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A result of the Illusive Man's early experiments in enhanced human physiology, Project Phoenix subjects are highly skilled combat and biotic specialists. When the Illusive Man turned to indoctrination in order to ensure the loyalty of his troops, many Phoenix operatives defected and joined the Alliance in order to stop the Reapers.

Phoenix operatives are highly skilled combat and biotic specialists. Their ability to manipulate Cerberus lash and stasis technology, backed up by their powerful skills, make them invaluable assets on the battlefield.

Powers[]



Melee and movement[]

Fist Melee
  • Regular Melee – The Project Phoenix Adept attacks with a shock baton, hitting up to two nearby enemies.
  • Heavy Melee (Cerberus Lash) – The Project Phoenix Adept swings biotically-charged lashes, striking the surrounding area. This has a high chance of knocking down unprotected foot soldiers.
  • Grab (Biotic Punch) – The Project Phoenix Adept drags an enemy over cover and then executes them with a charged biotic punch.
Dodge Arrow
  • Dodge (Combat Roll) – The Project Phoenix Adept rolls to quickly evade incoming attacks.
  • The Project Phoenix Adept can take cover, and can roll from cover to cover.

Player Notes[]

General Notes[]

  • Singularity will prime Biotic Explosions on ALL enemies. Furthermore it causes constant damage to anything caught inside Singularity as well as causing constant stagger to all enemies.
    • It's possible to cause double Biotic Explosions. A Singularity to set up an explosion, detonated by Lash or Smash, which will set up another explosion to be detonated.
  • The Project Phoenix Adept's Lash ability functions similarly to Pull, except that targets are dealt considerable damage and thrown a good distance. With the Shield Penetration evolution, Lash can be set up to penetrate shields and barriers. Lash can also be used as a primer for Biotic Explosions, with the Fast Recharge evolution increasing the short time that Lash's biotic effect affects a target.
    • Maps that have instant-kill zones, such as Firebase White and Firebase Rio, work extremely well with Lash.
    • Lash can be somewhat useful even against armored targets, as it can stagger anything.
  • Smash is most effectively used through walls, as the animation leaves the Project Phoenix Adept vulnerable to fire, which can be deadly on harder difficulties.
    • Smash is very effective against all units, and the knock backs that result from it can be used to escape from the clutches of enemies that can insta-kill you at close range, such as Phantoms.
    • Smash's animation may be cancelled while retaining its effect by performing either kind of melee (regular or heavy) or by rolling, allowing the player to negate the ending lag from the power.
      • Heavy melee has a shorter animation than regular melee, so cancelling Smash with it allows the player to perform two devastating short-range attacks simultaneously.
  • The Project Phoenix Adept's main drawback is its relative inability to effectively deal with heavy enemies (Banshees, Brutes, Atlases, Geth Pyros, Geth Primes). While a fully upgraded Smash can do significant damage to these enemies, its short range requires the player to get dangerously close to the strongest melee enemies in the game.
    • Despite the risk of a sync-kill, the combination of Singularity and Smash is very effective against boss enemies, especially if Smash is evolved to do maximum damage against armor.

Cerberus[]

  • Lash's Shield Penetration evolution is extremely effective vs. Cerberus, since any non-Dragoon infantry can be "yanked" off their feet.
    • Project Phoenix Adepts based around power damage can kill a Dragoon quite reliably on Silver difficulty with a single Smash. A Smash with power damage, combined with a heavy melee can kill a Dragoon in two quick hits on Gold and will knock back anyone else in range of the melee.
  • Smash is devastating against Atlases, since they are big and slow. It's also lethal against groups of infantry bunched up.
  • Singularity can hold an infantry-squadron in place, allowing the player to utilize Smash's Area of Effect (AoE) damage.

Collectors[]

  • Project Phoenix Adepts may find themselves at a disadvantage vs. Collectors.
    • When using Lash, be very careful who you target. It can toss around the two most common Collector units, the Collector Trooper and the Collector Captain (only affected if Shield Penetration Evolution was chosen at Rank 6). However, on armored units like the Scion and the Praetorian, it will do next to nothing. Collector Webs and Seeker Swarms cannot be pulled but swarms can be trapped in a Singularity.
    • While Abominations are about, Lash becomes a hindrance, bringing the exploding creatures closer to you and your team. Possessed Abomination sightings should put a hold on all Lash uses until they are taken care of. However, Smash can be useful against Abominations at times, as it is capable of launching them into the air and cause them to explode in the air at a much safer distance from you or your team.
    • Since this class's most useful power is the close-ranged Smash, you may find yourself being downed a lot, since many Collector units are geared toward close-quarters combat, using fast and powerful melee attacks.

Geth[]

  • Smash is extremely useful when facing Geth Primes, since they do not have a grab-kill move. Even more effective if you choose the 6th level armor-damage increase on Smash. Their melee is slow, wide, and too close to damage you while you use Smash. Be very careful of their pulse cannons, however.
  • Lash is needed to disable Geth Hunters and Geth Rocket Troopers, since they are frighteningly deadly against anybody.
  • Despite the close-quarters devastation of Smash, it is recommended to not use it when surprised by Geth Hunters. The animation is too slow to take them out before their Plasma Shotguns take you out. If you can spot them from far away, timing your Smash will be your salvation. Instead, heavy melee will deplete most of their shields and disorient them so that you can use Smash to finish them off.

Reapers[]

  • Smash is deadly against any Reaper foe; use with caution around Banshees and Brutes to avoid being insta-killed.
  • Singularity is effective against Swarmers when protecting flanks. Your heavy melee's wide strike helps against them as well.
  • Use Lash liberally on Marauders and Cannibals. Especially when they are near a downed ally.
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