Guild Wars 2

Hey guys,

with all the buffs and nerfs I am getting pretty confused which build to pick.
I leveled my engi to lvl 80, because this class rox.
Now with lvl 80 -> complete disorientation.

1. Tell me, which builds are viable at the moment?
2. Which Gear do you wear with your current build?
3. Whats going on with Confusion, still viable? (lot of whining here)
4. -> 1.+2. what do you use in WvW and in PvE

Please help me, since I am quite new to the class and I dont get much of the mechanics
kind regards

1. I run a 10/30/0/30/0 setup to great success. Wield Flamethrower when group needs Power. Wield P/P when group needs Condition Damage. I just alternate trait selection to bolster whatever I’m using. It’s very flexible.

When wielding FT:

Explosives: Incendiary Powder
Firearms: Precise Sights, Fireforged Trigger, Juggernaut
Alchemy: Fast-Acting Elixirs, Deadly Mixture, Cleansing Formula

When using Pistol/Pistol:

Explosives: Incendiary Powder
Firearms: Hair Trigger, Napalm Specialist, Coated Bullets
Alchemy: Fast-Acting Elixirs, Potent Elixirs/Cleansing Formula, HGH

2. To do this I have to be flexible. I carry with me at all times a Rabid, Soldier, and Berserker armor set. I have both a Rabid and Berserker jewelry set. And I have the weapons as well (5 Pistols, 2 Rifles, 2 Shields).

3. Confusion is still plenty viable. It’s just not faceroll good in WvW when you Pry Bar + Static Shot. It was left unchanged in PvP/PvE.

4. I use this setup in PvE, PvP, and WvW. In WvW I usually slot in my Soldier armor with Pistol/Shield with Tool Kit with Rabid jewelry.

1. WvW – I only gank in the jumping puzzle because I like being a jerk so my build is quite different from a zerg following build. Crit SD build with little survivability.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fcAQFAUl0p6ZX7SyF17IxoHkuzbG0D9mX/+pAbB-TkAg0CnIQShkDJDSSksINKA
bomb kit is replaceable with rifle turret(big ole bomb on a 24 second cooldown is REALLY nice in the jp though.

ZERG – For a zerg following build I have a full power/vit/tough set and use toolkit(for 2 second block on 20 sec cd), grenades for 1500 range, and elixir s to escape zergs.
Build looks something like this.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fcAQFAUl0picnvSiF1LJyoCkWIFSohBqQe95BblWQIA-TkAA1CtIOSdk7IzRyjsHNsA
You can use rifle or pistol because you’ll be in grenade kit 90% of the time. Pistol’s block skill makes you stand still which can be no bueno :/

2. PVE – I should probably be using a rampager’s set, but atm I’m using a full berserker’s set with vuln stacking grenades.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fcAQFAUl0piXX7SiF17Iy4DdGYGAGe95BblWQIA-TkAg0CnIQShkDJDSSksINKA
Popping elixir S + goggles = 6 seconds of 70% crit madness. Also toss elixir U is great for blinding bosses – mediocre for reflecting projectiles – throw it right on a boss and he won’t hit anyone for ~9 seconds.

our only viable build so far is x/30/x/30/x x= optional

frankly my best advice is Delete your Engineer and roll something “Balanced” like thief mesmer or ranger.

Rezzet – please take your negativity elsewhere. Also, incorrect. While grenades and hgh are both viable builds there are others that don’t use them. You just may not have mastered them yet.

Speaking as someone who mains engineer with over 500 hours experience;
I use either HGH (30/0/0/30/10) or a zerker SD rifle build (0/30/0/10/30) with toolkit (for the added survivability and CC) in sPvP. Lately just HGH since it’s a pain to change gear) and either gets me top stats 80% of the time. Also, it’s fun.

For PvE I run zerker (30/30/0/0/10) with perma swiftness and grenades; tool kit and elixer s for survivability. Power/precision boosted grenades are more effective than conditions for dungeons, so damage output is great if you let the meatshields do the tanking, then just use elixer s and gear shield for running past mobs or getting aggro off yourself when targeted.

I don’t know why there aren’t more engineers around honestly, I have so much fun with this class in every game mode.

Rezzet.3614:

our only viable build so far is x/30/x/30/x x= optional

Are you suggesting that Grenadier is not a viable build? Or that Elixir-Infused Bombs is not a viable bunker spec in PvP?

