Mass Effect: Andromeda Guide - Choices and Consequences - how to get the best ending

Mass Effect is in many senses all about choice. It's hard to forget Mass Effect 2's suicide mission, perhaps the best execution of a game's worth of choices feeling like they're finally coming home to roost, though Mass Effect: Andromeda of course has many difficult choices of its own. These tough decisions are fun, if stressful - but they aren't for everyone.

On this page we document the choices in Mass Effect: Andromeda and what happens when you make them - the goal being that if you end up paralysed at a choice you can come and see, broadly speaking, what it does. Or if you made a choice and dislike the consequence, you can see what the other option would've done. Don't go into any choice blind! 

Want more Mass Effect: Andromeda help? Be sure to check out our hub - it's full of quest walkthroughs, tips, tricks, system explanations and more.

Needless to say, below you will find spoilers for major missions throughout the game.

We've tried to order the missions so that they go from early to late game (though the open nature of the game means aside from the priority ops there is no specifically set order) and we've also tried to keep context to a minimum to avoid spoiling too much. Scroll on past Doctor Lexi and Kallo at your peril!

Mass Effect: Andromeda - Choices and Decisions Guide

Priority Op: Planetside - Exploring Habitat 7

When you crash land on Habitat 7 in the prologue, you're dropped into a fairly large and fairly open map. If you explore Habitat 7 properly during the Prologue there are multiple optional objectives including an alien tech lab that you can visit and power online for some interesting story background.

If you do this, Alec Ryder will comment on your abilities and praise you for being thorough. This has no other impact.

Priority Op: A Better Beginning - Eos: Research or Science Outpost

When you finally found the settlement of Prodromos on Eos after activating the monoliths and exploring the remnant vault you'll be given a fairly significant choice: if you wish to make the settlement one dedicated to science, or if you want to make it into a military outpost.

• If you choose a scientific outpost, several scenes following your decision will reference the decision in ways ranging from large to small, but there won't be a 'significant' outcome.
• If you choose a military outpost, the scenes listed above will reference similar changes but also there will be a helping military hand from a Prodromos squad later in the game.

Nexus: First Murderer - Exile or Release

One quest you pick up early in the game on the Nexus charges you with reopening the investigation into the first murder in Andromeda down on the planet Eos. The quest will take several quests to complete (and we've covered them in a dedicated guide page), but at the end you face a decision on what to do.

• If you exile Rensus Nilken, he will show up later in the game on Kadara having been kicked off the Nexus. You can talk to him to find out his fate.
• If you release Rensus Nilken, he'll still have a horrible life thanks to his intended crime being exposed - he will eventually choose to go back into stasis - you can talk to him in the Cryo Bay before he 

Sloane Kelly's Deal (Priority Op: Hunting the Archon)

When you visit Kadara for the first time you go to see Sloane Kelly, the ex-Nexus security operative who has turned exile. She offers you a deal, and you can choose if you want to accept it or not.

• If you accept the deal, Vehn Terev is executed. If not, you'll be charged with breaking the Angaran free and turning him over to the resistance.
• Sloane Kelly and Reyes Vidal's dialogue later in the game changes depending on your choice.

Nexus: Dealing with the Protesters

Early on in yout adventures as pathfinder one of your early choices will impact some people on the Nexus - and for those who don't get their way it'll be enough to cause them to protest. We've got a separate guide to this specific quest, but there is a choice here. Your choice doesn't influence any major events in this game, though may one day pay off or carry forward in a future game or DLC.

• If you ignore the quest, the protesters will be removed by force by Nexus security.
• If you agree to the protester's terms, you'll invoke your pathfinder privalidge to bend the rules for them. Nexus brass will not be pleased.
• If you refuse the proster demands but defuse the situation, the crisis will be ended peacefully.

Nexus: Keri T'Vessa's TV Documentary, Path of a Hero

After settling Eos, Ryder will have a chance to be interviewed by a keen Asari journalist, Keri T'Vessa. Keri can become a romance option, but also your choices throughout her quest influences her actions.

• If Ryder isn't interviewed either by turning it down or never taking on the quest, she interviews Director Tann instead, who provides a sugar-coated version of events.
• If Ryder helps out and helps Keri to provide a truthful account, she will face the wrath of colonists, but this can lead towards a romance encounter with her.
• If Keri quits the documentary, she will leave the Nexus - and you won't see her again. At least in this game...

Kadara: Modern Medicine - The Oblivion Formula

Down in the slums on Kadara you'll meet Doctor Ryota, who asks you to retrieve a formula opf his being used to make a dangerous and addictive drug. Arenna Farenth claims that Ryota is actually the villain of the piece.

• If you trust Farenth and let her keep the formula, she'll continue to sell drugs - you were tricked!
• If you take the formula from her and return it to Ryota the flow of drugs stop and Ryota becomes the doctor on the Kadara outpost.

Kadara: Murder in Kadara Port

Reyes Vidal will task Ryder with helping to solve a bunch of murders that have been rocking Kadara Port. His theory is that the Roekaar are behind it - and it's up to Ryder to confirm those suspicions.

• If Ryder follows the quest through and takes out those responsible, the murders will stop.
• If Ryder doesn't, the murders will continue, and you'll hear about them on Kadara whenever you revisit.

Kadara: High Noon - Reyes Vidal versus Sloane Kelly

At a point in the game during a side quest Sloane Kelly and Reyes Vidal will butt heads - and you'll be present. You must choose a side. If you ignore this mission, the status quo remains as-is.

• If you save Kelly the Outcasts will continue to control Kadara, and Kelly will show up to help you in a late-game mission.
• If you side with Vidal he and the Collective will take over Kadara.

