For the final mission in Mass Effect 3, take the two squadmates who cover what your class lacks, and Liara with Garrus is the pair we would pick for most Shepards. Your squad does not change which endings you can get, but it does decide who is with you on the run to the beam, and if your Total Military Strength is too low, those two die there.
Below is exactly what your choice affects, when you pick, who can be available, what you fight in London, and the best pair for each class.
Does Squad Choice Matter in Priority: Earth?
Less than in the Mass Effect 2 suicide mission, where every role could cost a life. Your endings come only from your total on the War Terminal and the choice you make at the very end, as our best ending guide explains. Squad choice never adds or removes war assets, and nobody dies in the regular fights: downed squadmates can be revived.
What your final pair does decide:
| What it affects | How |
|---|---|
| The run to the beam | The two squadmates with you are either wounded and evacuated by the Normandy, with a farewell scene, or killed by Harbinger’s beam |
| The epilogue | A squadmate killed on the beam run is gone from the memorial scene. If that was your love interest, someone else places Shepard’s name on the wall |
| Joker’s last scene | One of the squadmates you left behind is the one who talks Joker into leaving Earth before the Crucible fires |
The Legendary Edition includes the Extended Cut, which is where the evacuation scene comes from. BioWare never published the cutoff for it, but it sits around 4,200 Total Military Strength in the Legendary Edition. If you are anywhere near the 7,800 our best ending guide aims for, both squadmates get out alive.
The goodbyes are not tied to your squad. At the Forward Operating Base you can talk to every squadmate who is still alive, whoever is in your party, so you never miss a farewell by leaving someone behind.
When You Pick Your Squad
You choose twice during the mission.
| Stage | When you choose | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| First stage | When you start Priority: Earth | The landing in London, the AA gun, and the Hades Cannon |
| Final stage | At the Forward Operating Base, after you tell Anderson you are ready and give your speech | The push to the Conduit, the missile battery fight, and the beam run |
The second pick is your last chance to change squadmates, weapons and weapon mods, so treat it as your final squad. Once the mission begins there is no going back to the Normandy, which is why our point of no return guide says to finish everything first.
The first stage throws large packs of Cannibals at you from the moment you land. A sturdy pair helps here: James with Fortification and Frag Grenade, and Javik with Lift Grenade, can clear groups fast and keep you alive.
Who Can Come With You
You will have between three and seven squadmates to choose from, depending on who survived the trilogy.
| Squadmate | Available if | Powers |
|---|---|---|
| James Vega | Always | Carnage, Frag Grenade, Fortification, Incendiary Ammo |
| Liara T’Soni | Always | Singularity, Warp, Stasis, Warp Ammo |
| EDI | Always | Incinerate, Overload, Decoy, Defense Matrix |
| Garrus Vakarian | He survived Mass Effect 2 | Concussive Shot, Overload, Proximity Mine, Armor-Piercing Ammo |
| Tali’Zorah | She survived Mass Effect 2 and Priority: Rannoch | Energy Drain, Sabotage, Combat Drone, Defense Drone |
| Javik | You recruited him on Priority: Eden Prime | Dark Channel, Lift Grenade, Pull, Slam |
| Kaidan Alenko or Ashley Williams | The Virmire survivor lived through the Cerberus coup and you let them back on the Normandy | Kaidan: Reave, Overload, Cryo Blast, Barrier. Ashley: Inferno Grenade, Concussive Shot, Disruptor Ammo, Marksman |
Javik’s From Ashes content is part of the Legendary Edition, so every copy can recruit him.
What You Fight in London
Priority: Earth is all Reaper forces, often with several Brutes and Banshees on the field at once. Match your squad’s powers to their defenses:
| Enemy | Defense | Powers that help |
|---|---|---|
| Marauder | Shields | Overload (Garrus, EDI, Kaidan), Energy Drain (Tali), Disruptor Ammo (Ashley) |
| Banshee | Barriers over very heavy armor | Overload for the barrier, then Warp (Liara) or Reave (Kaidan) |
| Brute, Ravager, Harvester | Armor | Incinerate (EDI), Warp (Liara), Reave (Kaidan), Armor-Piercing Ammo (Garrus) |
| Cannibals and husks | Numbers | Singularity and Stasis (Liara), Pull (Javik), Cryo Blast (Kaidan), and grenades |
Overload, Warp and Incinerate are the three to look for. Overload is strongest against shields and barriers, Warp against barriers and armor, and Incinerate against armor.
Best Final Squad for Each Class
These pairs cover the gap in each class’s own power set. If someone on the list is dead or missing, the alternative fills the same job.
| Shepard’s class | Take | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Soldier | Liara and Garrus | Soldiers have almost no crowd control. Liara’s Singularity and Stasis hold enemies still and her Warp handles Banshees, while Garrus’s Overload strips Marauder shields |
| Adept | Garrus (or EDI) and Liara (or Javik) | Adepts have no power built for shields, so bring Overload. Liara’s Singularity and Javik’s Dark Channel set up biotic explosions for your Throw to detonate |
| Engineer | Liara and James | You already strip shields and armor with Overload and Incinerate. Liara adds the biotic crowd control you lack, and James soaks up fire |
| Infiltrator | Liara and James | Infiltrators are weakest up close. James holds the line, and Liara’s Stasis freezes even shielded enemies so you can line up a shot |
| Sentinel | Javik and Garrus | Sentinels have Warp, Throw, Overload and Cryo Blast, so they cover every defense alone. Javik’s Pull and Dark Channel prime biotic explosions, and Garrus adds long-range damage |
| Vanguard | Liara and Kaidan (or EDI) | Liara’s Singularity and Warp set up targets for Biotic Charge and Nova. Kaidan’s Overload strips shields and his Reave primes more explosions, and EDI brings Overload if Kaidan is gone |
Liara is in five of the six pairs for a reason. She is the only squadmate with Warp, and her Singularity and Stasis make the big waves at the missile battery much easier to manage. Not sure which class you are playing best? Our best class guide compares them across the trilogy.
Picking for the Story Instead
Combat is not the only reason to choose. The farewell scene on the beam run is more personal if your love interest is one of the two, so if your total is high, bringing them pays off. If your total is low, leave your love interest out of the final squad, because both squadmates with you die on the beam run below the cutoff. Our list of who you can romance covers every option.
Garrus and Tali are the only two who can be full squadmates in all three games, which makes them a fitting closing pair for a Shepard carried through the whole trilogy.
On PC, the Take Earth Back mod adds a second choice to Anderson’s briefing: which of your war assets fight alongside you for the rest of the level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter who you take on the final mission in Mass Effect 3? Only for the run to the beam and what follows it. Your two squadmates are evacuated or killed there depending on your total, but squad choice does not change your endings.
Can squadmates die in Priority: Earth? Only on the beam run, and only if your Total Military Strength is low, around 4,200 or less in the Legendary Edition. Downed squadmates in normal combat can be revived.
Can you change your squad during Priority: Earth? Yes, once. After the speech at the Forward Operating Base, you pick your final squad, weapons and mods.
Should you take your love interest on the final mission? If your total is high, yes, for the farewell scene. If it is low, leave them out so they survive.
What is the best squad for the final mission? Liara and Garrus for most classes. Liara brings Warp and crowd control, and Garrus brings Overload and Armor-Piercing Ammo.
Do you get to say goodbye to everyone? Yes. Every living squadmate is at the Forward Operating Base, whether or not they are in your party.
How many squadmates can you take? Two, as in every mission in Mass Effect 3.