Strategy for Playing as a Vanguard in Mass Effect 2

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My favorite class on Mass EFfect 2 is Vanguard. I also play this class in Mass Effect 1. However, it has become much more fun to play in ME2 with the addition of the "Biotic Charge" power. A vanguard is a biotic soldier, with training in both weapons and biotics. It's basically of fusion of the soldier and adept classes. It's good for those of us who want to play as each of those classes and can't choose. Vanguards are best at close range and flanking maneuvers. They are trained to use shotguns, pistols and sub-machine guns. Like all classes, they can also use a heavy weapon. My strategy is to utilize the Biotic Charge for high speed movement. Rapidly get close to squads and use my shotgun to get quick kills at close range before they react. I run in a party with a long range support character, i.e. Garrus with his sniper rifle and assault rifle, and then someone who takes point and goes toe to toe while drawing most of the enemy's attention. Many characters can fill this role but a good example would be Grunt. I then surprise attack for quick kills without giving the enemy much of a chance to react to me. I also have my vanguard trained in pull and shockwave for mid and long range encounters, when we are severely outgunned or outnumbered, or when the enemy has superior position. I level my class specialty training as well, for a boost to recharge time and Paragon/Renegade points. That really pays off. For a bonus power, I like to use the biotic power Reave. It works on both organics and synthetics. It does double damage to biotic barriers and armor (which is AMAZING). It can also really get you out of a jam if your barrier is down. Using it will increase your max health score temporarily and train your target's health over time if their defenses are down. With Heavy Reave this will almost always kill your opponent. I tend to use either the Claymore Heavy Shotgun or the DLC Geth Plasma Shotgun as my weapon of choice. The damage, range, and rate of fire on these weapons are pros/cons, but both are extremely powerful and deadly at longer ranges than the katana and scimitar. My heavy weapon choice depends on the mission and which enemies we will likely be facing, but most often I use the DLC Blackstorm Singularity Projecter aka Black Hole Gun. It can quickly and effectively take out an entire enemy squad with a single shot. At the very least it will throw them into disarray and confusion, weakening their attack and focus, and then my squad surgically takes them out. I have beaten the game on Insanity difficulty several times using this strategy without it being very difficult as long as you are patient and wise in target choice and when to use biotic charge versus when to remain in cover and mid range. I have a lot of fun playing this class. If you haven't tried it before, or you are new to the game and this play style sounds like you'd like it, I'd definitely recommend it!

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