This article is about the biotic ability in Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3. For the skill in Mass Effect: Andromeda, see Singularity (skill).

Singularity is a biotic ability in Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3.

Mass Effect

Singularity is a biotic talent. This gravitational power sucks multiple enemies within a radius to a single area, leaving them floating helplessly and vulnerable to attack. It can also attract objects from the environment, such as crates or pieces of furniture; enemies will take damage if they collide with other solid objects in the Singularity field. Though an extremely potent ability in most fights, Singularity does not affect many powerful or large enemy types, even at maximum rank. For medium-sized opponents like krogan, Singularity has to be at least Advanced rank.

Talent Ranks

1. Singularity - Radius 4m, Duration 4 sec, Recharge Time 60 sec, Accuracy Cost 80%
2. Increases Singularity's radius to 4.25 m
3. Increases Singularity's radius to 4.5 m
4. Increases Singularity's radius to 4.75 m
5. Increases Singularity's radius to 5 m
6. Increases Singularity's radius to 5.25 m
7. Advanced Singularity - Radius 6.25m, Duration 6 sec, Recharge Time 50 sec, Accuracy Cost 80%
8. Increases Singularity's radius to 6.5 m
9. Increases Singularity's radius to 6.75 m
10. Increases Singularity's radius to 7 m
11. Increases Singularity's radius to 7.25 m
12. Master Singularity - Radius 8.25m, Duration 8 sec, Recharge Time 40 sec, Accuracy Cost 80%

Classes

These classes have access to the Singularity talent:

• Adept Unlockable
• Asari Scientist Unlockable

Player Notes

• Multiple Singularity vortexes can be active at once, even per user (e.g. if Adrenaline Burst is used to instantly reset cooldowns).
• Singularity will only affect enemies that are in range of the vortex at the moment it is created. Enemies that enter the area after the vortex is already active are not affected. Fortunately, the area of effect on creation is quite large.
• When using Singularity to pull enemies together, you can use your smaller radius abilities like Sabotage, Overload, and Neural Shock, or even a well-aimed grenade to effectively hit the whole group, instead of one at a time.
• Even though the in-game text indicates that only the radius and duration of Singularity increases with rank, unlocking either Advanced Singularity or Master Singularity can enable the vortex to affect enemy types that were immune to the talent at lower ranks. Singularity does not work on some powerful enemy types such as Geth Armatures regardless of rank. Singularity only works on Geth Primes at Master rank.
  • Also, most stronger enemy types in Mass Effect possess resistances to tech and/or biotics, reducing their damage and duration.

Mass Effect 2

A dark energy sphere dangles your enemies helplessly, leaving them wide open to attack.

Power Ranks

• Rank 1 - You launch a dark energy sphere to create an intense mass effect field; enemies are drawn into the singularity and held briefly helpless.
  • Recharge Time: 4.50 seconds (Shepard) 20.0 seconds (Liara)
  • Singularity Duration: 20.00 seconds
  • Impact Radius: 1.25 meters
  • Hold Duration: 5.00 seconds
  • Maximum Number of Targets: 2.00
• Rank 2 - You launch a dark energy sphere to create an intense mass effect field; enemies are drawn into the singularity and held briefly helpless.
  • Recharge Time: 4.50 seconds (Shepard) 20.0 seconds (Liara)
  • Singularity Duration: 25.00 seconds
  • Impact Radius: 1.50 meters
  • Hold Duration: 6.00 seconds
  • Maximum Number of Targets: 3.00

• Rank 3 - You launch a dark energy sphere to create an intense mass effect field; enemies are drawn into the singularity and held briefly helpless.
  • Recharge Time: 4.50 seconds (Shepard) 20.0 seconds (Liara)
  • Singularity Duration: 30.00 seconds
  • Impact Radius: 1.75 meters
  • Hold Duration: 7.00 seconds
  • Maximum Number of Targets: 4.00

Rank 4

Evolves Singularity into one of the following options:

Heavy Singularity

• Your singularity sphere can hold numerous enemies helpless for a long period.
  • Recharge Time: 4.50 seconds (Shepard) 20.0 seconds (Liara)
  • Singularity Duration: 45.00 seconds
  • Impact Radius: 1.75 meters
  • Hold Duration: 9.00 seconds
  • Maximum Number of Targets: 6.00

Wide Singularity

• The radius of your singularity sphere's gravitational pull increases.
  • Recharge Time: 4.50 seconds (Shepard) 20.0 seconds (Liara)
  • Singularity Duration: 30.00 seconds
  • Impact Radius: 3.00 meters
  • Hold Duration: 7.00 seconds
  • Maximum Number of Targets: 4.00

