Guild Wars 2

I’m working on starting up an engineer. What are the good paths to go down for it? I’m not sure what paths there are to begin with so I guess I’m looking for something that can survive without being a glass cannon.

If you can make it work, then it’s viable. Leveling is all about experimenting with different builds and finding out what playstyle suits you so you can focus later on.

Pretty much anything can work depending on what you’d like to do. However when looking for specifics you should mention what you’d like the build for? WvW? PvE? TPvP?

To cover a few bases HGH builds work well in a lot of situations. Here’s the base of the build.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fcAQBTymKdF1bIhoHPmyTG-j0yAJPB1EoyYlLslugUBjmiBTdGZ9ZSVxAejk6PkmlCwixAA-w

From there you could build a few ways. You can build for Flamethrower, Grenades or Tool Kit. Then pick what main weapon you want. If you like power I’d run with rifle, if you like conditions I’d run with P/P, if you like control run with P/S. Fill in the last utility slot with an elixir of some sort, some people run Elixir S, you could also consider Elixir U or R.

Hope that helps.

- Oresan.

Too bad HGH required 30 points in Alchemy, and arguably 10 points in Firearms making it not exactly viable as a “leveling build”.

Sagramor.7395:

Too bad HGH required 30 points in Alchemy, and arguably 10 points in Firearms making it not exactly viable as a “leveling build”.

Correct however it can be easily worked towards.

I looked at you as troll troll regarding your post in this thread. Also why are you assuming he wanted a leveling build? He asked about good trait lines and specifically asked for a build that has survival and is not glass cannon. I posted a good starting area for many good builds that fit that theme. HGH is a powerful tool and one of the most powerful that the engineer has access to.

If he is just looking for a leveling build I’d say that Bomb Kit is great for that. Better yet would probably be Flamethrower, as it is the most fun weapon we have and can be used extensively while leveling. The juggernaut trait in Firearms gives a nice boost to survival while gaining might stacks. This can be reached early in the game, needing only 20 trait points to get to it. Flamethrower is also a tier 2 utility skill so it can be easily reached early on as well.

With engies, the general rule of thumb is that if you can justify your choices logically and run the build acceptably, it’s a viable build. There aren’t any engie skills considered worthless, and its very easy to put together a build suiting any particular skillset.

In general, I advocate focusing yourself on one area: choose between bunker, support, cc, crit damage, or condi damage. Pick a weapon that is applicable to your role (shield is amazing for bunker, pistols pack a punch with condis, rifle is godly for cc or crits) and in general, you’ll also want at least one kit that fills a similar or synergistic function. Toolkit is the canonical bunker kit, bombs function well with bunker and support if you take Elixir-Infused Bombs in the invention line, elixir gun works well with support, flamethrower works well with bunker or crits, and grenades work ok with crit or amazing with condis.

Once you’ve got that, you’re half done. Pick your utilities to complement your function: gadgets give cc and mobility, elixirs give damage buffs and support, turrets give CC and meh damage, and an all-kit build has crazy versatility but might not use a kit as well as a more specialized user.

Your elite skill, 90% of the time, will be supply drop. It’s too good of a skill to pass up, and is a really wonderful elite. Elixir X is unreliable, and the mortar, while a lovely idea, is extremely bugged (don’t use it).

Got this far? Now you’re in the home stretch! Choose traits to complement the big parts of your build. Focus on damage with grenades? Take explosive traits. Focus on damage with anything else? You’ll want firearms. Use elixirs? That’s what alchemy’s for. If you do WvW, I’ll strongly strongly recommend that you put 10 points into tools and take Speedy Kits, since it allows you to keep 100% swiftness on yourself.
As far as gear goes, see the same guidelines as the traits. Take what most enhances your primary focus.

Here’s what I post in response to “How do I build my 80”. If you want levelling stuff as well, then here’s some tips:

-Bomb kit requires practically nothing traitwise to be fully functional. It hits hard, provides utility, and lets you learn to self-combo effectively.
-Flamethrower is more trait dependant, but not extremely so. It requires both t2 firearms and t2 alchemy to be optimal, but is viable without. It’s also fun.
-Grenades, while the optimal level 80 damage kit, are poor until you can get explosives t3 at level 60.
-Toolkit requires nothing to be good. Bop some stuff with a wrench.
-Elixir gun requires little to be good, but is mainly useful in group play. It’s very much worth having available to you, but I’d only recommend pulling it out in group events.
-Turrets are weird. One alone is useless, but a certain two (rocket and net) together plus the right weapon (rifle) can permalock a single target. In general, you won’t want them, but they’re not worthless.
-Speedy Kits (10 points in Tools) is a must: it provides permanent swiftness uptime.
-Rocket Boots are extraordinarily useful, as your movespeed when using them increases the distance traveled. With swiftness or Super Speed, you go far!
-Elixirs are primarily powerful when they have full trait support. At lower levels, they’re good, but they don’t have that extra oomph that HGH brings.

Thlydd.7104:

I’m working on starting up an engineer. What are the good paths to go down for it? I’m not sure what paths there are to begin with so I guess I’m looking for something that can survive without being a glass cannon.

The most effective early leveling build for Engineers is Static Discharge with the Rifle. It’s generally considered a “glass cannon” setup but it doesn’t have to be built that way. Just slot 10 points in Tools for the trait and do whatever you want with the rest. It’s very good DPS even in defensive insignia gear while leveling and is one of the most entertaining setups for the Engineer. Try it out and see how you like it.