| abstract | - For all combat missions (with the exceptions of Kasumi: Stealing Memory and Arrival), the player selects two squad members to accompany Shepard. If the mission in question is a character's loyalty mission, then that character must be in Shepard's shore party. Otherwise, the player is free to select any characters which have been acquired. Squad members can be given orders (move to position or attack target). Properly positioning squad members is very important for optimal character usage, especially during a firefight where proper use of cover can make the difference between life or death. On the PC, Q and E can be used to give a move or attack order to either squad member, while C is used to command your squad members to form up. When using squad member powers, the player can either choose to manually use squad member abilities, or to let squad members cast powers on their own. When using squad member powers against any enemy in the player's line-of-sight, it does not matter if the squad member itself can see the enemy or is even in the same room - the power is "proxied" through Shepard to the target. During a mission, the game only ends if Shepard is killed. If Shepard's squad members are incapacitated, they can be revived through the use of the Unity ability (which consumes medi-gel). Another option is to wait until the current firefight is resolved, at which point the fallen character(s) will automatically revive. Squad members have effectively unlimited ammunition reserves and do not need to pick up clips, but they suffer both a damage penalty when using weapons, as well as an increased cool-down on most powers when compared to Shepard. Squad members can each gain a maximum of 30 points to spend on abilities, with the exception of Miranda and Jacob (who each gain 31). One of these points is automatically allocated to the loyalty power when it is unlocked. Squad members skill points can only be reassigned if Lair of the Shadow Broker has been purchased and completed.
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