Mass Effect 2: Vanguard tips and tricks on Hardcore/Insanity (by thisisme8)

ATTENTION: This guide was originally posted by thisisme8 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. Also note that I had to remove some video links since they were either listed as private or no longer available..


There are several people who have really contributed to a lot of information in this guide and they all know who they are. Sinosleep, Kurupt87, RamsenC, Kronner, Dannok1234, Mundus66, and Rumination888 to name a few (sorry for anyone I forgot).


I should really preface the below info by saying that the road to High Risk, High Reward is paved with the Replay button... at first. Before you get the hang of how Charge can work for and against you it can be tough, but once you get the hang of it, the Vanguard goes from being frustrating to a powerful and extremely exciting class. It really is geared for people who want to be in the midst of the action constantly.

I'll start with my take on equipment and a couple build and then go on to different situations, strategies, and tactics. Remember, this is what works for me. Experienced players can and will be able to use any number of variations to the above.

First off, the four shotguns: Before I get into them, here are the damage multipliers:
Katana and Scimitar - x1.5 to shields and barriers
Eviscerator* and Claymore - x1.25 to armor, shields, and barriers
*The Eviscerator is a free download and should be noted that its range is better than the other three.

So people always want to know, which is the best shotgun? The answer is simple, but not what you want to hear. Each shotgun has definite strengths and weaknesses that actually even them out very well. We've tested and tested them for DPS, range, and compatibility to playstyle and it always ends up the same:

On one end, the Claymore can outdamage the rest if you have great aim (for constant headshots) and can consistently perform the "reload trick." Several videos below showcase the trick in action, but it basically boils down to shooting, performing a melee after 60% of the reload animation has taken place, and immediately shooting again. Works best by holding the fire button down and pressing the melee button as soon as you hear the reload sound.

On the other end is the Scimitar. Very fast, but does less damage per shot while still remaining extremely effective. Keep in mind though, you can just keep popping this thing off for 8 shots without reloading and you really don't need to add any melee in for extra damage unless you really want to.

The Katana and Eviscerator fall into the middle somewhere. I believe most people will tell you to just stick to the Eviscerator since it has better damage, range, and the addition of an armor multiplier. I agree. It only allows three shots before having to reload, but that's almost always more than enough. Most of the time (keep your shotty upgraded when available) it's just a shot and a melee to take almost anyone down.

The decision? It's up to you. They have different feels and I've used them all. I enjoy each one and while I have my favorite, I don't feel that any of them are seriously "better" than the rest. Choose based off of what handles best for you. I should note for those that are new to the shooter genre, the Scimitar is definitely the most forgiving and therefore may be easier for those that don't have great framerates or aim.

Equipment: I had a lot written here before, but I've gone through many times testing many different pieces of armor and I just stick to the same basic principle now. Get the +25% melee shoulder pads. Aside from the Scimitar, you should be performing a melee between every shot. The rate of fire from your gun does not change whether you do or you don't, so you might as well. As a matter of fact, Eviscerator users will note that most enemies can be taken out with one shot and one melee, so there is no use in wasting Thermal Clips.

From there, I can recommend the Visor for all of you crackshots that can perform headshots consistently and +damage gear if you want it, but don't stress too much over it, or any of the other armor, as it won't be a total "game-changer" in regards to your survivability.

The Build: I'll list my favorite build, then talk about a couple of variations.
4 Inferno Rounds
4 Squad Cryo
4 Heavy Charge
4 Shockwave
1 Pull
4 Champion

From top to bottom:
Inferno Rounds - Here it is. The big one that everyone wants to know about. Why Inferno over Tungsten (Incendiary vs. AP)? It really boils down to this: On paper, AP Ammo, or Tungsten Rounds, looks better at first glance. It has a 70% damage bonus to armor and health. That's a lot. Inferno Rounds only does 60%. So why are Inferno Rounds better? First, in-game you won't really notice the difference in damage at all. It translates to barely a millimeter of damage against their armor or health bars. Secondly, you miss out on the natural CC Panic that comes with Incendiary. Once upgraded to Inferno, that panic has a small AoE. So taking AP turns out to be less effective since you waste your bonus power on one that is redundant to a power you already posess, and it lacks the CC AoE Panic that is noticeably beneficial to your survival.
Here's a video from Sinosleep to kind of drive the point home:
Inferno Ammo vs. AP Ammo (not worth it).

Squad Cryo - I love this power. Anything Cryo is win in my book, but for a Vanguard, this power really shines. The secret to using this power effectively is to activate it, then switch back to Inferno Rounds. Your Squad keeps Cryo, you keep Inferno. Win/Win. Anyway, most of the time you will be knee deep in enemy territory and right in someone's face, so you won't see too much of what's happening around you. Don't worry though, you can rest assured that your Squad is shooting at enemies, and there is a very good chance those enemies are freezing to death. You really have to see it to believe it. Watch my video below if you want, or just take my word. Squad Cryo saves lives.

