Mass Effect: Andromeda – How to Get the Best Shotgun

Find out how to get the two best shotguns in Mass Effect: Andromeda.

If you’re looking for a weapon that can blow your enemies away, or want to pick up the best shotgun in Mass Effect: Andromeda, you have two options. Both of the weapons that we’ll outline in this article offer plenty of stopping power to help you take down your foes. We’ll break down each weapon, what it costs to make and how it fairs against the other weapons in the game.

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The Crusader  

The Crusader, or N7 Crusader, isn’t the best Shotgun in the game, not when it comes to stopping power and overall damage output. This semi-automatic weapon can be found within the Milky Way Blueprints of the Research Station, and the first iteration will cost 150 Milky Way Research Points to unlock.

The base version of the weapon offers a total of 378 Damage, and a four-round magazine. This damage multiplies to 468 when the weapon is fully upgraded to its fifth iteration.

While the Crusader doesn’t offer the highest damage output of the shotguns in the game, it does offer four Augmentation slots, which allow players to personalize and customize the weapon even more. Another thing that makes the Crusader such a nice choice for players is its lower weight compared to more powerful shotguns like the Ruzad, which weighs in at 45.

To craft the first iteration of this weapon players will need the following supplies:

  • 30 Omni-Gel Canisters
  • 120 Copper
  • 60 Cadmium
  • 10 Vanadium

The Ruzad

If you’re looking for top of class stopping power, the Ruzad is your best bet. Ranking in at 373 Damage on the first iteration, the Ruzad offers a high stopping power that maxes out at 478 Damage in its fifth iteration. It will cost 100 Milky Way Research Points to unlock the Ruzad for crafting, with each additional iteration costing a bit more.

The biggest negative about the Ruzad is its smaller magazine size compared to the Crusader. It does offer a bit more stopping power in its final iteration, which may make it useful to some users. If you want the highest amount of customizability, though, the Crusader is your best bet, as the Ruzad only offers two Augmentation slots.

To build this weapon, you’ll need to have the follow components:

  • 20 Omni-Gel Canisters
  • 80 Iron
  • 40 Nickel
  • 10 Element Zero

Now that you know which shotguns are the best, be sure to return to our Mass Effect: Andromeda guide for more helpful articles. We also have a guide to help you learn how to change out your weapons, as well as a complete primer on how to upgrade the Nomad and use it to mine for ore.


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Author
Josh Hawkins
Josh has been exploring fantastic worlds and getting lost in video games for as long as he can remember. Starting out on the Super Nintendo with Super Mario World, and ending up in the world of next-generation gaming. He enjoys digging into the story and lore of massive RPGs, as well as getting lost just trying to make that last jump in any platformers he gets pulled into, as well as everything in between. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing for Entertainment.