Guild Wars 2

So, I am a fairly new engineer. I played a bit of Charr, but only up to lvl 6. I have a lvl 51 charr warrior, and I like it, but im looking for another point of view, for a while.
I have been itching to make one, even though every other person says its heavily UP, but I still need help to figure out a problem.
Should I go Grenades and Bombs, or Flamethrower and Elixers?
I actually have 2 slots, so I can make both, but I would like it if I just make one. Thanks
And, if you tell me which one, a build would be nice, but I can make one myself too.
Thanks in advance, friends.

For PvE leveling, either way is fine. There are several advantages/disadvantages to each:

—Grenades aren’t anything impressive until level 60. The toolbelt skill is our best damage skill at any level, however.
—Bombs scale very nicely all the way through, and don’t really have any “mandatory” traits, although forceful explosions is pretty nice.
—Flamethrower is good for leveling. The damage isn’t real impressive in high-level builds, but you can stack might pretty easily and get lifesteal food for a flame-tank build after level 60.

Hope that helps!

Depends on what play style you like, grenades have range and require active targeting, flamethrower is much closer range and takes longer to kill. I am flamethrower/rifle build, as the previous poster said, use omnom pie and you’ll be just about unkillable

Thanks for the replies
Btw, I will be STRICTLY Pve.
Little to no pvp whatsoever, might do the SLIGHT WvWvW for lvlling if im bored, but probably not
It seems slightly in FTs favor, currently
edit:
Keep this stuff up, currently I have a strategy, but you guys can save me the trouble
I think I might make 2 engineers, up to lvl 35, and test out AC story and exp with Explosives engineer (Charr), and FT engineer (Asura), and see which Iike, so I solve two problems at once
But still, more replies are appreciated!

One disclaimer, if and when they nerf the life steal food, you might need to switch from FT/rifle to maybe p/s /FT.

Well, keep in mind you can reset your traits at any time for little silver, so it’s not like your build is set in stone. Your equipment sets are only really relevant when you are level 80.

I used Grenades to level from 70 to 80, and it went smoothly. However, having to click at each attack got tiresome fast. In dungeons, grenades are probably the best you can do for the group in what concerns bosses, because with Grenadier throwing 3 grenades and Steel-Packed Powder (25 points in explosives) together with Precise Sights (Trait V in Firearms) you can get 25 stacks of Vulnerability on bosses, and that makes them go down pretty fast.

Flamethrower is more of a trash cleaning build because of it’s cone AoE, and it can easily be switched for an Elixir Pistols build or Elixir Gun build mid fights, since the points pretty much go in the same place. With HGH and Juggernaut, together with food and runes that increase Might duration (if you want to invest heavily on that), and toss elixirs, you can get some rather impressive stacks of Might by yourself if you keep the flamethrower up. This build also likes very much that Sigils work on kits, since you’ll have 2 of them (because pistols).

I’m currently using a P/P build because I have invested heavily in Condition Damage and Precision in my gear, and this is the build that makes the most out of those two stats for Engineer and fits my playstyle best. Also, switching a few traits for using Flamethrower and burning people to death behind the walls of a keep is a lot of fun when you get bored of PvE.

In the end, it’s more a matter of what you adapt better with. I tried Grenades and while I can’t deny their Vulnerability stacking is pretty solid, I just can’t get used to being forced to click for each and every attack, everytime, for maximum efficieny. Even with fast AoE targetting option enabled. I prefer to drink elixirs like crazy back and forth and shoot a lot of small things at the same time with my Coated Bullets.

If I were forced to shoehorn those two builds, forgetting about playstyle, adaptability and everything, I’d say that the two builds you are in doubt are both good for PvE, but they work better as:
Flamethrower: Farming Events for Karma and Gold, cleaning trash in dungeons.
Grenades: Fighting bosses in dungeons and open world.

This is a generalisation, of course, but serves for showing what these builds excel at.

I hope it helps. If you want any sample build, let us know. I myself would be more apt to help in Flamethrower and P/P builds, but making a Grenade one wouldn’t be that hard either.

