Sunderfolk Vanguard Guide: Grit, Retaliation, Best Builds

The Sunderfolk Vanguard guide exists because most players who try the class don't understand how it works. The Grit passive doesn't feel like much in the first room of a dungeon. By the third or fourth room, with the counter having triggered 20 times across the session, it's added a floor of reliable damage that was always running in the background.

This is a passive class. That's the adjustment most players need to make.

TL;DR: The Vanguard is a retaliation tank added in Update 2.0. Grit passive reduces incoming damage and counters 2 damage per hit. A tier in attrition fights, lower ceiling in short fights. Pairs best with Pyromancer. Best builds lean into keeping the Vanguard in the path of frequent hitters. Doesn't require aggressive play to deal damage.

Sunderfolk Vanguard guide: quick answer

The Vanguard's role is to stand between your party and enemies, absorb hits, and let Grit do the damage work. You're not building for burst. You're building for consistency across a dungeon where the counter compounds.

The class suits players who want to contribute without reading the room every turn. It's a more passive playstyle than the Berserker, which demands Protector's Fury stack management. Vanguard can play fewer ability cards per turn and still deal meaningful damage through Grit alone.

GODEEPER: How Vanguard fits into Sunderfolk's full class lineup and the party tiers for different group sizes. Sunderfolk Complete Guide: All 7 Classes →

Key takeaways

• Vanguard was added in Update 2.0, the seventh class in the game
• Grit passive: reduces incoming damage and counters 2 damage per hit automatically
• A tier in attrition encounters; lower relative value in fast two-turn fights
• Best paired with Pyromancer or in 4-player groups where positioning support is covered
• Solo pairings: Vanguard + Ranger or Vanguard + Arcanist
• Doesn't need aggressive card play to contribute; passive counter does consistent work

How the Grit passive actually works

Grit has two components: damage reduction and retaliation.

The damage reduction applies to incoming hits while Grit is active. You'll still take damage, but less of it per hit compared to an untanked class standing in the same position.

The retaliation counter is 2 damage per hit, automatic, no card required. A fast melee enemy that hits four times in a turn triggers Grit four times: 8 damage total from retaliation without spending any ability cards. Against a group of three such enemies over three rounds, that's potentially 72 damage in retaliation that required nothing from you except positioning.

In practice the number is lower because fights rarely go this cleanly. But the principle is correct: the Vanguard does more damage the longer a fight goes and the more frequently enemies connect. That's the opposite of most other classes, which front-load burst and deal less damage as their resources thin.

Where Grit underperforms: short fights where enemies die in two turns. The counter has fewer chances to trigger. The Berserker in the same slot with two Protector's Fury stacks built up deals more total damage in that scenario.

The Vanguard's ability cards

The Vanguard's card set supports two modes: stacking more Grit effects, or positioning the Vanguard to take more hits so the retaliation fires more often.

Taunt effects pull enemy attention toward the Vanguard specifically. Against enemies that have choice about which hero to target, taunting redirects their attacks and guarantees more Grit triggers. This is the highest-value Vanguard card play in group content: not dealing damage directly, but ensuring the class that's built to absorb damage is the one getting hit.

Shield cards are secondary options when the dungeon has high-burst enemies. A single massive hit that drops the Vanguard is the one scenario where Grit doesn't help, because you don't survive to counter. Shield cards preempt that scenario in encounter types where you can see it coming.

Ability damage cards in the Vanguard's set tend to be shorter-range than Berserker equivalents. Most of them work at melee or one-step range. Don't plan around using these as your primary damage output. They're supplements for turns where you have card slots to spend and the Vanguard is already positioned.

Grid positioning is where Vanguard builds value. Standing in the path of multiple enemy attack lines guarantees more Grit triggers per round.

Best Vanguard builds

Attrition build (recommended): Focus on Taunt + Grit stacking cards. Goal is to be the target of as many enemy attacks as possible while staying alive. Card picks should prioritize Taunt, damage reduction supplements, and any card that extends how long the Vanguard stays upright in the middle of combat. This build does its best damage in dungeon rooms with 4-6 enemies that all have basic attack patterns.

Positioned build: Pair with Pyromancer. Vanguard tanks in the fire area, enemies attack the Vanguard and take fire damage while Grit counters. This is a positioning synergy rather than a card synergy: you're using the Vanguard's ability to stand in dangerous zones while the Pyromancer creates those zones. Neither class needs specific cards for this to work; it's a natural fit based on how both classes function.

Shield build (situational): Against bosses with one or two high-damage hit patterns, running more Shield cards can prevent the one-shot outcomes that Grit can't protect against. Less useful in standard dungeon rooms; more useful in named boss encounters.

Between dungeons you return to Arden to upgrade cards and spend currency. The Vanguard's card upgrades at the Workshop are where the Grit and Shield builds above actually get built.

Vanguard party compositions

2 players: Vanguard + Ranger or Vanguard + Arcanist. You need the second character to deal damage since Vanguard retaliation alone won't close out fights efficiently. Arcanist works slightly better because their damage doesn't require line-of-sight positioning that conflicts with the Vanguard's front-blocking role.

