Guild Wars 2

I would probably use Elixir B if I didn’t need the mobility from rocket boots and a stun-break from either EGun or Slick Shoes. I think this would be good, as it would make one or two-kit engis much more viable, without being too OP. As it is, our utility slots are too valuable to be used up by a simple buff, unlike the other professions that have so many more viable options for utilities.

Anyway, I think ANet needs to consider giving us more stunbreak options, otherwise most engis will continue to use 2 or 3 kits and ignore the majority of the other utility options, as most of us have been doing up to this point.

I could even see them putting stun-breaks on ALL the elixirs, and with the possible exception of HGH builds (which are not very common since they nerfed HGH a while back), I don’t think this would be that OP.

Not elixir B, no. It’s not a good candidate. As far as the elixirs go, it is generally more useful than the other elixirs and is not the most suitable candidate as far as elixir buffs are concerned.

If they’re going to make another elixir a stun break, it should go to elixir R. It was a stun break originally, so it would make sense to give that back to it.

Otherwise it should go to elixir C as that thing just isn’t as attractive an option as it could be.

As far as elixirs go, elixir B is part of the standard elixir backbone, that being elixirs H, B, and S. The other utility slot is generally a kit (because any serious build has to use at least one), and the elite is generally supply crate although you could go elixir X if you’re feeling frisky. Giving the stun break back to elixir R or putting it on elixir C would allows some possibility for this to be shaken up a bit.

Elixir C should break stun. At the moment Elixir C is not used in any build

Actually I’ve used elixir C before in PvP, and find it just about as useful as B. But you may be right, R and C might both be better candidates for stun breaks. I personally see elixir B as the engi’s “go to” elixir because of its overall usefulness in most situations, and that’s why I was thinking that if only it would break stun it would be the perfect elixir for a one or two-kit build.

That’s why I honestly think that drinking (not throwing) any elixir should break stun.
If I were to rate some of the engi’s utility skills, I’d say:

Grenade Kit > Bomb Kit > Tool Kit > Elixir Gun > Slick Shoes > Rocket Boots > Elixir S > Thumper Turret (even in a non-turret build, just for the stunbreak)> Utility Goggles (again, just for the stunbreak) > Elixir U (stunbreaker, notice a pattern here?) > Elixir B > Elixir C > Elixir R… So based on that, maybe R would in fact be the best candidate. However, my point is that so many elixir skills are underpowered when compared with the engi’s other utility skills in literally all game modes. I mean, when you compare them with the buff skills that other classes have access to, such as shouts and even signets, they just don’t quite measure up.

Maybe a good solution would be to put a trait in the engineer’s alchemy trait-line that says “Drinking any elixir will break stun”, maybe even make it a Grandmaster trait. That way, we would have access to so many more options for utility skills, IF we are willing to invest the trait points into them. This, to me, would be similar to the Guardian grandmaster trait where Virtue of Courage breaks stun for any ally affected by it. I don’t think it’d be too OP, because by taking more than one elixir you are really putting yourself at a disadvantage, especially when you consider that many elixirs have a fairly long cooldown, and the fact that you’d have to trait for it.

Anyway, let me know what you all think of that. I’m just throwing ideas out there trying to come up with a way to make elixirs in general more useable/viable in difficult and competitive game modes (dungeons, fractals, PvP, WvW).