Re: JanePhoenix insanity vanguard build

by EA_Ataashi
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JanePhoenix insanity vanguard build

Hero (Retired)

I'm currently level 73 and since about level 40 decided to try insanity difficulty with my vanguard. Thought I'd share my build for those that might be interested.

 

The base build is centered around the following 10 skills:

 

1. Shotguns

 

Rank 4 Spare Ammo. Rank 5 Reload. Rank 6 Damage & Force.

 

2. Combat Fitness

 

Rank 4 Regeneration. Rank 5 Extra Holster. Rank 6 Hold The Line.

 

3. Combat Tools

 

Rank 4 Evasion. Rank 5 Aerial Melee. Rank 6 Martial Arts.

 

4. Charge

 

Rank 4 Damage & Force. Rank 5 Weapons & Melee. Rank 6 Shock Trooper.

 

5. Nova

 

Rank 4 Damage & Force. Rank 5 Anti-Shield. Rank 6 Shield-Powered.

 

6. Lance

 

Rank 4 Damage & Force. Rank 5 Anti-Shield. Rank 6 Shield-Powered.

 

7. Barrier

 

Rank 4 Unyielding Barrier. Rank 5 Biotic Alacrity. Rank 6 Saving Barrier.

 

8. Offensive Biotics

 

Rank 4 Amplitude. Rank 5 Detonation. Rank 6 Biotic Warrior.

 

9. Containment

 

Rank 4 Radius. Rank 5 Concussive Detonation. Rank 6 Event Horizon.

 

10. Team Support

 

Rank 4 Squad Offense. Rank 5 Team Recovery. Rank 6 Defense Grid.

 

Once these 10 skills are all at rank 6 just drop points into any other Combat/Biotic skills to further boost the bonuses received from passive skills.

 

Loadout

 

This build in most situations will only need a melee weapon. I used Asari Sword augmented with 5x kinetic coil. I also equipped the Remnant shotgun Scattershot augmented with plasma charge system, shield oscillator & 3x biotic damage boosters, and modded with light melee & short barrel. Armor is N7 set from Milky Way research, chest augmented with shield oscillator & 4x kinetic coil and modded with fusion mod of shielding, and the rest all augmented with 3x biotic damage boosters each.

 

Mechanics

 

This vanguard has an insanely strong melee offense, which simultaneously keeps your defense up as long as you're on the offensive. It most effectively uses Charge as an opening attack, followed by melee, and by the time your melee attack is done it's ready to Charge once more (just boost biotic recharge instead of damage at lower levels).

 

Every Charge attack refills my shield by 90% (at level 73), the 50% base of Charge getting further stacked with additional passive boosts from Containment rank 2 and Team Support rank 3. Melee attacks also refill shields a bit thanks to Vanguard profile bonuses, as well as getting more and more damaging with each melee hit or kill (due to Combat Tools rank 6). Melee damage is boosted further for 3 seconds after every Charge attack (due to Charge rank 5 and Offensive Biotics rank 6).

 

Again shields are refilled by 25% every time you make a kill, and also for each shot fired from Scattershot (should have only 1 shot per clip if the above was followed). The shotgun itself though has the primary purpose of further boosting melee damage with the melee mod. But in practice I only actually fire the shotgun at enemies where I need to keep some distance (fiends, ascendants, etc.), and floating enemies not easily reached with melee like observers, alternating shotgun blasts with Lance attacks.

 

Shield strength overall is very strong thanks to the fusion mod of shielding and doesn't rely on any recharge delay or rate boosts to stay up. If you're spending much time in cover waiting to recover then you're probably just not playing this build correctly. In fact this build very often doesn't take health damage at all due to frequent shield refills from multiple sources, but when it does there is a 200 damage resistance boost at <30% health thanks to Combat Fitness rank 6, as well as an automatic complete shield refill at extremely low health due to Barrier rank 6 (once per 15 seconds).

 

Nova can be used when you get swarmed, and evades are boosted with extra damage reduction if you quickly need to escape from a pickle (thanks to Combat Tools rank 4). Lance is great for damage at range & combo detonations, and has a bit of an area effect as well that is here boosted with Containment rank 4 & 6. And with the shield cost reductions from the vanguard profile and Barrier rank 5 you can get 4 consecutive Lance attacks or 2 Nova from full shields.

This build is powerful enough to even solo most mobs when team members fall, and if you don't give specific commands to your team members they will often be in your general vicinity, thus giving you the damage resistance boost from Team Support rank 6.

 

I have tried to include a fair bit of relevant detail in this Mechanics section, but I also welcome anyone's questions or thoughts.

Message 1 of 7 (4,585 Views)

Re: JanePhoenix insanity vanguard build

Community Manager (retired)

Thanks for sharing those @JanePhoenix :eahigh_file:

 

I'm sure more experienced players will find it very useful. I'll probably give it a try as well...when I improve my poor Vanguard skills Disappointed

 

/Ataashi

Message 2 of 7 (4,578 Views)

Re: JanePhoenix insanity vanguard build

Hero (Retired)
@EA_Ataashi, this one was awesome fun to play. I want to do either a nice Adept or Soldier build next, haven't decided yet. Don't feel much drawn to tech builds for some reason, though I suppose I'll try Engineer at least a bit too.
Message 3 of 7 (4,572 Views)

Re: JanePhoenix insanity vanguard build

Community Manager (retired)

Turian soldier is one of my most played characters, so I will look forward to your Soldier build for sure Wink I really like this class in general.

 

/Ataashi

Message 4 of 7 (4,561 Views)

Re: JanePhoenix insanity vanguard build

Hero (Retired)
@EA_Ataashi Haven't really touched multiplayer yet, and looking forward to that too. Just finished my first single player run (99% Heleus progression!), so perhaps I'll share my thoughts on the experience soon also...
Message 5 of 7 (4,559 Views)

Re: JanePhoenix insanity vanguard build

Community Manager (retired)

Multiplayer was an interesting addition to the game for me, so I recommend to at least check it out Standard smile Your experience in different builds might be useful there.

 

But my first Shepard and Ryder were Soldiers, so this class will always have a special place in my heart Heart

 

/Ataashi

Message 6 of 7 (4,554 Views)

Re: JanePhoenix insanity vanguard build

★★ Guide

Why combat tools when as a Vanguard i got Biotic Jump & Evades in place of jump-jet

Message 7 of 7 (2,128 Views)