Voeld: The Mind of Voeld - Kill the AI or Keep the AI

If you take the time to discover this Angaran AI as part of a side quest on Voeld you'll be given a major choice - if you should keep this ancient technology or destroy it, given its potential danger.

• If you destroy the AI, lives will be saved and you'll have done the 'right' thing in the heat of the moment.
• If you let the AI live, you can keep it, and...
  • If you give the AI to the Angarans it will be moved to Aya and the Angara will use it to aid you in a late-game mission.
  • If you keep the AI, it'll be moved to the Nexus and interface with SAM but provide no immediate benefit.

Voeld: The fate of Maarel's Brother

Angaran NPC Maarel wants to know what happened to her brother. Ryder can discover the truth.

• If you tell the truth and reveal her brother's Exaltation, Maarel will leave for Havarl to mourn.
• If you lie, Maarel returns home instead, still hopeful.

Elaaden: The secret water reservoir 

One sidequest on Elaaden tasks you with finding a secret water reservoir that one faction is keeping to themselves. When you track it down, there'll be a confrontation.

• If you let Annea keep the water supply she'll give you a bribe, and she'll also assit you in a late-game mission.
• If you choose to take the supply from Annea you'll have to fight. Annea runs and disappears (and may return in a future game), and she's replaced at the Paradise by a new human representative from the Nexus.

Elaaden: The Remnant Drive Core and the Krogan

At the end of the story thread that can allow you to settle the planet of Elaaden you find yourself in possession of a Remnant Drive Core - a hugely powerful power source that could be used for good or indeed for war. The Krogan want it. Aggressively so.

• If you let the Krogan have the drive core they will allow you to settle Elaaden, but one day there may be future consequences.
• If you don't trust the Krogan and keep the Remnant drive core you'll get some research data and cash, but you won't be able to found an outpost on Elaaden, missing out on the outpost itself and the quests that come with it.

Turian Ark: The fate of Avitus Rix

When you find the Turian Ark with Avitus Rix, he's faced with a difficult decision. You help him to decide what to do.

• If he accepts his new job, Avitus becomes pathfinder and will play a vital role in the later parts of the story (see one of the 'Meridian: The Way Home' choices below).
• If Avitus doesn't accept the role he will be later found on Kadara, having become a down-and-out.

Cora Harper Loyalty Mission: Sarissa's Fate

During the course of Cora's loyalty mission you'll learn some interesting facts about the acting Asari pathfinder Sarissa. This decision greatly impacts a moment later in the game.

• If Sarissa's secret is kept, she remains pathfinder and will appear in a later mission. 
• If Sarissa is disgraced and replaced, Vederia will take her place and appear in a later mission.
• If Sarissa is disgraced but allowed to stay on she will remain pathfinder but not lend her help to you later by default - to get her help you'll have to speak to her in Pathfinder Headquarters and win her over.

Peebee Loyalty Mission: Kalinda's Fate

Peebee only seems to care about Rem-tech through the whole game, but she's faced with a hard choice.

• If Ryder has Peebee save Kalinda's life the rem-tech you were chasing will be lost forever, but Kalinda will make an appearance and help you later.

Priority Op: A Trail of Hope - The fate of the Exhaltation Facility

As part of the main story you'll storm a major Kett facility and discover the horrifying truth of exhaltation. At the end of the mission you'll be faced with a choice: destroy the facility or let the facility continue to operate. If you destroy the facility countless Angarans will die, but an Angaran herself begs you to destroy it.

• Destroying the facility is arguably the moral high ground, preventing further exhaltation - but it has no major benefits beyond that.
• If you leave the facility operational you will recieve aid from the Angaran Resistance during a late-game mission.

Priority Op: Hunting the Archon - Krogan Scouts or Salarian Pathfinder

When you hunt the archon you will discover that he has a large number of Salarians and Krogan held captive on his ship - but in different places. The Salarian pathfinder will go hunting for her own people with her own squad, but becomes trapped. You must choose: the Krogan scouts that report to your squadmate Drack, or the Salarians.

• If you pick the Salarians, the pathfinder will survive and you won't need to persuade another to take over.
• If you pick the Krogan scouts, they will join you to assist you, but you'll have to persuade another Salarian to take up the pathfinder mantle, as the original will be killed.

Below the Kett is information on choices for the final main missions.

Priority Op: Meridian: The Way Home - The Kill Code

You have a chance to drastically weaken the enemy strength by using a 'kill code' - but using it has consequences.

• If you use the code, Kett forces will be weakened when you finally attack Meridian. However, this decision is saved and may impact future games.
• If you don't use the code, you'll still have it for the future...

Priority Op: Meridian: The Way Home - Captain Dunn

During the Meridian Assault Captain Dunn finds herself in a bit of a pickle.

• If you have the other three pathfinders, they will work to save Captain Dunn. This requires three pathfinders - you will always have a Salarian pathfinder (though who can change), but the Turian pathfinder must be Avitus via the choice above and for there to be an Asari pathfinder you must have completed Cora's loyalty mission, also listed above - it can be either of the two, but if it is Sarissa she must not have been disgraced.
• If you don't have all three pathfinders, Captain Dunn will perish.

Post-Game: Ambassador Pick

Like the original Mass Effect, Ryder will get a say on who takes up a major political role on the Nexus, with the choice being between a number of characters you've met throughout the game. The options are Moshae Sjefa, August Bradley, Director Tann, Director Addison and Efvra. While the ultimate reaction to this choice isn't manifested in this game, be careful who you pick - it'll likely play out in any sequel, if we get one!

Want more Mass Effect: Andromeda help? Be sure to check out our hub - it's full of quest walkthroughs, tips, tricks, system explanations and more.