Heavy Charge - I went for Heavy Charge for the slow-mo action. Gives you plenty of time to line up your shot. Area Charge would be better suited for Veteran and below where most enemies do not have Shields or Armor.

Shockwave and Pull - I'm putting these two together because I have to admit, although Shockwave has it's uses, they are few and so far between, when they come up, you'll forget you had it and be halfway through a Charge before it registers. If anything, put three points in it to unlock Pull. So, Pull on the other hand deserves at least one point in every Vanguard's build. 3s recharge, can be aimed around corners and cover, can be used to create Warp Explosions (should you have Thane or Miranda in your Squad), and insta-kills unarmored Husks. Very useful.

Champion - You want the extra bonus to cooldown. Charge is such a big part of your strategy and with its 100% shield recovery, you want it up ASAP. For Vanguards, every second and every fraction of a second counts. There really isn't much else to be said about it.

Bonus and Beyond - If you're going for a bonus power, there are a couple of things you can do. The first is to completely forget about Shockwave and Pull. Fans of Reave may go this route, just be sure to be prepared in another fashion for Husks. The other thing you can do, as much as it pains me to say it, is to drop Squad Cryo. Honestly, if you aren't going to max Squad Cryo out, then don't even put a point in it. I highly recommend you max Pull for Pull Field, but getting a bonus power will work fine too. I will say this: Vanguards are built very well, and do not need a bonus power, but if you want it and can fit it in your build, go for it.

The Ultimate Vanguard, A Guide to Dominating Insanity.

Here's just some advice on what you may not want: Any maxed out shield powers- On Insanity they just don't last but a second under fire, have long recharge times, and prevent you from Charging (which would have refilled your shields anyway). However, some builds leave a few points left over. In these cases where you have the spare points, a couple for the times that a Charge is out of the question, yet reliable cover is just a little too far away, a couple points in Barrier could help. Note that Barrier is best for the Vanguard since it will take advantage of all your +Biotic duration/cooldown/power abilities from your passive skill.
Another thing to consider: Medi-gel use with the right research can immediately refill your health and shields and has a very low cooldown.
Other Ammo Powers- Between Incendiary, Cryo, and the shotgun's natural strength to shields and barriers, it's excessive and redundant. Use Squad Disruptor Ammo vs. Geth (from Zaeed), or bring Jack and her Squad Warp if you really-really want it.
Lastly, any power that has a recharge time longer than Charge's. All of your powers should be fast and effective, or passive. Note: This one paragraph can be ignored for laid back Vanguards, but I think we really need to have a chat if that's you.

Other Builds:
Sinosleep's Build:
4 Inferno Rounds
0 Cryo Ammo
4 Heavy Charge
2 Shockwave
4 Pull Field
4 Champion
Bonus power of your choice
Sniper rifle training

According to Sinosleep: "I use carnifex + pull field for any husk encounters and charge and shotgun for nearly everything else unless I see a juicy warp explosion situation that I can exploit at which point I'll usually use Thane's warp, take a shot or two, then use pull, followed by Miranda's warp for the explosion. Anyone that doesn't get killed just gets pulled again, which usually leads to mass pulls since everyone is taking damage."

Painseeker Build:
3 Incendiary Ammo
4 Squad Cryo
4 Area Charge
2 Shockwave
4 Pull Field
4 Champion
Bonus power of your choice
Sniper rifle training

This is the build I'm currently running with right now. Heavily inspired by Sinosleep's build, complete with sniper rifle for long range. This build relies heavily on Squadmates to assist with AoE stagger effects. I call it the Painseeker because 1: No AoE panic from Inferno since you only raise it to lvl3. 2: Area Charge instead of Heavy Charge (No slow-mo and only 75% shield recovery). Both reasons mean you have to be quicker on the draw to kill enemies. I also Charge with the Avalanche in hand on occasions where I'm feeling a little reckless and liberally use it to mass freeze groups of enemies. Pull Field works the same as in Sinosleep's build and the cooldown is minimal so it doesn't get in the way of Charging. Squadmates should all have their powers evolved for AoE and should be constantly on cooldown since you will be spamming them all the time. For people who feel the game is too easy.

