Guild Wars 2

I am sure this topic is starting to get old, but why not…

The forums for the Engineer lately have seen topics about ways to change the current Engineer whether they be traits or skill changes. The Revenant saw changes recently, perhaps thanks to posts by players on the forums expressing concerns about the class. So far, engineers haven’t had that change after the patch, and that might be because of the focus on Heart of Thorns.

However…there are a few flaws with the Engineer, whether they be traits or skills or the class mechanics and we can only hope to change them by suggesting changes so that our class can hopefully get some love and be changed in a way we can enjoy the class as players who have grown to love the profession.

I thought I should create a forum post where we can collect ideas (some already mentioned ideas in other forums and some new ideas) that might get looked over and taken seriously (because hey, you never know they may like an idea and use it).

Traits: As far as traits go, there are a few that seem under-powered or unusable.

Explosives: This line has always been a cornerstone in many Engineer builds and could use a few changes in my opinion.
1) Evasive Powder Keg is a great idea and works with Therombaric Detonation, but (and this has been mentioned multiple times already) the cooldown seems excessive especially after the “nerf” to vigor. Using dodge rolls to blast a field already puts the Engineer at a disadvantage. The player would have to decide to use their dodge rolls to blast a field or to survive a potential burst by dodging.
2) Explosive Descent trait is pretty much a trait that is in all professions…but from a player’s point of view I don’t think the fall damage traits get much use. They aren’t as exciting as the other traits and are situational. Why not add the fall damage traits into other traits that correspond with the fall damage or even make fall damage traits baseline and free up that trait for another trait that could get more use.
3) Glass Cannon is a bit low when it comes to damage. I believe many players have suggested 7 or 10 percent to match up with other traits that other professions have…but why not alter the trait to do the damage percent when they are under the threshold or lower the threshold from 90 to 80 percent.
4) Shaped Charge deals more damage to targets with vulnerability, but since condition duration has been taken from this line, stacking vulnerability is a harder task (although the trait might just be for the damage and not stacking purposes). Adding an additional component to it like “vulnerability lasts 50 percent longer” would work well with the previous minor trait that gives explosives vulnerability.
5) Shrapnel is an interesting trait but it’s percentage and conditions are a bit low for a grandmaster trait. Increasing the percentage on hit to 30 percent would allow Bomb Kit to function a bit better with this trait (I’m not sure if Bomb Kit can even get a proc on this trait unless the enemy stands in the AOE which usually never happens in PvP or WvW). Also adding another condition (like burning) to the trait would also fix another problem as well. Ever since the movement of Engineer’s source of burning to the Firearms line from Explosives, a lot of builds that were big before the patch have been altered or not as good as before. A lot of players loved playing those builds (including myself) and by adding that additional burning to that line it gives a bit more diversity among Engineer builds. I’m sure that adding the burn with the bleeding and cripple would be too strong, so instead of doing all three it should do only one. Here would be an example:

Shrapnel: Explosions have a 30 percent chance to cripple, bleed, or burn your foe.
Cripple (2 seconds)
Bleed (12 seconds)
Burn (3 seconds)

Firearms: The condition line with focus on pistols and a bit of rifle. Could use more synergy with the other lines. The shrapnel change stated before would work well with Incendiary Powder (which I don’t think needs a buff…other classes like elementalist and guards need a stack or duration of their burns turned down or the burn damage itself lowered).
1) High Caliber and No Scope are really cool ideas since a lot of Engineers (and Engineers in general) fight best in close quarters, but 240 is a bit close. 360 would be a better distance so we don’t have to shoot the enemy at point blank to proc these two traits.

Inventions: A completely altered line after patch that has many new traits that can provide a lot of build diversity.
1) Automated Medical Response when it first came out after patch had a 10 second cooldown which made me ecstatic as an Engineer. The chance to continuously get my heal back up was great, at first, but was quite strong and needed the change…although, 90 seconds is a bit high. This has been mentioned multiple times on the forums already but lowering the ICD might make the trait better (maybe to 60 seconds since 30 or lower might be a bit too strong for an adept trait).
2) Autodefense Bomb Dispenser is an underrated trait, but I think the smoke field was taken off the trait, making blasting the field for invisibility a thing of the past. Could work really well with Thermobaric Detonation if Evasive Powder Keg had no ICD and this trait created a smoke field.
3) Advanced Turrets and it’s reflections are a nice touch for turrets since turrets can now take critical hits and conditions, but i believe the knockback portion of the shield that reflects was taken out. One thing that turret engineers excelled at was keeping a point and with the “nerf” to turrets, adding a bit of a twist to the trait might be needed. Another option would be to make the turrets invulnerable to attacks after the reflect goes down for a few seconds (most engineers put a turret down to explode it for the knockback or the blast finisher so adding that allows the player to choose between blasting and knocking back or keeping the turret up to try to do more damage or use it’s overcharge skill).

