Page Contents
Last update: 2022-10-30
Since the original Mass Effect 3 at lot of time has passed and this modding guide will show, that the Legendary Edition Mass Effect 3 is much easier to modify than its predecessor.
Modding Guides
- Mass Effect 1 Original Trilogy
- Mass Effect 2 Original Trilogy
- Mass Effect 3 Original Trilogy
- Mass Effect 1 Legendary Edition
- Mass Effect 2 Legendary Edition
- Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition <– You Are Here
Before You Start
It is very important that your Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition installation is clean before you continue.
This means that nothing must be modded into your installation, and all files have to be in vanilla state.
If you have never edited and/or modded your Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition installation, then you can try the “Repair” functionality of your Origin client.
But this does only check files belonging to the official install, and does not remove added files.
Therefore it is safest to start your modding journey by doing a clean install.
Creating Your Master Backup
Modding Mass Effect 3 has basically two parts: DLC Mods and Texture Mods.
While DLC Mods are just folders added to your installation, which you can rename, move and delete as you wish, Texture Mods have to actively change your installation to work.
It is also important that no new DLC Mods are added after you have applied your first Texture Mods, because such additions would break your installation.
So what do you do if you want to add or upgrade DLC Mods after you have applied some Texture Mods?
You could delete your Installation and start with a fresh one, of course. But the much faster option is to revert to a backup of a clean install.
The creation of such a backup is very simple:
You need some space where to put it, and only have to fire up the Mod Manager. The program will greet you with a list of installed Mass Effect titles for which you do not have a backup.
Open the Backup Manager, select your Mass Effect 3 installation, and click “back up”. If you do not have the international version, but a localized one installed, you must add the correct language to back up. Finally choose a backup destination and let it roll.
Once you have reached this stage, only the rest of the Legendary Edition 3 Modding Guide will matter to you. If no bad things happen, you will not have to repeat any of the steps above.
Restore From Your Master Backup
Once you have installed Texture Mods, you have to revert to your Master Backup if you wish to add or upgrade DLC mods.
To restore your backup open ModManager and select Backup and restore in the top menu, then select “Restore”.
Select your Mass Effect 3 installation folder and click on “Restore this Target.”
Once the restoration of your master backup is finished, you can move on with re-modding your installation.
DLC Modding
The full process of
Restore → DLC Modding → Texture Modding
is shown in the video to the right.
There aren’t many rules, so this might be all you need.
The Very First Mod
Always install the LE3 Community Patch first, as many mods rely on it being installed.
Sometimes the Order Matters
Some mods install compatibility patches whenever certain other mods are installed.
But while some mods let you choose which compatibility patches to install, other mods do not let you unless the other mod is present.
You have to take care of the installation order in this case, for which I use a Modding Checklist, so I do not have to remember which mods need which other mods..
If have used my own Modding Checklist for LE3 as the basis for the mod list below, you can use it as a starting point for your own modding journey
List Of DLC Mods Used
The following is my personal list of DLC Mods. Please read the description of each Mod before downloading and installing it. The list below is alphabetically ordered, but you can use my Modding Checklist for the correct order and hints about their configuration if you like.
LE3 Community Patch
LE3 Community Patch is a comprehensive bug and continuity fix mod for Mass Effect 3 Legendary Edition.
A Lot Of Videos (ALOV)
ALOV is an exhaustive and comprehensive 4K 60fps video overhaul project powered by AI and augmented with faithful in-game remakes, error corrections and other misc improvements.
Admiral Daro’Xen Restored
ADR restores the Admiral Daro’Xen war asset that was (mistakenly?) removed from the ME3 Legendary Edition. Claudia Black stans, rejoice!
Appearance Modification Menu LE3
This mod adds a whole new menu interface to LE3 that allows you to customize your custom Shepard’s looks in game, with a live, rotatable preview.
Ashley’s Date Fixed
Fixes, improvements and restorations for Ashley’s presidium date scene.
Assorted Bed Sheets (LE3)
Over 100+ bed sheets for your cabin! Change them on the fly!
