Seven archetypes
Vanguard
A hero’s class decides two things that matter more than its stats: which upgrade pool it draws from at rank A and again at rank S, and which relics and items are built to support it. Seven classes, four heroes each, and a shared pool per class — so two heroes of the same class compete for the same upgrades. Each page below lists the heroes, both upgrade pools in full, and every relic and item that carries the class name.
Updated for patch 0.5.10
The S tier item is theirs
Vanguard's Bracelet is the only class-named item rated S on the tier list, and every copy in the builds sits on Rip: two in Rush Duelists and two in Rush Shard Gen Duelists, each gaining 20 Max HP per Rush trigger. Rip is the Vanguard in four builds and Rowan covers Stall Aria and Debuff Mages. No build fields a second Vanguard or carries a relic with the class name.
Health as a damage stat
The four Vanguards average 1,125 health, and six of their fifteen upgrades spend it. Intimidating Aura deals 3% of Max HP to adjacent enemies each second, Burning Eye opens combat with 30 Burn plus 1 per 50 Max HP, and Shield Line hands 66% of it as Shields to everyone in the front two rows. Rush feeds the number back: Rushed Size doubles Max HP for Rush (12), Rushed Offense adds 100 on each trigger, and Rip takes Rushed Size in three of his four builds.
Burn numbers went up
Burning Eye gained its flat 30 Burn in 0.5.5, Burning Aura now scales at 1 Burn per 800 Max HP instead of 1,000 and stacks to 7 instead of 5, and Vanguard's Flameplate Banner and Vanguard's Flamefists Banner went from 3 to 4 Burn. In 0.5.7, damage from Burn and Poison started counting for Vanguard's Frenzy Prism, which grants +33% Attack Speed, Attack and Defense the first time a Vanguard drops below half health in a combat.
Vanguard heroes
NiklasVanguardRed Hot Deals: Niklas has an extra item slot. When he survives combat, consume the item in his leftmost item slot to permanently gain 50 (+25 per Rank)% of its stats and Shards equal to 80% of its value. For Rush (14), auto attacks inflict 1 (+1 per 500 Max Health) Burn per equipped item.
RowanVanguard / TankHearty: After Stall (10), gain 2 (+1 per 100 Max Health, +1 per 15 Defense) HP/S.
RipVanguardBloodthirsty: For Rush (10), gain 5% Max Health Attack. Whenever Rip or an enemy adjacent to him first drops below 50% Max HP, refresh all of his Rush abilities and gain 2% Max Health Attack Speed.
MingVanguardInner Flame: Each second, inflict 1 per 600 Max Health Burn on adjacent enemies. For Rush (7), double the Burn.
Vanguard stats compared
The base values of every Vanguard, before ranks, items and relics.
Vanguard upgrades — rank A
15 upgrades in the rank A pool. A hero picks one, and heroes of the same class draw from the same list.
Bulk FormationAt start of combat, give this Hero and adjacent Heroes 25% Max Health Max HP.
Vindictive ShieldsThe first time each combat this Hero goes below 50% Max HP, they gain 50% Max Health Shields and deal 50% Max Health damage to adjacent enemies.
Calming PresenceVanguards gain 13 (+10 per Rank) HP/S. Backup.
DistractionAfter Stall (10, Stall 20, Stall 30, Stall 40, and Stall 50): Taunt all enemies.
Intimidating AuraEach second, deal 3% Max Health damage to adjacent enemies.
Rushed OffenseOn Rush trigger, gain 100 Max HP, 12 Attack, and 10 Attack Speed.
Rushed SizeFor Rush (12), gain +100% Max HP.
Rush OverdriveRush abilities last 3 seconds longer. Backup.
Burning AuraOn auto attack or when auto attacked, inflict 1 (+1 per 800 Max Health) Burn on the enemy (Max: 7).
Aggressive PresenceVanguards gain 50 (+50 per Rank) Attack. Backup.
Burning EyeAt start of combat, inflict 30 (+1 per 50 Max Health) Burn on all enemies.
Burning RestorationOn auto attack or when auto attacked, if the enemy has Burn gain 1 HP/S.
Violent PresenceWhenever a Vanguard auto attacks or is auto attacked, they gain 25 Shields. Backup.
