Mass Effect 2: The Ultimate Vanguard, Dominating Insanity (by Sabresandiego)
Oct 20, 2016 2:42:40 GMT
Nightlife and DeckSavage like this
Post by RedCaesar97 on Oct 20, 2016 2:42:40 GMT
ATTENTION: This guide was originally posted by Sabresandiego on the old BioWare Social Network (BSN) forums. I am copying it here so it does not disappear when the old BSN forums shut down.
Total Carnage Video Series (Level 30 Insanity+, max speed, no health damage)
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Insanity Suicide Mission Speed Run.
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Blue Suns Meet Jack.
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Insanity Collector Platform Speed Run.
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Insanity Tali Recruitment.
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Insanity Smuggled Cargo Save 20 Crates.
Casual Play Video Series (Level 30 Insanity+, high speed, virtually no health damage, casual play)
Versatile Vanguard (Can't Get a Lock? No Problem!).
Moridin Recruitment.
Reaper IFF.
Jack Recruitment.
Legion Loyalty: Heretic Station.
Thane Recruitment.
MSV Strontium Mule Blue Suns Mission.
Husk Killing.
The Vanguard is a powerful biotic warrior able to jump across the battlefield in an instant to charge the enemy and attack at close range, combining the offensive power of an Adept and a Soldier. This guide will focus on how to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses allowing you to not only enjoy the class at the highest level of difficulty but to steamroll it.
Overview
My playstyle is a unique mix of tactical aggression. I like to annihilate everything in my path as quickly as possible using combined arms (biotics, squad abilities, and the best weapon for the situation). I challenge myself by focusing on two things: not taking health damage, and finishing missions rapidly. I don't limit myself in any way, I play to f*ck sh*t up.
Introduction: Learn Vanguard Gameplay Fundamentals, Squad Power Usage, And Charge
Playing a Vanguard Video Tutorial
The above video demonstrates vanguard fundamentals such as using cover and playing tactically. It also introduces you to squad biotic combos. One of the most effective things you can do is to learn how to use your squad's powers in combination with your own to create extremely powerful combinations that simply devastate the enemy. The video also demonstrates some basic charge techniques.
Part 1: Mastering Charge
When to charge:
1. If you know what to expect, and know you can handle it then charge! For some people, this can be nearly always especially if they have been through the area multiple times.
2. If there is reliable cover that you can get to after you charge then charge
3. Always charge the second your shields go down, and save all cooldowns for charge if you are exposed or under fire. Remember that charge can be used defensively as a shield refill in close combat and that is one of its best uses on insanity. Use it liberally as a way to recover your shields.
4. Late in the game when you have several upgrades, it is much safer to be very aggressive with charge.
When not to charge:
1. When you first see an enemy and do not know what is ahead of him, around him, or behind him do not charge unless there is somewhere you can immediately take cover after the charge.
2. When charging will put you in a vulnerable position such as one with no cover and in the line of sight of multiple enemies, do not charge. Instead, weaken them with ranged and biotic attacks from yourself and squadmates while waiting for an opening for a tactical charge.
3. Early in the game when you lack upgrades it is far more risky to charge into groups of enemies (especially on insanity+ with a level 30 character with little to no upgrades). Later in the game it is much less risky to charge agressively.
Effective Ways To Use Charge:
- Charge in, gun down one enemy then take cover. Learn how to immediately take cover after a charge kill.
- Any time your shields have dropped and you are exposed (not safe behind cover) you need to charge
- Flank enemies with charge by charging a rear or side enemy (only if you can safely get to cover after this move)
- Learn how to charge surgically using the charge, kill, take cover, charge method.
- Most importantly, do not force a bad charge because you think that you have to charge since you are a vanguard
- Learn how to use repeated charges as a way to constantly replenish your shields
- Use cover like all other classes
- Always use repeated charges in close quarters combat as a shield refill (take cover if you are overwhelmed)
- Charge can also be used to make you invulnerable to projectiles which are coming at you
- Use charge to knock back one enemy and shoot the one next to him
- Often it is a good idea to back pedal after charging and firing a shot, allowing you to get to safety
What to do if charging is a bad idea:
- I highly recommend reave as your special ability. It is the perfect solution to the vanguards weakness at range and synergizes perfectly with a vanguards biotic prowess.
