I just don’t understand the hate for reviving. If you are in hostile territory, and a long ways from a waypoint, the decision to remove yourself from battle to try and revive a fellow player is a HUGE strategic decision that is not to be made lightly. When you are reviving a player, not only are you exposed, but you are not doing damage.
This post reeks of laziness.
Not even a choice. Asura. I mean, come on.
Turrets that work?
I think they started making detailed descriptions of the Living Story because during Flame and Frost, nobody new what the heck was going on. The early parts dragged on so long, that by the time the story advanced, everyone forgot what they did three weeks prior.
The fact that the living story does not progress in a natural, compelling way is the main reason that I avoid it. I hate keep having to Alt+Tab back and forth just figure out what to do next and who so and so is and what his beef if is with whatsis….
Bad story telling. But then again, I’m only really interesting in WvW anymore.
An SD pistol/pistol build is a very viable build. Spread you traits over Explosives/Firearms/Tools.
You will be something of a glass-cannon, but it packs a punch. And because Explosives also increases “Condition Duration” , it works doubly well with pistols. Add in some Rare Veggie Pizza’s and you set.
" the mystic toilet.."
+1
Now that there are randomized match ups, such a thing as ranking no longer has any meaning. It’s just meant to be played for fun. There is no other purpose to WvW so long as the Maps can only be won by having superior numbers.
The Alchemy traits Hidden Flask and Self-regulating Defenses trigger Forumla 409 as if you used an elixir normally.
This is something more people ought to know about.
This was new to me. Thanks!
R A M P A G E R
Nice. I’m worn out just watching!
An Attack Value of 3,000 is 3,000 -regardless of how it is achieved. If you have 3,000 Attack with 15 stacks of Might, it’s no more powerful than 3,000 Attack with 0 stacks of Might.
Yam gets my question – and I believe his values of 2700 Attack and 1700 Condi Damage (on average). I can achieve similar values in my build (actually better in Attack but less in Condi Damage) without HGH. What I am MISSING is the added Vitality (Health) that comes from traiting in the Alchemy line.
I’m trying to understand why HGH is considered so powerful, when Yam’s values are fairly average (no offense intended, truly).
I should have been clearer. I’m interested in hearing from those experienced with HGH builds what their average Attack rating is in combat. 3,000? 3,200? 4,000?
This is a simple question. If you are stacking 10-15 or even 20 Might, what is your Attack rating on average?
20 30 0 0 20 is how I trait. Selecting in order: Incendiary Powder, Enhanced Permformance, Hair Trigger, Rifled Barrels, Modified Ammunition, Static Discharge, Speedy Kits. I use P/P (‘zerker with sigils of battle and corruption) EG, Rifle Turret (for Surprise Shot) and Took Kit. This mainly for WvW, but PvE is easy — been awhile since I’ve run a dungeon however….
My stats (when charged) are around 3,100 Attack, 1,420 Condi Damage, 33% Critical Chance and 50% Critical Damage – w/ Pizza I get 60% Condi Duration.
This is a hybrid, and may not be for everyone, but I really enjoy it. I’ve got close to 1,500 hours on my Engi and this is what I’m most interesting in right now. It works for me.
Rampager pairs well with a Static Discharge build. Power is coupled with Condition Duration on the trait line, so even if you don’t have a lot of Condi Damage, you can (with Pizza) build up some pretty impressive Condi Duration stats.
This is something of a hybrid build – but there’s nothing wrong with that.
I see using the Sigil of Earth, along with Sharpshooter trait, as being similar to using two sigils of earth – one for each pistol. It will only add incrementally to the CHANCE to Bleed on Critical.
If you have Sharpshooter, you would be better served using another sigil in your available weapon slot.
Please correct me if I’m wrong.
I see Sigil of Earth as redundant, because Sharpshooter trait (5 pts in Firearms) gives you a 30% chance to cause bleed for 3 seconds on criticals. Obviously you would need to have this trait selected, which I always do with my P/P build.
There is no one great set of armor. The armor is deliberately traited in such a way as to make you either survivable, but not deal out great amounts of damage — or you can burst large amounts of damage, but not be very survivable.
