mass effect rachni assignment

Mass Effect 3 Rachni Queen choice: what to do with the queen or clone

Mass Effect 3  is full of choices, and one of the most difficult ones concerns an old friend - the  Rachni Queen , last directly seen during the first Mass Effect.

The Rachni Queen shows up a little way into ME3 in a mission called Attican Traverse: Krogan Team or Attican Traverse: The Rachni , with the name of the mission depending on decisions you made in ME1. In fact, the outcome of this mission varies largely depending on something you did in that game - this is one of the missions where the consequences of choices across the trilogy can be most keenly felt. 

On this page, we explain the outcome of this mission in detail, as well as the choices you can make.

ME3 Rachni Queen choice: what do to do with the queen or clone

This mission is actually a great example of how choice works in the Mass Effect Trilogy in general. There's consequences for past actions, but there's always a mirror alternative so that the game can continue.

For example, if the Rachni Queen is alive, she appears. If she is not, she has been cloned by the Reapers - but the clone is slightly different, and results in a different outcome. Similarly, if Grunt survived his stint in the ME2 suicide squad , he appears here. If not he's replaced with another friendly Krogan ally.

After fighting your way through the area where the Reapers are supposedly breeding an army of Rachni, and the defenses guarding them, you will come across a Rachni Queen. It'll either be the original or the clone, dependind on what you decided on Noveria back in ME1. 

You'll have a choice of what to do with the queen - sparing her and having her join the war effort, or leaving her to die. While the choice is always the same, the outcome varies quite drastically depending on if it's the real, original Rachni Queen or if it's the clone .

The result will have a pretty significant impact on the War Assets and Total Military Score that ultimately helps to determine your ME3 ending choices , so read on carefully:

If the Rachni Queen was spared on Noveria in ME1

These paths require you to have been merciful and allowed the Rachni Queen to live on and survive the events on Noveria back in Mass Effect 1. After a brief nod your way during an ME2 side quest, you now find the queen again on Utukku in ME3. Here, you can choose her fate once again:

• If you leave the Queen to her fate:  she will quietly die there, left behind forever, and will not factor into the rest of ME3 at all. Aralakh Company, the band of Krogan you help, become a War Asset worth 25 points, and 50 points if Grunt is alive.
• If you enlist the help of the Rachni Queen help:  the Rachni Queen will join the War Effort, with her Rachni Workers adding 100 points of War Assets to your Military Strength. However, Aralakh Company takes heavy losses in the progress, and so you don't get that 25 points.

If the Rachni Queen was killed on Noveria in ME1

If the Rachni Queen was killed back on Noveria during the events of Mass Effect 1, the Reapers have produced a clone queen. This queen is much more hostile to you throughout the mission, though you're faced with a choice all the same. This is the default decision if you didn't play ME1 and simply started a new game in ME2, by the way.

• If you leave the Queen to her fate:  she will die - much more loudly than the real queen, aggressively cursing Shepard and trying to exact revenge. Aralakh Company joins the fight as a 25 point War Asset, and is worth an additional 25 points if Grunt is alive.
• If you enlist the help of the Clone Rachni Queen:  the clone isn't the same Rachni Queen, and ultimately will betray you. You initially get 100 points of Rachni support for the war; but ultimately they turn on you later in the game, and an email will reveal that they have fleed. The 100 points is removed, but in addition they do 100 points of damage to the Alliance Engineering Corps and wipe out Aralakh Company, meaning a net loss of over 200 war assets.

If Grunt was loyal in ME2 , survived the suicide mission , and survives the events during this mission, he joins the war effort and is worth 25 points. This is separate from his point influence over Aralakh Company, and he'll always be there so long as he's alive, whatever you do with the queen. 

• Pre-Service History 1
• Psychological Profile 2
• Paragon or Renegade? 3
• Tips and Tricks 4
• Infinite Paragon Points - Eletania 5
• Infinite Paragon and Renegade Points - Noveria 6

• Prologue: On the Normandy 7
• Eden Prime - Find the Beacon 8
• Prologue: Normandy After Eden Prime 9
• Citadel: Meet the Council 10
• Citadel: Meeting Garrus 11
• Citadel: Meeting Wrex 12
• Citadel: Expose Saren 13
• Normandy After the Citadel 14
• Citadel Exploration 15
• Therum: Refinery 16
• Therum: Liara's Dig Site 17
• Normandy After Therum 18
• Citadel After Therum 19
• Feros: Zhu's Hope 20
• Feros: ExoGeni Headquarters 21
• Feros: The Thorian 22
• Normandy After Feros 23
• Noveria: Port Hanshan 24
• Noveria: Peak 15 25
• Noveria: Rift Station 26
• Normandy After Noveria 27
• Virmire: Landing Zone 28
• Virmire: Base Approach 29
• Virmire: Base Entry and Labs 30
• Virmire: Base Main Level 31
• Race Against Time: Escape the Citadel 32
• Race Against Time: Ilos 33
• Race Against Time: Final Battle 34

• Asari Consort 35
• Scan the Keepers 36
• Jahleed's Fears 37
• Xeltan's Complaint 38
• Presidium Prophet 39
• Reporter's Request 40
• Doctor Michel 41
• Homecoming 42
• Rita's Sister 43
• Schells the Gambler 44
• Signal Tracking 45
• Missing Person - UNC: Privateers 47
• UNC: Hostile Takeover 48
• UNC: Missing Marines 49
• Mikhailovich Inspection 50
• Family Matter 51
• The Fourth Estate 52
• Planting a Bug 53
• Our Own Worst Enemy 54
• Negotiator's Request 55
• Data Recovery 56
• Geth in the Tunnels 57
• Water Restoration 58
• Power Cells 59
• Varren Meat 60
• Smuggling 61
• Espionage 62
• Wrex and the Genophage 63
• Assisting Kirrahe's Team 64
• I Remember Me 65
• Old, Unhappy, Far-Off Things 66
• Old Friends 67
• Tali and the Geth 68
• Garrus: Find Dr. Saleon 69
• Wrex: Family Armor 70
• UNC: Besieged Base 71
• UNC: The Negotiation 72
• Unusual Readings - UNC: Distress Call 73
• Strange Transmission - UNC: Major Kyle 74
• UNC: Asari Diplomacy 75
• UNC: Lost Module 76
• UNC: Rogue VI 77
• UNC: Hostage 78
• UNC: Cerberus 79
• UNC: Hades' Dogs 80
• UNC: Dead Scientists 81
• UNC: Geth Incursions 82
• UNC: Colony of the Dead 83
• UNC: Espionage Probe 84
• UNC: Lost Freighter 85
• UNC: Missing Survey Team 86
• UNC: ExoGeni Facility 87
• UNC: Derelict Freighter 88
• UNC: Listening Post Alpha 89
• UNC: Listening Post Theta 90
• UNC: Depot Sigma-23 91
• UNC: Asari Writings 92
• UNC: Locate Signs of Battle 93
• UNC: Prothean Data Discs 94
• UNC: Turian Insignias 95
• UNC: Valuable Materials 96
• X57: Avoid the Blasting Caps 97
• X57: Missing Engineers 98
• X57: Bring Down the Sky 99

• Save or Slaughter the Colonists of Zhu’s Hope 100
• Spare or Execute Shiala 101
• Kill or Spare the Rachni Queen 102
• Kill or Calm Wrex 103
• Keeping Captain Kirrahe Alive 104
• Save Ashley or Kaiden 105
• Save the Council or Not 106
• Anderson or Udina for Councilor 107

• How to Romance Ashley 108
• How to Recruit Ashley 109
• Best Ashley Build 110
• How to Recruit Garrus 111
• Best Garrus Build 112
• How to Romance Kaiden 113
• How to Recruit Kaiden 114
• Best Kaiden Build 115
• How to Romance Liara 116
• How to Recruit Liara 117
• Best Liara Build 118
• How to Recruit Tali 119
• Best Tali Build 120
• How to Recruit Wrex 121
• Best Wrex Build 122

• Soldier Talents 123
• Best Soldier Build 124
• Engineer Talents 125
• Best Engineer Build 126
• Adept Talents 127
• Best Adept Build 128
• Infiltrator Talents 129
• Best Infiltrator Build 130
• Sentinel Talents 131
• Best Sentinel Build 132
• Vanguard Talents 133
• Best Vanguard Build 134

• Basic Armor 135
• Combat Armor 136
• Tactical Armor 137
• Engineer 139
• Infiltrator 140
• Sentinel 141
• Soldier 142
• Vanguard 143
• Barrier 144
• Singularity 146
• Assault Training 150
• Fitness 151
• First Aid 152
• Medicine 153
• Intimidate 155
• Spectre Training 156
• Bastion 157
• Commando 158
• Nemesis 160
• Operative 161
• Shock Trooper 162
• Asari Scientist 163
• Krogan Battlemaster 164
• Quarian Machinist 165
• Turian Agent 166
• Damping 167
• Decryption 168
• Electronics 169
• Hacking 170
• Assault Rifles 171
• Pistols 172
• Shotguns 173
• Sniper Rifles 174

• Phoenix 176
• Gagarin 177
• Grissom 178
• Tereshkova 180
• Knossos 183
• Macedon 184
• Hercules 186
• Theseus 187
• Asteroid X57 188
• Antaeus 192
• Farinata 195
• Century 197
• Fortuna 198
• Strenuus 200
• Herschel 201
• Caspian 204
• Acheron 209
• Columbia 212
• Yangtze 213

• Roadmap 214
• Achievement List 215

Mass Effect 1 Legendary Edition

Assignments uncharted planets, unc: listening post alpha.

