[Engi] - Improving the Firearms Trait Line

[Engi] - Improving the Firearms Trait Line

in Profession Balance

Posted by: herrard.1274

herrard.1274

I want to start a discussion on how to improve the firearms trait line. I think this is widely considered to be a weak trait line compared to Alchemy and Explosives. Why is this? I’d like to see how we could improve it while keeping the suggestion for brand new traits at a minimum (least this thread become a wish list for new traits).

Current Firearm Trait Line
I Fireforged Trigger
II Sitting Duck
III Infused Precision
IV Rifled Barrel
V Precise Sights
VI Hair Trigger
VII Coated Bullet
VIII Juggernaut
IX Rifle Mod
X Go for the Eyes
XI Modified Ammunition
XII Napalm Specialist
XIII Bunker Down

It is my opinion that the Firearms line is weak because its master traits (trait VII, VIII, IX, X) seem more suited to be adept traits given that their effect is so specific and so singular while the effect of some adept traits (trait II, III, IV, V) are far more reaching since they are not tied to a single aspect of engineer play. These adept traits, however, are held back by internal cool downs that are understandable at the adept level but might be let go at the master level.

My proposal is to flip the positions of these adept traits with the master traits. Front load the four current master traits of the Firearm to the adept category and the trait line instantly becomes appealing.

As for the grandmaster traits, I think Napalm Specialist should be swapped with a buffed version of Deadly Mixture from the Alchemy trait line. Deadly Mixture buffs the damage of FT and EG but this would be redundant given the better damage buff from Modified Ammunition. Deadly Mixture should then be changed to buff the FT’s and EG’s condition damage instead.

Given these, the new trait line would look like this…

The New Firearm Trait Line
I Fireforged Trigger – as is
II Coated Bullet – moved to adept
III Juggernaut – moved to adept
IV Rifle Mod – moved to adept
V Go for the Eyes – moved to adept
VI Hair Trigger – as is
VII Sitting Duck – moved to master, buffed by removing internal cool down
VIII Infused Precision – moved to master, buffed by removing internal cool down
IX Rifled Barrel – moved to master
X Precise Sights – moved to master
XI Modified Ammunition – as is
XII Deadly Mixture – swapped with Napalm Specialist and changed to buff FT’s and EG’s condition damage instead
XIII Bunker Down – as is

What do you guys think? Would you invest in this trait line? Is this too much of a buff?

tl;dr The firearms trait line can be improved greatly by merely moving around the position of traits.

[WZ] Dbounty – Ferguson’s Crossing

[Engi] - Improving the Firearms Trait Line

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Posted by: insanemaniac.2456

insanemaniac.2456

sitting duck has an icd because of… umm.. what was it…

oh, slick shoes + glue bomb + whatever other immobs you feel like stacking. net turret, crate, rifle 2 or pistol 5

its like instant 8 sec 25 stack of vuln. kinda fun but… you know… a bit silly.

JQ: Rikkity
head here to discuss wvw without fear of infractions

[Engi] - Improving the Firearms Trait Line

in Profession Balance

Posted by: herrard.1274

herrard.1274

Silly but it would make for a better or at least more interesting master trait than whatever is in there right now.

I find the possibilities for this trait line stifled by bunching up traits like Coated Bullets, Juggernaut, Rifle Mod, Go for the Eyes in the master trait category where we are forced to just pick one of them. How about placing these in the adept category? This gives us the ability to pick Rifle Mod and Juggernaut together or Rifle Mod and Go for the Eyes together? Rifle Mod and Juggernaut combo would buff a power build built on Rifle and FT burst. Rifle Mod and Go for the Eyes combo might be useful in a SD burst build. Does this change make either of these builds OP? I don’t think so. But it makes them worth thinking about at least.

[WZ] Dbounty – Ferguson’s Crossing

[Engi] - Improving the Firearms Trait Line

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Posted by: Deniara Devious.3948

Deniara Devious.3948

I agree that the firearms line lacks synergy and some of the traits are a bit lackluster or should perhaps even be moved to some other tree. But I strongly disagree with many of the suggested changes.

These two traits would be too powerful as adept level traits:
III Juggernaut – moved to adept
IV Rifle Mod – moved to adept

Juggernaut gives +200 thoughness and very easy passive might stacking with flamethrower. With +20% boon/might duration, it would mean 6 stacks of might all the time.

Rifle mod gives +10% damage increase. That is a LOT for an adept level trait.

These two traits would be too weak as master level traits:
IX Rifled Barrel – moved to master
X Precise Sights – moved to master

Rifled barrels increases the range ONLY by 100-200 in most cases. It would be weak master level trait. Compare this with ranger eagle eyes master level trait, which gives 300 range increase and 5% additional damage. The real range is even greater. Ranger low bow #1 hits about 1800 range with this trait (tested).

Precise Sights gives 50% chance on critical hits to give 3 s vulnerability. Making it far weaker steel-packed powder (25 explosions trait).

The deadly mixture change doesn’t make sense.

Deniara / Ayna – I want the original WvWvW maps back – Desolation [EU]

(edited by Deniara Devious.3948)

[Engi] - Improving the Firearms Trait Line

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Posted by: Dirame.8521

Dirame.8521

Firearms isn’t considered weak at all. If you were talking inventions then yea but not firearms.

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[Engi] - Improving the Firearms Trait Line

in Profession Balance

Posted by: insanemaniac.2456

insanemaniac.2456

inventions isnt really weak either, but theres only like 5 traits with niches of the 13.

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