Mass Effect Andromeda mining can be a somewhat confusing task when you first start the game. This article covers the basics of Mass Effect Andromeda mining, as well as some of the more helpful upgrades and mods you can add to the Nomad. You’ll be using the Nomad a lot while mining in Mass Effect Andromeda, so it’s important to upgrade the Nomad whenever possible.
Mining in Mass Effect Andromeda
At the most basic level, mining for resources essentially consists of looking for rocks that are out of place or stand out from the rest of the environment. You’ll find plenty of these as you explore various planets throughout the galaxy, but it’s important to collect these resources so you can make new and better gear. Once you have the Nomad to romp around in you can take mining to the next level.
When you acquire the Nomad vehicle a mining icon will also appear on your map. You can activate a forward station to find a mining zone, but if you get close to any resource deposits, the icon in the top left corner of the screen will begin to blink. Open the mining computer (right on the d-pad) to determine how rich these deposits are. This helps you figure out if it’s worth stopping or if you should just continue on your way.
Keep an eye on the graphs showing how rich nearby deposits are so you know when and where to begin your mining adventure. When you’re ready to collect the minerals, send in a probe to do the heavy lifting for you. Keep in mind, only one probe can be launch in each mining area (defined by the circular radius around the probe) so it’s important to choose your locations wisely. Just watch the graphs and select an area rich with minerals and other resources.
Nomad Mods and Upgrades
In addition to mining, the Nomad can be a very useful tool that you can upgrade with various mods. It’s important to keep an eye on the potential Nomad upgrades to help save time and make sure you’re prepared for whatever the game is going to throw in your direction. While there are a number of good Nomad mods, we’ve listed a few here that you should probably focus on during the early portions of the game.
Improved Suspension
Mass Effect Andromeda isn’t a racing game, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a fast ride. The Improved Suspension upgrade increases the top speed of the Nomad when you’re using it in the normal driving mode. We’re all strapped for time and Mass Effect is a huge game. The more time you can save by increasing the speed of the Nomad, the faster you can move on to other aspects of the game.
Defense Fortification
This upgrades increases the shielding and defense of the Nomad by an additional 25 percent. We don’t have to tell you why that’s a good idea. If you run into any trouble while you’re out using the Nomad, the extra defense can have a huge impact on survival.
Vertical Thrust Upgrade
You can improve the jump jets on the Nomad by 40 percent with this upgrade. That’s a very significant boost for what is actually somewhat of a minor upgrade to the Nomad. While it probably shouldn’t be your first upgrade, you should definitely go for it before too long so you can cruise around with the added benefits of this significant upgrade.
We’ve got more strategies and advice in our Mass Effect Andromeda guide hub so be sure to check it out!