This Assignment can be accepted at any point after you deal with the event’s at Noveria’s Rift Station . It takes place on an Uncharted Planet that you must explore with the Mako.

(1 of 2) Head to the Erebus system once you’ve completed the mission on Noveria

Head to the Erebus system once you’ve completed the mission on Noveria (left), then land on the planet Nepmos. (right)

How to Begin ¶

Before you can begin this Assignment and gain access to the star cluster it is situated in, you must complete the events at Noveria’s Rift Station . Once completed, make your way to the Erebus system in the Styx Theta cluster and you’ll receive a transmission, beginning this Assignment.

Deal with the Rachni Waves ¶

Once you’ve accepted the Assigment, head to the Erebus system and land on the planet Nepmos . Once planetside, make your way to the southeast to find the Listening Post and as soon as you arrive, you’ll notice a battle is underway with the Rachni. Stay in the Mako and blast them away with ease, then exit and speak with Lieutenant Durand in the center of the barricade.

She’ll plead for your assistance and you’ll be given two options for how to set up here. The first is to remain in the Mako and continue blasting them that way, or you can use the Mako to give power to the generators, activating the turrets. With the changes to the Mako in Legendary Edition, it’s much easier to simply stick to the Mako, parked between the center and right barricades to defeat the Rachni. Use your primary fire to deal with them and switch to the cannon if you see a few grouped up together. You’ll need to deal with two large waves here before the Rachni stop attacking, at which point Durand will point out that they’ve found where the Rachni are coming from.

(1 of 2) Stick to the Mako to deal with the waves of Rachni Soldiers

Stick to the Mako to deal with the waves of Rachni Soldiers (left), you’ll get time between each wave to repair the Mako and save your game if needed. (right)

Destroy Rachni Base ¶

Open your map now and you’ll discover the location of the Rachni Infested Mine, far to the west of your current location so drive the Mako over and enter the mine. Make your way down to the main room and you’ll spot Rachni Holes around the room, when you or your squadmates approach one of these, Rachni will come crawling out so be careful as you explore the room and take these out, there a total of 20 of them in this room but it’s well worth taking the time to kill them for the XP they grant, just remember to keep your distance to avoid them spewing Toxic your way.

(1 of 2) Rachni Soldiers will attack when you approach these nests

Rachni Soldiers will attack when you approach these nests (left), use Biotics to disable the deadly Rachni Brood Warriors. (right)

With the room clear, you’ll find two tunnels in the back that you can explore further. The tunnel to the north will lead to a room with three regular Rachni and a deadly Rachni Brood Warrior , these fearsome foes add Biotics to their arsenal so back up to the entrance of the tunnel to take them out and use Biotics such as Singularity should you have it available. Once that room is clear, head to the other tunnel and you’ll need to deal with four regular Rachni and another Rachni Brood Warrior. Employ the same tactics as the other room and as soon as the second Rachni Brood Warrior falls, the Assignment will complete.

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Guide Information

• Publisher Electronic Arts
• Platforms, PC, PS4, XB One
• Genre Action RPG, Third-person shooter
• Guide Release 14 May 2021
• Last Updated 17 August 2021 Version History
• Guide Author

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The guide for Mass Effect 1 Legendary Edition features all there is to see and do including a walkthrough containing coverage of all Assignments, detailed breakdown of all the important choices, class builds and much more!

• Full coverage of all the Main Missions.
• Every Assignment covered.
• In-depth look at the major choices and consequences of each.
• Full details on how to romance Ashley, Kaiden or Liara
• Class builds to get the most out of your chosen class.
• Details on every Talent.
• How to spec your squad.
• Breakdown of all Paragon and Renegade opportunities.
• Trophy/Achievement guide.

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Mass Effect: Legendary Edition - How to Save (or DESTROY) The Rachni

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Tears of the Kingdom's Best Questline Takes the Zelda Series Back to Its Roots

Every playable character in marvel rivals so far, marvel 1943: rise of hydra finds a publisher.

The original Mass Effect trilogy forces players to embark on a galactic quest where their choices can affect entire species across the universe -- and have a radical impact on the storyline of the game itself. These carry over to the newly released Mass Effect Legendary Edition , which is allowing players to revisit those gutwrenching decisions all over again.

One of the most memorable choices in Mass Effect has to be the fate of the Rachni Queen and the ensuing effect it has on the series as a whole. Regardless of what you choose to do in your encounter with the Rachni Queen, the outcome of your game will be changed forever.

RELATED:  Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Fixes the Trilogy's Most EMBARRASSING Moment

THE RACHNI QUEEN IN MASS EFFECT

The Rachni are introduced on the world of Noveria from the first Mass Effect , a formerly powerful race who were almost all wiped out centuries before the events of the game. The last of the species can be found in the Hot Labs of Peak 15, currently controlled by Matriarch Benezia, the mother of crew member Liara T'Soni and a corrupted aid to Sarus. After fighting your way through her forces and defeating her, the player is confronted by the Rachni Queen -- who has been held in confinement. Separated from the colony of smaller Rachni she birthed, the Queen reveals that this resulted in the berserker Rachni that Shepard and their team has had to fight earlier in the level.

Speaking to Shepard through an Asari, Shepard learns the long-extinct species was reproduced to create an army, but that the Rachni Queen just wishes to return to the stars. After convincing Shepard to kill the young Rachni that have lost their minds and have become a danger to others, she asks to be set free, vowing to keep the Rachni from lashing out at other species if so released. Shephard will have two choices here -- either to do so and set the Rachni Queen loose back into the galaxy or to determine she's too much of a threat and kill her while she's still confined. The player can decide to spare the Rachni Queen or destroy her with the acid connected to her confinement.

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THE RACHNI QUEEN IN MASS EFFECT 2

Sparing the Rachni Queen will allow the Rachni to form a new colony. The Turian member of the Citadel Council will grill Shephard about the potential risk during their next meeting -- and will accuse humanity of enjoying genocide if Shephard decides to destroy the Rachni Queen, offering a lose-lose situation for players when it comes to the Turian's view. However,  Mass Effect 2 can reveal the Rachni Queen was indeed telling the truth about the option for peace.

If spared, an Asari can be found in the shopping districts of Illium in Mass Effect 2  who is willingly connected to the Rachni Queen and used as a conduit to speak through. She reveals to Shephard that the Rachni have indeed been growing their numbers once more, but have vowed to bring no war to the universe. In fact, she vows to help Shephard in the coming battles against great darkness -- the Reapers -- in thanks for Shephard's mercy. If the Rachni Queen is instead killed, then all evidence of the experiments on Peak 15 is lost instead, with the tragedy of this once-again extinct race is lost.

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FIGHTING THE RACHNI IN MASS EFFECT 3

In  Mass Effect 3 , the player is confronted with the full coming of the Reapers. One of their intended weapons is the Rachni, ideally utilized as foot soldiers. This is regardless of whether or not the player spared the Rachni Queen in  Mass Effect . If Shephard allowed the Queen to survive, she'll have been captured by the Reavers . If she was destroyed, then the Reavers create an artificial one to serve at their side, known as the Breeder. The Rachni are encountered during a mission to the Attican Traverse. Venturing to the world, Shephard ends up working with the remnants of a lost Krogan team (and their leader, Grunt from Mass Effect 2 , assuming he survived the Suicide Mission from the conclusion of that game).

