Guild Wars 2

Hi guys. I just wanted to go back to my engineer and im looking for a good PVE rifle build. Preferably not using too many kits because I want to see my rifle at least 90% of the time. It doesnt have to be meta but at least usable in fractals as well (T4 if possible). Currently using static discharge build with low toolbelt cd skills (rifle turret, ram, throw wrench). Using mortar kit onlt for the toolkit and smoke field/water field burst if needed.

Simply put, rifle is too low of damage to really call ‘viable’ for higher end PVE play as a primary weapon. But, your best bet would be to focus on a Static Discharge build using Rifle Turret and Grenades for Barrage, and Launch Personal Battering Ram.

Kitless builds are just sub par because we’re designed where our actual weapons are meant to only be a part of our build, not the driving force, at least for non scrapper builds (hammer is an ‘ok’ option).

Wish I could give you better news, but that’s the truth about it. For general PVE play it’d be fine, for lower level fractals it’d be fine, and hell for a bad pug group you still might do the most damage in t4, but realistically you could get a LOT more damage if you incorporated a ‘primary kit’ like bombs, grenades, or even FT as your ‘auto attack’.

there is no way you will be able to have a 90% rifle build in t4 fractals without getting kicked or making your party suffer, sorry

Jerus.4350:

Wish I could give you better news, but that’s the truth about it. For general PVE play it’d be fine, for lower level fractals it’d be fine, and hell for a bad pug group you still might do the most damage in t4, but realistically you could get a LOT more damage if you incorporated a ‘primary kit’ like bombs, grenades, or even FT as your ‘auto attack’.

Hey thanks for the reply. You mentioned ft auto attack. What build centers that kind of playstyle because im also interested in ft builds?

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQFASlUUhatY1Vw8KQ7FL3FF4CGhBA9tH75uYB9D5AA

I usually go with something like that. I generally just use it when I’m too lazy to swap into a true PVE build after coming out of WvW so it’s with my WvW gear, but the point of the build is mainly a high uptime of quickness/fury with basically max might while you do mediocre base damage it buffs up to be pretty decent and permanent stability which makes for easy play.

It’s a general PVE play build, not something I’d bring into a group situation as it’s strength is personal buffing which will overlap with what your PS warrior and Chronomancer will give you to the point of being pretty useless. For those situations there is also the FT ‘plebineer’ build which is condi focused, not as good as the grenade based version but still decent. This is that build minus the gear (viper/sinisher combination as per meta/qt builds determines is best, also condi food): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQJAqalUUhatYfXwqKQ7FLsF1XFmhHA4HWiBwYcMG/IA

Chances are people would complain seeing that build but realistically you can do 28k (optimal) vs the grenade variation at 30k, and full kit build at 32-35k (depending on the ‘rotation’ used). So it’s not horrible just sub-optimal, not something I’d suggest but it certainly is viable.

Jerus.4350:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQFASlUUhatY1Vw8KQ7FL3FF4CGhBA9tH75uYB9D5AA

I usually go with something like that. I generally just use it when I’m too lazy to swap into a true PVE build after coming out of WvW so it’s with my WvW gear, but the point of the build is mainly a high uptime of quickness/fury with basically max might while you do mediocre base damage it buffs up to be pretty decent and permanent stability which makes for easy play.

It’s a general PVE play build, not something I’d bring into a group situation as it’s strength is personal buffing which will overlap with what your PS warrior and Chronomancer will give you to the point of being pretty useless. For those situations there is also the FT ‘plebineer’ build which is condi focused, not as good as the grenade based version but still decent. This is that build minus the gear (viper/sinisher combination as per meta/qt builds determines is best, also condi food): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQJAqalUUhatYfXwqKQ7FLsF1XFmhHA4HWiBwYcMG/IA

Chances are people would complain seeing that build but realistically you can do 28k (optimal) vs the grenade variation at 30k, and full kit build at 32-35k (depending on the ‘rotation’ used). So it’s not horrible just sub-optimal, not something I’d suggest but it certainly is viable.

Thanks for this. Ill look into the plebineer build more and how it works. Which auto attack should I use if skills are still on cd? Pistol or flamethrower?

Flamethrower, simply put, you’ll use all your FT skills minus the blind, use your pistol 3, 4, 2 skills, and rocket kick all on cooldown. Do your best not to interrupt a FT1 skill as the burning is at the end. Turret you’ll want to keep up but use the toolbelt skill when it’s available (drop the toolbelt skill before dropping the turret, then when it dies use it and get that turret back up asap). Little tip is you can drop FT and the 1 will still go through if you use the utility skill to drop the kit rather than weapon swap key. This lets you swap early and check pistol skills without a loss if you drop as soon as the auto goes off, but best just to learn the pistol timing.

