Guild Wars 2

I’m running the meta pve power grenadier build, with 6/6/0/0/2 that’s found on Metabattle:

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Engineer_-_Power_Grenadier

But I’m having a really hard time staying alive in boss fights. It might be me not being able to dodge and go through the full kit rotation at the same time, but I feel like Healing Turret isn’t doing enough to keep me alive.

Any thoughts on what I should do? I’m used to playing classes that can take a lot of damage like guardian, warrior, and necro.

As the meta suggests, move 2 points from Tools to Alchemy and take Infused Precision and Invigorating Speed for vigor. If you still feel you need more time to get situated and familiar with encounters as an Engie, drop Flamethrower for Tool Kit so you have a block available on a 20 second cooldown.

Another thing is that when you use Healing Turret, you can double blast and dps by dropping it, activating it immediately, detonating it, and following it up with Acid Bomb on EG or Flame Blast on FT. If you, or your party, require further heals, EG 5 after Acid Bombing in the Water Field.

Also, take advantage of Healing Turret’s toolbelt for a quick water field to blast or leap in while DPSing. When bursting on Rifle, pop it and Rifle 5 into it or blast with EG4 or FT2.

If you are doing your best to keep alive and DPS, yet still die, then take a look at the overall party composition or members. If you’re PUGing, my sympathies.

Take the time to master Healing Turret use (as proposed above) and practice your rotation such that you’re not thinking about it, just doing it. if you fumble and miss a big hitter, just move on and keep going, as you get better you’ll be more comfortable on the recovery to get more damage out but while learning breaking the rotation can really screw you up. For example screw up the acid bomb jump you have a few seconds of cooldown, just move on and catch it on the next go around. Once you’re comfortable though you can usually slip it in behind the next Flame Blast (every 3rd flame blast is about the time for Acid bomb, every other for Blunderbuss and every 4 for Jump shot is a good thing to consider, though not 100% accurate)

that meta build is terrible

simple fix to get tons of survive remove 2 points from tools and arms and put in inventions this will give you Power shoes so y ou wont need kits for swiftness and the Major minor trait wich basically resets your turret cd if you drop to 25% hp as for adept if you want more sustain get stabilized armor if you want extra 70-80 power get energized armor

replace fireforged trigger for sitting duck and FT for googles or elixir S or elixir U

could replace elixir gun for whatever stun break skill or cleanse like elixir C

a dps alternative could be static discharge

Berserk gear, runes of the citadel, sigil of air and fire .
0/6/4/0/4
hair trigger,rifle mod, modified ammunition
energized armor,power shoes
static discharge, scope
you should have about 50-60% crit chance
thanks to traits while at 600+ range you get 10% more
when enemy drops to 50% hp and under you get 10% more so thats an easy 80% crit chance wich becomes 90-100% when you get fury
i prefer this over grenades and ft because of the high dps output and high mobility wich adds to my survivability
if you want more base damage and are confident in your skills replace a sigil for Bloodlust for more absurd damage

i recommend Battering ram and tool kit with optional utility
battering ram has massive damage output and dazes tool kit has massive damage as well and hits twice if you time it right as well as cripples.

could replace runes with scholar

This build is a glass cannon with a Flame Thrower. The problem with the Flame Thrower is that it fairly immobile – which is the opposite of what you want if you are running Zerker/Assassin with no traits selected in Inventions/Alchemy.

This build might be viable if you are working in close concert with the other members of the dungeon party, and they know how you are traited and how to leverage what you are bringing to the party.

As is, it’s a very narrowly defined build. Once the enemy gets within melee, you’re toast.

well that make it worse if its a flamethrower build as it is focused on grenades
a raw FT dps build would have fireforged trigger juggernaut modified ammo and deadly mixture.

Soon.5240:

This build is a glass cannon with a Flame Thrower. The problem with the Flame Thrower is that it fairly immobile – which is the opposite of what you want if you are running Zerker/Assassin with no traits selected in Inventions/Alchemy.

