Engineer Tool Trait line Revamp Suggestion.
I’m making this suggestion on the grounds that gadgets only have one trait (adept level), and that the tool trait line is lacklustre after the 2013/03/26 change to Kit Refinement which limited the number of viable builds (see engineer forums for complaints about this change), with the most useful ones still being the adept traits. The tool line grandmaster traits seem a little too weak; one being a copy of a ranger 5 point trait. What I suggest is to add a new grandmaster trait for gadgets here (replacing one that doesn’t get used much), and swapping the other grandmaster trait with an adept trait (returning that trait back to usefulness). I believe these suggested changes will allow for a greater number of builds, versatility, and more engineers returning to the tool trait line.
Suggested Changes Overview.
Adrenal Implant. Move to Adept Traits.
Kit Refinement. Move To Grandmaster Traits. Change.
Gadget Refinement. Grandmaster Trait. New.
Armor Mod. Remove.
Changes.
Adrenal Implant:
Move down to Adept Traits.
Reasoning: This trait is lacklustre as a grandmaster trait. Rangers get the same trait (Natural Vigor in Wilderness Survival) for only 5 trait points. I don’t know why engineers have to spend 30 points to get this at the moment, and it just doesn’t seem worth it. At 10 points people will still need to make a choice of if they want to take this trait over the others.
Kit Refinement (change):
Move to Grandmaster Traits, while moving Adrenal Implant down to Adept.
Return individual cool downs to the effects.
- Med Kit: increase Magnetic Aura to 3 seconds (currently 2), cool down 20 seconds.
- Elixir Gun: Change back to super elixir, cool down 20 seconds.
- Bomb Kit: Change to Glue Shot at your location, cool down 30 second (or increase Magnetic Bomb range to at least 600, with a 20 second cool down).
- Flamethrower: Cool down 20 seconds.
- Tool Kit: Change back to Box of Nails, cool down 20 seconds.
- Grenade Kit: Cool down 15 seconds. Or as suggested by gimmethegepgun (Perhaps Grenade Barrage, except instead of regular grenades make them Flash Grenades)
Reasoning: Many engineers believe that this trait got a unfair nerf, and would have been happier if you just moved it up the trait line. Many engineers relied on the Elixir Gun effect (and the flame thrower effect) to cure conditions and general support; by putting the Elixir Gun effect back to super elixir it will give multi kit builds back their condition removal (if need be you could change the field it makes to water, that is if you are worried about the light field). Bomb kit has been changed to Glue shot to help limit people getting away; also because Magnetic Bomb range is so small people are already in range of your other bombs, and thus doesn’t have much of a effect (range I’m guessing to be about 300). Tool kit should be given back the box of nails effect to allow for greater team play by limiting your enemies movement, and allow you to keep the enemies in range. Recharge times are still fairly long so people can’t just spam the effects, but have been given back individual cool downs so that people can get the effect they need when they need it. No change is given for the grenade kit to keep with the belief the nerf (to KR) came because of the 100nades build (which can no longer be done), and thus still won’t be able to be done after this change. I most likely tunnel visioned my self here thinking about multi kit builds.
Gadget Refinement (new):
Grandmaster Traits, replacing the Armor Mods trait.
Add extra effects to gadgets.
- Personal Battering Ram: Add 2 stacks of confusion.
- Rocket Boots: Add 10 seconds of swiftness and/or land of your feet instead of the self knockdown.
- Slick Shoes: Add 10 seconds of weakness on top of the knock down/blindness.
- Throw Mine: Steal the boon instead of just removing it.
- Utility Goggles: See invisible players for 2 seconds. If this is to game breaking just do 7 seconds of retaliation.
Reasoning: Not many people use gadgets, and there is only one trait that deals with them. Adding extra effects will increase the versatility of the gadgets, and being able to see invisible players even for 2 seconds will add something unique to the engineer.
Armor Mods:
While this trait has it uses (not that I can think of any builds) a space has to be opened up for a gadget trait.
To other engineers what do you think, and if I have missed something, gotten something wrong, or I am just speaking out of place let me know.
P.s. Also please fix the Scope trait.
(edited by JeffHardisty.1926)