Guild Wars 2

Grenades are pretty crazy, especially when it comes to stacking vulnerability. I tried it for a while and went back to a flamethrower spec. Personally I feel the damage is very comparable and without a damage meter it is probably difficult to determine which is higher, I just feel more comfortable with a flamethrower.

Whether its the best, is subjective, I will say I’ve tried a lot of recommended builds on the forum and always go back to the following:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/engineer/Post-Your-Build-Thread/206665

I don’t think this has been mentioned enough, and probably deserves its own thread, even though I see a lot of engineers in game are already realizing it.

I had originally seen the idea in this thread: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/engineer/Important-Toolbelt-Use-Tip-Make-the-most-of-your-stats/181085

So I decided to confirm it. Ideally we would like all Sigil’s to effects kits but this can be an interim solution. This is a list of on kill stacking sigils, I pulled from the wiki.

Sigil of Bloodlust: You gain + 5, 7, 10 power each time you kill a foe.
Sigil of Corruption: You gain + 5, 7, 10 condition damage each time you kill a foe.
Sigil of Life: You gain + 7, 10 healing each time you kill a foe.
Sigil of Luck: You gain + 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6% magic find each time you kill a foe.
Sigil of Perception: You gain + 5, 7, 10 precision each time you kill a foe.

This is my PvP gear.

AlphaDuck.7592:

“To top it off, this major trait is only worth while if you can double your condition duration, because the burn from flame jet lasts 1 second, and burn ticks every 1 second, so unless you can get it up to two seconds it isn’t worth it”

^this is wrong, for example if you have 1 second burn then increase your burn duration by 25% you will see the duration on the tooltip now listed as 1.25 seconds. If you increase burn duration by only 10% instead, the tooltip will still list 1 second duration although I suspect the actual duration will be 1.1 seconds and the rounding is only for tooltips.

If burn ticks every 1 second, and you have a 1.25 second duration, how many ticks on burn do you expect?

The point I was trying to make is that quarter of a second is inconsequential if flame jet is constantly on the target, and even if it drops off you won’t get that extra tick of burn anyway.

Suds.7235:

What other major traits are you taking in the firearms line? I’ve been trying to tweak my build focused around the flame thrower and I’m liking the looks of Juggernaut in the last slot but can’t decide on the 20 point trait. I assume Fireforged Trigger is preferred considering the heavy use of the flamethrower? I’m also a rifle kitten, so it’s hard not to take Hair Trigger.

I stopped giving out my build, mostly because it changes frequently based on where my current stats fall, and right now I am in a transition of pow/tough/vit to a full exotic berserker’s setup.

My suggestion are posted in following thread: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/engineer/Post-Your-Build-Thread/206665

And they are based off the gear I was using as a fresh 80 in WvW. But the major traits are still applicable. As for what is not listed, its your choice, even if you wanted Precise Sights, I am just cautioning people that want to maximize damage to do the math first to see if the trait is applicable given their current stats.

I will say, this thread has got me thinking of switching out of my power stacking build in an attempt to maximize vulnerability stacks. I feel I am going to have to complete my berserker’s set, and trinkets first to make it viable.

Haette.2701:

Your math is based in wrong assumptions. You’d be right if it increased the damage of -only- the very next hit by 1%, but it’s a vuln stack. You’re buffing ALL of your hits for the next 5 seconds, PLUS those of anyone else who happens to be hitting it. Any crappy flamethrower spec (aka mine with my crap gear) is spewing stacks like candy, and even one stack equals Sitting Duck over time. More often than not it’s 2-3 stacks. For the whole group. Sitting Duck is for assassin builds or when you aren’t putting out the sheer volume of crits that a flamer does.

I also think Incendiary Powder is better than you give it credit for, but you make a good point on the chunk of stats you can get without it.

The invulnerability from Precise Sights is a 2 second duration. The same duration as the net. The flamethrower flame jet is 5 attacks a second.

For 2-3 stacks with 100% up time you would need around +40% crit rating. Spikes can seem misleading like a de facto normality, but if you truly can retain that stack, even 1 stack with 100% up time, I would say Precise Sights works best for your gear.

But Precise Sights is more than likely not best for people in the vit/tough/power WvW gear.

Zahdane.4029:

Except vulnerability effects your target.
Add 4 other people into the mix and it becomes considerably better.

Each additional person hitting the target increases that.

I am assuming you are referring to a dungeon. So there are additional factors, like the damage from your friends are equal or better than yours. But that’s not the case, I am sure some will be lower and some will be higher. So to simplify this equation, we will say the damage of the 4 people with you is equal to the damage you do.

