I fully disagree with Marshal Shepard's assessment or the engineer being too squishy for insanity. My favorite class is the engineer and I have completed ME2 multiple times on insanity and ME3 once on insanity.

First, the ability to double your squad size with a combat drone and a sentry turret within the first 6 seconds of an engagement is unmatched. Because the Mass Effect AI forces the enemy to deal with drones first both of those abilities enable you to get inside the enemies decision making cycle and thus influence the battlefield on a major scale. So while your squadmates are taking advantage of the chaos the engineer just created, the engineer can either assist with target engagements or continue to influence the fight through continual spamming.

Second, incinerate is one of the most powerful and effective powers available. Not only does it deal massive damage, but it damages every level of protection, including regeneration. Add to this the "panic" effect and once again the engineer influences the fight by interruption the actions of the enemy.

Third, overload is now more powerful than ever in Mass Effect 3 since warp has been changed to no longer strips barriers, and overload has been changed to strip not only shields, but also barriers. Now, not only does overload strip valuable protection, but it stuns opponents and overheats weapons. This too foils the enemy advance and allows the squad time to engage, advance, or reposition.

Fourth, cryo blast although not damaging allows the engineer to remove enemy numbers from the fight by snap freezing them. In the sequence of a battle by the time the drone and turret have been on the field long enough to strip shields and barriers the engineer can begin freezing opponents thus providing easy targets for the squad.

Fifth, sabotage is the only power available that will turn the enemy against itself. Assuming control of a turret, Geth Prime, cannibal or marauders is an extremely effective way of reducing the enemy force while conserving your own. If done properly, the engineer can add 3 members to the squad; a combat drone, a sentry turret, and a sabotaged enemy.

Sixth, because Mass Effect does not differentiate specific armor types by class, the engineer is able to wear the same level of armor as a soldier. Add to this the ability to modify armor and select bonus powers and upgrades and an engineer's health and shields will surpass and can rival any member of the squad.

Finally, once again because Mass Effect 3 no longer differentiates specific weapon types to specific classes, the engineer is able to carry a high damage assault rifle such as the Mattock or high capacity sniper rifle such as the Raptor. Thus the engineer is able to engage and destroy targets at any range and at any point in the combat sequence.

When compared to the most common player strategies of cloak-shoot-repeat, charge-shoot-repeat both which force the player to target a single enemy at a time, the engineer's strategy of drone-turret-overload/incinerate allows the engineer to target 3 opponents within 6 seconds, tying two of those opponents up for prolonged periods.

This analysis, I believe demonstrates not how squishy the engineer is, but rather how powerful and useful the engineer actually can be even on insanity level.

I fully disagree with Marshal Shepard's assessment or the engineer being too squishy for insanity. My favorite class is the engineer and I have completed ME2 multiple times on insanity and ME3 once on insanity.

First, the ability to double your squad size with a combat drone and a sentry turret within the first 6 seconds of an engagement is unmatched. Because the Mass Effect AI forces the enemy to deal with drones first both of those abilities enable you to get inside the enemies decision making cycle and thus influence the battlefield on a major scale. So while your squadmates are taking advantage of the chaos the engineer just created, the engineer can either assist with target engagements or continue to influence the fight through continual spamming.

Second, incinerate is one of the most powerful and effective powers available. Not only does it deal massive damage, but it damages every level of protection, including regeneration. Add to this the "panic" effect and once again the engineer influences the fight by interruption the actions of the enemy.

Third, overload is now more powerful than ever in Mass Effect 3 since warp has been changed to no longer strips barriers, and overload has been changed to strip not only shields, but also barriers. Now, not only does overload strip valuable protection, but it stuns opponents and overheats weapons. With these changes to overload in ME3 energy drain is somewhat superfluous. The engineer now must decide if they would rather have the weapon overheat effect of overload, or the draining effect of energy drain.

Fourth, cryo blast although not damaging allows the engineer to remove enemy numbers from the fight by snap freezing them. In the sequence of a battle by the time the drone and turret have been on the field long enough to strip shields and barriers the engineer can begin freezing opponents thus providing easy targets for the squad.

Fifth, sabotage is the only power available that will turn the enemy against itself. Assuming control of a turret, Geth Prime, cannibal or marauders is an extremely effective way of reducing the enemy force while conserving your own. If done properly, the engineer can add 3 members to the squad; a combat drone, a sentry turret, and a sabotaged enemy.

Sixth, because Mass Effect does not differentiate specific armor types by class, the engineer is able to wear the same level of armor as a soldier. Add to this the ability to modify armor and select bonus powers and upgrades and an engineer's health and shields will surpass and can rival any member of the squad.

Finally, once again because Mass Effect 3 no longer differentiates specific weapon types to specific classes, the engineer is able to carry a high damage assault rifle such as the Mattock or high capacity sniper rifle such as the Raptor. Thus the engineer is able to engage and destroy targets at any range and at any point in the combat sequence.

When compared to the most common player strategies of cloak-shoot-repeat, charge-shoot-repeat both which force the player to target a single enemy at a time, the engineer's strategy of drone-turret-overload/incinerate allows the engineer to target 3 opponents within 6 seconds, tying two of those opponents up for prolonged periods.