After fighting through the Reaver-spawned Rachni, the player will confront the Rachni Queen or the Breeder, which has been successfully and fully indoctrinated by the Reavers. Players will be given the choice to destroy the Queen/Breeder or to spare them at the expense of the Krogan team. Destroying the Rachni Queen or the Breeder will result in the Aralakh Company becoming a War Asset worth 25 points. If Shepard spares the Breeder, then they gain the Aralakh Company buff as well as the Rachni Workers War Asset, which is worth 100 points. However, the Breeder is secretly too far gone and will eventually betray the player -- resulting in a loss of 100 points after a few missions.

The other option is for the player to spare the Rachni Queen, which results in the loss of the Aralakh Company (and depletion of 25 points to their War Asset worth), however, the Rachni Workers will never betray the player, and their 100 point War Asset worth will never be reduced. However, sparing the Rachni Queen  or the Breeder can result in the death of Grunt  if the player didn't complete Loyalty Mission "Grunt: Rite of Passage" in  Mass Effect 2 . Otherwise, Grunt will survive the encounter and return to the group before they depart the planet. So long as the player is able to complete the Grunt mission in  Mass Effect 2 , it's a net-win to spare the Rachni Queen in the long run, as she becomes a useful asset in the final stretch of the game when the player needs to increase their War Asset strength as high as possible.

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Mass Effect 3 Guide by gamepressure.com

Mass Effect 3 Guide

Mass Effect 3: Attican Traverse, The Rachni - walkthrough Mass Effect 3 guide, walkthrough

Last update: 11 October 2022

On this page of the Mass Effect 3 game guide you will find a walkthrough of the main quest called Attican Traverse - The Rachni . Our walkthrough explains where the planet Utukku is, where to find the first flamethrower, how to safely destroy the spores, how to kill Ravagers, how to destroy the Reaper blockades, and how to behave during the meeting with The Rachni.

Reaching the planet Utukku

Exploring the scout camp, path through the tunnels and the first battle against ravager, battle in a large cavern, getting rid of reaper barriers, meeting with rachni queen - an important choice, return to normandy.

Received from: Wreav or Wrex [ Normandy SR-2: Combat Information Center ]

Unlocked by: Received automatically after completing Attican Traverse: Krogan Team .

Open the galaxy map and head to the Ninmah Cluster. After getting there (Maskim Xul system), grab some fuel and fly to the neighbouring system of Mulla Xul. Here you need to fly to the planet of Utukku and land on its surface.

During a cutscene you will meet the leader of the Krogan commando . It might be either Grunt , or Dagg , if the first one died in the previous game. Regardless of you interlocutor, you will learn of the discovery of a Rachni nest. You can begin to explore [ Utukku: Scout camp ].

Start off by examining the small barrack right beside the landing zone to find some spare parts [ 1625 credits ], the [ Pistol High Caliber Barrel ] and [ M-300 Claymore I ]. Afterwards head to the Krogan camp, where you will find a weapon bench , the [ SMG High Caliber Barrel ] and spare parts [ 875 credits ].

In the end enter the barrack beside which the Krogans are standing (screen above). The whole construction will collapse and you will have to examine the tunnel network without the help of Dagg/Grunt and his squad .

Head onwards. Examine the corpse of the Krogan and pick up the [ M-451 Firestorm ]. It's a unique weapon which cannot be added to your inventory. What's more you can't even get ammunition for it, though luckily in the further part of the mission you will come across multiple more, so don't worry about running out of fuel.

Use any weapon you like to destroy the nearby webs. Further on you will come across spores, which you should destroy from a safe distance as they explode upon contact and can deal high damage.

Slowly navigate through the tunnels, destroying the webs and spores. On your way you will find another [ M-451 Firestorm ], so you don't have to save ammo.

Save your game after reaching a bigger cavern and only afterwards jump onto the lower level. You will have to fight not only Husks, but also a Ravager , a Rachni mutated by the Reapers. It's extremely important to place your whole team behind covers, as the Ravager uses ranged attacks which can deal large damage.

Start off by eliminating the Husks and destroy the barrier generator from a distance. Afterwards head right on your own and follow the unprotected path. That way you will be able to flank or even approach the Ravager from behind. It's of course worth to use the Firestorm against it.

Be careful after it dies, as Swarmers might come out of its body. Keep the mat distance, as direct contact might end rather badly for Shepard.

After the battle, I'd recommend taking a good look around the cavern. To the left of the starting point you will find the [ Shotgun Shredder Mod ], and nearby the place where the Ravager was, a new [ M-451 Firestorm ].

Choose the upper path, destroying new spores and webs on your way. After reaching a barricaded passage, get rid of the webs on the right. Explore the new area, picking up another [ M-451 Firestorm ]. Afterwards use a weapon or power of choice to destroy the Reaper node [ 400 EXP ].

You can renew the exploration of the tunnels and soon a short and unimportant cutscene will start. Whether you choose the lower or upper path doesn't matter really.

I'd suggest destroying the webs you come across on your way, as it will let you find the Reaper tech [ 3750 credits ], a corpse of a Krogan scout which can be searched and another [ M-451 Firestorm ]. Expect trouble after reaching the next big cavern, in which you will have to jump onto the lower level (screen above). It would be good to save your game here.

Right after jumping onto the lower level you should place your team behind covers, as there's another Ravager in the area. Also note that apart from Husks, Cannibals will participate in this fight as well, so look out for ranged attacks. Just like before, try to flank the Ravager and at the same time look out for the Swarmers that will appear on the battlefield from the very start.

Eliminating the first group of enemies won't do the job however, as the further part of the cavern is occupied by monsters as well. Remember about using covers, focusing your efforts on destroying the barrier and killing the second Ravager. Flanking him isn't possible, so try to attack him from a distance or run to the rocks beside the Ravager.

You can now explore the cavern to find the [ Shotgun Spare Ammo ]. Head onwards and be careful, as from now on Swarmers will come out of most spores you destroy. It's of course still worth to keep your eyes open, as you can find Reaper tech [ 3125 credits ], another [ M-451 Firestorm ] and the [ Ariake Technologies Shoulder Guard ].

Eventually you will see Krogans fighting in the distance and despite what it might look like, you don't need to rush to help them. Continue onwards through the tunnels until you reach a room with a node.

Start off by looking for a [ M-451 Firestorm ], Med Kit [ 50 EXP ] and [ Pistol Piercing Mod ] and only afterwards destroy the Reaper node [ 600 EXP ]. It will initiate a short cutscene.

Use the only possible passage and you will find Reaper tech on your way [ 3125 credits ]. Use the narrow passage and you will reach the Reaper nest .

Unfortunately you can't end the mission just yet, as there are still Reaper barriers blocking your way. Start off by destroying the Reaper node directly above you (screen above), though saving your game early on would also be a good idea.

One of the barriers will be lowered and you have to act quick, as enemy forces will attack almost instantly. Don't forget about using covers, as apart from Swarmers, Husks and Cannibals, two Ravagers will take part in this battle as well.

Luckily you will be able to approach both of them rather easily and eliminate them using the Firestorm or other weapon effective at short range. Just remember not to rush and check the enemies' location each time before leaning out of the cover. Also don't risk the life of your team members and use them mainly as distraction. After the battle, save you game, pick up the [ M-451 Firestorm ] and destroy the next Reaper node.

Don't rush it back to the starting point, as new monsters will appear in the meantime. Once again you will most of all have to look out for two Ravagers, trying to flank them if possible. Be careful while moving between covers as well, so that you don't become an easy target.

Save your game after eliminating the enemies and head to the recently unlocked are on the right. Fight off more monsters, remembering about the possibility to use the side paths. It will let you flank the Ravagers, though at the same time you should also look out for the other monster types and don't let any surprise you. Also don't forget about destroying the generator fast, as it will make winning the battle much easier.

Traditionally look around for a new [ M-451 Firestorm ] and destroy the Reapers node. Now you're in for the last battle, including monsters from around the starting point. I don't think I have to remind you that placing your party members behind covers and focusing on killing the Ravagers is essential. You need to keep fighting until you eliminate all the monsters [ 1000 EXP ], which will automatically start a cutscene with the Breeder.

The course of the conversation might surprise you a bit, as you will learn that the Rachni queen wants to breed new children and use them to defeat the Reapers. In the end you will be able to make a choice - you can either refuse to cooperate and leave her imprisoned (upper right dialogue option), or free her (lower right option).