If that is true you would need a crit rating of over 40% to make Precise Sights equal Sitting Duck, and keep in mind this is for a flamethrower spec, not a rifle spec. So what is the likelihood of that when you lose a large percent of crit from equipping the flamethrower, assuming the weapon is an exotic berserker weapon?

Nice catch, I’ll correct that.

I am a heavy user of the flamethrower, and I’ve been looking through some other people’s specs trying to improve my own.

I’ve noticed a lot of people think Precise Sights is worth while, especially over the other tier 1 traits, but it really is a waste of a major trait slot, and here is why.

1 stack of vulnerability is a 1% damage increase. If every hit was a critical hit that would equate to 0.5% more damage, but critical strike, especially for flamethrower specs is never 100%. Critical hits chance should be in the range of 30% to 55% depending on gear choice and upgrades, so for arguments sake, lets take the average ceiling and we get 43%, now apply that to the 1% damage increase, and the 50% proc rate and you get a damage increase of 0.22% damage increase…which lets be honest is as good as 0.

Sitting Duck is a better alternative to Precise Sight. Net Shot has a 20% uptime if you use it properly, and this major trait will effective increase your damage by 1%. That is nearly 5x more than the misguiding trait Precise Sight.

Another trait I see people take is Napalm Specialist…First, I think there is some confusion, Flamethrower is not about condition damage or extending burns. Burn duration is extended by keeping Flame Jet on the target at all times. Also since Explosives is rarely maximized with a flamethrower spec, you don’t get the additional 30% condition duration. To top it off, this major trait is only worth while if you can double your condition duration, because the burn from flame jet lasts 1 second, and burn ticks every 1 second, so unless you can get it up to two seconds it isn’t worth it….though in all honestly, anything that extends burn damage especially to forgo power is a waste of an attribute/upgrade because the target should never stop burning if Flame Jets are always on, in addition a majority of flamethrower damage is power based, not condition based. Also don’t bank on Incendiary Powder from the explosive tree for the reason I just mentioned, and also the proc rate.

There is usually 10 floater points left over after maximizing two trees when coming up with a Flamethrower spec, some people put it in Explosives for the additional 100 power, then take Incendiary Powder, which again in my opinion is a waste.

I think seasoned Engineers can look past Explosives and put those points in Inventions, taking the Energized Armor. This effective gains them roughly 50 power, depending on gear stats and quality, but also adds an additional 100 toughness and 100 healing, for a 50 power trade off, and 10% condition duration (which isn’t all that helpful.)

The only issue I have with flamethrower is the wanky unreliable targeting that shifts with camera turn. Once they fix that I feel it would be perfect.

As for damage take my advice: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/engineer/Post-Your-Build-Thread/206665

I get big numbers even in the PvP trinity stat setup of pow/vit/toughness. Keep in mind that number isn’t some random crit, that is practically every channel of flame jet.

I should have a full set of berserker’s by the end of next weekend, and I’ll update the screen when I get it.

I did path 1 last night, we burned down the boss in between waves. I feel like this was intended because there is no way you can take on the grenadiers plus the boss. Had we not killed the boss between waves, we were planning to kite the adds away from the 1 or 2 people that would have stayed to finished off the boss.

Permanent Protection

This build is to keep the protection buff on you with 99% uptime. There is a lot of synergy when using it with a mace/shield(Protector Strike) or hammer(Symbol of Protection) as a weapon. There is potential for this to work well with a high crit might stacking build as well. Use it how you will, for whatever situation you see fit.

Superior Rune of the Water x2
Superior Rune of the Earth x2
Superior Rune of the Monk x2
Chocolate Omnomberry Cream

The main skills needed are Shield of Judgement, Save Yourselves, Hold the Line.

The necessary traits are 30 points in virtues with Superior Aria.

Rotate skills as the protection boon wears down and fill in skill cooldown gaps by activating virtue of courage.

You are right traits are secondary with the exception of virtue which also has 30% boon duration. The original build was just a starting point. I really wanted people to try it out and improve it. I was hoping a higher level guardian would take this and run with it, seeing as how I am still leveling and I have only tried this out in sPvP. I’ve also seen the performance second hand in a dungeon run.

Edit: I’ve tested it with the 2h hammer and it adds an additional 1.5 seconds to the protection from auto attack. As long as you are hitting you can keep protection up permanently with just auto attacking.