Player Notes

Mechanics

• The Singularity power launches fires a projectile that detonates into an intense mass effect field. The field warps space around it, creating a gravity well akin to a black hole. Enemies are drawn into the vortex and held helpless orbiting around inside, while those with sufficient protection are still held in place.
  • As with all other biotic powers that can displace targets, unprotected Husks are instantly killed upon being lifted by Singularity.
• This power travels in the direction of the cross-hair, arcing towards the targeted enemy if one was selected on casting. Upon impact, it will create the Singularity.
  • Liara's Singularity travels in a straight line, instantly creating a vortex at the targeted location.
  • The projectile of Singularity travels slower than most power projectiles. A targeted enemy may escape the Singularity projectile, especially if the vortex is small and the enemy is fast-moving.
• Unlike in Mass Effect, only one vortex can be active per user. Recasting Singularity will immediately end a previously active vortex. Also unlike in Mass Effect, any enemy wandering into the gravity well even after it has been created will be pulled in.
• Vortex Hold: Singularity has a unique ability to "hold" even many protected enemies. Targets within the vortex periodically take a small amount of damage and are staggered for a short time.
  • The protected target may attempt to escape, which can occasionally be successful. If their protection breaks, they will usually be swept up into the vortex.
  • Targets can also attempt to attack, which may be interrupted by the next stagger/damage cycle the Singularity performs.
  • Holding a protected target will eventually cause the vortex to collapse. Heavy Singularity can hold protected targets much longer than Wide Singularity.
  • Targets may escape the singularity upon losing their protection. Evolving to Heavy Singularity increases the chances that the target won't escape.
  • Protected enemies with long action times (slow firing weapons, slow biotic attacks) may become effectively incapacitated for the duration of the Singularity. Good targets include: LOKI Mechs, most geth enemies, Harbinger, and Scions.
  • The hold duration is scaled down by target size (60% for large targets).^[1] This also applies for holding protected enemies.
  • However, the hold duration against protected enemies is not influenced by biotic duration upgrades or the Adept Bastion/Nemesis evolution (for more details, see the Talk page).
• Geth Primes, klixen, varren, FENRIS, Vasir, and YMIR Mechs are not stunned, held, or lifted by Singularity until all protection is stripped. The Colossus on Haestrom, Gunships, the final boss, the Oculus, Praetorians, and the Thresher Maw are always immune to Singularity's disabling effects. However, all enemies directly within Singularity's area of effect will take damage.
• Damage is scaled by anything that increases power damage.
• At ranks 1 and 2, the radius is too small to reliably affect targets behind cover; ranks 3 and 4 are more effective at this, especially with Wide Singularity.
• Floating enemies are ragdolled and take 2x weapon damage (protected enemies, even when held, only take normal damage). It is not uncommon for enemies to be flung clear of the vortex before it actually ends; this can sometimes result in unexpected environmental kills if the enemy falls off the map or lands in a position where it can't stand up again.
• If Warp is used on an unprotected target suspended by Singularity, it will cause the Singularity to detonate, collapsing the vortex while doing 2x damage to anything in the blast range lifted by biotics, and 1x damage on enemies that were not lifted.
• Using Throw, Shockwave, or any other power with a significant force component on enemies floating in a Singularity field will cause them to fly much farther than if they were standing.

Strategies

• Singularity is uniquely powerful for its ability to lift multiple unprotected (red bar) enemies even at only rank 1, when Pull for example can only do this at maximum rank. However, Singularity fires a slower-than-average projectile and has a 50% longer recharge time than Pull.
  • Shooting a moving humanoid target will usually slow it down, making it more likely for a Singularity projectile in flight to land on the target.
  • Singularity's continuous duration also means it is less likely to "glitch out" and fail to lift an otherwise valid target, as Pull sometimes does.
• Despite its longer cooldown and slower projectile speed, Singularity can be superior to Pull for self-detonating Warp combos as the Adept. Enemies suspended by Singularity tend to remain in the same general area as other enemies whereas Pull will draw targets in your direction, causing any Warp detonations to fail to connect with other enemies.
• Heavy Singularity's long duration and ability to hold and damage protected targets prior to disabling them allows for great tactical flexibility:
  • Cast Singularity at a target still with protections to stun and suppress it and use the opening to shoot down its protections with the damage of the vortex assisting you. Once its protections are gone and the target becomes airborne, Warp should be recharged and ready to use to detonate the target.
  • Cast Singularity to suppress and start wearing down one target while attacking others.
  • Place a vortex to set up traps in chokepoints such as doorways to disable and disrupt any enemies attempting to pass through. Aim at the ground or terrain without any enemies targeted in the HUD to deploy the vortex at specific locations accurately.
  • Singularity can also be deployed at your feet to serve as a defense against swarming melee attackers like Husks.

