Guild Wars 2

Turrets, the main unique thing to engineers. Though they are fun, i must first clarify that the roles they fulfill, they are not the best options for these roles.
I will list the ways i use turrets and links to their builds. Keep in mind that since turrets are not affected by character stats (like runes and such), you can choose your rune based on what you like. If you prefer to have mobs, get one that summons. Want to be more tanky? Choose a tanky rune setup. This is similar with sigils.

First use- Farming – low amount of mobs/single targets.
http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mmMM9cz0mMxwMmMxwM0Gx0GzMcabMo
Usage – Find a spot to setup your turrets. Keep in mind how mobs will attack your turrets. Put ones you are willing to sacrifice first up front. I do Net first, behind that rifle, then behind that rocket. If a turret gets destroyed, use toolbelts to inflict damage.

Find a post, deploy turrets. Start pulling mobs with your rifle towards your turrets. Keep monsters at bad by chaining net shots and utilizing your snares from netshots. Push backs to keep them away from the turrets. Self repair makes its you dont need toolkit.

Second use – Farming- Groups of mobs.

This build can very well be replaced by the first one if you wish.
http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mmMM9cz0mxhCMmMxwM9MxGGcabzsoR

The difference with this build is that you will be using your AoE Rifle abilities and your toolkit to help keep the agro of mobs and do AoE damage to them/ protect yourself. You will place down a thumper to help AoE the mobs down and kit them within range of the thumper. Your rocket turret is probably one of the best turrets in the game. Why? While its toolbelt and deploy CD is long, once deployed it has the ability to launch a rocket that does an AoE knockback AND burning AND it has a low CD (only 20 seconds, that less than the rifle turret’s overcharge!). It also looks like a predator missile, which is always cool.

Third use- Bunkering in sPvP. Now I haven’t perfected this build, but I’ve seen many do it and it is quite well if no elementalist decides to AoE spam them down or another engineer is grenade.

http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mmMzM9Mz0ohmCMmMxwMG0G0xVscamRb

The way this is used is that you use your AoE knockbacks to help keep people off of points. However you don’t want to explore your Thumper and Flame. Those are too viable to waste. The healing turret is the one you want to do it with. It will take practice, but you have to time it right so that you get the AoE combo heal with it tool. The kit refinement + tool kit will allow you to keep a constant AoE snare/bleed on the point (it deploys a #2 of the toolkit spell when equipped, you can then chain them together and make a never ending bleed/snare on the point). 50% endurance retaliation will allow you to dodge a lot more.

Fourth Use- Sacrificial Engineer – All uses viable. – Currently broken in PvE
First the main trait this relies on, deployable turrets, doesn’t work in PvE, only sPvP.
http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mmMM9cz0ohmwMmMxwMGGa0GVsVsoMV8khT7070m7kGf70V7owY70z
The way this one works is you close the game and use your all those knockbacks you have. You of course need to time your healing turret correctly to get the AoE heal. You can engage in a variety of ways. You can open up by throwing your net turret right next to the enemy, activating overcharge to trap him, deploying other turrets the same manner while you close the gap. You can chain your knockbacks of your turrets and also get a nice lightning discharge out of them. You then can use all of your toolbelt skills to get another big burst of damage. While this isn’t the best spvp build, i’ve been really wanting to try it in PvE once they fix the bug with deploy turrets.

Dungeon Tanker – Now this build isn’t one of my favorite. It does use a turret, but its not the best way to use turrets and not the best build.

http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#mmMzM9Mz0MmClMmMxwM9MxxamckVMam8kiW7070m7kuW70V7owY70z

So those are most ways I use turrets. I was very interested in using turrets and ill be kitten if them not being that good will stop me! Those are most of the ways I use them and I hope this guide is somewhat good. If you have better builds for turrets, please post them.

+1 for the turret bunker build, it’s a great sPvP build. The lack of CC is made up for by sticking close to your turrets, because if you get stunlocked, that doesn’t affect you detonating your turret and sending the enemy flying off of you. Stability is the only bane of this build, and maybe condition damage to a certain extent, though you can pick up the trait in vitality that makes you immune past 25% life, OR can sacrifice one of your turrets for an elixer.

I used to run this with rifle, healing turret, and thumper, because the CDs are low in rifle and heals, and thumper gives you an extra knockback. Couple these with Elixir R for the re-rez and you’ve got a frustrating bunker to deal with.

spvp turrets are highly underestimated. Net turret especially is super powerful, just compare it to warrior’s throw bolas. They are both utilities that exist purely to imobilize but the net turret is well, a turret. After using the toolbelt you can plop it down and enjoy the imobilze. Combined with rifle net shot and that opponent will have a hard time moving anywhere.

As for the other turrets rocket and thumper both have damage and cc. In the case of thumper you can leave that thing on the middle of a control point and when it starts being contestd you can overcharge it and knock all the enemies off the point from across the map. Rocket just does amazing damage if ignored and still have a cc. I’d rather take rocket turret than personal battering ram since both are semi-unreliable knockbacks but rocket does a lot more damage.

Replace thumber and flame turret with flamethrower. Same effects (knockback and mass blind) with shorter cooldown plus some nice extras like the tool belt skill and the fire wall.
Using flamethrower (2 CCs, 2 possibilties to burn, heavy aoe damage with #2), rocket turret(burn on hit and two knockdowns on overcharging) and rifle turret (high rate, bleeding on overcharging) is more effectiv in my opinion. Played this setup before juggernaut got nerfed the stability while wielding the flamethrower. Was really powerfull before the nerf to juggernaut and is still competitive. The only weakness is that you have no stun breakers (Thats why i have replaced in my current setup the rifle turret with elixier R)