Guild Wars 2

So thinking about the current situation with Engineer, I figured we could use a DPS power focused weapon. Hammer is decent, but the set is more for playing bunker than a full out DPS set. So after some thinking, I thought of an idea for an elite: Handloader. The idea is since we are pushed into being jack-of-trades, this elite would try to enhance that a bit. Please let me know if this seems too OP or UP or anything; any feedback is appreciated.

The premise of this elite is to set up and hold down points. If they are pulled into a fight, they have more than enough surprises to deal with a target.

Overview

• New Skill Type: Traps
• New weapon: Longbow
• Unique Mechanic: Ammo Belt

Toolbelt is replaced with the Ammo Belt, modifying the damage type of traps (CD shared by all of them – 10 seconds). It kinda works like Elementalist Attunements, so only one ammo type active at a time.

F1 – Fire Powder: Activate the Fire Powder ammo, dealing burning and weakness.
F2 – Ice Crystals: Activate the Ice Crystal ammo, dealing chill.
F3 – Shock Crystals: Activate the Shock Powder ammo, applying blind.
F4 – Rock Powder: Activate the Rock Powder ammo, dealing cripple and vulnerability.
F5 – Experiment TP-000 (40s cooldown): Allows the next trap placed to be filled with an experimental powder. When the trap is detonated, apply an extra random ammo type.

Longbow Skills:
The longbow is slightly AoE focused and does moderate power damage.

1) Bomb Arrow – 1200 range: Damage a target and deal AoE damage around them.
2) Sticky Arrow (6s) – 900 range: Apply a sticky grenade to the target area that explodes after 2 seconds, dealing damage.
3) Powder Arrow (10s) – 900 range: Fire an arrow at the target, evading backwards and briefly dazing the foe.
4) Rocket Arrow (25s)- 900 range: Fire a rocket arrow in a line, launching targets and exploding on each hit. Unblockable.
5) Override Dispensers (30s): For 5 seconds, arrow skills are affected by the Ammo Belt.

Traps:
Unlike other traps, these traps must be manually detonated. They have an arm time of 0.5 seconds. All traps do moderate AoE damage. Other players can see the Handloader throw a package at the ground when throwing a trap.

All traps are ground-targeted – 600 range.

Alchemic Trap: Drop an Alchemic Trap.
-Chains -> Explode Alchemic Trap: Detonate the Alchemic Trap. Heals you for a large amount when detonated, applying Poison to enemies and Regeneration to allies.

Utilities:

Explosive Trap: Place an Explosive Trap.
Chains into -> Explode Trap: Detonate the Explosive Trap, dealing damage. Deals increased damage for every boon on the target.
1 Boon: ~10% damage
2 Boons: ~15% damage
3+ Boons: ~20% damage

Mini-Bomb Trap: Place three Mini-Bomb Traps.
Chains -> Detonate all Mini-Bomb Traps. Deals damage to foes. Each bomb is a Blast finisher.

Reversal Trap: Place a Reversal Trap.
Chains -> Detonate Reversal Trap: Teleport to the Reversal Trap. Any enemies in the area are teleported to your previous location, and steal a boon from each foe. Stunbreak.

Marker Trap: Place a Marker Trap.
Chains -> Detonate Marker Trap: Detonate and deal area damage and mark foes. Marked foes take double effects from the Ammo Belt for 5 seconds.

Elite:

Scarecrow Trap: Place a Scarecrow Trap. (Visible scarecrow before it detonates)
Chains -> Detonate Scarecrow Trap: Pulses Slow (1s) for 3 seconds.

I really like the idea, and it seems to cover the weak area of engineers: strong team support. The only real issues I have with it is those stuns seem kinda long, but at the same time a lot of the skills rely on hard cc so no idea for that.

The other nitpick is I see a decent amount of conditions from the skills can be applied like you pointed out with Sonic Boon, but no trait synergy with them for being a hybrid-ish trait line. Look at the Firearms trait line, it has synergy with the bleed stacks that can be applied. What I would say is move some traits around so that some hybrid traits can be put in. I don’t know, something like:

Master Trait – White Canary: Whenever you inflict poison, inflict fear and blindness. (X cooldown)

GrandMaster Trait – Gas Pocket: Attacking someone with a poison condition applies burning to all foes near the target. (x cooldown)

Regardless, I do like the idea.

No, it just means that when you use it, all the conditions that get converted to boons have a duration of 6 seconds, regardless of their original duration.

Adamantium.3682:

I respect that you’re looking for something quick and easy Nightmare, but cherry picking when it comes to DPS comparisons never ends well. You have to include bleeds and vuln for both bombs and grenades which is just the beginning of where it starts to get messy.

Yeah, I was thinking that as well. I was just trying to include the full base attack, but I definitely agree it gets messy really fast. Consider it an analysis of base attacks only I suppose.

Well, here’s the thing Obetna: those graphs are just straight power damage. So assuming that that burn never ticks, then yes it is less.