If you've been working with Dagg up until now, then the choice described above has no impact on further events, as he will sacrifice his life while running from the nest in both cases. If, on the other hand, you were accompanied by Grunt, he can survive, but only if you maintained a good relationship with him in Mass Effect 2 and completed his loyalty mission.

You will eventually be transported on board the Normandy. If you have left the Breeder in the nest he will be satisfied, as if you've set her free he will be furious, though you don't have to worry about any aggression.

Notice! If you have chosen the Krogan quest to unlock the further part of the campaign, you will be able to move to Priority: Tuchanka . I however wouldn't recommend ignoring the Turian quest completely, you should finish it either way.

Prizes for completing the mission:

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Mass Effect 3: Krogan Team Walkthrough

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Some of the most enjoyable parts of Mass Effect 3 are when you meet up with your squadmates from the previous games. A prime example of this occurs in the Attican Traverse: Krogan Team mission (aka Attican Traverse: The Rachni).

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In this one, you're instructed to look for a missing Krogan team. In the process, you meet up with Grunt - if he's still alive. Yet, that's not the only interesting aspect of the quest. After all, you're also investigating the potential re-emergence of the Rachni. The mission is filled with intrigue, enjoyable fights, and a big decision. Here's everything you need to know about all of it.

Unlocking The Mission

This mission becomes available right after Priority: Sur'Kesh . The Krogan leader, whether it's Wrex or Wreav, will ask to discuss something in private .

In the proceeding conversation, they reveal everything about their missing team and the potential return of the Rachni.

Following the discussion, you must head to the Ninmah Cluster and enter the Mulla Xul system before landing on Utukku .

On the Galaxy Map, the mission is referred to as Investigate Missing Scouts.

Meeting The Krogan Team

The first thing you must do before meeting the Krogan crew is pick your squad .

​​​​​​​You'll mostly be up against enemies with barriers and those with no protection. So, Liara is a good pick because she has powers for both of those types of adversaries. There are also some heavily-armored forces, though, which is good for anyone with armor-piercing ammo or incinerate.

Once you've chosen your squad, you land on the planet and immediately run into the Krogan team, which is known as Aralakh Company . If you recruited Grunt and kept him alive in Mass Effect 2, he leads the group. So, you can have a little conversation with him.

When you gain control of your character again, you may want to check out the building to your left, as it contains some loot. Then follow the path down.

At the bottom, you will find an area where the Aralakh Company is hanging out . Check out the building on your left before going up to them.

Following that, feel free to speak with the company leader. Then enter the building next to him , which triggers a cutscene where you fall down the cliff. While this separates you from the Korgan, it does put you at an entrance to a tunnel.

Getting Rid Of The First Set Of Webbing And Spores

After the drop, proceed forward to find the body of a missing scout. It's a sad sight, but don't let that stop you from picking up his M-451 Firestorm weapon . After all, it's a useful gun for getting rid of obstacles.

The Firestorm is a temporary weapon, so it doesn't take up a weapon slot.

Speaking of obstacles, there is a wall of webbing blocking your progress forward. Use the Firestorm to burn it down. Then do the same to the rest of them that you find as you move deeper into the cave.

Yet, it won't take long until you reach a different type of obstacle. This one is a set of spore pods . Take them out, too, but don't stand too close , as they can damage you when they explode.

Without the pods, you're free to drop down and move up to the next set of obstacles, including three walls of webbing.

Behind the central bit of webbing, you will find another Firestorm . Pick that up and then continue on the path to the right.

RELATED: Mass Effect 3 - Citadel: Inspirational Stories Walkthrough

First Ravager Fight

Once you drop down into the next area, you will face off against a Ravager. If you've not faced one before, there are some tricks to fighting these creatures:

• Before it attacks, you will notice its blue lasers. Therefore, when you see them, you know it's time to get in cover.
• It fires three rounds in succession, then stops to ready itself for the next salvo. The break in-between gives you a chance to strike.
• The sacks on its body contain little Swarmers that will comes out if their home is broken. Yet, you still want to blow up the middle sack, as it's a weak point.
• Since they don't bother attacking bots, Combat Drones and Sentry Turrets are useful against the creatures, as they can freely attack them.
• As they're all armored, powers like Incinerate are effective against them.

However, Ravagers aren't the only thing you've got to worry about in this fight. There are also Husks coming your way . You don't want them protected by barriers, so destroy the Barrier Engine immediatly.

Afterward, move a bit to the left to hide behind the large spike. You don't need to get in cover. Just stand there while attacking the Husks as they come to you . The reason for this is the Ravager struggles to land a hit on you when you're in this position. Therefore, it gives you a chance to wipe out the more immediate threat of the Husks.

Once they're dead, you can focus on the Ravager. There are also some small Swarmers in this fight. They're the weakest threat, but a threat nonetheless. Avoid letting too many get close to you at once.

After the fight is over, go across the room to where the pods are. Get through all of them and a piece of webbing.

Eventually, you reach a stronger blockage. To get past this, destroy the webbing to your right. On the other side, you locate a Reaper node and another Firestorm. Destroy the node to remove the blockage and reveal a piece of webbing. Get rid of this to trigger a cutscene.

Continuing Deeper Into The Cave

At this point in the mission, you're looking for the Central Chamber. There are several more rooms and halls to go through first, though. The initial one contains two paths . It doesn't matter which you follow as they both have obstacles to burn and take you to the same place.

The said place includes more pods and webbing to destroy. You also get a visit from a Husk when you turn the corner, so watch out for that. Check for items behind the walls of webbing , as you can get some useful things.

RELATED: Mass Effect 3 Model Ship Guide

Second Ravager Fight

It doesn't take long until you reach a large hall , which looks so much like a battlefield that even the characters expect a fight. And they're right, as when you jump down, you get ambushed by a Ravager, Husks, and some Cannibals.

Get in the cover directly in front of you and shoot the Barrier Engine right where the Husks are spawning. This part is a little tricky, as a couple of the undead creatures rush you , and they may have barriers if you don't take the engine out in time.

The natural instinct is to get out of cover and back up. But if you do that, the Ravager to the right could take you down. So, shoot the Husks as much as you can and use Liara's Singularity if she's there, as that will, at least, slow them down.

They're not the last of the Husks. But once the first few are dead, you have a little time to shoot the Cannibals and the Ravager. By default, Cannibals don't have any barriers, shields, or armor. Thus, they're vulnerable to Biotic attacks.

When the next group of Husks comes, things admittedly get a little chaotic, especially as Cannibals are probably throwing grenades at this point. You'll need to move around different covers within the first water area to stay safe while picking enemies off when you get the chance.

Once they're all dead, you get a bit of peace . However, it doesn't last long, as when you go deeper into the cave, enemies spawn from the left. Thankfully, there are no Husks and plenty of cover for this battle. So, it's a pretty standard fight.

Make sure to take out the Barrier Engine as quickly as possible. And when a grenade gets thrown, you're usually free to leave cover and back up a bit as the enemies struggle to hit you from there due to everything blocking the way.

After the fighting is over, you must head towards the exit. ​​​​​​​

Looking For The Central Chamber

As you continue forward, you find different types of pods. You may find some Swarmers in these. But other than that, they're basically the same as the last ones.

Therefore, you should destroy them, too. If you don't have a Firestorm anymore, you may have to use traditional guns or powers - you can pick up another Firestorm after the first few sets of pods.

Next, you enter a room filled with these new pods. You must follow the path that is heading upwards . Near the top, you find Aralakh Company below you in battle . You can't help them, so keep heading forward.

Not long later, you get to a room with a Reaper node in it. Like the last one, destroy it to open a pathway that leads to the Central Chamber.

RELATED: Mass Effect 3: Optimal Mission Order

Destroy The Nodes In The Central Chamber

To reach the Central Chamber, you have to squeeze through a narrow passage . After getting to the other side, some Reaper Tech activates and traps you. You must destroy all the nodes to remove the blockages.

Central Chamber Node One

The first node is within your little prison . To be more specific, it's in the top corner of it.

Breaking it opens up one wall , and behind it are multiple Husks . Not far behind them are Cannibals. Stick in the initial cover and kill them all. Towards the end of the battle, you may notice a Ravager at the back. So, wipe it out, too.

Central Chamber Node Two

Then head over to where the Ravager spawned to find and demolish node two. There's even a Firestorm next to it . So, use that if you want to save some of your standard ammo while breaking the thing.

Following that, many enemies spawn. There's plenty of cover around the node , so it's best to stay there for the battle.

