Vanguard Merit
Overview
A Vanguard Merit is a special salvage awarded for completion of tasks or defeat of Rikti in the Rikti War Zone as well as Rikti spawned from portals as part of the Rikti World Invasion event. Merits can also be earned by defeating Rikti elsewhere, such as in missions from contacts Steven Sheridan in Brickstown or Angus McQueen in Founders' Falls, or in the streets of Peregrine Island. Merits can be used at Vanguard Crafting Tables, which are specialist invention workbenches in the Vanguard Compound for various items. It triggers an orange (rare) "Merit Awarded" message upon award.
The Vanguard Merit is different to most other salvage items, in that it cannot be traded to other players, offered for sale at the Auction House/Black Market or sold to a store contact/quartermaster.
You can find out how many Vanguard Merits you currently have by pulling up the Salvage window and scrolling to right to view the Special tab. The maximum you can carry is 9999 merits.
Prerequisite
Vanguard Merits are only awarded after completing the first mission of the "Welcome to the Vanguard" story arc, Join the Vanguard, from Levantera in the Rikti War Zone. If the character doesn't have the Member of the Vanguard badge, no Vanguard Merits will drop, no matter how many Rikti are defeated, or how many missions are completed.
Additionally, the character must be VIP or have reached Tier 4 in Paragon Rewards.
You are now a member of Vanguard and can earn Merits for defeating Rikti.
Earning Merits
- While on the Rikti Ship Raid, you get a Merit for each Rikti defeated if you or any of your teammates (including pets) did any damage to that Rikti. (In other words, everyone on the team gets a merit for the defeat.)
- While on the Rikti Ship Raid, you get 10 Merits if your team sets a bomb.
- Away from the Rikti Ship Raid, a defeated Rikti will drop a Merit 10% of the time. Minions drop one, lieutenants drop two, and bosses and higher ranked Rikti will drop three. This is only if the Rikti cons Green or higher.
- Missions given by Rikti War Zone contacts will award one Vanguard Merit on completion.
- The Vanguard Recruit Day Job grants one Vanguard Merit on completion of any mission. After receiving the badge, Veteran Vanguard Agents receive two Vanguard Merits per mission completion. This stacks with the merit granted by mission completion for Rikti War Zone contacts.