Asari Diplomacy - Mass Effect Guide - IGN (2024)

This page of IGN's Mass Effect wiki guide is about the Asari Diplomacy Assignment Side-Quest, including how to complete the combat encounters, and make the right choices for your playthrough.

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• Assignment Stats
• Travel to Macedon
• Land on Sharjila
• Find Dahlia
• Inform Nassana

Assignment Stats

Essential Stats

• Persuasion Points: N/A
• Minimum Decryption: N/A
• Minimum Electronics: N/A

Recommended Squad

• Several loot objects require Hard Decryption, so you should bring along either Kaidan, Tali or Garrus for these skills.

Travel to Macedon

• Location: Artemis Tau - Macedon - Sharjila

This Assignment can be acquired in three different ways. The first, and honestly least likely, is when you're on Peak 15 on Noveria. In the the snow-filled cafeteria room with the bugs, check one of the rooms on the upper floor for a laptop you can crack with Easy Decryption. This will point you in the direction of the Macedon system in the Artemis Tau cluster. If you've talked to Nassana, however, this won't be available.

The second and more likely method occurs after completing either Therum, Feros or Noveria. After doing this and then traveling to any system, you'll get a call from Nassana Dantius asking you to meet her in the Presidium Embassies.

Talk with her in the Bar Lounge to learn that she wants you to rescue her sister, captive by pirates in the Macedon system of the Artemis Tau cluster. This conversation offers no Morality Points, and you'll get it even if you try to decline it altogether.

If you're following our guide in order and just talked to Nassana, you should next go to Delan's Emporium to buy two Licenses, then start Citadel: Family Matter.

The last method is the most direct: you can stumble upon this Assignment's intended destination at any time by visiting Sharjila itself.

However you approach this, you'll be going to the Macedon system in the Artemis Tau cluster. The Assignment is on Sharjila, but before you land, make sure to scan the system for the following goodies:

Land on Sharjila

Your destination is the Stronghold directly North of the landing zone, marked with a 3 on our map. It's guarded outside by a plethora of enemies, including sharpshooters on towers that have, quite frankly, incredible accuracy.

Unless you're playing the original release of the game, don't get out of the Mako while fighting. Instead, use the vehicle's heavy weapons to take these enemies out, driving around and eliminating them one after the other. When the enemies are felled, park the Mako in front of the Stronghold's entrance, exit the vehicle, then enter the building.

If you are playing the original release of Mass Effect 1, you'll want to be very careful if you're tackling this below Level 30 or so, as these outdoor enemies will be VERY tough, and you'll have to deal with the crushing atmosphere of the planet. Take out the Snipers first since they're the most immediate threat.

Find Dahlia

When you've entered the structure, go forward into the adjoining room from the entrance. It's here that the enemies will make their last stand. Take cover as needed, make sure your gun doesn't overheat, and use any skills (and healing) if you find that they are necessary.

When the enemies are eliminated on the first floor, you'll then have open access, enemy-free, to the rest of the building. Head to the upper side-room and Examine the laptop on the Desk: you'll discover that Dahlia was the Asari you just killed, and she was the leader of slavers, blackmailing her sister! Better talk to Nassana about this.

Before leaving however, make sure to sweep the stronghold of its loot:

• Lower Floor:
  • Medical Kit - From the entryway looking into the main room, this will be on top of the crates ahead and on your right. You can open it without having to vault up the crates.
  • Upgrade Kit - On the South side of the pile of crates with the Medical Kit.
  • Crate x3 - In the lower side-room, directly across from the entry door.
  • Medical Station - Easy Decryption. In the middle of the lower side-room.
• Upper Floor:
  • Malfunctioning Object - In the upper side-room, to the left of the entry door.
  • Hardened Storage Locker - Hard Decryption. In the upper side-room, across and a bit to the right of the entry door.
  • Hardened Wall Safe - Hard Decryption. In the North-West corner of the upper side-room.

Inform Nassana

Head back to the Embassies on the Presidium and speak to Nassana, hanging out in the Bar Lounge area (it's directly across from the Human and Elcor/Volus Embassies, up the stairs to the left of the Receptionist). As you explain to her what you discovered, she'll explain she knew all along, using you to get rid of an unfortunate blemish on her family's political reputation, and get out of her sister blackmailing her.

You'll now have several ways to conclude the conversation. Uniquely, the two Persuasion options do not give Morality Points!

• Pick "Don't bother" to get +2 Paragon Points.
• Picking "Fair enough" won't get you any rewards outside the existing XP and Credits.
• Pick "It better be" for +2 Renegade Points.
• If you have 3 Charm, pick "I've got a better deal" to get the Armali Council License.
• If you have 4 Intimidate, pick "Credits won't cut it" to get the Armali Council License.

The Armali Council License is an important acquisition because it allows you to buy high-quality Omni-Tools and Bio-Amps. More than that, however, the license is very easily-missed: the only other ways to get it are to complete the Noveria: Espionage Assignment (which may be over the line for Paragon players), or purchase it from Commander Rentola, in the small window you can shop from him on Virmire.

If you're following our guide in order, you'll now be done with your Post-First Mission World duties! You should now continue the main quest by heading to Feros.