The Mass Effect: Andromeda character creator isn't as robust as those in other BioWare games, but there's still plenty of options to create a customized character you'll be happy to spend dozens of hours with over the course of your play-through.
In fact, there's a tool built into Mass Effect: Andromeda that lets you upload your character to the Mass Effect Archives website for others to use. You'll also be able to import other people's custom Ryders if you like the look someone else achieved.
Jun 16, 2010 In Mass Effeect 2 for Xbox 360, you can import characters from the first Mass Effect game and receive nice bonuses for doing so. From credits, to resources, and even free levels. Import a level 60 character and you start at level 5, get 50k credits, 4k experience, and 10k of each resource. So I've never done a Sentinel run and I've been wondering about bonus powers for both 2 and 3. Reave sounds like a really good power for 2 but should I stick with it for 3 or go to Dark Channel which I hear isn't as good. Please note that I accidentally reset ME3 removing all achievements and bonus powers. I did a quick run with Ashley but I haven't unlocked Kaiden's bonuses yet so no Reave. Imported Character Bonuses: - Here are the bonuses you can get from importing a Mass Effect 2 save file. Your level from Mass Effect 2 will carry over to Mass Effect 3. Your Squad Members will also start at the same level. You will get Squad Points to upgrade your Powers based on your imported level. If you import a Level 30 Shepard, you will have 1 point automatically placed for you in one Power, and 59 available to place at your whim. You do not keep any credits you had leftover from ME 2. It does not look like there is much in the way of import bonuses the way there was in ME 2.
Here's how it works
Mass Effect: Andromeda: Character importing through Mass Effect Archives
If you want to import and export your character data, you'll need to create an account on the Mass Effect Archives website. If you already have an EA account linked to your PSN or Xbox Live account, you can simply log in with that existing information.
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Once you're logged in, you can comb through other players' custom Ryders, sorting them by how many times they've been 'liked' by other players, how new they are, etc.
Once you find a face you want to use, click it, then click 'use appearance.' Then, within Mass Effect: Andromeda itself, click 'import character data' when you're in the new character creator. You'll see it at the bottom of the menu once you enter the character customization screen.
It's a bit annoying that you have to navigate through faces outside the game itself, but it works.
Mass Effect: Andromeda sometimes takes a bit of time to actually show that you're connected to the internet, designated by the 'status: online' text and the green dot beneath your username in the upper-right corner on the start screen. So, make sure you wait long enough for it to connect before you jump into character creation.
Once you select 'import character data,' you should see a confirmation that it was successful. Your character's appearance on screen should change automatically. If it doesn't, make sure you've selected the 'customize appearance' option at the top of the screen. If you have the default Ryder appearance selected, their appearance will not change.
March 24, 2017, 10:46 a.m.: This story has been updated.
More Mass Effect news, updates, tips and tricks
For more on everyone's favorite space opera, check out the rest of what Mic has to offer. Here's an essay on the troubling history of colonialism in Mass Effect, a story about the horrifying harassment campaign carried out against a former BioWare employee, a guide to removing Ryder's helmet, a guide on romancing Keri, a guide to romancing Reyes and a quick explainer on the different types of health in Andromeda.
Much like the previous game, you get quite a few bonuses for importing characters from Mass Effect 2 into Mass Effect 3 for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
When you import a character from Mass Effect 2, you will retain the look you created for them, your level, and the major decisions you made over the course of the previous games. The levels of your squad members will also be retained. You will also be given the proper amount of points to spend on their abilities when you start the game.
The primary ship upgrades you purchased for the Normandy SR-2 will be there as well, but research upgrades will not.
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Unfortunately your credits and resources gained in the previous game will be lost as well.