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Marauders are synthetic-organic creatures derived from turians through the use of Reaper technology. They appear in Mass Effect 3 as a support unit, front line combatants, and squad leaders in the Reaper army.

Description[]

Marauders are harvested turians that command and protect other Reaper troops. The lean, armored creatures present a significant threat in and of themselves, but they are especially dangerous when leading a Reaper task force.

Alliance marines have observed marauders fortifying husks and cannibals by enveloping them in a ribbon of energy that forms a scabby shell of armor. For this reason, when Alliance soldiers encounter a marauder alongside husks or cannibals, standing orders are to target the marauder first.

Capabilities[]

Offensive

Marauders are armed with Phaeston assault rifles, which they fire at short to medium range in several-second bursts. Up close, they can also use them to gun-butt their enemies. They can also execute downed players with a stomp.

Defensive

Marauders have moderate health and shielding. They also have the ability to coat Husks and Cannibals in scab-like armour plating, which must either be shot off or penetrated in order to damage them with most standard firearms. During this process, both the Marauder and the ally it is armoring are immobile and do not respond to threats for several seconds, but both are highly resistant to stunning effects.

Like with other enemies, headshots will inflict 40% more damage on Marauders. They can also dodge attacks by performing combat rolls. Marauders can scale ladders, but they are also able to levitate themselves both up and down shorter vertical terrain without needing ladders.

Tactics[]

  • Marauders function as a sort of squad leader, similar to the Cerberus Centurion and Collector Captain.
  • Marauders that are not busy firing or taking cover will give armored plating to Husks and Cannibals. This process takes several seconds and has a distinctive sound and look. Any damage to either the Marauder or the recipient will interrupt the armoring process.
    • The armor plating is not that big of an issue if you are armed with piercing or explosive weapons; powers likewise aren't affected by plating.
    • A Marauder that is armoring an ally is not attacking you and neither is the ally, so it may be more advantageous to leave them alone if there are other targets.
  • In single-player, Marauders can be killed by a single charged shot from the Venom Shotgun on any difficulty.
  • Marauders have moderate shielding that can be eliminated through a single use of Overload or a powerful Energy Drain or Sabotage. Follow up with a powerful weapon such as the M-98 Widow or M-92 Mantis to kill them with a single headshot.
  • Marauders are less likely to avoid attacks with combat rolls if they are stunned, in close proximity to the player, or focused on another target.
  • While Marauders typically hang back firing their weapons and don't seek to melee, their melee attacks are powerful, doing about the same damage as the stun baton of a Cerberus Centurion. Marauder melees are also delivered quickly with a relatively short windup animation, making engaging them or even trying to just run past them at close range risky.


Trivia[]

  • Marauders are the only Reaper enemy to use weapons that appear analogous or comparable to the conventional firearms utilized by the organic civilizations of the galaxy. Cannibals and Ravagers use weapons that are extensions of their own bodies, Banshees use biotic powers, and Collectors use their own specialized weaponry.
  • During Priority: Earth Marauders can be seen using mounted guns to fire on friendly forces from inside a ruined building, though they do not use them to fire on the player's squad.
  • Marauders are seen manipulating or interfacing with a Leviathan orb artifact near the conclusion of Namakli: Leviathan.
  • Their use of shields, as opposed to barriers or armor used by other Reaper units, is also unique.
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