Mass Effect Andromeda works like the previous Mass Effect games – at least in terms of assembling a squad. The player selects two of the protagonist’s companions to go along on missions as squadmates. These squadmates are A.I. controlled, but can also be given commands by the player. This list will focus on generalities – seeing as how the best squad is likely different for every player and depends on how they build their own character. If the build for your Ryder is a straight soldier, then it is better to have squad members that use biotics or tech skills to complement your combat skills.
Updated on August 1, 2021, by Gabrielle Huston: Mass Effect: Andromeda has earned renewed interest from fans who took the Mass Effect trilogy's Legendary Edition as an excuse to finally dive into the franchise. Here, we provide a rundown on the most popular companion combinations in Mass Effect: Andromeda so that you're not left guessing in this brand new galaxy! This guide has been updated to provide extra details on the compatibility of each pairing and to provide some advice about how Ryder's build will play into the team's usefulness.
Liam and Jaal - Lacking In Significant Damage Output Or Health
Liam and Jaal are good companions; however, they don't make a great team. These two do not have the combat expertise to stay alive in combat for long; they aren’t the biggest help against stronger enemies either due to their low damage output (compared to other squadmates).
Liam’s favored weapon is the Overclocked Dual Omni-blade. He has to get close to use these weapons; unfortunately, he doesn’t have the health to stay in close-quarters combat for very long.
Jaal is a great support squad member – as long as the other squad member is someone like Cora or Drack who can deal a large amount of damage.
Ryder's Build
Since we don't recommend this team at all, it doesn't particularly matter what kind of build you develop for Ryder. However, if there's some reason you have to bring these two along together, consider focusing on a build that has a lot of damage output (to make up for them).
Peebee and Vetra - Good At Crowd Control And Not Much Else
There are two main problems with this pairing:
- For a Turian, Vetra is kinda squishy, meaning she seems to drop easily and frequently in battle. Peebee has some good skills, but she is also prone to dropping during a heated battle.
- To make matters worse, this team lacks any significant damage output. They're both meant to help out a stronger squadmate.
These companions have some great crowd control capabilities that at times complement each other, but when an encounter intensifies you’ll want at least one member of the squad with high damage output and better survivability.
Ryder's Build
This is a squad for players that like the challenge of fighting alone because, after about fifteen seconds, that is probably going to be the case. You'll need to be a tank in order to survive with this team. To have any hope of keeping Peebee and Vetra alive, all the enemy fire had better be on you!
Drack and Liam - Hard-Hitting Team With One Good Strategy
This squad can be absolutely devastating if all goes as planned. Drack is like most Krogan – he is strong, tough, and fearless. His Incinerate skill can be devastating when used on groups. The problem is that this skill doesn’t work on shields.
Liam’s Overload attack is great at lowering opponents’ shields. The one-two punch of Liam’s Overload ability, followed by Drack’s Incinerate skill, can quickly win a battle. The problem with this team is that both Liam and Drack tend to rush the enemy ranks.
Ryder's Build
The Overload-Incinerate tactic works even better if Ryder has the Singularity skill to pull enemies together for this combo. Ryder's use of biotics, tech, or some combination of the two is ideal if you plan to bring these rash companions along. You'll be able to more effectively support them by monitoring the situation from the back of the fight.
Cora and Liam - Her Shields Make Up For His Tendency To Rush In
This is the first team that the player will assemble, and is similar to the Ashley and Kaiden squad from the first Mass Effect game.
The difference is that Cora and Liam are better soldiers than Ashely and Kaiden – though, to be fair, Ashley is pretty close to Cora in terms of combat effectiveness. Cora’s Shield Boost skill is one of the best in the game (especially when fully levelled up) and really helps keep Liam alive when he recklessly rushes into an enemy formation.
Ryder's Build
This squad is best for players that choose Adept or Explorer builds. Both of these companions are reliable in combat, freeing Ryder up to experiment with tech and biotics especially. You should be able to boost their abilities and make them even more deadly! Also, keep in mind that this team will fight in close or, at most, mid-range.
Drack and Vetra - A Deadly Combination But May Struggle With Shields
Drack is usually going to rush the enemy, whereas Vetra tends to maintain a little distance between her and an opponent.
Vetra and Drack are a good squad, but only after Vetra's loyalty mission. That's when she's able to use Disruptor Ammo - it takes out enemy shields quickly and primes the opponent for Drack's Incinerate skill, which can't get through a shield normally. If you pair these two up before Vetra's loyalty mission, you'll probably struggle against strong shields.
