104 réponses à ce sujet

[capn233]

Seems like a good time to repeat an old argument about the great class balance in Mass Effect 2, but without bumping an old thread.  Also because there is too much arguing in the ME2 forums about plot vs gameplay.

 

In the real olden days on the old forum there was many a member who claimed that Adept was easily the weakest class and could not do anything on Insanity.  Singularity was obviously the weakest signature power, and since Adept had only one power to strip defenses, it was useless.  At least that was how the narrative went.  These were ancient times before things like the Locust and Stasis.

 

Several people stepped up to challenge this notion.   And as DLC content came out, the old faction was reduced somewhat in strength.

 

Also in the olden days it seemed like Infiltrator was the class most often recommended for first time Insanity runs.  Because it could turn invisible and theoretically had good weapon damage.  Also some hero builds could one-shot Harbinger, which was a real help on missions like Archangel.

 

Vanguard was obviously the hardest class for Insanity mainly because of "Can't get a lock."  And because supposedly it couldn't do damage to mini-bosses.

 

****

 

Now it is time to begin the exercise.  How do you rank the classes in terms of "power," and how do you define "power?"  Is this how you would rank them in terms of ease of play on higher difficulties?  Is this the same ranking you would use for the pure vanilla version of the class with no bonus power?

[cap and gown]

I have become very fond of the Adept. I really do like using Singularity to hold enemies in place while we take off their protection, then boom them once they are lifted. My last insanity run went fairly smoothly; not too many deaths.

 

My first two insanity runs were with an Engineer. I thought those went fairly well. The drone was a great way distract enemies and I had a good compliment of protection stripping powers.

 

I don't particularly like CQC, so my Sentinel insanity run was kind of frustrating because I was forced into CQC. I wanted to play a caster, but only ended up ever casting Tech Armor.

 

I haven't done insanity as a Soldier, just hardcore. My concern there would be running out of ammo. I will say that Soldier was the hardest class (even just on hardcore) to get through the Derelict Reaper. A lack of an AOE power really was a drag.

 

Since the Soldier is a better sniper than the Infiltrator, and because I don't want to do CQC, I won't do an Infiltrator again. I have only ever done one on veteran, but have no desire to run one again even on casual.

 

Vanguards are well beyond my skills even on normal difficulty. (at least in ME2. life got much better in ME3.)

[capn233]

Soldier isn't so bad for ammo since you get to start the game with 4 weapons, unlike most classes.  If you try to use only one gun you might run low.  If you take the Revenant on the DCC, it hardly ever runs out of ammo.  For Reaper IFF, if you can spec into Squad Cryo Ammo it makes it a lot smoother.

 

I have a hard time playing a Sentinel who doesn't use the majority of cooldowns on TA as well.

[Vazgen]

How do you rank the classes in terms of "power," and how do you define "power?" Is this how you would rank them in terms of ease of play on higher difficulties? Is this the same ranking you would use for the pure vanilla version of the class with no bonus power?

For me power is about finishing combat sequences as fast as possible. The faster you deal with everyone, the more powerful you are. In these terms I'd rank the classes in the following order. I will first list the vanilla versions. From the most to the least powerful
1. Soldier - Adrenaline Rush + rapid firing weapon + ammo power = win. Fast, effective and boring (at least to me)
2. Sentinel - not having to worry about protection that much and having the abilities to deal with any protection layer allows Sentinel to be completely devastating, especially when coupled with right squadmates
3. Infiltrator - with the sort of a passive "power" from scope time slowdown, massive damage output in one shot and ability to disappear completely, he can make quick work of any combat encounter. There is also Incinerate
4. Vanguard - Able to cross the distance instantly and blasting enemies away with the shotgun (along with a passive "power" similar to the Infiltrator) can make short work of any enemy. It's high risk, high reward playstyle and when you are good at it you can clear rooms very fast. I'm not good at it
5. Engineer - Drone works wonders as a distraction, allowing to spend more time out of cover and powers that damage both armor and shields (especially Incinerate) add to that as well.
6. Adept - lack of shield/barrier-stripping and ammo powers makes the Adept quite dependent on the squadmates. With their slow power recharge speed he is many times forced to deal with those layers of protection with his SMG and it takes time and exposure.

