Guild Wars 2

Hi, I have played engineer since beginning and it was always my favorite class. I think I was testing every single build that I have found – p/s condi, p/p hgh, rifle static discharge etc..
And I always use pistol/shield as my main configuration in every game mode, but now after HoT almost everyone start to use Hammer. I really like that, Scrapper is awesome.

But is there any build that is good witch pistol/shield now in any gamemode?? I can’f find any useful build with that weapon set.. Condi is better witch p/p because of pistol 4 skill and burning stacks; rifle is still the best witch range power builds, hammer is great witch power/tank builds. But what about p/s?
Do you know how to use this set after HoT witch any engi/scrapper combination?
I mean any game mode????

Shield isn’t bad, it just doesn’t have a place…. Ok. Yeah, it’s pretty bad.

For PvP hammer has better defenses largely because the skills have shorter cooldowns and do damage at the same time. It does what the shield wants to do faster and better. The only reason I can see to take a shield is because you want an extra blast finisher and a tiny bit of defense, but overall it doesn’t have anything to do in any popular builds at the moment. For PvE the skills just don’t do much of anything that you need.

I think your assessment is correct: you can still use it, but I don’t think you’d be as effective in a role as if you took p/p (condi), rifle (ranged power and control), or hammer (melee power and sustain). Our shield skills either need much, much shorter cooldowns or completely new abilities that complement a playstyle better than an alternative.

P.S. If English isn’t your first language, “witch” is a noun for an evil woman that hexes people (“Burn the witch!”). I think you’re going for “with,” which is a preposition.

The only way that I could see the Shield becoming viable is if the cool-downs were reduced to around 8 and 10 seconds.

I’m playing a 4 Gyro + P/P + Rocket Boot Build , and would like to use the Shield’s Finishers with the various Gyro fields, but I just can’t justify giving up Pistol 4’s Blowtorch which tags multiple enemy and has a short cool -down.

The shield skills are really strong but the cooldowns on them are way too long to b reliable imo

Shield has a place as does hammer. Shield has a longer reflect and when traited provides more protection boons than scrapper line. Hammer deals damage while doing some of what the shield line does. So it depends, are you bunker or are you skirmish?

Shield is fine. The problem is the pistol, actually. If we had an alternate main hand besides just the pistol, the shield would be much better. Or hell, two shields. I’d rock a shield-shield engie.

That said, Blowtorch is nice and all, and is one of your better damage skills in a condi build, but the shield has saved the butt of both myself and my team-mates quite a bit. The offhand pistol has much more counterplay (If the burn is clensed, so much for your damage, and if that burn is returned to you, enjoy your 10,000 damage burn on a class notorious for bad cleansing ability) Whereas that extra knockback, stun and reflect have let me ruin the day of a few mindless rapid fire spamming rangers and thieves and let me prevent quite a few stomps.

Basically, shield is there to give you some extra defense and control if you’re willing to give up your blowtorch. (Glue shot is pretty meh, so its barely worth the consideration IMO. Offhand pistol is all about the blowtorch)

Basically, I think the shield is still a worthwhile choice in PvP. PvE, not so much, but to be honest I often use it anyway out of personal preference.

Shield is in a weird position where it’s a really good weapon but just doesn’t have a solid place. It can fit in many builds, but you would mostly be better off with hammer or offhand pistol. Hammer is basically the super shield now, it does everything the shield does just better (except blast).

I also think that if it had a better main hand to pair with it would see a lot more play. I really like the shield it’s one of my favorite weapons in the game it just doesn’t have a good spot in the game right now IMO.

P/S Perplexity IMO is still the strongest WvW roaming/1v1 build.

Edit: I still run with the Scrapper trait line.

Edit to the Edit: The reason shield works better than hammer is the interrupts to proc confusion are much easier to time than hammer 5. There are also 2 interrupts on shield as opposed to 1 on hammer. Pretty easy to stack 20+ confusion with tool kit and the runes.

The shield is the problem. It requires major buffs and skill reworks to be seen again. The problem is in a condition build, the pistol offhand is ultra mighty and cannot be abandoned and in a power build, the hammer does everything the shield does, just better, more often and with damage. Same reasons for both, pvp and pve. The shield needs help

give me weapon swap and ill gladly use it

Depends what you mean by “viable”, but, short answer, no.