This build might be viable if you are working in close concert with the other members of the dungeon party, and they know how you are traited and how to leverage what you are bringing to the party.

As is, it’s a very narrowly defined build. Once the enemy gets within melee, you’re toast.

something is wrong with this post :/ cant quite put my finger on it

insanemaniac.2456:

Soon.5240:

This build is a glass cannon with a Flame Thrower. The problem with the Flame Thrower is that it fairly immobile – which is the opposite of what you want if you are running Zerker/Assassin with no traits selected in Inventions/Alchemy.

This build might be viable if you are working in close concert with the other members of the dungeon party, and they know how you are traited and how to leverage what you are bringing to the party.

As is, it’s a very narrowly defined build. Once the enemy gets within melee, you’re toast.

something is wrong with this post :/ cant quite put my finger on it

LOL. No really, I spent a solid minute laughing

If you’re looking to have a competitive DPS build as an Engineer, your first step should be to run Tool Kit instead of Flamethrower/bombkit and move 2 points from Firearms in Alchemy for the Vigor on swiftness.

This gives you more dodges passively, as well as an active block. You’ll simplify your DPS rotation while increasing your survivability dramatically.

Another thing to keep in mind is that using tool belt skills recharges endurance, like a second vigor almost. In more difficult fights, try and use your dodges before some of your tool belt skills to maximize your survivability and comfort.

When you’re more practiced, and more comfortable, you can replace tool kit with Flamethrower/Bomb kit. This gives you a feeling for what the 66002 feels like but with more dodges. Your DPS is much lower than I can be without 66002, and it’s very possible to survive everywhere with that build, but you’ll definitely need to practice as Engineer is very squishy when played purely DPS.

If you have any more questions, PM me in-game, my name is Kluzu. Engineer is my main in all game modes and I teach it often, I’ll gladly walk you through anything you want.

Rhomulos.2089:

If you’re looking to have a competitive DPS build as an Engineer, your first step should be to run Tool Kit instead of Flamethrower/bombkit and move 2 points from Firearms in Alchemy for the Vigor on swiftness.

This gives you more dodges passively, as well as an active block. You’ll simplify your DPS rotation while increasing your survivability dramatically.

Another thing to keep in mind is that using tool belt skills recharges endurance, like a second vigor almost. In more difficult fights, try and use your dodges before some of your tool belt skills to maximize your survivability and comfort.

When you’re more practiced, and more comfortable, you can replace tool kit with Flamethrower/Bomb kit. This gives you a feeling for what the 66002 feels like but with more dodges. Your DPS is much lower than I can be without 66002, and it’s very possible to survive everywhere with that build, but you’ll definitely need to practice as Engineer is very squishy when played purely DPS.

If you have any more questions, PM me in-game. Engineer is my main in all game modes and I teach it often, I’ll gladly walk you through anything you want.

YES, great advice. This is literally my “ugh, I’m failing, I need more tools!” build. I often use it in SW when I find my reflexes lacking and wasting dodges or needing more, as well as blocks. I’d even say add in Pistol/Shield vs Rifle for that block. For instance Meleeing the Troll in Amber can be a bit troublesome, well, not with the abundance of endurance and the 2 blocks. Simpler rotation as to not get caught up in it helps a lot.

As for the previous posts, please don’t. Learn to play the dungeon type build correctly if that’s where you’re aiming. Leaning back on sub par builds won’t get you there, it’ll just lead to complacency instead of forcing you to drive for that perfection. As Rhomulus points out there are options that are less of a loss and a gain in active defense, and more active defense simply trains you to use that type of defense, which will help you when you shed it to obtain a higher level of efficiency (in this case 66002 rifle/ft/eg/nade rotation).

I will say I stand by my “practice makes perfect” comment, as it really takes a while to get your rotation down to where you have it all solid. If you even take a week or two off you’ll find yourself hiccuping at parts and screwing things up, but with well trained muscle memory it’ll come back quickly, took me like 2-3 rotations of VW to get it back after taking a few weeks off recently, now I’m back to tearing it up.

