Guild Wars 2

Hi fellow engis.

I am a little miffed about the explosives line and its synergy with condi builds. Only 1 trait really synergizes well with it, Shrapnel. The grenadier trait can be nice I guess if you are running nades, but for bombs you end up investing pointlessly in this line other than the bomb recharge and shrapnel. Every other trait only benefits power based builds.
So I guess bombs are being pushed into a power/hybrid direction.

Thoughts?
I am trying to figure out a kitten condi bomb build but struggling to optimize it.

Grenades is still one of the best condi weapons.
Vulnerability is great for condi builds.
Explosives line helps to stack vulnerability and the grenade kit.
I see no problem.

In PVP, bombs have always been crap because you cannot hit anything with em.
Maybe this will change with the faster explosion timer but who knows.

Brtwrst.9312:

Grenades is still one of the best condi weapons.
Vulnerability is great for condi builds.
Explosives line helps to stack vulnerability and the grenade kit.
I see no problem.

In PVP, bombs have always been crap because you cannot hit anything with em.
Maybe this will change with the faster explosion timer but who knows.

The vuln stacks won’t be that great with bomb kit, Steel-Packed Powder is definitely balanced around nades because of 3 per attack.
I see your meaning though.

What i was trying to say is:
grenades>bombs for condi builds, precisely because of shrapnel and vuln stacking,
always has been, always will be (with the proposed changes at least)

keep in mind that vulnerability also will increase the dmg you do with condis in the future.
The explosives line is awesome for power-builds, true, but it bares great yield-enhancements for condi-dps builds as well. And all the blast-finishers in that line are already enough to make it worth (but luckily not required) for all kinds of builds.

From a condi-build POV:
explosive powder keg gives you more triggers for shrapnel & steel packed powder.
steel packed powder gives you vulnerability on hit, and therefore condi-dps increase
explosive powder gives you cc’s, that condi-builds still need
grenadier gives you more reliable nade-hits
aim-assisted rocket gives you more shrapnel & steelpacked powder procs (and possibly a knockdown every 10sec, if it copies the rocket-turrets overcharge / reasonable replacement for grenadier if you decide against running nades, even without the cc)
Short fuse gives you reduced cd#s on your bombkit condis, and more reliable hits
siege rounds gives you longer lasting fields with mortar, and more blasts.
thermobaric reaction gives you blasts on dodge
and shrapnel gives you bleed and cripple, but still not completely outshines the other grandmasters since it will not trigger often without nades, and its competitors are quite powerful.

So yea, the explosives line gives you juicy support for bleed-stacking and aim-assist when it comes to condi-bomb and nade builds, along with high vulnerability-stacking, that further increases you condi-dps now, and a decent load of blasts.

Arantheal.7396:

keep in mind that vulnerability also will increase the dmg you do with condis in the future.
The explosives line is awesome for power-builds, true, but it bares great yield-enhancements for condi-dps builds as well. And all the blast-finishers in that line are already enough to make it worth (but luckily not required) for all kinds of builds.

From a condi-build POV:
explosive powder keg gives you more triggers for shrapnel & steel packed powder.
steel packed powder gives you vulnerability on hit, and therefore condi-dps increase
explosive powder gives you cc’s, that condi-builds still need
grenadier gives you more reliable nade-hits
aim-assisted rocket gives you more shrapnel & steelpacked powder procs (and possibly a knockdown every 10sec, if it copies the rocket-turrets overcharge / reasonable replacement for grenadier if you decide against running nades, even without the cc)
Short fuse gives you reduced cd#s on your bombkit condis, and more reliable hits
siege rounds gives you longer lasting fields with mortar, and more blasts.
thermobaric reaction gives you blasts on dodge
and shrapnel gives you bleed and cripple, but still not completely outshines the other grandmasters since it will not trigger often without nades, and its competitors are quite powerful.

So yea, the explosives line gives you juicy support for bleed-stacking and aim-assist when it comes to condi-bomb and nade builds, along with high vulnerability-stacking, that further increases you condi-dps now, and a decent load of blasts.

Thanks. That set my mind a little at ease.
However there has always been a divide between condi bomb and nades, nades being better condi application and damage and bombs being more utility, but the changes make that divide even bigger.

Guess its just a preference thing, ill miss 12 stacks of confusion every 18seconds on bomb/TK and pistol.

There are 2 other points I’d want to throw in here:

1. Pistol AA will be an “explosion” after the next patch, and therefore will profit from steel-packed powder and shrapnel.
2. Currently many bomb-fields trigger at least steel packed powder (no idea about shrapnel) once per tick, not only once per explosion. If mortar behaves similar, nades are not required anymore for decent vulnerability-stacking, and the current gap between nades & bombs in terms of vuln is smaller than you might think.

Still, I’d love to see someone testing and confirming the current behavior of shrapnel with bomb #2, #4 & #5.
Does it trigger per tick? Have you ever seen more than 1 stack of bleed per skill from these bombs?

If yes, that opens up some decent condi-builds with just bombs/mortar in the upcoming changes, since both bombs and mortar have their fields defined as “explosions”.

Hmmm didn’t even think that ticks on bomb fields would count for vuln stacking or shrapnel. Will have to test it after patch then!

I run a Dire/Rabid WvWvW Roamer here, and I’ve set up a specialization set that I think will work pretty well.

http://dulfy.net/gw2traits#build=AgEBeAKcBZQ~

I’m thinking of replacing tools IV with tools VI for the extra blast/vuln, but it’s hard to say “No” to Speedy Kits.

I feel like Tools might become the must-have specialization for Engineers. It is such a powerful traitline…

Edit: I am also thinking of switching to Runes of the Krait to further buff my bleeds.

MattyP.6954:

I run a Dire/Rabid WvWvW Roamer here, and I’ve set up a specialization set that I think will work pretty well.

http://dulfy.net/gw2traits#build=AgEBeAKcBZQ~

I’m thinking of replacing tools IV with tools VI for the extra blast/vuln, but it’s hard to say “No” to Speedy Kits.

I feel like Tools might become the must-have specialization for Engineers. It is such a powerful traitline…

Edit: I am also thinking of switching to Runes of the Krait to further buff my bleeds.

Your build seems a bit powery…

No chemical rounds?
I feel tools is better for power and toolbelt focussed builds like SD.

Oh and runes of the antitoxin is REAL strong in WvW for condi builds. In PvP I still think balthi is best.