Guild Wars 2

I’m a returning player and I decided to start out with a fresh Engineer. I’ve visited sites like Wolfineer in the past, but I’m curious about which weapon/kit path to take while leveling since the HoT expansion has been released. I plan to be doing a lot of open world PvE and eventually do WvWvW.

It sounds like PvE Conditions are better now in the HoT expansion? Should I still concentrate on Power or should I start looking at Condition boosting items? Since new Engineers start out with a pistol, should I just go P/P or P/S for open world PvE leveling? I like the Flamethrower but are Grenade and Mortar kits better?

Personally i play power, but thats just because i LOVE the hammer on engi its to much fun. However condi engi is highest dps in pve at the moment, its a viper/sinister gear mix focusing on burning. I dont know how long ago you stopped playing but burning does ridiculous damage now, as it stacks instead of extending the duration.

As far as leveling, flamethrower works well, so do nades. When i leveled i ran both with the elixer that grants swiftness/fury/might cant recall the name, and a rifle and didnt have much of a problem. And as far as condi vs power, dabble with both and choose the one you like more. Both are very viable and wanted for pve/wvw/raids, so at that point you minus well play something that fits you. Im very fresh myself on engineer i came from 3 yrs maining theif to playing a scrapper non stop since HoT release so if anyone on this forum contradicts what im saying id take there advice over mine =D

I prefer condition engi too. An alternative is a crit build, with an emphasis on crit procs and condition duration to supplement.

Condi engi is great in pve and open world. But at 80lvl bit more expensive(you must every time have active +18%condi duration food effect-cheapest way). I play condi engi since sinister gear released and I can confrim, after 14sec fight you have much better dmg then power engi.

In open world condi is more useful(most in new hot areas) rolling devils is hell for every meele player, but you put only fire+smoke bomb and chill.

Try scrapper, try condi and choose what is more fun for you. I use both. Scrappet for mastery farm(flamethrower synergy with scrapp talents grants me perma might cap and much tanky sources)

Try: power scrapper: fire arms, alchemy, scrapper(ft, heal gyro, bulwark gyro, elixir gun, sneak gyro)
Condi engi: explosives, firearms, tolls/scrapper(bomb, nades, ft)

This works for me very well. (I only show you my play style so i give you only inspiration )

Very interesting information thank you. So as starting out as a new level 1 Engineer, just go with the Pistol/Pistol until I can unlock Flamethrower or Grenade kit? As for leveling gear, every 10 levels pickup gear that will boost Condition and Condition duration? At level 21, should I unlock Explosives line first?

For me personally, early levels I would choose Tools over Explosives. It all really depends on what’s more important to you in the early game.

I’d go tools personally myself as well like the previous poster, low level dmg isn’t to big off a issue, but having permanent swiftness to travel map with speedy kits is always nice

I’m currently leveling now and I went Inventions as my first spec for Mecha Legs, its a passive 25% movement speed. That and Bunker down is nice for leveling since it gives you the heal from the med kits and Regen which gives you increased healing(from a minor) when you have a regen active. It also has some nice defensive passives you can grab.

2nd Specialization is kinda up to you, I’ve tried Firearms and Tools both seem to do about the same damage. BUT with Tools you can get Streamlined Kits which is pretty much a permanent Swiftness if you using any kind of kit.

Aside from that I really like Throw Wrench, Throw Napalm, and Surprise Shot on my Engi belt. So I use 2 turrets that only get used for bigger pulls, other than that everything kinda dies just from my toolbelt moves.

Spythe.8674:

I’m currently leveling now and I went Inventions as my first spec for Mecha Legs, its a passive 25% movement speed.

2nd Specialization is kinda up to you, I’ve tried Firearms and Tools both seem to do about the same damage. BUT with Tools you can get Streamlined Kits which is pretty much a permanent Swiftness if you using any kind of kit.

Do we still need Streamlined Kits if we all ready have Mecha Legs? Does Mecha Legs give perm speed while the other you need to keep swapping kits to keep teh speed up?

glentc.2159:

Do we still need Streamlined Kits if we all ready have Mecha Legs? Does Mecha Legs give perm speed while the other you need to keep swapping kits to keep teh speed up?

I think its overkill so I don’t have both. Mecha Legs seem like more than enough for movement imo and you don’t have to remember to switch to a kit once every 20s.

But you get some nice passive with the Tool tree, I’m def going Tools when I get Scrapper in a few levels since there will be no point in using Firearms

Is all about preference. I go with tools because on new characters swiftness is incredibly useful for helping to unlock waypoints quicker.

Pro tips on leveling:
Leveling builds don’t exist.
Play with whatever you can pick up.
Identify what traits will benefit you the most and target those (usually go for mobility first. Faster map movement can often mean faster leveling)
Do everything that gives you xp. Kill mobs along the way, gather mats, do events, complete hearts, view pois and vistas, ect.
On that note, get xp boosters. Kill mobs that are not commonly killed (yellows, underwater, in hidden areas) and a higher level than you (conditions actually work extremely well for this).
When you get drops and level up loot, prioritize rampager and carrion gear. That way you can at least deal damage with any kind of weapons or kits you decide to use.

I have a chronic case of Altzheimers and spend a lot of my time leveling characters I’ve recently deleted.

I’m following your advice here for a level 10 Sylvari Engineer, but the battles just take forever, even using Flamethrower and Condition Grenades… My DPS is extremely low compared to everything I have played so far…

Aldath.1275:

I’m following your advice here for a level 10 Sylvari Engineer, but the battles just take forever, even using Flamethrower and Condition Grenades… My DPS is extremely low compared to everything I have played so far…

My engineer is a sylvari too.
I can remember far back when I first started him. I was kiting A LOT at the early levels. It gets easier

Aldath.1275:

I’m following your advice here for a level 10 Sylvari Engineer, but the battles just take forever, even using Flamethrower and Condition Grenades… My DPS is extremely low compared to everything I have played so far…

Take rifle and grab all Power gear, Condition damage is really more end game. Your focus should be Power and Precision while level. Engi gets a lot better once you have all your utilities

In the very early level range, I stayed mostly in Flamethrower Kit. Once I got Streamlined Kits I got lazy and stayed in whatever kit I had been when swiftness ran out. Personally, I found out that the Bomb auto attack packed quite a punch compared to Grenade 1 or FT 1 (even though I kew from reading that Grenade 1 was the best standard attack as filler).
I’m using Condi right now as an early-50 Engi because I have full access to the two important Condi traitlines. Before that I also used power-based equipment. A rifle with one of the sigils that procs element damage helped as well, gut-based.