So I just finished doing new graphs with the burn ticks from the end of FT AA. I could include possible other things, but that gets into the whole “should I include this possible bleed tick” etc. These values are only what come from the attacks themselves.

On the first graph, I basically just added the burn tick damage to the DPS.

With the second graph, the burn ticks don’t start until the 2.5 second mark. Every second interval afterwards, it will tick the 131. In addition, the damage is the +10% while burning. As a warning, this is rough since the total damage increases linearly rather than every “damage tick”. It just gives a general idea I’ve seen.

Stalima.5490:

you just got graph’d, welcome to engineer town

also does this graph include the base condition damage of the autoattack as that is ALWAYS applied on the last tick (at least the minimum damage of 2 second burn for FT)

Actually no, you’re right I forgot about that burning. Those graphs are just straight damage from power. Let me do some calculations real quick.

OP, your specific answer is below, but I figured I would post the DPS comparisons I’ve been working on as well. Firstly, a few general assumptions:

• No critical damage calculations
• Weapon Damage: 1095.5
• Kit Damage: 952.5 (exotic level scaling)
• Only used damage calculations of auto-attacks

To begin, I started with calculating the damage of a single attack on a 2600 armor target.

• Grenade: Three grenades on one attack with a scaling of 0.33
• FT AA: Damage scaling of 2.5
• Mortar AA: Damage scaling of 0.8
• Hip Shot: Damage scaling of 0.65

Making a graph with differing power stats, I created the graph below titled “Damage Scaling”. On a single attack, the FT AA is much higher than any of the others. However, since this is about DPS, I made a second graph with DPS calculations with these assumptions:

• Grenade: 1 attack/second, 3 grenades each
• FT AA: Entire channel time is 2.57 seconds, so about 0.389 attacks/second
• Mortar AA: There was no time calculations on the wiki, and since the tooltips don’t include pre/aftercasts, I tried to do a few quick time calculations. I ended up with 13 attacks/10 seconds, so 1.3 attacks/second.
• Hip Shot: 1.19 attacks/second

The second graph below titled “DPS” is this graph.

So OP, so now I get to your question for full zerk and 25 might stacks. Since its a very specific set, I have 3038 power w/Ruby Trinkets & jewels. Assuming a 2600 armor target and using the above attack/second values:

• Grenade DPS: 1102 DMG/s
• Hip Shot DPS: 990 DMG/s
• Mortar Shot DPS: 1157 DMG/s
• FT DPS: 1083 DMG/s

Again, let me know if anyone finds a value off.

What simple said, so they probably can disable items/the rest of your list pretty fast.

I always wanted to be a Psychonaut, and this sounds pretty interesting. As much as I like Rampage for engineer, I can definitely agree on a unique transform like this.

For Force Pull, I take it the levitate is just a glorified knockdown just as a different visual effect? PSI crush sounds interesting as well, not to mention extremely strong on CC.

If you wanted Elixir X to go in this direction, what would you suggest for Toss Elixir X?

Shoulders: Carapace
Chest/Leggings/Boots: Magitech
Gauntlets: Fused Gauntlets
Helmet: Adventurers Scarf
Back: Mad Memories

morrolan.9608:

So the radius it hits is 240? I think others have tested it and found that the graphic is 240 but it only hits for 180 radius.

I just tested it in Heart of the Mists and yeah you’re correct: the graphic is 240 but it only hits in 180, and the tooltip only states 180 as well. With the picture I attached, I had no burn ticks or damage on the golem after the bomb went off.

I don’t have a screenshot of the new LA (still downloading), but heres a screenshot of the new loading screen:

Black para goner.7612:

One last thing, I’m confused about the Ram change, I was thinking Launching was much effective then a daze. I mean if it dazed at a long range maybe but so close, I don’t really see the difference, could you explain that to me alittle? I mean if it launched then after they got dazed for a second, then I can see how strong it can be.

Nah, its the toolbelt skill they meant on that, not the actual utility.

What Joshua said below me

Kit Refinement:

• 1) The CD is long. Reduce from 20 to 15 seconds.

Most of the issue with this trait comes from not knowing when the skill will proc, which the above suggestion will help immensely. Knowing when to swap to a certain kit will be a massive plus for this trait, and will help multi-kit builds so it doesn’t turn into a micro-management game trying to figure it out.

This suggestion would to lower the CD of the trait, to 15 or so. The reason is most of the effects are barely any length of time, and while it’s supposed to be a bonus instead of a cornerstone, the CD is long enough that it’s neither.

• 2)The effect itself is lackluster. Add a minor effect on trait activation that will be reliable.

While most of the individual effects are okay, overall the trait is still lackluster.

One suggestion for this would have Kit Refinement have a reliable effect to the trait, like cure one condition on swap or 1 to 2 seconds of stability. The reasoning is the trait needs a reliable effect to it, so it isn’t completely useless if the trait is activated at a wrong time.

