Guild Wars 2

I play an Asuran engineer and I love the play style and feel its very unique. It has a lot of good things going for it like special kits for engineer specific weapons and such. My only gripe with the class ,which can be fixed in the future, is that all of the tech you use is not the sophisticated Asuran tech we all know and love, its dirty Charr steampunk tech instead. It is not a big problem but I find myself cringing every time I place a turret or use a kit. Much like most of you I created an Asuran for the mystical-technologically advanced look of their cultures homes, gear, and inventions and I wish that the engineer, which I know was first conceived by the Charr, would reflect that. Its not all that important in the long run but I hope they not only make the Asuran engineer feel Asuran but also the other races and classes as well.

Now that you mention it…

It would be really cool to see them add in culture specific turrets etc.

Hopefully in time they will be able to do that !

The Problem is:
Asuran tech is magic. Their Golems run on powerstones and are operated by magic.
Engineers do everything they do the non-magic way (it origined from the char and they have a bad attitude towards magic cause of their past).
Imho Asuran Engineer doesn’t fit lorewise, because why would an Asura choose to solve a problem without magic?

Scienta.2163:

… mystical-technologically advanced look of their … gear

Mh – now that you mention it I feel the Asura also borrowed the Charrs’ cobblers who is used to make toe-less shoes

The rocket turret should be a smaller version of the beam guns used in Fort Trinity!

haha this would be nice, however i feel my lowley asuran engineer does definatly feel asuran…meh, not im going to constantly look a tthe turrets….thanks!

It actually works out a bit well for me. I mean, my Asuran Engie is a Dynamics graduate, so a lot of his stuff as an Engie is borderline MacGuyver’d together from things he picks off his enemies, finds laying around, and anything he can hodge and podge together.
It’s all prototype stuff for him since Rata Sum didn’t start floating in a day.

Also, I love how the rifle skills work for him, they fit him perfectly since it makes it look like even when he’s winning he’s getting hiskitten kicked.

This is why I stopped playing an Asuran engineer.

Engineer is, contrary to what one might expect NOT BEFITTING an asura. Asura technology is all magic based, and all asuran magic users use gadgets. That elementalist (probably) isn’t naturally gifted with fire magic like some space elf, he has a thermomanipulator device and a focus in his staff.

Everything from their structures to their golems run on magic and follow laws psychics style. An asura who still insists on using fire, steam and clockwork to power his devices, would be like a soldier in a modern army bringing a bow and arrow with him – far from being cutting edge, it’d be quaint, cute and ineffectual by their standards ;0

That’s why I never started playing an asura engie. Asuras and charr like steampunk don’t fit. As do the backpacks imo. A simple aesthetics overhaul could fix this however. Those asura style magitech pistols and rifles look awesome. So why not have engineer turrets and backpacks in an similar style as well?

i disagree to some extent.. I look at it from an ‘alchemy’ stand point, like equivalent exchange… a Backpack on a Charr can hold a ton of bombs, nades, etc… but that little itty bitty backpack cant hold all that, so, (for lore’s sake) i see it as little ‘magic’ asuran trinkets that ‘teleport’ or manifest crude bombs etc out of near nothing… So, like ap revious poster said, an suran engineer is like a McGyver of asurans…

all that being said, i would still prefer race specific backpacks/kits (at least marginal differences… maybe COLOR at LEAST!) and turrents especially…. Idont know what Anet could do for other races, but the Inquest engineers have some fancy asuran looking turrents. Why cant we have those??? maybe scaled down in size…

hell, i wouldnt mind if EVERY one of my turrents was a variant of that same ‘asura’ looking turrents the inquest throw down, with maybe diffrent colors of glow for each turrent type…

one day…. /dream

AGREED! Finally someone else gets it!

Oh? Now that’s one way of seeing it…

The way I see it though…

While Asura’s are technological superior in terms of magical strength in comparison with the Charr their crude technology is far superior in terms of destructive force. But since an Asura is smaller than the average race we are not capable of carrying the gigantic Charr technology for the destructive force they possess. There for the AEC (Asura Engineering Council) have decided to replicate Charr technology at a smaller scale to prove to the Charr and the other races that Asura technology is far superior. Due to the fact at how easy it was to replicate and downscale Charr technology when they them self can’t accomplish this.