Now, with the bonus power. The reasons remain largely the same, though the bonus powers provide more opportunities and shift the balance of power somewhat
1. Soldier. Bonus power - Fortification for more protection and less cover-dependence.
2. Infiltrator. Bonus power - Energy Drain. Now being able to strip shields in one cast and expose targets for easy headshots Infiltrator surpasses Sentinel due to superior damage output from weapons.
3. Sentinel. Bonus power - Warp Ammo. Now getting ammo power with full effectiveness, Sentinel becomes much less dependent on squadmates and his SMGs now pack quite a punch.
4. Vanguard. Bonus power - Reave. Able to destroy armor and barriers at a distance and provide survivability in case something goes wrong. Less worrying about survival, more worrying about killing things.
5. Adept. Bonus power - Energy Drain. With only weakness now gone, Adept can toss around all kinds of enemies without worrying about squadmates' power recharge. Still, low survivability and weak weapon damage do not allow him to surpass Vanguard.
6. Engineer. Bonus power - Neural Shock. This power makes the Engineer able to kill husks in one cast, has low recharge speed and can stun enemies attacking the drone allowing more survivability for the tiny machine and, therefore, more time for the Engineer to shoot the enemies or cast powers at them. Still, it takes some time

Of all classes my least favorite is the most powerful Soldier class. It makes the game boring to me.
My most favorite classes are the Infiltrator and the Engineer. They are not that powerful, but require more tactical thinking and patience which I prefer to the fast-paced combat.

[RedCaesar97]

I don't particularly like CQC, so my Sentinel insanity run was kind of frustrating because I was forced into CQC. I wanted to play a caster, but only ended up ever casting Tech Armor.

 

I'll derail the thread quickly to reply to this statement, because this is why I despise the Sentinel in ME2. Assault Sentinel is fun. Any type of caster Sentinel is frustrating because you have to put points into Tech Armor, leaving at least one power unmaxed. And since you have to put points into Tech Armor, you end up using it and end up just re-casting Tech Armor the whole time. Also, console users are kind of screwed since your signature power is always hot-keyed and you cannot change it. (I have edited my save on Xbox to get around this limitation, but I am still stuck with points in Tech Armor which is useless to me.)

 

Okay, rant over. 

 

Now it is time to begin the exercise.  How do you rank the classes in terms of "power," and how do you define "power?"  Is this how you would rank them in terms of ease of play on higher difficulties?  Is this the same ranking you would use for the pure vanilla version of the class with no bonus power?

 

There is the real question: How do you define "power"? I am not sure how I would define it.

 

I do not think 'ease of use' equals 'power'. Something can be more powerful than something else, but also much harder to use as well.

 

If I were to compare the classes in terms of ease-of-use, then Soldier and Infiltrator are 1a and 1b, with the Sentinel close behind. I would probably rank the Engineer next on the list. Not sure how I would slot Vanguard and Adept. Vanguard tends to require a lot more skill than the other classes or at least a little forethought before charging, while Adept requires more finesse than the Engineer.

 

In terms of raw killing speed, then Mattock Soldier is hard to beat. Maybe a really good Vanguard can come close. Every other class just sort of lags behind.

But even then, there are a lot of factors that can determine your killing speed. For example:

 

Your typical sniper Infiltrator tends to cloak > shoot > wait for cloak again > cloak > shoot... and so on; squadmates are more of an afterthought. Now compare this to the Adept. The Adept may not kill anything right away, but instead focuses on taking down a few enemy defenses. Then combined with Miranda, pulls a few unprotected enemies > Miranda Warp bomb > pulls a few more > shoots a bit, then Throws/Warps to take down a few more.

