Guild Wars 2

Hi there, I’m a level 64 Engineer at the moment, and I can’t help but feel overwhelmed playing this class. For the amount of effort I put into keeping control of the combat situation, I feel like I spend way too much time in a battle than I should, which leads me to believe I am doing something wrong somewhere. This is for PvE btw.

Weapons of Choice:
Pistol + Shield, started using the shield today and I am really intrigued by it…
Pistol + Pistol. My old setup, when I had a condition set.

Current Armor set focus:
Power+++
Precision ++

All other stats at random.

Skill set:

Healing:
- Healing Turret.

Utility:
1 – Bomb Kit (or a Turret)
2 – Battering Ram
3 – Flamethrower

Elite:
- Elixir X

Traits:
-> Explosives +15, Trait 33% chance to set foes on fire on crit.
->Firearms +20, Scope in here for 10% crit chance when standing still, vulnerability on Critical Hits.
->Tools +20, Swiftness on Kit switch, and I don’t remember the other one…

I like this setup, but I am not quite sure how to use it’s potential if it has one as I feel like I am spending way too much time killing ONE opponent. Granted I can take on multiple opponents as long as they don’t cast poison or burning.

What’s bellow is just a list of how I usually handle battles, it’s kind of long and boring so you dont have to read.

How I open a battle:

One Opponent.

Switch to flamethrower
-> Cast Flame Wall
-> Cast Battering Ram Tool Belt Skill for Cripple+Burning effect.
Switch to Pistol
-> Fire Poison Darts
-> Slot 3 skill (Sparks)
Switch to bombs
-> Drop Smoke bomb
-> Drop Flash bomb
-> Drop Fire bomb
Switch to P/S
-> Detonate Fire Field with Reflect Projectile Skill(Shield) for applied Might x3.
-> Shoot target till he comes close
-> Use Battering Ram
Switch to Flame Thrower
-> Flame Blast, highly unpredictable skill that often hits an invisible obstruction 90% of the time.
-> WHEN Flame Blast fails, start burning target with slot 1 skill.
-> Slot 3 for pushback
-> Keep burning the target with slot 1.

So yeah, that’s a long list of how I usually(or at least ideally) handle things.

How I encounter multiple opponents:

P/S
-> Fire Ammo
-> Slot 3 skill (Bouncing lightning that bounces to every target setting three of them on fire)

-> Start kiting with bombs, dropping big’Ol’Bomb somewhere along the way.
-> Do what the situation demands, this is where things get overwhelming to me.

Your build seems to revolve almost entirely around AoE dps, which is inherently weak vs. single opponents and you forgo any skills that directly buff your dps (elixir B, goggles, …) instead taking bombs and a flamethrower which cán give excellent utility however.

Trait-wise:
I find vulnerability on crits quite weak; it doesn’t last long (1-2 seconds iirc) so multiple stacks will be hard with pistols and one stack is a pitiful 1% increase.
Going to 30 in firearms and taking coated bullets gives a significant dps increase to pistols ime, but again, mostly when you’re fighting more than 1.

Gear-wise:
+power is a very poor stat to invest in with pistols, the direct damage they do (which power buffs) is some of the poorest of any weapon in game.
+precision and +condition damage will yield the best results for pistol dps normally.

Utilities:
You’re using fun utilities, but none that directly increase your dps; elixir B can be good, but because you’ve invested in tools rather than elixirs ‘utility goggles’ might be better.
Goggles give fury (+crit, excellent for getting more fire/bleed procs) and the toolbelt skill gives 10 stacks of vulnerability with a short CD (20 seconds untraited iirc).

tldr; I’d look at gadgets for a trait setup like yours, or if you want to completely rethink it all: remember the rifle does a lot more single target damage than the pistols and it does scale well with power (since you have that gear).

Mm… I never favored the Rifle much, but I guess I should at least give it a try. (Haven’t used a rifle since level 18) And you make good points.

Thanks for the advice!

My engineer is only 33 at the moment, so take that into consideration. Things may change for me by the time I get to your level.

I am going with Pistol + Shield, and have no problems taking opponents 1v1, even Veterans. As Snafoo said, Pistols are Condition Damage-based, so concentrating on Power is hurting you. I would suggest that you pick the weapon(s) that you enjoy using, and then getting the stats to back it up. If you like pistols, stick with them.