Audemus’ Happy Ending Mod (AHEM)
AHEM is a rework of the ending to LE3, and a spiritual successor to the Happy Ending Mod. The primary focus of the mod is to allow Commander Shepard to survive the final mission, as well as provide satisfying closure to this incredible trilogy through tweaked cutscenes, edited videos, new ending slides, and an overhauled memorial scene.
Cerberus Retrofits
This overhauls most of the game so that Cerberus Assault Troopers, Centurions and Guardians use more lore-accurate armour from Mass Effect 2, and it gives Cerberus more of an aesthetic that matches the rest of the trilogy.
Character Consistency Project
Some characters, primarily aliens, in Mass Effect 3 do not look like they did in the two previous games. This mod sets out to provide consistency so that these characters are instantly recognisable.
Collectors Cabin
Note: This mod conflicts with the EGM Normandy module’s cabin. You will lose various additions to the cabin brought by EGM, such as the new creature for your fish tank, Shepard’s helmet from SR1 crash, interactive picture of love interest, new models etc.
Only install this mod if you can live with these losses!
Witness your cabin fill after each mission, as you amass a collection of trinkets from across the galaxy.
Now includes store purchases!
Conrad No Apology
Conrad Verner no longer apologizes for wrongly accusing you of pointing at gun at him. Meant to be used with conjunction of my Conrad Verner Remembers mod for Mass Effect 2 Legendary Edition.
Diana Allers Overhaul
Visual overhaul of Diana Allers’s appearance with a sculpted head mesh, new face textures, and optional outfit replacers. Three outfit options are included in the installer.
Dreams – Wear Casuals
Move Faster in the Dreams and option to wear Casuals instead of Armour
If you like the original nightmares but wish Shepard would move faster
or wear casuals instead this mod is for you.
EDI in Uniform
Important: The current version 1.1 should not be installed before EDIs new body has been woken up. At least the cut-scenes after Priority:Mars will currently freeze.
This mod also has to be deactivated before starting “Geth Dreadnought”, or the game freezes when starting this mission.
This mod replaces EDI’s default appearance to wear an Alliance crew uniform, a hat to match Joker’s, and relaxed (rather than condensed into a helmet) hair strands.
EGM Armors for LE2 and LE3
The Initiative Armors from Ark Mod and MP Armors from EGM all set up as a brand new DLC Mod for LE3. Includes T5-V Battlesuit, N7 Pathfinder, Initiative Spearpoint, N7 Slayer and many more.
Expanded Galaxy Mod (LE)
Note: “Collectors Cabin” conflicts with the Normandy module’s cabin. You will lose various additions to the cabin, such as the new creature for your fish tank, Shepard’s helmet from SR1 crash, interactive picture of love interest, new models etc.
Important: You must install this mod with the GALACTIC WAR ALPHA module for Spectre Expansion Mod‘s Galaxy Map to work corretly!
A few quality of life features from Expanded Galaxy Mod (ME3) ported to LE3. As EGM will take a long time to be ported, a few behind the scenes features that improve the gameplay are being added earlier. Over time this mod will gradually become more like the full EGM experience, as more content is added.
Extra basic outfits and hats
With this mod you can use 8 more basic outfits and 8 more hats, 3 armors, invisible shoulders/arms/legs pieces. All torso pieces have an Cerberus Shade Armor bonus. You can use normal clothes instead of armor.
F.I.S.H. Mod (LE3)
Kelly will now show up and give your fish back as long as she survived the suicide mission. No more flirty dinner required.
FemShep v BroShep Duel
Read this article about how to configure your Counter-Shepard.
Faceoff against a Citadel clone that looks whatever way you want. Use custom head morphs, scars, or modded looks. Fight against Broshep as Femshep, or against Femshep as Broshep, or against Femshep as Femshep, or against Broshep as Broshep. Your choices, your battle.
Geth Retrofits
This mod overhauls the Geth faction so that it makes use of the Geth Bomber enemy from ME3 Multiplayer and the Armax Arsenal Arena. The intention is to maintain combat balance, and perhaps someday add a little more enemy variety.
Harbinger Overhaul Mod
This mod does two things – restore Harbingers design from Mass Effect 2 and edits the prologue so that he is the first Reaper that you witness on Earth.
There’s little more to say about it other than… ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL!