 

Now in the above example, the Adept may have killed more enemies than the Infiltrator, or maybe killed about the same amount of enemies in the same amount of time. The difference is that the infiltrator killed the enemies in set intervals, while the Adept started slow, then kills faster and faster, or in kills a bunch of enemies in short bursts. To the new or inexperienced player, the Infiltrator would be more considered more powerful since the Infiltrator is killing at a steady, measurable rate. But the Adept takes more finesse/preparation to kill, and tends to rely on squadmates more, making it seem less powerful than the Infiltrator, even though the Adept's killing curve goes up exponentially or peaks in bursts.

 

I suppose I am rambling at this point, but I find it hard to define how to exactly compare one class's 'power' relative to another class.

 

Now, Adept does get hit the hardest on Insanity than the other classes, but not because of 'defenses' like others would argue. To me, Insanity is harshest to the Adept because of:

1. The -20% power duration penalty, particularly when coupled with the duration penalties suffered when lifting heavier/larger enemies. This tends to really hurt the Adept's Singularity, its signature power.

 

2. The lack of instant-cast abilities compared to other classes. All of the Adept's native abilities are projectiles; I'll include Shockwave as a projectile for this argument, only because it is not instant-cast on a target. All other classes have at least 2-3 instant-cast abilities (I count any power that is not a projectile as instant-cast):

 - Soldier: Adrenaline Rush, Disruptor Ammo, Incendiary Ammo, and Cryo Ammo

 - Engineer: Overload, Combat Drone, and AI Hacking

 - Vanguard: Charge, Incendiary Ammo, and Cryo Ammo

 - Infiltrator: Cloak, Disruptor Ammo, Cryo Ammo, and AI Hacking

 - Sentinel: Tech Armor and Overload

 

That is not to say that the Adept is not powerful on Insanity because of these problems. On the contrary, biotic combos and the fact that lifted targets take extra damage help make up for any perceived lack of power, and then some.

[capn233]

I thought about banning DLC guns from the discussion, oh well.  The only DLC guns I have are Eviscerator, Locust and now the CAR (which I downloaded but have never used).

 

Mattock was a pretty half baked idea, IMHO.

 

I also don't equate is with power necessarily either.

[cap and gown]

I thought about banning DLC guns from the discussion, oh well.  The only DLC guns I have are Eviscerator, Locust and now the CAR (which I downloaded but have never used).

 

Mattock was a pretty half baked idea, IMHO.

 

I also don't equate is with power necessarily either.

 

But ... but ... but ... I couldn't live without the Locust!

 

Actually, RedCeasar was kind of surprised that I did Stolen Memory as my first mission and not Mordin. As I noted in my response, I just can't live without the Locust.

[ImaginaryMatter]

Power? I guess how quickly one clear sequences (minus running past combat parts to trigger cutscenes). I've never really thought of it. Using that criteria though I rank the classes like so (with no DLC stuff):

 

Sentinel: The Assault variety with no bonus powers (I almost exclusively just used TA anyway). The guy is just such a tank and TA is very forgiving of one charging into groups of enemies like a crazy person.

 

Vanguard: Does the Claymore reload trick count as cheating? This gal is always on the move (charge). I find it great that she can stand toe to toe with bosses or Harbinger (for the brief seconds of life they have before disintegrating from Krogan weaponry). Her and the Sentinel are about the same for me, except I would put the Sentinel ahead just because I find TA a little more forgiving than Charge, dying lengthens gameplay.

 

Soldier: Nothing lasts long under the Revenant barrage and AR allows him to safely and constantly move in.

 

Infiltrator: Widow variety. Find my nest, fire, reload, fire again; the cloak I use for moving around or to take down the bigger guys (after a squadmate weakens them with Warp/Overload/something). Groups die pretty fast.