Lastly I’d mention Energy Sigil, no one can utilize “on swap” sigils as well as Engi. We get it basically every time off cooldown, or if you’re in a more uncomfortable situation where you’re spamming nades out of panic, you can simply swap quickly and jump back into nades for that quick burst of endurance. Helps me tons on Lupi for instance, but also nice all around. Though agian, not optimal and one should try to excell at things not take the easy rodes

Rezzet.3614:

that meta build is terrible

This is by far the best engi build for dungeons, used by guilds such as DnT and Snow Crows. Maybe l2p.

witcher.3197:

Rezzet.3614:

that meta build is terrible

This is by far the best engi build for dungeons, used by guilds such as DnT and Snow Crows. Maybe l2p.

i dunno if id say that… it may be optimal dps+support if you muscle memorize that 30 step rotation, but i get probably about the same performance from bombs/mine/nades and i dont have to memorize another several different timings that i cant watch cooling down cuz theyre in kits i dont want to be in unless im using those skills and only those skills (eg 4, ft 2/4/5).

at least i always know when its time to use mine field, and i can spam bomb 1s while i wait for the fire field without losing much potential.

witcher.3197:

Rezzet.3614:

that meta build is terrible

This is by far the best engi build for dungeons, used by guilds such as DnT and Snow Crows. Maybe l2p.

And you just mindlessly copy paste it just because some guy in youtube told you right?. That build isnt bad but also its far from most effective/most usefull it have clunky and unnecessary complicated rotation. Actualy one and only place where FT is actualy usefull is removing block stack from that boss in hotw p1. Anywhere else its waste of slot.

witcher.3197:

Rezzet.3614:

that meta build is terrible

This is by far the best engi build for dungeons, used by guilds such as DnT and Snow Crows. Maybe l2p.

fanboy much?
if anyone needs to L2p is the OP as he’s trying a coordinated group build for random dungeon grouping (not trying to be hurtful to the OP)
the build has way too many unnecesary steps to be effective we are discussing simplier yet just as effective builds (if not more as i still think its trash)

however im willing to give the build a chance find me a video showing this build’s effectiveness

@Insane, That setup is surely an easier one, it’s just a bit less effective. If someone’s struggling with Acid Bomb cancels or the full rotation in general, I’d certainly suggest something like that, but if you can handle the rotation or are up to the challenge of learning you will be more effective with at least EG. Acid Bomb is just such a substantial chunk of damage (blast,fumigate and super elixir are nice too)

@Rezzet, you’re using FT wrong I think. It’s a Blast + burst damage every ~5s. You almost never use the 1 skill. It has a Reflect with the 3 (and a knockback), A blind on the 5, Firefield on the 4, and a Blast+Damage on the 2. You can stack 6 might with it alone every 30s for 20s (without any boon duration), if you have outside sources of firefield or run it with Bombs that might goes up thanks to that quick blast. You greatly underestimate this kit.

That said any good Engi video I can think of is not using this build, why? because being an Engi is about adapting to the situation. In the videos I’m thinking of they’re taking over for the thief and that Smoke Bomb (as well as other tools within the kit) are very very useful. So they’re using Nade/EG/Bomb. Engi’s in Fractals are amazing if you pick your tools correctly. The only non fractal good Engi play video I can think of are Lupi Solos which are done in a condi build with more defense than is necessary in a typical dungeon 5 man.

If we’re talking pure efficiency here, and assuming minimal mistakes are made, 66002 is optimal because it has enough endurance regen though tool belt skills and Might stacking, Vuln stacking + damage are all parallel in your rotation.

The rotation is long but there isn’t a better rotation for PvE right now, might stacking into Vuln stacking, with Acid Bomb being the biggest DPS you can get from a single skill out of the ones worth running, hitting up to 26k on it’s own in my average groups (banners, medium high vuln stacking on a champ, nearly capped might)

Other builds don’t really compare, sadly. You can have initial burst with other utilities but then your damage is largely inconsistent and low and you’ll end up spamming grenades/bombs far more than anything else, which simply hurts my soul to see, given how active this class is capable of being.

