The Vanguard class in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 caters to players who excel in direct combat. These fearless Vanguard Marines thrive in the chaos of battle, closing in on foes with ferocity and delivering lethal strikes. While proficiency in close-quarters combat is their hallmark, Vanguard Marines possess abilities that make them versatile across various combat scenarios.
Known for their agility, Vanguards can traverse the battlefield with ease, making it a challenge for opponents to keep them in check. With the right build and player skills, the Vanguard class can drastically shift the tide in engagements. Here’s a comprehensive overview of how to optimize the Vanguard’s perks and weapons for peak performance in Space Marine 2.
Updated on December 19th, 2024 by Joshua Leeds: This guide has been revised to incorporate the latest weapon options tailored specifically for close-quarters combat against the Tyranid menace, including new pistol selections and enhanced primary and secondary weapon choices.
Understanding the Vanguard Class
The Vanguard excels in melee combat, leveraging its distinct ability—a grappling hook that allows swift engagement with adversaries. Players can utilize this hook to latch onto foes and unleash a powerful Diving Kick to incapacitate them. Additionally, the Grapnel Launcher facilitates rapid movement to hard-to-reach locations, further enhancing the Vanguard’s tactical positioning.
In contrast to the Assault class, which also prioritizes close combat, the Vanguard proves more formidable against elite enemies. Their ability to single out and neutralize targets makes them indispensable in high-stakes scenarios. Moreover, equipping a primary weapon adds to their tactical versatility, enabling effective responses to ranged threats.
Top Vanguard Perks
Each Vanguard has access to a tailored perk system, consisting of three Core perks, a Team perk, three Gear perks, and a Signature perk. The right combination of these can elevate the Vanguard’s combat effectiveness considerably.
Given their melee prowess and grappling capabilities, most perks focus on enhancing ability recharge rates and bolstering melee damage output.
Core Perks
|
Perk |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Duelist |
Extends the Perfect Parry window by 50%, allowing for better timing. |
|
Melee Mastery |
Increases melee damage by 10% against Majoris-level enemies and higher. |
|
Honed Reactions |
Doubling the Perfect Parry window at Health under 50% enhances survivability. |
Team Perk
|
Perk |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Inner Fire |
Allows squad members to restore 15% of their Ability Charge for each successful Finisher. |
Gear Perks
|
Perk |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Zone of Impact |
Finishing moves with the Grapnel Launcher deal minor damage to nearby foes. |
|
Shock Wave |
The Diving Kick also creates a damaging shock wave within a five-meter radius. |
|
The Grapnel Launcher receives a 20% faster recharge rate. |
Signature Perk
|
Perk |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Tactical Prowess |
Charges the Grapnel Launcher upon executing a Finisher. |
Essential Vanguard Weapons
The Vanguard class primarily emphasizes melee, yet offers versatility with the ability to choose among three distinct weapons. For an optimal endgame setup, consider the following weapon selection:
- Primary Weapon:
or 
- Secondary Weapon:
or Neo-Volkite Pistol (Gathalamor Crusade) - Melee Weapon:
Optimal Melta Rifle Perks
Stats
The high-intensity beam of the Melta Rifle is particularly effective against heavily armored adversaries, making it an ideal choice for defeating elite Tyranid foes. The Gathalamor Crusade variant enhances the Melta Rifle’s range, allowing Vanguards to engage enemies from a safer distance.
|
Stats |
Relic |
|---|---|
|
Firepower |
14 |
|
Reloading Speed |
1 |
|
Rate of Fire |
1 |
|
Piercing |
10 |
|
Range |
4 |
|
Ammo Reserve |
15 |
|
Magazine Capacity |
5 |
Perks
Due to its limited ammunition, the focus for the Melta Rifle should be on perks that enhance damage output and optimize ammo efficiency. The following perks will allow you to maximize your firepower:
|
Perk |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Extended Magazine |
Increases the magazine size by 15% of the maximum. |
|
Magazine Restoration |
Restores one magazine when Health falls below 30%. |
|
Great Might |
Grants a 10% damage boost against Terminus-level enemies. |
|
Divine Might |
Increases damage by 10%. |
|
First Shot |
The first shot after reloading deals 10% more damage. |
|
Adamant Reload |
Instantly reloads the equipped weapon when Health is under 30%. |
|
Elusive Fire |
A timely dodge enhances fire rate by 25% for 5 seconds. |
|
Perpetual Fire |
Boosts fire rate by 10%. |
Key Occulus Bolt Carbine Perks
Designed for rapid engagement, the Occulus Bolt Carbine is excellent for unleashing a flurry of rounds at close range. Its higher rate of fire aligns perfectly with the Vanguard’s combat style.
