Guild Wars 2

Since we’re asking for another melee option already, I would like to see the tool kit be turned into turret support. We already have it in tool kit 1, it just need some follow through. The idea we could take from tool kit 1 is that each hot key does 2 things: does something to your opponent, and does something to your turret.

1 melee damage – turret heal
2 bleed criple – turret regen + quickness?
3 confuse – ???
4 block – turret aegis?
5 pull target – “leap” to turret or pull turret

Gilgamesh.2561:

*

• More sigil choice. We can’t use most sigils because we lack weapon swap. Make it work with kits.

I think one way or another we deserve a better kits mechanism in place of weapon’s.

The best I like are the traits such as Speedy Kits and Kits Refinement etc. I think they are more valuable than weapon’s bonus, but however, that’s not enough to justify the loss of weapon’s stats, sigils and swapping, because we have to use two or three traits to compensate such loss.

I definitely will support the idea to further “refine” the kits, like tier 2 kits, tier 3 kits, or tier 2 refinement, etc.

Kits Underwater

I feel why on land engineers are so much fun switching between a variety of combos, and allow me to find so many different techniques or skill sequences to play with the mice… but underwater is… a bit monotone…. I don’t really need to or actually am quite unable to produce any interesting combos.

I am sorry I can’t bring up any constructive and concrete idea here. This just need a basic concept redesign perhaps.

It seems to me quite a few kits won’t work well underwater. Kits Refinement (or perhaps some other traits too?) doesn’t seem to work underwater? AoE effects are practically unable to apply, etc…

Engineers Current Design is GREAT

There are many great ideas proposed here, and it would be great to see our profession is getting more and more “interesting” and fun to play. I DO NOT want it to become STRONGER actually.

There would be a dynamic balance anyway and all professions and mobs shall be adjusted to the same level of strength. So, by proposing new ideas or new elements into this profession, I have by no means any intention to make us STRONGER than the other professions.

What the CHARM in this profession is it reflects more “reality” than other classes. The visual effects are much simpler (less distracting and fatigue-bombarding), but the reality brought in a lot of complexity, which made most kits a situational tool, not all-around tool. While we can use them in the right situation properly, we are actually stronger than we thought. While we persist in using one weapon or one kit, we really become handicapped.

…

Following the previous post, I would say we have already range 1500, even to 17xx if considered the radius and mortar etc.

It has a low hit rate at such distance, which is reasonable. It’s not heat-seeking or computer aided missiles.

We can of course ask for such a long range weapon, but perhaps there needs to be a sacrifice we are willing to give. For example, such “missile” can reach only 900-1700. It cannot hit closer foes, and if it does get stuck in less than 600, the explosion will hurt ourselves. This is fairer.

Besides, I think range 1500 is probably practically not helpful. What are the skills and techniques can we use to keep such distance?

With a dodge and another second of running, your foes will gain full HP in one second. I guess we will be very likely to waste our time if we want to stay 1500 or farther away from our foes.

About grenades and bombs, they are useful, and can be used in different ways.

Grenades can be used as a “bait” to trap in your foes or to distract your foes; it can earn you time to approach to your foes safely or escape. Grenades are not your only weapon. That is the advantage of Engineers and Engineers only.

Bombs as well, if we combine the use of it with other kits. Your foes can only decide which kind of damage he is willing to take, because we are just able to deal out two or three-folded attacks at the same time. Not only can we snare, immobilize, chill, daze, etc but some of the foes also have to get close to us in order to pour their burst upon us.

Besides, for example, the Smoke bombs do not only affect the enemies within its radius but also affect the attacks that go through it.

I just wanted to say at least for me the current kit design is great and useful.

Haralin.1473:

Stealth so i dont need to level a Thief

We have stealth. Area stealth.
It requires a combo, but you can set it up on your own.

DeadlyNerd,

You made a few nice points. My response in bold as below.

DeadlyNerd.5814:

Someone mentioned the turrets being more like TF2, funny enough I’m playing an engi just the way it is in TF2.

