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How Tough Are The Asari Physically (Without Biotics)?

Débuté par Guest_iOnlySignIn_* , août 11 2011 10:12

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#1
Guest_iOnlySignIn_*
Posté 11 août 2011 - 10:12

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It's astonishing how important this question is, and how many clues are given, and yet no consensus can be reached on this topic. Not an ounce of info is given in the Wiki. The question is just how tough are the Asari physically? They may look svelte and feminine, but can one Asari stand up to a Krogan in a wrestling match (no Biotics involved)? This may sound like a silly question at first, but wait till I list all the evidence and you'll see that the Asari are tough. Really, really tough indeed. I hope we can reach a definitive conclusion and add to the Wiki.

Evidence that the Asari are physically tougher than most species (I'd go so far to say, ALL species except perhaps the Krogan):

1. Extreme long lifespan supported by robust cellular renegeration of the species as a whole.

2. Asari Commandos. Using brute force and shotguns like the Krogan. Some also use the Claymore, which would shatter an average human's arm. Asari Commando units encounter in game also have health bars nearly comparable to Krogans, even discounting their Biotic Barriers.

3. Liara. She was trapped in Therum's ruins for days. Weeks/months, if you go to Therum after Feros, Noveria, and Virmire. Without food or water, without even the ability to move a single limb. A human would have died of hunger, exhaustion, dehydration, or muscle cramps. Liara can walk and talk like normal as soon as you release her from the trap. When she's back on the ship, she recovers completely after a simple check in with Chakwas.

4. Samara. Read her Shadow Broker dossier - she's a fitness guru in addition to Biotic master. If you bring her to Mordin's recruitment mission using a save game editor (), she comments that "No normal illness should affect me so quickly. This plague must be especially virulent." This seems to imply that Asari are normally highly resistant to diseases.

5. Asari are known to colonize vast numbers of different worlds, having the largest territorial expanse among all sentient species. This would imply that their physique is capable of adapting to an extremely wide variety of environments. Compare this to Tali's commment on how the Quarians would need 60 years to adapt to their own native environment, and 600 years to adapt to a new colony world.

6. Mating with Krogans. It's easily conceivable how physically demanding this task must be, and yet Asari-Krogan couples seem to encounter no difficulty whatsoever in the bedroom department. Examples include Charr (the Poetic Krogan on Illium) and Matriarch Aethyta's parents. This is perhaps the most direct evidence that Asari are physically just as tough as Krogans.

Hopefully BioWare can cannonize this in ME3. The Codex as it is now is painfully lacking on the subject, which have lead many to assume that the Asari are physically fragile given their feminine appearance. I myself used to shake my head in disbelief at Tela Vasir's gigantic health bar, even though she's wounded and limping. Now I realize it's perhaps less exaggerated than I thought.

In short, I hope to see Liara suplex a Krogan in ME3. WITHOUT using Biotics.

Modifié par iOnlySignIn, 11 août 2011 - 10:20 .

#2
Clonedzero
Posté 11 août 2011 - 10:21

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i was under the assumption they would be about the same as a human.

1.) doesnt necessarily make them tougher or stronger.

2.) claymore wielding asari commandos are a gameplay thing, i doubt they use them in the lore.

3.) i assumed she was only trapped in there a day before you arrive, longer if you do that mission last?

4.) that quote just means any disease wouldnt effect anyone that quickly. i cant think of any diseases that effect humans minutes within contact. normal diseases dont effect people within minutes.

5.) that has nothing to do with strength/toughness.

6.) i dont think the act is as violent as you think it is lol.

nothing in the game or lore that ive seen shows that they're super strong or tough. they come across as strong and tough as humans really. nothing wrong with that. dont wanna make them the "perfect" race. they're already super long lived, super attractive, smart, very social-able. being super strong would make them a mary sue race adn thats boring.

#3
Guest_iOnlySignIn_*
Posté 11 août 2011 - 10:32

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Clonedzero wrote...

i was under the assumption they would be about the same as a human.

1.) doesnt necessarily make them tougher or stronger.

2.) claymore wielding asari commandos are a gameplay thing, i doubt they use them in the lore.

3.) i assumed she was only trapped in there a day before you arrive, longer if you do that mission last?

4.) that quote just means any disease wouldnt effect anyone that quickly. i cant think of any diseases that effect humans minutes within contact. normal diseases dont effect people within minutes.

5.) that has nothing to do with strength/toughness.

6.) i dont think the act is as violent as you think it is lol.

nothing in the game or lore that ive seen shows that they're super strong or tough. they come across as strong and tough as humans really. nothing wrong with that. dont wanna make them the "perfect" race. they're already super long lived, super attractive, smart, very social-able. being super strong would make them a mary sue race adn thats boring.


