Guild Wars 2

The Charr racial skill Shrapnel Mine is what I’m referring to. I seem to recall a patch note in the past making this skill be treated as an explosion, which would interact with some Engineer traits.

Can anyone confrim or deny if it works with:

• Shrapnel
• Forceful Explosives
• Explosive Powder
• Steel Packed Powder

I would test myself, but my engineer is Sylvari.

Racial skills are not listed in the accompanying skill-categories to be affected by traits, however, in this case you found a excellent example of a underrated racial skill.

shrapnel mine has a double-sized proximity radius, and a natural 240 explosion radius. Additionally, it scales better with power. In fact, it scales so well with power that it exceeds throw mine’s direct damage even when you trait throw mine with explosive powder. You have to trait throw mine with forceful explosives as well to accomplish the same explosion radius, that shrapnell mine already has.
Still, both skill are pretty unique and offer different belt-abilities.

shrapnel mine does not rip boons, nor is a blast finisher, nor has a hard cc, and is on a 20sec cd, regardless what you trait, but on a condi-build, focused on bleed stacking, you definitively get a better performing utility skill with awesome, long lasting soft-cc.

when it comes to the belt-ability, minefield almost always outperforms booby-trap, since the engis BA-cd reduction only works with engi skills, leaving booby-trap on a constant 45sec cd.

as I said, shrapnell-mine has its niche and can be awesome cc-support for condi-duration builds, but throw mine – even if you have to trait it heavily to perform better – has the potential to perform better and sits on a more comfortable 900 range, than shrapnell mines’ 600 range.

Generally speaking, it is a matter of your preferences what you pick, but keep in mind that boon-ripping is a insanely powerful mechanic.

I set up a demonstration in the build-editor, with most of the throw-mine relevant traits and +80% condi duration. look into it for yourself.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fdIQBS0z2usEptQG13PvIAA-TFApAAbZF-w

You could get +20% more condi duration for cripple / bleed or both, but since there are so many more viabel options for condi-builds in terms of sigils, I’ve left that out, and ofc you could get additionally 45% bleed-duration from krait-runes and such alike.

While that’s nice info and all, I really just wanted to know if it was affected by any of those traits. The build editor isn’t perfect (for example, Ranger pets F2’s showing scaling from master’s stats, condition/boon duration caps not observed, etc.), and this would likely be a case where it’s mistaken. The toolbelt skill isn’t showing the reduced cooldown from Tools line either.

I know Shrapnel Mine isn’t affected by cooldown reduction traits because those all specify a skill type (which it lacks) or a weapon (irrelevant). However “explosion” modifying traits affect bombs, grenades, mines, and even Detonate Flame Blast (according to the build editor).

I see.
Welp, my charr engi is only lvl 58 with no traits whatsoever (except speedy kits), and on my human engi can’t confirm it.