How to Vauban?

[(XBOX)Apoll0 666]

Okay so i got the tennis ball frame and uh imma lil overwhelmed with his variety of abilities and honestly im not sure what they all do. I understand there are descriptions but can someone give a good explanation of his abilities and when and how to use them? I would usually watch a guide on youtube but Ashisogi hasn’t made a Vauban guide and the other youtubers i watched like to ramble for about 8 minutes before saying anything about the actual abilities and if anything they barely talk about the abilities and just try to advertise they’re “op” vauban build. I just wanna know how to use his tennis balls and what the heck a vortex and all that is

[ES-Flinter]

There are several ways to play him. But imo is one of the easiest and strongest builds his "King of CC" build. Just throw his balls at the spawn points of the enemies and enjoy the cry of Saryn and Mesa player because they can't kill anything.^^

[AlphaPHENIX]

A guide to Vauban from a non Vauban player:
Step 1 - Bastille
Step 2 - Profit

Alternatives 1:
Step 1 - Treat Photon Strike, the same way you would treat Radial Javalin, past level 20 enemies.
Step 2 - You now have more energy for other abilities.
Step 3 - Bastille
Step 4 - Profit

Alternatives 2:
Step 1 - Time travel to before the rework.
Step 2 - Make a bouncy castle.
Step 3 - Fun

Alternatives 2.1:
Step 1 - Time travel to before the rework.
Step 2 - Equip Tesla Link augment.
Step 3 - Become a sculptor.
Step 4 - ''Let's paint some happy little clouds.''  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLO7tCdBVrA

Alternative 3:
Step 1 - Equip Tesla Bank augment.
Step 2 - Tesla Nervos
Step 3 - Acquire a license to kill.
Step 4 - Profit

 

[(XBOX)TehChubbyDugan]

His 1, Tesla Nervos is a solid, roving CC ability.  Without the augment it takes a lot of heat off you.  With the augment it can become a nuke.  It turns enemies into time bombs that can potentially wipe packs when they die.  It's always decent damage, even if it doesn't build up enough to outright wipe a pack.  Keep this up at all times.

His 2 is great, with Flechette being the best of the bunch, imo.  Tether is MORE CC.  Flechette deals level scaled damage and auto-targets anything within a certain radius of it.  It's one of the best non-CC area denial abilities in the game if not the best.  Vector boosts your movement speed or funnels enemies into a kill zone or away from a defense target but is kind of a pain to maintain and considering you can only have 4 mines active at once, is a little bit of a waste, imo.  Overdriver is like a single person Roar.  Multiplicative to total damage, and even effects his Flechette.  Considering the level scaling damage you normally don't need this, but if you're up against some really hard targets, it might be worth only having 3 Flechette orbs out and one Overdriver on yourself.  In team play, it makes him a solid choice for buffing other frames if you prefer to let the team be DPS while you buff and CC.  

Photon Strike is kinda bad.  It deals good damage that is also level scaled and look really cool.  But you can get the same thing accomplished at nearly the same speed with a cheaper, longer lasting Flechette orb.  The FO will also hit an enemy until it dies while Photon will only hit the once.  It's kind of fun to use in densely populated maps and mission types with the augment on, but this is the ability I remove with Helminth.  I replace it with dispensary for team support and endless energy for endless CC.

Bastille is two abilities in one.  Tap for a hard CC that locks enemies in place along a perimeter or hold to throw down a Vortex that sucks enemies into a single point.  I prefer the latter as I can throw a Flechette Orb in there along with some Tesla Nervos with the augment on and out DPS most other frames if we're in a tight map.  The first portion of Bastille also provides an armor buff while you're standing in it and strips enemy armor.  Slightly more situational but solid regardless.

As far as rotation and play style are concerned, I use Vauban as an area denial and point defense frame.  Interception, Defense, Mobile Defense, etc.  I keep my distance and let my abilities do the work.  He's still functional in more mobile missions like Exterminate or Capture, but he's not as effective as other frames and might leave you wanting.

Biggest weakness is that he's a bit squishy even with defensive mods on.  His survivability is based mostly on his ability to prevent the enemy from moving or living.