A lot of the technology in Mass Effect that’s taken for granted actually comes from an extinct race called the Protheans. The races in Mass Effect didn’t become technologically advanced enough to build the Mass Relays or the Citadel — other species that existed long ago actually did it for them. Usually, races that become technologically advanced have just found a Prothean artifact (like the one that humans found on Mars) and copied the tech as best they could.
The assignment UNC: Prothean Data Discs tasks Shepard with hunting down ancient “data discs” at Prothean sites across the galaxy. They’re considered a rare treasure due to their fragile nature, even though the galaxy has no way to read them yet. Scientists hope that they’ll figure it out one day and be able to learn more about Protheans, their culture, their history, and their attempts to stop the Reapers. This guide details how to track each one down across the galaxy.
Receiving The Assignment
If you haven’t already unlocked the assignment and started hunting down discs, don’t bother to start until you’ve finished the main story quests on Noveria, Feros, and Virmire. Once you’re finished those, you should have access to all the planets you need in order to complete the assignment. Otherwise, you may find yourself hitting walls when certain systems are locked behind prerequisites.
The Prothean Data Disc assignment is fairly straightforward to obtain. All you need to do is find one of them. Then, your journal will automatically update with the quest UNC: Prothean Data Discs.
You may notice that it only requires you to find 7 discs, but there are ten listed in this guide. The three others are just extra, in case you’re a true completionist or are in want of some bonus experience and credits (which never hurt, especially if you’re running a playthrough on insanity).
Data Disc Locations
Carbonaceous Asteroid Disc
Locate this data disc easily by surveying the Carbonaceous Asteroid. It’s located in the Phoenix System of the Argos Rho Cluster.
Antibaar Disc
The Prothean Data Disc on Antibaar requires Shepard and their squad to land on the planet’s surface. To get to the planet, head to the Tereshkova System in the Armstrong Nebula — Antibaar is the planet closest to the sun. Once you’ve landed, head for the anomaly labeled on your map directly to the west to grab this disc.
Asteroid Cluster Disc
This Prothean Data disc only requires you to survey the cluster of asteroids in the Sparta System of the Artemis Tau Cluster.
Sharring Disc
The disc on Sharring, the third planet away from the star, is acquired simply by surveying this planet. It can be found in the Theseus System, which is part of the Attican Beta Cluster.
Juntauma Disc
Juntauma, a planet in the Hades Gamma Cluster’s Farinata System, is holding a Prothean data disc for you to find. Simply travel there and survey the planet to acquire it.
Chasca Disc
There’s a data disc you can find on Chasca, a planet in the Mantano System. You’ll find it in the Maroon Sea Cluster. The Prothean disc is labeled as an anomaly on your map once you and your squad drop onto the planet. Head directly south to reach it.
Rocky Asteroid Disc
Head to the Maroon Sea Cluster, then to the Matano System. There, on the rocky asteroid orbiting the star, you’ll be able to perform a survey and find your Prothean data disc.
Wermani Disc
Wermani is the second furthest planet from the star in the Erebus system of the Styx Theta Cluster. Survey it to find one of the discs.
Alrumter Disc
Alrumter is a planet in the Voyager Cluster’s Yangtze System. When you reach it and survey it, you’ll receive the Prothean data disc that you need.
Binthu Disc
When you reach the Yangtze System in the Voyager Cluster, head to the planet Binthu. You’ll need to land in the Mako with your squad in order to find the disc. From the landing zone, head southeast. You can orient yourself because there’s an anomaly marker placed where you’ll find this Prothean data disc.