The only thing turrets are currently missing, according to my experience anyway, are :

1. Reduced(more like halved) cooldowns

Agreed. When a turret is picked up, the cool down shall be the time it recovers to full HP. Say originally it needs 20 seconds. The cool down should be at least halved, ie, 10 secs, when picked up with almost full HP.

2. Better looks.

I desire that too.

5. Turrets to target my target.

LOL. Turrets always try to give you more excitements and aim at leveling you up faster :P Seriously, I think this might be a good idea…. hmm, but what about the turrets under attack?

I would not like to see a rifle-like rifle for the engineer as I believe it doesn’t fit the class at all in a thematic sense. What I would like instead is a nail-gun kit, or something similar. Engineers use gadgety, invented things, weapons with all sorts of swiss-army style tricks to them. A standard rifle would be boring, but a steam powered nail gun would be amazing, even a railgun type sniper affair. As long as it has an invented, crazy feel to it.

More Shotgun like skins, and a possible Pump action sound effect when firing
and a Grenade launcher (instead of throwing) which could maybe decrease the travel time of flight (it’s like 4 seconds of travel time when throwing max range – and I’d be happy enough for the speed increase for just the #1 skill).

I’d like to see an elite that gives us a sort of multifunctional backpack.
I picture it kinda like four robotic arms extend from a backpack, one with a flamthrower, one with an elixir gun, one with a rifle and maybe one with an electric shield or something.

These arms wouldn’t replace any of your current skills, but they would have certain attacks that proc every couple of seconds or something. For example the flamethrower arm could spout fire or shoot a blob of napalm at the target, the shield protects you for 2 seconds or something.

This would only last for a short duration, but I think it would be a cool addition.

the flamethrower 1 attack inflicts burning… i can not comprehend why it doesnt…

Seetoo.9316:

Since we’re asking for another melee option already, I would like to see the tool kit be turned into turret support.

Amen to this. Here, take a look at a post I made a little while back. It’s specifically about making the Tool Kit into the turret-support weapon kit.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/engineer/I-solved-it-How-to-fix-tool-kit/first#post346451

Let me know if you have anything to add on it. I took a lot of peoples input in that thread and rolled it into the top post there too.

EDIT: The top post has once again been updated. Everyone keep adding ideas They’re great!

I would really love to see Grenades’ “1 skill” to actually be a targeted auto-attack. The rest of the skills can be ground-targeted, just like the Necromancer’s Staff skills. It would really improve movement while using grenades – and that’s what this game is all about.

Xyvius.1679:

I would really love to see Grenades’ “1 skill” to actually be a targeted auto-attack. The rest of the skills can be ground-targeted, just like the Necromancer’s Staff skills. It would really improve movement while using grenades – and that’s what this game is all about.

I used to think that way, then I realised that single target should be a job for Rifle.
Unfortunately Rifle is a melee weapon…

Mif.3471:

Xyvius.1679:

I would really love to see Grenades’ “1 skill” to actually be a targeted auto-attack. The rest of the skills can be ground-targeted, just like the Necromancer’s Staff skills. It would really improve movement while using grenades – and that’s what this game is all about.

I used to think that way, then I realised that single target should be a job for Rifle.
Unfortunately Rifle is a melee weapon…

Which is an odd thing to say considering both the single target attacks on the rifle are 1200 range.

Mif.3471:

Xyvius.1679:

I would really love to see Grenades’ “1 skill” to actually be a targeted auto-attack. The rest of the skills can be ground-targeted, just like the Necromancer’s Staff skills. It would really improve movement while using grenades – and that’s what this game is all about.

I used to think that way, then I realised that single target should be a job for Rifle.
Unfortunately Rifle is a melee weapon…

The Grenades wouldn’t just automatically become a single target weapon with a targeted auto-attack. All the skills are very much scattered AoE in nature, it would simply gives us more control over movement when using grenades.

coglin.1496:

Which is an odd thing to say considering both the single target attacks on the rifle are 1200 range.

Actually, the auto-attack for the Engineer’s Rifle is 1000.