Alchemy: Probably the linchpin for engineer builds (if not before patch then definitely now) that offers great defensive traits.
1) Inversion Enzyme is an interesting new trait. I believe it is lacking when it comes to it’s other traits, however, and might not be used too much with Backpack Regenerator and Self-Regulating Defenses in the same line. Deadly Mixtures was taken out as well as the range increase to Elixir Gun so maybe adding one of these to the trait would spice up this trait (Deadly Mixture would probably be the better fit to add a bit more synergy to that line, Elixir Gun, Flamethrower, and maybe the Firearms line).
2) Alchemical Tinctures states that it removes conditions when consuming or throwing elixirs. I believe most Engineers have noticed that Elixir Gun doesn’t work with this trait. Maybe allowing the Elixir Gun’s elixirs to work with this trait would allow Elixir Gun to see more of a presence. I can see why they didn’t put this in at first because Elixir Gun would see a bit more of a dominance then the elixirs but that just means that the elixirs would need a bit more of an appeal (maybe add something to this trait or HGH).
3) HGH is a solid trait that is hard not to take when taking the Alchemy line. Like prementioned, HGH might need an addition (and yes I know its already strong but why not add to it to make elixirs more interesting?) to compete with the Elixir Gun if it’s elixirs clear conditions with the adept trait. Perhaps, adding a boon on use when you use a certain elixir might spice it up a bit. This was mentioned in an earlier forum, but an example would be adding resistance to Elixir S on use. This would give Engineers more access to that boon and also change the way Engineers use that tonic. Lets say it activates for 4 seconds on activation of Elixir S…if the Engineer is being overwhelmed by conditions the resistance would allow the Engineer to survive the 4 seconds of condition damage, as well as, the burst damage. It would also work a bit better with Self-Regulating Defenses and allow for Engineers to regroup if they are getting completely overwhelmed by conditions to use that trait, retreat, heal and attack again and not be killed from conditions while in that state. Example of Trait:

HGH: Elixirs grant might (2 stacks for 24 seconds), have reduced recharge (20 percent), and have increased duration (20 percent). Using an elixir grants a boon:
Elixir H grants Regeneration (10 seconds)
Elixir B grants Stability (4 seconds)
Elixir U grants Resistance (4 seconds)
Elixir S grants 3 stacks of Might (10 seconds)
Elixir C grants Aegis (15 seconds)
Elixir R grants Quickness (4 seconds)

4) Stimulant Supplier is also interesting in it’s design. Adds an additional heal to your heal as well as fury. Although, the heal is a bit low and its on a cooldown. The trait, as a whole, seems underpowered for a grandmaster trait. Maybe adding more dropped packs each with their own function, or maybe making it give allies the stim pack in a certain radius would help the trait by adding more group play to it (could also see more synergy out of some Invention’s traits that heals allies when you heal or increases healing to allies and perhaps med kit use as well).
5) Iron Blooded seems like a more PvE oriented trait, although with the other traits in this line it seems a bit lackluster. Perhaps increasing the percentage, or adding something to it to where engineers gain a random boom every couple seconds or in certain situations would see this trait get more use. For example, prior to the patch there was a trait called Adrenal Implant that gave the Engineer Aegis when struck…this would be an example of a situation where Engineers would gain a boon in certain incidents (would need an ICD of course). Example of trait:

Iron Blooded: Incoming damage is decrease for every boon on you (by 2 percent). Gain a boon depending on the situation (10 second ICD):
Gain Aegis (15 seconds) when struck
Gain Regeneration (10 seconds) when poisoned
Gain Quickness (3 seconds) when slowed or chilled
Gain Swiftness (6 seconds) when crippled
Gain Stability (3 seconds) when stunned
Gain Vigor (6 seconds) after a successful evade
Gain Fury (4 seconds) on a successful critical hit

