will serve as his replacement.
So in summary then, I think the Batarian Slasher is a pretty decent bit of kit, not your typical Biotic character in either the way he sets off Biotic Explosions or in terms of squishiness. Granted he isn't particularly mobile or speedy but that's where the extra health comes in handy, you won't be able to rush enemies very effectively (I wouldn't advise it anyway) or run away from them very fast but you should be able to stand your ground and attack from mid range, which is where you'll probably excel anyway. The Batarian Slasher comes with powers that on other characters I probably wouldn't use as much but for some reason on this kit, they all seem to gel together very well and I'm comfortable in maxing them all out at the expense of full Fitness. Like all Batarians you get the trademark heavy melee but the chances are you won't be using it much on this guy, at least I can't see why you would even need to. The extra ammo you can carry via investing points into his passive powers is a nice bonus, especially for weapons that by default don't carry much i.e. the Cerberus Harrier but to be honest you'll be hitting the ammo boxes for grenades anyway, so it's nice but not necessary. The Batarian Slasher isn't the tankiest Adept you could play as, that crown remains with the Krogan Shaman and I don't think he's the deadliest either, that title lies (for me anyway) with the N7 Fury. But I do like him and I would definitely consider using him in game again, especially when I fancy setting off Biotic Explosions but not having to rush the enemy all match long. Nice one Bioware, you've managed to surprise me with this character :)
OK, so we now have the means but how do incorporate all the above into an effective tactic for the Batarian Slasher? Well assuming you specced everything like I did i.e. Warp with Expose and Pierce, Lash for Damage Over Time with Shield Penetration and max Cluster Grenades with Shrapnel Count, you should be able to reliably set off Biotic Explosions. Traditionally you'd probably use Warp as your main priming power, so it might seem odd that I actually used Lash more on this particular kit. The reasons for this are because firstly it has a fast recharge time, which means you can quite quickly detonate it with Warp and secondly I think it's less easily dodged by enemies than Warp, especially over larger distances. When I was playing, I'd hook basic and shielded enemies with Lash, this would bring them closer to me and do damage in the process, then while they're trying to pick themselves up, I'd slap them with a Warp. Most of the time enemies were still face down on the floor when I was able to use Warp and this meant that they couldn't do squat to dodge it, which meant I could reliably set off a BE, kicking them while they're down so to speak ;P Armoured troops are a trickier prospect because they aren't affected by Lash but that's where the Cluster Grenades come into play, most armoured units are either slow or big, this means they are much less likely to dodge Warp [Dragoons are the exception to the rule unfortunately but can still be handled the same way]. Once you've hit them with Warp, you toss out a Cluster 'nade and hopefully watch them get knocked back, usually they won't be killed outright but while they're staggered you can finish them off with some gunfire to the face. For the toughest bosses you simply keep your distance and repeat the process until they're dead, it shouldn't take too long, especially if everyone is gunning for the same target. It's as simple as that and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well this tactic can work on all the factions. [You can also Warp then Lash to detonate a BE a non-armoured unit but I don't think it's as good as the other way round]
In this next section I'll discusses what weapon I think would be suited to the Batarian Slasher for when he isn't setting off Biotic Explosions or just dragging enemies along the ground for fun :P Well like all characters where you're going to be using your powers more often that not, I'd suggest something fairly light, i mean after all you only need something to finish off those toughest of enemies that would have already been severely weakened. There are plethora of choices from all five categories that would fit but I feel the two best categories are the Shotguns and Assault Rifles because there is equipment that increases their damage and allows you to hold extra grenades. I've never used a Sniper on a Biotic character because you're generally in close quarters and they're designed for mid-long range engagements, not to mention the only ones I'd consider using on Gold are too heavy. An SMG is always a good choice for a Biotic, generally light weight, most have a good rate of fire and decent damage plus they're designed with CQC fights in mind, the Hurricane gets my vote as per usual. You could use a Heavy Pistol, which by the way also has some complimenting equipment available but I feel that most are too weak to bring as your back up or have a rate of fire that is too slow, something that isn't good on a character who can't move around quickly and who will often have to stand and fight. I tried the Piranha with the Batarian Slasher and while it worked well, I felt it's range was too limiting, other longer range shotties were a bit too heavy. So it fell to the ARs, plenty of options here, the Cerberus Harrier is good as always and the Batarian kits can carry extra ammo, which is a nice bonus. If however you don't have it at high enough level for the weight to be manageable then the Mattock is decent alternative.
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| Drell Adept |
So in summary then, I think the Batarian Slasher is a pretty decent bit of kit, not your typical Biotic character in either the way he sets off Biotic Explosions or in terms of squishiness. Granted he isn't particularly mobile or speedy but that's where the extra health comes in handy, you won't be able to rush enemies very effectively (I wouldn't advise it anyway) or run away from them very fast but you should be able to stand your ground and attack from mid range, which is where you'll probably excel anyway. The Batarian Slasher comes with powers that on other characters I probably wouldn't use as much but for some reason on this kit, they all seem to gel together very well and I'm comfortable in maxing them all out at the expense of full Fitness. Like all Batarians you get the trademark heavy melee but the chances are you won't be using it much on this guy, at least I can't see why you would even need to. The extra ammo you can carry via investing points into his passive powers is a nice bonus, especially for weapons that by default don't carry much i.e. the Cerberus Harrier but to be honest you'll be hitting the ammo boxes for grenades anyway, so it's nice but not necessary. The Batarian Slasher isn't the tankiest Adept you could play as, that crown remains with the Krogan Shaman and I don't think he's the deadliest either, that title lies (for me anyway) with the N7 Fury. But I do like him and I would definitely consider using him in game again, especially when I fancy setting off Biotic Explosions but not having to rush the enemy all match long. Nice one Bioware, you've managed to surprise me with this character :)
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