 

Engineer: My favorite class when playing as the Cryo Blast/Shotgun variety. I rank her lower because she doesn't have the massive artillery of the other classes nor any instant shield regenerating, time slowing, vanishing abilities. Because of that I tend to play more cautiously and move through mooks slower.

 

Adept: I actually might play faster than the Engineer. I don't use Warp combos so that may slow me down though.

[Farangbaa]

Adept is pretty much the only class that allows you to clear out all Collectors before taking out Harbinger, making sure you only have to face him once each sequence. If you do it properly he can only launch a few projectiles (the time between you purposely dissipating the existing singularity to hit him with a new one, which is enough for one projectile)

 

I'm ignoring Stasis here (does it work on Harby?). My own personal headcanon rules would only allow Vanguards, Adepts and Sentinels to use it anyway.

[capn233]

But ... but ... but ... I couldn't live without the Locust!

 

I was mostly thinking of the Mattock with that comment since I think it is the only DLC weapon that really upsets the balance of the characters since it is not equally effective between time dilation and non-time dilation characters.

 

I don't feel like the Locust actually does much to upset the balance, even though it is arguably better than an Avenger, for example.  But only one class starts with ARs anyway, and for the rest it doesn't really give one more of an advantage over the other.  What it mostly does is just make weapon management on a single character a lot simpler since you have almost a "do everything" gun.  But the DPS isn't game breaking enough to be an issue for me.  It may alter preference for advanced weapon training, but again I think this is a shift in style for each character rather than a change in hierarchy.

 

GPS and Incisor do alter the metagame as well, but that is more for squadmates, IMO.

 

Adept is pretty much the only class that allows you to clear out all Collectors before taking out Harbinger, making sure you only have to face him once each sequence. If you do it properly he can only launch a few projectiles (the time between you purposely dissipating the existing singularity to hit him with a new one, which is enough for one projectile)

 

I'm ignoring Stasis here (does it work on Harby?). My own personal headcanon rules would only allow Vanguards, Adepts and Sentinels to use it anyway.

 

Stasis does not affect Harbinger, and Singularity is one of the best, if not the best, single base game powers against him.

 

As far as Stasis goes, I tend to agree that it actually gives some classes more benefit than others, but there definitely was a contingent who thought that it was always the best bonus power and made every class better if you abuse the glitch.  I was never a proponent of this argument, although you can see that the power itself works essentially the same for any class.  The main difference is of course how well it meshes with cooldowns of your existing powers, and whether increased single target damage, or miniboss CC, is something your character needs.  I would claim that Soldier and Infiltrator gain the least, despite some of the things you can get away with if you have a Widow or Claymore.

 

One of the things that would have made this argument less compelling was if the cooldown system worked a little differently and either the class passive power bonuses only worked for specific classes of powers, or if omnitool and biotic amp "upgrades" only worked on tech and biotic classes.  That would ensure that biotic powers worked best on biotics and tech powers worked best on tech classes.  Granted, Combat Mastery does not have any cooldown bonus whatsoever, but every other class has a general one, which ranges from 9/15 to 20/30 depending on final evolution (Sentinel can get the highest).

[Farangbaa]

I didn't mean Stasis was better one some classes than other, but that I don't allow myself to use biotic bonus powers on non-biotic classes

[capn233]

I didn't mean Stasis was better one some classes than other, but that I don't allow myself to use biotic bonus powers on non-biotic classes

 

I don't like mixed classes either, but I was trying to get at a point that the anti-adept crowd used to say in the day, namely that Stasis helped every class equally.

[a_mouse]

For any class, ME2 really shines when weapons and powers are coordinated in synergistic ways.  But I think it took people a while to really master the game mechanics (for Insanity).  So people's early impressions are probably understandable.  Since many players likely came from a FPS background, it was relatively easy to understand how to exploit the strengths of a Soldier or Infiltrator.  It took people a lot longer to figure out how awesome Vanguard, Engineer, and Adept really are.  Sentinel is more of a mixed bag, since depending on how you built and used it, you could came come to a completely different first impressions (hence strong opinions both positive and negative early on).