This analysis, I believe demonstrates not how squishy the engineer is, but rather how powerful and useful the engineer actually can be even on insanity level.

I fully disagree with Marshal Shepard's assessment or the engineer being too squishy for insanity. My favorite class is the engineer and I have completed ME2 multiple times on insanity and ME3 once on insanity.

First, the ability to double your squad size with a combat drone and a sentry turret within the first 6 seconds of an engagement is unmatched. Because the Mass Effect AI forces the enemy to deal with drones first both of those abilities enable you to get inside the enemies decision making cycle and thus influence the battlefield on a major scale. So while your squadmates are taking advantage of the chaos the engineer just created, the engineer can either assist with target engagements or continue to influence the fight through continual spamming.

Second, incinerate is one of the most powerful and effective powers available. Not only does it deal massive damage, but it damages every level of protection, including regeneration. Add to this the "panic" effect and once again the engineer influences the fight by interruption the actions of the enemy.

Third, overload not only strips valuable protection, but it stuns opponents and overheats weapons. This too foils the enemy advance and allows the squad time to engage, advance, or reposition.

Fourth, cryo blast although not damaging allows the engineer to remove enemy numbers from the fight by snap freezing them. In the sequence of a battle by the time the drone and turret have been on the field long enough to strip shields and barriers the engineer can begin freezing opponents thus providing easy targets for the squad.

Fifth, sabotage is the only power available that will turn the enemy against itself. Assuming control of a turret, Geth Prime, cannibal or marauders is an extremely effective way of reducing the enemy force while conserving your own. If done properly, the engineer can add 3 members to the squad; a combat drone, a sentry turret, and a sabotaged enemy.

Sixth, because Mass Effect does not differentiate specific armor types by class, the engineer is able to wear the same level of armor as a soldier. Add to this the ability to modify armor and select bonus powers and upgrades and an engineer's health and shields will surpass and can rival any member of the squad.

Finally, once again because Mass Effect 3 no longer differentiates specific weapon types to specific classes, the engineer is able to carry a high damage assault rifle such as the Mattock or high capacity sniper rifle such as the Raptor. Thus the engineer is able to engage and destroy targets at any range and at any point in the combat sequence.

When compared to the most common player strategies of cloak-shoot-repeat, charge-shoot-repeat both which force the player to target a single enemy at a time, the engineer's strategy of drone-turret-overload/incinerate allows the engineer to target 3 opponents within 6 seconds, tying two of those opponents up for prolonged periods.

This analysis, I believe demonstrates not how squishy the engineer is, but rather how powerful and useful the engineer actually can be even on insanity level.

I fully disagree with Marshal Shepard's assessment or the engineer being too squishy for insanity. My favorite class is the engineer and I have completed ME2 multiple times on insanity and ME3 once on insanity.

First, the ability to double your squad size with a combat drone and a sentry turret within the first 6 seconds of an engagement is unmatched. Because the Mass Effect AI forces the enemy to deal with drones first both of those abilities enable you to get inside the enemies decision making cycle and thus influence the battlefield on a major scale. So while your squadmates are taking advantage of the chaos the engineer just created, the engineer can either assist with target engagements or continue to influence the fight through continual spamming.

Second, incinerate is one of the most powerful and effective powers available. Not only does it deal massive damage, but it damages every level of protection, including regeneration. Add to this the "panic" effect and once again the engineer influences the fight by interruption the actions of the enemy.

Third, overload is now more powerful than ever in Mass Effect 3 since warp has been changed to no longer strips barriers, and overload has been changed to strip not only shields, but also barriers. Now, not only does overload strip valuable protection, but it stuns opponents and overheats weapons. This too foils the enemy advance and allows the squad time to engage, advance, or reposition.

Fourth, cryo blast although not damaging allows the engineer to remove enemy numbers from the fight by snap freezing them. In the sequence of a battle by the time the drone and turret have been on the field long enough to strip shields and barriers the engineer can begin freezing opponents thus providing easy targets for the squad.

Fifth, sabotage is the only power available that will turn the enemy against itself. Assuming control of a turret, Geth Prime, cannibal or marauders is an extremely effective way of reducing the enemy force while conserving your own. If done properly, the engineer can add 3 members to the squad; a combat drone, a sentry turret, and a sabotaged enemy.

Sixth, because Mass Effect does not differentiate specific armor types by class, the engineer is able to wear the same level of armor as a soldier. Add to this the ability to modify armor and select bonus powers and upgrades and an engineer's health and shields will surpass and can rival any member of the squad.

Finally, once again because Mass Effect 3 no longer differentiates specific weapon types to specific classes, the engineer is able to carry a high damage assault rifle such as the Mattock or high capacity sniper rifle such as the Raptor. Thus the engineer is able to engage and destroy targets at any range and at any point in the combat sequence.

When compared to the most common player strategies of cloak-shoot-repeat, charge-shoot-repeat both which force the player to target a single enemy at a time, the engineer's strategy of drone-turret-overload/incinerate allows the engineer to target 3 opponents within 6 seconds, tying two of those opponents up for prolonged periods.

This analysis, I believe demonstrates not how squishy the engineer is, but rather how powerful and useful the engineer actually can be even on insanity level.