@Vekthor:
I recommend you select the option so when you click an AoE skill, it auto does it where your mouse is
Its what I did for my warriors whirlwind, saved me many clicks
And this does help
If I could have a FT P/P build, that would be cool. I have a build set myself, but I am willing to change
(my build: http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mMMM9cz0oLoGMmlCvM0xGG0VkqmRmk8khk7khA7070c7kIQ70V7owY )

EpicFace.8096:

@Vekthor:
I recommend you select the option so when you click an AoE skill, it auto does it where your mouse is

I’m aware. I mentioned it in my post

I tried Grenades and while I can’t deny their Vulnerability stacking is pretty solid, I just can’t get used to being forced to click for each and every attack, everytime, for maximum efficieny. Even with fast AoE targetting option enabled.

Still, every attack requires you to click, even #1. So while it isn’t two clicks, it’s still at least one click and cursor positioning. After a while playing like that I (and my fingers) just got tired.

EpicFace.8096:

If I could have a FT P/P build, that would be cool. I have a build set myself, but I am willing to change
(my build: http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mMMM9cz0oLoGMmlCvM0xGG0VkqmRmk8khk7khA7070c7kIQ70V7owY )

The build is good. However, I consider HGH to be essential. Without it you won’t get enough Might stacks.

This is the build I use when I go for Flamethrower: http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mMMzz9Mz0MLovMMlovMax0x0VVRqmkq8khk7khA7070c7kIQ70V7owY

You can take out Elixir R and add Elixir S if you prefer. I just like Elixir R’s toolbelt a lot in Dungeons. Keep in mind that changing some traits makes this build also very viable for P/P. Just switch Juggernaut for Coated Bullets, Fireforged Trigger for Hair Trigger, Precise Sights for Rifled Barrels (or not) and Deadly Mixture for Potent Elixir. And switch the Flamethrower skill for Elixir U (I really like with pistols). That might sound like a lot but it really isn’t. You can do it between fights with no trouble, if you think pistols will do better (such as, say, you need to stay far from the boss).

Vekthor.8914:

EpicFace.8096:

@Vekthor:
I recommend you select the option so when you click an AoE skill, it auto does it where your mouse is

I’m aware. I mentioned it in my post

I tried Grenades and while I can’t deny their Vulnerability stacking is pretty solid, I just can’t get used to being forced to click for each and every attack, everytime, for maximum efficieny. Even with fast AoE targetting option enabled.

Still, every attack requires you to click, even #1. So while it isn’t two clicks, it’s still at least one click and cursor positioning. After a while playing like that I (and my fingers) just got tired.

EpicFace.8096:

If I could have a FT P/P build, that would be cool. I have a build set myself, but I am willing to change
(my build: http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mMMM9cz0oLoGMmlCvM0xGG0VkqmRmk8khk7khA7070c7kIQ70V7owY )

The build is good. However, I consider HGH to be essential. Without it you won’t get enough Might stacks.

This is the build I use when I go for Flamethrower: http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mMMzz9Mz0MLovMMlovMax0x0VVRqmkq8khk7khA7070c7kIQ70V7owY

You can take out Elixir R and add Elixir S if you prefer. I just like Elixir R’s toolbelt a lot in Dungeons. Keep in mind that changing some traits makes this build also very viable for P/P. Just switch Juggernaut for Coated Bullets, Fireforged Trigger for Hair Trigger, Precise Sights for Rifled Barrels (or not) and Deadly Mixture for Potent Elixir. And switch the Flamethrower skill for Elixir U (I really like with pistols). That might sound like a lot but it really isn’t. You can do it between fights with no trouble, if you think pistols will do better (such as, say, you need to stay far from the boss).

Yeah, I can see how your fingers would get tired XD
Looking at build now….
I like it It removes some of the more unnecessary stuff!
Imma use it now, thanks Also, nice P/P fast trait/skill changing ideas I will also use that.

I hope you like it!

While I took some time to get used to the lack of survivability compared to the Elixir Gun, I now feel like I can do decently against groups of small enemies because of Coated Bullets, and the condition damage makes me less useless against bosses. And being able to get diversity from Flamethrower at anytime makes quite a difference too.