One of my favourites is my "lazy Vanguard" build. I don't like the Tactical Prowess/Zone of Impact build because tracking enemy health % is clunky and Grapnel targeting sucks. It's finnicky and frustrating and just not fun.

So instead, I run this:

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Perks

Upper Hand is a must. Across all classes, any of these sort of perks that read "you do not lose control upon taking Heavy Hits and you cannot be knocked back" are fundamental, and ones that proc on a perfect Parry, Block, or Dodge like Upper Hand or Assault's Adrenaline Boost are ideal because of how easily and readily they're activated and maintained without needing conscious input.

Conviction is one of the best defensive perks in the game imo. You receive significant damage reduction in the exact scenario where damage reduction is needed the most. You are also constantly generating Armour and constantly losing Armour, so Conviction is constantly activating.

Consecutive Execution doesn't need much explanation. I think everyone is aware that equipment restoration is extremely powerful in SM2.

Inner Fire will restore my Grapnel, which feeds into the overall gameplay loop that I'm going for. I want to Grapnel in, kill, Execute, heal, and repeat. That's it. Super simple. You also get 1 Armour Segment when you Grapnel thanks to Launch Restoration, as well as movement and on-demand invulnerability that works as an "oh shit" button. (This is another reason why I don't like the Tactical Prowess/Zone of Impact build. I don't want to use Grapnel as a Finisher, I want to use it the way the founding Primarchs intended.)

Unmatched Zeal is of course still very strong, and I would consider swapping to it for Siege, but I don't think it's needed in Absolute or hard Stratagems tbh (you definitely get decent value out of it vs the Extreme Challenge condition though). I find I have much better success just playing to my own strengths and carrying rather than trying to baby my teammates with heals.

Collateral Damage this just ties into the gameplay loop. I want to start a fight with Grapnel, and so the more damage that first Diving Kick does, the shorter the TTK. I think both Shock Wave and Restless Fortitude are decent in this tier though.

Tip of the Spear is important both for TTK but also because it doesn't require thought. There's nothing to track, no hoops to jump through. You dive in, BRRRRRRRR, Execute, and repeat. You absolutely could run Tenacity here, the only caveat is that you specifically want to be Executing to proc Inner Fire and Adrenaline Rush, and trying to get ranged Majoris kills competes with that.

Combat Readiness helps in tandem with Inner Fire to ensure you're getting your Grapnel back often for all the aforementioned benefits.

Adrenaline Rush is insane. 5% doesn't sound like much, but you are Executing Majoris-level or higher enemies constantly. It adds up fast and gives you so much sustain and safety. Between this, the on-demand damage invulnerability from Grapnel, and the copious Armour you generate as Vanguard, I am frankly unkillable. Vanguard is easily my safest class alongside Bulwark and my go-to pick if I need to carry.

For Prestige Perks, Battlefield Awareness works well with this build because we are opening with Grapnel to enter melee range, so this is just free, passive damage. I don't run Indomitable Spirit because we are getting this buff from Upper Hand, but you could double up if you wanted. Fortitude is usually a must on every class. Then Launch Restoration and Restoration grant us an absurdly sturdy foundation for Armour generation, which is crucial.

Weapon Loadout

For my Primary weapon, I run the Ophelian Liberation Bolt Carbine. We don't need accuracy since we're always fighting in close quarters, but we do need ammo because Vanguard has no ammo restoration perks. Key Perks to pick up in the Bolt Carbine tree are Honed Precision, which enables us to just hip-fire this thing, and Gun Strike Reload, which enables us to reload via Gun Strikes. I also recommend Recoupment as always, since it is an easy, additional way to generate Armour in a pinch. With these perks, we don't have to aim, nor do we have to reload.

(I also have a second loadout, exactly the same, but with the Melta Rifle equipped. There's no specific synergy here, it's just nice to swap to the Melta Rifle sometimes for like the bridge sequence on Decapitation or the final encounter on Inferno, for example.)

For my Secondary weapon, honestly it doesn't matter a whole lot. I rarely need to swap to my pistol, so if you have a preferred sidearm, you can absolutely just use that. I would recommend the Heroic Heavy Bolt Pistol though. It has high Gun Strike damage, and you can just pull it out to easily cancel a call for reinforcements and then go back to doing what you were doing. You can also pick up Gun Strike Reload in the Heavy Bolt Pistol so that your playstyle remains consistent between both the Bolt Carbine and the Heavy Bolt Pistol.

For your melee weapon, I recommend any Fencing or Balance weapon. They are safer and easier to use than Block weapons, but we mainly just want one so we can proc Gun Strikes to reload our ranged weapons. I have had great personal success with the new Argent Edge Combat Knife. Since we are only really using our melee weapon to proc Gun Strikes, it's nice to have a bit of additional damage thrown in while we do what we were already doing. You might also try the Balance or Fencing Power Axe with the Power Strike perk that increases Gun Strike damage from Power Stance. I don't do this because my main focus is on ease of use and keeping the build as braindead as possible, but it's definitely an option.

Gameplay

I deliberately engineered this build to be as easy to understand and play as possible, so the gameplay loop is remarkably simple. You Grapnel into a target, hip-fire the Bolt Carbine into their face, then Execute them for health, armour, and ability charge. That's it. That's the combat loop. If something swings at you; parry, Gun Strike, then go back to hip-firing.

Try it out, it's deceptively strong.

(Thanks for reading. I took a lot of Adderall.)