Availability

• Adept
• Liara T'Soni

Mass Effect 3

Create a sphere of dark energy that traps and dangles enemies caught in its field.

Power Ranks (Single-player)

Rank 1: Singularity

Create a sphere of dark energy that traps and dangles enemies caught in its field.

• Recharge Speed: 4.50 sec (Shepard)
• Duration: 4 sec
• Radius: 1.5 m

Rank 2: Recharge Speed

Increase recharge speed by 25%.

• Recharge Speed: 3.60 sec (Shepard)
• Duration: 4 sec
• Radius: 1.5 m

Rank 3: Duration & Radius

Increase Singularity's hold duration by 20%.
Increase impact radius by 20%.

• Recharge Speed: 3.60 sec (Shepard)
• Duration: 4.80 sec
• Radius: 1.80 m

Rank 4: Duration/Radius

Duration Increase Singularity's hold duration by 30%. Additional enemies can be lifted before Singularity fades. Recharge Speed: 3.60 sec (Shepard) Duration: 6 sec Radius: 1.80 m

Radius Increase impact radius by 25%. Recharge Speed: 3.60 sec (Shepard) Duration: 4.80 sec Radius: 2.18 m

Rank 5: Lift Damage/Recharge Speed

Lift Damage Inflict 20 damage per second to lifted targets.

Recharge Speed Increase recharge speed by 30%. Recharge Speed: 2.90 sec (Shepard) Duration: 6 sec (Duration), 4.80 (Radius) Radius: 1.80 m (Duration), 2.18 m (Radius)

Rank 6: Expand/Detonate

Expand Expand the Singularity field by 35% for 10 seconds.

Detonate Detonate Singularity when the field dies to inflict 300 damage across 5 meters.

Power Ranks (Multiplayer)

Rank 1: Singularity

Create a sphere of dark energy that traps and dangles enemies caught in its field.

• Recharge Speed: 8 sec
• Duration: 8 sec
• Radius: 1.50 m
• Damage Per Second: 100

Rank 2: Recharge Speed

Increase recharge speed by 25%.

• Recharge Speed: 6.40 sec
• Duration: 8 sec
• Radius: 1.50 m
• Damage Per Second: 100

Rank 3: Damage

Increase damage by 20%.

• Recharge Speed: 6.40 sec
• Duration: 8 sec
• Radius: 1.50 m
• Damage Per Second: 120

Rank 4: Duration/Radius

Duration Increase Singularity's hold duration by 150%. Recharge Speed: 6.40 sec Duration: 20 sec Radius: 1.50 m Damage Per Second: 120

Radius Increase impact radius by 35%. Recharge Speed: 6.40 sec Duration: 8 sec Radius: 2.03 m Damage Per Second: 120

Rank 5: Lift Damage/Recharge Speed

Lift Damage Inflict 50 damage per second to lifted targets.

Recharge Speed Increase recharge speed by 35%. Recharge Speed: 5 sec Duration: 20 sec (Duration), 8 sec (Radius) Radius: 1.50 m (Duration), 2.03 m (Radius) Damage Per Second: 120

Rank 6: Damage/Detonate

Damage Increase damage by 50%. Recharge Speed: 6.40 sec (Lift Damage), 5 sec (Recharge Speed) Duration: 20 sec (Duration), 8 sec (Radius) Radius: 1.50 m (Duration), 2.03 m (Radius) Damage Per Second: 170

Detonate Detonate Singularity when the field dies to inflict 500 damage across 7 meters.