Central Chamber Node Three

The third node is on the opposite side of the chamber . Once you get over there, you find enemies blocking your path . There are Husks among them , but they don't seem to appear straight away. Thus, you can engage in a straight shootout, at first, where you mostly stay in cover.

When you've taken everyone out, head over and break the node. Once again, there is a Firestorm to help.

After you deal with the node, you get more visitors. The Husks sprinting at you from the left are the first threats . Biotic powers like Singularity can stop them in their tracks.

However, that isn't the hardest part of this section. After all, there are two Ravagers you have to face.

You might have the most success by going to the left, where the Husks spawned . This path has a large wall , and you can peek out either side of it to get shots at the enemies. You definitely want to avoid staying out in the open for too long , as you can die quickly.

Just keep getting little shots in and defeat the extra set of Husks that arrive . Eventually, the Ravagers will be dead, and a cutscene will trigger.

Dealing With The Queen Or Breeder

Once all the nodes are gone, you either re-unite with the Rachni Queen you spared in the original game or meet the Rachni breeder that takes her place.

Either way. During your conversation with them, you have to decide whether to save the Rachni leader or let them die . Here are the consequences of your choices:

• Let the Queen Or Breeder Die - If you choose to leave the creature, you will gain Aralakh Company as a war asset, and Grunt will survive the mission.
• Rescue The Original Queen - This decision means you lose some of the Aralakh Company, reducing their war assets. But you do gain some Rachni workers, which are more effective. If you beat Grunt's loyalty mission in Mass Effect 2, he will survive here.
• Rescue The Breeder - Rescuing the Breeder is a bad call. The creature betrays you in a few missions, taking away the Rachni workers it initially provides and hurting some of the Alliance Engineering Corps in the process. On a brighter note, Grunt will survive if you beat his loyalty mission in Mass Effect 2.

If you don't have Grunt, then his replacement dies no matter what.

When you've made the decision, you see everything play out as t he mission comes to an end.

NEXT: Mass Effect Legendary Edition Complete Guide And Walkthrough

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13. Mass Effect Story Walkthrough - UNC Missions Part 4

Unc missions part 4.

This is the final set of uncharted world missions.

U19: UNC: Listening Post Theta

Travel to the Styx Theta cluster directly SE of the previous Hawking Eta cluster, selecting the initial Acheron system. Land on the planet Altahe that is NNW of the star near the asteroid belt.

Drive directly SSE to the listening post. As you approach the base of two craggy peaks ahead, turn right, passing a crashed probe, then turn left towards the objective towards the SE.

Rachni soldiers emerge from the mounds in the ground as you approach them. Enter the building, which has a similar layout to the Luna VI base, and get rid of the Rachni soldiers and exploding workers. Reach the other end of the main area and open the door on the right. Open the terminal at the end of the room to complete the assignment and to get clues about Depot Sigma-23 (U21) .

Before leaving the room interact with the adjacent Emergency FTL Comm immediately to the left of the previous terminal, starting the next assignment.

U20: UNC: Listening Post Alpha

Stay in the Syx Theta cluster and travel to the Erebus sytem at the W edge of the nebula. Land on Nepmos and note the listening post at the SE edge of the map.

Drive SE then E towards the sunset. You will then see a tabletop mountain in the distance with a smaller outcrop of rock in front of it. Drive to the right of this outcrop along the SSE direction, spotting structures in the far distance. Approach these, park the Mako next to the green generator and help the marines fight off Rachni Soldiers coming from the various mounds in all directions.

Eventually a timer appears counting down from 1 minute. Speak to Lt. Durand behind the center cover (this pauses the timer). After, turn around and interact with the generator to connect it to the Mako if you want the rocket turrets on either side to fire at the next waves of Rachni enemies that appear everywhere.

Destroy the Rachni then another 1 minute timer appears. You then face another much larger swarm. Hold the line, then speak to Durand again when all is clear and you will be updated about another objective, directly W of your position. Interact with the generator again to free the Mako if you used it to power the turrets.

Go, go, go W, passing left towards the SW around the large mound. Continue W then keep left when you see an outcrop of rocks blocking your path. Drive round this, turning right towards a mining base area to the NW. Leave the Mako and walk up the ramp to enter.

Manually save here, then go down the shaft and proceed through the 2 doors on the left into a crate-filled cavern. As you move forwards immediately spot a Rachni soldier on your right. Proceed cautiously as you move further inside, since you will not have much room to move around and more Rachni suddenly appear from the mounds in the ground in groups of two or three; use the containment cells for damage.

When you reach the other side, go left through the door and destroy the Brood Warrior that eventually appears from the leftmost mound; it can stasis you, so move back into the shaft for protection. Next go through the right door and kill the next Warrior that emerges from the right mound, completing the assignment.

Exit the mine shaft and return to the Normandy. The game may have graphics rendering lag here, in which case use the map to go back to the Normandy instead of trying to walk back to the Mako.

U21: UNC: Depot Sigma-23

Travel to the Argus Rho cluster, NE of the Noveria icon, and select the Gorgon system somewhat hidden in the southern area of the nebula. Move the crosshair right and board the unidentified space facility, which has exactly the same maze layout as the derelict freighter mission U6 .

As you enter the main area there is a Rachni solider to the left and workers approach you from the right. Follow the path to the right, move towards the eastern end, turn left and continue north, then turn around the right corner and open the door.

There is some loot in the cockpit ahead and in the room to the right. Go into the left room and (after optionally saving your game here) open the computer terminal directly ahead. Select "Investigate", listen to at least one log entry then arm the scram charge on the right of the console. You then have 40 secs to escape through the maze filled with Rachni.

Go right, then left to the end, right to the other end, then right round the boxes, then left twice to see the exit ahead, watching out for exploding workers that quickly scuttle towards you. Then make a beeline for the airlock before time runs out.

U22: UNC: Geth Incursions

Travel to the Armstrong Nebula NNE of the Feros icon and you will receive a message from Admiral Hackett about Geth activity in the four systems in the cluster.

Select the initial Hong system and land on the second inner planet Casbin directly N of the star, where the geth outpost is located NE from the Mako's starting position.

Drive NNW through the valley pass directly ahead then curve round towards the NE following the green path. As you approach the mountain peak looming ahead turn right and drive directly E. When the minimap gets jammed follow the valley pass round to the right, eventually reaching a plateau on the top.

This is a perfect opportunity to farm any remaining Geth kills you may need for the following achievement:

250 synthetic enemy kills

Once you have defeated the ship and the remaining Geth one of your squad mates will tell you that this area has been cleared and its time to go to the next system.

Travel to the Vamshi system NE edge of Armstrong Nebula and land on the first inner planet Maji.

Drive up the mountain following the snake-like path, eliminating turrets as you go. As you approach the top your minimap gets jammed. Get rid of the Geth snipers and rocket troopers in the various towers on your left then destroy the Geth Colossus that appears, first using the Mako to damage it then finishing it off on foot.

After your team updates you about this area proceed to the next system.

Move the cursor from Vamshi back to Hong then continue along the same direction to reach Tereshkova, north of Gagarin. Land on the first inner planet Antibaar and spot the geth outpost towards the NE using the map.

Go N then turn right towards the NE when you see an orange rock icon appearing on the minimap (NW). As you approach some mountains the minimap will get jammed. Drive onwards then go up the gentle incline on your right. Pass through this small valley then look left to see the outpost, with snipers, rocket troopers and a Geth Colossus. It's a good idea to stay close to the rocks to avoid the rockets and plasma bolts.

Next a dropship appears, deploying 2 Geth Primes and more troopers. Destroy these and you can leave the planet and go to the next system.

Go to the Gagarin system directly south of Tereshkova and land on the third planet Rayingri to the west of the star.

Drive S towards the looming planet and spot the pathway up the mountain range ahead to the SSW. Follow this smoother path up the mountain, turning left towards the S. Drive right of the large mound and as you pass it spot the lights going further up the mountain to your left. Follow this path round all the way up, keeping the lights to your right, then enter building on the top, which has the similar internal layout as the Luna VI mission.

Save your game here then be prepared to engage a lot of Husks inside a cramped maze. When you reach the other side of the main area, more Husks appear as you approach the door. When these are gone, turn around back into the previous main room to fight Geth troopers that suddenly appear, including two destroyers and snipers.

Save again before leaving the building and get rid of more Geth that arrive outside, then after an update from your squad return to the Normandy to go to the final system for this assignment.