1) If you look at the longest-lived species on our earth, they are all extremely tough physically. Whatever that lasts a long time has to be tough.

2) Claymore or not they prefer shotguns and CQC.

3) The whole of Mass Effect takes place over months. If you do that mission last, then she's been trapped for months. Camels on earth can survive for weeks or months without food or water, so it's conceivable that Asari do as well.

4) None of the other aliens, except Grunt, respond in similar fashion. Simple allergy can affect human within seconds, or even kill them.

5) Adaptability to different environments is an essential trait of the physical toughness of a species, and a major driving force of evolution.

6) How much does a Krogan weigh? How much can Wrex bench press? For all earth mammals at least, males convulse uncontrollably during orgasm, in instinctive motions so as to maximize the probability of conception.

#4
General User
Posté 11 août 2011 - 10:39

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This is a really good thread!

You know I never thought about it before, but when you lay it all out like that, asari must be near the toughest things in the galaxy.

Just a theory, but could element zero and biotics be integrated into their anatomy/physiology at a very basic (ie molecular or even atomic) level? Sorta like every individual cell in the asari body having it's own "barrier."

#5
Clonedzero
Posté 11 août 2011 - 10:41

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1.) not really, humans are one of the longest living species on earth and we're fairly fragile.

2.) because of biotics.

3.) what i meant by that, was i thought the game implied that she had just gotten caught in the trap shortly before you show up, not at a static point in time. so if you do a mission first then she's still only been trapped for alittle while. the only time her reaction changes is if you do it after virmire.

4.) what do you mean? they all cough, are you using the specific phrasing they use as evidence? its based on their personalities not their specific races tolerance to it. mordin even says she would die super fast from the disease if you watch the last part of that video you linked.

5.) physical adaptability isnt a massive factor when you have super advanced technology doing all the work lol.

6.) im sure theres books out there showing them how to do it safely. mordin probably hooked them up with a copy. besides, asari mating isnt sex.

#6
King Minos
Posté 11 août 2011 - 10:45

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Us humans are capable of easily adapting, moving up to the mountains where there is a low level of oxygen, the heart has to work harder and it would be uncomfortable, give it 2-3 weeks and your fine. I Dont think krogan sex requires that amount of power in thrusting similar to that shotgun that can break a human arm. I agree it's a gameplay thing, shep can use it as well.

#7
Warod
Posté 11 août 2011 - 10:45

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"Less than a finger deep to sever your spine. You're soft. Salarians, asari, all soft. Quarians, not so much." - Grunt

#8
King Minos
Posté 11 août 2011 - 10:46

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Yeah I agree that liara was in that bubble for a day and if you do her mission last the atleast in the bubble for maybe for 4-5 days.

#9
Guest_iOnlySignIn_*
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:00

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Warod wrote...

"Less than a finger deep to sever your spine. You're soft. Salarians, asari, all soft. Quarians, not so much." - Grunt

I wondered about that. I thought he meant that Salarians, Asari, Humans are all like mammals/amphibians, while Krogans are like reptiles with scales covering their skin. Not sure what he meant with Quarians - we haven't seen one naked yet.

Last but not least, soft does not equal weak. Compare dolphins and sharks. Dolphins have smooth, soft skin like humans, sharks have tough, scaled skin like sandpaper. And yet physically dolphins are comparable to the strongest sharks (Great Whites).

#10
mauro2222
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:05

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"In comparison to the Council races, humans are roughly physically on par with turians (as very fit humans can punch them over and even throw them off the ground unassisted), and less agile than asari (whom they closely resemble), though fit human males are likely to be far stronger than the average asari. Humans would appear on average to be stronger than salarians but not as fast, due to the extremely elevated metabolisms of the latter."

This is from the codex about well... us humans xD

So practically an Asari is as strong as a Human Female

Modifié par mauro2222, 11 août 2011 - 11:07 .

#11
Guest_iOnlySignIn_*
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:09

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Clonedzero wrote...

1.) not really, humans are one of the longest living species on earth and we're fairly fragile.

2.) because of biotics.

3.) what i meant by that, was i thought the game implied that she had just gotten caught in the trap shortly before you show up, not at a static point in time. so if you do a mission first then she's still only been trapped for alittle while. the only time her reaction changes is if you do it after virmire.

4.) what do you mean? they all cough, are you using the specific phrasing they use as evidence? its based on their personalities not their specific races tolerance to it. mordin even says she would die super fast from the disease if you watch the last part of that video you linked.

5.) physical adaptability isnt a massive factor when you have super advanced technology doing all the work lol.

6.) im sure theres books out there showing them how to do it safely. mordin probably hooked them up with a copy. besides, asari mating isnt sex.


1) We are a lot tougher than you think.

2) OK.

3) That her reaction changes after Virmire seem to suggest that she was trapped in a relatively static point in time.