Hammer has better defensive capabilities and CC while doing a LOT more dps.

Pistol/pistol is really the only weapon set for a condi engi, since 90% of the damage comes from blowtorch (pistol offhand skill).

If engi had another mainhand option, maybe pairing that with offhand pistol could be decent, but as I see it now, shield is dead. I just gave my ascended shield to my chronomancer.

Tyaen.5148:

P/S Perplexity IMO is still the strongest WvW roaming/1v1 build.

Edit: I still run with the Scrapper trait line.

Edit to the Edit: The reason shield works better than hammer is the interrupts to proc confusion are much easier to time than hammer 5. There are also 2 interrupts on shield as opposed to 1 on hammer. Pretty easy to stack 20+ confusion with tool kit and the runes.

Actually, if you combo the leap finisher from your lightning field, you get another 1-3 interrupts (up to 4 total) just with hammer. It’s a very easy combo to set up. Usually I get at least 2 dazes from my leap skill, sometimes 3. Hammer also gives you a reflect and a block, and does way more dps, as others have noted.

hotcarl.8621:

Tyaen.5148:

P/S Perplexity IMO is still the strongest WvW roaming/1v1 build.

Edit: I still run with the Scrapper trait line.

Edit to the Edit: The reason shield works better than hammer is the interrupts to proc confusion are much easier to time than hammer 5. There are also 2 interrupts on shield as opposed to 1 on hammer. Pretty easy to stack 20+ confusion with tool kit and the runes.

Actually, if you combo the leap finisher from your lightning field, you get another 1-3 interrupts (up to 4 total) just with hammer. It’s a very easy combo to set up. Usually I get at least 2 dazes from my leap skill, sometimes 3. Hammer also gives you a reflect and a block, and does way more dps, as others have noted.

Daze /= Interrupt

The opponent has to be performing an action, and the field is too easy to hop out of. I find it much easier to time interrupts with a shield.

Tyaen.5148:

Daze /= Interrupt

The opponent has to be performing an action, and the field is too easy to hop out of. I find it much easier to time interrupts with a shield.

The sixth trait of Perplexity Runes, which stacks Perplexity, is on a 15 second cool down. As you may remember, these Runes used to have NO cool down on interrupts. The Runes used to be wildly OP and were abused to no end (I’m guilty as charged, lol).

When the Runes were nerfed, Perplexity-centric builds pretty much died (for Engies at least). Burn-centric damage builds do much more damage now. It’s not even close.

Edit. So too does Bleed Damage if played right.

Soon.5240:

Tyaen.5148:

Daze /= Interrupt

The opponent has to be performing an action, and the field is too easy to hop out of. I find it much easier to time interrupts with a shield.

The sixth trait of Perplexity Runes, which stacks Perplexity, is on a 15 second cool down. As you may remember, these Runes used to have NO cool down on interrupts. The Runes used to be wildly OP and were abused to no end (I’m guilty as charged, lol).

When the Runes were nerfed, Perplexity-centric builds pretty much died (for Engies at least). Burn-centric damage builds do much more damage now. It’s not even close.

Edit. So too does Bleed Damage if played right.

True enough. I still find it pretty powerful. Played correctly Engi can still stack a ton of confusion (Pry Par, Static Shot, 1 Interrupt, plus on Hit = 15 stacks). I also run Rocket Boots for Burn, On Crit Burn, On Crit Bleed. The almost passive confusion application along with Engi ability to apply/reapply other condis is amazing.

Perplex went from way OP to simply powerful.

Never stopped being viable.

Pistole/Schild is great.

I think most people playing Hammer do so because it is new and fun. Not because it is vastly superiour to the other weapons.

Brew Pinch.5731:

Pistole/Schild is great.

I think most people playing Hammer do so because it is new and fun. Not because it is vastly superiour to the other weapons.

I play hammer because of it’s superior damage abilities aswell higher utility due better block and reflect uptime. And I heal myself better, got more cc, there is like nothing the hammer doesn’t have what a shield does except for the push.

As for condis: Blowtorch.