Big Battles: Vanguard Guide

Hello All,

Vanguard is still relatively new and confusing as the tooltips are awful. I have tried to demystify vanguard as best I can. As of U15.1 their role is best suited for 6 Man Pelargir and 12 Man Deeping Wall.

KILLSTREAKS – What are they?

You can gain a maximum of 20 Killstreak points (shown on a progress bar when you are in an Epic Battle) that can be cashed out to use Skills during battle. To gain a Killstreak Point you must be the one to kill a mob, and then there is a percent chance that you will gain bonus killstreaks. As of U15.1 there appears to be a bug in that not every kill results in a killstreak.
Killstreaks accumulate until you hit your max (between 5 and 20 depending on how you traited). If you do not use them they will persist as long as you remain in the Vanguard traitline, and as long as the Epic Battle is active (you are in the instance).
If you switch traitlines (tabs) mid-battle (i.e. to a different build like Engineer or Officer) and you have 15 killstreaks, you will lose all but 5 killstreaks when you switch back.

BASE SKILL

INCITE FOES – This is a base skill that does not require Killstreak Points to use. This skill works like a force taunt and can damage up to 5,022 on up to 6 mobs within 15m, making them aggro on you while causing the soldiers to ignore them. This also allows you a better opportunity to gain killstreaks. Depending on your rank, you can force taunt up to 6 mobs and get the CD down to 30s.

KILLSTREAK SKILLS

There are 5 skills that a Vanguard can use by cashing out Killstreak Points (works similar to an RK’s Attunement).

RENDING BARK (4 Killstreak Points / Duration up to 18s / 15s to 1min CD) – This skill allows up to a +50% damage debuff (melee, ranged, and tactical) on up to 20 mobs within up to a 10m radius. The skill is not stackable. If more than one person uses Rending Bark on the same mob, the first Rending Bark used is the one that effects the mob (this is VERY important if 2 Vanguards vary in their builds).

DEMORALIZING SHOUT (8 Killstreak Points / Duration up to 18s / 15s to 1min CD) – This skill does X damage initially and then Y damage every 3s for Z time for mobs within up to a 10m radius. X, Y, Z can all be altered by other Vanguard Traits (Killstreak Skill Cooldown, Killstreak Skill Target Count, Killstreak Skill Duration, and Killstreak Skill Strength). The skill is not stackable. If more than one person uses Rending Bark on the same mob, the first Rending Bark used is the one that effects the mob (this is VERY important if 2 Vanguards vary in their builds).

ENFEEBLING CRY (12 Killstreak Points / Duration up to 18s / 15s to 1min CD) – This skill is a debuff that reduces the run speed, increases attack duration, and increases inductions of up to 20 mobs within a radius of up to 10m. This skill is not stackable.

PIERCING ROAR (16 Killstreak Points / 15s to 1min CD) – Does X damage to up to 20 targets within up to a 10m radius.

STUNNING BELOW (20 Killstreak Points / Duration up to 27s / 15s to 1min CD) – Does a stun for X seconds and reduces the maximum morale by 25% for up to 20 mobs within up to a 10m radius. Note: The tooltip reads “Multiplies maximum morale by 1”. This is an error, it should read by 0.75.

VANGUARD LINES (“HERO DEFEAT EFFECTS”)

Each time you kill a mob there is a percent chance that you will trigger either a “Soldier Defeat Effect” or a “Recruit Defeat Effect.” Ignore the tooltips when hovering over the Vanguard skills in the trait tree as they are very confusing (they sound like you or a fellow member must die to have these effects kick in). These effects have a chance to become active after you kill a mob, period. There are two line categories that are active (Empowerment and Fortification) at all times (so long as you have unlocked them in the trait tree). You choose one “effect” to be active in each category (line). You can switch these during an Epic Battle. My recommendation is to choose Eye for an Eye and Empowerment as they both have a chance to deal damage.

“SOLDIER DEFEAT EFFECTS” (FORTIFICATION LINE)

FORTIFICATION – After defeating a mob you have a 5% base chance (up to 20%) to decrease your incoming melee/ranged/tactical damage by 5% base (50% max) for 5s base (20s max). The CD is 1min base (as low as 15s).

EYE FOR AN EYE – After defeating a mob you have a 5% base chance (up to 20%) to reflect 5% base (50% max) damage for 5s base (20s max). The CD is 1min base (as low as 15s).

REJUVENATION – After defeating a mob you have a 5% base chance (up to 20%) to heal 638 morale initially and 638 morale (max is 2,552 initial and 2,552 every 2s) every 2 seconds for 6s base (20s max). The CD is 1min base (as low as 15s).

ENTRENCHMENT – After defeating a mob you have a 5% base chance (up to 20%) to negate 10% base (55% max) of damage for 5s base (20s max). The CD is 1min base (as low as 15s).