Player Notes

Mechanics

• Only one Singularity vortex (per user) can be active at a time.
• Even though the vortex can visually appear to penetrate cover/terrain, the actual effects of Singularity do not.
• When used by the player, Singularity fires a projectile similar to Pull's, although it travels noticeably slower and is even easier for enemies to dodge at range. However, even a Singularity projectile that is dodged can still create a vortex – it just may not end up where the player intended it to be.
• Singularity has varying interactions with Biotic Explosions:
  • In single-player:
    • Targets are only primed for a detonation when lifted.
    • Detonating a target within a Singularity does not cause the vortex to end, which indicates that unshielded or unarmored enemies lifted by Singularity can be primed for multiple Biotic Explosions before Singularity's duration runs out. In practice, however, the force of any detonations will eject not only the target but all other enemies from the vortex.
    • If rank 6 Detonate evolution is chosen, Singularity will be able to detonate Biotic Explosions even on protected targets (shields, barriers, or armor) that are within the vortex when it expires provided the target has been primed by another power (e.g. Reave)
  • In multiplayer:^[2]
    • All targets that are within the active radius of the Singularity are primed for a detonation (even armored foes), but only once per Singularity. Throwing another Singularity resets and again primes enemies for another explosion. The priming effect can linger on affected targets for a few seconds even after they leave the vortex, visible as a bluish sheen.
    • Detonating a target within a Singularity does not cause the Singularity vortex to end.
• The multiplayer damage over time effect occurs whether or not the targets are lifted (though the rank 5 Lift Damage evolution still only affects lifted targets).
• Just as in Mass Effect 2, many protected enemies will be repeatedly "staggered" by Singularity as long as they remain within the vortex. Most enemies with health (red bar) will be sucked in the moment their shield or barrier drops. Also like in the previous game, holding protected targets will cause Singularity to collapse prematurely, sometimes within only a few seconds.
• Singularity can suck in Cerberus Guardians and cause them to drop their riot shields; however, there is a caveat that the Singularity must form behind their shields. When used by the player, a Singularity projectile will usually detonate in front of the shield, meaning the vortex will not penetrate the shield's directional protection and the Guardian will only be staggered a few times, not completely disabled. You can get around this by not "locking on" to the Guardian and instead aiming past him to form the vortex close but slightly behind his shield. This is easier to pull off with a larger radius of effect. When used by Liara, Singularity tends to be much more effective, as she deploys the vortex instantly on the targeted enemy without a projectile, which will usually send Guardians straight into the air.
• Singularity will not do anything to a CAT6 Heavy other than repeatedly staggering it while it remains in the field, shielded or otherwise.
• Singularity will kill Swarmers within its area of effect; the Lift Damage evolution is not required.

Strategies

• In single-player, the Adept can use Singularity to great effect in battles with many foes to disable one enemy or group of enemies for an extended period of time while switching to Pull or other powers to disable yet more, thus avoiding being overwhelmed.
• In single-player Singularity—especially when used by Liara as it has no travel time—is devastating against Cerberus troops piling out of a shuttle.
• In multiplayer, Singularity has a damage-over-time effect which is useful if a powerful weapon just fails to break an enemy's shielding. The damage can be increased to levels powerful enough to strip the protections from groups of weaker enemies, even on higher difficulties. The damage can also be high enough to trap unprotected minor enemies and forget about them while focusing on other enemies, as the vortex alone will eventually be fatal.
• In multiplayer, Singularity's utility as a crowd control tool is slightly reduced (the rank 6 Expand evolution is no longer available), but its overall effectiveness has been greatly increased. Among other things, it can be effectively used as a trap to hold choke points and set up multiple incoming enemies for biotic detonation.
• In multiplayer, Singularity can work especially well with Warp Rounds equipped on weapons that deal area damage, such as most weapons that fire explosive rounds like the Scorpion. Singularity is one of the few biotic powers that can apply the biotic "lifting" (priming) effect to multiple targets in an area simultaneously, including armored targets, so any Warp Round-enhanced fire will deal bonus damage to all targets affected by the vortex. This can be devastating to enemies crowded together at a corner or chokepoint.
• Despite its name, the Detonate evolution is an unreliable method for detonating biotic combos because of certain mechanics that govern how Power Combos of the same type can chain together consecutively, in addition to the simple unpredictability of when a Singularity vortex will collapse. Detonate is most useful for the extra 300 area damage (500 damage in multiplayer), which is far from insignificant.

