Crafting items in Mass Effect: Andromeda is complex. We tell you how it works in our Mass Effect: Andromeda Crafting Guide.
The game world of Mass Effect: Andromeda is packed with tasks to complete. One can easily lose sight of the fact that weapons and equipment can also be crafted in ME:A. Those who completely neglect crafting will encounter problems with enemies sooner or later – at least on higher difficulty levels. We clearly explain in this article how crafting works in Mass Effect: Andromeda.
Crafting weapons, equipment, and augmentations is divided into 2 broad steps: Research and Development.
Step 1: Research
Before weapons, armors, and augmentations can be crafted, they must first be researched. You can view already unlocked “ideas” in the “Research” window at a research station, such as on the Tempest (see screenshot).
For research, you need research data from the respective faction. Weapons and equipment from the Milky Way require research points from the Milky Way – the same applies to all recipes from the Heleus Cluster and the Remnant. You obtain this research data by scanning in the game world when you discover foreign technologies, scan defeated enemies, complete missions, or through a perk of the Andromeda Initiative.
Select a weapon or equipment that you want to research – in this example, the N7 Eagle Pistol. Since my Ryder already has a higher level, the pistol at Rank 1 is no longer sufficient, so I directly research up to Rank 5. Each time, the costs of research data increase, while the weapon becomes stronger as it simultaneously loses weight and gains accuracy.
Step 2: Development
Once the research on the desired item is completed, you can switch to the “Development” menu. Here you see all available blueprints listed that you have already unlocked. Search in the list for the researched weapon (in this example, the “N7 Eagle Pistol”) and ensure that you have selected the correct level – you can recognize this, as with research, by the Roman numerals.
Directly under the weapon, the necessary resources required to craft the weapon are displayed. By pressing the X key (PC version), you receive more detailed information about the resources.
The necessary resources can be found in ME:A at various locations. You can either collect them while exploring a planet, drill with the Nomad, purchase them from traders, or obtain them through unlocked perks of the Andromeda Initiative. It is also possible to dismantle unwanted weapons in your inventory to gain additional resources.
Once you have the resources, you can develop the weapon and equip it with augmentations. Each weapon has different slots, identifiable by the hexagons directly under the necessary resources.
In the case of the N7 Eagle Pistol, there are 4 slots. Augmentations can be integrated into a weapon to improve or change its characteristics. The selection is vast: Do you want your weapon to fire seeking plasma instead of a bullet? Should the weapon enhance your biotic powers? Or should the weapon have infinite ammunition by simply consuming a portion of your health points?
Augmentations are important, as they make the weapons better than those you can find in the wild. However, they are not strictly necessary.
Once you have selected all augmentations, confirm the process. Bang! The new weapon is now in your inventory and can be equipped in the “Loadout” before starting the next mission.
One last tip: Especially at the beginning of the game, one has little research data. Concentrate on a few weapons and armors and do not research “wildly” – the data is not enough for that, and you will only get mediocre equipment.