Phineas Poe.3018:

Rezzet.3614:

our only viable build so far is x/30/x/30/x x= optional

Are you suggesting that Grenadier is not a viable build? Or that Elixir-Infused Bombs is not a viable bunker spec in PvP?

Sir! Please back away from the troll quietly and remove your hands from your keyboard! :P

Here what I’ve come up with, something a little different:

http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=VV;4Z;0h0s5V1Fx0;9;4J-TJ-26;247A18;2S;9;2NBlr0;5VW-a0f1kYq3w_6Z-870HV8aNX8a;9;9;9;7kkkkkk;9;15-6H

(May need to copy and paste)

The Traits:

Explosives simply for the increase in range and in damage. Also, essentially being pseudomelee, I love the minor traits here. For as often as I dodge and the potential to take some hits, these prove to be nice catalysts to the movement of the build.

Inventions allow us to convert some of our toughness to raw power, move faster while we are in combat (allows us to reposition quickly), and makes our bombs rain on our party (elixir infused bombs).

I choose alchemy for a more support type role in my party, honestly you can take these 20 points and use them to your liking. I chose alchemy for fast acting elixirs so I can spam elixir B as often as I can and backpack regenerator for being pseudomelee, but can also be easily subbed for cleansing formula 409 when the situation arises.

Play style is simple: drop bombs. On a serious note though, here is how I would start a fight:

1. Drink Elixir B, then drop bombs #4 and #5 (smoke and glue)

2. Dodge out (creating a bomb where you dodged FROM), TOSS elixir B

3 Close range, drop bombs #2 and #3 (fire and concussion), spam #1, rinse and repeat.

Things to remember:
Only use big ol’ bomb if it is warranted. The knockback can hurt the group at times by spreading the mobs out, which can cause a multitude of problems.

Never forget to toss elixir R when needed (possible game changer).

Drink elixir B as often as you can.

Never stand still, running circles around perimeter is usually the best way to go.

DODGE DODGE DODGE!!!

haha – nice comments, thanks so far.

Got a question about all that rabit, rampager, cleric blablabla gear-stuff.
I dont have any clue which is which and where do I get it

Phineas Poe.3018:

1. I run a 10/30/0/30/0 setup to great success. Wield Flamethrower when group needs Power. Wield P/P when group needs Condition Damage. I just alternate trait selection to bolster whatever I’m using. It’s very flexible.

When wielding FT:

Explosives: Incendiary Powder
Firearms: Precise Sights, Fireforged Trigger, Juggernaut
Alchemy: Fast-Acting Elixirs, Deadly Mixture, Cleansing Formula

When using Pistol/Pistol:

Explosives: Incendiary Powder
Firearms: Hair Trigger, Napalm Specialist, Coated Bullets
Alchemy: Fast-Acting Elixirs, Potent Elixirs/Cleansing Formula, HGH

2. To do this I have to be flexible. I carry with me at all times a Rabid, Soldier, and Berserker armor set. I have both a Rabid and Berserker jewelry set. And I have the weapons as well (5 Pistols, 2 Rifles, 2 Shields).

3. Confusion is still plenty viable. It’s just not faceroll good in WvW when you Pry Bar + Static Shot. It was left unchanged in PvP/PvE.

4. I use this setup in PvE, PvP, and WvW. In WvW I usually slot in my Soldier armor with Pistol/Shield with Tool Kit with Rabid jewelry.

So you are using Rabid, Berserker and Soldier armor set. Which one with which build?
I have 94 laures so far, and I dont even know what to buy with them, because I am not sure, wheter to push DMG, Crt or survivability with vit, tough.

Just look at the traits, see which ones you may like to build around, make sure they work, look for more traits with synergy, gear accordingly. Engineer is very flexible, you’re play style is going to have a bigger effect on the spec you should play.

The only thing I wouldn’t recommend is turrets because of the large number of wasted stats that go along with using them. Turrets can’t crit so taking them as a utility eliminates the need for crit chance/damage in favor of tanky/support builds.

Skewjo.9243:

Rezzet – please take your negativity elsewhere. Also, incorrect. While grenades and hgh are both viable builds there are others that don’t use them. You just may not have mastered them yet.

well most of our builds dont work in wvw

These can mean different things in SPvP and PvE sadly.

berserker = nothing but straight damage – power/crit%/crit%damage
rabid = crit% + condi + take less damage
rampager = mix of crit/power/and condi damage with a tiny bit of health it is good for grenades because grenades have very high base damage while also applying a ton of condtions.
cleric = power + healing power + toughness and is good for running a support build

In spvp you can get these “sets” in the for of amulets from a vendor to your right as you enter heart of the mists

In PvE you can buy a set of any of these from the AH – they will all look the same though, or you can go to the dungeon vendors in lions arch which each offer different styles and different set types.