- I recommend learning either sniper rifle or automatic rifle if you dont take claymore
- Use whatever guns you have available to attack from range until you see an ideal time to charge
- Use your squad and their powers to attack from range until you see a charge opening
- Use area reave to launch a devastating biotic assault until it is safe to charge
- For people who don't take reave, a few points in barrier and 1 point in pull is a good choice to set up warp explosions
Part 2: Biotics, Defense Stripping, and Squad Powers
As a vanguard, charge is your best ability but it is not your only ability. Learn to always use the best weapons or abilities for the situation. Sometimes it may be a sniper rifle, other times it will be reave or squad biotics, usually it will be charge and shotgun, but its best to just combine them all! Learn to charge in and strip defenses then combo into a warp explosion or have your squad freeze with squad cryo. Learn how to reave into a warp explosion. Learn how to area overload into pull field. Learn how to pull field into a charge. Learn how to shockwave to stagger and expose enemies. There are a multitude of biotic combos and abilities you will see me use in my videos. Overall the best biotics besides charge are Pull Field, Unstable Warp, and Area Reave. In general it is better to use squad biotics rather than your own because squad abilities are instant cast and do not consume your cooldown which is best saved for charge. The exception to this is area reave and energy drain, which are instant cast on Shepard and are the two of the best bonus skills you can take as a vanguard.
Part 3: Talent Build
1. Max Heavy Charge First
2. Max Champion Second
3. The rest is up to you... however like I said in the paragraph above, pull and shockwave are better off being used by your squadmates. Squad abilities are instant cast and don't consume your cooldown which is needed for charge. I only recommend the following two builds for this guide:
Reave Build: Complete domination, this is the most versatile vanguard build throughout the game and my favorite
10 Heavy Charge
10 Champion
10 Inferno Ammo
10 Squad Cryo Ammo
10 Area Reave
Reave Tips:
- Use area reave
- Reave when there is no tactical charge option available
- Do not use reave if you are exposed, or under fire --> you need charge off cooldown for shield replenishment
- Reave is best used against long range targets to soften groups of enemies before a tactical charge
- Use reave to strip defenses to allow yourself to use biotic combos like warp explosions, pull, and charge.
Energy Drain Build: Better than reave against blue shields but far less versatile
10 Heavy Charge
10 Champion
10 Inferno Ammo
10 Squad Cryo Ammo
10 Area Energy Drain
Part 4: Shotgun Choice
Scimitar: If you like a rapid fire shotgun with an 8 round clip, my personal favorite by a landslide. It allows you to strip defenses and setup biotic combos more efficiently than any other shotgun.
The other shotguns are also very good, but do not mesh as well with this guide.
Claymore: If you like maximum damage in a single shot and dont mind reloading often and using melee
Eviscerator: If you like heavy damage with a 3 round clip and enjoy melee
Katana: A medium between the scimitar and the eviscerator
Part 5: Equipment
Doesn't really matter that much, wear whatever you like. I personally use the following:
Head: Sentry Visor 5% Shields (I had to buy a Dr. Pepper for this!)
Shoulders: Amplifier Plates 5% Power Damage (Improves Incendiary ammo and Reave)
Chest: Shield harness 5% Shields
Arms: Damping Gauntlets 5% Shields
Legs: Stimulator Conduits 10% storm speed
I prefer to have very strong shields over anything else.
Part 6: Squad Choice
Personal preference but here are some tips
- Use teamates with rapid fire weapons if you enjoy squad cryo ammo.
- If you enjoy using reave, bring Samara for double reaves and pull field, or jack or jacob for pull field after you strip defenses with reave. Combo this with warp explosion from Miranda or Thane.
- If you like warp explosion bring a teamate who can pull field, or learn pull yourself, and bring someone with warp
- Samara, Miranda, and Thane are your 3 most powerful teamates in most situations
- Garrus, Miranda, and Zaeed are very good against geth
- Jack and Jacob are outshined by Samara but are also very good.
- Moridin is very good against organics (Incineration Blast)
- Make sure Samara gets 10 area reave and 10 pull field
- Make sure Miranda gets 10 unstable warp and 10 area overload
- Make sure Thane gets 10 unstable warp
Part 7: Order to Purchase Upgrades, Order to Complete Missions, and Order to Research Upgrades
ACT 1 (Before Horizon) Important Purchases
- Buy damage protection from Citadel
- Buy shotgun damage from Omega
- Buy heavy skin weave from Omega
Act 2 (After Horizon) Important Purchases
- Buy biotic damage from Ilium
- Buy heavy skin weave from Ilium
- Buy Pylos nebula map from Ilium
*Earn damage protection from: Anamalous weather detected mission (3rd planet in pylos nebula dirada system)
- Do Samara Recruitment as your first mission in Act 2 for the scimitar shotgun and biotic damage upgrade
- Go to Tuchanka right after Samara recruitment and do Grunt's loyalty mission for your 3rd shotgun upgrade
- At this point you should have 3 shotgun upgrades, 3 damage protection upgrades, and 3 biotic damage upgrades. Make sure you research the unlocked research from getting 3 upgrades immediately, especially hard shields, biotic cooldowns, and shotgun ammo. Play the rest of the game in any order you want.