Availability

• Single-Player: Adept, Liara T'Soni
• Multiplayer: Human Adept, Project Phoenix Adept

References

Mass Effect Talents
Biotic	Barrier • Lift • Singularity • Stasis • Throw • Warp
Combat	Assault Rifles • Pistols • Shotguns • Sniper Rifles • Assault Training • Fitness • Basic Armor • Combat Armor • Tactical Armor
Tech	Damping • Decryption • Electronics • First Aid • Hacking • Medicine
Class	Adept • Asari Scientist • Engineer • Infiltrator • Krogan Battlemaster • Quarian Machinist • Sentinel • Soldier • Turian Agent • Vanguard
Player only	Charm • Intimidate • Spectre Training

Mass Effect 2 Powers
Ammo	Armor-Piercing Ammo • Cryo Ammo • Disruptor Ammo • Incendiary Ammo • Shredder Ammo • Warp Ammo
Biotic	Barrier • Charge • Dominate • Pull • Reave • Shockwave • Singularity • Slam • Stasis • Throw • Warp
Combat	Adrenaline Rush • Concussive Shot • Flashbang Grenade • Fortification • Inferno Grenade • Shadow Strike
Tech	AI Hacking • Combat Drone • Cryo Blast • Energy Drain • Geth Shield Boost • Incinerate • Neural Shock • Overload • Tactical Cloak • Tech Armor
Player only	Assault Mastery • Biotic Mastery • Combat Mastery • Defender • Operative • Tech Mastery • Unity
Squadmate Class	Ardat Yakshi • Asari Justicar • Asari Scientist • Cerberus Officer • Cerberus Operative • Turian Rebel • Drell Assassin • Geth Infiltrator • Krogan Berserker • Master Thief • Mercenary Veteran • Quarian Machinist • Salarian Scientist • Subject Zero

Mass Effect 3 Powers
Ammo	Armor-Piercing Ammo • Cryo Ammo • Disruptor Ammo • Incendiary Ammo • Warp Ammo
Biotic	Annihilation Field • Barrier • Biotic Focus • Biotic Hammer • Biotic Orbs • Biotic Protector • Biotic Slash • Biotic Sphere • Charge • Cluster Grenade • Dark Channel • Dark Sphere • Dominate • Flare • Lash • Lift Grenade • Nova • Poison Strike • Pull • Reave • Seeker Swarm • Shockwave • Singularity • Slam • Smash • Stasis • Throw • Warp • Warp Ammo
Combat	Adrenaline Rush • Arc Grenade • Ballistic Blades • Blade Armor • Bloodlust • Cain Trip Mine • Carnage • Concussive Shot • Devastator Mode • Fortification • Frag Grenade • Hawk Missile Launcher • Inferno Grenade • Marksman • Multi-Frag Grenade • Nightshade Blades • Phase Disruptor • Proximity Mine • Recon Mine • Repair Matrix • Sticky Grenade • Stimulant Pack
Tech	Armor-Piercing Arrows • Combat Drone • Concussive Arrows • Cryo Blast • Decoy • Defense Drone • Defense Matrix • Electric Slash • Electrical Hammer • Energy Drain • Flamer • Geth Turret • Havoc Strike • Hex Shield • Homing Grenade • Hunter Mode • Incinerate • Overload • Sabotage • Sentry Turret • Shadow Strike • Shield Boost • Siege Pulse • Snap Freeze • Submission Net • Supply Pylon • Tactical Cloak • Tactical Scan • Tech Armor
Fitness	Fitness (Adept) • Fitness (Engineer) • Fitness (Infiltrator) • Fitness (Sentinel) • Fitness (Soldier) • Fitness (Vanguard)
Fitness (multiplayer)	Advanced Hardware • Ancient Warrior • Fitness Module • Hardened Platform • Omni-Bow Mastery • Rage • Shield Mastery • Sword Mastery • T5-V Internal Systems • Venom Gauntlets • Warlord Rage
Player Class	Assault Mastery • Biotic Mastery • Combat Mastery • Offensive Mastery • Operational Mastery • Tech Mastery
Player Class (multiplayer)	Alliance Training • Armiger Legion • Asari Huntress • Asari Justicar • Asari Valkyrie • Batarian Enforcer • Drell Assassin • Elite Mercenary • Geth Juggernaut • Krogan Battlemaster • Krogan Berserker • Krogan Warlord • N7 Demolisher • N7 Fury • N7 Paladin • N7 Shadow • N7 Slayer • Networked AI • Phoenix Training • Quarian Defender • Salarian Operative • T5-V Battlesuit • Turian Veteran • Unshackled AI • Vengeful Ancient • Volus Training • Vorcha Resilience
Squadmate Class	Alliance Admiral • Alliance Officer • Arms Master • Asari Justicar • Biotic Boss • Cerberus Officer • Cerberus Operative • Krogan Battlemaster • Krogan Berserker • Master Thief • Mercenary Veteran • Pure Biotic • Quarian Machinist • Subject Zero • Turian Huntress • Turian Rebel • Unshackled AI • Vengeful Ancient