The Best Planets for Platinum on "Mass Effect 2"

To get all of the necessary upgrades for your crew and the Normandy, you'll need to be vigilant in gathering resources during your "Mass Effect 2" playthrough. From the moment you gain full control of the Normandy after the first mission, you can head to several Platinum-rich planets to probe all the Platinum you'll need for every upgrade.

Engineer Class Bonus

Engineers can benefit from cheaper upgrades after picking either Tech Mastery specialization. Hold off on upgrading anything until Shepard becomes a Mechanic or a Demolisher; both use 25 percent fewer resources when using the Normandy's research station.

Remember: Top Up Your Probes

In any major star cluster, you can have the Normandy stop and pick up probes and fuel. At first, you can only hold 30 probes, but getting the Modular Probe Bay upgrade after recruiting the assassin doubles this threshold. To gain access to upgrades, recruit the scientist in the quarantined apartments on Omega first.

First Target: Omega Nebula

Deep in the Omega Nebula where you'll recruit the scientist and Archangel, there are several planets bursting with Platinum and other useful resources. In the Fathar System are two planets with over 14,000 Platinum apiece: Lorek and Dorgal.

If you return to Lorek after completing the first two missions after Freedom's Progress, you can dock as part of the N7: Lost Operative mission. Completing the quest on this planet earns you some additional Platinum for your efforts.

In the Sahrabarik System, Bindur offers 15,000 Platinum. You cannot dock on this freezing planet.

In the Arinlarkan System, Utha is one of the richest Platinum planets as it offers 17,000 units of the resource.

Finally, navigating into the Batalla System, you'll find Thunawanuro, worth 14,000 Platinum. Remember to gather more fuel and probes before taking the mass relay to the Eagle Nebula.

Second Target: Eagle Nebula

Once you've entered the Eagle Nebula, make for the Amun System to find Anhur. Although the scanner reports the planet to be rich, it's not quite as abundant with Platinum as those in the Omega Nebula; Anhur only has 10,700 Platinum to offer.

However, move over to the Relic System to find Rough Tide, a purple planet that offers a higher amount of Platinum: 14,700.

Final Targets: Ismar Frontier and Hourglass Nebula

The last few Platinum-rich planets available at the start of the game are tucked away in the Ismar Frontier and the Hourglass Nebula. In the Frontier, head into the Elysta System to find Odasst for 13,700 Platinum. On the way out, make a quick stop into the Aquila System to probe Volturno for 10,400 Platinum.

Lastly, you can stop by the Hourglass Nebula to find Erinle in the Osun System. Probing this planet will reward you with a high yield of 14,100 Platinum.

Extra Content? You'll Need Extra Resources

Additional downloadable content for "Mass Effect 2" adds new missions, many of which include additional resources to collect. For example, finding Kasumi Goto and completing her loyalty mission rewards you with 2,000 more Platinum.