Strategy:
My main focus with my Vanguard was to always be on the offense. Charge is your bread and butter power, but all your damage should come from your shotgun and melee. Also, with Heavy Charge, your optimum target will still have some sort of defense, be it shields, barrier, OR armor (not shields/barrier AND armor). Sounds crazy, I know, but hear me out. A shielded enemy will stagger while you line up the shot for a kill as opposed to a defenseless enemy which will be go flying, causing you to have to either chase them down, or be a crack shot (which I'm really not). If you don't, they will be back to haunt you. Thankfully, with a few upgrades, shields will be worthless to them as you will shoot right through. The Claymore can 1 shot kill an enemy with full shields and health. The Eviscerator is not far behind and the Scimitar is fast enough tear through defenses and health before they have fully recovered from your Charge or melee stuns. You'll need a bit of help with enemies who have armor and shields/barrier, but that's what squadmates are for.

Who to Charge? Charge for me is all about positioning. Aside from the shelds/armor rule, you need to go for the guy who is where you want to be. A guy who jumps over low cover is a great target. Charge, kill, and take cover. If there are enemies on the other side, even better. Pop up and kill, drop back into cover. Don't Charge them. Getting flanked? Stay where you are, get your squadmates to soften them up and shoot them as they come around the corner, then look for your next target. The first Charge is so important because it puts you in your "home" position without having to run through all that oncoming fire (which on Hardcore/Insanity will drop your shields and health fast!). Try to keep your Squadmates constantly focused "two Charges ahead of you." Lastly, if you see a non-boss target alone behind the rest of the group, Charge. Enemies will turn to face you and your Squadmates will be free and clear to clean them up. Just remember, keep moving forward, your ammo supply depends on it.

Melee: Does a ton of damage equally to all defenses and health and staggers (essentially stunning) almost every enemy. Charge - shoot - melee and your target is stunned. Finish them off with another shot or another melee. If two enemies are next to each other, finish one off and immediately melee the next to begin a stun-lock (Shoot - melee - shoot - etc). The melee button should be worn to hell by the time you finish your first Hardcore/Insanity run. Do not forget this!

Vs. Collectors: Squadmates should be focused on the Collector General while you mop up all other Collectors. You don't want to have to kill him 3-4 times in one encounter. It gets easier and easier to Charge, shoot, move on to the next... Charge, shoot, do it again.

Vs. Husks: Squad Cryo Ammo and Grunt/Zaeed/Jacob to take the heat and freeze as many as possible while you clean up. You can also use Pull to instakill any unarmored Husks. It works great and has a 3s recharge, so start picking them off fast. A word of caution, however, you do not want to Pull the Abominations (red Husks) as they explode on impact. Strip their armor and use Shockwave, if available. Finally, the Avalanche will 2-shot as many Husks as you can get in its AoE. It does x8 damage to shields, barriers, and armor, and the Husks have very little armor. It really does work great. Tons of ammo and a very wide AoE. Get them in a group and fire away.

Vs. Scions: Once you get the pattern down you can wait for them to send a Shockwave, Charge past it, shoot, back up, wait for Shockwave, Charge past it, rinse, repeat. Don't forget to use your Squadmate's powers when available.

Vs. Geth: Your standard Geth are generally pretty easy. To play it safe, bring Miranda and Garrus with you for earlier missions to whittle down the tougher Hunters, Destroyers, and Primes while you focus on the regular troopers (for a change of pace, take Zaeed and Garrus with Squad Disruptor and dual snipers). Geth generally are all shields which the shotgun chews through. During the Colossus fight, you will want to have the Tempest handy as it's not necessarily the brightest idea to go charging around in the sun with little cover and a Colossus raining heavy artillery at you. However, all you veterans out there, I challenge you to Charge directly to the Colossus and fight it head to head, one on one. Videos below prove it can be done.

Vs. Krogan/Vorcha: Honestly, these guys are tough at first since you have little to no upgrades and they all have armor, but later in the game they become easier. Switch to your Handcannon to hit the flame tanks on the Pyro Vorcha to take out a few enemies, or use Miranda's Overload once their armor is down. Have your Squadmates use their Handcannons as well with Cryo ammo turned on. Their armor will drop fast and you'll be Charging whole groups of frozen enemies (or Shockwave them if they are grouped close). Multiple Krogan work for you since you can Charge back and forth out of range from their shotguns and right through their Krogan charge. Also of note: there always seems to be explosive crates or containers around with these guys, so blow them up at a distance before closing in.

Vs. Mechs: Let the dog Mechs close in or have your squadmates take them as they approach since they will never be in cover. Usually dead before they reach you (Varren too). Loki Mechs are regular fair, just be careful because if you get a clean headshot or if they are frozen but not dead, they tend to explode. That sucks. Take the YMIR Mechs from cover. Sometimes you just don't Charge in.