Travel to the Grissom system on the middle of the cluster, right of Gagarin. Move the crosshair to the NE towards the gas giant Notanban, then select its nearby moon Solcrum on the right.

Drive up the hill directly east then as you go over the top spot the base in the distance. Destroy the two guarding Colossi along with the rocket troopers in the towers. Primarily use the Mako here, although beware of the level 1 heat hazard if you engage them on foot.

Enter the building then make a manual save. Open the door and destroy the Geth enemies inside, which include destroyers, jumping snipers and a rocket-launching juggernaut on the upper balcony. It's a good idea to initially stay near the door to avoid getting overwhelmed and flanked, then proceed inside once you have thinned their numbers.

The assignment is complete when all enemies have been defeated.

Go into the room at the other end of the ground floor (there is nothing on the top floor) and interact with the Geth terminal using easy decryption to download data files for Tali.

P4: Tali and the Geth

Speak to Tali down in Engineering and either give her a copy of the Geth data or not, completing her personal quest.

U23: UNC: The Negotiation

This assignment is only obtained if you have 80% of the Renegade morality meter filled, or 90% Renegade if you reached 80% Paragon first; Admiral Hackett will inform you of this mission when you next interact with the Galaxy Map.

Travel to the Hades Gamma cluster (SE of the Feros icon) and select the initial Plutus system in the middle western section. Land on the 4th orbital planet called Nonuel west of the star just before the outer asteroid belt. Drive directly to the warlord's outpost to the NE, avoiding any lava flows which brings instant death.

Enter the building, make a manual save, then open the door, spotting the warlord Darius standing in the middle of the upper walkway to the left. Approach him from the ground and you will automatically start a conversation with him.

To avoid a fight, you need to continually choose Paragon options on the upper right, although you can start with two renegade responses but must apologize soon after.

Choosing a middle or lower dialogue option will start a fight with him and his bodyguards. Obviously this provides more XP compared to the peaceful solution. When the battle is over go up the stairs and open the terminal inside the room to the left when you reach the second level; this reopens the locked building exit. When you return to the Normandy Hackett will give his reaction.

U24: UNC: Besieged Base

This assignment is only obtained if you have 80% of the Paragon morality meter filled, or 90% Paragon if you reached 80% Renegade first; Admiral Hackett will inform you of this mission when you next interact with the Galaxy Map.

Travel to the Hades Gamma cluster (SE of the Feros icon) and select the Cacus system directly east from Plutus. Land on the second inner planet Chohe to the west of the star and spot the science base at the SSE edge of the map.

Drive directly SE through the wide valley, crossing over a large, flat expanse. Keep to the left of the base of the nearby mountain range on your right, then turn towards the south when you pass it. After a short distance you will spot some buildings on your right. Enter the circular base opposite the two large towers.

Make a manual save here after the game warns you about taking out the enemies without harming civilians who wander around aimlessly; it's recommended to set Squad Power Usage to Defense only if you have not already done so, otherwise they may accidentally harm the wrong people. The base has essentially the same layout as the rogue VI Luna mission.

Reach the main area after passing the two doors on the left and carefully engage the biotic fanatics within the close-quarters, cramped maze area, making sure to use powers that avoid collateral damage, e.g. only use singularity if you think it will not suck in innocent bystanders, also known as insane scientists. There are many containment cells in the area so be careful when using powers such as Overload or Sabotage, and beware of squad and enemy cross-fire taking out the scientists.

After eliminating the enemies your journal will update informing you to report back to Hackett. Return to the Normandy and interact with the Galaxy Map, ending the assignment.

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• Historical Races
• Edit source

The rachni are an extinct insect-like species from the planet Suen that threatened Citadel space roughly two thousand years ago during the Rachni Wars . Intelligent and highly aggressive, the spacefaring rachni were driven to expand and defend their territory. They were eventually defeated and completely eradicated by the krogan , who had been uplifted by the salarians for their combat prowess and physical resilience to directly confront the rachni in the harsh environments of the rachni worlds. The accidental discovery of the rachni led to the Citadel races curbing their rapid expansion, in fear of being plunged into another galactic war.

• 1.1 Subtypes
• 2.1 Origins
• 2.2 The Rachni Wars
• 2.3 Mass Effect
• 2.4 Mass Effect 2
• 2.5.1 Leviathan
• 4 Rachni Worlds
• 6 References

Biology [ ]

The rachni have numerous specialized forms. As a whole they have chitinous exoskeletons, four limbs for walking, and bleed a green fluid. The number of eyes, arms, and tentacle-claws vary depending on the subtype.

On most rachni forms their "mouth" consists of a "beak" made up of five mandible-like protrusions.

Subtypes [ ]

• Rachni Worker - Workers are the smallest type of rachni. They appear as small green enemies and their main attack is a suicide explosion that releases toxic damage over a wide radius.
• Rachni Soldier - Soldiers are slower, but much larger creatures than Rachni Workers, with thin tentacles ending in little pods. Soldiers are the main defenders of rachni held areas and can cause toxic damage with their spit.
• Rachni Brood Warrior - Brood Warriors are rachni who are much larger and stronger than normal Rachni Soldiers. They are male gendered rachni and they have some biotic ability.
• Rachni Queen - Queens are the largest and most intelligent of the rachni. Queens lead the rachni and provide guidance for the rest of their species.

History [ ]

Origins [ ].

The rachni, a species of spacefaring insects guided by a hive-mind intelligence, evolved on Suen , a planet tidally-locked to its red dwarf star. Life developed in a habitable terminator zone between hemispheres that were constantly scorched or perpetually frozen. The harsh conditions of Suen's surface forced the rachni to forage underground amid sprawling subterranean river systems.

Sometime at the height of the Prothean Empire , the Protheans discovered the rachni and bred them as weapons of war, selecting for the most cunning and warlike queens and unleashing rachni swarms on their enemies. Eventually, the rachni became too difficult to control and turned on their Prothean masters. The Protheans attempted to eradicate the rachni and destroyed as many as 200 worlds before they were satisfied the rachni were extinct, but enough survived on Suen to replenish their population.

As the rachni developed civilization, they established surface cities on Suen. Wrestling with the engineering problems of Suen's extreme surface environment may have given the rachni their first insights into how to build interstellar spacecraft. After achieving spaceflight, the rachni first traveled to the neighboring planet of Kashshaptu and discovered a crater there known as "the howling gulf", which featured an abundance of element zero . The rachni obtained samples of the eezo and studiously researched its properties, but would not develop FTL technology until centuries later.

The Rachni Wars [ ]

Around 1 CE, salarian explorers opened a mass relay to a previously-unknown system and encountered the rachni, who promptly captured them. The rachni used their extensive research on element zero to reverse-engineer the FTL drives of the explorers' starships. They proceeded to construct FTL vessels of their own and rapidly expanded into the galaxy, ushering in the Rachni Wars .

Attempts by the Citadel races to negotiate were futile, as it was impossible to make contact with the hive queens that guided the race from beneath the inhospitable surface of their homeworld. It was assumed that the rachni were irredeemably hostile and could only be stopped through warfare, but the rachni had the upper hand and overwhelmed defenses with their sheer numbers.

The emergence of the krogan in 80 CE turned the war against the rachni. Able to survive the harshest environments, the krogan were able to strike at the queens in their lairs and reclaim conquered Council worlds. When krogan fleets pushed them back to Suen, the rachni refused to surrender. The krogan response was swift and brutal: they bombarded Suen's cities and detonated powerful bombs in the rachni's underground nests, creating massive sinkholes on the planet's surface. The rachni were declared extinct in 300 CE, although in caution the Citadel Council left a listening post in the system to monitor for any survivors.

Mass Effect [ ]

The rachni aren't as extinct as the galaxy had been led to believe. At the remote Peak 15 facility on Noveria , Commander Shepard encounters rachni workers and soldiers that have escaped from the labs. The company renting Peak 15, Binary Helix , had found a rachni ship adrift in space carrying eggs in cryogenic suspension . One of the eggs was recovered and brought to Noveria for study. Binary Helix planned to clone the rachni inside and create an army, but when the egg was hatched the researchers realized this was no ordinary egg, but the egg of a rachni queen. Matriarch Benezia used the genetic memory of the queen to find the location of the Mu Relay on the orders of Saren Arterius .

