Power combo

Power combos are specialized combat explosions that allow for extra damage and elemental effects. Power combos start when an enemy (or group of enemies) is primed, setting them up for a power combo, and then a detonator is used to detonate the explosion.

Combo types[ | ]

There are four types of combo explosions:

- Sets every enemy in the area on fire.
- Slows or freezes nearby enemies.
- Creates a lingering electrical discharge that stuns enemies.
- Detonates with extreme force, sending enemies flying.

Mechanics[ | ]

Many skills are primers, detonators, and some are even both.

Some skills are primers and/or detonators right away while other skills require specific skill point purchases to become primers and/or detonators. Look for primer and detonator icons on the skill menu for each skill when planning skill purchases.
There are consumables, boosters, melee weapons, and explosive canisters that can also prime enemies but none can act as detonators.
Squadmates can be specifically upgraded toward making them good at priming and/or detonating power combos.
Squadmates will automatically use skills to detonate primed enemies, as well as semi-randomly priming enemies.

Certain augmentations, profiles, and skills increase bonuses to combo explosions such as damage and/or radius.

The following augmentations increase power combos:

The following profiles increase power combos:

The following skills increase power combos:

APEX Training - Rank 5B
Auxiliary Systems - Rank 4B
Bioelectric Focus - Ranks 3, 5A, & 5B
Biotic Ascension - Rank 5B
Charge (Cora) - Rank 5A
Combat Tools - Rank 3
Concussive Shot (Vetra) - Rank 4B
Containment - Ranks 5A & 5B
Energy Drain (Jaal) - Rank 5B
Incinerate (Drack) - Rank 6A
Offensive Biotics - Ranks 3 & 5B
Offensive Biotics (multiplayer) - Rank 5B
Offensive Tech - Ranks 3 & 5A
Offensive Tech (multiplayer) - Rank 4B
Overload (Liam) - Rank 6B
Shockwave (Peebee) - Rank 6A
Throw - Rank 6B
Throw (multiplayer) - Rank 6B
Trip Mine - Rank 6A
Trip Mine (multiplayer) - Rank 6A
Veteran Bonus - Ranks XI-XX
Weapon Training - Rank 5B

APEX Training - Rank 5B
Auxiliary Systems - Rank 4B
Bioelectric Focus - Ranks 3, 5A, & 5B
Biotic Ascension - Rank 5B
Charge (Cora) - Rank 5A
Combat Tools - Rank 3
Concussive Shot (Vetra) - Rank 4B
Containment - Ranks 5A & 5B
Energy Drain (Jaal) - Rank 5B
Incinerate (Drack) - Rank 6A
Offensive Biotics - Ranks 3 & 5B
Offensive Biotics (multiplayer) - Rank 5B
Offensive Tech - Ranks 3 & 5A
Offensive Tech (multiplayer) - Rank 4B
Overload (Liam) - Rank 6B
Shockwave (Peebee) - Rank 6A
Throw - Rank 6B
Throw (multiplayer) - Rank 6B
Trip Mine - Rank 6A
Trip Mine (multiplayer) - Rank 6A
Veteran Bonus - Ranks XI-XX
Weapon Training - Rank 5B

Skill Primers[ | ]

To set up a combo explosion, an enemy must first be "primed" with a skill. Skills that can prime enemies are marked with different icons on the Skills screen that indicate their primer type.

Fire primers burn enemies and set them up for a Fire Combo.
Cryo primers chill or freeze enemies and set them up for a Cryo Combo.
Tech primers electrify enemies and set them up for a Tech Combo.
Biotic primers lift enemies into the air and set them up for a Biotic Combo.

Consumable Primers[ | ]

Consumable ammo items are able to prime enemies for combo explosions:

Cryo Ammo primes for a Cryo Combo.
Disruptor Ammo primes for a Tech Combo.
Incendiary Ammo primes for a Fire Combo.

The enemy will have to be successfully shot with rounds until there is a clear visual display that the enemy has been primed (ice, electrical charges, flames).

Care should be taken when using consumable ammo items to prime enemies. If you prime an enemy with a skill, and then shoot an enemy with consumable ammo before detonating the primed enemy, the skill primer will be replaced with the ammo primer.

The Cobra RPG consumable is also able to prime enemies for a Fire Combo. This consumable is different for priming enemies because the enemies will have to survive the Cobra RPG blast to be primed. All enemies that survive the Cobra RPG blast will show a clear visual display of flames indicating they are primed.

Booster Primers[ | ]

Booster ammo items are able to prime enemies in multiplayer for combo explosions:

Cryo Ammo I, II, III, & IV primes for a Cryo Combo.
Disruptor Ammo I, II, III, & IV primes for a Tech Combo.
Incendiary Ammo I, II, III, & IV primes for a Fire Combo.

The enemy will have to be successfully shot with rounds until there is a clear visual display that the enemy has been primed (ice, electrical charges, flames).

Care should be taken when using booster ammo to prime enemies. If you prime an enemy with a skill, and then shoot an enemy with the booster ammo before detonating the primed enemy, the skill primer will be replaced with the booster ammo primer.