 

However, even with this 20-20 hindsight (and as RedCaser already correctly pointed out) it remains hard to say what the "best" class is without defining what "best" really means.  We could definitely talk about tangible testable criteria (like speed through certain levels, death rates, etc), but even this is going to depend on player skill and experience.  Overall though, I have been very pleased with the overall balance of the classes in ME2.  There's enough flexibility with bonus power and point assignment to build a good character for my particular playstyle using any of the classes.  Thus for me, asking which class is best is a bit like asking what my favorite color is.  I don't really have one - I always prefer more than one color!

[cap and gown]

 Thus for me, asking which class is best is a bit like asking what my favorite color is.  I don't really have one - I always prefer more than one color!

 

Blue. . . . No, yellow. Arrgh . . . . *knight errant tumbles into the abyss*

 

Ah, but what is the wing span of an African Swallow? Answer me that!

[capn233]

Yes it is hard to give a precise definition of power.  I tend to want to use a nebulous assortment of factors from time to clear most levels, strength and weakness vs the various factions, synergy with the weapons, while assuming a relatively experienced player.  Also I will ignore the Mattock completely, since I don't have it and really it is its own balance issue.  One confounding variable is the power curve.  The different classes gain power at different rates, and some level off much faster.  Maybe I will address that later.  So here is my list for now...

 

Vanguard

 

I personally don't think you can beat a veteran played Vanguard in this game, with possibly the exception of a Soldier using the one broken tier gun.  Some conventional wisdom holds that the Vanguard doesn't beat out other classes unless it has Stasis but I don't entirely agree.  As far as leveling goes, you are fairly strong with 2 or 3 powers fully evolved and a 1 pt wonder bonus.  Damage Protection 2 and 3 are very helpful, of course with Redundant Field and Hard Shields.

 

Sentinel

 

Late game Sentinel is probably the hardest class for the enemy to kill.  Because of TA reset you can practically get by with Assault Armor, maxed passive, and a bonus.  Pretty good at finishing combos, doesn't have a way to set them up.  Does have the best power recharge bonus in passive.  The main reason I rank it below Vanguard is because it only has the "caster" starting weapons loadout.

 

Soldier

 

Soldier is somewhat unique in that it only has one active power worth investing in, one of the worst active powers, and then the best three ammo powers.  The passive has zero recharge bonus, but since you don't need recharge it isn't a big deal unless you are doing atypical builds, or running with a bonus power.  You get the most starting weapons, but biased a bit towards anti-armor.  Assault Rifle training isn't a huge advantage initially if you don't have the Mattock, except that you simply have one extra ammo pool.

 

Without the Mattock, you end up with an actual choice between Revenant, Claymore and Widow.  The bad news is that the Claymore and Widow don't quite mesh as well with your trademark power as with Charge or Cloak respectively (or even power-reload Incinerate on Infiltrator).  Especially the Claymore, which is most effective reload-canceling away (impossible during ARush).  But the Revenant / Viper combo is probably one of the strongest 2 gun combos that is possible in the base game, especially with a couple weapon upgrades, and they both work beautifully with Adrenaline Rush.

 

You have less mobility than the Vanguard, less real durability than the Vanguard, but on the whole pretty solid overall.  The soldier doesn't have amazing synergy with any squadmate, but on the other hand is less dependent on squadmates for defense stripping or combos.

 

Engineer

 

This is where it starts to get murky in ranking the classes, or perhaps it started one class up.  In any event, I am picking Engineer for the next class because it is the only class that has good CC combined with all defense stripping without any bonus power.

 

Compared with the above classes, you need a little more talent point investment before it pays off, but you can counter-balance that with squad choice.  Also has "caster" starting weapons and relies on CC or a bonus power to deal with lack of or add durability.

