Guide to the Vanguard Class in Mass Effect

The Vanguard can only train two weapons- the pistols and shotguns. Since she can't train assault rifles, the shotgun will be her weapon for close range combat. It has its disadvantages with a slow fire rate and quick overheating, but it can deliver a powerful punch with one hit. The shotgun is more dangerous with Carnage, a special ability that brings heavy damage and can send enemies backwards and down to the floor. Besides the shotgun, don't forget to also rely on melee attacks; they get stronger as long you're improving your Assault Training, a talent well suited for the Vanguard since it improves weapon and melee damage.

The pistols shouldn't be frowned upon even though it fires light damage. Once you've unlocked the Marksman ability, your pistols become much better, as its fire rate and accuracy increases. It's a fast way to take down an enemy, with quick shots that deal plenty of damage in a short timespan. The game has plenty of strong pistols to be found so make sure to search for those crates and lockers. With no sniper training for the Vanguard, the Pistols are your best long range weapon, and will be especially handy for the Vanguard since you can't fight in close combat all the time.

Make sure to be strategic in how you use your weapons and biotics during combat; experiment with your talents and see what combinations will work best together with your pistols and shotguns. For example, you may want to begin a fight by casting Warp on enemies, where it lowers their defense as well delivering some damage every second. As they're taking damage, you can then fire your pistol to finish them off, so the fight should end more quickly.

Another strategy is to attack first with Lift and Throw and then use your shotgun. When an enemy is falling down from Lift, he will be on the floor for a few seconds before he gets up. Take the opportunity to run up close to him and blast him away with your shotgun. This way, you won't have to worry about an enemy firing as you run ahead.

It's poor game planning when you're just gunning around without relying on your biotics to give your weapons an advantage over your opponents; going in this route will not always be a good start during a fight.