I had someone try this build last night, who normally complained about how he couldn’t go toe to toe with anything in dungeons, and had to always use a scepter. He changed his tune saying this really simplified tanking for him, as he eagerly chain pulled multiple packs in SE story mode without issue.

This can probably be improved, maybe http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#McccM9cMGvRmMGvRm9MaxxVoMqMab

I added the signet for an additional 10% damage reduction on top of the 33% reduction from protection.

Edit: I had originally intended that this be a PvE build, but I’ve been testing it in sPvP, and it does well at holding points.

Another note, since the 1 piece set bonus for Rune of the Grove and Rune of the Water are the same, you might as well get the 2 piece set bonus for Rune of the Water, which is 15% boon duration, not just protection.

Also one more note. This isn’t almost permanent protection, this is permanent protection with the right rotation.

This is strictly theorycraft, but if someone wants to validate it I’d appreciate it. I play an engineer, but started a guardian alt because of this:

Permanent Protection

http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#McccM9cMGvNmMGvNm9MaxxVoMqMab

Superior Rune of the Grove x2
Superior Rune of the Earth x2
Superior Rune of the Monk x2
Chocolate Omnomberry Cream

Ability Duration Cooldown
————————————————————
Shield of Judgement 10 30
Save Yourselves 23 50
Hold the Line 9 29

8 second down time that can be closed with two Protector Strikes and 1 Shelter every rotation.

Flamethrower x 10 stacks of might, 100% uptime.

Superior Rune of the Fire x2
Superior Rune of Hoelbrak x2
Superior Rune of Strength x2

Chocolate Orange or Chocolate Omnomberry Cream

Originally I had posted this as a WvW spec, but honestly its just a setup to hover around 25 stacks of might, self buffed, use it as you will, however you feel it best be used. The important points are Fast-Acting Elixirs, Juggernaut, HGH, and 30 alchemy with the above setup. Take Elixir H and B, Flamethrower, and whichever elixir of your choosing, then spam them as much as possible, including the toolbelt.

I wrote a post about getting to 25 stacks, and staying between 20-25 stacks, but it’s a Juggernaut build.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/engineer/Your-Juggernaut-only-stacks-might-to-5-I-can-do-better/84444

A lot of people will tell you they can do the same with Superior Sigil of Strength, high crit, no runes and no help, just 30 alchemy(HGH) but honestly screenshot or it didn’t happen.

Karast.1927:

I tend to use jug with elixir B and 10 points into alchemy for the minor for elixir B at 75% So it’s not hard to get 11-14 stacks of might on my own. I’ve debated using runes to get extra might but I found that in guild groups the might I get from our shout warriors, guardians, ext, keeps me at or near 25.

The preference of using these runes is up to you. They are expensive but they double the uptime of might, making it easy to stay between 20-25 might on your own. With additional help from party members it would be easier to stay at 25 longer.

More than anything this was just a way to get to 25 stack with a reliable uptime, by self buffing.

The point allocation does not work. You can’t have Enhanced Performance, Juggernaut, and HGH. You also can’t pop 8 elixirs with flamethrower slotted and a med kit.

My second build, is the easiest way to 25 stacks with a fairly high uptime.

This is what the build looks like now, and without a med kit I do not recommend it for WvW, the stimulate is necessary for a guaranteed swiftness:

http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#McMM9czMogLMMogaMax0x0VcRqMkq

But it does make for an interesting PvE build. I’ve started to run exploration dungeons, and its a pretty versatile build, its also godly for dynamic events.

In dungeons the flamethrower spec is what I use on trash, and AoEish boss fights that are low risk. For high risk, range necessary fights, I change some traits around and get a build centered on rifles, and I have a sigil of superior strength on my rifle. I can get a decent stack of might, though it is no where near the uptime of the flamethrower centered build, then again, I don’t play in an exotic berserker set, I mostly use the masterwork set from WvW…but I am working on getting the berserker set and that may change my mind about the sigil of strength and might uptime from the rifle.

I will say, this is a decent build for people that just hit 80 and do not have a decent set of rare, or exotic gear, especially for those who are focusing on farming events and dungeons.

I’ve been messing around with this spec a little, and I did go 30 into alchemy with HGH, and can maintain a stack of 19-25 might popping potions every time they come off cooldown. The food buff is a chocolate orange

I should add I could probably maintain a longer duration of 25 stacks had I switched Elixir U for Elixir C.

