This is an extremely old build. A lot of people use it. I’m not claiming it. It’s also not very complicated. I just thought I’d lay it out and explain it (my version at least) so that newer Engineers can understand it and try it. I believe it’s only so-so in sPVP, but it’s strong DPS in PvE and it really shines in WvW.
I came across it from this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJkTMqJOWvU
You won’t get the kinds of numbers in that video unless you find some extremely undergeared low levels in WvW, which doesn’t happen much anymore, to me at least. You should, however, be very pleased with the numbers you see.
I use a variation from the video’s build. Mine is 30/5/0/5/30. It’s very glass cannon and for defense it relies on surprise and distance and active abilities, i.e., not vitality / toughness.
http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=VV70;2sPVg0Q63UFx0;9;4T4-4T26A;7157NF
I’ve been running full Berserkers, 6x Ruby Orb, and Bowl of Curry Butternut Squash Soup for ultimate glass cannon. Divinity Runes if you want to be slightly less recklessly glass cannon.
Your opening burst will be a Grenade Barrage (F2) plus a Surprise Shot (F3), both of which come with a Static Discharge. Surprise Shot is off the Global Cooldown, i.e., it fires without an animation and it doesn’t delay any other skill. On your second GCD you would either cripple them with your Throw Wrench (which should hit them twice and add another Static Discharge) or spam grenade abilities 2 and 1. Keep in mind that Surprise Shot will be up in 8 seconds, so be sure to abuse it. If you want to hold them in place from the start, feel free to open with Rifle’s Net Shot (2), followed by chilling grenades (4). Then proceed with the above burst. (If you really want to be a perfectionist, then make sure to grant yourself Fury from Med Kit 5 before the fight starts.)
At the end of a fight with a solo target, I will switch to my Rifle for control reasons. That’s why I have a Sigil of Ice on it, to slow them. I also sometimes will eat Roasted Artichoke or Ghost Pepper Popper for the chill effect (at night only).
If you’re in a bad position, you’re going to want to switch to Tool Kit. Number 2 Box of Nails will cripple anyone who has gotten close and number 4 Gear Shield will give you an astounding 3 seconds of blocking everything. After that, you better find a way not to get hit — run an adequate distance from a PvE boss, or get inside a zerg or tower if you’re WvW. You really can’t take hits in this build if you didn’t take any Toughness or Vitality. But remember to turn off the auto camera correct option so if you are being chased, you can pan the camera to grenade behind you. And of course, the moment the fight doesn’t go as you planned, drop the amazing Supply Crate on their heads to tip the fight back in your favor, especially if you’ve had a chance to coat the area in Poison Grenades (5) for the area Weakness from SC’s Blast Finisher.
As an unintended bonus, this build is actually really good at grabbing people who run. Speedy Kits Trait, Supply Crate, Freeze Grenade, Net Shot, Tool Kit’s Magnet, and even Rifle’s Overcharged Shot (once you get on the other side of them) will all be great for this.
A lot of people seem to build 30/10/?/?/? for the 50% vulnerability on crits from Precise Sights. Considering that every single grenade already gives Vulnerability from Steel-Packed Powder, it’s pretty redundant. I recommend sticking these 5 points in Alchemy for the free Elixir B.
In my experience, the only other Engineer build that is on par with this for DPS is the Might-stacking Grenade / Elixir build. I personally found that to require more micro management than I was willing to do.
This is not a great dueling build. You’re just too squishy and grenades are too unreliable when you are being focused. If you want dueling, I recommend a Rifle build with some defense. This build is for farming loot bags. This is walking artillery. You should be able to rack up kill after kill, because most of the time you’ll be lobbing those grenades at 1500 distance and letting your melee friends mop up.