 

Adept

 

Adept needs a little more power investment than the Engineer.  Of all the classes it probably has the slowest ramping power curve, but once it is leveled to near the top it can be one of the more destructive classes and a solid controller.  There might be a compelling argument that mid to late game Adept is superior to mid-late game Engineer.  Maybe someone else might argue that.

 

There is only one innate specific defense stripping power, although Singularity works well in some situations.  The fact that you need to rely on several powers stresses the cooldown system.  There is flexibility in squadmate choice, but it can be argued that it requires good selection to play closest to potential.

 

Infiltrator

 

Of course this section is murky, but I am going to double down on this one anyway.

 

The main strength of the Infiltrator is single target damage.  Mid to late game this translates into good elite or miniboss killing.  However, you must pay for that during the early game where you are only decent at single target mook damage, which isn't a stellar or unique asset.  The Mantis is a hindrance here (its ammo capacity is one of the great balance mysteries to me of ME2... maybe they purposefully wanted to depower the Infiltrator).

 

The build progression of the character is also a little whonky.  You do have access to one of the better ammos, and slightly earlier than Soldier.  But it needs to be fully evolved before it has good CC.  You do unlock a decent organic CC power after a few ranks of Cloak, but it isn't great CC unless fully evolved.  Cloak Rank 1 is probably one of the weakest Rank 1 powers in the game.

 

I realize you can change position with Cloak, but you can do that with Charge, Adrenaline Rush, Tech Armor... and Drone or Singularity aren't bad for CC until you change position either.

 

A decent bonus power goes a long way to fixing your woes.  Alternatively, you can consider in getting Incinerate before you level your ammos or possibly even Cloak.

 

[Vazgen]

What I like about the game is that all classes are quite balanced (assuming you don't use Mattock). Some require more time to learn and level, some are strong from the beginning but in the end every class gets the job done very effectively. There is no clear winner here. When I was listing those classes by the time it takes them to complete a combat sequence I was having quite tough time picking them. The difference in time is quite negligible. There is no class that destroys everything in its path when another class is forced to proceed much more slower - the time difference is quite small. I think it all comes down to personal preference in playstyle.

[capn233]

It certainly had the best class balance of the three games.

 

I was thinking about Infiltrator build progression and wondered what people think about it in a couple missions.  Two early game ones, new character / ME1 import.

 

Say you are doing Archangel and this was an import so you are around Level 7 (14+1 points with the bonus power).

 

What sort of build and bonus power do you like for that mission.  Which squad?

 

Link to talent calculator. 

 

Also Horizon happens around Level 12 (24+1 points), depending on doing some DLC first.

 

What build, what squad?

 

I am thinking the answer is less clear cut than for most of the other classes.  Maybe that makes Infiltrator even more interesting to some people.

[cap and gown]

One confounding variable is the power curve.  The different classes gain power at different rates, and some level off much faster.  Maybe I will address that later.  So here is my list for now...
. . .
 
Adept
 
Adept needs a little more power investment than the Engineer.  Of all the classes it probably has the slowest ramping power curve, but once it is leveled to near the top it can be one of the more destructive classes and a solid controller.  There might be a compelling argument that mid to late game Adept is superior to mid-late game Engineer.  Maybe someone else might argue that.

Well, it obviously depends on playstyle, but one reason I picked Adept for my last insanity run, which I was recording, was because I felt the Adept comes into its own sooner that any other class.

 

1 point in Warp

1 point in a bonus

Then everything else into Biotic Mastery and Singularity.

 

With quick cool downs and all-purpose power in Singularity, plus a little help from Warp and some bonus power, I felt I had everything I needed.

 

With the Engineer I kept rearranging my powers until I got up into the high 20's, based on the next mission. Even at level 30 I would rearrange powers depending on the mission.

 

Although Soldier can get AR maxed out fairly quick, it takes a very long time to get to squad cryo, which suddenly makes life considerably easier, especially when combined with Inferno ammo.

 

Based on my experience with the Sentinel, you only need to really max three powers, Tech Armor, Passive, and an ammo power.

