You really don’t want a build with both flamethrowers and grenades. Each is wonderful in its own right, but they are fairly subpar put together due to prohibitive stat combos. FT requires 20 points in firearms and another 20 in alchemy to be optimal, while grenades require 30 in explosives to be good.
That said, you have a number of options:
-PVT gear, also known a Soldier’s or Invader’s, is a good defensive option. If you are looking to survive melee combat, this is the best option. It synergizes most with the Flamethrower, and the defensive stats are somewhat wasted since the range of grenades keeps you safe.
-Rabid gear is your optimal condition-based damage gear. Also, for engineers, there is no excuse to ever pick Carrion instead of Rabid, for a number of reasons. If you’re interested in the reasons, I can explain further. Rabid synergizes acceptably with the Flamethrower if you focus on a crit and proc based build, but it synergizes amazingly with grenades due to the Shrapnel trait.
-Berserker gear is your optimal direct damage gear. It is the absolute highest damage output available. Unlike any gear aside from Rampager’s, it has only offensive stats. Furthermore, unlike Rampager’s, its offensive stats are all completely synergistical with each other. Berserker gear is decent with grenades, but shines with the Flamethrower. Keep in mind, however, that if you use it with the flamethrower, you’re putting yourself in significant risk of death.
-Celestial gear, only available through crafting, provides every stat, and is actually quite valuable to engineers. I personally do not like or use it for a number of reasons, but I will not deny that it works well for some people. It would work equally well with your two weapon kits.
Overall, I would steer you towards PVT, unless you are extremely confident in your ability to dodge incoming damage. The defensive stats give you something to fall back on, and the damage isn’t too poor either (though it certainly is less). The current meta in sPvP relies heavily on conditions, but because there are limits on the number of conditions you can apply to a target, large-scale fights (such as open world and WvW) strongly discourage condition damage builds. As such, I would not recommend Rabid gear. If you just hit 80, chances are you won’t have the capacity to create Celestial gear, so that’s also out. Finally, as I said, Berserker gear is extremely risky, so I wouldn’t advocate it for a fresh 80.
TL;DR: Go Invader’s.
Talia Gallowglass [Few] ~ Sylvari Engineer Main
Ferguson’s Crossing
)? Or should I use a mix of both? Or is there a armor set that is better to me that the two I said above?