Also Rezzet – I suggest you watch some of Amadeus’ videos. He has a TON of different specs he plays in WvW and almost always rolls solo.

Play HGH Grenadier with Rabbit armor (cond/tough/preci) and cond/tough/vit trinkets = best roamer for WvW, similar Dmg to all berserker players in Dungons/PvE as long as you are the only condition player in party and even if not only outplayed in Dmg by full bersi noob warriors.

Thank you for your help guys!

Phineas Poe.3018:

Rezzet.3614:

our only viable build so far is x/30/x/30/x x= optional

Are you suggesting that Grenadier is not a viable build? Or that Elixir-Infused Bombs is not a viable bunker spec in PvP?

you must be fighting disabled or AFK people if you can down them with nades in face to face combat.

Grenadier is Conditional mainly for lobbing nades down walls wich might get you killed if a mesmer pulls you or Static discharge build wich is still Conditional as you’re 90% likely required to immobilize the oblivion out of your enemy before barraging them.

as for why it lacks viability because in wvw you ll 70% of the time be attacked by multiple targets nades are focused on a single spot.

now bombs sure are nice on a bunker build but someone who knows what a bomb is and Kites will simply shrug away your build and obliterate you with condition damage wich ignores armor,best part they wont even need to do it from your bomb range again making the said build useless.

Gear is either crafted/bought on TP, or obtained through tokens via dungeons. Each dungeon has different sets that they offer (unique to them in skins, you can find the same stat on armor from other dungeons, just requires you to run that dungeon). You can also use karma to buy armor from the temples (i.e. Grenth, Balthazaar, Melandru, etc.)

Here is the run down on armor sets:

Berserker’s: Power, Precision, Critical Damage

Rampager’s: Precision, Power, Condition Damage

Shaman’s: Vitality, Condition Damage, Healing Power

Carrion: Condition Damage, Power, Vitality

Rabid: Condition Damage, Precision, Toughness

Cleric’s: Healing Power, Power, Toughness

Knight’s: Toughness, Power, Precision

Soldier’s: Power, Toughness, Vitality

There are more, but these are the major ones you will see majority of the time.

Rezzet.3614:

Phineas Poe.3018:

Rezzet.3614:

our only viable build so far is x/30/x/30/x x= optional

Are you suggesting that Grenadier is not a viable build? Or that Elixir-Infused Bombs is not a viable bunker spec in PvP?

you must be fighting disabled or AFK people if you can down them with nades in face to face combat.

Grenadier is Conditional mainly for lobbing nades down walls wich might get you killed if a mesmer pulls you or Static discharge build wich is still Conditional as you’re 90% likely required to immobilize the oblivion out of your enemy before barraging them.

as for why it lacks viability because in wvw you ll 70% of the time be attacked by multiple targets nades are focused on a single spot.

now bombs sure are nice on a bunker build but someone who knows what a bomb is and Kites will simply shrug away your build and obliterate you with condition damage wich ignores armor,best part they wont even need to do it from your bomb range again making the said build useless.

You’re speaking in ideals.

Assassin.7890:

So you are using Rabid, Berserker and Soldier armor set. Which one with which build?
I have 94 laures so far, and I dont even know what to buy with them, because I am not sure, wheter to push DMG, Crt or survivability with vit, tough.

I suffered from the same issue, actually. So I went with Syzygy. It’s the all-stat utility amulet. They just cost too many laurels to buy multiple ones for a single class—especially if it’s not the only one you leveled to 80.

And maybe I wasn’t clear enough the first time, but my armor + jewelry setup is as follows:

PvE P/P HGH = Rabid + Rabid
PvE FT/EG = Berserker/Soldier + Berserker

WvW P/P + TK = Soldier + Rabid

Some people insist that Carrion is better than Rabid in WvW, but I prefer the Precision over Vitality. With Soldier + 30 points in Alchemy, you’ll have more than enough HP. It’s all about personal preference though. And even after the Confusion nerf, Condition Damage is still the way to go in WvW.