So only reason our Engineers are still using Charr technology is to rub it in the face of the Charr that whatever a Charr can build an Asura can not only build but build better and improve on the original design.

As for our turrets why should we waste our magical resources on mundane disposable turrets? Sure the inquest does it constantly but that has only lead them to stealing what they require for their absurd experiments. Besides there will always be some other dimwitted Charr engineer with more than enough ammunition to fuel the turrets while the magical resource for our own turret designs. Is actually quite finite due to the dragons presence which threatens our magical supplies.

Once the AEC has found an way to harness infinite energy to power our turrets and weapons with we are currently stuck with using the Charr designs for our weapons since the materials are easier to come by. Besides it’s fun to annoy the Charr that we’ve taken their designs one step further by downscaling them while still keeping the original destructive force of the full size ones.

Nice lore friendly explanation.

But as for the question why we should waste magical energies: 1st – because we can, 2nd – energy is never wasted, it just changes form. Even if the dragons do consume magic (as proven by professor Gorr), and don’t excreete it in some other form, this would only mean that if the dragon dies, all the energy is either set free, or can be refined from its carcass.

Andocair.2918:

Nice lore friendly explanation.

But as for the question why we should waste magical energies: 1st – because we can, 2nd – energy is never wasted, it just changes form. Even if the dragons do consume magic (as proven by professor Gorr), and don’t excreete it in some other form, this would only mean that if the dragon dies, all the energy is either set free, or can be refined from its carcass.

Well either way as Gorr stated magic is finite because of the dragons. If the dragons are dealt with (All of them not only Zhaitan) than lets get our magical cannons n turrets operating Engineer style.

Scienta.2163:

I play an Asuran engineer and I love the play style and feel its very unique. It has a lot of good things going for it like special kits for engineer specific weapons and such. My only gripe with the class ,which can be fixed in the future, is that all of the tech you use is not the sophisticated Asuran tech we all know and love, its dirty Charr steampunk tech instead. It is not a big problem but I find myself cringing every time I place a turret or use a kit. Much like most of you I created an Asuran for the mystical-technologically advanced look of their cultures homes, gear, and inventions and I wish that the engineer, which I know was first conceived by the Charr, would reflect that. Its not all that important in the long run but I hope they not only make the Asuran engineer feel Asuran but also the other races and classes as well.

LOL thats because asura’s aren’t engineers, they’re more like arcane magicians that tinker with the elements… Charr, now Charr are engineers. War and bombs and rifles and iron and all that

i know for a fact that those boms turrets and other gaggets would be much better if azura made them.

The best remedy for this is to get Asura main hand weapons. At least you are ‘somewhat’ close to asura looking. Other than that, yeah all the engineer stuff is charr/human looking. Honestly I think there are a few anachronistic character combinations in this game. Asura-engineer, and Asura-thief being the big ones. To me the Asura-mezmer is the quintessential asura character. Especially when using Asura skin weapons. I mean that big sword almost looks like a cannon anyway. And for some reason the Asura-Guardian has a lot of skills and weapons that very much scream asura tech. If you play or see a staff guardian you know what I’m talking about.

It’s a shame none of the engineer items have racial counterparts.

Sylvari, Asurian, etc, all use the same model which is boring.

Scienta.2163:

I play an Asuran engineer and I love the play style and feel its very unique. It has a lot of good things going for it like special kits for engineer specific weapons and such. My only gripe with the class ,which can be fixed in the future, is that all of the tech you use is not the sophisticated Asuran tech we all know and love, its dirty Charr steampunk tech instead. It is not a big problem but I find myself cringing every time I place a turret or use a kit. Much like most of you I created an Asuran for the mystical-technologically advanced look of their cultures homes, gear, and inventions and I wish that the engineer, which I know was first conceived by the Charr, would reflect that. Its not all that important in the long run but I hope they not only make the Asuran engineer feel Asuran but also the other races and classes as well.

