Something I’ve started noticing is how badly bombs are outside of the Conquest game mode. I mean they produce a red circle AND have a timed charged. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they do no damage or anything. It is just now a days, especially in dueling/WvW, most people can easily see a bomb and move out of it. With an obvious model on the ground, a red circle, and a timed charge; I can’t help but feel the ease of counterplay for this kit is a bit unfair when compared to other classes.
So how do you guys actually hit people with bombs outside of conquest? Currently I’m having a bit of a trouble doing it and its starting to get on my nerves haha.
Please keep in mind that im not a pro-engi but i play engi quite a bit, so what i am saying may not be the best answer
I think it depends on how u start the fight. For me i just start with normal attacks and run closer to them as they move back drop some normal bombs and eventually get them to chase me thinking ive wasted something and drop the sticky bomb and the fire bomb.
For smoke bomb, i use it only when im about to die put it and stand in it until hopefully my heal comes back or go stealth if i have a combo finisher.
Fire bomb can be combo’ed to give might or burn without it actually touching the enemy.
But eventually when they start pressuring u, u keep dropping bombs.
just keep trying … get the radius trait fr Bombs pretty helpful in dueels~!
You use them as area denial if people don’t come pressure with pistol. One of the things I figured out when it came to bombs is that you might not ever get to use them in a fight which is ok. I like bombs a lot but it just might happen that you don’t get to really use them.
Bombs are great in fights where the odds are not in your favor. They provide some great aoe damage and control that would require many melee classes pain as they need to be on you to deal damage. They also provide support when you are pursued and the combo fields with fire and smoke are great for might or stealth stacking before fights. Just remember that you should always trait Forceful explosives in the explosives trait line for the larger explosion radius. Oh and never forget the BoB, he is your greatest friend.
Bombs are more of a mind game than anything else. Just in the Bomb Kit you have 2 skills that can corral the enemy where you want them to go: Big ‘Ol Bomb and Glue Bomb. When people see those two skills, they usually go the other direction. You can use these to guide people into places you want them to be, and hit them with Fire/Concussion bomb while they’re there.
That’s tricks just in the Bomb Kit though, depending on your other skills you can use CC to land a couple hits on them, or keep them slowed so they can’t get away as easily. Also depending on terrain you can try to corner them somewhere. Though ultimately if you’re talking open field WvW roaming type style, I wouldn’t recommend a full bomb build. You’ll need something else to supplement your ranged damage.
If you like support builds, bombs can also be specked to provide a cheap method of healing. They are great for keeping your back line up or even just yourself. Most people will avoid you anyway because they are bombs
I mostly use them against thieves as a sort of denial system: it often forces them to try and fight me at range, where I can easily kill them with grenades, or causes them to risk it and try to attack me anyways where I can get them in my fire field and pop lots of burning stacks on ‘em. I’ve also noticed that a lot of warriors simply ignore my bombs thinking they can soak up the damage, much to their dismay, or they take out their bow and try to kill me at range, at which point I use my smoke bomb and then kill them with grenades.
Not sure about PVP but when I was using bombs in PVE I’d be using a secondary weapon. When I had my bomb build going I’d be using things like Mines and Pistols to help offset the distance especially for melee enemies. When they’ve get in close I’d change and I’d often have some kind of rune that had s devastating effect when that change occurred like freezing.
My bomb build was heavy with conditions and with healing so while I was in close I could be offseting some of their damage while trickling down their health.
It used to be very viable back in the day but after they nerf condition damage I noticed it was a very long fight.
My experience is a bit different and I learned about bombs from Yishis videos.
Take a zerg first. I will start with grenades or pistol shots (anything AE really) and then I tend to rush into the stragglers or backlines and bomb. I leave when there is any sort of real pressure and go back to grenades, pistol and sometimes E-Gun (to get the straggler, light field, etc).
Take roaming or small groups. Very often I bomb as my primary kit just sticking on a warrior. This also keeps thieves on their toes. I alternate between pistol and bombs in this case more than anything. It is too easy to wiff with grenades and not hit anything in these small fights. Nades are more shotgun (drop at feet) based here.
Take Defense. Bombs are a lot of fun in denial. I frequently use the glue bomb then a freeze grenade a few seconds later behind me to help my team get away or to slow down the enemy stragglers. BOB is just classic fun to split up small trains.
I found nades kind of boring I see their purpose but they seemed more straight forward. In still learning engi but I didn’t understand bombs at first now I love them.
Use it as a melee weapon. Forget the look and feel of it. pretend you are playing melee. same concept.
Not exactly. Since each is on a delay you can’t treat it as any other melee weapon or you won’t hit anything unless it’s stationary (which I would assume is not the situation this thread was created for).