First, there’s a general suggestion for the UI, which is summed up briefly (which does tie into this thread):

• Add a UI addition that shows trait ICD’s, like boons.

There was a thread somewhere that had this idea, and it would pretty much solve a lot of issues with traits and with Kit Refinement as well: Add a notice on the player’s screen that shows cooldown lengths of traits with ICD’s that are currently on cooldown, that only the player can see.

This is a really big issue with traits, because we barely have any idea when certain traits can proc or chance to proc, so there’s a mockup below of what this looks like below. Basically it would look pretty similar to a boon, with the ring around the icon for a quick view of the time remaining. The tooltip while hovering could show the trait info itself, and show the actual time left on the ICD.

dancingmonkey.4902:

coglin.1867:

I do not feel we need more stability ever since they added the stun breaker to the EG tool belt skill.

Mostly I feel we just need a little bit more in condition removal. Personally I want a little more toward removing cripple, chill, and immobilize. I have little trouble out of stuns.

I kind of agree with this. We have to many ways to deal with CC. CC build should and need to be capable builds. They should not be invalidated simply because some players do not like being CCed.

I was thinking of this problem, so what if Kit Refinement was buffed a bit and removes a condition or two when it activates? Kinda what it used to be but still the 20s CD (or slightly shorter).

This is a pretty good April Fools

This is probably the best thread for it since its about changes, so should we just consider this thread for all the upcoming changes?

All the new Grandmaster traits were revealed.

• Explosives: Synaptic Overload – gain 3 seconds of quickness when you hit a foe with a knockback skill

• Firearms: Bunker Down – Create a proximity mine at your location when you critically hit with an attack. Mines have a 10s duration, 2s cooldown (mines do not remove boons)

• Inventions: Fortified Turrets – your turrets are surrounded by a reflective shield when created. 4s duration, ends if the turret is picked up or destroyed.

• Alchemy: Experimental Turrets – Turrets apply boons based in a 600 raidus around them every 10 seconds. Thumper turrets: 3 seconds of protection. Net turret: 10s of swiftness. Rifle turret – 5s of fury. Healing turret – 3s of vigor. Rocket turret – 3s of retaliation; Flame turret – 3 stack of might for 10s.

• Tools – Gadgeteer – gadgets grant additional boons upon use. Boon vary based on the gadget being used – AED – 3s of retaliation, Personal Battering Ram – 5s of fury; Rocket Boots – 4s of Vigor; Slick Shoes – 8s of regeneration; Throw mine – 6s of aegis; Utility Goggles 5 stacks of might for 8 seconds.

So, I got the new healing skill for everyone. So here is the reference for all of you:

(Yes I know this is about the toolbelt, its below)

Antitoxin Spray – Use antitoxin to heal yourself and nearby allies while also removing toxic pollen, poison, torment, and confusion.

I don’t know the base healing, but with about 190 healing power the heal is 4035, with 519 per condition removed.

And this is the toolbelt:

Packaged Antitoxin – Throw a vial of antitoxin that converts toxic pollen, poison, confusion, and torment into regeneration.
25 second cooldown
1200 range

3 Seconds (base) of regeneration per condition

By the looks of it, it throws a consumable on the ground that acts like the medkit skills.

No, it didn’t do this much damage; damage got buffed quite a bit as in it’s like x2 damage now.

Adamantium.3682:

Rezzet.3614:

loving it in wvw

How are you using it? I don’t see how this is good when you have an eternity to dodge it. I’d love to learn something.

In WvW it’ll arc over walls and gates and hit inside. It’s probably good for close range too, or hitting people on walls hanging at the back of them if you want farther range.

It might be just me but with the Juggernaut trait, I would also change Coated Bullets to Fireforged Trigger for lower cooldowns on the FT instead of the piercing on a pistol.

Also, there’s ten unspent skill points on that build as well. If you want, put it into something like Fast-Acting Elixirs since the rest of the skills are elixirs.

MonMalthias.4763:

For the most part, this statement by the developers has largely proven to be true. Engineer as a class becomes progressively more dangerous to fight the closer it comes, and much of its damage – both Power and Condition damage based – scales inversely with distance to target.

So I had a thought with something like this. I don’t know where it could be used with pistols, but what about something like this with rifle. With it, Blunderbuss certainly follows that rule, about closer = more damage. But how about something to improve rifle in general by adding Torment to a skill? I mean, with that it’ll make not moving a bit more important to the target, which can be used to get closer.

Jump Shot: In addition to current setup, apply a stack of Torment [3 seconds] to target on landing.

While I do agree that it does need something (PvE really), it still has the occasional use. For example, in WvW (if you care about that aspect), it makes for decent point defense. The barrage skill (#5?) is hilarious if you use it on a bridge right over a large pit and knock everyone down into it, or use it on the corner of a keep/SM and push everyone around. The healing skill is okay for your team if you’re attacking or holding a spot, along with the freeze/caltrops for holding.