“RECRUIT DEFEAT EFFECTS” (EMPOWERMENT LINE)

EMPOWERMENT – After defeating a mob you have a 5% base (up to 20%) chance to do 5% base (up to 35%) melee/ranged/tactical damage for up to 20s (5s base). The CD is 1min base (as low as 15s).

INVIGORATION – After defeating a mob you have a %chance to restore X power initially and X power every Y seconds for Z seconds. The CD is 1min base (as low as 15s).

SERRATED – After defeating a mob you have a %chance to increase your crit rating by 1500 (base is 0.05 … another typo?). The CD is 1min base (as low as 15s).

FLEETNESS – After defeating a mob you have a %chance to increase your run speed by X%, decrease your attack duration by X%, and decrease your skill inductions by X% for Y seconds. The CD is 1min base (as low as 15s).

VANGUARD TRAITS – (THAT AFFECT KILLSTREAK SKILLS)

KILLSTREAK EARN CHANCE – Gives a percent chance to earn additional Killstreak Points.

KILLSTREAK MAX – The base number of Killstreak Points you can have is 5. The KILLSTREAK MAX gives up to an additional 15 slots for a maximum of 20 points. It is important to be able to have 20 Killstreak Points as that is the cost to use Stunning Below (skill).

KILLSTREAK SKILL COOLDOWN – Reduces the CD of Killstreak Skills by up to 45s.

KILLSTREAK SKILL DURATION – Increases the duration of Killstreak Skills by up to 12s (debuffs), 8s (stuns), and +5 DoT Pulses.

KILLSTEAK SKILL STRENGTH – Increases Rending Bark up to 50% damage. The tool-tip is incorrect so I am not sure how it affects the other Killstreak Skills.

VANGUARD TRAITS – (THAT AFFECT YOUR SKILLS)

RUN-SPEED – Increases your run-speed by up to 30%.

DAMAGE – Increases your damage by up to 15% for melee, tactical, and ranged.

VANGUARD TRAITS – (THAT AFFECT SOLDIER DEFEAT EFFECTS)

SOLDIER DEFEAT EFFECT DURATION – Increases the duration of your soldier defeact effect by up to 15s.

SOLDIER DEFEAT EFFECT CHANCE – Increases the percent chance of triggering a soldier defeat effect by up to 15%.

SOLDIER DEFEAT EFFECT STRENGTH – Increases the potency of your soldier defeat effects. Up to 45% for Fortification, Eye for an Eye, and Entrenchment. Up to a 4x multiplier for Rejuvenation.

SOLDIER DEFEAT EFFECT COOLDOWN – Decreases the cooldown for your soldier defeat effect by up to 45s.

VANGUARD TRAITS – (THAT AFFECT RECRUIT DEFEAT EFFECTS)

RECRUIT DEFEAT EFFECT DURATION – Increases the duration of your recruit defeact effect by up to 15s.

RECRUITDEFEAT EFFECT CHANCE – Increases the percent chance of triggering a recruit defeat effect by up to 15%.

RECRUIT DEFEAT EFFECT STRENGTH – Increases the potency of your recruit defeat effects. Up to +30% for Empowerment and Fleetness. Up to +1,500 Serrated crit value. Up to a 10x multiplier for power restore from Invigoration.

RECRUIT DEFEAT EFFECT COOLDOWN – Decreases the cooldown for your recruit defeat effect by up to 45s.

VANGUARD RANKS

Rank	Pts Rqd	Unlocks Skill / Effect / Ability	Improvements
1	20	Demoralizing Shout – Killstreak Skill Invigoration – Recruit Defeat Effect	+10% chance for bonus Killstreak Points
2	40	Eye for an Eye – Soldier Defeat Effect Stimulating Loss – Hero Defeat Effect
3	60	Enfeebling Cry – Killstreak Skill Serrated – Recruit Defeat Effect Motivating Fall – Hero Defeat Effect	Increases duration of Hero Defeat Effects
4	80	Rejuvenation – Soldier Defeat Effect Galvanizing Defeat – Hero Defeat Effect	Chance to refund 50% of killstreak points spent to use a killstreak skill
5	100	Piercing Roar – Killstreak Skill Fleetness – Recruit Defeat Effect	Chance to refund 50% of killstreak points spent to use a killstreak skill Increases duration of Hero Defeat Effects
6	120	Stunning Bellow – Killstreak Skill Entrenchment – Soldier Defeat Effect Inspiring End – Hero Defeat Effect	Increases the range of all Killstreak Skills Increases the duration of Hero Defeat Effects

VANGUARD BUILD (Offensive – High DPS Class)

This build is designed for Pelargir 6 Man and the Deeping Wall Raid. It is meant to be used by classes that have high DPS. You will make use of two primary skills on mobs with high morale (Bosses); RENDING BARK and STUNNING BELLOW.

VANGUARD BUILD (Offensive – Low DPS Class)

This build is designed for Pelargir 6 Man and the Deeping Wall Raid. It is meant to be used by classes that have low DPS. You will make use of two primary skills on mobs with high morale (Bosses); RENDING BARK and STUNNING BELLOW.

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