It comes down largely to play-style. Probably the most important question to ask (and answer) is what main weapon do you like? Pistol or Rifle? With pistol, you’ll want some ability to survive because it takes time for the Conditions to do their job. The Rifle is largely the opposite – it punches out great amounts of damage very quickly and benefits from a “Berserker” build.
I wish the option to solo were still an “option”. My days of dungeon running with groups is LONG gone. I don’t have the patience for it any more. Early on (last Sept ?) it was exciting because we were all trying to learn how to make it thru the dungeons. Now it’s just cynical loot runs, each person with their own agenda.
It’s not like a tossed turret actually does any damage, is it? It lasts probably even less time, because it’s closer to the enemy and it’s more convenient for him to kill. lol.
OP, listen to Jcorna. His experience mirrors mine almost exactly (re the weapon progression). Engi in PvE is perfectly viable with almost ANY build or focus. Just try and keep your armor, weapons and buffs all headed in vaguely the same direction.
Have fun, explore, try different things.
I find the Rifled Barrels trait in Firearms to be pretty much indispensable for my P/P build in WvW. It allows me to shoot from a greater distance, which I find valuable when firing up at walls or down from walls. It may be psychological, but it works for me.
So I was farming in Cursed Shore, running a P/P sd/condi hybrid with EG/Rifle Turret/Tool Kit.
As I like to do on a Abominations, I dropped a glue gun, light field (Super Elixer) and acid bomb to set up a retaliation field that he would be stuck in. I miss timed it and the Abomination ran thru it. I decided to pull him back into the field with my trusty magnet, but he got hung up on a tree.
I noticed that he was Dazed…? Nothing I’ve equiped (except for Supply Crate) and nothing I’ve traited for can account for the Dazed condi. Have I discovered something new? Has anyone else encountered this?
Thieves ARE hard for Engi’s in a WvW one-on-one situation, so you are hardly alone. Thieves are made to solo.
I think the best advice is use the gear shield when you first encounter one because they will most likely try and hit you with every thing they have to start with.
When you see them stealth in their circle, drop some type of AOE into that circle (nades, Acid Bomb, etc) — and wait a bit. I’ve often found thieves in a downed-state after what seems like 5 seconds or so after dropping an AOE. Used to be that I would try and run away, now I wait with my gear shield ready (again) in case they come back at me.
And not to be a “back in they day” kind of guy… but it used to be MUCH worse. I can remember taking 21k of damage almost instantaneously completely out of the blue. One minute I’m standing and 1 second later I’m at the repair station.
(edited by Soon.5240)
My comment is more a reflection on how poorly the “stories” are being told. I’ve got 1,400 hours on my Asura Engi, and 100% World Completion — so it’s not a matter of finding my a way around the maps.
It’s that Living Stories to date have been so dis-jointed and vacuous of any real mystery or suspense that I find the effort to complete them is greater than any possible reward. I don’t seem to be engaged with them enough to even care what is being said in the cut-scenes and immediately forget them. Much too cliche-ish.
Just give me new Maps to explore…..
I find myself having to constantly Alt+Tab between the game and the walk-thru guide just to know what to do, where to go, how to make something work. Not much “living” about that….
Am I the only one that feels this way? I’m lost have the time and the 15 different names of the NPC’s are confusing.
It really is crap that Anet is flooding the market with cheap level 80 foods. Stupid to cause such deflation. How can we trust them? I’ve made quite a bit of money crafting and selling level 80 food stuff and now they are almost worthless.
Thanks Anet.
Great video Velron, lol. That tornado….
I run a P/P SD hybrid – using 1/2 Berserker and 1/2 Rampager armor w/6 Superior Rune of the Undead. Traited 20 20 0 0 30. And use level 80 Pizza.
With the Superior Sigil of Battle and Superior Sigil of Corruption (and gain Might when use Med Kit Trait) I can keep my total Attack around 3,200, Condition damage around 1,400, Critical Chance 33%, Critical Damage 60% and Condition Duration at 60%.
I use EG, Rifle Turret (for SD/Suprise Shot discharge) and Tool Kit.
It’s been working well for me. I too have over 1,400 hours in an Eng Build. Started day-one on the 3 day head start. This build is working well for me in WvW (and PvE farming and Daylies).
The way that the Trait line couples Power with Condition Duration almost begs you to bump it up – even if running with Pistols. Maybe try that?
