On the scale of paragon and renegade, I think the most memorable moments I have had with Mass Effect is being a Renegade with Paragon-like ideals - especially with Sole Survivor.
What I mean by this is being a renegade but try to push for paragon like outcomes - so making use of intimidation to obtain something usually obtained via persuasion, taking hard stances on those that wish to exploit and profit off unethical research, while still feeling strongly about preserving the rights of a species to exist.
Some great lines comes from both renegade actions and the contradictions.
By the time of the trilogy, I head cannon it together quite nicely as a Shepard feeling like he is always forced to make the hard choices, being someone struggling with survivor’s guilt, and internally is conflicted with the consequences of his actions and tries to do better.
This self-enforced burden has made them a bitter person, but not an irredeemable one as the personal moments help peel back the bravado and exposes someone really struggling to keep their shit together.
Do you have specific examples? Sounds cool. Might be a way for me to play with a Renegade twist without feeling like an asshole all the time lol
Tldr; Been a while since I played, but help people that are genuine and try to save civlians, get rid of elements that are rotten in society- up to you what you decided is rotten, anything cerberus is bad and have sympathy for those that suffer from being the ones used in experiments, Reaper tech research is bad and should be destroyed ( makes for a personal decision in 3), either side with or against Krogan ( have to fully commit to one for best outcome in regards to choice), know your worth and make use of your spectre status and save the council to feel smug about them being wrong
;end tldr
I will cheery pick some of my favourite examples in jumbled order
Mass Effect 1
- I found out Wrex likes to talk about eating people, when people threaten the group
- Hanging up on the Council, proceed to save them
- In renegade personal mission, you can negotiate a deal with the bandits( personal taste)
- Renegade choices against Sarin
- Do the interview in a Renegade tone if you can instead of socking her
- Anything related to Cerberus - have no mercy or show comtempt
- Have sympathy with the other survivor which ties in with point above
- Show dissatisfaction with rewards( Asari Consort for example, but I believe she gives you something that opens a lore blub on another planet)
- Can have a skeptical distrust of A.I. so geth and core skill enhancement mission
- ExoGeni Corpo gets capped
- Any scientist that is researching Reaper tech is assumed compromised
- Could have sympathy for salarian prisoner, can roleplay to think they are compromised too
- I think Wrex can be talked down in a renegade path if you have done enough for him as an alternative to convince him and have high renegade
- Saving Ashley Williams( She is a “sole survivor” in a sense) and assign her the salarian reinforcement group
- Being a hard ass with joker and he just mostly is a smart ass back
- Garrus you can make him a vigilante - it is a small effect later games but you can always course correct later
- Sometimes trying not to negotiate and try to strongarm people
Mass Effect 2
- instead of every shop being endorsed by Shepard, gaslight them to give you a discount - “Hey this shop discriminates against the poor!”
- although, paragon just do not trust anything with illusive man and cerberus - because of finding out about sole survivor details
- Save people but then be dickish about it
- Be a smart ass or be express anger at betrayal, renegade has some great lines with it and party banter
- Jack using renegade and paragon at the right choices if you want a relationship with her as a male shepard
- don’t take shit from people especially scummy people (quickest interrogation ever)
- during decisions be decisive with people that have taken advantage of misfortune but also try be understanding of the people that have been taken advantage of - some options have a similar outcomes with different flavours of pep talk
- be distrustful initially of EDI, but try and be more trustful when her blocks are removed( victim of cerberus).
Mass Effect 3
- Use the renegade as a means to take a stand for yourself
- Shepard can be petty with snarky comments
- Joker and Shepard have a nice moment near the end and feels better if you been a dick to him most of trilogy
- Show Vega why you are the Commander while sparing
- Shepard can be hard on leaders when they make mistakes ( a little dickish and petty, but feels good against a certain turian council member you save in 1)
- In negotiations with enemies the renegade can feel more in control and you can enjoy gloating when you beat bosses
- again being decisive in situations you know it will be easier to remove the threat than trying to have the threat back down
Just thought of more:
Romances options: although cliche ( sole survivor )
- male
- Ashley ( both hard exterior and both carry military burden)
- Jack ( share trauma in both being victims of cerberus)
- Cortez ( for same gender option, both can be victims in not letting go of the past)
- female
- Garrus ( trauma bonding, both can feel victim to their own decisions)
- Thane ( feeling responsible of lose and through that find understanding)
Team mates that Shepard can probably identify with
- Ashley, Wrex, Garrus, Grunt, Jack, Thane
Liara is a very broad stroke character and can be slotted into most scenarios, although she is really dedicated to Shepard considering how much she does for him.
Of course any thing can work if one puts their head to it, I just feel like this is the easiest ones off the top of my head
- male
Thank for the extensive write-up!
