Guild Wars 2

Not problems like “What is fun?” Because that would fall within the purview of your conundrums of enjoyment.
I have practical problems.

TF2 referencing aside, the Engineer has possibly the greatest versatility and complexity of all the classes. However, design and mechanics-wise, the Engineer has some severe issues that need to be addressed. Let me first state for the record that this thread is not for bugs.

Kits: General
*For starters, not having weapon stats and sigils work for kits/abilities automatically kills Flamethrower, Bomb, Tool Kit, Elixir Gun, Elixir X and the Mortar before they are even used. The only way that Grenade Kit is worthwhile is due to the ridiculous power of the Grenadier trait. What motivation do I have to use a kit when I’m losing 179 power, ~7% crit, 9% crit damage, and ~240 weapon damage?
*I understand that adding weapon stats would cause some balance issues, especially for the Grenade Kit and Flamethrower Kit, but it doesn’t feel right that I could potentially cruise through the game without ever equipping anything other than my starter pistol and being no worse for the wear.

Kits: Grenade Kit
*The Grenade kit has some severe issues. While I respect that it works for both condition and power builds, I feel as though I am shoehorned into the Grenadier trait due to it having much more power than any other build even without a weapon. I don’t think that Grenadier needs to be nerfed, however, as it is a payoff for hitting your target in PvP. I do think that the other DPS specs need to be brought up closer to Grenadier’s level.
*Many people complain about a lack of autocast for the Grenade Kit on land and I have to agree with them. However, I believe a better solution is needed for PvP. Therefore I would like to see the ability to hold down the “1” key to automatically recast. This alleviates the “super carpal tunnel syndrome mode” of grenades, without killing targeting for moving targets.

Kits: Flamethrower Kit
*I want to love the Flamethrower, I really do. However, it has some issues that prevent reliable use. For starters, the constant missing of Flame Jet whenever you and/or your target move.
*Flame Blast suffers from the “obstructed bug” wherein it will sometimes fire straight into the ground; usually after using the #3 skill.
*Flame Blast is currently a high risk, low reward type of skill. The projectile is highly difficult to aim, travels slowly, and doesn’t output enough damage to reward a well, placed shot. My solution to both of these would be to make Flame Blast a ground targeted ability, or make it explode on impact with the ground or an enemy.
*I would like to see Backdraft come back as our #5 skill, but I understand why it was removed. Our current #5, however doesn’t see much use due to its small AoE.

Kits: Elixir Gun
*I feel that this kit would be in a good place if it had its associated bugs fixed along with the weapon issue.
*I do not like the jump back portion of Acid Bomb. It usually makes me aggro something else, and the enemy runs off the pile of goo before it does its full damage. Adding an immobilize would aid this ability.

Kits: Tool Kit
*Quite definitely the weakest kit, the Tool Kit feels like it doesn’t know what it wants to be. It definitely does not have the damage of melee abilities, despite being both slow casting and melee range.
*I think that my biggest gripe is the #2 skill. An enemy can easily walk out of the AoE before you finish casting, and the bleed+cripple feels very weak. It does not feel like a satisfying skill to use.
*I also feel that the #5 skill could have its range boosted a little, but it is fine right now.

Kits: Bomb Kit
*I haven’t had enough time with the bomb kit, but It does have some good abilities and its numbers would probably be right where they need to if the weapon issue is fixed. I do like combining it with the Pistol and Tool Kit to stack confusion.

Turrets
*I feel that turrets are far too weak in their current state to warrant their use. Being immobile and easily destroyed even with traits makes their value questionable at best. True they are supposed to be supplemental damage, but with the amount of point investment to bring them up to their best makes the player very weak and the turrets still lack the “oomph” they need.

Weapons
*I won’t go into weapons because I feel that they are in a good spot. I will say that I think that the rifle’s hip shot should do slightly more damage at closer range to better compliment its “Shotgun” style attacks.Perhaps give it to us as a trait?
*I would also like to say that condition damage doesn’t work for bosses and most dungeon PuGs, but I understand that this is being looked at.

Traits
*This is probably the biggest issue our class has. Not even counting all of the buggeds traits, we have many traits that aren’t very good, and even less build support for our class.

Traits: Explosives
*I dislike how our power tree lacks support for anything that isn’t the grenade or bomb kit outside of the first tier. Where’s the HE ammo trait for rifle? Or a trait that makes me want to invest points in it without being forced into bombs/grenades? Other classes get that kind of support, why don’t we?
*Plenty has been said about the bugs, but what about the less useful traits like Autodefense Bomb Dispenser, Enhance Performance, Accelerant-Packed Turrets, and Acidic Elixirs?

Traits: Firearms
*Our Precision tree is probably our best designed tree, but the lack of a Grandmaster trait for the rifle is disappointing.
*Sitting Duck probably needs a rework given that it has such a small uptime.

Traits: Inventions
*I am fine with the traits in inventions. The tree is survivability oriented and does its job well. I don’t know how this tree fares compared to other classes, however. I would like seeing Energized armor bumped up to 10%.

Traits: Alchemy
*Again, another well designed tree. The only problem that I have, and that others will agree with me on, is that the 15 point trait, Transmute, has such a low uptime that it will almost never be seen. 3% is rather weak for investing ~21% of our traits into it.