Tools: a really fun line that offers new interesting traits that also seems to be lacking something when it comes to traits.
1) Reactive Lenses is a trait that could work well with Gadgeteer, however, it doesn’t seem to break out of all CCs (only stuns?). Would be nice to work against all CCs as well as the blind.
2) Streamlined Kits has been a trait of debate for awhile now. It has a high cooldown and Kit Refinement is implemented into it. It might be better to lower the cooldown and lower the Swiftness given by the trait (maybe to 10 seconds) so that the attacks/spells can be used more and implemented in fights a bit better.
3) Takedown Round is a really cool trait, and with Static Discharge and Aim Assisted Rocket provides multiple ways to burst down a target. The 50 percent health aspect is a bit odd though especially with the cooldown. Maybe removing the 50 percent health aspect would add more use to it and even more synergy with the Bomb Kit trait in the Explosives line.
4) Kinetic Battery allows for any toolbelt skill to be recharged and adds more skilled play to the traits. I’m not sure if it needs changing, honestly, but if it would change then I would lower the cooldown since vigor has been “nerfed”.
5) Adrenal Implant really excited me when the trait system came out…until I learned it doesn’t stack with vigor that you recieve from using toolbelt skills. For the trait to be used more that would need to be changed. Engineers have always been good with keeping endurance up and using our endurance to provide more damage (Excessive Energy) so by allowing it to stack with vigor, it will become a more useful trait.
6) Gadgeteer has been a matter of debate for a bit with the new trait system. I think the idea of having to get hit 5 times is unappealing. Also the lower duration on gadgets aren’t too low and not many Engineers run multiple gadgets so the trait seems lackluster compared to the other traits in the line. But what can someone do to change the trait? Well maybe lowering the charge that is needed to 3 charges and making the cooldown on the gadgets base in the trait instead of having to choose the gadget to have a reduced cooldown. Or add an option that allows you to use the gadget twice after a few second cooldown between. The overcharge gadgets is a cool design to so I wouldn’t get rid of that though.

Weapons/Kits: As far as weapons are concerned, there have been multiple discussions on weapons swapping, kits and their use, and range of weapons.

Weapon Range: This was a scheduled baseline trait until it was changed later on and I believe many Engineers, including myself, would welcome this. Lowering grenade’s range only gave us one weapon/kit with a range at 1200 or more (Mortar Kit) and Rifled Barrels was a trait that was used before the patch and making it baseline would give Engineers a bit more range back (especially when warriors with rifle have 1200 range and mesmer pistol offhand also have 1200 range yet Engineers have lower range with the same weapons).

Mortar Kit/Grenade Kit: Making the 1 skill autoattack, and take the range indicator off. I am not sure if this would help or if it would make the kits autoattacks better. The AOEs can be hard to land (especially Mortar Kit) but I don’t know if taking away the range indicator would help on the kits since it adds a bit more skilled play with the range indicators.

Bomb Kit: Bomb Kit seems to be lacking when it comes to overall use compared to the Grenade Kit. Bomb Kit needs a bit more spice and it might be in it’s new trait under Explosives. The radius is bugged at the moment, as well, and the condition duration isn’t as good with the new trait system taking out the stats. Perhaps adding cripple to the trait (cripple of bombs that hit) or weapon skills to keep enemies in the bomb radius or increasing the conditions or making every bomb pulse (including autoattack?) would be a better way to go about Bomb Kit. Also, the loss of Elixir Infused Bombs hurt Engineers a bit as well. Perhaps adding that into the trait, as well, or another trait would allow some synergy with the Inventions line or other trait lines.

Med Kit: Got completely revamped and many were intrigued by the idea. The healing isn’t as grand as what many thought however, and healing turret is still the most dominant heal. The boons/healing would need to be looked at/buffed for it to be considered over healing turret.

Weapon Swap: The Revenant recently obtained weapon swapping which is a much needed addition to the profession. However, weapon swapping to Engineers and Elementalist really wouldn’t help the class. That would give Elementalist 40 weapon skills (way too many) and Engineers have kits so they don’t need to swap weapons. Plus there is only 2 main weapons for Engineer (Rifle and Pistol) at the moment which have no cohesion with each other. Pistol/Pistol have no use on a power build, and Rifle on a full condition build.

I believe I have put down most concerns of the Engineer, but I am sure I missed something so expand on the topic and lets try to get some welcomed changes. It would be great to see some ideas that we, as players, come up with implemented into the game, especially into the class we enjoy and play the most.

Revenant is new golden kid you cant expect same treatment with other classes

…………or just fix the bugs and we’re good.

Engineer is still absolutely top tier.

Buffing the finest class in the game before most of the plebs have even figured out the best new builds is never a good idea.

Fix bugs, let the dust settle, then we can talk buffs/nerfs for the professions.

I agree with your opinion of explosives. Shrapnel is a horrible GM trait, plain and simple. Without incendiary powder in explosives, cele rifle builds are as good as dead. Raising the proc chance to like at least 20 percent and adding burning would help alot with making cele viable again, and without IP it wouldn’t be too strong.

Right now the only viable tournament level builds are soldier rifle and marauder rifle, which are very similar in terms of traits and kits. Soldier rifle does good damage but it lacks sustain and condi pressure and I’d over reliant on intelligence sigils to deal any damage. The marauder builds deal a ton of damage but have absolutely horrible survivability against mesmer/thief even with the invulns and block and stealth.

Speaking of stealth, it is absolutely ridiculous that mines from bunker down and dodge roll bombs reveal the engi after using toss elixir S for stealth.. I mean when you’re trying to stealth and get away, usually you’re going to have to dodge..