Mass Effect Legendary Edition – How to Heal

You’re gonna take a lot of damage in Mass Effect Legendary Edition but depending on the specific game you might be able to heal. Yeah, it’s kind of complicated. That’s what happens when you take three games that stretch across years of development by hundreds of individuals. But once you get down to the basics, it’s easy to break it all down. So here’s how to heal in Mass Effect Legendary Edition.

How to Heal in Mass Effect 1 (Legendary Edition)

The first Mass Effect game is actually the simplest in terms of how healing works, with players mostly able to just tap Triangle on PS4/PS5 or Y on Xbox One and Series X/S. Certain classes will be able to wield the First Aid ability, which heals yourself and active members of your team. The following classes allow you to use First Aid as Shepard, though some need to be unlocked by leveling up first.

• Engineer
• Infiltrator (unlocked)
• Sentinel
• Soldier (unlocked)

Along with this either Liara, Garrus, or Tali can perform the First Aid action on the Power Wheel you pull up by holding right bumper or R1. Doing so with Shepard or another team member will consume one Medi-Gel, which you can gather from chests around the map or at various shops. If you have Medi-Gel available and tap the First Aid button you should quickly heal up to max health in Mass Effect 1.

Alternatively, there’s the Unity ability which plays more of a role in future games. However, if any teammates are knocked out you can use Unity on the Power Wheel to bring them back and heal a portion of their health.

How to Heal in Mass Effect 2 (Legendary Edition)

Healing isn’t quite as important in Mass Effect 2 due to the game shifting to an auto-heal system similar to shooters of the time. Players can take a decent amount of damage, then hide for a while and let it refill. However, there are methods of healing during combat when a safe spot isn’t available.

Unity becomes much more important to healing in Mass Effect 2 in the Legendary Edition due to the removal of First Aid. Just like in the first game, it will be used to revive and partially heal downed teammates. However, by researching the Emergency Shielding and Trauma Module the ability will be upgraded to where it also triggers your healing as well. If you’re getting stuck in combat too often try to research that quickly via the Normandy SR-2 Tech Lab so that you can heal up more quickly.

How to Heal in Mass Effect 3 (Legendary Edition)

Thing get simpler when you move to Mass Effect 3 in the Legendary Edition. First Aid and Unity are merged together under one First Aid ability. Using this, which can be assigned to a specific button or left on the Powers Wheel as you see fit, will both revive downed teammates and heal yourself and them.

ME3’s health system also breaks the auto healing into chunks. So taking damage that eliminates a bar off of your health at the bottom of the screen will make it so you need to use First Aid and consume a Medi-Gel to get that bar back. Otherwise you will refill up to the top level of your current health bar.

And that’s how to heal in Mass Effect Legendary Edition for all three included games.