Traits: Tools
*Here’s where the problems resurface.While the 5, 15, and 25 point skills are well done, the main traits have many issues.
*I have heard that the Elixir Gun/Flamethrower from Always Prepared is not usable by other classes. I haven’t tested this myself, but I have never seen anyone grab the flamethrower that I dropped. Seems kinda useless, especially if I already have a Flamethrower on my skill bar.
*Kit Refinement has no explanation of what it does. It is a confusing trait and might not be noticable unless you already know how it works.
*Packaged Stimulants should be in the inventions tree as the medkit is for quick healing. Regardless, the amount of damage output by enemies makes the healing from the medkit completely unnoticable even with full Cleric’s gear.
*Power Wrench should be improved as it really only benefits the #3 skill. #2, and #5 are not used enough to make the cooldown reduction worthwhile, but I feel this is partially due to the poor damage output of the Wrench. Additionally, the healing on turrets is not valuable due to the poor health of turrets.

I feel that I am just reiterating what others have said on this forum, but I think it would be better to have everything put into one big thread. Again, this thread is not for bugs, but mechanical design grievances with the class.

as said here https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/engineer/Engineer-PvE-PvP-splitted-stats/

weapon stats would not cause any imbalance issues because they are already working just not in pve but in pvp.

I agree with most of those really.

I would say that I don’t like firearms as a traitline too much.
It needs to be simplified.

Since you can only ever have one pistol and one rifle, and never both, I think its reasonable to make it so that fireforged trigger, and hair trigger become much bigger traits.

So that:

Hair Trigger= 20% longer range and 20% faster cooldown for pistol and rifle
Fireforged Trigger= 20% faster cooldown for Elixir gun and 20% longer range
Napalm Specialist= 20% faster cooldown for flamethrower and 20% longer burns

This would remove one trait, which could be filled with something useful.

The reason I believe this is necessary, is precedent from other classes.

For example:
Mesmer-
50 power while wielding GS and 20% faster GS cooldown
Increases pistol range for you and your illusions 20% faster pistol cooldowns
Necromancer-
Axe Damage and Axe Recharge is reduced
Warrior-
20% faster rifle cooldownsrifle piereces
20% faster mace cooldowns+10% mace damage on weakened enemy
20% faster hammer cooldowns+ 25% hammer damage on disabled enemies

I think that in general, there are too many pistol and rifle affecting traits. They ought to be consolidated.

I agree with most of your points. I do not feel a few of the traits you listed for explosive are as useless as you make out but in general your on the money in my opinion.

When I take a look at kits and weapons as a whole on the engineer I really feel that, when compared to other classes our biggest issue tend to be the major traits.

For both grenade and FT builds, heck even Pistols builds the major traits are the defining aspect of the builds.

Kits and weapons that lack a strong defining major trait are lack luster in-comparison.

For example if you look are any of the stronger builds, grenade, ft or pistol and compare them without their major traits to the rifle / other kits there is actually not a huge difference in damage out put.

With stronger major traits for rifle, bomb kit, tool kit, and elixir gun. We might see more builds utilizing these skill sets.

I’ve used bomb kit extensively. The biggest issue with it is the way that bombs are just placed at your feet. First off, this is thematically ridiculous. Your character is just standing in these explosions and it doesn’t look right at all. It isn’t fun either.

But in terms of functionality, in PvE bomb builds generally make your character pretty squishy which is horrible because you need to be right in the middle of the fray to use the bombs. In PvP bombs are a joke. The kit is used for trolling people with Big Ol Bomb, and for the number 4 ability, smoke bomb. Bombs really need a short tossing distance, much less than grenades, and they would become much more usable in all game modes. Also using the kit wouldn’t look so stupid, with your character standing in the middle of explosion after explosion.

Bombs should have range.

I think kits need a ton of work. I think Arenanet should really take a look at kits and balance each one out. I don’t think Grenades should get nerfed though, unless they allow weapon stats to effect kits (could see it being OP then).

I think turrets need some work as well imo but elixirs are pretty solid.

I personally gave up on my engi until Anet ever decides to want to fix the class. Everything the Engi can go…my warrior can do better, except for the on demand Aoe damage. Now I dont know much about PvP, something i have yet to partake in…but seriously Anet, its time to split PvP and PvE stats. Your insistence on keeping their stats tied together is seriously killing all the “fun” out of playing any class in PvE….except for warrior, but technically, if the stats were to be separated, even the Warrior class would get much more “fun”.

/rant

Caramel Ham.4891:

I personally gave up on my engi until Anet ever decides to want to fix the class. Everything the Engi can go…my warrior can do better, except for the on demand Aoe damage. Now I dont know much about PvP, something i have yet to partake in…but seriously Anet, its time to split PvP and PvE stats. Your insistence on keeping their stats tied together is seriously killing all the “fun” out of playing any class in PvE….except for warrior, but technically, if the stats were to be separated, even the Warrior class would get much more “fun”.

/rant

I’m close to rolling a new character as well. There is just so much work needed on the engineer, and each new patch fails to even fix the bugs that should have never made it out of beta. The trade off for us only getting 2 weapons and no weapon swap is that we get kits. Well the reality is that we have one viable kit, and it gives you carpal tunnel. The flamethrower isn’t in such a bad spot, it just needs numbers buffs and a change on the #2 ability to make it usable. But the other kits are beyond fixing with numbers changes; they need fundamental reworks. And after reworks, numbers balance. So considering the slow speed at which we are even getting bug fixes let alone ability reworks, we are going to be chucking nades well in to 2013, and my tendons aren’t real excited at that prospect.