Mass Effect Andromeda update ruins Cora, Jaal love triangles, brings back the Kishock Harpoon Gun - full patch notes

Mass Effect Andromeda has squashed another log full of bugs.

A new Mass Effect Andromeda patch is available now, with stacks of great changes.

The single-player patch notes are pretty boring reading because they're mostly about bug fixes, but if you've been stuck in Mass Effect Andromeda due to progression errors or other problems you'll find it more interesting. Probably the most significant one is that BioWare has shut down being able to romance Cora and Jaal simultaneously, a "problem" that crept in when Jaal was made romanceable by Mryders. Anyway, check the full patch notes out below.

The multiplayer patch notes are also down there, and they're much more intriguing. As promised, BioWare has added a new platinum difficulty to Mass Effect Andromeda's multiplayer, along with veteran ranks so you can grow powerful enough to face the new challenges.

The update also delivers the Batarian Scrapper unit to Mass Effect Andromeda. They bring with them the Kishock Harpoon Gun, an old favourite from Mass Effect games of yore.

There's been a pretty big balance pass on powers and weapons but more immediately apparent are three new versions of Uncommon, Rare, and Ultra Rare weapons with unique perks:

• Bulwark: grants you additional damage resistance when near other players. Damage resistance increases with each team member in range.
• Siphon: damage dealt replenishes player health.
• Concussive: killing an enemy with a weak point shot causes them to detonate with a biotic explosion.

Neat. Should help with Platinum as well as the new regular challenges added to Mass Effect Andromeda with this update. BioWare has also made some interesting changes to difficulty such as scaling objective timers and booting the Assassination objective, so have a good squizz below.

Mass Effect Andromeda update 1.09 - single-player patch notes

• Various improvements to facial animations and cinematic scenes
• Improved stability
• [MP] Platinum difficulty added
• Fixed issue where certain hair textures could disappear from female custom heads when using Facial Reconstruction Suite
• Fixed issue where negative AVP could be displayed after reaching Nexus level 20
• Fixed various quest progression blockers
• Fixed issue where Ryder could be killed even when following directions during the guarded walk through Aya
• Fixed issue where player could commit to relationships with both Jaal and Cora concurrently
• Fixed issue where the “Reach the Signal Source” objective in Peebee’s quest line could fail to trigger
• Fixed issue where player could get trapped on a ledge in the Elaaden Vault, causing an infinite load screen
• Fixed save/load issues with the final battle area in Peebee’s Loyalty mission
• Fixed issue where the “Speak to Sid” objective on the Nexus could persist indefinitely
• Fixed issue where quest marker could disappear during the final step of the “Reformation” quest on Voeld
• Addressed issue where it was possible for the player to be attacked during initial conversation with Bain Massani on Eos
• Fixed issue where save/load could cause final platform to disappear in Drack’s Loyalty Mission
• Fixed issue where the player can’t progress through the final story mission if the Nomad is broken from the “Out of Gas” quest
• Added a confirmation prompt before changing Ryder’s appearance on the Tempest
• Fixed issue where player could become trapped by NPCs in the APEX HQ on the Nexus
• X5 Ghost can now be dismantled.
• Fixed issue where TAB (keyboard) and Start/Options (Controller) no longer served as shortcuts to close the pause menu
• Fixed issue where auto-level could assign skill points into loyalty-locked squadmate skills
• Tactical Cloak melee damage bonus now applies to jump-melee as well.
• Fixed issue with Fusion Mods displaying incorrect stats
• [PC] Improved HDR functionality on Windows 10 Creators Update
• [PC] Photo mode now supports Ansel’s depth-of-field controls.
• [PC] Fixed issue where Logitech keyboard rebinding would cause key lighting to work improperly

Mass Effect Andromeda update 1.09 - multiplayer patch notes

General
• Introduced Platinum Difficulty, featuring mixed enemy factions.
• Added the Batarian Scrapper character (Rare).
• Added a Skin Tone slider to customization options for some characters.
• Added Veteran Bonus ranks that increase power, combo, and melee damage stats for each character.
• There are now two daily challenges and new types of challenges.
• The Item Store has a weekly rotation of two Uncommon and two Rare equipment items.
• Characters can be renamed in the customization options.

Weapons
• Added the Kishock Harpoon Gun, a heavy, single-shot batarian sniper rifle that bleeds targets slowly.
• There are new versions of the Uncommon, Rare, and Ultra Rare weapons with unique perks.