Cathach.5807:

1: An attack that is announced by him slowly lifting his arms. When the arms are over his head, he will fire two flamebolts at every target in range. If you dode away when his arms are over his head and then move back to the place you were standing, you can avoid both bolts. And don’t move backwards, there will be firefields where the bolts hit the ground. As soon as you have learned to see the attack and figured out when to dode, this becomes quite easy.

I’ll second this, and add you should do two dodges in a row, to insure you dodge both bolts and clear the area. If you do everything properly, you are still going to get burned once in a while, and are going to need a condition removal on a fairly short cooldown.

Dodge and remove conditions and strife shoot, rarely standing still, and you will not need to heal often.

Always remember the five D’s of Guild Wars 2 dungeon running::
Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and … Dodge!

This is my current build, so it is more than just a paper build. I’ve tried pretty much every setup, including pistol, shield, and for sPvP, I would recommend it over this build, but I guarantee you even if you average out the uptime for might stacks this will come out ahead.

I never said the flamethrower was the end all weapon in this build, which is why I also recommend rifle. In a situation where the rifle is needed you can use a sigil of strength and get a 16 stack of might head start.

I’ve also recommended the rifle because it is necessary to use Net Shot and Jump Shot. The Flamethrower needs to be viewed as a short range weapon, but I will admit there are targeting issues with knocked down targets at point blank range, but I have faith that this will be resolved soon.

Flamethrower x 10 stacks of might, 100% uptime.

Superior Rune of the Fire x2
Superior Rune of Hoelbrak x2
Superior Rune of Strength x2
Chocolate Orange or Chocolate Omnomberry Cream

Originally I had posted this as a WvW spec, but honestly its just a setup to hover around 25 stacks of might, self buffed, use it as you will, however you feel it best be used. The important points are Fast-Acting Elixirs, Juggernaut, HGH, and 30 alchemy with the above setup. Take Elixir H and B, Flamethrower, and whichever elixir of your choosing, then spam them as much as possible, including the toolbelt.

Cenixx.2594:

Sorrow.7452:

This was a build I used:

http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#McMM9mmroRMmroRM0xa0xoVsVosV

Preferring crit damage, and power as primary stats.

You’ll get incredible burst damage. I’ve seen 6k crits on the landing of jump shot, plus its a mobile playstyle with perma swift and you won’t be tethered to any turret’s aside from supply crate.

I’ll go ahead and try this out. Since I’ve already leveled past half way I’m willing to try anything to not have to start over. lol

Use all the utility skills at once, including the vulnerability condition from the goggles, and you won’t be disappointed. At 80 with the masterwork invader set and beryl orbs on all my gear I was getting over 2k crit hip shots. Blunderbuss and jump shot are just insane when they crit.

This was a build I used:

http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#McMM9mmroRMmroRM0xa0xoVsVosV

Preferring crit damage, and power as primary stats.

You’ll get incredible burst damage. I’ve seen 6k crits on the landing of jump shot, plus its a mobile playstyle with perma swift and you won’t be tethered to any turret’s aside from supply crate.

I also have a bomb build that is pretty ridiculous, you can AoE several mobs at once or go toe to toe with a veteran, and do it all with your eyes closed. But it is pretty bad in WvW unless you want to hang back and support.

Honestly this class is really versatile.

Amra.6028:

Wait a sec. not taking 30 alchemy for the 15%? You get constant stacks of might anyway due to Juggernaut which has been reworked since this skill calc…

Yeah, you could switch out Backpack Regenerator for Deadly Mixture for 15% more damage at the cost of survivability, but I wouldn’t go 30 points into Alchemy then you’d lose 3 stacks of might from Enhanced Performance.

Also you’ll notice with the sigil combos and and 20 points in alchemy that is enough to get the might boon to 30 seconds, which means Juggernaut will stack up to 10 times.

I discovered this build because I wanted to see how high I could stack might. Keep in mind this is what you can apply on yourself (with 100% uptime), in group PvP, those around you will insure the stack will spike higher. From this build alone you’d get 10 from Juggernaut + 3 from Enhanced Performance + 1 from Elixir B.

To those who think Flamethrower is weak, this is a guaranteed 13 stacks of might, and 10% more damage on a single target build, but this works best with a group to PvP with.

Superior Rune of the Fire x2
Superior Rune of Hoelbrak x2
Superior Rune of Strength x2

http://www.guildhead.com/skill-calc#McM9VoroLMo0lLMGx0G0VacRqzs

Since might effect both condition damage and power, the choice of weapon is your preference.

The simple answer is, if they didn’t down level, then high level players would ruin all the dynamic events in the non 80 zones.