3 players: Vanguard, Bard, and one damage dealer. Bard multipliers apply to Grit counters the same as other damage sources, which makes the Bard a better third pick here than Ranger alone. The Bard's team buff adds value to every Vanguard counter.

4 players: Berserker, Bard, Vanguard, Pyromancer is one strong configuration. Berserker handles fast kills, Vanguard holds position against the groups Berserker doesn't eliminate immediately, Bard multiplies both, Pyromancer deals AoE while Vanguard draws the return fire. The issue is two frontliners can crowd the grid in tight rooms. Position Vanguard back one row when Berserker is already at the front.

GODEEPER: How the Berserker's Protector's Fury stacks compare to Vanguard's passive Grit approach for frontline damage output. Sunderfolk Berserker Guide →

When NOT to pick Vanguard

The Vanguard is weaker in:

• Speed-run style play where you're clearing encounters in two turns or fewer. Grit doesn't get enough triggers to justify the slot.
• Groups with no Bard and heavy ranged damage. Without positioning support, keeping the Vanguard in the path of enemy attacks while ranged damage dealers need different positions creates constant grid conflicts.
• Your first run. The passive nature of the class makes it harder for new players to tell if they're contributing. Berserker gives clearer feedback on what you're doing right or wrong.

The Vanguard isn't hard to play, but it's easy to play in ways that feel unproductive. If you're not getting hit (because the group is clearing enemies before they can attack), Grit doesn't trigger, and you feel useless. The solution is positioning, not card play: stand where enemies will attack.

Related Reading

• Sunderfolk Complete Guide: All 7 Classes: full class tier list by group size, party composition breakdowns, and the Update 2.0 changes that affect the Vanguard's place in the roster.

• Sunderfolk Berserker Guide: the other frontline option, how Protector's Fury stacking compares to Grit retaliation, and when to pick Berserker over Vanguard.

• Sunderfolk Bard Guide: Music Note System: why Bard is the best third pick in any group and how the Bard's multipliers interact with Vanguard Grit counters.

• Sunderfolk Arcanist Guide: Teleport Builds and Tips 2026: Sunderfolk Arcanist guide: teleport repositions enemies and allies. Pull combos, solo vs party builds, and why patch 2.0....

• Sunderfolk Pyromancer Guide: Fire Builds and AoE Tips 2026: Sunderfolk Pyromancer guide: fire spread hits multiple enemies but the class dies fast. Correct positioning, frontline requirements, and....

• Sunderfolk Online Co-op Guide: Setup, Fixes, and Party Tips: Sunderfolk online co-op supports 1-4 players on Steam and Epic. Phone app setup steps, AccelByte connection fixes, and.

• Sunderfolk Class Tier List: All 7 Heroes Ranked 2026: Sunderfolk class tier list ranking all 7 heroes including Vanguard: Bard and Berserker lead, Rogue.

• Sunderfolk Rogue Guide: Stealth Builds and Tips 2026: Sunderfolk Rogue guide: C tier for most players, technically powerful for experienced ones.

• Sunderfolk Ranger Guide: Range Builds and Party Tips 2026: Sunderfolk Ranger guide: A tier ranged damage and traps.

References

• Sunderfolk on Steam: official store page, patch notes, and Update 2.0 notes from Secret Door
• r/sunderfolk: community build discussion, Vanguard tier positioning threads, co-op party composition guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Vanguard in Sunderfolk? The Vanguard is the seventh class added in Update 2.0. It's a retaliation tank: the Grit passive reduces incoming damage and counters 2 damage automatically on every hit. In long attrition fights, the counter compounds into meaningful damage without spending ability cards.

What does Grit do? Grit reduces incoming damage and triggers a 2-damage counter on every hit that connects. It's automatic, no card needed. The more frequently enemies hit the Vanguard, the more total counter damage accumulates over a fight.

What party works best with Vanguard? Vanguard plus Pyromancer is the natural fit: Vanguard draws fire while standing in Pyromancer AoE zones. In 4-player groups, Berserker, Bard, Vanguard, Pyromancer covers every role. In 2-player, pair with Arcanist or Ranger to cover the damage the Vanguard doesn't generate on its own.

Is Vanguard good? A tier in attrition encounters where enemies hit frequently over multiple rounds. Lower value in short fights where the counter has fewer triggers. The Berserker outperforms Vanguard in fast-kill scenarios; Vanguard outperforms in survivability and passive damage across longer runs.

How does Vanguard compare to Berserker? Both are frontlines but play differently. Berserker deals burst damage through Protector's Fury stacks and attack cards. Vanguard deals consistent damage through Grit counters without card investment. Berserker is better when you want to kill fast. Vanguard is better when you need the frontline to survive multiple rounds of attacks.

When was Vanguard added? Update 2.0, released 2025. The same update introduced Steam Networking for online co-op. If you don't see Vanguard in your class select screen, verify your game is updated.

Can Vanguard play solo? Yes, using the two-hero control system. Pair Vanguard with a damage-focused second class: Ranger or Arcanist both work. Vanguard retaliation alone won't close fights fast enough, so the second hero handles the damage burden.