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This article is about the weapon. For other uses of the term "predator", see Predator. |
The M-3 Predator is a heavy pistol in Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, and a pistol in Mass Effect: Andromeda.
Mass Effect 2
Description
Reliable, accurate sidearm. Effective against armor; weak against shields and biotic barriers.
Manufactured by Elanus Risk Control, the Predator is valued as a powerful, deadly, and relatively inexpensive weapon. While it is not generally deployed in the military, where kinetic barriers are common, it’s still very popular in the Terminus Systems where these defenses are less common.
Acquisition
This weapon is obtainable in a locker at the start of Prologue: Awakening.
Squad Use
This weapon can be used by Jack, Jacob, Miranda, Mordin, Tali, Kasumi, Liara, Dr. Amanda Kenson, and Wilson.
Player Notes
- While putting out less damage than the M-6 Carnifex or M-5 Phalanx, the Predator can fire four times as fast as the latter and twice as fast as the former.
- The Predator is capable of fully automatic fire, but its firing rate while the trigger is held is actually slower than the maximum possible firing rate if the trigger is repeatedly pulled in semi-automatic fashion.
- Despite not having the damage or accuracy of other heavy pistol models, like them, the Predator does have a very high likelihood of triggering the effects of ammo powers, such as the weapon overheating effects of high-level Disruptor Ammo or the freezing effect of Cryo Ammo, typically requiring only one shot against most unprotected enemies. This is particularly useful for squadmates due to their higher rate of fire with this pistol compared to the M-5 Phalanx and their high accuracy with weapons generally.
Mass Effect 3
Description
A reliable, accurate sidearm. Manufactured by Elanus Risk Control, the Predator is valued as a powerful, deadly, and relatively inexpensive weapon. While it is not generally deployed in the military, it's still very popular in the Terminus Systems.
Acquisition
- Single-player
The Predator is given to Shepard by Admiral Anderson when the Reapers reach Earth.
- Multiplayer
The M-3 Predator is one of the five starter weapons. Upgrades are randomly rewarded through purchases of item packs. The Predator is categorized as common.
Player Notes
- General
- The Predator deals low damage but is lightweight, making it passable for a power-focused character. However, as one of the default starting weapons in both single-player and multiplayer, it is fairly weak in general and should be ditched in favor of alternatives as soon as they become available.
- It has a decent base clip size of 15 rounds. It also has a very fast firing rate, rapid reload, and it is fairly accurate at all ranges, with relatively low recoil.
- Maxing out the Predator's firing rate is difficult from a mechanical perspective, requiring very rapid clicking or button pressing.
- Single-player
- When the M-3 Predator is received again through an imported Mass Effect 3 save, it is not automatically upgraded three levels as other weapons are, and the missing levels (from VIII to X) cannot be obtained through the upgrade terminal either.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Description
A reliable semi-automatic pistol. Originally manufactured by Elanus Risk Control, the rapid-fire Predator is a deadly and inexpensive weapon. Although Milky Way militaries generally avoided using the Predator, the Andromeda Initiative obtained and adjusted several hundred of them.
Features
The rapid-fire Predator also has a rapid reloading rate.
According to post-launch balance updates, the Predator also benefits from the rate of fire adjustment bestowed to the Mattock. However, its rate of fire has been reduced. It also saw multiple adjustments to damage. The multiplayer base Predator also increased the force impacted by its bullets.
The multiplayer S variant gained improvements to damage, rate of fire, clip size, reload size, and total ammo as of the very last update.
Strategies
- The Predator is at best a sidearm, as skill-focused classes can take out enemies more with their powers than with the gun. It has some use as additional (but negligible) DPS while waiting for skills to cool down.
- Another way to wring some utility from the weapon is to use it as a combo primer in conjunction with ammo consumables or boosters for classes with detonator skills.
