Multiplayer Match Strategy

Overview
Multiplayer matches are missions run by a team consisting of up to four players. They are limited in both time and area, consisting of seven waves on a single firebase. A full match can take anywhere from ten minutes to nearly twenty-five minutes, depending on difficulty.

The best strategy varies depending on difficulty, firebase, task, and team. However, there is a single fundamental approach that applies in all missions: Pay attention to your teammates and to the wave objective.

Scoring
Each player earns XP, contributing to the total received by all players. XP is earned in a number of ways:
 * Completing objectives
 * Damaging enemies with weapons and skills
 * Killing enemies with weapons and skills
 * Reviving fallen teammates
 * Supporting teammates by restoring shields, obscuring them with cloaking skills, and other defensive actions
 * Extraction

Waves
Each mission consists of seven waves. There are three types of wave: survival, task, and extraction.

Survival
The goal for a survival wave is to make sure that all enemies are eliminated and at least one team member survives. The more team members active at a time, the faster the enemies will be eliminated and the greater the odds that at least one person will survive. To that end, make the effort to revive a fallen squad mate.

Task
The goal for any task wave is to complete the task objectives before the timer runs out, with at least one team member surviving. With the exception of Hack, all tasks have multiple objectives. Once the task is complete, the remaining enemies must be defeated for the wave to end. Each objective is timed. If the clock runs out before the current objective is complete, the mission fails. Task progress is tracked in the upper right corner of the screen. Six possible task waves fall into four different types of task.
 * Assassination (Targets)
 * Boss (Targets)
 * Devices
 * Hack (Data Recovery)
 * Retrieval
 * Upload (Data Recovery)

After the task is completed, an "Objective Complete" flag will appear. The number and color of stars depend on the speed of completion—a task completed quickly will result in three gold stars; a delay will result in a single bronze star.

Targets
Three specific enemies will be marked as targets for elimination, one at a time. Taking out the targeted enemies is the highest priority. If the clock runs out, the mission fails, no matter how many other enemies have been killed. Focus on the targets. (In a Platinum match, the enemies come from the designated enemy faction.)

Assassination Assassination targets are chosen at random from basic enemies in the match's specified faction. There is no pattern. None of the targets will be a boss enemy.

Boss Boss targets are always the same. Two basic targets, followed by a Boss-level enemy—a Behemoth, a Blaze Hydra, or a Progenitor.

Devices
Four marked surveillance devices must be deactivated, one at a time. All devices must be deactivated. The best approach may differ depending on firebase or enemy. Some firebases are cluttered; in those cases, it might be useful for the team to be spread out so as to have someone close to the next device when its location is revealed. Once that happens, it's not a bad idea to have at least one person provide covering fire for the person deactivating the device. Adhi in particular tend to be a nuisance and can interrupt deactivation. If the clock runs out, the mission fails, no matter how many enemies have been killed. Focus on getting the devices deactivated.

The timer for Devices differs from other tasks. It resets each time a device is deactivated.

Data Recovery
Hack and Upload are two of the more difficult tasks. Both require holding a position for a period of up to five minutes, depending on match difficulty. In both cases, the zone must be kept clear of enemies for the upload to proceed. Zones are indicated by pulsing concentric rings on the ground. Actively uploading zones are green, zones interrupted by enemies will turn amber, and zones that have lost signal and must be started again will be red. The best approach here is also the hardest: keep your head down and don't draw attention to the zone. If an enemy enters the zone, it must be eliminated. But firing on enemies not actively interfering with the upload will draw fire from additional forces. As with all tasks, if the upload fails, the mission fails, regardless of how many enemies have been killed. So keep your head down and clean up when the data has been recovered.

Both of these tasks are easier with at least one person who has Tactical Cloak or Stealth Grid. That person can hold the zone while others keep it clear from outside.

Hack This is a single-zone upload. The zone must be keep clear of enemies to remain active. If the hack is disrupted long enough, the mission will fail, no matter how many enemies have been killed. Focus on the hack.

Upload There are three zones, active simultaneously. All uploads must be completed to meet the objective. The zones will be marked A, B, and C. A zone must occupied by at least one team member and kept clear of enemies for the upload to work. The strategy varies by difficulty and firebase. In some cases, it's best to work one zone at a time. In others, the team can be split, allowing simultaneous upload from more than one zone. If the upload is disrupted long enough, the mission will fail, no matter how many enemies have been killed. Focus on the uploads.

