Guild Wars 2

Is the engineer one of those professions that starts out kinda slow and weak and awkward but comes into its own after like 60 levels? I’ve played one to 20 now and, compared to other classes I’ve tried, it just feels incredibly weak. I’ve heard people say the mesmer is like this but I felt pretty powerful up to 20 as a mesmer. I mean, my damage seems lowsy, regardless of using kits, rifle, or whatever, and I seem to die considerably faster than I did as a mesmer or a ranger. I know it shouldn’t have the survivability of a guardian but it’s such a struggle to survive against single mobs even 1 or 2 levels above me that I end up fighting lower level mobs half the time. Meanwhile, my ranger would regularly kill mobs up to 3 levels above me.

I like the idea of the engineer and I’m willing to drudge through level after level but not if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. I’d be kinda annoyed if I got up to 65-70 and still couldn’t find a reasonably effective way to play. So how is the progression curve?

I loved the idea of the Engineer and struggled big time per level 25. I almost just deleted him several times out of frustration. After I hit level 25 everything just seemed to come together and I started doing a lot better.

I don’t know if was just me finally learning the class or if I finally got enough skills built up I could survive, but I found it a slow start compared to the other classes I’ve tried.

I put all the traits into explosive and use the bomb kit. Aggro mobs, run (not back-peddle) in a circle and spam 1-4 bombs. Against range mobs just face tank their dmg and drop bombs right next to them.

It is a nightmare at first…

Originally I planned on playing a Warrior, that was my “Pre-Release” class (having never played the Betas), so I was all about the Warrior. Played it, didn’t excite me as much. I had absolutely ZERO interest in the Engineer. Like…I didn’t even read the press release when the class was announced. I just did a “mmmhmm”.

I decided to give it a spin simply because I remember seeing a Charr with a Flamethrower in the Dredge Mines in Wayfarer Hills while on my Warrior, I said “What the hell, I’ll give it a spin”.

The first 40 levels were a kitten terrifying experience. Mostly because the Kits dont scale well, Grenades are the only viable way to level up at a decent rate, unless you pretty much play a “RTS” with your skills and micromanage, which I had to do: I used a Flamethrower PRE-JUGGERNAUT change…so I was just asking for the punishment, I’d have to use Blowtorch, then switch kits, then sometimes use the Shield, then Kite, Turrets blow, etc…where most Professions can just root themselves and stomp 7 dudes.

Fast Forward to now. Being 80 is amazing as an Engineer. With my Exotics and a Condition-Heavy Flamethrower build, I can just melt things with almost no problem. When I see a mob train rushing me, my pants get tight. Tossing Elixirs are great support, and the fact that there aren’t as many Engineers as other Professions make us a rare breed.

TLDR; Its hell at first, trust me. But once you get your Master Traits, it gets better & better. If you need a hand with anything, feel free to PM me, I’ll help any way I can.

My engy alt is in the 20s, so I can’t speak for the later levels, but I find that I can kill things pretty quickly even at this level, but don’t last very long.

I am using nade + bomb kit and Elixir S, and tend to run around in places that are about 4-5 level above me. With melee mobs, I can kill them quite quickly even with some glancing hits here and there (just spam all the damaging skills), and since I can kite most of them, I don’t easily die. However, when there are ranged mobs, my behind is firmly glued to the ground 15 seconds into a battle.