Mid-Late Game Important Purchases
- Buy Shotgun Damage from Tuchanka (available as soon as Tuchanka shows up right after Samara Recruitment)
- Do side mission for heavy skin wave (N7: Strontium Mule)
- Buy Damage Protection from Ilium (available after collector ship mission)
- Buy Biotic Damage from Tuchanka (if you took reave as your special)
Key Research:
3 Damage Protection (Citadel shop, Jack Recruitment, Secret Pylos nebula mission)
Allows Research of Redundant Shield and Hard Shields (huge boost to survivability)
3 Biotic Damage (Horizon, Ilium, Samara Recruitment)
Allows Research of 20% biotic duration and 20% biotic cooldown reduction (absolutely huge for Vanguard survival in close combat from repeated charges)
3 Shotgun Damage (Omega shop, Jack Recruitment, Grunt Loyalty/Tuchanka)
Allows research of Shield Piercing and Ammo (shotgun ammo is really annoying before this upgrade)
3 Heavy Skin Weave (Horizon, Ilium, Omega)
Allows research of muscle weave and bone weave, which are both good if you like to meelee.
Part 8: Extra Tips
- Squad abilities are one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal. Learn to use them manually
- Get rid of mouse acceleration and adjust mouse sensitivity by editing the configuration file
- You can often avoid homing projectiles coming at you by strafing erratically left and right
- If you follow this guide than most of your deaths will be due to charge bugs and being staggered. Keep your distance from enemies who stagger if you are focused on a minimal death playthrough. This includes flamethrowers, most bosses, heavy weapons users, harbinger, etc...
- If charge bugs out and your shields drop, research unity and use a medikit ASAP
- You can sprint for longer if you stop sprinting momentarily before you run out of breath
- Use squad cryo on your teamates and switch to inferno ammo for yourself
- Use squad abilities in conjunction with your own to set off powerful combos
- Learn how to play without pausing by using hotkeys
I want to thank the people who contributed to the Vanguard tips and tricks thread, which got me interested in playing vanguard in the first place and provided me with a lot of useful information.
Total Carnage Video Series (Level 30 Insanity+, max speed, no health damage)
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Insanity Suicide Mission Speed Run.
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Blue Suns Meet Jack.
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Insanity Collector Platform Speed Run.
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Insanity Tali Recruitment.
Ultimate Vanguard Total Carnage Insanity Smuggled Cargo Save 20 Crates.
Casual Play Video Series (Level 30 Insanity+, high speed, virtually no health damage, casual play)
Versatile Vanguard (Can't Get a Lock? No Problem!).
Moridin Recruitment.
Reaper IFF.
Jack Recruitment.
Legion Loyalty: Heretic Station.
Thane Recruitment.
MSV Strontium Mule Blue Suns Mission.
Husk Killing.
The Vanguard is a powerful biotic warrior able to jump across the battlefield in an instant to charge the enemy and attack at close range, combining the offensive power of an Adept and a Soldier. This guide will focus on how to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses allowing you to not only enjoy the class at the highest level of difficulty but to steamroll it.
Overview
My playstyle is a unique mix of tactical aggression. I like to annihilate everything in my path as quickly as possible using combined arms (biotics, squad abilities, and the best weapon for the situation). I challenge myself by focusing on two things: not taking health damage, and finishing missions rapidly. I don't limit myself in any way, I play to f*ck sh*t up.
Introduction: Learn Vanguard Gameplay Fundamentals, Squad Power Usage, And Charge
Playing a Vanguard Video Tutorial
The above video demonstrates vanguard fundamentals such as using cover and playing tactically. It also introduces you to squad biotic combos. One of the most effective things you can do is to learn how to use your squad's powers in combination with your own to create extremely powerful combinations that simply devastate the enemy. The video also demonstrates some basic charge techniques.
Part 1: Mastering Charge
When to charge:
1. If you know what to expect, and know you can handle it then charge! For some people, this can be nearly always especially if they have been through the area multiple times.
2. If there is reliable cover that you can get to after you charge then charge
3. Always charge the second your shields go down, and save all cooldowns for charge if you are exposed or under fire. Remember that charge can be used defensively as a shield refill in close combat and that is one of its best uses on insanity. Use it liberally as a way to recover your shields.