Retrieval
Four marked artifacts must be retrieved from around the firebase and returned to the extraction zone, one at a time. Interacting with the artifact puts a container on the character's back and slows down the character's movement. Again, strategy varies depending on difficulty, firebase, and team composition. While some characters are smaller and quicker than others (humans and asari tend to move faster than turians and krogan), invisibility is an asset. The Angara Avenger isn't as fast as an asari, but she can move unseen with Stealth Grid. Charge can also be used—targeting an enemy in the extraction zone will get you there quickly.

The objective for the rest of the team is to protect the carrier as they make their way to the extraction zone. That may mean providing an escort, keeping a travel lane open, or picking off enemies approaching the extraction zone. If the carrier is taken out, the artifact is dropped and returns to its pickup point.

If the clock runs out, the mission will fail, no matter how many enemies have been killed. Focus on retrieving the artifacts.

The best strategy for a task can vary based on a number of factors, including match difficulty, firebase, team composition, and player experience. An experienced team on a Bronze or Silver match can probably get away with firing on enemies from within a Hack zone. On a Platinum match, the same team may need to keep a single stealthed squadmate inside the zone while the rest of the team stays outside the zone, drawing fire. In Retrieval, it may make more sense for the Krogan to carry the artifact if they're closer to the extraction zone than anyone else.

Extraction
The objective is to survive until the shuttle arrives to extract the team. A timer counts down to the extraction. While Survival requires eliminating all of the enemies, Extraction does not. Once you've reached this wave, the only requirement for a successful mission is that one person be extracted. However, the more people extracted, the higher the number of extraction points and the more credits awarded.

It should be noted that enemies will swarm the extraction zone if team members go there immediately, making a concentrated attack that can be difficult to defeat. It's better to wait until about thirty seconds remain on the clock. As always, strategy will vary. Highly relevant here are character speed and firebase size and layout. On most firebases, however, it is no more than thirty seconds from the farthest point to the extraction zone. (Firebase Icebreaker may be an exception.)

Death and Revival
If a team member's health and shields are both completely depleted, they will begin to die. A large red arrow will mark the location of the downed team member and a red circle will appear, showing the deterioration of their condition. During this time, they may be revived by a teammate or use a Revive Pack. In many cases, it only takes a moment to revive someone—reach down, hit the button, hold until they recover. In other cases, you have to fight off attackers to reach your squad mate. If the circle runs out or they are executed by an enemy, they may not be revived. The player enters Spectator Mode. In this mode, the player can cycle through the team members, watching from their point of view.

If the wave is successful—if the objectives are completed and at least one team member remains alive—all deceased team members will be resurrected for the next wave.

In Task Waves, if a choice must be made between completing the objective and reviving a fallen teammate, it makes more sense to complete the objective.

In the Extraction Wave, at least one person must get out for the mission to succeed.

Everything is easier with a full team. If a player has acquired enough Revive Pack Capacity Increases, a maximum of five Revive Packs can be carried during a mission. These packs are limited though. Try to save supplies as long as possible for the later waves. As there are seven total waves, it is easy to use all available Revive Packs in the early waves and have none left for the later and more difficult waves. If you are dying, wait as long as possible before using a Revive Pack. In particular, it is wise to have a Revive Pack available for the Extraction wave, when there may be no time for someone to come for you.

Keep an eye out for humanoid-type enemies while you are knocked unconscious such as Agents, Raiders, Saboteurs, Assemblers, and Chosen — these enemies will come up to your unconscious body and will stomp on your body with a sickening crunching noise to execute you. This execution makes revival impossible until the wave is completed. If you are executed on Wave 7, there is no revival possible.

If you are able to revive a fallen teammate, do so. Not only is it the right thing to do, it will help the mission and earn you points toward a Revives medal.

If someone revives you, and they are knocked unconscious as you get up, turn around and revive them. Don't just run away. They helped you up, return the favor. Sometimes this isn't feasible if you happen to have an Ascendant or a Hydra right on top of you but try to draw the enemies away so another teammate can get to them or quickly circle back to get them up.

Kett
Ascendants and Fiends are particularly dangerous—they'll both grab you and hang on. Odds are good you'll die if they get too close.

Outlaws
Krogan Berserkers are tough.

Remnant
Some miscellaneous tips: Destroyers are usually accompanied by Nullifiers. Take down the Nullifier first—it can knock you back through cover, disrupting your attack. The Destroyer can't. Assemblers are relatively easy to take out, but they tend to duck behind cover, making it hard to hit them. They will deploy Breachers given the opportunity. Breachers will fly into your face and explode.

General
There are a few common spawn points on each firebase. Some are easy to hit from a little distance—standing on one of the high spots on Firebase Zero, it is possible to toss a grenade or two at one of the spawn points, damaging or destroying enemies before they get too far.