Role Distribution
The four archetypes we use to classify player function in cooperative systems. Every campaign demands a different mix.
Vanguard — Space Creation
The vanguard's primary function is to occupy enemy attention and create operational room for the partner. This is not simply "tanking." It is spatial control. A good vanguard understands aggro radius, line-of-sight manipulation, and the timing of retreat to force enemies into chokepoints where the partner's area abilities become effective.
Controller — Zone Denial
Controllers manage the geometry of the battlefield. Crowd control, slow fields, wall placement, and suppression fire all serve the same purpose: to reduce the number of variables the team must process simultaneously. The best controllers do not merely stun enemies; they shape the flow of combat so that the striker's shots matter more.
Support — State Recovery
Support is the team's insurance policy. Healing, shielding, revive mechanics, and buffs all extend the margin for error. In high-difficulty campaigns, support is not a luxury but a requirement: without it, a single positional mistake ends the run. The support player's communication load is typically highest because they must track two health bars, two cooldown states, and the spatial relationship between both players.
Striker — Target Elimination
The striker converts setup into damage. They require protection and positioning assistance to reach their output ceiling. A striker operating without vanguard or controller support is mathematically inefficient: they spend more time evading than attacking. The striker's communication load is lowest but their dependency on partner performance is highest.
Each archetype covers specific threat categories. No single role covers all four.