I’ve always thought that grenades would be better off working with the same mechanics, except with faster projectile speeds.

I would like to see though;
1. Faster grenade throwing speeds
2. A different ability to replace the flash grenade, OR having it also do damage
3. Freeze Grenade needs a longer chill duration. Maybe 5 seconds.
4. Shrapnel grenade needs more stacks of bleeding, maybe 2.
5. At least one grenade skill with a blast finisher.

LoreChief.8391:

Seetoo.9316:

Since we’re asking for another melee option already, I would like to see the tool kit be turned into turret support.

Amen to this. Here, take a look at a post I made a little while back. It’s specifically about making the Tool Kit into the turret-support weapon kit.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/engineer/I-solved-it-How-to-fix-tool-kit/first#post346451

Let me know if you have anything to add on it. I took a lot of peoples input in that thread and rolled it into the top post there too.

EDIT: The top post has once again been updated. Everyone keep adding ideas They’re great!

Meh, I don’t think I wanna necro a month old thread. But after reading it, I do see the issue of a healing skill that does damage (a lot). But then again, my ele can both heal and damage at the same time. Signet of restoration does a lot of healing on attack using an auto attack with a 0.5s cd. I would say align it towards that.

Signet of restoration has 2 sources of healing:
- using the signet for a big heal
- heal on spell use
Do the same for your design:
- using the toolbelt skill for a big heal as an additional effect (wrenchrang heals u on use)
- heal on kit skill proportional to skill cd (recover x*skill cd) giving fast abilities really small heals and longer cd skills bigger heals

This addresses the concerns that you have this healing kit that does a lot of damage. Just equate it to signet of restoration.

Xyvius.1679:

Actually, the auto-attack for the Engineer’s Rifle is 1000.

I thought it was actually 1050 trait able to 1200. For the sake of discussion, I assumed we would go with the 1200 trait.

A kit that’s a long ranged rifle with a chainsaw attached.
When entering melee range of your target, the auto attack could switch over to melee chainsaw orientated auto attack skills.
Plus, cosmetically they allready have a chainsaw skin from halloween.

A fist weapon kit. Call them power gloves, can give us the same abilities as the asuran golems we see everywhere
-melee auto attack
-Launch fist
-Gatling fists
-Whirling assault
-gap closer
Or something of the like. Sounds like “Summon Power Suit” except this should actually be good for something more than being slow, weak and a waste of 10 skill points as the elite skill currently is.

A kitten chance to play rifle as decent range. (not as stupid shotgun)
The predator is totally kittened up as shotgun.

Kits have an option to change weapon skins
Able to us differeant turret models and skins

Some mechanical summon “pets”. (like golem, termiator turtle)

I would like to see nade targeting to be turned to FPS style “real aim”. That way we can get an auto attack for 1.

What’s the point of having an auto attack on grenade exactly? A lot of people want it, but I don’t understand the point of it..

I want more traits to affect Gadgets. Currently, the only trait that affects them is the reduced cooldown one. Right now Gadgets are overshadowed by other utility skills we have that have equal or greater use.

LoreChief.8391:

What’s the point of having an auto attack on grenade exactly? A lot of people want it, but I don’t understand the point of it..

from what i gather; its so they can focus on moving… though auto attacks seem to hit unless the target dodges, and with the damage this forum indicates grenades do; thatd be very OP (also as they wouldnt have to lead targets/compensate for distance travel time)

Linguistically Inept.6583:

LoreChief.8391:

What’s the point of having an auto attack on grenade exactly? A lot of people want it, but I don’t understand the point of it..

from what i gather; its so they can focus on moving… though auto attacks seem to hit unless the target dodges, and with the damage this forum indicates grenades do; thatd be very OP (also as they wouldnt have to lead targets/compensate for distance travel time)

Yes, the auto-attack would be to help our movement and no, it would not be overpowered because you would still have to account for both the projectile speed and the spread, making it a less reliable, more random damage kit.