After the queen had reached maturity, she began laying eggs but, the newborn rachni were removed from her presence by Binary Helix once hatched, in an attempt to control them. This same queen later explains to Shepard that rachni elders speak to their children by 'singing', this song soothes and comforts them. It is apparent that without a song from their elders, rachni workers and soldiers are driven insane by the silence and will attack anything on sight out of fear. The queen believes they are beyond help and asks Shepard to euthanise them.

The queen then asks what Shepard intends to do with her: either use the acid tanks in the lab to kill her, or let her go. She says she knows nothing about what happened in the war: "we were only an egg, hearing mother cry in our dreams". The queen promises that if she is released, she will not attack other races again but find somewhere to live in peace, and teach her children about Shepard's forgiveness. Liara T'Soni and Tali'Zorah nar Rayya favor releasing the rachni, claiming the krogan went too far while Garrus Vakarian advocates alerting the Council and is against committing wholesale genocide, and Kaidan Alenko favors releasing the rachni only because he thinks killing a whole race is counterproductive to humans staying out of old galactic grudges. However, both Urdnot Wrex and Ashley Williams are angry at the prospect of releasing the queen, if they are present alongside a more compassionate squadmate - Wrex isn't impressed by bugs "writing songs" about Shepard and Ashley wants to protect her sisters from horrors like the rachni, not release more of them - but the final decision is up to the Commander.

Cerberus created cloned rachni on Binthu as part of their super-soldier research. More rachni are encountered at Alliance listening posts on Nepmos and Altahe . After clearing the rachni out, Shepard discovers they were specimens shipped from Noveria by Cerberus, and tracks them back to a depot in the Gorgon system. The depot is overrun with rachni and there are no survivors. After killing the rachni, Shepard finds the logs of the station's commanding officer named Flores who was involved in the project. She angrily claims they treated the rachni like animals when they should have treated them like POWs and leaves a recommendation that Cerberus pursue other projects; the rachni are too smart.

Mass Effect 2 [ ]

If the Rachni Queen was spared, Shepard will encounter an asari on Illium who is in contact with the rachni. The asari tells Shepard that the Queen believes Shepard is fighting the enemy who "soured the song" of the rachni. She also states that the queen is building an army to fight them when they arrive in force, based on an otherwise unexplored planet. Shepard concludes that the enemy the message refers to is the Reapers . Additionally, a news report reveals several mysterious ships have been sighted that match rachni designs; the Citadel Council has pledged to investigate these sightings. This appears to indicate that the rachni have progressed extensively in the two years since Shepard freed the Queen. The asari on Illium confirms that they have at least advanced sufficiently to be capable of repairing a damaged starship.

If the Rachni Queen was destroyed, the rachni are effectively extinct again. A news report explains that a rachni cloning facility was discovered on Noveria, but no samples of the rachni have been found and the attempt to clone the rachni appears to have been unsuccessful.

The Reaper War [ ]

During the Reaper invasion, a rachni hive is encountered on Utukku by the krogan Aralakh Company , led by Grunt , if he survived the Suicide Mission , or Urdnot Dagg . It is revealed that the Reapers found the Rachni Queen and indoctrinated most of her children, though not the queen herself. The indoctrinated rachni were converted into Ravagers , walking organic artillery, through a process of implantation and genetic modification. Ravagers also bear egg sacs that spawn mutated Rachni Workers known as Swarmers .

The fate of the rachni is once again in Shepard's hands if the Commander chooses to deal with the Utukku hive . Shepard has a choice to either save the queen or let her die. If she is saved, rachni workers are sent to work on the Crucible project, where they are prized assets for their engineering capabilities, industrious nature, and good teamwork. If she is left to die, the queen accepts her fate, claiming she will 'embrace the silence' and the rachni are once more extinct.

If Shepard did not spare the Rachni queen on Noveria, the Reapers will artificially construct a Queen thrall in order to control a rachni army. Shepard can choose to spare this artificial queen even if the Commander killed the real queen. This queen will eventually turn against Shepard, unleashing her workers against the Alliance's engineers working on the Crucible. This betrayal is dealt with swiftly: all the rachni are killed but at cost to Alliance manpower .

Even after the situation on Utukku is resolved and the Reapers can no longer use the Rachni Queen to generate more rachni for conversion, the numerous Ravagers created beforehand continue to appear on battlefields across the galaxy.

If Shepard chooses to activate the Crucible, the real Queen was spared twice, and the krogan were denied the real cure for their genophage , the rachni will be seen settling their spindly limbs on the ruins of a desolate Tuchanka .

Leviathan [ ]

While searching for the mythical Leviathan , one of Dr. Garret Bryson 's ideas to track the creature is to use galactic activity patterns of the ancient rachni at the time of the Rachni Wars . Bryson theorized that Leviathan may have been responsible for provoking the rachni in a bid to create an army to face the Reapers in the next harvest, and so rachni activity would correlate to Leviathan activity. The theory turns out to be irrelevant in the search for possible Leviathan sites, however, and whether Bryson surmised correctly that Leviathan caused the Rachni Wars is unknown.

Culture [ ]

The rachni are a territorial race, determined to remain isolated from the rest of the galaxy. They normally inhabit extremely hazardous worlds, able to survive environments that would kill most sentient species. Should their territory be invaded on purpose or even by accident, they respond with swift and brutal force.

However, many make the mistake of underestimating the rachni as mindless animals when in fact the rachni are an extremely intelligent sentient species. The rachni achieved space flight and a form of cryogenic suspension, developed weapons and carved out a huge swathe of galactic territory. Far from being treated as disposable resources of the hive, rachni soldiers are carefully nurtured as part of the group.

The queens are the leaders of the rachni hive mind. Their ways of perception, thinking and communications seem to be different from that of other races, and based upon a synesthetic perception of sound as both sound and color. According to Dr. Ann Bryson , rachni communication is geared towards pheromones, and, as further proof of their intelligence, an organic quantum entanglement communicator - not, as so many believed, telepathy. While the rachni do not use verbal speech in the conventional sense, a rachni queen has the ability to somehow biologically link with living or even recently deceased nearby organics like asari and krogan to produce speech that is intelligible to verbal races. A queen described this as akin to playing upon a stringed musical instrument, "plucking" it to produce tones.

Rachni generally seem to regard speech and thought as forms of music, as shown by the strange metaphors used when attempting to communicate, for example, "songs the color of oily shadow". The speech patterns used by them in such occasions are also unusual; "When we speak, one moves all". They refer to their manner of communication as "singing", which soothes and nurtures their young, and this appears to colour their entire psychology. For example, the rachni speak of death as "the great silence", concern after putting something to death as singing in "grey and violet", and they refer to their homeworld as the "singing planet". The rachni ability to genetically share knowledge across generations makes queens a vast repository of information.

Rachni Worlds [ ]

• Suen - homeworld (formerly)
• Damkianna (formerly)
• The rachni resemble several insectoid alien races in various science fiction series, but most closely resemble the Arachnids from Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers . Similarly, the rachni workers somewhat resemble the beetle shaped diggers from the Starship Troopers movie. The name 'rachni' even forms part of the name 'A rachni ds', the scientist Flores may also be a reference to Private Dizzy Flores. The story of nearly complete extinction of a telepathic, sentient insectoid race and then a single Queen egg surviving to resurrect the race may be inspired by the Formics in Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game and subsequent sequel novels.
• "Songs" commonly associated with rachni can be heard near the wreckage where the Asari Writings are found on Altahe [1] , at the abandoned mining camp on Nepmos [2] , at the abandoned camp on Nodacrux [3] , near the landing zone on Rayingri [4] , near the downed recon probe on Eletania [5] , on the hill near the crashed CCCP Luna 23 on Luna (where it should be impossible for any rachni to be present) [6] , and on the hill to the west of the thresher maw and crashed probe on Xawin . It is unknown, however, whether any specific connection to the rachni is implied by the presence of these sounds. It is possible that BioWare used the same audio-library that Epic Games used to create Unreal 2: The Awakening, in which the same sound can be heard perfectly on the planet Severnaya.

