Dangleon,
You make it sound like that we on SF are some clever, conniving Machavelian server that is so well organized that we actually can coordinate a back-door agreement with another server to thwart the designs of Kain!
If only.
The truth is we are badly depleted from transfers and only play WvW for fun. What? Do you think that at this tier we are striving for the brass ring?
Lol.
I’ve got 3,000 hours in GW2, and a substantial amount of that in WvW. SF is a very low-expectations server. We play for fun.
If you are seeing hacks, then report them. I can assure you that they are the exception, and not the rule.
I quit running Perplexity Runes awhile back. I mainly WvW (with 3,000 hours on my Engi) and it was very seldom that I saw in the combat log any significant damage being done by confusion. Certainly when they first came out they were OP, but now, imo, they aren’t worth it.
Edit: They aren’t worth it in WvW, but I do miss them in PvE.
The majority of us aren’t Day Trading. We just want to empty our bags ASAP so we can continue playing the game (especially in WvW). Personally, I’d like an auto-sell for anything that exceeds my Bank capacity….
Yes. Selling is horrible now. If I go to the “sell” page, it should automatically assume that I want to actually, you know, SELL the things that I click on.
Can the combat music somehow be made optional? The unceasing repetition is horrible. I tend to solo a lot of camps in WvW and grow absolutely sick of hearing the same strident theme played over and over and over….
That’s a good observation. I wonder how epic large WvW battles would be if 20% of the participants were traited with REAL healing/support skills. I could see them lasting longer than the curb stomps that they typically are.
I’m wondering what other Engi’s opinions are regarding the Retaliation Field combo created by the EG 5 + 4. The Acid Bomb damage is easy to grasp, because it’s recorded in the Combat Log. But what about the Retaliation Field? Is it useful? Does it do meaningful damage to a fairly bunkered down group of enemy (in WvW) ?
mompen,
I don’t want to take anything away from you because you may just be a very good player – but one thing to keep in mind is that the WvW Tournament attracts a lot of PvE players that just aren’t very good. Also the change in daily accomplishments are probably drawing more inexperienced players into WvW too.
Try to add Toughness to your build, in both the Trait line and Armor. Focus on survivability for now, and don’t worry to much about “winning” encounters yet. If you can confidently enter into an engagement knowing that you won’t immediately die, it will give you the time to learn how to cycle thru your various kits, weapons, heals and manage cool downs, etc. Engi’s more than any other profession takes practice, practice and practice.
Mnemises is exactly right. You need to remain cool-headed – and by adding Toughness (and other survivor based traits) this will give you the time to think rather than just react. You won’t be dishing out 5k damage, but it will allow you time to learn the profession.
Also, balance your damage between Power and Condition – don’t neglect one for the other. Both are valuable to the Engi, probably more than any other profession. We are middle-of-the-roaders.
Illuth makes many good points about disrupting other’s play and how Engi’s excel at it. When the enemy persistently sees 3, 4, 5 conditions stacked on them, they begin focusing not on dishing out damage, but rather on saving themselves. This is every bit as valuable a contribution in a group vs. group encounter as direct damage. Engi’s excel at this.
Engi’s are most viable when traited and equipped to operate at far, medium and close range. I don’t think you will be satisfied with Engi if you are looking for and exclusive, far-ranged build.
Start from a distance sure, but you will need to move in close and then back out again to fully exploit your weapons/kits potential.
A fairly unique trait to Engi’s is that we are, at the same time, viable at far, medium and close ranges – if properly equipped and traited. We really do occupy the middle-ground on everything. That’s part of what makes it so hard, and the real reason that it is so fun.
Most other profession seem to operate almost exclusively from a distance or in melee – we do both, plus deal damage at mid-range.
Also, as noted above, study combo’s – we truly excel at them. And be patient, an Engi really shines above level 80.
And if you focus on Power damage, don’t do so to the point that you discount all Condition damage.
I love my Engi (over 2,400 hours) and don’t want to play any other profession. It’s a simple as that. This isn’t a job where we get paid for being more “efficient” , is it?
When I’m fighting a boss, and I see 25 stacks of bleed, I know for a fact that I did not apply those 25 stacks. Is this in line with what you are stating, Drak?
It looks interesting. I notice that your Critical Chance, Critical Damage Percentage and Condition Damage are poop. So your going to rely on your Power based damage.
As tankey as you are, I’d move the 20 traits from Firearms and move them into Explosives and add Bombs switch to bombs instead of one of the three turrets (your choice).
You can probably have some fun with it, but without toughness or versatile heals and condition removers, your going to go down a lot in WvW. And I mean a whole lot.
Your Static Discharge trait also seems a waste, considering your Kit selection.