Run 66002.

Eat Omnomberry Pie. Throw a Sigil of Blood on your weapon. This will give you a lot of HP regen.

You lose Sigil of Night or Force but you really don’t have to worry much about your HP with Blood and Pie.

I do all my PVE and PVP with the same build. 66002. I run bombs Elixir Gun and the might potion the majority of the time. I find that staying alive and healing is pretty well handled by popping your toolbelt regens before you’re down to your last energy (and you have 2, though try to save the stun breaker). Using your EG number 5 to remove conditions, and double tapping your Healing Turret. Since you have bomb you can place bomb down then deploy the H.T. for a good heal, or throw in a EG acid bomb to blast finish. These should provide really nice healing that grants area benefit to your stack. Really mastering the blast finish and healing turret use is key to survivability in my build but I really don’t feel the need for more.

There are instructional youtube videos on getting the most out of the HT, check them out. Learning things like picking up your turret reduces cooldown is pretty important.

Hmmmm I honestly don’t like using 66002 just for the lack of survivability alone (at least for me). Just the fact that I max 6 on Explosives should give me enough damage as is. I usually go somewhere along the lines of 62042 with my engineer as it gives me a good balance between damage and survivability through Projection Injection.

Malkavian.4516:

Hmmmm I honestly don’t like using 66002 just for the lack of survivability alone (at least for me). Just the fact that I max 6 on Explosives should give me enough damage as is. I usually go somewhere along the lines of 62042 with my engineer as it gives me a good balance between damage and survivability through Projection Injection.

dungeons dont cc you enough for prot injection to do anything… BPR and vigor on swift can be good for survival though

Hmmmm….. it does have some effect on Fractals for me at least plus a bit of a boost in health doesn’t hurt.

Malkavian.4516:

Hmmmm….. it does have some effect on Fractals for me at least plus a bit of a boost in health doesn’t hurt.

The amount of damage you take in combat following CC is much less threatening than the damage you take throughout all combat when not having backpack regen.

If you have to choose between the two, BPR mitigates more damage overall than a short Protection proc off of CC will, most mobs are too slow to get any meaningful damage off in the short time that pi’s protection is up, except in very very niche situations. BPR gives you far more effective HP.

Rhomulos.2089:

If we’re talking pure efficiency here, and assuming minimal mistakes are made, 66002 is optimal because it has enough endurance regen though tool belt skills and Might stacking, Vuln stacking + damage are all parallel in your rotation.

The rotation is long but there isn’t a better rotation for PvE right now, might stacking into Vuln stacking, with Acid Bomb being the biggest DPS you can get from a single skill out of the ones worth running, hitting up to 26k on it’s own in my average groups (banners, medium high vuln stacking on a champ, nearly capped might)

Other builds don’t really compare, sadly. You can have initial burst with other utilities but then your damage is largely inconsistent and low and you’ll end up spamming grenades/bombs far more than anything else, which simply hurts my soul to see, given how active this class is capable of being.

The rotation looks very long. I wonder what rotation that you use in practice. I don’t think it’s possible to maintain such long rotation when you need to dodge a lot. Mistake is bound to happen

gin.7158:

Rhomulos.2089:

If we’re talking pure efficiency here, and assuming minimal mistakes are made, 66002 is optimal because it has enough endurance regen though tool belt skills and Might stacking, Vuln stacking + damage are all parallel in your rotation.

The rotation is long but there isn’t a better rotation for PvE right now, might stacking into Vuln stacking, with Acid Bomb being the biggest DPS you can get from a single skill out of the ones worth running, hitting up to 26k on it’s own in my average groups (banners, medium high vuln stacking on a champ, nearly capped might)

Other builds don’t really compare, sadly. You can have initial burst with other utilities but then your damage is largely inconsistent and low and you’ll end up spamming grenades/bombs far more than anything else, which simply hurts my soul to see, given how active this class is capable of being.

