Guild Wars 2

the skills are ok i think the number 4 skill should not know u back and number 5 should be some sort of rapid fire instead of the rocket jump

I disagree. The problem with the engineer rifle is not skill #4 nor #5, but the pathetic damage it does compared to any other character class. The lack of direct damage makes many people dismiss engineer as a viable choice and at least according to my observations engineer is the rarest profession played at high level in WvWvW and level 80 pve areas. I know there are some high dmg engineer rifle builds, mainly the static discharge build, but that build is pretty much single specced pure glass cannon, while other character classes can do better dmg without being so limited just to be that glass cannon.

Both my warrior and engineer are in level 80 with pretty comparable / similar gear (similar amount of points in power). Yet, my warrior does 3-4 times more damage with the rifle. Warrior has better armor, higher hit point pool and warrior’s rifle has 1200 range compared to engineer’s 900 feet max range (engineer needs to invest 10 points, tier 1 trait to get similar range). Warrior rifle seems more reliable (less buggy), able to hit target easier and do I need to mention kill shot.

To fix engineer rifle, one should do the following:
1. Hip shot should either inflict a dmg causing condition e.g. bleeding or do 3 times more damage. Yes, a huge increase, still less than e.g. warrior does with bleeding shot or range does with bow auto attack #1. The base dmg at level 80 (without any mods) should be around 750 per hit (instead of the current 250).
2. Net shot should have faster animation. Now it is way too easy to dodge the net shot, basically it hits only stationary enemies or enemies who run in 100% straight line away from / towards you. Currently net shot also seems bugged. If you don’t hit with it, the engineer is rooted the ground. Fix this annoying bug
3. Blunderbuss has very short range, yet it only does around 1000 total base dmg, which is way too little. Triple the dmg as well, but only for very short range (<400). So blunderbuss wouldn’t do any comparable dmg at higher range, but be effective at short range.
4. Overcharged shot is great. It is just the type of game design I want to see more. It forces the player to think: I am going to be able to knock down the enemy, but also knockdown myself at same time (similar to warrior’s frenzy ability, you have plusses, but also minuses). Keep it as it is!
5. Jump shot is one of the most underrated skills in the game. Don’t change it, except make the animation twice as fast. Now it looks goofy as the engineer floats so long time in mid air, but the ability to cause vulnerability and do sort of short range teleport is great utility for the engineer. Using rifle skill #5 in combat requires skill and this is what this game should be about (unfortunately it isn’t)

Deniara

If any of the skills should be changed I’d go for #3.

Skills #2 and #4 are about keeping a distance (Though it can be said #2 can be used to prevent distance being created) yet #3 and to a lesser extent #5 prefer close range (#5 does PBAoE damage and Vulnerability on BOTH the jump and the landing, use in close range does it’s damage and effects twice)

1. does seem a bit lacking both in damage and range (Warrior rifle: 1200 range, Ranger Shortbow: 1200 range, Ranger Longbow: 1200 range, Engineer Rifle: 1000 range unless traited…)

I think if they introduced ways of dealing conditions (Not as many as P/P but maybe a bleed on #1, more reliable distance to get the 4 from #3 etc) then damage would increase (Especially if Condition Damage became more effective as a result instead of conditions mostly coming from traits)

What Deniara said. All of it.

Problem:Engineer does deal little damage with his weapons.
Answer: There is no problem, that is his point. If you want to deal damage as an engineer you have to use weapon bundles, if you want to deal damage with your weapons – you have to use warrior lol.
Classes are designed to be different.There is nothing wrong with that.

Goorman.7916:

Problem:Engineer does deal little damage with his weapons.
Answer: There is no problem, that is his point. If you want to deal damage as an engineer you have to use weapon bundles, if you want to deal damage with your weapons – you have to use warrior lol.
Classes are designed to be different.There is nothing wrong with that.

I have to disagree strongly. Basically all professions are about dealing damage. Since they are no dedicated healers, the main purpose of this game is to deal damage to your enemies. Surely there are some trade-offs when it comes to survivability vs dealing damage, but engineer class definitely isn’t in the top of my list when it comes to “easy mode” survivability, in fact I would rank guardian, warrior, D/D arcana line elementalist, guardian, mesmer (illusions, invisibility, teleport etc) etc. above engineer in that respect. When it comes to support, I would say guardian, elementalist and mesmer are my top choices.

The weapon kits and device kits also deal pathetic damage and many of them are so bugged, making them more or less unusable. E.g. elixir gun attack #1 (tranqualizer dart) does about 300 total base damage with a range of 900 (untraited). And grenade kit attack #1 flies slowly as hell (easy to dodge) with a range of 1200 (untraited) and does 2 × 120 = 240 base damage, assuming both grenades hitting the same target. This is much less compared to what other professions do.

A good game is about versatility: a series of meaningful choices. Now GW2 is narrowed down few over-powered classes and weapon choices, which are mostly braindead easy to play. And that will lead quickly to boredom and people moving to other games.

It appears very much so that Arenanet skill “balancers” have couple of favorite professions, mainly: thief, warrior, guardian (and to a lesser degree): mesmer and elementalist. For some illogical reason engineer has been already nerfed several times, despite it is the rarest character class. I fail to understand the reasoning behind this. If engineer would be overpowered, then surely a lot of more people would jump in the bandwagon and play it.

I play 7 different professions myself and I will soon start my 8th character. I will probably eventually get all my characters to level 80. Switching between lots of different characters seems to be the only way to avoid boredom, as otherwise the game is very repetitive with totally broken skill balance.

Deniara

engineer have the most active weapons and skill you know if you equip net turret and use rifle net you can effectively kite and apply about 15 pt and even 25 if you do it right to ur enemy by using the traits and the one that apply 10 pts of vul. so in essence you can pretty much apply a 10-20 % damg increase for your entire team at every sec. tell me that isnt broken

Dragoon.9536:

engineer have the most active weapons and skill you know if you equip net turret and use rifle net you can effectively kite and apply about 15 pt and even 25 if you do it right to ur enemy by using the traits and the one that apply 10 pts of vul. so in essence you can pretty much apply a 10-20 % damg increase for your entire team at every sec. tell me that isnt broken

First of all you are now talking about “sitting duck” trait. Most of the professions offer a way to apply invulnerability. This certainly isn’t specific to the engineer profession. E.g. warrior’s greatsword applies vulnerability on auto attack! Plus warrior can select the “rending strikes” trait. Thief pistol skill #2, body shot, applies 5 stacks (!!) of vulnerability at demand from 900 range and thieves can also opt for “sundering strikes” trait. Tell me that they are not broken!

Deniara

Deniara Devious.3948:

I have to disagree strongly. Basically all professions are about dealing damage.

Not true.Damage control support – that is what important in this game(not mentioning teamplay), and don’t dare you say tthat control and support aren’t important.

A good game is about versatility: a series of meaningful choices. Now GW2 is narrowed down few over-powered classes and weapon choices, which are mostly braindead easy to play.

Not true.Check setups of paid tournaments winners – you will find all classes, and that means that there are no “braindead choices”.