This article is about weapon upgrades in Mass Effect. For weapon upgrades in Mass Effect 2, see Research. For weapon upgrades in Mass Effect 3, see Weapon Mods. For upgrades generally, see Upgrades.

Weapon Upgrades are applied to assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles and pistols to augment them. Each weapon has one ammo upgrade slot and at least one weapon upgrade slot; better weapons have two weapon upgrade slots in addition to the ammo slot.

See also: Ammunition Upgrades

Detection Upgrades

Combat Sensor

Description: Some enemies use jamming technology to block your weapon radar. The combat scanner upgrade improves detection levels, making these enemies visible.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Detection Level:	1	2	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Combat Scanner

Description: Some enemies use jamming technology to block your weapon radar. The combat scanner upgrade improves detection levels, making these enemies visible.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Detection Level:	-	-	-	4	5	6	7	-	-	-

Combat Optics

Description: An advanced VI package maximizes effectiveness of combat radar while reducing kickback for improved weapon stability.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Detection Level:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	9	10
Max Accuracy:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+15%	+18%	+21%

Notes:

• You do not have to personally equip these upgrades to counteract radar jamming—any squad member with a scanner equipped on an active (unholstered) weapon will share the benefit.
• Entering the Mako while any party member has scanner upgrades equipped on a currently drawn weapon will enable the vehicle's radar to receive the benefit of the detection upgrade.

Sight Upgrades

Improved Sighting

Description: Increases maximum accuracy.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Max Accuracy:	+5%	+7%	+9%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Cooling Upgrades

Heat Sink

Description: Absorbs and dissipates the heat typically generated when firing.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Heat Absorption:	+10%	+12%	+14%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Frictionless Materials

Description: Frictionless Materials give rounds more power at impact while minimizing weapon overheating. Highly recommended for shotguns. Also useful for sniper rifles.

Note: Frictionless Materials shares the same stats as Kinetic Coil, but varies where "Weapon Stability" is changed to "Heat Damping." Both used in conjunction on higher level weapons allow the user hold down the trigger without fear of losing stability, or overheating, while also dramatically increasing killing power.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+5%	+6%	+7%
Heat Damping:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+20%	+24%	+28%

Barrel Upgrades

High Caliber Barrel

Description: Fires larger rounds for more damage. However, the rate of fire is slowed and the weapon will overheat more quickly.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	+10%	+12%	+14%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rate of Fire Penalty:	-20%	-20%	-20%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Heat Absorption Penalty:	-20%	-20%	-20%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Rail Extension

Description: Modifies the length of the barrel to increase damage. However, this also increases weapon overheating.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	-	-	-	+20%	+23%	+26%	+29%	-	-	-
Heat Absorption Penalty:	-	-	-	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-	-	-

Scram Rail

Description: This prototype upgrade greatly increases damage, but it also causes your weapon to overheat more quickly.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+20%	+23%	+26%
Heat Absorption Penalty:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-10%	-10%	-10%

Stability Upgrades

Recoil Damper

Description: Reduces kickback to improve accuracy.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Weapon Stability:	+10%	+12%	+14%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Kinetic Stabilizer

Description: Advanced VI functionality reduces weapon kickback to improve accuracy.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Weapon Stability:	-	-	-	+15	+18	+21%	+24%	-	-	-

Kinetic Coil

Description: Kinetic Coils improve stability by reducing kickback and increase projectile acceleration for extra damage.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage Bonus:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+5%	+6%	+7%
Weapon Stability:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+20%	+24%	+28%

Notes:

• Kinetic Coil shares the same stats as Frictionless Materials, but varies where "Heat Damping" is changed to "Weapon Stability." Both used in conjunction on higher level weapons allow the user hold down the trigger without fear of losing stability, or overheating, while also dramatically increasing killing power.
• Weapon stability controls the length of time it takes for a weapon's targeting circle swells to maximum size during continuous fire. More accuracy means a smaller initial targeting circle.

Cut Content

• Weapon modifications were known as "X-Mods" during development.
• The following weapon upgrade was cut before release and can only be acquired through PC Cheats.

Hyper Rail

Description: A hyper rail upgrade extends the barrel of the weapon and "overclocks" its mass accelerator equipment. Its hypervelocity slugs impact with enough force to be useful against lightly armored vehicles, but produce significant heat and recoil.

Upgrade Level:	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X
Damage:	+100%	+100%	+100%	+100%	+110%	+120%	+130%	+140%	+150%	+160%
Physics Force:	+40%	+40%	+40%	+40%	+45%	+50%	+55%	+60%	+65%	+70%
Heat Absorption:	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%	-100%
Weapon Stability:	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%	-20%

See Also

• Bonus Content Disc/Technology: Human Weapons#Image 5