Theatre of Light/Vanguard

Archetype:	Rushdown
Health Defense Multiplier:	Melee: x1.0 Ranged: x1.0
Stagger Defense Multiplier:	Melee: x1.0 Ranged: x1.0
Walk Speed:	14
Max Light:	3

Overview

Vanguard is a straightforward rushdown character who builds up her special "Matchlight" resource at the cost of her own health to inflict massive amounts of Burn on the opponent. She sports fast and wide sword attacks and good combos for many situations.

Playstyle

Vanguard sacrifices her own health to build up Matchlight, rush down the opponent, and light them ablaze.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Gluttony: This Abnormality Page singlehandedly alleviates Vanguard's most prominent weakness, that being her self-damage, once she reaches Emotion Level 2. With this page, she can comfortably snowball rounds and gain stock leads with the net neutral or even positive health she gains from her many-hit combos. Burn: Most of Vanguard's damage is heavily backloaded in the form of the Burn debuff, which, while unaffected by defense multipliers, can carry over into subsequent turns, ensuring they always take damage even if they hit you at some point. Light Generation: Using SP in neutral, aside from stacking Matchlight, restores 1 Light to Vanguard. Using this Vanguard can easily stock up on Light without having to commit to hitting the opponent to end turns. EZ-Bake Combos: Vanguard does not require tight execution or spacing to deal good damage to the opponent, and can confirm off of most hits through SP cancelling. Insane Mobility: The usage of SP cancelling S1 carrying momentum means that applications of bind do not affect you in any way, along with making it so you can effectively "jumpscare" opponents with options such as S1 SP and having a fast moving S2.

Self-damage: Without Gluttony or before reaching Emotion Level 2, having multiple stacks of Matchlight can cause a hefty amount of self-damage to yourself when you hit the opponent. If you choose against running Gluttony, Vanguard may have difficulty maintaining health or stock leads due to this. Reliant on Matchlight: While Vanguard can stack Matchlight during combos, she generally needs preexisting Matchlight stacks in order to truly cash out on damage and Burn stacks. Running out on Matchlight in situations where you do not have the space to safely stack it back up will significantly decrease your ability to stay ahead in damage.

Move List

Unique Mechanic

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Matchlight

Matchlight is a unique resource built by using SP. Matchlight has the following properties:

• While you have at least 1 stack of Matchlight, all your attacks inflict 1 stack of Burn on hit.
• While you possess Matchlight, you have a chance to damage yourself for a small amount each time you hit the opponent. This chance increases with each stack of Matchlight.
• Certain moves are only accessible if you have a certain amount of Matchlight stacks, or gain enhanced properties with your Matchlight stacks.

Normal moves

Light Up SP Combo extended Combo extended	Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery - - - 0 0 - - 0 0 0 Vanguard's only way to restore matchlight. Restore 1 light outside of combos Allows the user to cancel anything into this move allowing for combo extend and it keeps the monument of S1 for "jumpscare" value

Law And Order ATK WHY DID HE MISS AN M1 AND STILL GOT A COMBO WHY DID HE MISS AN M1 AND STILL GOT A COMBO

Version Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery Non-Matchlight 2X2 0.9 0.9 0 0 Melee - 0 0 0 Non-matchlight does not apply burn stacks. Matchlight 2X2 0.9 0.9 0 0 Melee - 0 0 0 M1 now has a firetrail and each hit inflicts 1 burn stack. This ATK can be used twice before ignite at 2 or more matchlight Comedically huge amount of hitstun allowing you to confirm into S2

Ignite ATKx3 AT +2 MATCHLIGHT If you're seeing this you most likely have about 15+ burn stacks already If you're seeing this you most likely have about 15+ burn stacks already	Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery 6 1.1 0.9 0 0 Melee - 0 0 0 Usually a combo ender once you're out of light.

Patrolling S1 I LOVE VOLOURS I LOVE VOLOURS	Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery 2 0.95 0.95 1 0 Melee - 0 0 0 Your go to move if you need to close the gap Inflicts 1 burn if you have at least 1 matchlight Pressing SP while moving with S1 keeps the momentum allowing for easier gap closing

Stigmatize S1 (hold) Here comes the burn stacks Here comes the burn stacks	Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery 1X6 - - 1 0 - - 0 0 0 Require at least 1 matchlight to use and also cost 1 matchlight for every 6 hits, can be ended early before the 6 hits to save some matchlight. Every hit inflicts 1 burn stack

Crack Of Dawn S2 CRACK OF DAWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN RAWRRRRRRRRRR CRACK OF DAWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN RAWRRRRRRRRRR	Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery 5 1 0.9 2 (If at least 1 Matchlight, 1+1 Matchlight) 0 Melee Block 0 0 0 Used sometimes on wakeup and to block certain big projectile Can also be used to end a combo to cash in burn damage added into crack of dawn for more damage (Damage calculation is Burn stack*1.75)

Fiery Strike S1>S2 Stand proud, you are strong. Stand proud, you are strong.	Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery 8 1.2 1 2 2 Melee - 0 0 0 Can be used as an ender but mostly better to land raw or start of combo. The more matchlight you have the more it does (Base Damage*Matchlight).

4th Match Flame ATK>S2 LET ME LAND THIS ONCEEEEE LET ME LAND THIS ONCEEEEE	Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery 8X1,10X1 1 1 4 (Each matchlight reduce the cost by 1) 3 Melee - 0 0 0 A move that is most likely never going to land and very ineffective way to use light. Landing this move doubles current burn stack. (Eg. If they have 15 and you land this move, they get 30 burn stacks.)

Psyches

Fiery Strike S1>S2 Stand proud, you are strong. Stand proud, you are strong.	Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery 8 1.2 1 2 2 Melee - 0 0 0 Can be used as an ender but mostly better to land raw or start of combo. The more matchlight you have the more it does (Base Damage*Matchlight).

4th Match Flame ATK>S2 File:TOL SamuraiRave.png LET ME LAND THIS ONCEEEEE LET ME LAND THIS ONCEEEEE	Base damage P1 Scaling Value P2 Scaling Value Light cost Emo level Hit type Properties Startup Active Recovery 8X1,10X1 1 1 4 (Each matchlight reduce the cost by 1) 3 Melee - 0 0 0 A move that is most likely never going to land and very ineffective way to use light. Landing this move doubles current burn stack. (Eg. If they have 15 and you land this move, they get 30 burn stacks.)

Strategy

Recommended Decks

Standard Issue Vanguard
EL1: Cocoon.
EL2: Gluttony.
EL3: N/A
The primary vanguard deck, makes up for the health loss of matchlight by barely gaining back all the health lost and more with Gluttony. Can't go wrong with it.

"Get a Job."
EL1: Violence
EL2: Chained Wrath
EL3: N/A
Due to vanguard having insane mobility in SP cancelling S1 instead of traditional movement, going for a high roll and ditching all combos for a burst combo such as ATKATK Blazing Strike, it can actually alleviate some of the self damage by not doing a long form combo and instead cashing out early. However, by going for huge cashouts constantly, there will be large periods of downtime between combos, allowing characters such as Gunner to have a higher chance of winning against you.