Vs. Mercs: This includes the Eclipse and Blue Suns (the Humanoid enemies). Stick to the Shield and positioning rules. Have your Squadmates focus on anyone with multiple defenses. Avoid positions where they can hit you with rockets from multiple angles. My main problem with these guys is getting cocky, which usually ends up with me dying gloriously. I do think a good fight is one where I'm in the red for most of it. Really gets the adrenaline going. These guys tend to stay together and in cover more than anyone else so beware of Charging into the middle of groups of 3 or more. If they don't seperate, I've Charged right in, taken one out and hopped right back over their cover with barely any Health left but still somehow alive. Don't necessarily try that at home. If all else fails, the Grenade Launcher will knock them down and spread them out, so aim for the middle of the group!

A few tips:
Anytime you hear Shepard say, "I can't target them!" It means you are about to die.

If you are using the Claymore, you need to be aware of whether or not you've reloaded. I don't know how many times I've Charged before reloading and it sucks. Luckily, you've just regained your shields... whoops, you're playing on Hardcore/Insanity, you've just lost them again.

If you don't like the Claymore, consider choosing Sniper Rifle Training. The one thing a Vanguard doesn't have is long range capabilities, especially against enemies that are unreachable.

When in doubt, bring Miranda. With Overload, Warp, and Cerberus Officer for squad bonuses, she's "a great addition to the team," as Jacob would say. Throw in the Tempest with Squad Cryo for more fun.

On the Collector Ship: Charging from platform to platform can be tricky. Sometimes you'll stop right at the edge. To get around this bug, you need to aim your Charge to pass through the opening of both Platforms. Even then it can get tricky, so you really need to play it agressive - high risk, high reward - and position yourself correctly or get up on that platform before you Charge. At least you may have received the Claymore and all your problems are over.... or just beginning. Which leads me to my next point:

The learning curve for the Claymore can be tough, so consider equipping a different shotgun (one you are comfortable with) even if you did choose it. The next fight is arguably the toughest in the game.

Zaeed and Grunt with Squad Cryo Ammo makes Grunt's Loyalty mission a cakewalk. Technically you can take Garrus instead of Zaeed, but the point is to have Grunt with Assault Rifle, Zaeed with the Sniper. With that combo, the only thing I did was run around cleaning up a few left over frozen enemies. Bring the Cain to take a good chunk out of the Thresher Maw's armor, and finish with your heavy pistol. The Krogans at the end are pretty basic. I don't think I even needed cover for that fight. Charge, Melee, Charge, Melee.

Anytime you know you will face husks, bring Grunt. Put him right in the middle of the action and just watch his back. IFF mission comes to mind. I think that was another Grunt/Zaeed mission for me.

Double Scions can be trouble. If you can get their Shockwaves in sync, you can use the regular strategy above. If not, well, it sucks no matter what build you are. Cain.

Speaking of which: Any mission with a Praetorian, bring the Cain and use it on him/it, then do your best with the rest of his armor. Hope that the blast got rid of any lingering Collectors/Husks that he brought with him.

Try to tailor your mission order to maximize your Shotgun and Biotic Recharge bonuses as early as possible.

Final Thoughts:
I can't stress the following two things enough: Learning where/who to Charge, and gratuitous use of the melee button. Also, as easy as it is to get in there and start Charging all over the place, you'll find life much easier (and lasting longer) when you are aware of your surroundings (where safe cover is, where the enemies are). So get out there and have fun. If you took one thing away from this long post, then I think it was a success. Thanks for reading.

Here is a list of videos for your viewing pleasure, all on Insanity:

Sinosleep vids
Claymore one-shots.
Grunt Recruitment.
Horizon.
Collector Ship.
Vanguard - Garrus' Loyalty Mission.
Vanguard vs. 2 YMIR Mechs and Blue Suns.
Suicide Run Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.
Inferno Ammo vs. AP Ammo (not worth it).

Rumination888 vids
ME2 - Vanguard vs. Geth 1.
ME2 - Vanguard vs. Geth 2.
ME2 - Vanguard vs. Collector Ship.

Kronner vids
Zaeed's mission - Kill Everyone.
Reckless Vanguard - the Reaper IFF mission.
Vanguard - the Collector's Base.
Vanguard vs. Geth Colossus.
Vanguard vs. Heretic Station - whole mission.
Vanguard vs. Collector Ship.
Vanguard in Collector's Base (old, no HD).
Collector's Base Deck Fight.
Vanguard+Eviscerator vs. Geth Prime (no sound).
Vanguard+Evi vs. part of the Heretic station (no sound).

Tirea_Atreides vids
ME2: Vanguard going head-to-head with Colossus.

ShoNuffarian vids
Vanguard Collector Ship Claymore (Reload Trick).

Thisisme8 vids
ME2 - Collectors vs. Cryo vs. Vanguard.
ME2 - How not to play a Vanguard (Early Painseeker Build).
ME2 - How not to play a Vanguard 2 (Early Painseeker Build) Closer to how I actually play the game.
ME2 - Painseeker is a Team Player.