Guild Wars 2

I just hit 80 on my engineer and was wondering what other people’s auto-attack hit for? I have a set of berserker’s on and pistol 1 is hitting in the 200’s … is this normal for the level?

Pistol 1 is total and utter crap. It’s only useful if you are running a condition build and your condition duration is 100%+ for the bleeds. The rifle 1 is much, much better. I run a SD build with zerker gear and knights trinkets (all masterwork, since I just hit 80) and I crit for about 1k. I usually crit, so I don’t really know what my normal damage is, I guess around 400-500. Plus the attack pierces, which is awesome for an auto-attack skill!

Viparix.8476:

Pistol 1 is total and utter crap. It’s only useful if you are running a condition build and your condition duration is 100%+ for the bleeds. The rifle 1 is much, much better. I run a SD build with zerker gear and knights trinkets (all masterwork, since I just hit 80) and I crit for about 1k. I usually crit, so I don’t really know what my normal damage is, I guess around 400-500. Plus the attack pierces, which is awesome for an auto-attack skill!

Forgive me, what is an SD build? I haven’t seen a lot of rifle builds posted around – maybe I’m not looking in the right places though. Any recommendations?

An SD build is a build that revolves around the Static Discharge trait (releases a bouncing lightning charge everytime you use a toolbelt skill). It’s the Glass Cannon build for Engineers, but you can add some survivability in the mix by adding some Knights or Valkyrie gear instead of pure Zerker. I also have almost perma-vigor and a normal 50% increased endurance regeneration, so that adds also some nice survivability in terms of dodges. If you want I can put a quick build in a calculator if you like?

That would be awesome – I’m not at my normal computer and can’t log in to the game client : / I’d love to see a sample layout!

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fcMQFAUl0pqdH5STF17IxoHkW0bG0j6nX9KqQ+B-jwxAYrgQECSyrIasF3ioxqrx0wER1G8ioVLFQELAA-e

This is about something I use, it’s a bit more defensive then normal SD (which is complete Zerker gear), the normal build also uses Sitting Duck or the 10% increased damage in rifles instead of Invigorating Speed, but I like it to keep my vigor up almost all the time. I also like to swap up Utility Goggles for Hidden Pistol (Charr racial skill) since the toolbelt skill is amazing!

But to be clear: the way this build plays is by using the toolbelt skills for some really nice burst damage and not really in the way utility skills usually are used (by just… well, using them). For example: I never use Rifle Turret. Tough it can be placed to detonate for another static discharge. The Toolkit is really useful for not only Throw Wrench, but also the awesome skills it brings in the package. It doesn’t require much skill and is in my opinion very fun to play!

Engineers class mechanic makes u to use as less auto attacks as possible. There is simply no single reason to do any auto attack except of bomb or grenade auto attack. You got tons of skills with your kits. Use them.

Viparix, you should be hitting considerably harder than a 1k crit with rifle auto. I generally am seeing closer to 2k without any vuln on the target, then again I use entirely zerker gear and trinkets and ruby orbs (because I am too poor to afford scholar runes heh). @OP thing to get used to with rifle sd is that it is actually much more effective in close distance than in range, you can absolutely devastate a target with blunderbuss and both the jump and land of jumpshot combined with bursting your toolbelt skills.

Awesome, I’ll look for some videos as well to get the hang of it.

I never really used auto attack leveling, but somehow thought it would be a bit more impressive at higher levels.

I’m intrigued to learn it … looks like the point of the rifle turret is to pop the toolkit skill then, rather than any damage it would do?

You should focus on Grenades if you’re worried about doing max DPS with Berserker gear.

http://www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/82395-guide-to-grenades-in-pve/

Pistol is not power type damage but condition damage.
He is right though, with 100 percent condition duration you have a 4 second bleed on pistol 1. Couple that with the fact that every pistol skill applies a condition and you can overwhelm players that don’t roll with condition removal (which is unfortunately very common these days due to the necro surge).

Getting off topic, but if blowtorch added torment, it would amp up the engineers roaming capability 10 fold.

Still, you can do some really annoying things with 100 percent condi duration, including a 12 second snare with glue shot when you trait sitting duck.

ShadowPuppet.3746:

Viparix, you should be hitting considerably harder than a 1k crit with rifle auto. I generally am seeing closer to 2k without any vuln on the target, then again I use entirely zerker gear and trinkets and ruby orbs (because I am too poor to afford scholar runes heh).

Yeah, I don’t hit as hard yet, because I’m still walking in masterwork gear, instead of exotics and I can’t afford Runes of the Scholar yet, but it’s the build I’m aiming for. I prefer a bit less damage and a bit more survivability in the mix, or else I’ll be getting one shotted even before I can use my dodge rolls.

With 50% crit chance, 100% crit damage and 3k attack I’m critting for roughly 2k – 2.5k. You’ll just need to grind your gear and numbers will eventually go up

@ Viparix: You should be using Knights armor and Zerk accessories, not the other way around If you’re trying to work some toughness into your build. You’re shorting yourself a bunch of Crit Damage. 23% by my reckoning.
Also:

1. Sigil of Air/Fire > Accuracy
2. Rifle Mod > Rifled Barrels
3. Sitting Duck > Infused Precision (IMO). Also consider Modified Ammo if you’re running with a group who is laying down a lot of conditions.
4. I’ve always used Speedy Kits over Adrenal Implant.
5. Consider Sharpening Stones over Maintenance Oils. You’ll still have over 50% crit chance.