Dark Channel is a biotic power in Mass Effect 3's single-player and multiplayer modes.
Power Ranks
Rank 1: Dark Channel
Plague an opponent with a persistent, damaging biotic field.
Effect transfers to a second target if the first is killed. Effect's length depends on Dark Channel's duration. Only one field may be active at a time.
- Recharge Speed: 10 sec (8 multiplayer)
- Damage Per Second: 20 (75 multiplayer)
- Duration: 30 sec
Rank 2: Recharge Speed
Increase recharge speed by 25%.
- Recharge Speed: 8 sec (6.40 multiplayer)
- Damage Per Second: 20 (75 multiplayer)
- Duration: 30 sec
Rank 3: Damage
Increase damage by 20%.
- Recharge Speed: 8 sec (6.40 multiplayer)
- Damage Per Second: 24 (90 multiplayer)
- Duration: 30 sec
Rank 4: Damage/Duration
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Damage Increase damage by 30%.
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Duration Increase duration by 40%.
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Rank 5: Slow/Recharge Speed
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Slow Slow target's movement speed by 30%. |
Recharge Speed Increase recharge speed by 35%.
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Rank 6: Damage/Pierce
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Damage Increase damage by 50%.
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Pierce Increase damage to armor and barriers by 75% |
Player Notes
- Mechanics
- Dark Channel deals almost 4x more damage in multiplayer than in single-player.
- By default, Dark Channel deals 150% damage to armor, double damage to barriers, and only half damage to shields.
- The Pierce evolution on rank 6 applies a multiplicative bonus on armor and barrier modifiers.
- After Dark Channel jumps to another target, its special damage modifiers are lost and it deals the same amount of damage to all defenses including shields (the damage it would normally deal to red bar health on its initial cast).
- Targets afflicted with Dark Channel can cause Biotic Explosions when detonated with powers such as Warp or Biotic Charge. This applies to all targets, regardless of any protections.
- Dark Channel will keep jumping to as many targets as closely available until the duration time expires (not just a second target as the description implies). If there are no nearby targets, the field dies (even if there is duration time left). Each new target affected by Dark Channel will be primed for a Biotic Explosion, but this can only create one combo maximum per target.
- Unlike Reave, Dark Channel's damage-over-time effect cannot stack on a single target with repeat casts, as only one Dark Channel effect can be active at a time per user.
- Like Reave, Dark Channel does not launch a projectile when used by the player but is a hitscan power that impacts instantly; this is useful as enemies can't dodge it.
- The power immunity shields of Banshees, Phantoms, Rampart Mechs, and Praetorians cannot block Dark Channel when it spreads to them from a nearby enemy that died.
- Guardian and CAT6 Heavy shields can block Dark Channel regardless of the source, though the protection is directional.
- Strategies
- Since it transfers to another enemy when the affected target dies, Dark Channel can be used to set up several biotic combos in rapid succession (limited to one per target). Use Dark Channel on weak infantry, then use a detonator power like Seeker Swarm or Throw for optimal results. Power Combos are strongest when both powers used to create them are at maximum rank.
- At rank 6, the Pierce evolution plays to Dark Channel's natural strength against armor (yellow) and barriers (purple), while the Damage evolution shores up the power's otherwise weaker damage to health (red) and shields (blue), though it does improve damage to all protections. However, as detailed above, the power no longer has its default damage modifiers after spreading from its initial target. Therefore, Damage is best when you want to use Dark Channel for taking out multiple lighter infantry targets, while Piercing is best for taking down single hard armored targets.
- In multiplayer especially, Dark Channel is very effective against hard targets with heavy barrier and armor protections such as Banshees. It is doubly effective for being "fire and forget", allowing you to keep running and evading while still taking down such hard targets.
- Dark Channel is also very effective against isolated groups of Swarmers as it will continue killing them instantaneously and jumping to the next one until they are all killed.
- Like all damage-over-time effects, Dark Channel is useful for revealing invisible enemies and preventing enemy shields or barriers from recharging.
- Dark Channel's long duration is useful for enabling the bonus weapon damage to "lifted" targets (i.e. primed for a Biotic Explosion) afforded by Warp Ammo/Warp Rounds.
Availability
- Single Player: Javik, Commander Shepard (Bonus Power)
- Multiplayer: Asari Huntress Infiltrator, Awakened Collector Adept, N7 Fury Adept