View source for Vanguard

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The '''Vanguard''' is an [[Epic Battles]] role which focuses on directly engaging the enemy before them. 

As you kill enemies you gain access to new skill and abilities to unleash powerful area based effects and damage. 

When you fall in battle those around you will be inspired by your loss and fight harder.

==Skills==
[[File:Vanguard panel.jpg|center]]
Putting traits in the Vanguard line will open up the Vanguard panel during Epic Battles. This panel will track earned killstreak points, give access to killstreak skills, show the current hero death effect and allow the user to choose bonus effects for killing recruit and soldier-type enemies.

===Incite Foe===
{{:Incite Foe|mode=link}} is a taunt earned from {{:Vanguard Rank 1|mode=link}} that will cause nearby enemies to attack the player. Higher Vanguard ranks give this skill more potency in the form of wider range, affecting more targets and giving it a damage component. Rank 2 will also cause NPCs to ignore the targets affected by Incite Foe skill allowing the player to rack up killstreak points.

===Killstreak points===
The player has a chance to earn killstreak points when landing a killing blow on a mob. Accumulated killstreak points can be expended by using killstreak skills. Killstreak points also indicate the level of the current hero death effect. The maximum amount of points a player can earn at a time as well as the earn chance can be modified in the Epic Battles trait panel. The absolute maximum amount of killstreak points is 20. Any killstreak points earned after reaching the maximum will be lost.

===Killstreak skills===
Killstreak skills offer offensive abilities and debuffs to Vanguards at the cost of consuming killstreak points. Effect duration, cooldown, potency and target count can be modified in the Epic Battles trait panel.

{| class="altRowsMed" width=500
! width="20%" | Killstreak cost !! width="40%" | Skill !! width="40%" | Effect (mobs)
|-
| align="center" | 4
| {{:Rending Bark|mode=imlink}}
| +Incoming damage
|-
| align="center" | 8
| {{:Demoralizing Shout|mode=imlink}}
| Damage over time
|-
| align="center" | 12
| {{:Enfeebling Cry|mode=imlink}}
| -Run speed, +attack duration, skill inductions
|-
| align="center" | 16
| {{:Piercing Roar (Vanguard)|mode=imlink}}
| Damage
|-
| align="center" | 20
| {{:Stunning Bellow|mode=imlink}}
| Stun, multiply morale
|}

===Hero death effects===
As killstreak points accumulate, hero death effects become active. If the player dies, nearby allies and NPCs will receive the benefits of the hero death effects. Hero death effects stack meaning that the current highest effect and all before it will apply. The tooltips do not show the buff that will be bestowed. Hero death effects are modified by increasing Vanguard ranks in the trait panel. If the player consumes killstreak points with killstreak skills, the current hero death effect will change accordingly.

{| class="altRowsMed" width=500
! width="20%" | Killstreak requirement !! width="40%" | Skill !! width="40%" | Effect (allies)
|-
| align="center" | 4+
| {{:Encouraging Setback|mode=imlink}}
| -Incoming damage
|-
| align="center" | 8+
| {{:Stimulating Loss|mode=imlink}}
| Heal over time
|-
| align="center" | 12+
| {{:Motivating Fall|mode=imlink}}
| +Outgoing damage
|-
| align="center" | 16+
| {{:Galvanizing Defeat|mode=imlink}}
| +Run speed, -attack duration, skill inductions
|-
| align="center" | 20
| {{:Inspiring End|mode=imlink}}
| Heal
|}

===Defeat effects===
When landing a killing blow on an enemy, there is a chance to receive a buff according to that mob's 'type'. Types are indicated underneath a mob's floating name and are designated as either Recruit or Soldier. Players can choose between 4 recruit effects and 4 soldier effects using the drop-down arrow on the Vanguard panel. Chance to trigger, duration, cooldown and potency can be modified in the Epic Battles trait panel.

{| class="altRowsMed" width=500
! width="50%" | Recruit defeat effect !! width="50%" | Effect (self)
|-
| {{:Empowerment|mode=imlink}}
| +Damage
|-
| {{:Invigoration (Vanguard skill)|mode=imlink}}
| Power over time
|-
| {{:Serrated|mode=imlink}}
| +Critical rating
|-
| {{:Fleetness (Vanguard skill)|mode=imlink}}
| +Run speed, -attack duration, skill inductions
|}


{| class="altRowsMed" width=500
! width="50%" | Soldier defeat effect !! width="50%" | Effect (self)
|-
| {{:Fortification (Vanguard)|mode=imlink}}
| -Incoming damage
|-
| {{:Eye for an Eye|mode=imlink}}
| Reflect % of damage
|-
| {{:Rejuvenation|mode=imlink}}
| Heal over time
|-
| {{:Entrenchment|mode=imlink}}
| Negate % of damage
|}

==Traits==
{{:Vanguard Traits}}
{{Instance Cluster: Epic Battles}}
[[Category: Vanguard|*]]