Guild Wars 2

For PvE Open World content, with access to Elite Specialization :

- Supportive role (boon sharing/damage mitigation for allies)
- Shield viable
- Easy rotations

I main engineer and would like a second character for a more laid back gameplay before my fingers sue me for torture.

You could try guardian.

Pretty straightforward class, tons of utility, and pretty good for soloing world content.

Guardian was my first consideration. What about Revenant? Read someone call it Boon Bot.

Chronomancer (Mesmer Elite Spec) is THE support role when it comes to using Shield. Granting Alacrity and Quickness to allies while supporting them with Boon Sharing through Signet of Inspiration makes them one of the most valuable supporters out there. They’ve got a steep learning curve however, and leveling Mesmer is a sloooow and ardous task because of their low personal DPS.

Guardian’s Shield is actually useful now, so it’s to be considered. Dragonhunter Elite Spec isn’t as Supportive as Core Guardian, but it does a well enough job if paired with Honor and Virtues still. Guardian is still good and typically a Zerg Leader, very hard to find too many Guardians on your team.
Not always that Shield is useful for them, however.

Revenant’s Elite Spec Herald is still useful since they can spread a lot of Boons around with relative ease, although their Shield Skills are more typically useful for Solo Play. Still, they have good sustain and decent Boon Support, some people even swear by Ventari (Not too shabby, just a lot of investment into it to be really good. And the micromanagement, but that’ll be nothing compared to Engi.)

Warriors can be Supportive, but not with Shield. Shield is a CC weapon for them, and a pretty good one at that, but won’t really help allies out at all.

TheSwede.9512:

Chronomancer (Mesmer Elite Spec) is THE support role when it comes to using Shield. Granting Alacrity and Quickness to allies while supporting them with Boon Sharing through Signet of Inspiration makes them one of the most valuable supporters out there. They’ve got a steep learning curve however, and leveling Mesmer is a sloooow and ardous task because of their low personal DPS.

Guardian’s Shield is actually useful now, so it’s to be considered. Dragonhunter Elite Spec isn’t as Supportive as Core Guardian, but it does a well enough job if paired with Honor and Virtues still. Guardian is still good and typically a Zerg Leader, very hard to find too many Guardians on your team.
Not always that Shield is useful for them, however.

Revenant’s Elite Spec Herald is still useful since they can spread a lot of Boons around with relative ease, although their Shield Skills are more typically useful for Solo Play. Still, they have good sustain and decent Boon Support, some people even swear by Ventari (Not too shabby, just a lot of investment into it to be really good. And the micromanagement, but that’ll be nothing compared to Engi.)

Warriors can be Supportive, but not with Shield. Shield is a CC weapon for them, and a pretty good one at that, but won’t really help allies out at all.

Appreciate the extensive reply, will play around with those classes and read more about them before deciding. Still got the Level 80 Boost so I’ll start by testing Mesmer since it seems that’s the biggest downside to that class.

I say mace-shield guardian. I’ts what I use. basic setup as honor-valor and whatever else for flavor. (i personally like virtues for extra support). Feel free to hit me up in game for a demo.

“uses a shield”

1) Guardian: Has tons of boon sharing both offensive and defensive, lots of utility that protects people (protection, regeneration, reflective wall, wards ect.

Guardian shield is very supportive, giving allies protection, aegis, a 4 second large moving area of projectile absorption +heal

2) Revenants: Ventari is a sustainable healer, has mass condi clears and a very long moving projectile absorption. Can also leave small packets of heals on the ground for others to pick up.

Heralds are indeed boon bots. depending on how good you are with energy managment you an permanently apply regeneration, fury, might stacks, protection and swiftness on nearby allies.

When using a shield its mostly for your own protections but it can also grant some heal and protection to allies.

3) Warriors: While they mostly focus on their own dps and sustain, the support they grant to their allies are usually offensive in nature.

Granting allies passive power, using banners for extra power,precision, condi dmg, defense, using shouts to grant even more might and precision as well as heals and condi clenses. You can also go phalanx strenght and share a insane amount of might stacks to everyone around you..

While using a shield you are focused on your self, 3 seconds of blocking is amazing, and a shield bash can be used to reduce break bars.

4) Mesmers: They usually buff their allies with stealth, quickness and alacrity. Can also spam some phantasms that reduce the dmg from players nearby as well as lots of projectile reflections.

While wielding a shield it grants you a few blocks and some alacrity. Its also able to grant allies a small amount of quickness.

“laid back profession”
Among all the above profession id say the warrior is mostly laid back. Their skills,traits and abilities are mostly passive or just 1 click away.

Another good option would be a guardian as it offers the most supportive abilities while still using a shield.

A option which is inbetween the above two would be revenant. His rotations are very simple that of a warrior, but he has a good amount of utilities ,effects and abilities that can support others around him. He also heals more than a guardian can, but you will have to learn how to manage your energy between legends and between weapon and utility skills.

Chrono. Fits all characteristics and is actually useful.