Warhammer 40K Space Marine 2 offers 6 different classes to choose from. While playing multiplayer, you and your team can experiment with various classes to see how it fares in PvP and PvE. The classes are a great starting point to then work on perks, weapons and get your perfect build. In this guide, we have put up what we believe is the best Vanguard build in Space Marine 2.
Space Marine 2 Vanguard Class Overview
The Vanguard has a unique class skill that lets you use a grapple hook to latch on to enemies. This class has a mix of mid to close range fighting style, and can equip one primary, one secondary, and one melee weapon. The Vanguard fares better in PvE rather than PvP, but doesn’t lag behind in either multiplayer modes. It is the best class to take down elite enemies before they can deal damage; and the Grapnel Launcher gives the class great mobility across the battlefield.
The 50% faster regeneration of Contested Health helps survivability and goes a big way in supporting the close combat style for the class.
- Armor Class: 2
- Class Perk: Grapnel Launcher
- Class Perk Description: With the Grapnel Launcher, you can execute a Diving Kick by being propelled at an enemy.
- Starting Perk: Contested Health regenerates 50% faster
Space Marine 2 Best Vanguard Class Perks
There are 8 perks that can be equipped on the Vanguard. These perks increase the overall damage rate of the Vanguard, mainly focusing on melee attacks. At the same time, these perks do offer increased damage resistance to ranged attacks mostly. You will also find that some of the perks focus on the Vanguard’s class ability, which is the Grapnel Launcher
| Perks | Description |
| Retribution | For 10s following a grab or knockback, you deliver 15% extra melee damage. |
| Duellist | Perfect Parry window is increased by 50% |
| Moving Target | You take 1% less Ranged Damage (up to 15%) for each successful Melee Attack. The effect expires after 3 seconds if a melee attack isn’t performed |
| Tactical Prowess | Utilizing the Grapnel Launcher ability to execute a Finisher replenishes its Charge. |
| Thrill of the Fight | For 3 seconds following a well-timed parry or dodge, you take 15% less damage. |
| Zone of Impact | When using the Grapnel Launcher to perform a Finisher, enemies nearby will take a little bit of damage. |
| Restless Fortitude | You suffer 10% less ranged damage for 10 seconds after following a diving kick. |
| Melee Champion | All Squad Members deals 15% increased Melee Damage |
Alternate Perk Swaps: You can switch out Duellist with Melee Mastery if you are unsure of your parrying skills. With Melee Mastery, you are granted 10% more melee damage dealt to opponents with Majoris level and above.
Also, once you reach past level 20 with the Vanguard, it is best to swap out Moving Target with Conviction. The Conviction perk grants the Vanguard 15% less health damage for ten seconds after their armor is completely depleted.
Space Marine 2 Best Vanguard Weapons
Since you can utilize all three weapon categories, you will be a bit spoilt for choice. For this particular build, we will be going for the following choices
- Primary Weapon: Melta Rifle
- Secondary Weapon: Bolt Pistol
- Melee weapon: Combat Knife
Best Melta Rifle Perks
It was a close call between Melta Rifle & the Instigator Bolt Carbine, but we went ahead with Melta Rifle for the powerful close combat damage that it can deliver. Since it is highly likely that with this class you will find yourself in between enemies more often than not, this weapon works best with the Vanguard playstyle. The perks focus on increasing damage output, with faster reload speed and increased ammo capacity. It will also ensure that you get stocked up on ammo frequently
- Extended Magazine: 15% maximum increase in magazine size
- Extended Magazine II: A further 15% maximum increase in magazine size
- Magazine Restoration: Ammo Reserve is restored by a full Magazine when health drops below 30%. has a 30-second cooldown.
- Great Might: Increases damage by 10% against Terminus enemies.
- Divine Might: Increases damage by 10%.
- Fast Reload: All weapons reload 10% quicker.
- First Shot: The first shot after reloading deals 10% additional damage.
- Reloading Immunity: While reloading, you do not lose control from heavy hits.
- Fast Regeneration: Armor is restored 0.5 seconds sooner after defeating an enemy
Best Bolt Pistol Perks
While your primary weapon does take up a lot of the heavy load on hunting down enemies, you should also focus on enhancing your secondary weapons too. Equipping the Bolt Pistol with the below perks will increase its ammo capacity and damage output.
- Divine Might: Gives increased damage by 10%
- Elite Hunter: Headshots deliver 50% greater damage for 5 seconds after using a melee weapon to defeat an enemy that is Majoris level or above.
- Extended Magazine: Gives 15% maximum increase in magazine size.
- Great Might: 10% more damage is dealt to Terminus enemies
- Gun Strike Reload: The equipped weapon instantly reloads when followed by a gun strike.
- Head Hunter: Headshots get 10% increased Damage.
- Iron Grip: For 5 seconds following a gun strike, recoil is decreased by 35%.
- Perpetual Precision: Maximum Spread drops by 10%.
- Retaliation: Helps deliver 25% greater damage for 5 seconds following a well timed dodge.
Tip: If you just use Retaliation and Iron Grip as the Master-Crafted perk, and Great Might as the standard perk, then you are all set to use the Bolt Pistol
Best Combat Knife Perks
The Combat Knife is our choice for best melee weapon for the Vanguard for its speed and agility, which highly compliments the Vanguard build. To further enhance it, we are going to increase its damage output against certain enemy types, making it quite a weapon for PvE play
- Armored Strength: Melee Damage is increased by 10% while fully armored.
- Chaos Slayer: 10% more damage when dealing with Chaos enemies
- Extremis Slayer: Melee damage gets a 10% increase against enemies at the Extremis level.
- Hard Target: During a Light Combo attack, 15% less Ranged Damage is taken.
- Kill Streak: When you use a Light Combo to kill ten enemies, you are still in control when you take a Heavy Hit and are immune to knockbacks for 5 seconds. There is a 10 second cooldown.
- Kinetic Energy: For three seconds, Heavy Attack Melee Damage is increased by 3% (up to 30%) with each subsequent Heavy Attack.
- Perpetual Strength: Melee Damage is boosted by 5%.
- Reeling Blow: Enemies hit by the Whirlwind Slash attack deal 30% less damage.
- Sharp Impact: Increase in radius by 50% for the Right and Left Skull Crusher AOE attack
- Tyranid Slayer: 10% increased damage against Tyranids.
Tip: If you want to pick the best of the above perks, then go for Perpetual Strength and Kinetic Energy for the Master-Crafted perks. Perpetual Strength also works under the Standard perk list.
This Vanguard Class build in Space Marine 2 works well in both PvP and PvE. You can tweak the perks and abilities to your liking and go for weapons that you feel fits better instead. But with the above perks, you can handle almost all dangers that come towards you. If you like this guide you can check out our other Space Marine 2 guides like All Dataslate Locations In Space Marine 2 and How To Upgrade Weapons Quickly In Space Marine 2