[Vazgen]

When I play the Infiltrator I have something like this at level 7 and this at level 12. I prefer leveling class power for the best time dilation and Incinerate + Energy Drain for stripping defenses first. Tactical cloak gets leveled when the both Incinerate, Operative and Energy Drain are fully leveled. After maxing out Tactical cloak I go for Disruptor Ammo.

For the starting missions I like taking Grunt (since he can draw enemy fire for some time) and Miranda (to help with stripping defenses). After I get Mordin and Garrus, they take place on my team, until I level up enough. After that I alternate, Garrus + Thane (Eclipse, Collectors), Tali + Garrus (Blue Suns, geth), Jack + Mordin (husks, Blood Pack)... 

Jacob is always left on the ship, the only time he leaves it is for his loyalty mission. Miranda lasts one mission longer

I like doing Kasumi's mission early on so I have the Locust when going after Archangel. It serves as a nice backup for Mantis which I use for headshots on exposed troopers and mechs. 

To answer the question: Archangel mission - Miranda + Mordin, Horizon - Mordin + Garrus

[Farangbaa]

Offtopic, but... can we all agree Jack is pretty much useless on Insanity?

[Vazgen]

Offtopic, but... can we all agree Jack is pretty much useless on Insanity?

Depends on the player's and other squadmate's class. Take her and Mordin to the Reaper IFF, have Area Incinerate for both you and Mordin and watch waves of husks destroyed with her shockwave. 

[capn233]

Offtopic, but... can we all agree Jack is pretty much useless on Insanity?

 

Wasn't this an actual topic?

 

edit:

 

I was thinking of "What good is Jack?"

 

although Google also turns up a lot from the olden days...

[RedCaesar97]

Offtopic, but... can we all agree Jack is pretty much useless on Insanity?

 

No. I think Jack is just fine on Insanity. I actually use her quite a bit.

[capn233]

I did a slight shift in the discussion about Infiltrator because I was looking at builds that are possible for those levels on those missions.  It is possible to have a Squad Cryo Ammo build on Archangel, if you neglect Cloak.  Or its possible to do some things with Incineration Blast.

 

Horizon it is a somewhat similar story.  You can go all in on Incineration Blast, or get Squad Cryo but still not both.  Or you could have just went all in on Cloak and Passive.  The interesting thing is the Squad Cryo or Incinerate builds seem similar to an Engineer, but with weak invisibility instead of drone.

 

In the past for Horizon I usually try to have at least 1 pt in Cryo Ammo and then some points in Cloak for damage as well as some Incinerate and passive.  Might not need incinerate, although probably Incinerate and Cryo are more valuable early game than Cloak.

 

Just think it is interesting, especially in relation to at least half the classes where you want to level the trademark power and passive about as fast as you can.

[a_mouse]

With my "normal" (mobility focussed) infiltrator I get fully operational first.  In points: 3,1,3,1,0,1,1(slam).  I like to close in on enemies with SMG/SG, so next level Cloak (duration) and Agent.  After this, I increase Cryo to 6 and Incinerate to 3 pts (this is about where I hit Horizon with normal DLC choices).  After this, Improved Cryo (which goes on the shotgun once available), and 6 pts in DA, which goes on SMG (this is around where I hit the Collector Ship).  Last points go into Incineration Blast and AI hacking (order dependent on missions).  

 

I've also recently run a control-oriented Infiltrator that focusses on Dominate as the "signature" power.  In this case I skip Incinerate and DA (except to unlock cryo and AI Hacking), instead leveling Dominate and Agent first, then Squad Cryo, then Cloak, then AI hacking.  For missions with synthetics only, points are respecced out of Dominate to AI hacking.  For mixed Mercs and Mechs, I drop Cloak down to 3 to get as many points as possible into AI hacking and Dominate.  So basically like a control-focussed engineer with weak invisibility for spotting, repositioning, and blind-siding enemies with SG.