Jerus.4350:

Flamethrower, simply put, you’ll use all your FT skills minus the blind, use your pistol 3, 4, 2 skills, and rocket kick all on cooldown. Do your best not to interrupt a FT1 skill as the burning is at the end. Turret you’ll want to keep up but use the toolbelt skill when it’s available (drop the toolbelt skill before dropping the turret, then when it dies use it and get that turret back up asap). Little tip is you can drop FT and the 1 will still go through if you use the utility skill to drop the kit rather than weapon swap key. This lets you swap early and check pistol skills without a loss if you drop as soon as the auto goes off, but best just to learn the pistol timing.

Sweet. Ive tested the rotation and I was able to reach 30 burn one time (tested with balthazar runes). I can see why its not meta but for me its more fun. Thanks a lot. I guess ill run this and can easily change to meta condi builds if needed.

mochang.8235:

Jerus.4350:

Flamethrower, simply put, you’ll use all your FT skills minus the blind, use your pistol 3, 4, 2 skills, and rocket kick all on cooldown. Do your best not to interrupt a FT1 skill as the burning is at the end. Turret you’ll want to keep up but use the toolbelt skill when it’s available (drop the toolbelt skill before dropping the turret, then when it dies use it and get that turret back up asap). Little tip is you can drop FT and the 1 will still go through if you use the utility skill to drop the kit rather than weapon swap key. This lets you swap early and check pistol skills without a loss if you drop as soon as the auto goes off, but best just to learn the pistol timing.

Sweet. Ive tested the rotation and I was able to reach 30 burn one time (tested with balthazar runes). I can see why its not meta but for me its more fun. Thanks a lot. I guess ill run this and can easily change to meta condi builds if needed.

Yeah it makes for a great entry level gear option using balth runes and something like rabid or rampager stats. That said, you will do better with the full viper + berserker runes (1 ring and either foot, head or shoulders sinister) as bleeding duration matters too, especially if you swap to one of the better skill sets (grenade version or full kit version).

In fractals, especially higher level ones it might be worth using Bomb instead of the turret as well, and Mortar (which I think I put on there though the ‘plebineer’ build xyonon came up with is using supply crate), just for the 2 blind fields those skills give you, but might as well work in the fire bomb/concussion bomb and poison shell as well if you have them.

Anyways now I’m just kind of rambling, but glad I could help.

Jerus.4350:

Flamethrower, simply put, you’ll use all your FT skills minus the blind, use your pistol 3, 4, 2 skills, and rocket kick all on cooldown. Do your best not to interrupt a FT1 skill as the burning is at the end. Turret you’ll want to keep up but use the toolbelt skill when it’s available (drop the toolbelt skill before dropping the turret, then when it dies use it and get that turret back up asap). Little tip is you can drop FT and the 1 will still go through if you use the utility skill to drop the kit rather than weapon swap key. This lets you swap early and check pistol skills without a loss if you drop as soon as the auto goes off, but best just to learn the pistol timing.

You can also use you blind (FT) inbetween since it is instant anyways, maybe dodging a little bit of damage

I am using a Rifle in combination with my Flamethrower and Elixir gun. On its own the Rifle damage is annoyingly poor… but Blunderbuss for its bleed damage… and overcharge shot to interrupt someone.. is nice.

Rifle 3 & 5 are nice damage, 2 & 4 are good vs break bars. The autoattack is really only useful for ranged poke damage in PvP.

Your autoattack should be bomb for power and grenades for condi damage builds.

Jerus.4350:

For those situations there is also the FT ‘plebineer’ build which is condi focused, not as good as the grenade based version but still decent. This is that build minus the gear (viper/sinisher combination as per meta/qt builds determines is best, also condi food): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQJAqalUUhatYfXwqKQ7FLsF1XFmhHA4HWiBwYcMG/IA

Hey just going back to the ft plebineer. I decided ill go grenades on more serious situations but FT is just too fun to watch heheh. I noticed that the build you posted included the chance to bleed on explosions. Is that viable of ft builds as well? Im still building my viper set so I havnt started testing other traits too

mochang.8235:

Jerus.4350:

For those situations there is also the FT ‘plebineer’ build which is condi focused, not as good as the grenade based version but still decent. This is that build minus the gear (viper/sinisher combination as per meta/qt builds determines is best, also condi food): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQJAqalUUhatYfXwqKQ7FLsF1XFmhHA4HWiBwYcMG/IA

Hey just going back to the ft plebineer. I decided ill go grenades on more serious situations but FT is just too fun to watch heheh. I noticed that the build you posted included the chance to bleed on explosions. Is that viable of ft builds as well? Im still building my viper set so I havnt started testing other traits too

Oops, yeah pretty sure flame blast doesn’t count as an explosion, so no, no use out of it. I just put it there out of habit.