Charr feels defenitly as the orriginal engineer as well mate, defenitly

Aesthetically cultural kits and turrets would be awesome, sorta like how WoW introduced Racial Shaman Totems.
Gears, steam, and smoke for the Charr. Botanical organic plant-machines for the sylvari. Angular and polished Arcane Tech for the Asura and so on. Would be neato.

That said, I don’t feel any problem playing an Asura engineer. Nothing says the compounds in your flamethrower and Elixir gun aren’t magical in construction.

Also, as Zojja has said “Even Magic is just another cog in the Eternal Alchemy.”
Magic isn’t their ONLY resource, it is simply one of them, even if it is their most used. The Asura are free to utilize anything in the name of progress.

If sylvari can be necromancers and charr can be elementalists, I don’t see why asura couldn’t be charr-style steampunk engineers. They’re just not the regular kind of engineer, since, as others mention, those use magic. I play an asura thief and she uses completely non-magical pistols.

That being said, it would of course be cool if a lot of skills and gear could be race customizable. Like sylvari could have plant-based turrets and gadgets, norn would have more tribal stuff, etc. But it would be quite a lot of work to do all that!

Marconius.8064:

If sylvari can be necromancers and charr can be elementalists, I don’t see why asura couldn’t be charr-style steampunk engineers. They’re just not the regular kind of engineer, since, as others mention, those use magic. I play an asura thief and she uses completely non-magical pistols.

That being said, it would of course be cool if a lot of skills and gear could be race customizable. Like sylvari could have plant-based turrets and gadgets, norn would have more tribal stuff, etc. But it would be quite a lot of work to do all that!

Well, they could sell it as an option for gems (maybe 300 ish? More or less depending on char/account wide unlock), which would offset the cost of developing it. To a degree, sylvari models already exist – but would be insufficient since they need to be distinct (sylvari already have seed turret, after all).

I would love for more Asura like turrets etc. I don’t think many things need to change other than that since most are simply weapon kits you can equip – and the grenades look generic enough that you couldn’t associate them with any race.

Asura turrets exist as well at least as a rifle turret model. I don’t think it would be hard at all to modify the model for a fire turret and rocket turret either.

A fire turret could simply be like a cross shape ish with a red orb in the middle (forget which enemy model is somewhat similar to that).

The rocket turret could simply look like the Asura ray gun for example.

The net turret could be a modification of the regular Asura turret with it’s own flair.

Would I pay gems for this? Yes I would. 300 gems seems reasonable to me.

They probably made the races use the same models so they could rapidly be identified in the heat of battle by the player. It’s good gameplay wise but not fluff wise.

It’s not so bad if you don’t use turrets. Glyphic pistols look good, and the racial t2 medium armor is pretty good as well. Elixirs are definately magical- what kind of chemical can shrink you? Also, being able to fire shrapnel, poison bolts, and self-guided electricity bolts is hard to explain without a bit of magic.

As for the kits, it’s easy to look at it as more of a field operative scarpping things together as he goes. You’re an adventuring hero, not a professor in Rata Sum. The gears and steampunk stuff get to me a little, but their not on everything so I’m able to get by. There’s just something so very Asuran about saying “oh, I’ve got a doohicky for that” about every situation.

Plus the engineer goggles look really good on em.

I view engineers of other races than Charr as someone who saw the potential of Charr military technology, who got their hands on said technology and adopted it for use with members of their own race, Asura included. So it’s not that strange that every race engineer uses Charr technology.

1. Just because the Asura as a race revere magic, it doesn’t mean every single Asura is a wizard. If it did, then there would be no Asura warriors, rangers, or thieves.
2. While magic is a very powerful tool, it doesn’t necessarily trump all technology.

When playing the Norn storyline, Ballista Geargrind refers to Asura technology as, “magic, crystal, rainbow trash,” making the point that Charr technology is far more durable. This is probably why Asura technology wouldn’t work for the engineer profession. Yes, you can make a decent golem or gate (the two main items the Asura boast), but these aren’t going to be blowing up the wall of a fortress anytime soon.

