Could use help with gear and tweaks - FT/HGH
I use enhanced performance (explosives X) over modified ammo but then I like being self supporting rather than relying on others to condition dump for the extra damage. That said MA is useful if you’re up against mobs (elites and upwards) that can take a pounding and are in a group/zerg.
Gear wise I’d go for full ‘zerker or celestial, depending if you want to focus on pure damage or have an all rounder armour set with runes/accessories deciding what you want to focus on. Runes are up to you although power based ones like Ogre, Privateer, Scholar or Strength might be an idea if you’re mostly in PvE land. If they’re too pricey for you then just slot ruby orbs until you can afford them or stick with the orbs if you’re happy with the straight up stat increase.
Hope that helps.
Personally, I would not recommend using hgh for anything pve, the time spent chugging and tossing potions offsets the damage increase from the stacks of might, especially since we have other ways to stack might that benefits other people as well as ourselves via fire fields and blast finishers. Once we see what the actual changes will be (meaning they are in the game and not just speculation of what intentions are) maybe my opinion will change. Having said this, I agree with Malhavoc on the gear choice with the caveat being that if you can afford it, strength runes and sigils are probably your best bet by far in terms of increasing your damage and helping others out as well through longer lasting might stacks.
I agree fully with the above two posts ( I do prefer MA for group settings though). One thing I’d like to add to it is that FT has great synergy with ‘on crit’ sigils and traits. I would strongly recommend ditching HGH and picking up a Sigil of Strength. Like Shadow said, HGH damage increase is more than offset by all the potion gulping and tossing that you have to do to keep it up. You’re also better off leaving some room for might from other sources b/c it is even common in PuGs. Also, HGH, by it’s nature, encourages you to waste valuable cooldowns for a few stacks of might. You’re better off using those for either blast finishers or for defense, given the close-combat nature of the FT. With Runes of Strength, a Sigil of Strength, blast finishers, and Juggernaut, you should have no problems maintaining around 19-22 stacks of might on yourself leaving a small bit of room for might from elsewhere and rendering HGH trivial anyway.
(edited by Tman.6349)
Also, the more I think about the proposed changes to ft the less convinced I become that it is going to be able to replace grenades/bomb kit as our goto damage kit. The main reason being is vulnerability application or lack thereof, without steel packed powder doing the heavy lifting precise sights does not add nearly as much vuln. Granted for soloing or open world pve it’s not as important, but if and when engies are brought along that is pretty much the niche we are expected to fill. Obviously at this point it is just speculation on my part, and I hope I am wrong because I just plain like the asthetic of using a flamethrower. I just don’t think the damage buff is gonna be enough to offset all the other utility you get out of using nades/bombs without some serious trait re-works on anet’s part.
Thanks folks. Some things to think about, especially with concern to HGH. Appreciate the feedback.