And I prefer Soldier over Rabid armor because the Tool Kit and Pistol still do pretty good damage when scaled for Power. Slot in the Flamethrower for zergs, but keep Coated Bullets.

Where you can get this stuff:

Berserker armor is crafted/bought/farmed CoF.
Berserker jewelry is crafted/bought (Ruby).
Soldier and Rabid armor in Orr for 42,000 karma each.
Rabid rings/accessories/spineguard in Orr for 42,000 karma each.

Crunkmagnet.3908:

Rezzet.3614:

Phineas Poe.3018:

Rezzet.3614:

our only viable build so far is x/30/x/30/x x= optional

Are you suggesting that Grenadier is not a viable build? Or that Elixir-Infused Bombs is not a viable bunker spec in PvP?

you must be fighting disabled or AFK people if you can down them with nades in face to face combat.

Grenadier is Conditional mainly for lobbing nades down walls wich might get you killed if a mesmer pulls you or Static discharge build wich is still Conditional as you’re 90% likely required to immobilize the oblivion out of your enemy before barraging them.

as for why it lacks viability because in wvw you ll 70% of the time be attacked by multiple targets nades are focused on a single spot.

now bombs sure are nice on a bunker build but someone who knows what a bomb is and Kites will simply shrug away your build and obliterate you with condition damage wich ignores armor,best part they wont even need to do it from your bomb range again making the said build useless.

You’re speaking in ideals.

whats that supposed to mean?

Rezzet.3614:

Crunkmagnet.3908:

Rezzet.3614:

Phineas Poe.3018:

Rezzet.3614:

our only viable build so far is x/30/x/30/x x= optional

Are you suggesting that Grenadier is not a viable build? Or that Elixir-Infused Bombs is not a viable bunker spec in PvP?

you must be fighting disabled or AFK people if you can down them with nades in face to face combat.

Grenadier is Conditional mainly for lobbing nades down walls wich might get you killed if a mesmer pulls you or Static discharge build wich is still Conditional as you’re 90% likely required to immobilize the oblivion out of your enemy before barraging them.

as for why it lacks viability because in wvw you ll 70% of the time be attacked by multiple targets nades are focused on a single spot.

now bombs sure are nice on a bunker build but someone who knows what a bomb is and Kites will simply shrug away your build and obliterate you with condition damage wich ignores armor,best part they wont even need to do it from your bomb range again making the said build useless.

You’re speaking in ideals.

whats that supposed to mean?

It means you’re generalizing. Also let me blow holes in your argument. With grenades you get the longest range in the game…period. 1500 range for throwing grenades is incredible and you would suffer less than any other ranged class to a mesmer pull so your argument is completely invalid. Second, grenades do take skill and they can be avoided. That is why you have another weapon. Your kit is not the end-all be-all only thing to ever be used. Someone is strafing? net them then grenade them. Someone is staying ranged while you’re bunkering with bombs? Get off the point and LOS or pull out your rifle and go to town. You keep saying all these builds are useless but all you do is name one situation in which a KIT (not a build) are not the optimum choice.

Rezzet.3614:

you must be fighting disabled or AFK people if you can down them with nades in face to face combat.

Maybe. But the fact remains: Grenadier is a viable trait selection in WvW, PvP, and PvE. Given the popularity of the Grenade Kit across all realms of the game I can’t imagine anyone would ever bother trying to argue otherwise.

Rezzet.3614:

now bombs sure are nice on a bunker build but someone who knows what a bomb is and Kites will simply shrug away your build and obliterate you with condition damage wich ignores armor,

If someone is “kiting” me in sPvP that means they’re not on the control point. Meaning I’m contesting/capturing/holding it. As a bunker, I’ve succeeded in my job.

I also think you considerably underrate the survivability of a bunker Engineer. We have some of the best condition cleansing in the game, second only to maybe D/D Elementalists. We even have a passive trait that will randomly convert conditions to boons at an 8% clip.

Phineas Poe.3018:

Rezzet.3614:

you must be fighting disabled or AFK people if you can down them with nades in face to face combat.

Maybe. But the fact remains: Grenadier is a viable trait selection in WvW, PvP, and PvE. Given the popularity of the Grenade Kit across all realms of the game I can’t imagine anyone would ever bother trying to argue otherwise.

Rezzet.3614:

now bombs sure are nice on a bunker build but someone who knows what a bomb is and Kites will simply shrug away your build and obliterate you with condition damage wich ignores armor,

If someone is “kiting” me in sPvP that means they’re not on the control point. Meaning I’m contesting/capturing/holding it. As a bunker, I’ve succeeded in my job.