Elshagan.6342:

Oh? Now that’s one way of seeing it…

The way I see it though…

While Asura’s are technological superior in terms of magical strength in comparison with the Charr their crude technology is far superior in terms of destructive force. But since an Asura is smaller than the average race we are not capable of carrying the gigantic Charr technology for the destructive force they possess. There for the AEC (Asura Engineering Council) have decided to replicate Charr technology at a smaller scale to prove to the Charr and the other races that Asura technology is far superior. Due to the fact at how easy it was to replicate and downscale Charr technology when they them self can’t accomplish this.

So only reason our Engineers are still using Charr technology is to rub it in the face of the Charr that whatever a Charr can build an Asura can not only build but build better and improve on the original design.

As for our turrets why should we waste our magical resources on mundane disposable turrets? Sure the inquest does it constantly but that has only lead them to stealing what they require for their absurd experiments. Besides there will always be some other dimwitted Charr engineer with more than enough ammunition to fuel the turrets while the magical resource for our own turret designs. Is actually quite finite due to the dragons presence which threatens our magical supplies.

Once the AEC has found an way to harness infinite energy to power our turrets and weapons with we are currently stuck with using the Charr designs for our weapons since the materials are easier to come by. Besides it’s fun to annoy the Charr that we’ve taken their designs one step further by downscaling them while still keeping the original destructive force of the full size ones.

That is cute, spoken like a true Asura. You seem to have a vivid imagination but again this is common amongst Asuran kind.

However the truth of the matter is that the Charr war machine can not be matched in any way, shape or form, there is no argument. The sheer resources, the man power, the iron and steel and the unwavering determination and strength of the Charr as a people has helped them prevail against all foes and has put them on top of the food chain, this is furthermore bolstered by the example as seen in this thread that even your adorable race of tiny geniuses are yet to come up with your own version of reliable portable turret technology that can out-perform our fool proof design.

While Asuran technology is very impressive at times, when it comes to practical application… well let’s just say that it continues to really shine brightest in it’s theory stage.

That is cute, spoken like a true Asura. You seem to have a vivid imagination but again this is common amongst Asuran kind.
However the truth of the matter is that the Charr war machine can not be matched in any way, shape or form, there is no argument. The sheer resources, the man power, the iron and steel and the unwavering determination and strength of the Charr as a people has helped them prevail against all foes and has put them on top of the food chain, this is furthermore bolstered by the example as seen in this thread that even your adorable race of tiny geniuses are yet to come up with your own version of reliable portable turret technology that can out-perform our fool proof design.
While Asuran technology is very impressive at times, when it comes to practical application… well let’s just say that it continues to really shine brightest in it’s theory stage.

The Charr may have superior military technology, but they have next to nothing in other areas and the Asura are the exact opposite. This is because the Charr have been fighting in wars for more than a thousand years and the Asura have never been in a war and they aren’t planning to be in one, so they have no reason to try and surpass the Charr military tech.

Charr military is the strongest right now and the Asura aren’t going to challenge them. The Asuran peacekeepers are there to protect Rata Sum not to attack others, so are the Golems. This is because the Asura do not believe in conquering the world through strength, but through knowledge.

Also, the Charr race is very stubborn and this has saved them from extinction, but because of their stubborn nature they refuse to use magic, they are giving up a very powerful resource because of events long passed. The Asura don’t have this problem, if the resource is valuable (like Charr military technology) they will use it.

Lastly, Asura tech isn’t just good in theory, just look at Rata Sum and be amazed, for your dirty little death star will never be able to match it :P

I have seen a number of Asura turrets throughout certain quests and events so I don’t think it’d be too hard for them to implement this..but like you said, I’n the future. Right now they’re concerned with getting the game to work right.

You amuse me, Bassario.

The Charr make a cannon using gunpowder to fire a shell to flip a tank. The cannon requires a reload after every shot. The accuracy is poor and occasionally it will malfunction, resulting in the dismemberment or death of it’s wielder, and due to it’s inaccuracy friendly fire is commonplace.