I say this not to be obvious, but if you go the Condition route, then you should trait for durability. Add as much Toughness as you can. For your Conditions to work, you need to out last your opponent. Once they’ve exhausted their Condition Removal’s, they tend to melt like butter on a skillet. But you have to last. It takes more time than a power build.
An Engineer can apply confusion with a pistol, a bomb and a pry bar (and a few other means) – and these have nothing to do with the Runes. He’s always had this ability.
The Runes also add a chance to apply Confusion on hit, and a Confusion on Interrupt (something which an Engineer can also do by multiple means). Grenades actually don’t proc Confusion without the Runes.
Is every profession supposed to have melee? I don’t ask this to be a jerk, but wonder why you think this makes your argument a valid one? If you want melee, chose a profession with melee. Problem solved.
I’m sure that many would at lease appreciate some explanation of why they think introducing Living Story to WvW will some how improve it. Isn’t that the least that they could do for their customers? I just spent 10 min fighting “something” for “some reason” in the EB Hylek camp. I have absolutely no understanding of what possible relevance that has to WvW. It would take a Developer about 10 minutes to type a reply to this.
While I can’t speak to PvP, in PvE and WvW, Engineers are absolutely viable builds.
But at the heart of it all, you need to ENJOY what you’re playing. Engi’s offer a steep learning curve but have what I believe to be the most dynamic and just plain funny game play available in the game. Rams, belt buckles that shoot, acid bombs, nails, pry bars, wrenches, magnets, jump shots, etc., etc. etc.
This is why you should play Engi (or not). Don’t worry so much about how powerful you are compared to others.
Meta means “Metaphysical” — in reference to an ideal build (see Plato).
It’s the notion that there is some “ideal” build for each profession which will manifest itself organically from the variables & rules of the game. As the variables and rules of the game change, so will the “Meta”.
Anet are playing with the shadows on the walls of the cave.
Static Shot, Bomb #3, Prybar – all of these are laughably weak when compared to other damage done by other professions weapons – and yet they occupy a significant number or slots.
Prybar is not laughably weak.
Not even close.
In fact, isn’t it just about our hardest hitting ability raw damage wise?
Prybar can pack a whallop for an Engi… but compared to damage of other professions, it’s not that strong. It should or should not be included in my list, I’ll give you that.
The point of my post is that a signficant number of Engi’s Interrupts are purely defensive and do very little base damage. Upping the confusion damage for Engi Interuppts is not that same as upping the confusion damage of other professions. Plus, if you see an Engi arming his shield or setting his magnet, all you need to do is dodge to avoid the Interrupt and now the Engi has a long CD on a damage slot.
1) If a zerg exceeds 12, then make it dynamically visible on the map. This would hopefully discourage zergs.
2) If underpopulated, keep Waypoints active even during battles.
The key to countering population imbalances is to give the lesser populated server more information about what is going on in their world. Treat it as a type of “NPC spy” feeding information to the players of the lesser populated server. This way they can more effectively direct what little manpower they have.
I don’t think I would recommend shield for low-level PvE. P/P is fine, but there are a couple of low-level “cripple” traits that you can select that will allow you to stay out of harms way. I remember liking those when I was leveling up. Now I never use them. But slowing down your opponent will allow you to heal-up, switch kits, work through cool-downs, etc.
Slowing the game down is the key to leaning the Engi profession, since it requires almost constant switching from kits, to weapons, etc.
I’ve got over 1,800 hours on my Engi and have been running the Perplexity Runes for about a month now. My post above was something of a troll. I too realize that as the Runes stand right now, they play perfectly to my Engi build (P/S, Bombs, Took Kit, EG) and are OP. If they get nerfed, I’ll manage to live and continue to win engagements as I’ve been doing since day-one.
An interesting dilemma is that for Engineers, almost all of our Interupts do little – and I do mean LITTLE- damage. The perplexity makes the Shield an actual Offensive weapon – whereas it used to be purely Defensive, and with a long cool down to boot. Static Shot, Bomb #3, Prybar – all of these are laughably weak when compared to other damage done by other professions weapons – and yet they occupy a significant number or slots.
The thing about Engineer’s use of the Perplexity Runes is that the main tools/kits/weapons that we use to proc Interrupt or add Confusion do very little damage in and of themselves. Static Shot, Magnet, Prybar, Shield, #3 Bomb – none of these are very powerful.
It’s a humorous profession that is just fun to play. It’s that simple. It’s never boring (spammers need not apply) and requires constant refinement and practice. And the Kits are a hoot. “Stand back or I’ll shoot you with my belt buckle.”
Don’t underestimate Carrion (PVC). Add to it Superior Rune of the Undead, for Toughness and additional Condition Damage, and it’s a pretty good gear set.