I think the point is to bring it in line with the equivalent skills sets such as staff for ele or necro. The have skill #1 as single target and the other 4 are all long range AoEs, that give a red circle to opponents just like grenades do. Allowing for them to be just as easily avoided as grenades are.

It is bot an unreasonable concept to bring them in line with similar skill sets if you ask me.

coglin

It is bot an unreasonable concept to bring them in line with similar skill sets if you ask me.

I guess I just don’t understand why; if you want to use an auto attack to help with movement, you wouldn’t just use something like the rifle. Why is it wrong for the ‘1’ skill to require ground targeting, but it’s not for the other 4 grenade skills? The beauty of kits is that if they aren’t offering something you need at a given time, you switch to another kit or back to a weapon set to GET that desired utility. It’s not like there’s a CD on grenade kit or anything.

Devinchi

I want more traits to affect Gadgets.

1000 times this. What other professions have an entire traitline that’s only effected by one trait? A lot of the gadgets as they are now are pretty niche in use. I personally love the ‘Personal Battering Ram’, but only in WvW, and only when I’m defending a cliffside that I can push enemies to their deaths on.

Additional things that would be cool to see on gadgets imho, are things like flashier animations, and secondary skills. If you use the main skill (say battering ram), it goes on cooldown, but brings up another skill to use that has it’s own cooldown. Gadgets are pretty 2D as they are, and could use another effect (or perhaps just a passive effect in addition to toolbelt + main skill).

Xyvius.1679:

you would still have to account for both the projectile speed and the spread, making it a less reliable, more random damage kit.

im confused… how so? an auto attack would automatically aim… otherwise its a targetted skill that cant trigger automatically else youll end up having it hitting areas you didnt mean to target (unless you’re proficient with quick targetting… which i and many others arent)

• oh… unless you mean that you dont have to keep pressing one and the target pops up automatically? i can see that being useful…

For me, auto attack nades would be a QoL thing. It really, physically hurts to have to press 1 per attack.

Linguistically Inept.6583:

Xyvius.1679:

you would still have to account for both the projectile speed and the spread, making it a less reliable, more random damage kit.

im confused… how so? an auto attack would automatically aim… otherwise its a targetted skill that cant trigger automatically else youll end up having it hitting areas you didnt mean to target (unless you’re proficient with quick targetting… which i and many others arent)

• oh… unless you mean that you dont have to keep pressing one and the target pops up automatically? i can see that being useful…

I just meant that because grenades are naturally slower and have an unpredictable spread, making 1 an auto-attack wouldn’t be as quick and as reactive as the auto-attack of say, a shortbow.

Seetoo.9316:

For me, auto attack nades would be a QoL thing. It really, physically hurts to have to press 1 per attack.

And that too.

I’m also all for the giant two-handed chainsaw kit idea. Maybe have it apply a lot of bleeding?

Grimwolf.7163:

I’m also all for the giant two-handed chainsaw kit idea. Maybe have it apply a lot of bleeding?

I would honestly prefer if instead of suggesting new ideas, we would mull over those already presented to us and seek to help improve them.

There are already suggestions I wanted to make so I just have to say I like the idea of chainsaw kit and long range rifle, it would convince me to make a legendary because right now I use pistol and shield and do not like their legendaries, they just not feel like engi weapons but the rifle does. Now it must feel ridiculous attacking shotgun style with a long barreled silencer legendary Oh and also different skins for the kits and turrets please

Whell i actually dont know to agree or disagree with the Automatic Granade tossing…

It could actually be worse then it is. If the game dones not care to calculate it correctly, they will propably barely hit. Unlike a decent player who can get a good grip on using them and can see where he should throw then to hit a moving target from most ranges.