Melee Weapon Primers[ | ]

Several melee weapons are able to prime enemies for combo explosions:

The Remnant Cryo-Gauntlet primes for a Cryo Combo.
The Kett Vakarsh primes for a Fire Combo.

The enemy will have to be successfully hit with the melee weapon until there is a clear visual display that the enemy has been primed (ice, flames).

The Electric Firaan is NOT able to prime enemies for an electric Tech Combo.

Explosive Canister Primers[ | ]

Explosive canisters are found in many battle areas. The color of the container indicates the type of explosion that will happen when they are detonated. Detonating these containers with an enemy nearby are able to prime enemies for combo explosions:

Red Explosive Materials canisters prime for a Fire Combo.
Light-blue Coolant Containment canisters prime for a Cryo Combo.
Yellow Dischargeable Supercapacitor canisters prime for a Tech Combo.
Purple Charged Element Zero Stasis canisters prime for a Biotic Combo.

The enemy will have to be successfully hit by the exploding container with a clear visual display that the enemy has been primed (flames, ice, electrical charges, biotic glow).

Detonators[ | ]

Once an enemy is primed for a combo explosion, a detonator skill is required to set off the combo explosion. Detonator skills are marked with an icon on the Skills screen. Any detonator will set off a combo explosion.

Consumable items, boosters, melee weapons, and explosive canisters WILL NOT detonate combo explosions.

There is one exception to the detonators rules involving one unique melee weapon, known as the Batarian Gauntlet, in multiplayer. This melee weapon is wielded by the Batarian Scrapper and Batarian Vanguard and will act as a combo detonator. Targets must be suitably primed and then a successful melee attack performed to detonate the combo explosion. However, using this melee weapon to act a detonator will not count towards any of the challenges involving combo detonations.

Combo Table[ | ]

The table below lists all of the skill primers and detonators.

A check mark (✓) in any Primer column implies that the skill can prime that type of combo explosion.
A check mark (✓) in the Detonator column implies that the skill is a detonator.
Any skill with a check mark that has an asterisk (✓*) has issues or restrictions. (Refer to the specific skill article in question for details)
Upgradeable skills require additional points to be spent on the skill to activate primers and/or detonators.

Not all skills are available to every character:

SP - Skill that Pathfinder Ryder can acquire in singleplayer mode.
SM - Skill of a squadmate in singleplayer mode.
MP - Skill in Multiplayer mode.

Skills						SP	SM	MP	Upgradeable	Notes
Annihilation (SP, MP)	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	—	✓	—	—
Asari Commando	—	✓	—	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	—
Assault Turret (SP, MP)	✓*	✓*	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	✓	Either Fire or Cryo
Avenger Strike (Jaal, MP)	—	—	✓	—	—	—	✓	✓	✓	—
Barricade (SP, MP)	—	—	✓	—	—	✓	—	✓	✓	—
Bioelectric Focus	—	—	✓	—	—	—	—	✓	✓	—
Charge (SP, Cora, MP)	—	—	—	—	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	—
Concussive Shot (SP, Vetra, MP)	—	—	—	—	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	—
Cryo Beam (SP, MP)	—	✓	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	✓	—
Defense Drone	—	—	✓	—	—	—	—	✓	✓	—
Energy Drain (SP, Jaal, MP)	—	—	✓	—	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	—
Flamethrower (SP, MP)	✓	—	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	—	—
Fortify	—	—	✓	—	—	—	—	✓	✓	—
Havoc Strike	—	—	✓	—	—	—	✓	—	—	—
Incinerate (SP, Drack, MP)	✓	—	—	—	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	—
Krogan Warrior	✓	—	—	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	—
Lance (SP, MP)	—	—	—	—	✓	✓	—	✓	—	—
Nova (SP, Cora, MP)	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	✓	✓	✓	—
Overload (SP, Liam, MP)	—	—	✓*	—	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	Only while stunned
‎ Power Armor	—	—	✓	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	—
Pull (SP, Peebee, MP)	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	✓	✓	—	—
Remnant VI (SP, MP)	—	—	✓	—	✓	✓	—	✓	✓	—
Resilience	—	—	✓	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	—
Shockwave (SP, Peebee, MP)	—	—	—	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	—
Singularity (SP, MP)	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	—	✓	—	—
Snap Freeze	—	✓	—	—	—	—	—	✓	—	—
Throw (SP, MP)	—	—	—	✓	✓	✓	—	✓	✓	—
Trip Mine (SP, MP)	—	—	✓	—	✓	✓	—	✓	✓	—
Turian Smuggler	—	—	✓	—	—	—	✓	—	✓	—
Warp	—	—	—	✓	✓	—	—	✓	—	—

Notes[ | ]

The number of combos detonated can be tracked on the Accomplishments tab in the statistics menu.

The Cryo Condenser, Heat Inducer, Shield Disruptor augmentations when applied to leg armor cause extra damage when using a jump melee. When landing on the ground, a blast of elemental damage will radiate outwards causing extra damage. This elemental blast damage doesn't prime enemies though.