Guild Wars 2

I’m having an extremely difficult time figuring out how I want to build my Engineer for leveling and some dungeons.

It’s only level 32 now, but I feel like I’m having a lot of issues. At the moment, I’m running 0-10-0-10-2, with Elixir H, Elixir B, Elixir U, and Grenade Kit. However, I feel constantly squishy with little damage, with just enough CC that if I’m only fighting a single mob, I can avoid getting hurt. But the moment I aggro anything more, I go down in a flame of spamming heal, never having enough dodges (coming from my perma-Vigor Guardian, it’s frightening not having enough dodges), and just barely getting out of the confrontation alive.

Anyone have any tips for starting an Engineer? Ideally, I would like to focus on using the Rifle and just plain doing damage, since my Guardian already fulfills its role of just staying alive and supporting my team. For a while, was experimenting with Turrets in PvE, but given their stationary nature and cooldowns, I really felt that they were only useful when I needed to do a Skill Point challenge or something similar.

At most levels you have that lower DPS or squishy problem. As a lower level character you tend to have both for a while. For the dodge rolls get speedy kits with the first 10 points in the bottom trait line (tools) then the next to the bottom trait line (alchemy) with 10 points you can get invigorating speed which gives you vigor when you have swiftness. With these two traited you can basically have constant swiftness and vigor if you swap kits regularly. As you guess you will not be able to get away with a full elixir build with these traited though. So medkit or a weapon kit is a must to get these to function properly.

I’m with most of the engis that look at turrets as a joke for the most part. The net turret can come in handy at times but it doesn’t fire off often enough for me to equip it. The rifle seems to just be better at immobilizing.

I’d say do some crafting for a while LOL. Engis suck less at higher levels but you will be no super heavy hitter even with the rifle. The CC it offers is great against 1vs1 in pvp though. For PVE I ran rifle and flame thrower with random elixirs most of the time.

Agreeing with MikeT on using the two traits to get on-demand swiftness and vigor – this helps a lot. I’ll submit a vote for the Net Turret, though – its corresponding F skill is an additional immobilize (which I then trait to result in crippling and vulnerability). I prefer dual pistols to rifle, but ultimately, I just use whatever best weapon I have access to.

I also tried rifle when I started my engie and had great plans for it. But I ran into the same problems you are describing. If you want to stick to the rifle, I found that an explosive kit helps in melee (I like bombs over grenades). However, soon I realized that pistol/pistol has more synergy with explosives and condition damage.

I believe the rifle was made to work better with turrets.

Static discharge.

You’re level 32? 10 in Tools with Static Discharge (II). You can always swap Speedy Kits (VI) in when you’re traveling just for convenience. Then I’d suggest 10 in Firearms with Hair Trigger (VI). The reduced cooldown is great; more control from Net and Overcharged shots, more damage from Blunderbuss and Jump Shot. After that, I’d start dumping points in Explosives, mostly for the Power boost, but Empowering Adrenaline (IV) is a nice little damage boost when you’re not at full endurance.

Run with Med Kit, Tool Kit, Rifle Turret, and Personal Battering Ram. For your Elite skill, take either Crate or the racial elite of your choice. The corresponding toolbelt skills are on short cooldowns. Use Drop Stimulant before a fight, burn those toolbelt attacks followed by Jump Shot, Blunderbuss, and Prybar… you’ll get the job done. (Almost) anything that’s not dead after that you can control with Net, Overcharged Shot, and PBR (HA!).

Know when you swap to Toolkit for the shield—that shield will save your life more times than you can count. Caltrops can give you a little breathing room if the enemy numbers get out of control. You can also drop the turret, overcharge it, then blow it up and still use the toolbelt skill.

Gear for Power/Precision, and later for Power/Precision/Crit Damage. You’re going to put the “glass” in glass cannon—a skritt fart could knock you down—but if you use your control abilities, gear shield, heal, and Med Kit smart you’ll be a lot tougher than the build otherwise suggests.

Keep your gear up to date, of course. Carry two rifles: one with Bloodlust, one with a damage sigil. I suggest Air.

Edit: I should mention that this is a blueprint. Don’t hesitate to swap utilities based on a situation; I’ve pulled out Net Turret many times when I found myself fighting a melee-based Champion because that extra control really came in handy. In condition heavy places, swap in Elixir C. You’ll lose a bit of damage from the toolbelt skill, but that’s the price you pay.

Once you hit 40, you can either drop 20 in Tools or Precision first—it doesn’t matter too much which order you do, as you’ll just go into the other tree after that. Again, once you’ve maxed Tools and Precision go ahead and drop the extra points into Power. Repeat at 60.

I find the Thumper useful for general PvE just because it has so much health and tends to take aggro pretty easily. Unfortunately, the whole stationary and cooldown thing applies.

Also just use the Rifle Turret for bleeds whenever I have it equipped. Then just pick it up immediately after so hopefully it’ll be ready for the next engagement.

Thanks for all the help so far. I’ll look into some of those swiftness and vigor traits.

[Edit] Also, thanks for the pretty indepth comment, Maullus. I think I might try that out pretty closely for now, until I get a better hang of things myself.