Unless they are designed to always hit, and somethimes miss…..that would be actually boring for my taste, trough i barely use any weapon besides rifle.
(trough i agree, using them on there max range is impossibile to hit almost.)

first,practical wishes
1) i want my turrets to at least shoot stuff they can hit and i can see, if they would prioritize what i am currently shooting that would be awesome
2) i want flamethrower to be….. what it should be
Then are dreams:
1) i want rifle turret to be minigun turret, give it 10 times the rate of fire and 10% of the damage i dun care, i just want many numbers :P (of course if the turrets get affected by our traits then this wish can be thrown out cuz stacking bleeds would be op)
2) can we get a rocket turret that fires homing missles? and if the look can be changed from 3 cardboard tissue rolls tied together on a stick that would be nice too
3) can the healing turret pulse heals instead of just regeneration too please, the heals can be lowered and maybe once every 5 seconds or something
4) and um… deployable turrets… if the area allows could you allow us to plant em on walls or ceilings? :P i mean its fine if their hit box is expanded all the way to the floor but yeah… i just wanna see it :P
5) could pistol skill 4/5 become dual pistol skills? i mean they do something that uses both pistols, like maybe skill 4 becomes double trouble ( mainhand fires poison fumes and off hand fires flame) and skill 5 instead of glue make it tar shot where it fires a glob of tar that does the same thing but 1 second later main hand shoots the thing and it explodes into a field of fire or something :P
6) could equipping the flamethrower come along with a visual effect of a gas mask or something ? you know just for visual pleasure :P
7) i would also love a machinegun or sniper kit ( or both :P) both would be for rifles of course, machine gun auto attack would have like 4 times the fire rate but the spread of pistol #2 skill while sniper kit auto give 500 more range and halfs the auto attack speed for more dmg, as for the other skills…. i’m sure others can offer better suggestions
8) oh and thumper turret, could we get a chance it would summon a wurm per thump? like you know, from dune :P

so yeah the first 2 i would like to see since they are…. bugs? glitches? i dunno simply said they are problems with the skills not doing what they are supposed to do as for the 8 dreams… yeah they are just dreams :P

Hmm nice things Kitai. could not agreith 7 more.
But the kit is not a solution, since takes the point of having adamn awesome looking weapon(we alredy can use to few, lets not make it even less). Like The predator for example.
Unless using the kit, would not efect the look of the equipped weapon.
Or since you cant switch weapon as Engineer, you get the option to switch when using a rifle, and instead of equipping another weapon, the character would only mod it with some gear, to be set for ranged use, instead of shotgun. And give a new set of skills for rifle.

I also like the idea of a “machine gun” like weapon, with the same mechanic of swapping weapons. I dont see a anything stand in its way, there are alredy “rail” and lightning guns, magic, dragons and floating cube cityes….why could not be there repeater guns?
Trough i also add, i would like to see that as a kit instead of a mod to the equipped weapon. It would be more fitting to have a robust big gun as a repeater, instead of some narrow sniper like gun.

The idea of 4 is also decent, the turrets get buoys underwater why could they not get grabbing hooks and be used on walls?….Whell might be unbalanced since melee cant reach them, but i also add,,,barely anyone cares to destroy them, sont think that would throw up balance, or be a big deal.

If we are at it(at dreams), i also would love a skin for rifle turret, that resambles something like Tarantula turret in Warhammer

Infinite range when throwing grenades down hill.

Ability to scale obstacles, get to higher terrain.

The option to target and throw grenades. Basically, you target an the nades go to the targeted location, not targeted they have the current reticle.

Reworked rifle. Allow rifle build to be a solid style of play. Possibly longer range,

Lower CD on turret placement. PvP is too mobile and too fast to set a turret.

Ability to do more damage to walls, allow siege creation or something.

More color slot options for the goggles. I would like to tint my goggles a different color than the surrounding metal. Goggles should have at least 6 slots of color.

paracute for class…the key that no engineer uses to swap weapons, that should be a parachute hotkey…and no stupid 2 min CD’s. Long CD’s are not “fun” to use because you never use them, saving them for the “right” moment.

I’d like to see the rifle get a better skillset and the engi get a viable melee kit or be able to use the hammer. I think I’d rather see the hammer, since other support/caster classes get melee weapons.

I just added the 4th update to the thread.

Xyvius

I would honestly prefer if instead of suggesting new ideas, we would mull over those already presented to us and seek to help improve them.