Immersive Emails
This mod takes all of the messages from the Bioware companion app for ME3 and inserts them into your game at key moments. The messages range from cute to heartbreaking to funny and are canon-compliant as they were written by Bioware.
Improved Power Grid Mod
Important: Do *NOT* install this mod if you plan to install the “LE3 Diversification Project”, because the improved Power Grid is already included in it!
Improved Power Grid Mod alters the appearance of Purgatory before and after you complete the side quest titled Citadel: Improved Power Grid.
(NEW) Kaidan Alenko Overhaul (LE3)
Gives Kaidan a new, high definition face mesh, romance body, hair, and several outfit options, selectable in-game through the mod settings menu.
(NEW) Keyboard/Mouse Gib Fix
(No Image, because this mod is not for everyone!)
Fixes the head gib effect not working when using keyboard and mouse input.
Kirrahe Makes Good
Speaking to Major Kirrahe during Priority: Sur’kesh awards the Salarian Special Tasks Group war asset at the end of the mission, to better match his dialogue and… common sense?
Kitsumi’s Modded Casual Outfits
Kitsumi’s Modded Casual Outfit with a Top Tank for FemShep and Modded Casual Outfit N7 Shirt for both Sheps finally ported to MELE3.
LE3 Diversification Project
Important: This mod includes “Improved Power Grid Mod”. Make sure to *NOT* install that mod, too!
A project designed to diversify LE3 through better species’ population balancing, outfit/appearance diversification and overall breathing more life into the world. This project is currently in ALPHA and is only partially complete.
LE3 Opening Remaster
LE3 Opening Remaster aims to improve the opening cinematic of Mass Effect 3, using remastered footage from an early ME3 Xbox 360 demo, as well as diversifies the opening text scroll if the Arrival DLC was completed.
LE3 Planet Scanner Mouse Speed Increase
Gives a couple of different options for the speed of the scanning reticle when you are scanning planets for artifacts etc.
Leather Jacket for Femshep
Adds a custom leather jacket outfit to femshep’s locker. Version 3.0 now also includes the hoodie jacket for maleshep.
Metallic Armor Tints
More metallic armor tints that can be used with the parts armors or EGM Armor’s with the torsos unlocked.
(NEW) Miranda Mod LE
Put Miranda back on the Normandy where she belongs. Post Horizon this allows Miranda to return to the Normandy as part of the crew. Features fully voiced conversations, romance and many more features. Requires Expanded Galaxy Mod (Normandy Module).
More Gay Romances
More Gay Romances is a mod for Mass Effect: Legendary Edition that adds more same-gender romance options to the game. As of this version, Miranda and Jack have been added as romance options for FemShep in LE2 & LE3.
Morning’s DressesSkirts PT2
Bunch of new outfits that contains dresses and similar stuff from Sims CC Creators as buyable Casual Clothes for FemShep LE3.
Morning’s Hairstyles for FemShep PT2
Bunch of Hairstyles by AHarris00Britney, Okruee, RavenSim, SheaButtyr, Oakiyo, Simandy, Kamiiri, Wild Pixels, and AladdintheSimmer for FemShep.
Morning’s Pants Outfits and Stuff
New batch of outfits that contains pants and similar stuff from Sims CC Creators and Original Sims Content as buyable Casual Clothes for FemShep LE3
Morning’s Pants Outfits for Men
Bunch of outfits from Sims CC creators and original sims content as buyable Casual Clothes for MaleShep LE3
Morning’s Pantsoutfits PT2
Bunch of new outfits that contains pants and similar stuff from Sims CC Creators as buyable Casual Clothes for FemShep LE3.
N8 Weapons Remix for LE3
Better accuracy and slower bloom. Less recoil. Less weight. Other adjustments. No nonsense. Done by an ME3 multiplayer veteran.
This is a thorough yet relatively tame approach to a rebalance. Weapons should feel very familiar but better.
No Shotgun Firing Delay
This Merge Mod will remove the firing delay on shotguns in LE3
Omega Interrupt Mod (Tech classes and Non Tech Classes)
Changes the Omega interrupt from being exclusive to engineer to being available to infiltrator, engineer, and sentinel if you want to keep lore correct.