The Asura shrug and point at the tank, focusing. The tank is flipped by magically generated arcane force. No friendly fire is inflicted, hardly any energy is spent, financially the cost to do this is zero, whereas manufacturing a single shell for a Charr cannon costs a ridiculous fee altogether.

Let us observe the Charrzooka. A crude, basic weapon. Now, observe a golem. A masterpiece of alchemagical progress. The golem will not only stride through your explosives nearly unharmed(If it is a working servant golem), but it will proceed to crush your bones in one to two strikes. Now, imagine a hundred armored golems. No matter how much manpower or grinding gears and fumes of smoke you throw into the Equation, the Asura will have an easier, more effective way to achieve the same results.

Thusly, when your inferior race of cat-mooses attempt to subjugate the Asura, the tables will have long ago turned. Your race will be beaten, broken, and enslaved.

…Which begs the question why the great developers in the sky refuse to give us superior, efficient, unpolluted Asuran technology to use on our ingenious engineers.

I completely agree with this post. I can’t really stand how my sophisticated Asuran is making human tech that is hand cranked inside a barrel. Made me role a mesmer instead =/. However I so love to play as engineer this issue; it is quite agonizing.

I just like asuran engineer because it’s funny to see such small creatures packing all that heat

Andocair.2918:

That’s why I never started playing an asura engie. Asuras and charr like steampunk don’t fit. As do the backpacks imo. A simple aesthetics overhaul could fix this however. Those asura style magitech pistols and rifles look awesome. So why not have engineer turrets and backpacks in an similar style as well?

Yeeeeep. That’s why I went with Elementalist instead of Engineer for my asura too.

I love my Asuran Engineer, I just view the lack of magic as him trying out new ideas to get an edge on his competition, and then augment it all with asuran tech by throwing in the asuran racial skills. Also, a good set of armor makes all the difference.

My Asura Engineer was raised by pirates, so I love the whole steampunk/ragtag look. If Asuran Engineers had Asuran technology, it would completely ruin my whole theme.

(Said in male Asuran voice and attitude :P).

I do not mean to sound abrasive, but the reason you engineers rely on Charr technology is because you are oligophrenic in nature and extricated from real study within our culture. Of course you fail to understand this, again it is your nature as I previously stated. You know as I know I had to say it twice to for it to into your thick skulls, except you did not know. That itself shows how much we know!

It would be nice if you could all just run along with your toys and let the real operates continue our studies into golemancy, magic and the other fantastic wonders Tyria has to offer.

Charr technology, bah…for simpletons!

Tommi Gnocker, College of Statics.

I took the traditional route and dabbled in golemancy in my youth. My first invention was a golem, in fact. Then I met someone that changed my life. My old mentor, Master Blipp was known for his redundancies as well as his redundancies. He often said, “Your first try should never be your last, especially if it succeeded. You can always succeed bigger next time."

That’s when illumination overwelmed my cerebral cortex. Asura technology is so advanced that it can often seem broken. This is a predicament. Especially for a member of the esteemed College of Statics. According to the Eternal Alchemy, magic is but one cog. But where is the base that the College of Statics is supposed to exemplify? It’s not in the more advanced but the simpler.

The Charr serve many purposes but one of their greatest purposes was to reveal our shame. We left their simpleton technology in favor of magitech. But my esteemed college excels at using old technolgies in inovative ways. Indeed, that is what makes us the base of Eternal Alchemy. And what’s more inovative than solving modern problems with the backward ways of our hillbilly friends? In that moment, I dedicated my life to rediscovering the simplistic ways of the duller races and thereby the universe at large.

Should we as a society forsake our greatest inventions in favor of the simpler ways of our furry friends? Oh my, no! That would make us little more than animals. But perhaps there is something to be gained from incorporating some of the simpler things in out personal lives. I know i’ve experienced great satisfaction building mechanical parts. Parts that throw slugs of lead at dangerous animals I encounter. Chemicles that combust in just the right way. I feel almost earthy. It’s very gratifying. I imagine this is what it feels like to live off the land and farm pigs or panthers or whatever humans do. And I imagine my next golem may sport an actual mechanical moving part as one of my guilty pleasures.