I also think you considerably underrate the survivability of a bunker Engineer. We have some of the best condition cleansing in the game, second only to maybe D/D Elementalists. We even have a passive trait that will randomly convert conditions to boons at an 8% clip.

thats the thing i was talking wvw and you were talking pvp in spvp i do admit bombs are a god send

Rezzet is just not good in grenades it seems. Grenades are not only about skill shots, it’s much more perfect camera controll. Maybe he is not aware of this.

Forestnator.6298:

Rezzet is just not good in grenades it seems. Grenades are not only about skill shots, it’s much more perfect camera controll. Maybe he is not aware of this.

never said i wasnt good at them i use them myself just sayin they are easy to counter. plus theres always the easy net shot+net attack+net turret for opening attacks.

Oh Kitte Rezzet!?!?! So Grenade kit and bomb kit ain’t viable in WvW?! Kitten man for real!? So all this time I have spent in WvW, with those kit’s have been a waste? They wasn’t viable!?! Ahh geees man! that’s some kitten right there! I’m glad you can be so 1337 and come tell me how it ain’t viable!

/Sarcasm

Get a glue, just because YOU can’t make them work, ain’t the same as they ain’t viable, even while Bomb Kit took a hit this patch with 50% confusion nerf it’s still a super strong kit, and grenade is even more whicked! And yes, I do play WvW!

Rezzet.3614:

you must be fighting disabled or AFK people if you can down them with nades in face to face combat.

You are very much mistaken, I’m afraid. Nades are incredibly dangerous at close range; arguably, more dangerous “face to face” than they are at 1500 range.

I will absolutely agree that nades are absurdly easy to avoid, but the ease of avoidance is a function of distance from the engineer. At 1500 range you don’t even have to dodge, you can just slowly step out of the way. However, at close range, especially if a clever Engineer opens (at close range) with Freeze Grenade or Glue Shot, they are a very real threat.

Now, we can disagree about the validity of this assessment, but I’d like to point out that the dominant Engi tPvP build right now is a condition-HGH grenade build.

As for them not being useful against multiple people… well, there are three problems with that claim. First, it is only true if you’re fighting ranged people that spread out. If that’s the case, you’re in trouble regardless of what you’re running. Second, it is untrue when facing people that are clustered (e.g., people trying to melee you). Finally, it hinges on the assumption that strong single-target damage/builds are not suited for multiple enemy fights, a claim that is hard to defend in any context.

I’m not suggesting that grenades are the only good build, but I am saying that I find it surprising that they could be viewed as ineffective in WvW. Building around grenades is one of the only Engi styles I know of that remains very effective in both long-range and short-range, as well as large-scale and small-scale, encounters.

Do whatever you want, the top builds will remain HGH P/P and Grenades, but nothing holds you from doing gadget/turret based builds with any weapon you like as long as you meet some criterias.

Rezzet.3614:

Crunkmagnet.3908:

Rezzet.3614:

Phineas Poe.3018:

Rezzet.3614:

our only viable build so far is x/30/x/30/x x= optional

Are you suggesting that Grenadier is not a viable build? Or that Elixir-Infused Bombs is not a viable bunker spec in PvP?

you must be fighting disabled or AFK people if you can down them with nades in face to face combat.

Grenadier is Conditional mainly for lobbing nades down walls wich might get you killed if a mesmer pulls you or Static discharge build wich is still Conditional as you’re 90% likely required to immobilize the oblivion out of your enemy before barraging them.

as for why it lacks viability because in wvw you ll 70% of the time be attacked by multiple targets nades are focused on a single spot.

now bombs sure are nice on a bunker build but someone who knows what a bomb is and Kites will simply shrug away your build and obliterate you with condition damage wich ignores armor,best part they wont even need to do it from your bomb range again making the said build useless.

You’re speaking in ideals.

whats that supposed to mean?

Idealy you’d never get hit by grenades or bombs. That’s not realistic.

MrForz.1953:

Do whatever you want, the top builds will remain HGH P/P and Grenades, but nothing holds you from doing gadget/turret based builds with any weapon you like as long as you meet some criterias.

If they would fix the bugged turret traits I would love to experiment with some turret builds. Likewise, it would be nice if they strengthened gadgets either passively through traits or actively through the skills I would love to create an “Inspector Gadget” build.