Currently I run with Pistol+Shield, Flamethrower, Rocket Boots, and I’m still tinkering with the third utility. Sometimes I switch in the Elixer gun for group support, but usually stick an Elixer in there, or a turret if I have to destroy stationary objects.

Flamethrower gives me access to Incendiary Ammo, which is a nice DPS boost against a single target. My original concept was to build around Flamethrower, but I am starting to reconsider that due the the FT’s oddities.

Rocket Boots I use for three reasons. First, it gives me Rocket Kick. It does excellent burning damage on a short cooldown, again increasing my single-target DPS. I also use it to combo with the FT’s firefield for Area Might. Lastly, you can use it if you are knocked down, slowed, etc. as a poor man’s escape.

So far I am enjoying the build, though I wish the Flamethrower was a little more robust.

TwiceDead.1963:

Hi there, I’m a level 64 Engineer at the moment, and I can’t help but feel overwhelmed playing this class. For the amount of effort I put into keeping control of the combat situation, I feel like I spend way too much time in a battle than I should, which leads me to believe I am doing something wrong somewhere. This is for PvE btw.

Weapons of Choice:
Pistol + Shield, started using the shield today and I am really intrigued by it…
Pistol + Pistol. My old setup, when I had a condition set

Love the shield here as well. Learn to se the signs before ranged attackers launch items. You can do ridiculous group damage with multiple ranged enemies.

Current Armor set focus:
Power+++
Precision ++

All other stats at random.

Try ti mix in as much toughness and vitality as you can but make precision and cond. dmg your main focused stats. At least that is what I like.

Skill set:

Healing:
- Healing Turret.

Utility:
1 – Bomb Kit (or a Turret)
2 – Battering Ram
3 – Flamethrower

Elite:
- Elixir X

Love the battering ram myself. I live for BoB, the bomb kit is nice for direct damage when cond. dmg won’t due, such as doors and other inanimate objects.

Not the biggest fan of the FT, but that is a personal opinion. Learn any kits abilities you have well. Learn how to quickly swap to the kit to use the defensive abilities and the offensive ones at the appropriate times.[/quote]

Traits:
-> Explosives +15, Trait 33% chance to set foes on fire on crit.
->Firearms +20, Scope in here for 10% crit chance when standing still, vulnerability on Critical Hits.
->Tools +20, Swiftness on Kit switch, and I don’t remember the other one…

I like to get 30 in fire arms if I am going to have stuff like chance to do ‘X’ on crits. Plus I find coated bullets very handy.

I like this setup, but I am not quite sure how to use it’s potential if it has one as I feel like I am spending way too much time killing ONE opponent. Granted I can take on multiple opponents as long as they don’t cast poison or burning.

What’s bellow is just a list of how I usually handle battles, it’s kind of long and boring so you dont have to read.

How I open a battle:

One Opponent.

Switch to flamethrower
-> Cast Flame Wall
-> Cast Battering Ram Tool Belt Skill for Cripple+Burning effect.
Switch to Pistol
-> Fire Poison Darts
-> Slot 3 skill (Sparks)
Switch to bombs
-> Drop Smoke bomb
-> Drop Flash bomb
-> Drop Fire bomb
Switch to P/S
-> Detonate Fire Field with Reflect Projectile Skill(Shield) for applied Might x3.
-> Shoot target till he comes close
-> Use Battering Ram
Switch to Flame Thrower
-> Flame Blast, highly unpredictable skill that often hits an invisible obstruction 90% of the time.
-> WHEN Flame Blast fails, start burning target with slot 1 skill.
-> Slot 3 for pushback
-> Keep burning the target with slot 1.

So yeah, that’s a long list of how I usually(or at least ideally) handle things.

How I encounter multiple opponents:

P/S
-> Fire Ammo
-> Slot 3 skill (Bouncing lightning that bounces to every target setting three of them on fire)

-> Start kiting with bombs, dropping big’Ol’Bomb somewhere along the way.
-> Do what the situation demands, this is where things get overwhelming to me.

As far as how your playing, I won’t say much, I will say though, that I have learned that I must always have at lease either a cond. removal or stun breaker. Generally I use both all the time, but I never go without one or the other.