Guild Wars 2

Just started an engineer, I’ve read guides, youtube videos and whatnot…

… but I’m still a bit confused on which build is best suited for PvE (dungeons, etc.) rifle or pistols?

I’ve been leaning on pistols since I’ve played power builds before, want something a bit different (if possible) perhaps a mix of dps/utility/support. Online guides don’t make it as clear, specially for a non-english native speaker.

Any tips are greatly appreciated.

Pistol*S* is never the best option in dungeons. Offhand pistol is a basically a condi option.
Rifle = Power Damage
Pistol/Shield = Defensive
Pistol/Pistol = Condi
Though to add Rifle has immob/knockback which can come in handy(knockback knocks you down as well so not alwasy best to use). Mainhand Pistol has a blind which is nice, offhand Pistol has an immob on it, which can be decent. Shield has your block/reflect for the defensive part, but also has the activated on both of those for a stun/blast respectively.

So offhand Pistol’s only non DPS thing is the immob, which your rifle has as well. I guess you could count the cripple though, but rare use tool.

So in the end, you’re usually best with Rifle, the immob can be quite nice. But I’d say Pistol/Shield offers more utility/support with it’s blind and blast, though you give up a decent chunk of damage to get it and it’s not always needed.

Dungeons:
6/6/0/x/x is the basic setup for all dps builds.
mainhand is always rifle.
Kits are always elixir Gun and Flame thrower. beyond that you have to decide if you like bombs or nades.
Depending on your choice you trait for it.

then you get sigils of force and night, along with scholar or pack runes.
The Gear should be a mix of Berserker and Assassins.
Basically Equip full zerker and then start switching out pieces with assassins until you reach 63% crit chance. This is the magical number.
If you get fury, your crit-chance is on 83%, and if a warri in your group additionally drops a discipline banner, your crit-chance is 100% flat.

this is the (cheaper) exotic variant
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fdAQFAUlUUpEr1axdLseNSbBNqwA6TMi2+5CEgjC-TRSBwAFV6FRJoUlBDV/h4+Do0Bgw8X+LAAgHAgoAiI-e

and this is the extremely expensive high-end version
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fdAQFAUlUUpEr1axdLseNSbBNqwA6TMi2+5CEgjC-TBSBABiq+AlqwYmSwrU+R0+D4pDAgHAQeXAgAAHAnfeA48zP/8zPvrP/8zP/8RBERA-e
In both variants you should either run sharpening stones or the slaying potion of the dungeon you do.
This gear also works awesome in Silverwastes (especially with pack runes), when running a static discharge build and doing the top lane boss.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fdAQFAUlUUpkrtdxmKseRSeBN6kclaCyAsAxFwvA-TBSBABiq+AlqwYmSwrU+R0+D4pDYhLAAAPAgAAHAnfeA48zP/8zPvrP/8zP/8SBExUL-e
You loose 5% crit-chance in plain stats, but the trait scope covers that.

I even run a very similar build in WvW, but with armor mods, defender-runes and sigil of air&fire.