Also has optional all non tech classes version. If you want the interrupt if you’re playing as a soldier, adept or vanguard or any other class.
Optional Flirting Mod (LE3)
Adds extra options on the dialogue wheel in LE3 so that Shepard has an actual choice between being friendly or flirty to potential love interests.
Oriana looks like Miranda’s Twin
Small lore-friendly mod that changes Oriana’s face into Miranda’s, so they actually look like twins. ME3LE version.
Outfits for FemShep LE3
Bunch of outfits as store buyable casual clothes for femShepard in LE3
Phantom Introduction Mod
This mod replaces the Kai Leng shuttle scene during the Cerberus Coup with an introduction scene for the Phantom. As such, this restore Biowares original intended introduction to the Phantom enemy class.
Prayer Book (Thanes Prayer)
Important: If you plan to install EGM or have it installed, make sure that you download the “Starbopard Observation” variant of this mod. EGM adds crew to the Life Support Deck, which effectively removes all of Thanes Prayer from there.
Kolyat has left Shepard a small gift on the Normandy. Edi has had it placed in the Life Support Deck, for when Shepard has the time to sit.
Consider heading over to Kassa Fabrications, Flowers left in memory can be a nice thing to tie it all together.
Read the Datapad to see the Prayer, Examine the book for Immersion.
Quiet Interrupts
Removes the sounds (entirely or just the trigger noise) from Paragon and Renegade interrupts for a more immersive cutscene experience.
This is a very small mod with a very big impact, and one of my personal highlights!
Reaper Retrofits
This intends to overhaul the Reaper faction to use more of the husk monsters they have used through the rest of the trilogy, starting with the Abominations and eventually adding both the Scions and Praetorians that were first featured in Mass Effect 2.
Respec Javik
BioWare forgot to add the ability to reset Javik’s powers on the Normandy MedBay. They didn’t fix it for LE either. This mod fixes that.
Restore 3-stage melee for LE3
This mod restores the 3-stage melee attacks that were part of the original Mass Effect 3 game but are bugged and don’t work in Mass Effect 3 (Legendary Edition). This mod restores them. This mod may become hidden in the future if BioWare fixes this bug.
Shepard Movement Animation Replacer
Replaces Shepard’s idle, walking, running, and sprinting animations, either by porting their LE1 animations or by swapping their gender-specific animations.
Smaller Notifications
Reduces the size of ME2 and ME3’s notifications and moves them closer to the bottom right corner.
Spectre Expansion Mod
Important: You must install EXPANDED GALAXY MOD with the GALACTIC WAR ALPHA module for Spectre Expansion Mod’s Galaxy Map to work corretly!
The purpose of Spectre Expansion Mod is to improve the under used Shadow Broker and Spectre terminals, to give the player new difficult choices to consider via Spectre authorisations, to improve the presence of background races in ME3, to expand the galaxy map and provide clues to the battles happening beyond the scope of Shepard’s missions.
Storm Improvements
Numerous improvements to storming in LE3, allowing better control and more agility on and off the battlefield. Includes the ability to sprint in any direction and a tap to sprint control scheme. Options are modular and all work with keyboard or controller.
About the next three Mods: Only install one of the three!
“Subtle Face for Tali” is very compatible with other mods, Talis Visor is semi-transparent and her facial animations are really good.
“Tali Remastered” has a very beautiful and well animated face, her Visor is not fully transparent, but the mod has some compatibility issues.
“Tali Zorah Overhaul” is very compatible with other mods, Talis Visor is always fully transparent but her facial animations are a bit weak.
If you intent to use the “Unique Quarians (LE3)” mod, then please consider using Tali Zorah Overhaul, as both mods were designed to work together.
Please read the mod descriptions on the mod pages carefully and have a good look at their image galleries.
Subtle Faces for Quarians (and Tali)
More visible and detailed faces for Tali and other Quarians.
New textures and fully animated face meshes.
*** OR ***
Tali Remastered LE3
This DLC add Creative Machinima’s 3D model of Tali Zorah to LE3.
*** OR ***
Tali Zorah Overhaul (LE3)
Overhaul of Tali’s LE3 appearance with a completely new, fully animated face.