References [ ]

• Galactic Codex: Essentials Edition 2183

• Mass Effect
• 2 Romance (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

The Mass effect Experience

• Just a routine mission... Right?
• Nope... Not a routine mission
• Welcome to the citadel!
• The Turian, Krogan and the Quarian
• It begins now
• Y/n's backstory
• Meeting the asari
• Asteroid x57
• Welcome to noveria
• Help decide!
• The Soldier left to die
• What could have been (Alternative choices )
• Geth forces on Feros and... WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!
• Council's decision and A night of passion wth Jane 🍋
• Ilos, the conduit and Nearing the final battle!
• The End of saren and Sovereign!
• Extra before we jump into mass effect 2!
• Prologue: Mass effect 2 and The commander lost in space
• Waking up 2 years later and the lazurus project
• Freedom's progress and updates on the old crew
• Off to Omega and the missing blue reaper
• The birth of the blue reaper
• Finding the Professor
• Recruiting archangel
• Vallah's past
• Recruiting The Warlord
• Waking Up The Krogan And Recruiting The Convict
• Horizon And The First Collector Contact
• The Thief And Our Favourite Quarian
• A Chat Between Vallah And Jack (Mini short)
• Recruiting The Justicar
• Recruiting The Assassin
• The Collector Vessel
• Y/n's Chat With Jane/Vallah's Chat With Jack Part 2 (Mini short)
• ALL HAIL THE VI OVERLORD!!
• Loyalty Mission: Grunt
• Loyalty mission: Mordin
• Loyalty Mission: Jack
• Loyalty Mission: Kasumi
• Loyalty mission: Zaeed
• QUICK QUESTIONS!
• Loyalty mission: Miranda
• Loyalty Mission: Y/n
• Loyalty mission: Vallah
• Loyalty mission: Garrus
• Loyalty mission: Tali
• The Reaper IFF
• The Shadow Broker: Part 1
• The Shadow Broker: Part 2
• Loyalty Mission: Legion
• Vallah And Jack Get Closer🍋
• Jane's Stress relief🍋
• The Suicide Mission: Finale
• Mass Effect 2: Epilogue
• Suicide Mission: Bad End ( Y/n And Vallah's Possible Deaths )
• Me3 Expectations
• Prologue Mission: Earth
• Priority Mission: Mars
• Priority: Citadel 1
• A Commander's Nightmare And Next Plan of Attack
• Priority Mission: Palaven
• Priority: Eden Prime
• Prioroty Mission: Sur'Kesh

Side Mission: The Rachni

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Y/N alenko is the older brother of Kaiden alenko and brother in arms of commander Shepards. He joins the two commanders on a routine mission but ends up being far more than anyone could've imagined Mass effect is own by BioWare and electronic arts...

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With the mission complete, it was time to give my status report to Admiral Hackett. I go to the comm room and establish a link

Admiral Hackett: "Commander, I'm here chatter youre brokering a treaty between the krogan and Turians?" He asks me

Jane: "If I get krogan boots on Palaven, the turian promised me their support" I reply

Admiral Hackett: "And how did Cerberus get involved?" He asks me

Jane: "I don't know. The illusive man is up to something" I answer honestly

Admiral Hackett: "Then keep them at bay. I can't overstate what a victory this treaty would be for the alliance. We'll need all the help we can get" he orders me to reiterate the importance

Jane: "How's the Prothean device coming?" I ask him to get an idea on where we're at

Admiral Hackett: "Alliance R&D has officially begun construction. The team has dubbed it "Project crucible"" he answers me

I can hear Y/n in the back of my head saying "Wow. How original? How'd you come up with SUCH an original name?"

Admiral Hackett: "We're throwing everyone who knows how to hold a hammer at it. This is going to be the most ambitious undertaking In human history" he Continues to say

Jane: "Will we get it done?" I ask him

Admiral Hackett: "I won't say it won't be a challenge... but our researches tell me the designs are... elegant. Massive in scope, but strangely simple as well. We can do this, Shepard. You can do this. Never doubt that" He says to me

Jane: "No, Sir" I lie and salute, end the link and sigh and I hear boots walking to the room

Y/n: "We got an issue. Victus and Wrex are having a "Talk" in the meeting room" my husband tells me

Jane: "Then let's go" I say after signing

We head towards the meeting room, and as Y/n said, They're having a "Talk". Mordin is also there to just watch the "Talk" play out

Primarch Victus: "You have the female, Wrex. A cure for the rest of your people can come later" he says

Wrex: "That wasn't the deal" he practically growls out

Me and Y/n have the same thought. "Hes right"

Primarch Victus: "But Palaven needs your reinforcements now. We can't delay" he says with urgency and desperation

Wrex: "Unless every krogan gets the cure, there's no alliance" he says firm on his stance

Jane: "Mordin, how long will it take to finish a cure?" I ask turning to look at him

Mordin: "Need to synthesize base antigen from female. Also requires male krogan tissue. Will need a sample" he replies to me

Wrex: "You're looking at it" he says gesturing himself

Y/n sucks in his breath and winces

Y/n: "Just saying, but I'm glad it's not me" he says shuttering

Mordin: "Acceptable. Will need you to remain aboard Normandy for procedure" He says as the rest of the team ignored Y/n's comment

Wrex: "Let's hope the food's gotten better" he says chuckling

Jane: "Formulating a cure that works for every krogan sounds like a tall order, mordin. Can you do it?" I ask him

Mordin: "Of course. Similar to genophage modification project. Working against own alterations this time. Not as simple as garbage DNA blocking attachment sites. We need to counteract shutdown of redundant nervous systems, adjust neurotransmitter levels-" he goes off about to give off a full length science lesson

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Question about the Rachni

Did the Reapers influence them to war with the Citadel species, because the Rachni technology wasn't based on the Relays, so the Reapers viewed them as a potential "threat" or an unknown variable, or was it something else?

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This page of our Mass Effect Legendary Edition guide details the Codex Entries for Tuchanka. This information is taken straight from the games, allowing you to read this information whenever you want. For more information, visit our Complete Codex page.

Want more Mass Effect help? Check out the following pages:

• Legendary Edition Changes
• Beginner's Guide and Tips
• Key Choices and Consequences
• Romance Options and Guides
• Complete Mass Effect Trilogy Walkthrough

Tuchanka, the krogan homeworld, boasts extreme temperatures, virulent diseases, and vicious, predatory fauna. Thousands of years ago, life grew in fierce abundance under the F-class star Aralakh (a Raik clan word meaning "Eye of Wrath"). Tree-analogues grew in thick jungles, their roots growing out of shallow, silty seas. Nearly every native species engages in some predatory behavior; even the remaining vegetation is carnivorous. Life fed upon life in an evolutionary crucible.

Around 1900 BCE, the krogan discovered atomic power and weapons, and promptly instigated many intraplanetary wars, sending Tuchanka into “a little ice age” nuclear winter; it and nuclear firestorms contributed to killing off much of the native plants. Scarred by bombardment craters, radioactive rubble, choking ash, salt flats, and alkaline seas, Tuchanka can barely support life.

With most of their industrial base destroyed, the majority of the population retreated to underground bunkers, the culture of the krogan entered a new dark age, and warring tribal bands dominated. Populations remained low for the next 2000 years.

First contact with the salarians made resurgence possible. In 80 CE, decades into the Rachni Wars, the Salarian Union made first contact with the primitive krogan and initiated a "cultural uplift" to shape them into a modern army capable of confronting the rachni. During this uplift, the salarians constructed the Shroud facility on Tuchanka to shield the planet from harmful forms of solar radiation.

Krogan brought to less hostile planets bred exponentially and returned to reconquer their home. They built vast underground shelters to shield themselves from surface radiation, which proved prescient later during the Krogan Rebellions when many of them isolated themselves in a vain attempt to avoid the genophage.

Convinced they could outbreed the genophage, the krogan transmitted it into more than 90 percent of the sealed bunkers. The bio-weapon curtailed their reproductive rates, ensuring the krogan remained a species in decline--and Tuchanka a desolate wasteland. Today, Tuchanka's population is sharply limited and while individual krogan are long-lived, the genophage ensures few replacements.

In recent centuries, many krogan have returned to their homeworld. The reduced albedo has caused global temperatures to rise. In order to maintain livable temperatures, a vast shroud was assembled at the L1 Lagrange point. It is maintained by the Council Demilitarization Enforcement Mission (CDEM), which is based on orbiting battlestations.

• Capital: Urdnot (since 2183)
• Population: 2.1 billion
• CDEM Garrison: 2,400 (in orbital battlestations)
• Orbital Distance: 5.3 AU
• Orbital Period: 16.7 Earth Years
• Keplerian Ratio: 0.534
• Radius: 8,293 km
• Day Length: 21.4 Earth Hours
• Atm. Pressure: 1.1 atm
• Surface Temp: 72 °C (36 °C in shrouded areas)
• Surface Gravity: 1.14 g
• Mass: 1.913 Earth Masses

Up Next: Uncharted Worlds

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