Ignorant Asura. The reason we, the Charr, use proper tech is because, when all is said an done, your stuff just blows up too easily to be consider a threat. Charr tech can be mass produced quickly and well, it does work 99% of the time perfectly and we even have air-ships and tanks with turrets on them. And we can progress our tech. Your magi-tech cannot progress, because you have already reached the height of use for it. You cannot change how magi-tech works, but we can evolve our tech to do jobs your magi-tech can’t. We even have early stages electric powered tech. When we create solar power and wind power, like RL humans, then will you consider us a threat? Probably not. Your race couldn’t even come together and agree on a favorite color without civil war erupting. Call us smelly cat beasts, but you would not even have the courage to say that to our faces. I don’t know why you think you are the kings. You’ll learn, after all, you’re supposed to the smart ones. But you’re not.

The elixir gun does feel more Asura than Charr.

Engineer contraptions all feel rather charr and human-like.. I genuinely expected “floating” turrets zapping with energy.. Asuras are all about intricacy and high-tech creations.
High tech!

Do engineer’s turrets feel high-tech to you? =)

Kinda strange that engenious asura would make such crude steam-punk-like devices.
They still look cool though.

But very detached from asuran culture and science, that’s for sure

If you’ve played the infintiy ball story arc:
Based on analysis of alternative future timelines, in 3 out of 5 of the timelines, the dragons won. In 2 out of the 5 timelines the Asuran player character formed a meta krewe to rival the inquest, invented steam golem technology and conquered all of tyria

Engineers are the real future of the asura as long as we embrace the technology

Scienta.2163:

I play an Asuran engineer and I love the play style and feel its very unique. It has a lot of good things going for it like special kits for engineer specific weapons and such. My only gripe with the class ,which can be fixed in the future, is that all of the tech you use is not the sophisticated Asuran tech we all know and love, its dirty Charr steampunk tech instead.

Got to agree with this. For the techiest Asuran to look like they’re still in the 19th century is just plain wrong.

Simple solution: ArenaNet, we need Asura tech skins for the engineer gear!

Steampunk tech doesn’t seem to be a step backwards for the asura. if you read the spoiler up above you’ll see why but it seems they have been traveling along the magitech path rather than technological path. They may have never considered technology that wasn’t magitech, before. Especially if magical energy has always been available to them they would have never needed to develope a simple steam mechanism into a useful tool

When I see an Asuran Engineer, I think of it not as an Asura that doesn’t fit his culture’s image, but more like an Asura that’s gone old-school low-tech.

However, I do like the idea of culture-themed weaponry.

Agree these things need to be addressed Asura Engineers need to be Asuran

Actually I’d say the current turrets and backpacks are have more of a human style than Charr. And it’s pretty much the only instance where they haven’t put a Charr stamp on anything that has to do with non-asura technology.

I actually play asura, because i started an engineer!

Or the other way around, i dont know anymore. I wanted to be “golemancer”, so i took val-a golem storyline and dynamics. And i wanted to use the golem elite, therefore i needed a class which elites i consider “useles”. At first glance that was the engineer. The potion X is useles, as you cant use your own skills anymore. The mortar is useles, cause it has very bad range for a mortar.
I now know the “package-reinforcement” that drops from the sky isn’t as much useles as i thought, but i still don’t use it besides PvP.

The 7-Golem is my choice to go, for nice damage if he gets to barrage it on the right foe. mostly bosses.
I used turrets only in the beginning, but naturally got to use elixiers cause of their very, very useful cond.-cleansing trait.
Heck, i don’t even use kits!
I run around with p/s condition build and elixiers, beside me running a mini-golem and sometimes his bigger brother to help me out.

I use T3 asura cultural pistol and shield. I look very asuran, i have golems and i (totaly natural, by elixir-cond. build choice) don’t use any “steampunk”-tech.

I feel like a very asuran Golemancer/Alchemist-Engineer. ^^