Brutal VitalityGain 1000 Max HP and 20 Omnivamp.
Shield LineAt start of combat, give all Heroes in the front 2 rows 66% Max Health Shields.
Vanguard upgrades — rank S
15 upgrades in the rank S pool. A hero picks one, and heroes of the same class draw from the same list.
- Bulk FormationAt start of combat, give this Hero and adjacent Heroes 25% Max Health Max HP.
- Vindictive ShieldsThe first time each combat this Hero goes below 50% Max HP, they gain 50% Max Health Shields and deal 50% Max Health damage to adjacent enemies.
- Calming PresenceVanguards gain 13 (+10 per Rank) HP/S. Backup.
- DistractionAfter Stall (10, Stall 20, Stall 30, Stall 40, and Stall 50): Taunt all enemies.
- Intimidating AuraEach second, deal 3% Max Health damage to adjacent enemies.
- Rushed OffenseOn Rush trigger, gain 100 Max HP, 12 Attack, and 10 Attack Speed.
- Rushed SizeFor Rush (12), gain +100% Max HP.
- Rush OverdriveRush abilities last 3 seconds longer. Backup.
- Burning AuraOn auto attack or when auto attacked, inflict 1 (+1 per 800 Max Health) Burn on the enemy (Max: 7).
- Aggressive PresenceVanguards gain 50 (+50 per Rank) Attack. Backup.
- Burning EyeAt start of combat, inflict 30 (+1 per 50 Max Health) Burn on all enemies.
- Burning RestorationOn auto attack or when auto attacked, if the enemy has Burn gain 1 HP/S.
- Violent PresenceWhenever a Vanguard auto attacks or is auto attacked, they gain 25 Shields. Backup.
- Brutal VitalityGain 1000 Max HP and 20 Omnivamp.
- Shield LineAt start of combat, give all Heroes in the front 2 rows 66% Max Health Shields.
Vanguard relics and items
18 entities carry the Vanguard name. They are built around what the class does, so they are the first place to look when you commit to it.
Vanguard's Endurance BannerUniqueVanguard's Rush abilities last 3 seconds longer.
Vanguard's Aegis BannerUniqueAt start of combat, Vanguards gain Shields equal to 25% of their Max HP.
Vanguard's Rally BannerUniqueFor Rush (10), Vanguards gain 1 Attack and 1 Defense per 25 Max HP.
Vanguard's Flameplate BannerUniqueWhenever a Vanguard is auto attacked, they inflict 4 Burn on the attacker.
Vanguard's Flamefists BannerUniqueWhenever a Vanguard auto attacks, they inflict 4 Burn on their target.
Vanguard's Combative ReflectionUniqueVanguards gain 200 Max HP and 25 Attack.
Vanguard's Plated ReflectionUniqueVanguards gain 200 Max HP and 30 Defense.
Vanguard's MedallionCommonVanguards gain 200 Max HP.
Vanguard's MementoRareAt start of combat, inflict 45 Burn on all enemies per Vanguard in combat.
Vanguard's EmblemRareEvery 5 seconds if there is a Vanguard in combat, Heroes gain 150 Shields.
Vanguard's Frenzy PrismEpicWhenever a Vanguard goes below 50% Max HP for the first time each combat they gain +33% Attack Speed, +33% Attack, and +33% Defense.
Vanguard's Amplification FiligreeEpicFor Rush (8), Vanguards gain +100% Max HP.
Vanguard's Titanic EngineLegendaryHeroes gain 400 Max HP. Whenever a Vanguard auto attacks or is auto attacked, they gain 10 Max HP. Every 200 Max HP gained this way, give them 25 Attack and increase their size.
Vanguard's BucklerUniqueIf this item is held by a Vanguard, double its stats.
Vanguard's SwordUniqueIf this item is held by a Vanguard, double its stats.
Vanguard's BraceletRareOn Rush trigger, if held by a Vanguard this item gains 20 Max HP.
Vanguard's GlyphEpicThe holder counts as a Vanguard during combat. If they were already a Vanguard, they gain +25% Max HP.
Vanguard's CrestUniqueThe holder counts as a Vanguard during combat.