The rotation looks very long. I wonder what rotation that you use in practice. I don’t think it’s possible to maintain such long rotation when you need to dodge a lot. Mistake is bound to happen

Personally I do the initial Barrage→Napalm→Flame Blast → Acid Bomb →Jump Shot → Blunderbuss → Freeze Grenade → Shrapnel Grenade → Flame Blast Then from there it’s back to nades and just generally hit my big hitters (Acid Bomb, Jump Shot, Flame Blast, Blunderbuss, Barrage) as they are up. I keep a general timing in my head, so yeah perfection is a rarity, but you still get a lot of use out of it. With Fireforged Trigger you’re looking at an Acid Bomb every 2.5 Shrapnel Grenades, and a Flame Blast at less than 1 shrapnel grenade but just easiest to pair them together. Blunderbuss every 2, Jump Shot about every 4(in practice it’s usually up sooner than that due to delays in shrapnels from other “big hitters”)

It does take quite a while to have this feel natural though, you can dumb down the rotation quite a bit by leaving out Flamethrower and if like the OP you’re finding yourself dying then toolkit, elixir R, or Elixir S are possible options to help you there, maybe even Bomb for blind field.

And again, perfection is a rarity, but it’s still great if you can get close.

The main thing to do is find which skills match up so you dont lose track of cd during kit swaps. Napalm in ft is a 24 sec cd, barrage is a 27 and you can always see barrage cd. Shrapnel Grenade is 5, flame blast is 4.25(?). blunderbuss is always used after acid bomb, acid bomb is every 2 flame blasts(or 3, depends how your rotation varies). If you forget what you should be doing, grenade auto until shrapnel comes off cd, then its back to flame blast, acid bomb, blunderbuss and possibly jump shot. Jump shot cd is never a worry since you’ll see it while doing blunderbuss. Freeze grenade also comes off cd(20sec) just before Napalm, so if you’re at a 2nd freeze, napalm will be ready soon and barrage after.

Just a note, the timings are based on Fireforged trigger, which will be going away with the new traits, so things will change.

most of those cd traits stuck around in 1 form or another and engi was half finished

maybe itll become baseline
maybe itll be integrated into juggernaut
maybe itll be integrated into deadly mixture
maybe not

Well, we’ve seen it’s not there and they make mention of an Elixir Gun trait, so I’d feel safe assuming that the combined trait at least is gone, though the cooldown traits may still exist, but EG is in Alchemy which very likely won’t be in the optimal builds though may be used at times.

gin.7158:

Rhomulos.2089:

If we’re talking pure efficiency here, and assuming minimal mistakes are made, 66002 is optimal because it has enough endurance regen though tool belt skills and Might stacking, Vuln stacking + damage are all parallel in your rotation.

The rotation is long but there isn’t a better rotation for PvE right now, might stacking into Vuln stacking, with Acid Bomb being the biggest DPS you can get from a single skill out of the ones worth running, hitting up to 26k on it’s own in my average groups (banners, medium high vuln stacking on a champ, nearly capped might)

Other builds don’t really compare, sadly. You can have initial burst with other utilities but then your damage is largely inconsistent and low and you’ll end up spamming grenades/bombs far more than anything else, which simply hurts my soul to see, given how active this class is capable of being.

The rotation looks very long. I wonder what rotation that you use in practice. I don’t think it’s possible to maintain such long rotation when you need to dodge a lot. Mistake is bound to happen

Mistakes happen, yeah. Combat is also very dynamic, so you have to change it up if you’re expecting to dodge. But with practice you can land the combo 99% of the time, if you know the fight.

When you’re very experienced and your goal is to squeeze out as much damage as you can without getting hit, you’ll start memorizing the highest DPS rotation you can get off for certain fights that won’t kill you. Sometimes eating damage is also worth it, if you know you won’t die, and most fights use the same very long rotation, but with practice you’ll nail it 100% of the time.

Unless flame blast accidentally goes into a wall, or something.