Weapon Upgrades

From Mass Effect Wiki

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

Contents 1 Detection Upgrades 1.1 Combat Sensor/Scanner 1.2 Combat Optics 2 Sight Upgrades 2.1 Improved Sighting 3 Cooling Upgrades 3.1 Heat Sink 3.2 Frictionless Materials 4 Barrel Upgrades 4.1 High Caliber Barrel 4.2 Rail Extension 4.3 Scram Rail 5 Stability Upgrades 5.1 Recoil Damper 5.2 Kinetic Stabilizer 5.3 Kinetic Coil

[edit] Detection Upgrades

[edit] Combat Sensor/Scanner

Description: Some enemies - especially Geth Hoppers - 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	4	5	6	7	-	-	-

[edit] Combat Optics

Description: An advanced VI package maximizes effectiveness of combat radar while increasing maximum accuracy.

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

Tips & Tricks:

1. You do not have to personally equip these upgrades to benefit from their increased detection. So long as one of your party has it equipped on a weapon they have drawn, your radar will reflect the enhancement.
2. While in the Mako, if you approach Geth and find your radar jammed, exit the Mako and draw a weapon with one of these upgrades equipped, then, without re-holstering the weapon, enter the Mako and the vehicle's radar will receive the benefit of the detection upgrade. (A bug, but a very useful one).
3. Tip 1 also applies to Tip 2. (All tips discovered using PC game version 1.01a/Steam and untested on other versions or platforms).
   
   

[edit] Sight Upgrades

[edit] Improved Sighting

Description: Increases maximum accuracy.

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

[edit] Cooling Upgrades

[edit] 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%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

[edit] Frictionless Materials

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

Note:  Frictionless Materials shares the same stats as Kinetic Coil, but varies where "Heat Damping" is changed to "Weapon Stability." Both used in conjunction on higher level weapons can create a chaingun effect, letting the user hold down the trigger without fear of losing accuracy, 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%

[edit] Barrel Upgrades

[edit] High Caliber Barrel

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

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%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

[edit] 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%	-	-	-

[edit] Scram Rail

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

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

[edit] Stability Upgrades

[edit] 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%	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

[edit] 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%	-	-	-

[edit] Kinetic Coil

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

Note: 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 can create a chaingun effect, letting the user hold down the trigger without fear of losing accuracy, 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%
Weapon Stability:	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+20%	+24%	+28%