How can I play Vanguard effectively in Mass Effect 3?

Solution 1:

A vanguard can be absolutely OP

My first character was a vanguard (imported Shep though, so I started at level 30). After using the advice of some answers in this question, I quickly became an unstoppable killing machine while playing hardcore difficulty. Here's what I did:

1. I maxed out my biotic charge for the most single target damage I can get.
2. I maxed out nova for the boost to power cooldown and increased radius/chance of not expending shields.
3. I carry around the minimum weapons required to maintain 200% recharge rate.
4. For the rest of my skills, it went into assault mastery and fitness, primarily focused on boosting power damage where I could and increasing barrier strength where I couldn't.
5. For my armor, I wear the -30% power cooldown +30% power damage armor.

With this setup, I can literally none stop charge + nova until everything on the battlefield is dead. Balled up enemies don't even have time to blink before they are completely destroyed.

Against the special enemies, I tend to be a bit more careful and rely more on my allies for ranged damage, but generally for enemies such as a brute, instead of doing a Nova right after the charge (and thus leaving yourself vulnerable), I prefer to do a quick dodge to the left/right first.

Solution 2:

yx.'s strategy is great for play on Hardcore/Silver difficulty, but for Gold/Insanity you'll want a more sane, long distance build.

You'll want to focus on staying alive and working at a moderate distance.

• Biotic Charge; go for additional targets and 100% shield restoration. Biotic Charge is extremely dangerous in Insanity, so when you use it you want the enemies around you staggered and you want a full shield. I picked weapon damage over power damage too; you'll be using your weapons a lot more.
• Fitness: Go for shields/health bonuses. Since Melee and Biotic Charge aren't ever going to be one hit kills in Insanity, you'll want to focus on staying power.
• Shockwave: Go for distance. Shockwave is pretty useful as it penetrates cover. I find the Lift effect helpful against weak enemies (which I usually use it against) but quick recharge is more useful to spam it, especially against big targets. Note that Shockwave usually staggers big stuff like Atlases.
• Nova: I never use this anymore. It's suicide in Insanity mode. Use your skill points elsewhere
• Weapons: I personally carry a Geth Pulse Rifle, Locust SMG and Carnifex heavy pistol, which gives me a great range of firepower but keeps my power recharge speed at 200%
• Cryo/Incindiary Ammo: Cryo ammo works well with slow-fire weapons, I use it on my Heavy Pistol. Go for a high freeze chance and duration to take targets out of the fight. For Incindiary, go for Explosive Burst, it whittles down health insanely fast with high-rat**e-of-fire weapons like the Geth Pulse Rifle.
• Bonus Power**: Carnage is a great fit. Your skills are shortrange and aren't great against armor. Carnage is long range and shreds armor. Great against Brutes, Banshees, anything armored/unshielded you don't want to get close to.

I find myself keeping my distance behind cover, and I only use Charge in emergencies; use it to hit a target you can flee from to heal your Barrier. Focus on using your guns, and only use powers to supplement them; shockwave to stagger targets, Carnage to eat armor.

Focus on one target at a time, and make use of your squadmate's powers. I personally keep EDI and Garrus around and use their Overload skills mapped to hotkeys. This way I can immediately drop targets shields and remove their health quickly with weapons fire, or use Shockwave/Pull to weaken them for a final blow.