Your Friendly Neighborhood Phantom (N7 Slayer Build)

INTRO

Vanguards are an interesting bunch. Some are built around meleeing/tanking (Brawler, Murdertrain), some are built around powers (Novaguard), and some do better with weapons (Asari Vanguard). The N7 Slayer is usually built in one of two ways: staggeriffic or pure melee. Those are great ways to build him, and I love them both to death. However, with the recent buffs to Phase Disruptor, I believe that another style is viable. Namely, using his impressive set of power buffs to amp his newly buffed PD through the roof. Here's how to do it.

BUILD

• Biotic Charge: One of the best skills in the game on certain classes, and the Slayer is one of them. Between this, his dodge, and his heavy melee, he is the single most mobile kit in the game. Use this mobility to jump in and out of bad situations and stagger enemies around you. Take Radius to keep you safe and to damage more enemies, and power synergy to amp up further BC's and PD's. Barrier because of course.

• Phase Disruptor: The best part about this guy. They just buffed it to drain less shields per cast, with only 20% of your shields with each shot. This, to radically understate it, is awesome. It's got impressive damage and can control a group of enemies while your BC recharges. You're generally going to want to shoot it at the ground near enemies to make sure you don't miss. Take damage, since you'll be spamming it enough that Radius will take care of itself. Take efficient blast, for more shots. It'll give you five shots before needing to recharge if you're not being shot at. Finally, take Armor Damage to help against bosses. This is your bread and butter, to use a cliche. Use it often, and Charge to recharge your shields and keep spamming.

• Biotic Slash: Meh. I go three points in just for style points and because I don't need the rank 6 evo on the class passive. Use it through walls only.

• Passives: Straight power damage on offensive passives (easy enough). Fitness is where things get fun. I recommend that you take Krogan spec: Durability, then Melee/Melee. The trick with this guy is to use your heavy melee not as your main source of damage, but as a steroid to boost other aspects of your play. It'll give you a 30% power boost for 20 seconds, which is nothing to sneeze at at all. Only use it when safe though-- isolated enemies only, as it leaves you open for counterattack. Also note that his HM will whiff on anyone who is staggering backwards, so let them recover before you cut their heads off-- it's only sporting. His light melee is also fantastic, and also gets amped by his heavy melee. It gives you (i think) 50% DR while doing it, which combined with Charge's temporary DR lets you be surprisingly tanky. He's no Brawler, but it's pretty damn respectable.

• Weapons: You just need something to take care of shields. Acolyte or Talon are your best bet, as you'll wreck anything else. I've been taking the Eagle lately, because EEEEEEAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEE. If you want to support more and have teammates that can take care of shields for you, the Scorpion is another excellent choice. RECKONING UPDATE: With the advent of the SMG/Pistol Power boosting mods, they are practically mandatory as they give a great damage boost. If you're against Cerberus, run PB/AP, otherwise go PB/Stunner.

• Gear: Take Martial Biotic if you feel comfortable with your level of tankiness, or Juggy Shields if you don't. Alternatively, if you hate his HM animation, you can take BatGauntlets to boost your damage and give a much better animation, which will significantly improve his playability. Power Amps are nice, Strength boosters are also nice, and elemental ammo + Acolyte + PD = explosions galore.

STRATEGY

It's a pretty simple combo. Just BC a spawn (preferably one without sync killers, although this guy eats Phantoms for breakfast), teledodge back, and PD them into oblivion while they can't move. Heavy melee when you can, to get the power buff.

This guy synergizes fantastically with just about any team-- he can detonate tech explosions with PD, and BE's with Biotic Charge. He's a generalist in the best sense of the word.

If you want more info on his fantastically awesome dodge, check out the write up I did on the Fury's dodge (which is the exact same) here. It will either save your life or end it multiple times over, depending on how good you get. Practice will make you invincible.

The Friendly Phantom is awesome against Cerberus, as long as you watch out for turrets. He does well against Collectors too, as long as you don't get Seekered. Geth staggers are problematic for him, so careful against them. Reapers aren't too bad for the most part, but Banshees will wreck your shit. Stay far away from them.

Lastly, HOST. Lag kills Vanguards like they said something about its mother.

CONCLUSION

This is just a brief guide on the sort of hybrid power/melee way that I play my Slayer. Try it out if it seems cool, and that the BioGods for that PD buff. Good luck!

Also, 200th BUILD WOOOOOOOOOOOOO.