Use it as a melee weapon. Forget the look and feel of it. pretend you are playing melee. same concept.
Not exactly. Since each is on a delay you can’t treat it as any other melee weapon or you won’t hit anything unless it’s stationary (which I would assume is not the situation this thread was created for).
They have a radius, and you can lay out multiples for this very reason. Spam them in a melee oriented way, controls the field.
Try it.
And when you are being kitted, thats when you switch to a ranged weapon. Same exact concept as playing a melee weapon actually.
Use it as a melee weapon. Forget the look and feel of it. pretend you are playing melee. same concept.
Not exactly. Since each is on a delay you can’t treat it as any other melee weapon or you won’t hit anything unless it’s stationary (which I would assume is not the situation this thread was created for).
They have a radius, and you can lay out multiples for this very reason. Spam them in a melee oriented way, controls the field.
Try it.
And when you are being kitted, thats when you switch to a ranged weapon. Same exact concept as playing a melee weapon actually.
If you try to chase someone while dropping bombs you will never hit them, even if you are in range when dropping the bombs. This is contrary to a melee weapon.
I run a power bomber in spvp/ wvw, mucho fun… I combo pull wrench with big ol’ bomb. Rifle gives a lot of cc to help land your bombs (net shot/ sitting duck)
Keep in mind that the bomb is also a very niche kit as well. Luring an opponent into an area that forces them to fight you in bomb radius; ie: narrow hallways, inside ruins/buildings. If they want to fight you, they’ll be hit by bombs.
The amount of success I’ve experienced using bomb kit on the lower level of blue keep in EBG (in those hallways) is insane. Lure someone around corner, bomb bomb bomb, they’re forced to soak it if they want to kill you.
Use it as a melee weapon. Forget the look and feel of it. pretend you are playing melee. same concept.
Not exactly. Since each is on a delay you can’t treat it as any other melee weapon or you won’t hit anything unless it’s stationary (which I would assume is not the situation this thread was created for).
They have a radius, and you can lay out multiples for this very reason. Spam them in a melee oriented way, controls the field.
Try it.
And when you are being kitted, thats when you switch to a ranged weapon. Same exact concept as playing a melee weapon actually.
If you try to chase someone while dropping bombs you will never hit them, even if you are in range when dropping the bombs. This is contrary to a melee weapon.
That’s one scenario. If you’re chasing someone, net shot or glue shot or magnet them. Then continue to “melee” with bombs.
Use it as a melee weapon. Forget the look and feel of it. pretend you are playing melee. same concept.
Not exactly. Since each is on a delay you can’t treat it as any other melee weapon or you won’t hit anything unless it’s stationary (which I would assume is not the situation this thread was created for).
They have a radius, and you can lay out multiples for this very reason. Spam them in a melee oriented way, controls the field.
Try it.
And when you are being kitted, thats when you switch to a ranged weapon. Same exact concept as playing a melee weapon actually.
If you try to chase someone while dropping bombs you will never hit them, even if you are in range when dropping the bombs. This is contrary to a melee weapon.
That’s one scenario. If you’re chasing someone, net shot or glue shot or magnet them. Then continue to “melee” with bombs.
Agreed. All I’m saying is that if you treat them just like any other melee weapon you’re gonna have a bad time. If they were just like any melee weapon this thread wouldn’t need to be created in the first place. Saying to act as if they’re no different from any other melee weapon is bad advice.
Been having some fun in WvW with my Engineer. When our little group was cornered by a big, bad zerg, I ran through the zerg, following our group leader, dropping bombs all the way. That is what bombs are good for….
use glue bomb to imbolie / cripple them then use your bomb of choice. i.e. big ol bomb.
you need to use some form of cc i.e. immobile knockdown to prevent them from moving.
I like to stack some stealth and go right behind the front line and drop bombs behind and escape out usually I’ll have to blow my block in toolkit but it’s fine and causes some chaos on front lines. Usually the first thing people do when you reveal is dodge even though you didn’t attack them directly.
I dunno if anyone mentioned this yet, But I like to turn the “melee assist” off in the options menu when running bombs. I feel it helps a fair deal.
(edit)
Melee assist prevents you from running through opposing character models, aimed to assist general melee weapons. Often this causes you to slide around them, and alter your direction or course at times. In some cases, can even end with your character moving backwards. You move slower when going backwards. In a 1v1 for example I like to walk through them, hindering their ability to hit me, with say, a sword for example. I have a mapped to to a instant 180 of my camera instantly(its available to set in the control scheme, also in the menu panel) forcing them to constantly put effort int rotating their camera. Once you slip into or past their character model their melee weapon will often not hit you. As I see it, this forces them to play to me and not the other way around, and can often cause several of their skills to miss.