4) That's because the disease is designed. Special attention must have been paid to kill the strongest species (Krogan and Asari) fast.

5) I'm sure the Quarians would disagree.

6) Asari mating may not be reproductive necessarily, but to keep a Krogan satisfied would conceivably require a considerable amount of effort.

#12
Guest_iOnlySignIn_*
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:11

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mauro2222 wrote...

"In comparison to the Council races, humans are roughly physically on par with turians (as very fit humans can punch them over and even throw them off the ground unassisted), and less agile than asari (whom they closely resemble), though fit human males are likely to be far stronger than the average asari. Humans would appear on average to be stronger than salarians but not as fast, due to the extremely elevated metabolisms of the latter."

This is from the codex about well... us humans xD

So practically an Asari is as strong as a Human Female

Good! That settles it then. I neve thought to read the Human entry of the codex. Thought I knew enough already. :lol:

So we're basically all the same physically, more or less? Perhaps even a Krogan like Grunt is actually physically comparable to a human Olympic wrestler? This makes me feel proud to be human. :-)

#13
TMA LIVE
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:12

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"Asari are so... squishy. Where can you get a decent grip".

Also, Grunt comments that the asari aren't so tough.

#14
PauseforEffect
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:16

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I love how much thought you put into these threads, IonlySignIn. Samara even further points out how adaptable her race is during a conversation about Ardat-Yakshi.
Much of it can be chalked up to gameplay mechanics for some instances (for example, Vasir reappearing in a cut scene even after you boot her off a ledge). Other factors for their adaptability can be due to lifespan experience. In the end, you've nailed the reasons why they are frequently underestimated so I'll break off here for now

#15
Sepewrath
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:17

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It doesn't take robust cellular regeneration for extended lifespans, that's more for healing and they don't seem to heal any faster than a human. What makes humans age is the fact that there is limit to cellular replication, governed by the lenght of things called telomeres, they get their ends cut off everything the cells replicate. To avoid turning this into a biology lesson, just know that telomeres play a huge role in the aging process and one would guess that either Asair have a much slower rate of telomere degradation or their much longer than humans. In fact there was a story on CDN about some scientist experimenting on Asari trying to replicate their telomeres.

The rest of that stuff is just gameplay elements, there were humans who could take one hell of beating with their lifebar and since the game gives no timeframe on when you get Liara, there was no need to show her being half dead from dehydration. It would also make the debrief kind of tough as a person would be in the hospital for weeks after that.

When it comes to adaptability, humans are just as adaptable as Asari as you see humans colonize many different environments on Earth. I belive Salarians can cover a wide range of environments. The best example of how physically tough an Asari is, is Vasir, she got badly hurt in that car crash, so I don't think their any more durable than humans.

#16
Guest_iOnlySignIn_*
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:17

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General User wrote...

This is a really good thread!

You know I never thought about it before, but when you lay it all out like that, asari must be near the toughest things in the galaxy.

Just a theory, but could element zero and biotics be integrated into their anatomy/physiology at a very basic (ie molecular or even atomic) level? Sorta like every individual cell in the asari body having it's own "barrier."

There is a new description of Thessia on BioWare's ME3 website. It mentioned that Thessia contains a major proportion of all the eezo in the galaxy, and all its lifeforms have adapted to eezo, or are capable of exploiting eezo. It also mentioned that alien visitors to Thessia need to have their food especially prepared to remove the eezo, while native Asari eat their food eezo-drenched.

So it's conceivable that single cellular life forms on Thessia have Biotic Barriers as well, perhaps as an outer layer of their cellular membrane. And since the human mitochondria actually evolved from bacteria, it is quite possible that each cell on the Asari body has a Biotic Barrier of its own. That's an awesome idea actually - perhaps BioWare can use it!

#17
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Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:19

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TMA LIVE wrote...

"Asari are so... squishy. Where can you get a decent grip".

Also, Grunt comments that the asari aren't so tough.

Squishy =/= weak. Humans are squishier than lobsters, and yet we hunt and eat lobsters (even with just primitive tools), not the other way around.

Grunt is just being racist like most other Krogan. Or you can say that's Krogan Pride, for a better sounding term.

Modifié par iOnlySignIn, 11 août 2011 - 11:21 .

#18
Clonedzero
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:25

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iOnlySignIn wrote...

TMA LIVE wrote...

"Asari are so... squishy. Where can you get a decent grip".

Also, Grunt comments that the asari aren't so tough.

Squishy =/= weak. Humans are squishier than lobsters, and yet we hunt and eat lobsters (even with just primitive tools), not the other way around.

Grunt is just being racist like most other Krogan. Or you can say that's Krogan Pride, for a better sounding term.

a 6 foot lobster will be tougehr than a human lol

#19
mauro2222
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:30

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iOnlySignIn wrote...

