TALENTS

The skills, powers or abilities in Mass Effect are called talents. The talents are divided in few categories.

Racial Talents are directly tied to your character's species. The character gains first Racial Talent at character level 1, second Racial Talent at character level 5, and one Racial Talent every next five character levels. You can preview Racial Talent distribution in your class progression table, sometimes progression can be accelerated through prestige classes, but a single character can have maximum of 5 Racial Talents total. You cannot spend Racial Talents on a tree outside of your specie.

Proficiency Talents are Character Talents that allow a character access to a Talent that usually has a pre-requirement. Proficiency Talents do not grant any points to advance a Talent, they merely skip the requirement and unlock the Talent. Proficiency Talents can usually be found in description of a specie or a class. For example Soldier Class is proficient in Heavy Armor Talent. This allows Soldier to spend Talent Points on Heavy Armor Talent, without learning Light Armor and Medium Armor first.

Class Talents are directly tied to your character's class or prestige class. You can preview Class Talent distribution in your class progression table. There are two types of Class Talents: Signature Class Talent which is exclusive to your class and Standard Class Talent which is not exclusive to your class and can be upgraded using Class Talent Points or other Talent Points sources.

Combat Talents Improve Character's damage output and personal survivability. These talents train use of weapons, armor, fitness, and combat proficiency.

Tech Talents are based around reverse engineering or hacking various technologies, including hardsuit systems, weapons, and synthetic enemies like the geth. Tech talents are deployed with omni-tools and are good for getting into locked places and salvaging resources and loot.

Biotic Talents are the abilities of some lifeforms to create mass effect fields using element zero nodules embedded in body tissues. These powers are both accessed and augmented by using bio-amps. Non organic life forms are not capable of using biotics.