This is a wise suggestion indeed. We’ve got many ideas on the front page now, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to extrapolate on them. Anyone who responds now, feel free to do so!

I really like the idea of weapon mods to take the place of our lack of a secondary weapon.

Basically in your secondary slot you can equip a mod pack that when swapped to will put attachments onto your weapon(s). With the attachments will come a new set of modded skills, not anything to crazy different but skills that would just tune the weapon to better fit different playstyles. So instead of having to use pots for DPS because the rifle is more utility, the rifle could be modded to be more damage oriented and gadgets could be used to attain the utility.

Pipe dream I know but I think it could really make up for where the profession is lacking, it would give more variety and options for our weapon sets both in skills and in visuals. Also it would add more appeal for ppl who have a hard time with the constant kit swapping playstyle.

CriSPeH, that has to be one of the best ideas I’ve seen in this thread! Adding it to the list post-haste!

EDIT: Err.. as soon as it lets me edit the first page again…

I would like to see mortar act more like a turret with you as its target instead of this thing that has to be controlled. Currently, every weapon/kit we use effectively is used in melee. This would support that.

Seetoo.9316:

I would like to see mortar act more like a turret with you as its target instead of this thing that has to be controlled. Currently, every weapon/kit we use effectively is used in melee. This would support that.

Are you saying that you want Mortar to fire on your location? That’s a very interesting way to look at it, lol.

LoreChief.8391:

Seetoo.9316:

I would like to see mortar act more like a turret with you as its target instead of this thing that has to be controlled. Currently, every weapon/kit we use effectively is used in melee. This would support that.

Are you saying that you want Mortar to fire on your location? That’s a very interesting way to look at it, lol.

Why wouldn’t you? One of the skills is a large AoE heal and water field, but it disallows you to target closer then 300 to yourself. It is called launch elixir.

As well you have Launch concussion barrage that has AoE knock backs. It is great if you got someone getting close to you, but you cannot target your area with it to defend yourself.

“I just added the 4th update to the thread.

Xyvius
I would honestly prefer if instead of suggesting new ideas, we would mull over those already presented to us and seek to help improve them.

This is a wise suggestion indeed. We’ve got many ideas on the front page now, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to extrapolate on them. Anyone who responds now, feel free to do so!"

I understand your resons for it, but thats actually quite not right. Noone here should have the right, to sort out, what needs to be presented and what not.

for example : i have an idea to give some option to Egnineers to play rifle as a ranged weapon (with some kit or weapons swap ect…) but it wont be in the list, i would feel terrible, and it would be the fault of someone’s personal opinion?

The problem is, not only would it not be selected, but propably would shut out the idea for ever !!! Becaue the devs would say, “ah we wont implement that because ppl didnt like it that moch, it didnt made it inside” ….

Leave the selection and categorization to devs, i am sure they are working on forum insanely, just dont show anything…..some of the ideas here might also be on there way.

Lets face it, our primary weapons suck. Pistol is a poorly scaling, mash-on-cooldown mess, and rifle is an awkwardly designed instrument with a few good utilities, but not a huge amount in the way of damage. It’s a little unfortunate that just because we have kits, we’re essentially forced into using them for our actual damage.

I had an idea I’d been mulling over for correcting the weak design on the main-handpistol, which would keep strong to the engineer theme while providing it with the amount of strategy and oomph that other classes enjoy from their weapons, as well as reclaiming a little bit of that cool gunslinger pastiche that thieves have been hogging. I’m going to start with skill #3 because the other two would make little sense without it.

Pistol 3
Load Pistol
0s cast

Pistol 3 causes you to create a new bundle item, much like a weapon kit, where the weapon skills are replaced by these five:

1. Load Explosive Shell
.25s cast time
Load an explosive shell that explodes on impact, causing bleeding to nearby foes. If three or more explosive shells are fired at once, cause burning as well.
Bleeding(3s)
Burning(2s) when Fan is used with 3 or more explosive shells in the chamber.
Radius: 120

2. Load Poison Dart
.25s cast time
Load a dart that poisons foes. If three or more darts are fired at once, cause weakness as well.
Poison(3s)
Weakness(4s) when Fan is activated with 3 or more darts in the chamber.