TMA LIVE wrote...

"Asari are so... squishy. Where can you get a decent grip".

Also, Grunt comments that the asari aren't so tough.

Squishy =/= weak. Humans are squishier than lobsters, and yet we hunt and eat lobsters (even with just primitive tools), not the other way around.

Grunt is just being racist like most other Krogan. Or you can say that's Krogan Pride, for a better sounding term.


Well that is not a good example xD. A spider's web is more tough than the steel that keeps a bridge together, but it small size doesn't make it stronger to our hands. If the lobster is the size of a human, or the size of a human leg, you would need to think twice... :pinched:

Modifié par mauro2222, 11 août 2011 - 11:31 .

#20
Guest_iOnlySignIn_*
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:30

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Sepewrath wrote...

It doesn't take robust cellular regeneration for extended lifespans, that's more for healing and they don't seem to heal any faster than a human. What makes humans age is the fact that there is limit to cellular replication, governed by the lenght of things called telomeres, they get their ends cut off everything the cells replicate. To avoid turning this into a biology lesson, just know that telomeres play a huge role in the aging process and one would guess that either Asair have a much slower rate of telomere degradation or their much longer than humans. In fact there was a story on CDN about some scientist experimenting on Asari trying to replicate their telomeres.

Oh, I didn't even know that Asari has double-stranded DNA! Let alone telomeres! But the current scientific consensus is that there might be no causal relationship between telomere shortening and aging at all. At the very least, aging has to do with a lot more than telomeres, and there are Earth species whose telomeres *lengthen* instead of shorten with age. Lengthened telomere can also cause cancer due to unlimted replication.

This whole thread was inspired by my inability to accept how Tela Vasir can fight like she did while wounded and bleeding. Perhaps it's better to attribute to her wearing an uber set of armor, probably Spectre Master Gear, augmented with tech provided by the Shadow Broker, who got it from the Collectors, who got it from the Reapers, etc.

#21
Guest_iOnlySignIn_*
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:32

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Clonedzero wrote...

iOnlySignIn wrote...

TMA LIVE wrote...

"Asari are so... squishy. Where can you get a decent grip".

Also, Grunt comments that the asari aren't so tough.

Squishy =/= weak. Humans are squishier than lobsters, and yet we hunt and eat lobsters (even with just primitive tools), not the other way around.

Grunt is just being racist like most other Krogan. Or you can say that's Krogan Pride, for a better sounding term.

a 6 foot lobster will be tougehr than a human lol

Hahahaha but he'd still be slow as hell. I'd just run to a distance and hurl rocks till I break his armor. Then I'll have all the sashimi I can eat in a week! I need an oversized freezer.

:o

#22
Clonedzero
Posté 11 août 2011 - 11:34

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mass effect needs lobster people

#23
Goneaviking
Posté 12 août 2011 - 12:12

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iOnlySignIn wrote...

3) That her reaction changes after Virmire seem to suggest that she was trapped in a relatively static point in time.


ME1 is modular, it's made so that you can finish it in virtually any order you choose. Also it's idiot-friendly, the developers went out of their way to make certain no one would be seriously punished for acting like a homicidal imbecile.

I wouldn't encourage reading too much into that scene. By the same standards you can treat pretty much any of your companions like filth and they still revere you come the sequel.

#24
Sepewrath
Posté 12 août 2011 - 12:20

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iOnlySignIn wrote...
Oh, I didn't even know that Asari has double-stranded DNA! Let alone telomeres! But the current scientific consensus is that there might be no causal relationship between telomere shortening and aging at all. At the very least, aging has to do with a lot more than telomeres, and there are Earth species whose telomeres *lengthen* instead of shorten with age. Lengthened telomere can also cause cancer due to unlimted replication.

This whole thread was inspired by my inability to accept how Tela Vasir can fight like she did while wounded and bleeding. Perhaps it's better to attribute to her wearing an uber set of armor, probably Spectre Master Gear, augmented with tech provided by the Shadow Broker, who got it from the Collectors, who got it from the Reapers, etc.


The lack of control on telomeres in humans does attribute to cancer, but obviously in Asari if is natural, it wouldn't be cancerous, its not different than how Eezo exposure causes cancer in many humans, while Asari can handle it naturally. And its not so unbelievable that someone can fight wounded, andrenaline will go a long way to keeping you on your feet for awhile. For example I heard a story about a woman who broke her pelvis after falling down a rock hill, she was able to walk for a few hours because of the adrenaline rush, but once it wore off, it was a bad day.

#25
AnimaTempli101
Posté 12 août 2011 - 12:36

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I like how the conversation is continuing even after someone has provided viable, in-game, proof that Asari are roughly the same as human females, strength and toughness wise.
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