4. Late in the game when you have several upgrades, it is much safer to be very aggressive with charge.
When not to charge:
1. When you first see an enemy and do not know what is ahead of him, around him, or behind him do not charge unless there is somewhere you can immediately take cover after the charge.
2. When charging will put you in a vulnerable position such as one with no cover and in the line of sight of multiple enemies, do not charge. Instead, weaken them with ranged and biotic attacks from yourself and squadmates while waiting for an opening for a tactical charge.
3. Early in the game when you lack upgrades it is far more risky to charge into groups of enemies (especially on insanity+ with a level 30 character with little to no upgrades). Later in the game it is much less risky to charge agressively.
Effective Ways To Use Charge:
- Charge in, gun down one enemy then take cover. Learn how to immediately take cover after a charge kill.
- Any time your shields have dropped and you are exposed (not safe behind cover) you need to charge
- Flank enemies with charge by charging a rear or side enemy (only if you can safely get to cover after this move)
- Learn how to charge surgically using the charge, kill, take cover, charge method.
- Most importantly, do not force a bad charge because you think that you have to charge since you are a vanguard
- Learn how to use repeated charges as a way to constantly replenish your shields
- Use cover like all other classes
- Always use repeated charges in close quarters combat as a shield refill (take cover if you are overwhelmed)
- Charge can also be used to make you invulnerable to projectiles which are coming at you
- Use charge to knock back one enemy and shoot the one next to him
- Often it is a good idea to back pedal after charging and firing a shot, allowing you to get to safety
What to do if charging is a bad idea:
- I highly recommend reave as your special ability. It is the perfect solution to the vanguards weakness at range and synergizes perfectly with a vanguards biotic prowess.
- I recommend learning either sniper rifle or automatic rifle if you dont take claymore
- Use whatever guns you have available to attack from range until you see an ideal time to charge
- Use your squad and their powers to attack from range until you see a charge opening
- Use area reave to launch a devastating biotic assault until it is safe to charge
- For people who don't take reave, a few points in barrier and 1 point in pull is a good choice to set up warp explosions
Part 2: Biotics, Defense Stripping, and Squad Powers
As a vanguard, charge is your best ability but it is not your only ability. Learn to always use the best weapons or abilities for the situation. Sometimes it may be a sniper rifle, other times it will be reave or squad biotics, usually it will be charge and shotgun, but its best to just combine them all! Learn to charge in and strip defenses then combo into a warp explosion or have your squad freeze with squad cryo. Learn how to reave into a warp explosion. Learn how to area overload into pull field. Learn how to pull field into a charge. Learn how to shockwave to stagger and expose enemies. There are a multitude of biotic combos and abilities you will see me use in my videos. Overall the best biotics besides charge are Pull Field, Unstable Warp, and Area Reave. In general it is better to use squad biotics rather than your own because squad abilities are instant cast and do not consume your cooldown which is best saved for charge. The exception to this is area reave and energy drain, which are instant cast on Shepard and are the two of the best bonus skills you can take as a vanguard.
Part 3: Talent Build
1. Max Heavy Charge First
2. Max Champion Second
3. The rest is up to you... however like I said in the paragraph above, pull and shockwave are better off being used by your squadmates. Squad abilities are instant cast and don't consume your cooldown which is needed for charge. I only recommend the following two builds for this guide:
Reave Build: Complete domination, this is the most versatile vanguard build throughout the game and my favorite
10 Heavy Charge
10 Champion
10 Inferno Ammo
10 Squad Cryo Ammo
10 Area Reave
Reave Tips:
- Use area reave
- Reave when there is no tactical charge option available
- Do not use reave if you are exposed, or under fire --> you need charge off cooldown for shield replenishment
- Reave is best used against long range targets to soften groups of enemies before a tactical charge
- Use reave to strip defenses to allow yourself to use biotic combos like warp explosions, pull, and charge.
Energy Drain Build: Better than reave against blue shields but far less versatile
10 Heavy Charge
10 Champion
10 Inferno Ammo
10 Squad Cryo Ammo
10 Area Energy Drain
Part 4: Shotgun Choice
Scimitar: If you like a rapid fire shotgun with an 8 round clip, my personal favorite by a landslide. It allows you to strip defenses and setup biotic combos more efficiently than any other shotgun.
The other shotguns are also very good, but do not mesh as well with this guide.
