Mass Effect: How to Issue Squad Commands

The squadmates you can recruit in the original Mass Effect trilogy are good for more than just romancing. While in battle, you can direct them to carry out an array of different actions, allowing you to gain the upper hand in combat and keep your enemies from overtaking you. However, this won’t mean much if you don’t know how to issue Squad Commands in Mass Effect.

That’s why we’ve compiled this guide on the subject. Read on to find out when, where, and how you can use this mechanic to have the best trilogy playthrough possible.

How to Issue Squad Commands in Mass Effect

Across all three of the original Mass Effect trilogy titles, Squad Commands are issued in the same way.

While exploring with your squadmates, you can give them orders using the D-Pad. Pressing Up on the D-Pad will tell them to attack enemies more aggressively, prioritizing offense over defense. Pressing the Left or Right Directional Buttons, meanwhile, will see you direct one of your squadmates to a specific point marked by your aiming reticle.

The Left Directional Button commands the squadmate to your left, while the Right Directional Button commands the squadmate to your right. They’ll then go to that point, taking cover if it’s available and attacking any enemies that appear in their sights.

If you find that you need your squadmates to regroup, then you can press Down on the D-Pad and they’ll return to your side.

When You Should Give Commands

As for when the best times are to issue Squad Commands in Mass Effect, it depends on the situation.

For example: If you’re up against a group of enemies that are spread out and peppering you from multiple angles, then sending your squadmates to different locations can help you lessen the fire coming in from one location. On the other hand, you’ll probably want to keep your squadmates close by and focused on attacking if you’re up against a condensed horde of enemies.

That’s everything you need to know about how to issue Squad Commands in Mass Effect. For more on the original trilogy, check out our Mass Effect Legendary Edition guide wiki. It has guides that’ll walk you through everything from how to complete certain quests to how to romance specific characters.