Assault rifles
• Avenger S
  • Increased damage from 55-66 to 66-79
• Falcon
  • Increased damage from 385-462 to 415-498
  • Increased total ammo from 30-38 to 36-45
  • Increase explosion radius from 2 meters to 3 meters
• P.A.W.
  • Increased damage from 58-67 to 64-74

Pistols/SMGs
• Charger S
  • Increased damage from 47-56 to 57-68
• Sidewinder
  • Decreased reload speed from 1.5 seconds to 0.75 seconds
  • Increased total ammo from 42-53 to 60-75
• Eagle
  • Increased clip size from 18 to 24
  • Increased total ammo from 180-225 to 192-240
• Scorpion
  • Increased damage from 475-570 to 587-704
• Equalizer
  • Increased damage from 57-68 to 71-85

Shotguns
• Scattershot
  • Increased damage from 66-79 to 87-104
• Reegar Carbine
  • Increased damage from 58-70 to 90-108

Sniper Rifles
• Viper S
  • Increased damage from 460-552 to 610-732
• Indra
  • Decreased damage from 105-126 to 92-110
• Black Widow
  • Increased damage from 771-891 to 900-1041
  • Increased gun weak point multiplier from 1.7 to 2.0
• Naladen
  • Changed damage distribution between impact and area of effect from a 40/60 ratio to 20/80
• Shadow
  • Slowed down the Shadow’s recharge by 33%

Mods
• Added new Targeting System mod for pistols and assault rifles that increases accuracy without a magnified scope.

Powers - Combat
• Concussive Shot:
  • Increased base damage from 350 to 440
  • Increased Rank 3 damage bonus from 25% to 35%, and Rank 5 damage bonus from 40% to 50%
  • Increased Rank 6 Anti-Shield damage bonus from 50% to 100% and Rank 6 Anti-Armor damage bonus from 50% to 120%
• Flamethrower:
  • Increased the direct damage per second from 240 to 250
  • Increased the burning damage over time from 120 to 130 per second
• Frag Grenade:
  • Base damage radius increased from 5 meters to 6 meters
  • Rank 5 Shrapnel damage over time increased from 65 to 100 damage per second. Duration increased from 5 seconds to 6 seconds

Powers - Tech
• Assault Turret:
  • Rank 5 Omni-Link radius increased from 6 meters to 10 meters
  • Rank 6 Cryo Ammo bullet damage bonus increased from 20% to 60%
• Rank 6 Flamethrower:
  • Immediate damage per second increased from 150 to 275
  • Burning damage over time increased from 130 to 200 damage per second, and the burn duration increased from 2 seconds to 4 seconds
  • Flamethrower damage to armor increased from 50% to 60%
  • Flamethrower range increased from 8 meters to 15 meters
• Fortify:
  • Fixed a bug that was preventing Rank 6 Unmoving Defense from providing stated damage resistance
  • Increased Rank 6 Unmoving Defense damage resistance from 8 to 10 per second, up to a maximum of 50 (was 40)
• Tactical Cloak & Stealth Grid:
  • Increased the melee damage bonus from 60% to 75% and bonus window from 2 seconds to 3 seconds
• Tactical Cloak:
  • Escape Artist now recloaks player for 4 seconds after killing blow with a melee attack.
• Remnant VI
  • Decreased the Rank 2 beam damage bonus from 65% to 50%
  • Decreased the Rank 5 Focus beam damage bonus from 100% to 80%
  • Increased the Rank 6 Electric beam damage bonus from 30% to 50%
• APEX Training Passive:
  • Rank 5 Aerial Combat Training is now Special Combat Training and adds 50% damage to combo detonation on top of existing bonuses

Powers - Biotic
• Lance:
  • Increased base damage from 350 to 400
  • Increased aim assist vs. distant targets from a 2-degree angle to a 3-degree angle
• Nova:
  • Increased Rank 5 Anti-Armor and Anti-Shield damage bonuses from 75% to 100%
  • Increased Rank 6 Seismic damage bonus from 40% to 50%
• Shockwave:
  • Increased base damage from 350 to 400
• Singularity:
  • Increased the Rank 3 damage per second bonus from 40% to 100%
  • Increased the Rank 6 Explosion damage from 350 to 700
• Throw
  • Fixed a bug that prevented Throw rank 6b from increasing combo detonation damage
• Annihilation
  • Fixed a bug that prevented Annihilation from affecting targets within first 5 seconds of activation

Enemies
• In most cases, Ascendant, Fiend, and Hydra sync kills are no longer fatal, but will bring down the player.

Objectives
• Timers and progress bars now scale based on difficulty level.
• Devices now must be defused within 45 seconds of spawning. This timer resets upon completing interaction.
• Upload depletion rate now reduced when not controlled by players.
• Hack can now be contested by enemies.
• Assassination
  • Replaced with Boss objective
  • Boss now spawns more difficult variants of creatures, in progressive order of creature difficulty
  • Targets have special nameplates, more hit points, and take reduced damage from Cobra RPGs

Equipment
• Juggernaut Shield bonus increased to 20%
• Shield Enhancer bonus Increased to 30%
• Revive Pack Transmitter
  • Renamed as Supply Pack Transmitter
  • Now duplicates the effects of First Aid, Revive Packs, and Ammo Packs to teammates within 10 meters
  • Increases the radius of the Cobra RPG by 50%
• Damage from Cobra missiles modified to be more consistent among enemy types, and no longer deal extra damage to weak points.