Vanguard class - is it useful at all?

[IndianaJones]

Does anyone find this class useful?

I can't really get a hang of it.

The blocking ability is not really useful, it block only in ~250 degree area and is doing little to no damage to regular zombies.

The charge with shield is good to run somewhere fast, either from special zombie (Bomber, Charger) or to help a downed / pinned teammate.
As for damage charge with shield does little damage, you're lucky if you hit a few regular zombies.

Also the passive perks and default weapon loadout are pretty bad when compared to other classes.

Am I missing something or is it just a gimmick class?

I mean if vanguard class would have dual-yielded sidearm weapons or spawn with some better loadout + heavy weapon, then maybe it would have some non-standard usage. But now this class is pretty much useless.

I already prestiged it to rank 2, to get customized LMG, but really can't find a better reason to play it further other than to max out all classes to prestige rank 4.

[Nijo]

I’m not seeing its uses yet either for Hoard mode or Extreme beyond helping revives.

Slasher is better at crowd control imo.
Vanguard less useful in hoard defence objectives than other classes. You can block zombies from climbing up effectively to give others breathing space but it stops you doing anything else. Better to have a claymore or Molotov for zed pyramids

I feel like the Dronemaster had more utility with that gimmick than the Vanguard shield.
Oh I can give my team 5% ammo if I pass them? Cool

[Jargous]

Vanguard's biggest strength is realized in the insane/extreme difficulty when 2 or 3 zombies can knock you down (moreso in extreme). By establishing a choke point, Vanguard can give the team breathing room by making sure enemies do not get past a certain place buying the team to clean up the current mess they are in to eventually get to the aid of the Vanguard.

I definitely do not like how 3 of the 4 prestige perks are related to the shield. I would have much preferred if perks 1 and 4 were combined, and perk 4 would provide a health boost to both themselves and the team. 10% self, 5% team. This would definitely make Vanguard much more of a team player than its current state.

Dronemaster perks can help another player through sharing is caring
Remaining classes help out with their own perks without relying too much on equipment (1 perk versus 3 to Vanguard)

Perks are a little underwhelming because the equipment is used in a defensive manner with 2 types of use whereas Exterminator/Hellraiser only makes you pick 1 of the 2 equipments. It tries to be a fixer, but doesn't provide much for offense. It tries to be an exterminator but only lasts for a few seconds. It tries to be a slasher, but you have to choose with perks if you want to be a temporary exterminator or slasher (trying to be both just makes it worse). It's a defensive jack of all trades where its only strength lasts for a few seconds before being turned into a potentially Lv 1 'other' class.

[H-Foundry PIXIV]

overall it's not that good because you need to kill things (and that's not it's strength) not just be good at defending. I use this class on certain maps because I like the different approach it brings and am bored of other classes, not because it is the most optimal for the map.

The way I use it is by using the perk that slowly rebuilds charge. In swarms use the perk that increases firearm damage by 50% for 5 seconds when you put the shield away. It doesn't take all of a single charge with you put up the shield away and not block anything. I don't know how much exactly but you'll get multiple uses on a full 2 charges.

The +damage works with heavy weps so +50% damage with machine gun / heavy shotgun does well on pyramids as your on top of them shooting down. So toggle shield on/off then shoot.

You have to really be ready to use the shield block at correct / surprise moments. Mostly because it has some startup. This is why I like the charging perk, there's lots of downtime between difficult parts where you should get back most or all 2 charges back. You can be more cavalier with using the shield block imo.

It's good for picking up the solenoid-crates/fuel for the winch in Rome1. You just go outside and run across the colonnades, when you run out stamina use a charge and you traverse + get stamina back then keep on running some more looking for the pickups. The more you know the maps, the more you can utilize the classes. I only play on extreme, but only use Vanguard on certain maps.

[(N☆G) Jackal ★JJ★]

I honestly dont even want to use it.
Just reading all the skills for it seemed to focus so much on using the shield and it relies on you constantly putting you into a position where you have to move away from the team to do something. I can see its use more in maybe certain maps where rushing to certain things like car parts or levers is needed... but I just dont see much appeal pass that.

What the vanguard can do you can do better with other classes. I just personally dont see it as something I care for. Maybe I'm not seeing the potential but after reading posts here it seems other vets arent sold either.

[Bjorbd]

Originally posted by H-Foundry PIXIV:

overall it's not that good because you need to kill things (and that's not it's strength) not just be good at defending. I use this class on certain maps because I like the different approach it brings and am bored of other classes, not because it is the most optimal for the map.