3. Load Static Shell
.25s cast time
Load a lightning shot which confuses targets. If three or more static shells are fired at once, the shot ricochets to nearby targets and blinds them.
Confusion(2.5s)
Blind(4s) and ricochet when Fan is activated with 3 or more static shells in the chamber.

4. Unload chamber
0s cast time
Unloads all shells currently in the chamber.

5. Close chamber
0s cast time
Closes the ammunition chamber and readies pistol for use.

5 shells could be loaded at any given time, permitting a mix of ammunition types as would befit the situation at hand. One secondary effect could be added to the Fan skill per load of shot by having a majority of one type of shell. Loaded ammo could be represented as a special boon/condition above the skill bar. For example, an engineer expecting to be surprised might have something like this in his status effects bar (represented by icons, of course) in order to weaken the brunt of an ambush:

[Static Shell][Static Shell][Static Shell][Explosive Shell][Explosive shell]

With that in mind, lets move on to the first and second skills.

(continued next post)

(Cont’d from last post)

Pistol 1
Crack shot
.75s cast
Range: 900
Take aim and fire a round chambered in your pistol, delivering the effect of the current ammo type.

-> club
.5s cast
Range: 130
Club your foe with the butt of your pistol.

This is a chain skill which, if the engineer’s gun is loaded, fires gun, and otherwise performs a melee-range pistol whip. The cast time has been lengthened, but the power scaling of the skill should be significantly increased from what Explosive Shot currently sits at. This allows an engineer who would prefer to fire slowly, steadily, and accurately to take advantage of power and crit to deal substantial sustained damage to a target. Ammo “boons” are removed in the order that they are loaded, and deliver the effect described.

Pistol 2
Fan
.5s cast
5s cooldown
Range: 600
Quickly fire a barrage of shells at your target, emptying your pistol and providing additional effects based on the ammunition used. 50% chance per shot of delivering a glancing blow

This skill removes all Ammo “boons” and fires every shell that’s been loaded simultaneously (think of Blunderbuss from the rifle). It delivers the additional effect if 3 explosive, poison, or static shells have been loaded into the rifle, to inject some additional utility. As such, this skill simultaneously functions as a burn, a blind, a weakness, and a source of powerful burst, provided the engineer has the foresight to prepare the effect he is going to need.

For example, an engineer who sees a thief vanish near him may quickly empty his chamber and refill it with static shot so that he might be able to drop a blind and a nasty stack of confusion on the thief as soon as he re-emerges for a cloak-and-dagger. An engineer who has been fighting a long battle with a guardian might, halfway through, load up on poison shells to cut through the guardian’s defenses and weaken his regenerative power before switching back to a full chamber of explosive shot to finish the job. A clever opponent might notice the vicious instant barrage of shells flying at them every 6s, and time their dodges to avoid the Fan attack whenever it’s on cooldown. A cleverer engineer might load two explosive shells before his 3-shot payload of choice to bluff out his opponent’s dodges before unleashing the rest.

It may seem like this is an absolute buff to the pistol, so I’ll be straight—I think the pistol needs all the help it can get. As it stands right now, it is just not really a viable choice as a primary weapon, but works primarily as a quick swap-in that a kit-user might utilize for a quick reactive blind or poison volley. While these changes would definitely buff up the offensive power of the pistol, it would diminish it’s role as an on-demand utility by forcing primary kit-users to spend a little bit more time with the gun in order to get its full potential. You could even expand the Coated Bullets trait to allow one more shell in the chamber to allow compound effects when fanning the handgun—A worthy reward for someone willing to invest traits heavily into pistol use.

tl;dr: This idea might increase pistol’s viability as a primary weapon while lessening its role as a stopgap condition dropper for specs who don’t use it, while simultaneously adding a lot to the engineer’s flavor.