Dear Bioware, please do NOT include the Acolyte in ME:A (or any other weapon that weighs nothing and deals 500% damage to two of the three defense types at range)
Claim: Equipping this weapon on any kit, either as a primary or secondary weapon, renders the kit optimal.
In other words, taking the Acolyte will almost always help a kit more than any other weapon taken in its place.
To prove this, we consider two general build cases - Powers-Centric and Weapons-Centric
Case 1 - Powers-Centric. Define a powers-centric build as one that deals the majority of its damage using powers. In this case, our argument hinges on the assumption that powers are most effective when used against unshielded targets primed with an appropriate effect (fire/cryo/tech).
Based on this assumption, it logically follows that the problem of optimizing a powers-centric build reduces to the problem of shield stripping/priming - And with the Acolyte dealing upwards of 3500 damage to shields/barriers, potentially to multiple targets, along with near 100% priming probability, there is no better weapon for performing this task. BTW, did I mention that it weighs close to nothing, is effective at any range and its projectiles even bounce off walls and behind cover?
Interestingly, this weapon even seems to offer optimal synergy with classes whose primary strengths are shield-stripping powers! Consider the Quarian Male Engineer for example. Arc Grenades inherently deal 200% multiplicative damage against shields/barriers, and can be evolved for an additional 75% multiplicative damage against shields (350% total). But unfortunately, these grenades still do less damage to barriers & shields than a single Acolyte shot, and hence are better used after the Acolyte shot in order to trigger explosions. As strange as it seems, even with the QME, I tend to do my best when carrying an Acolyte.
Case 2 - Weapons-Centric. Define a weapons-centric build as one that deals the majority of its damage using weapons. Although more difficult to prove, there is still an argument to made that weapon-centric builds are usually better with an Acolyte. The insight here is based on another claim, that optimal weapons builds are centered around a single weapon. The rationale for this claim deals with the limitation of only being able to equip a single weapon consumable (e.g. Assault Rifle Rail Amp). Based on this claim, the problem of optimizing a weapons-centric build reduces to the problem of selecting the optimal secondary weapon. And because armored targets are clearly the most labor-some enemies, it seems a reasonable assumption that an optimal weapons build use a primary weapon that is effective against armor. Hence, the optimal secondary weapon need not be effective against armor, as this would provide unnecessary redundancy. Choosing the Acolyte not only will provide higher DPS to shields/barriers than any other secondary weapon (and the primary weapon in most cases), but also is effective at any range (which the primary weapon may not be), and can reliably stagger certain enemies. So again, it seems like choosing the Acolyte is optimal, even for weapons-centric builds.
The Acolyte, the ****ing Acolyte... it should banned... if I see another "class-specific" solo using this weapon, I think I'm going to puke. It is pathetic and depressing, and unfortunately, some classes are just so bad that using this god-forsaken thing is the only way to make them viable on platinum. As a result, the vast majority of recorded platinum solos make use of this ridiculous weapon to some extent.
Recommendation to Bioware: PLEASE be more careful in deciding to assign multiplicative damage bonuses to weapons. When a weapon is made as universally optimal against the majority of defenses as the Acolyte, the in game diversity really suffers, as optimal play actually depends upon using it. I'm not opposed to defense specific weapons, but their utility should be limited such that there exists no one optimal weapon for all build types. For instance, maybe one weapon does 300% damage to barriers, but not shields, and only at close range, whereas another mid-range weapon does 200% damage to shields and is heavier.
I welcome all thoughts and discussion of BSN and Bioware. Now that I have this forum account, I might as well use it. First order of business: getting rid of this $#!+ weapon from a game that I have come to love.
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