Guild Wars 2

I really don’t understand why should i bother with my weapons (rifle, pistols) when i can do much better damage with kits: Bombs, Grenades or even Flamethrower or Elixir gun?
So my question is: do you ever use your pistols or rifle? And if you do so, when or where: SPvP, WwW or even PvE?

Hello frands! Vee Wee here, #1 Engi NA and world first rank 80!

Use your kit abilities! Then use your weapon abilities! Then use your 2nd kit abilities! Then swap back to your first kit abilities! Then use your weapon abilities! Then use your 2nd kit abilities! Then swap back to your first kit abilities! Then use your weapon abilities! And it keeps going and going and going!

Wahoo! Bye frands!

I use a rifle when I need something long range and fast. Grenades are longer range then rifles (with grenadier), but they are ground targeted. I also use a rifle or pistol when I will be doing alot of moving around at range or in a dungeon where low hp things spawn fast around an area that you have to kill fast where you just tab-1, tab-1, tab-1. Like the little golems in one of the CoE paths (I dont remember which path(s) that is) Elixer gun would work in these cases too though, but a rifle gives you both a knock back and an immobilize. I do spend most of my time in a kit as well, though.

I can’t speak for P/S, but when it comes to the rifle, the answer’s CC.

Net shot and overcharged shot, properly used, can be quite devastating in PvP or WvW. They’re a common opening salvo in a CC chain; if your opponent’s on the floor or immobilized, then dumping all the dmg from your other kits becomes a lot easier. In WvW in particular you can use either to doom a fleeing opponent, or escape someone chasing you.

And then there’s the satisfaction of blasting someone off a cliff to their doom - though admittedly FT 3 is also good for that.

Main Hand Pistol: Condition Blanket weapon, designed simply to cover foes with a multitude of mild conditions. Generally suffers from Poor power damage and lack of Survivability/combo utility but has an Overall faster rate of fire across the 3 skills making it ideal for proc mechanics. In comparison to Rifle.

Rifle: Control/utility weapon that scales excellently with power, Provides a reliable combo finisher,condition based control and hard CC. As well as soft CC removal and mild mobility.
Can Generally suffer from low sustain but brings a high potential burst.

Off Hand Shield: Complete utility weapon. Trades damage and reliability(through lengthy cooldowns) for potent utility. Excellent in condition attrition/bunker builds increasing your survivability providing Projectile reflection, hard CC and long range Dazes not to mention the Combo: Blast Finisher. However the Long cool downs make this weapon act more like additional utility skills, and can feel unforgiving when poorly executing the skills.

Off Hand Pistol: High Risk High reward condition based weapon that provides potent Burn pressure at close range that cleaves targets and synergies well with Main Hand Pistols blanketing conditions keeping the Burn from the possibility of immediate removal. Also provides a mild Immobilize and soft CC that can help land the more crucial skills. Even with the access to Unblockable soft CC, this weapon has very little utility and with unforgiving cooldowns this weapon can offer little to no survivability when in a bind.

Ideally, The Engineers dominant strategy with their Weapons is to lead their opponent into situations you can monopolize on. Usually These Weapons stagger on their own, these weapons truly begin to shine when used in tandem with the proper Tool Belt skills and/or Kit Skills. Leading your enemy into a Heal so you can Poison Dart Volley. Or Throwing Shield behind you, at would be assailants buying you enough time for proper positioning ect.

Its part of rotation you simply cant use only weapon or only kit if you wanna be good engi:-)

Well, something had to go in those first five slots and other weapons didn’t seem to fit, so… you know…