Stats
|
Stats |
Relic |
|---|---|
|
Firepower |
9 |
|
Accuracy |
2+ |
|
Rate of Fire |
7 |
|
Reloading Speed |
4+ |
|
Piercing |
1 |
|
Range |
4 |
|
Ammo Reserve |
210 |
|
Magazine Capacity |
30 |
Perks
To fully utilize the Occulus Bolt Carbine, perks should enhance its damage output and penetration capabilities, delivering peak performance against clustered enemies. Consider these perks:
|
Perk |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Perpetual Precision |
Reduces weapon spread by 10%. |
|
Fast Reload |
Improves reload speed for all weapons by 10%. |
|
Perpetual Penetration |
Each shot can penetrate one additional target. |
|
Finisher Reload |
Executing a finisher instantly reloads your equipped weapon. |
|
Fast Regeneration |
Eliminating an enemy restores armor. 5 seconds faster. |
|
Divine Might |
Boosts damage by 10%. |
|
Tyranid Eliminator |
Increases damage against all Tyranid enemies by 10%. |
|
Great Might |
Enhances damage against Terminus enemies by 10%. |
Best Bolt Pistol Perks
Stats
The Bolt Pistol serves as a dependable secondary weapon for the Vanguard, maintaining effectiveness at both close and medium ranges. Enhanced versions, particularly the Gathalamor Crusade variant, focus on high output, faster firing rates, and ample ammunition reserves.
|
Stats |
Relic |
|---|---|
|
Firepower |
8+ |
|
Reloading Speed |
8+ |
|
Rate of Fire |
4+ |
|
Piercing |
1 |
|
Range |
5 |
|
Ammo Reserve |
120 |
|
Magazine Capacity |
12 |
|
Accuracy |
7+ |
Perks
To optimize the Bolt Pistol’s capabilities, the following eight perks focus on enhancing damage, accuracy, and ammo sustainability, ensuring smooth mission execution:
|
Perk |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Great Might |
Increases damage by 10% against Terminus enemies. |
|
Iron Grip |
Reduces recoil by 35% for 5 seconds following a Gun Strike. |
|
Retaliation |
After a perfectly timed dodge, deals 25% more damage for 5 seconds. |
|
Divine Might |
Increases damage by 10%. |
|
Extended Magazine |
Boosts the magazine size by 15% of the maximum. |
|
Rapid Health |
Restores 5% health within 30 seconds after eliminating 10 enemies when health drops below 30%. |
|
Head Hunter |
Increases damage from headshots by 10%. |
|
Honed Precision |
Reduces the pistol’s maximum spread by 25% when firing without aiming. |
Top Neo-Volkite Pistol Perks
Stats
The Neo-Volkite Pistol is adept at targeting individual enemies inflicting consistent damage. As the enemy heats up from continuous fire, they can eventually explode, inflicting substantial damage to both themselves and nearby targets. This characteristic particularly aids in battling Terminus foes.
|
Stats |
Relic |
|---|---|
|
Firepower |
6 |
|
Accuracy |
10 |
|
Rate of Fire |
10 |
|
Reloading Speed |
8+ |
|
Piercing |
1 |
|
Range |
5 |
|
Ammo Reserve |
650 |
|
Magazine Capacity |
130 |
Perks
Maximize the Neo-Volkite Pistol’s efficiency by selecting perks that expedite enemy heating and enhance ammo supply, thereby allowing repeated utilization. Here are the recommended perks:
|
Perk |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Divine Might |
Increases damage by 10%. |
|
Great Might |
Damage increases by 10% against Terminus enemies. |
|
Increased Capacity |
Boosts the maximum ammo reserve by 20%. |
|
Accelerated Combustion |
Increases heating speed by 20%. |
|
Volkite Discharge Area |
Widespread discharge area increased by 20%. |
|
Volkite Blitz |
Boosts discharge damage by 25% along with a 25% increase in the affected area. |
|
Distributed Deflagration |
25% of heat generated from enemies transferred to nearby foes upon discharge. |
Best Chainsword Perks
Stats
With its fierce serrated blade, the Chainsword reigns supreme as the Vanguard’s melee weapon of choice. The Aquilan Dedication variant proves even more formidable, boasting enhanced damage output and swifter attack speeds.
|
Stats |
Relic |
|---|---|
|
Speed |
4+ |
|
Strength |
10 |
|
Cleaving Potential |
3+ |
|
Defense |
Fencing |
Perks
To fully exploit the prowess of the Aquilan Dedication Chainsword, focus on these perks, which enhance its damage and speed capabilities:
|
Perk |
Effect |
|---|---|
|
Perpetual Strength |
Increases melee damage by 5%. |
|
Swift Recovery |
Heavy attacks restore double the contested health. |
|
Tyranid Slayer |
Increases melee damage against Tyranids by 10%. |
|
Minor Slayer |
Enhances melee damage against Minoris-level enemies by 20%. |
|
Saw Blade |
Increases light combo length from 4 to 5 strikes. |
|
Full Throttle |
Increases damage by 100% for a charged attack when the button is held down for up to 3 seconds. |
|
Major Slayer |
Boosts melee damage against Majoris-level enemies by 10%. |
|
Extremis Slayer |
Increases melee damage against Extremis-level enemies by 15%. |
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