Guild Wars 2

Hello friends,

I’m new, very new.

Recently i’ve been studying some builds on the engineer and I’m starting to understand the direction most builds take. However, I’m curious on some of choices within the builds, and I have some questions.

Firstly, the Elixir Gun. Could someone explain the attraction? I don’t see much on this kit that makes it a must have except for a mediocre escape tool.

Second, I see many run with either rifle or dual pistols. Is this a choice made by personal taste?

Finally, are engy’s decent at 1v1 or are they meant as a dps’ partner in a fight.

For your EG question, are you talking about in PvE or PvP? It’s brought for different reasons in both.

In PvE, the Elixir Gun is brought for Acid Bomb. It’s a blast finisher on a semi-short CD that also is a damage increase; you do more damage swapping and using it in a power build than you do just spamming grenades. Depending on whether or not Sinister really takes off (I’m waiting to see if ArenaNet says that burn ticks are here to stay before I get all that invested in it) you’ll see the Elixir Gun getting dropped over the Bomb Kit for extra burn stacks.

In PvP, the Elixir Gun is brought for general team support and a decent stunbreaker. Fumigate cleanses conditions off allies at an alarmingly good rate for the CD, and Super Elixir cleanses one condition with a mediocre pulse heal. It’s also pretty decent at mitigating bursts since the auto attack, Tranquilizer Dart, stacks weakness. I’ll swap to it if there’s a ranger or a necromancer hitting me that I can’t reach, and offers substantial damage reduction if paired with Frost Aura from the Mortar Kit (though that’s kind of beyond what you’re probably ready to hear).

As for rifle vs. pistols, it’s about power vs. conditions.

I think Phineas answered most of your question.

To put it simply if you build for it you’ll be fine 1v1. In some cases 1 v x too. It is really down to build and for that reason it’s not as simple as a yes or no question.

In that same sense PvP or WvW? I can tell you know I fight just fine 1v1 in WvW but in PvP I rarely try to put myself in that situation. Certain classes like mesmer and ele (not just in this meta but most) are strong duelist by nature. Engineer can be but requires lots of timing. So if you aren’t accustomed to engineer playstyle you may lose many duels.