Claymore: If you like maximum damage in a single shot and dont mind reloading often and using melee
Eviscerator: If you like heavy damage with a 3 round clip and enjoy melee
Katana: A medium between the scimitar and the eviscerator
Part 5: Equipment
Doesn't really matter that much, wear whatever you like. I personally use the following:
Head: Sentry Visor 5% Shields (I had to buy a Dr. Pepper for this!)
Shoulders: Amplifier Plates 5% Power Damage (Improves Incendiary ammo and Reave)
Chest: Shield harness 5% Shields
Arms: Damping Gauntlets 5% Shields
Legs: Stimulator Conduits 10% storm speed
I prefer to have very strong shields over anything else.
Part 6: Squad Choice
Personal preference but here are some tips
- Use teamates with rapid fire weapons if you enjoy squad cryo ammo.
- If you enjoy using reave, bring Samara for double reaves and pull field, or jack or jacob for pull field after you strip defenses with reave. Combo this with warp explosion from Miranda or Thane.
- If you like warp explosion bring a teamate who can pull field, or learn pull yourself, and bring someone with warp
- Samara, Miranda, and Thane are your 3 most powerful teamates in most situations
- Garrus, Miranda, and Zaeed are very good against geth
- Jack and Jacob are outshined by Samara but are also very good.
- Moridin is very good against organics (Incineration Blast)
- Make sure Samara gets 10 area reave and 10 pull field
- Make sure Miranda gets 10 unstable warp and 10 area overload
- Make sure Thane gets 10 unstable warp
Part 7: Order to Purchase Upgrades, Order to Complete Missions, and Order to Research Upgrades
ACT 1 (Before Horizon) Important Purchases
- Buy damage protection from Citadel
- Buy shotgun damage from Omega
- Buy heavy skin weave from Omega
Act 2 (After Horizon) Important Purchases
- Buy biotic damage from Ilium
- Buy heavy skin weave from Ilium
- Buy Pylos nebula map from Ilium
*Earn damage protection from: Anamalous weather detected mission (3rd planet in pylos nebula dirada system)
- Do Samara Recruitment as your first mission in Act 2 for the scimitar shotgun and biotic damage upgrade
- Go to Tuchanka right after Samara recruitment and do Grunt's loyalty mission for your 3rd shotgun upgrade
- At this point you should have 3 shotgun upgrades, 3 damage protection upgrades, and 3 biotic damage upgrades. Make sure you research the unlocked research from getting 3 upgrades immediately, especially hard shields, biotic cooldowns, and shotgun ammo. Play the rest of the game in any order you want.
Mid-Late Game Important Purchases
- Buy Shotgun Damage from Tuchanka (available as soon as Tuchanka shows up right after Samara Recruitment)
- Do side mission for heavy skin wave (N7: Strontium Mule)
- Buy Damage Protection from Ilium (available after collector ship mission)
- Buy Biotic Damage from Tuchanka (if you took reave as your special)
Key Research:
3 Damage Protection (Citadel shop, Jack Recruitment, Secret Pylos nebula mission)
Allows Research of Redundant Shield and Hard Shields (huge boost to survivability)
3 Biotic Damage (Horizon, Ilium, Samara Recruitment)
Allows Research of 20% biotic duration and 20% biotic cooldown reduction (absolutely huge for Vanguard survival in close combat from repeated charges)
3 Shotgun Damage (Omega shop, Jack Recruitment, Grunt Loyalty/Tuchanka)
Allows research of Shield Piercing and Ammo (shotgun ammo is really annoying before this upgrade)
3 Heavy Skin Weave (Horizon, Ilium, Omega)
Allows research of muscle weave and bone weave, which are both good if you like to meelee.
Part 8: Extra Tips
- Squad abilities are one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal. Learn to use them manually
- Get rid of mouse acceleration and adjust mouse sensitivity by editing the configuration file
- You can often avoid homing projectiles coming at you by strafing erratically left and right
- If you follow this guide than most of your deaths will be due to charge bugs and being staggered. Keep your distance from enemies who stagger if you are focused on a minimal death playthrough. This includes flamethrowers, most bosses, heavy weapons users, harbinger, etc...
- If charge bugs out and your shields drop, research unity and use a medikit ASAP
- You can sprint for longer if you stop sprinting momentarily before you run out of breath
- Use squad cryo on your teamates and switch to inferno ammo for yourself
- Use squad abilities in conjunction with your own to set off powerful combos
- Learn how to play without pausing by using hotkeys
I want to thank the people who contributed to the Vanguard tips and tricks thread, which got me interested in playing vanguard in the first place and provided me with a lot of useful information.