Ryder's Build
This is another team that is best when the player uses a build that tends to keep their distance in battle. Sentinels, Adepts, and Infiltrators would all pair well with these companions. If you just want to back off and snipe enemies off the battlefield, Drack and Vetra will give you that freedom.
Cora and Peebee - A Squad That Makes Up For Each Other's Weaknesses
This can be a dangerous squad combination when used efficiently. Peebee’s Invasion skill is great for reducing the enemies’ defences for a heavy-hitting squad member – like Cora. Cora’s Nova skill is a great follow-up attack after Peebee’s Pull skill has them floating helplessly.
Cora’s Shield Boost is also useful in this pairing since Peebee has a tendency to fall in combat too easily (especially early in the game). As a small bonus, this team is also amusing in terms of banter, especially if Ryder is romancing one (or both) of them.
Ryder's Build
This squad can have trouble during long-range engagements, so prepare in advance for that and don't get caught by surprise. Be prepared to take out long-distance enemies with biotics or a great gun so that your squadmates can deal with the nearby threat in peace.
Drack and Jaal - An Excellent Balance Of Damage And Support
This is a lot of players’ favourite team. They’re adored not only for how well they fight together but because these two have some great dialogue while travelling together. Jaal’s Energy Drain reduces enemy shields while strengthening the shields of the squad members.
This primes the enemy for Drack’s Incinerate skill. This combo devastates the enemy - as we've seen with Drack in other squads. The unique thing about setting it up with Jaal is that it will also heal any damage done to your team’s shields.
Jaal's weakness is that he can be taken out of the fight quickly by a strong enemy force. Drack frequently charges the enemy, which is perfect for keeping attention off of Jaal.
Ryder's Build
Jaal and Drack both specialize in Tech and Combat (though in drastically different ways). To balance them out, you may want to make sure Ryder has at least some biotic abilities. It's helpful if you can keep an eye on Jaal and make sure no opponents snuck past Drack to take on your squishier companion.
Drack and Peebee - Taking Down Shields, Left And Right
The combination of using Peebee’s Pull skill to gather the enemy together, followed by a skill to weaken the enemies’ shields, is a perfect set-up for Drack’s Incinerate skill. This combo is incredibly effective against nearly all enemy types, as well – biological and synthetic.
The worst thing about this team is that the dialogue between these companions isn’t as amusing, or interesting, as other pairings. This is mainly due to Peebee; Drack is always a source of great conversation.
Ryder's Build
If the player chooses a tech-heavy build for Ryder, these might be the best squadmates to use. That's because you'll be able to execute the shield-weakening skill to set up Drack for Incinerate. As a result, you also have a strong team that checks all three boxes: biotics, tech, and combat.
Cora and Jaal - The Perfect Balance Of Damage And Support
Cora works well with Jaal for the same reasons that Drack and Jaal work well together – just a little more so. For starters, Jaal’s Energy Drain skill working in tandem with Cora’s Shield Boost makes the squad nigh-invulnerable for short periods.
This allows your team to begin an encounter by hitting the enemy hard while barely taking any damage themselves; this initial blitz is typically enough to win most encounters. The fighting styles of Cora and Jaal complement each other quite well. Cora prefers to get up close and personal, while Jaal usually prefers to maintain a medium distance.
Ryder's Build
This team works well with almost any build that you might choose for Ryder. Both these companions focus on combat, while Cora emphasizes biotics and Jaal works in tech. If you trust Cora's AI to protect you, it might be a great way to play a hard-hitting tank that rushes into battles! Maybe just consider adding a biotic ability to your arsenal for some extra shielding.
Cora and Drack - A Hearty And Reliable Team
This might be the most used squad among players of Mass Effect Andromeda; the main reason is the battle heartiness of the team. They will rarely fall in battle. That's especially true with Cora’s Shield Boost skill recharging their shields and healing their wounds.
This squad deals heavy damage, on top of their unsurpassed survivability. Cora’s Nova skill followed by Drack’s Incinerate is a great combo for finishing off an enemy group. These companions also have some great dialogue that is reminiscent of Gimli and Legolas’ friendly rivalry.
Ryder's Build
This is a great squad no matter what type of build a player uses for Ryder, but a tech or biotic build compliments the fighting skills of Cora and Drack best. It's nice not to have to compromise your tech or biotic abilities and take combat skills, just to stay alive in combat.