Vanguard Insanity

Insanity game award.

Well I finished playing Mass Effect 2 on insanity level with a Vanguard character.  I’m all set for Mass Effect 3.  I’ll use this save game to import my character for Mass Effect 3.  I must admit I really came to like the Vanguard class while doing this insanity run through.  I think when Mass Effect 3 arrives my first play through will be with a Vanguard.  I used the Mass Effect Genesis downloadable content so I was able to make all the major decision choices of Mass Effect and have them incorporated in this Mass Effect 2 play through.

The biotic power Charge is fun when you get the hang of it.  I can say that Charge probably got me killed as many times as it saved me!  Seems I had a skill for charging into a group of enemies or finding multiple enemies that show up as only one dot on the map.  Hate it when that happens.  Then again charging is great way to recover you shield strength and get a few seconds to find some cover to hide behind.  Thanks to those who left me some Vanguard play tips when I was starting.

Generally Charge is a great biotic power if you think before you charge.  If you’re not in some critical mission failure situation you can use Charge to scoot around the outskirts of battlefield to your advantage.  Once you get a feel for the fight and the terrain use charge to attack isolated or weakened enemies.  After you slam into them use the weapon of your choice to kill them and then take cover. Charge is also handy for knocking enemies of ledges to let them fall to their death or combined with other biotic powers such as Pull.

Here's a short video of my Vanguard using Charge during the Collector Ship Infiltration mission to move forward to open the vents for, Kasumi, my technician.  Followed by a couple clips of charging to knock enemies off platforms and the popular charge and blast away (with your weapon of choice) move.

Many times when you pick off an enemy in this manner you’ll have positioned yourself on the flank or behind the other enemies.  You’ll be able to easily shoot them in the back.  When they begin to react to you that opens them up to attacks from your squad.  Then continue to “rinse and repeat” with Charge.  A great little side benefit of using Charge is that your shields get recharged.

Oh two things of interest on this play through.  I had a change of heart and didn't kill off Tali.  Also, I didn't have enough Renegade or Paragon points to kill Smara and make Mornith a member of the crew.  When the cut scene played Mornith asked for me to save her but I didn't have any dialog choices to save her.  Not sure why I couldn't kill Samara, perhaps I didn't use the charm or intimidate option at the right time.  Mass EffectWiki's advice is:

                     "Shepard then has a choice to kill either Samara or Morinth if the charm 
                     or intimidate option was used. Killing Samara is considered to be the 
                     Renegade outcome, though Paragon Shepards are also able to choose this 
                     outcome as it is dependent only on having a high score in either morality, 
                     not in a particular one. Has anybody saved Mrnith and killed Samara?" 

So if you want to save Mornith perhaps your outcome will be better.  Here is a video of Shepard interceding to help Mornith if you haven't seen it.

When are the Mass Effect 3 Collector Editions going to arrive; on March 6^th or a day or two before?  I’m ready are you?