Again, do *NOT* install more than one of the Tali mods, it would break your game!
Take Earth Back
An overhaul for the final mission of Mass Effect 3 with the aim of representing the allies you have gathered over the course of the trilogy, fixing bugs and adding ambient immersive events. In addition, this is natively built to be compatible with story mods such as Expanded Galaxy Mod and Spectre Expansion Mod.
Tank Top casuals for LE3
Adds new tank top outfits to casual appearance for both Female & Male Shepard. Includes optional additional casual outfits for FemShep. For MELE2 and MELE3.
Unique Quarians (LE3)
Overhaul of the quarian’s appearances, giving each of them a unique, visible, high-definition face, which is rigged and fully able to move and emote during speech. Designed to be used in conjunction with Tali Overhaul Mod.
(NEW) Usable Hot Tub
This mod makes the hot tub in Anderson’s apartment interactable and adds a short cutscene of Shepard using it. It is available right from the start of the Citadel DLC, but disabled during the party (as that would interfere with NPCs that can be present in the area).
Vignette Remover
Removes the ugly vignette effect in the corners of the screen, producing the same image as photo mode with vignette off!
Texture Modding
If you really want to lift up your Mass Effect 1 experience, you will have to install texture mods.
Luckily it is very simple to install these mods, you do not even have to quit ModManager. Instead, open the Tools menu and select:
“Mass Effect Modder (for Legendary Edition)”.
Each of the three Mass Effect titles has its own section.
Click on “Mods Manager” under “Mass Effect” and select the “Mods Installer”
Here you click on “Add to list” and select all MEM files you wish to install.
I prefix my files with LE1, LE2 and LE3, so mods are grouped by game title and therefore easier to select.
Once you have selected all texture mods you want to install, click on “Install all mods” .
Now do something completely different, because this takes a long time, almost 30 minutes on my laptop.
List Of Texture Mods Used
The following is my personal list of Texture Mods. Please read the description of each Mod before downloading and installing it.
A Lot Of Textures (ALOT)
Vanilla-friendly, exhaustive and easy to install graphical overhaul mod for the Mass Effect Trilogy.
Brunette Jack is Back
A mod to reverse Bioware’s baffling decision to make Jack a blonde.
FemSheppings MELE Eyes
Eye textures. Replaces textures for male and female humans. I think it replaces asari eyes too. Check image section for the comparison. It makes the iris more detailed and the pupil smaller.
Fix Middle Part Lipsticks LE1/2/3
I fixed the lighter color issue on lips which is especially visible on darker lipstick colors.
Jack complexion (LE2 and LE3)
This look softens her make up quite a bit and also adds a couple of scars to further emphasize the abuse she suffered.
Jack’s Shirt and Pants
A quick edit that gives Jack more coverage in ME3 because she’s a teacher who is sup- nah it’s because the original outfit looks mega cringe.
New Lashes for FemShep
New Lashes for FemShep
Thanks
Many Thanks to all of you awesome mod authors! Without you the Mass Effect Journey would have ended many years ago for a lot of us, and would have never started for some of us.
Special Thanks To:
Audemus, the ALOV Team, Beccatoria, CreeperLava, Delawana, DropTheSquid, the Elcor Appreciation Society, Herobrine24, Khaar Machinima, Kinkojiro, the LE3 Community Patch Team, Lumbago99, ME3Tweaks, Mellin, MentalHygiene, Mentlegen, MorningAngel, Murple, Padme4000, Phoenixsoul13, Rondeeno, Scottina123 and Tydeous.
VERY Special Thanks to Vikki, your “Quiet Interrupts” mod fixed the biggest issue I had with the game!
Supporting Options
If you like what I am doing, you can
* join my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/EdenPrimeTime or
* buy me a coffee at: https://buymeacoffee/EdenPrimeTime
to show your support and to gain access to exclusive videos.
If I manage to achieve a stable support of about 300€ per month, I can afford a loan on a high-end PC. With this I can record in top 4K quality (maybe even 8K) and can publish more frequently.
All supporters with “Members” level and up will get access to commented uncut video and the extra extra long long versions of my extended romance videos.