Guild Wars 2

Can someone explain to me how exactly flamethrower 1 works? I’ve been testing it out and I’m finding that (in cele gear) it starts off hitting for around 500 and builds up to around 2k, then at the next autocast it starts off at 2k and goes up to like 7k, and then the third will take you all the way up to 15k! But if I break autocast to something else, say FT#2, and then go back to FT#1 it starts back at around 500. What exactly is going on, there is no mention of this mechanic in the tool tab

The flamethrower auto attack will keep stacking its numbers if you constantly auto attack. So you’re still only doing 500 dmg per hit, it’s just accumulating over X number of hits.
So like, if you do 2k dmg per full cast, then it will go to 4k after the second full cast. The drastic change from 2k —> 7k —> 15k is most likely because of lucky crits from something like a fury proc and bleed (if you’re in firearms) I’m going to guess.

It’s simply keeping a tally of the total damage done since you first started the first cast – it doesn’t reset the tally between channels. If you check the combat log you’ll see the actual amount of damage per hit doesn’t change.

Note that the mesmer greatsword auto attacks are the same – I guess it is the byproduct of having a channel skill as the ‘1’ auto-attack.

Also, Flamethrower is largely a pure Damage weapon (not really Condi). It benefits from Power, Precision and Ferocity.

The autoattack isnt really worth the casttime and its usually picked for the other 4 skills, plus the toolbelt skill hits very hard in a condi setup. Better simply ignore the AA. It has some little uses against opponents behind structures, but in the big picture its crap.

Mister Fluffkin.7358:

The autoattack isnt really worth the casttime and its usually picked for the other 4 skills, plus the toolbelt skill hits very hard in a condi setup. Better simply ignore the AA. It has some little uses against opponents behind structures, but in the big picture its crap.

I would like to add that its also good when the enemy is using reflects and incendiary ammo is applied real fast with it (beter burst damage) and more reliable (can’t be reflected).

Flamethrower 1 is the best for “on hit” “on crit” procs, because it does 10 instances of an attack in 2 seconds, and each of them can crit separately, similar as grenades.
So things like bunker down, traights from firearms, runes with 1 sec internal cds proc like no tomorrow

Kostyan.6059:

Flamethrower 1 is the best for “on hit” “on crit” procs, because it does 10 instances of an attack in 2 seconds, and each of them can crit separately, similar as grenades.
So things like bunker down, traights from firearms, runes with 1 sec internal cds proc like no tomorrow

I think it’s now five hits (they nerfed it if im not mistaking).

I am almost certain tooltip has 10x in description, but i guess better double check hands on when i come back home

Who cares if it stinks?! It is a flamethrower! I giggle everytime i do it.

Wryscher.1432:

Who cares if it stinks?! It is a flamethrower! I giggle everytime i do it.

That is true, so do I. However something feels off about the way it autoattacks. I make a small frown everytime it stops in between attacks, wish it could just be one long continuous stream

Anyone else feel that way?

Twigifire.8379:

The flamethrower auto attack will keep stacking its numbers if you constantly auto attack.

I consider that a bug. It used to not do that.

Kostyan.6059:

Flamethrower 1 is the best for “on hit” “on crit” procs, because it does 10 instances of an attack in 2 seconds, and each of them can crit separately, similar as grenades.
So things like bunker down, traights from firearms, runes with 1 sec internal cds proc like no tomorrow

Good point, I’ve been trying to perfect a bunker FT build. What sigils you recommend?

FT is the best when you need to kill many, many mobs. FTing chak waves is amazing.

Chaba.5410:

Twigifire.8379:

The flamethrower auto attack will keep stacking its numbers if you constantly auto attack.

I consider that a bug. It used to not do that.

Not a bug. Anet purposely changed all channel attacks to work this way in a previous patch. Though I think the damage count should reset between flame jets.

Dunecoon.5134:

Kostyan.6059:

Flamethrower 1 is the best for “on hit” “on crit” procs, because it does 10 instances of an attack in 2 seconds, and each of them can crit separately, similar as grenades.
So things like bunker down, traights from firearms, runes with 1 sec internal cds proc like no tomorrow

Good point, I’ve been trying to perfect a bunker FT build. What sigils you recommend?

Bingo …

I find that Sigil of Strength/Bleed + Runes of Strength are a good way to ensure my damage is boosted sufficiently. I get my ‘bunkering’ from taking on Healing power stats. Because you hit so often per second, you can actually cheap out on precision a bit to get more defensive stats to bunker up. I’ve got just a smattering of Clerics and there is no measured drop in damage. Actually, you can get too much precision with this build if you aren’t careful. Depending on the number of enemies, reaching 25 might WITHOUT HGH is very possible.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQFAUlcThqrY5VwWLw6FL3FF4CGhBQ4EGQZmYB9DhIA-TxRFgAEPAgAlg1K/OV/B4CAQu/AmOARB8VA-e

You could bunker more or less if you want, but I don’t think it’s necessary for PVE at least.

Shaogin.2679:

Though I think the damage count should reset between flame jets.

Yea, that’s the bug part.

It’s not a bug necessarily. It’s a result of a separate change that allowed the floating graphic to persist, which allows the auto to continue. You’re attacking faster than the conditions needed to wipe the counter are met. Other skills make use of that extra time to work properly, so I don’t know if I’d expect a change anytime soon.