The way I use it is by using the perk that slowly rebuilds charge. In swarms use the perk that increases firearm damage by 50% for 5 seconds when you put the shield away. It doesn't take all of a single charge with you put up the shield away and not block anything. I don't know how much exactly but you'll get multiple uses on a full 2 charges.

The +damage works with heavy weps so +50% damage with machine gun / heavy shotgun does well on pyramids as your on top of them shooting down. So toggle shield on/off then shoot.

You have to really be ready to use the shield block at correct / surprise moments. Mostly because it has some startup. This is why I like the charging perk, there's lots of downtime between difficult parts where you should get back most or all 2 charges back. You can be more cavalier with using the shield block imo.

It's good for picking up the solenoid-crates/fuel for the winch in Rome1. You just go outside and run across the colonnades, when you run out stamina use a charge and you traverse + get stamina back then keep on running some more looking for the pickups. The more you know the maps, the more you can utilize the classes. I only play on extreme, but only use Vanguard on certain maps.

The perk that slowly rebuilds charge,50% damage up for 5 seconds and lv 1 peaks are necessary item.
With the skills I mentioned above, vanguard can instant reload and receive 50% damage bonus by just rise up his shield.(It knock back nearby infect as well).
If u just rise up the shield and put it down immediately, u can do 4 times with 2 charge.

His weakness is obvious, no improved heavy weapon, med kit or 2nd lv gun carry to the game, making him worse than other class in defend....
His strength? He can charge to the objective quickly and stun the enemies in the middle of his way. This make him a good choice when u need a good runner like New York MTR station, Russia research factory and mtr station....

This class is a little bit under average ...But he is still fine in high difficulty if u have right teammates and communicate.

[Nijo]

Currently prestige 4 and still think the shield is useless. Blocking can save you from a tight spot but any other class would have survived in the same situation and been 10 times more useful to my team.

I can still complete Extreme, but that’s more because of my weapons. Sometimes I don’t even use the shield for the whole level.

It’s need major buffs if they want people to play it. Useless in horde mode too.

[IndianaJones]

I found only useful Shield Charge.

You can punch a whole in zekes horde or traverse very quickly to fallen teammate.

On occasion it can work very well to counter Bull (it your timing is right, doens't work each time).

I yet need to check other perks like reload, replenish ammo, or revive when you charge near someone, but these perks seem to be to too costly per one use of equipment item. And really your teammates would need to stand still to use that.

Blocking Shield is completely useless for me. Well, I agree when timed right it can block zekes for a few seconds on higher difficulty settings, but most people don't utilize that time, and usually shoot you in the back. :D For many games I had played it worked as expected in only one game.
If Blocking Shield would be used in one hand and in second you would have a sidearm, then maybe. But now I don't use it at all.

Prestige rank 4 perk is kinda lame, it gives 0,5 second more of Shield Charge. While it is 10% more so seems kinda right for game balance, I would prefer one more Equipment Item instead of that. It's not really worth grinding.

[Bjorbd]

Originally posted by Deadlock:

I found only useful Shield Charge.

You can punch a whole in zekes horde or traverse very quickly to fallen teammate.

On occasion it can work very well to counter Bull (it your timing is right, doens't work each time).

I yet need to check other perks like reload, replenish ammo, or revive when you charge near someone, but these perks seem to be to too costly per one use of equipment item. And really your teammates would need to stand still to use that.

Blocking Shield is completely useless for me. Well, I agree when timed right it can block zekes for a few seconds on higher difficulty settings, but most people don't utilize that time, and usually shoot you in the back. :D For many games I had played it worked as expected in only one game.
If Blocking Shield would be used in one hand and in second you would have a sidearm, then maybe. But now I don't use it at all.

Prestige rank 4 perk is kinda lame, it gives 0,5 second more of Shield Charge. While it is 10% more so seems kinda right for game balance, I would prefer one more Equipment Item instead of that. It's not really worth grinding.

Told in last post but may be not detail enough.
If u cancel Block shield immediately,it take 0.5 charge,which means u can do it 4 times.
The auto recharge skill is 140 seconds for 2 charges which is 35 sec for 1 block shield.
Worse than other dps class reload skill but can knock back infest.Can push infest down from high ground.
Not very great but it still useful.
I think this class is currently weaker than others but still fine to use.

[Tauriz]

I don't like it. Lvled it up to the second prestige, unlocked an LMG and screw it. I could come back to the Vanguard someday tho, try to figure out how to play it properly.

[PDBskittles]

For campaign the only uses i see for this class is buying time for respawns if you're the last man standing or blocking bull charges for your team . Problem i have with this class is the perks are too situation specific. For horde he's only good at holding capture the area objectives thats pretty much it...