Stats
- Singleplayer
| Rank | Damage | Rate of Fire | Max Clip Size | Max Ammo | Accuracy | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 34 | 500 | 15 | 105 | 52 | 5 |
| II | 37 | 500 | 15 | 108 | 56 | 5 |
| III | 39 | 500 | 15 | 111 | 58 | 4 |
| IV | 42 | 500 | 15 | 114 | 60 | 4 |
| V | 45 | 500 | 15 | 117 | 61 | 4 |
| VI | 47 | 500 | 15 | 119 | 62 | 4 |
| VII | 50 | 500 | 15 | 122 | 63 | 3 |
| VIII | 53 | 500 | 15 | 125 | 64 | 3 |
| IX | 55 | 500 | 15 | 128 | 64 | 3 |
| X | 58 | 500 | 15 | 131 | 65 | 3 |
- Multiplayer I-X
| Rank | Damage | Rate of Fire | Max Clip Size | Max Ammo | Accuracy | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 57 | 450 | 15 | 105 | 52 | 5 |
| II | 59 | 450 | 15 | 108 | 56 | 5 |
| III | 61 | 450 | 15 | 111 | 58 | 4 |
| IV | 63 | 450 | 15 | 114 | 60 | 4 |
| V | 65 | 450 | 15 | 117 | 61 | 4 |
| VI | 67 | 450 | 15 | 119 | 62 | 4 |
| VII | 69 | 450 | 15 | 122 | 63 | 3 |
| VIII | 71 | 450 | 15 | 125 | 64 | 3 |
| IX | 73 | 450 | 15 | 128 | 64 | 3 |
| X | 76 | 450 | 15 | 131 | 65 | 3 |
- Multiplayer S
| Rank | Damage | Rate of Fire | Max Clip Size | Max Ammo | Accuracy | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 94 | 500 | 20 | 115 | 52 | 5 |
| II | 96 | 500 | 20 | 118 | 56 | 5 |
| III | 97 | 500 | 20 | 121 | 58 | 4 |
| IV | 99 | 500 | 21 | 124 | 60 | 4 |
| V | 101 | 500 | 21 | 127 | 61 | 4 |
| VI | 103 | 500 | 22 | 129 | 62 | 4 |
| VII | 104 | 500 | 22 | 132 | 63 | 3 |
| VIII | 106 | 500 | 23 | 135 | 64 | 3 |
| IX | 108 | 500 | 23 | 138 | 64 | 3 |
| X | 113 | 500 | 24 | 144 | 65 | 3 |
Development
| Rank |  Blueprint Unlocked
|
 Omni-Gel Canister
|
 Copper
|
 Nickel
|
 Element Zero
|
 Augmentation Slots
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Level 1 | 20 | 80 | 40 | 10 | 0 |
| II | Level 6 | 20 | 90 | 40 | 10 | 2 |
| III | Level 11 | 20 | 100 | 50 | 10 | 2 |
| IV | Level 21 | 30 | 110 | 50 | 10 | 2 |
| V | Level 31 | 30 | 130 | 60 | 20 | 2 |
| VI | Level 41 | 30 | 140 | 70 | 20 | 2 |
| VII | Level 51 | 30 | 145 | 70 | 20 | 2 |
| VIII | Level 61 | 40 | 150 | 70 | 20 | 2 |
| IX | Level 71 | 40 | 155 | 70 | 20 | 2 |
| X | Level 81 | 40 | 160 | 80 | 20 | 2 |
| Total | N/A | 300 | 1260 | 600 | 160 | N/A |
Trivia
- The appearance of the M-3 Predator is based on the primary pistol appearance in Mass Effect, used in several models such as the Hahne-Kedar Kessler which its texture most closely resembles.
- In Mass Effect 3, several cutscenes show Shepard and the squad equipped with the M-3 Predator, regardless of whether the character actually uses a pistol as a weapon or has a different pistol equipped.
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Mass Effect: Andromeda Weapons |
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augmentations • Mods | |||
| Assault Rifles | L-89 Halberd • M-8 Avenger • M-37 Falcon • M-96 Mattock • Cyclone • N7 Valkyrie • Pathfinder Pioneer • P.A.W. • Revenant • Sandstorm • Soned • Sovoa • Sweeper • Thokin • X5 Ghost • Zalkin | ||
| Pistols | M-3 Predator • M-5 Phalanx • M-25 Hornet • Carnifex • Charger • Equalizer • N7 Eagle • N7 Hurricane • Pathfinder Ranger • Rozerad • Scorpion • Sidewinder • Silhesh • Talon • Ushior | ||
| Sniper Rifles | M-90 Indra • Black Widow • Incisor • Inferno • Isharay • Kishock Harpoon Gun • Lanat • Naladen • N7 Valiant • Pathfinder Observer • Raptor • Shadow • Vanquisher • Viper • Widow | ||
| Shotguns | M-23 Katana • Dhan • Disciple • Hesh • N7 Crusader • N7 Piranha • Pathfinder Deep Impact • Reegar Carbine • Ruzad • Scattershot • Shorty • Venom | ||
| Melee Weapons | Angaran Firaan • Asari Sword • Biotic Amplifier • Electric Firaan • Kett Carfalon • Kett Vakarsh • Krogan Hammer • Omni-Blade • Remnant Cryo-Gauntlet | ||