The OP may not realize that there is a trait that will reduce the cool down of shields by 20% plus grant 90 toughness. It’s in the Inventions line.
I still run P/P however. I find myself too many times either not using the shield or not timing it’s use well. Nothing is worse than waiting to use it, lining up the shot, and then… and then…. and then…. nothing, missed. Sorry, wait 30 seconds and try again.
The Blow Torch however has a 12 sec cool down (!!!!!!!) and can hit multiple baddies without much aiming, and delivers, what by any measure, is a healthy amount of damage. And did I mention it has a fricken 12 second cool down?
Love the Tool Kit shield, by the way. 20 sec cool down and blocks EVERYTHING.
Can you post your build?
I’d there to be more of a fight to it…..
I’m an Engineer, so I don’t really have to worry about it being one-sided, lol. I have to constantly cycle thru different kits and weapons to do ANY damage. You say spam, I say survival.
(edited by Soon.5240)
I don’t think you have your armor selected in the link. Rampager and Carrion both have Condition Damagte, so that would help you “tag” more enemies and make the tag stick. Also, using level 80 Pizza adds 40% condition duration.
Use the magnet…. I gotta try that!
i’m just curious, why do you care how long it takes to bring someone down? Or are you equating that “burst” with being a glass cannon? In WvW, the faster you can drop someone the better- his friends might show up!
lol, i’ve never really understood heal either. I hope someone answers. I think i have 313 heal…..
What’s not been commented on is to me the most obvious. It’s that Engineers are just plain funny.
Nothing beats pulling someone to you with a magnet, bopping them with a pry bar, fumigating them and then bopping out while leaving an acid bomb for them to stew in.
Oh yeah, and then shooting them with your belt buckle as a parting gift.
60 hour matches. Begin 8:00 am Sunday, finish 8:00 pm Tuesday. Rinse and repeat.
I agree with Walorx: SD is made for firing into large crowds. It’s probably at it’s weakest when used one-on-one. But it’s a perfectly viable build for PvE and WvW (I don’t PvP so I can’t comment on that).
dagnabbit…if it stays this way….We’ll,(FA)….will probably be playing TC and DB yet again, lol.
The sad part is that because of RNG we have no way of knowing if this is true.
A server can pull together, fight against all odds, over come all obstacles and at the last moment snatch victory from the jaws of defeat! Only to be punished next week by RNG’ing….
Only one of eight match ups appears to be even remotely competitive. Four match ups are kaput for the week and three others are trending that way.
And we’re,what, 14 hours into the reset?
Sigh….
(edited by Soon.5240)
As a business, they only have some many man hours they can commit to WvW on a monthly basis. They have to meet payroll just like every other company.
They also have micro-projects that they have been working on for months that they have to continue to roll out to generate revenue (pets, bonfires, etc.).
Other than fixing culling, they’ve made no substantial changes to WvW – nor are they likely to before GW3 comes out.
They know it’s broken but there is kitten all they can do to fix it.
I give the game one more year. And it won’t be a fun one. The stink of death will appear in about 6 months… then it will just be a sad, sad game….
Maybe try using the Rifle Turret in your 7 slot – not for the Turret itself, but for the tool belt “Suprise Shot”. This is a fast cool down (I think 7 seconds) and coupled with Static Discharge, does decent damage.
blutstein is right that you are headed in the direction of what know as a Static Discharge build – but a true static discharge build relies on ranged damage delivered from the tool belt. The Took Kit’s tool belt (Throw Wrench) also works with a SD build.
If you want to take the SD to the next level, consider using Bersker armor and not Knights.
So, are you getting 60% Might Duration from the Runes alone? Is that how it works? Does it stack that way?
Well, there is the Static Discharge build. Typically runs with Berserker Gear and relies on high Critical Chance and high Critical Damage. It’s something of a glass cannon, but it delivers decent non-condi based damage.
Just listen to the sounds that “Fumigate” and “Acid Bomb” make. If that doesn’t convince you to roll Engi, then it just aint for you.
Engi’s are just fun, funny and frustrating. What’s not to love?
Three engineers together would drop a pocket protector and slide ruler?
I’d probably move the 20 from Alchemy to 20 in Fire Arms and trait for the 20% increase in burn duration.