Use the skills with most damage as often as you can. Right now there is no longer a proper rotation, thx to alacrity :P Now the only thing that counts is the inner clock that remembers every cd on every kit.
Even before alacrity, the Rotation was only a theoretical one.
As long as you prioritize all the burns and grenade 2, you should be fine.
And you know, it is okay to NOT engage every enemy you see.
It is also okay to slightly tweak your build if you are going to face a particularly difficult mob.
It is okay to carry more than one armor type and not rely entirely on Zerker.
Bladedancers, Bristlebacks and Pocket Raptors are the biggest offenders in my experience.
Pocket Raptors can me mitigated, but 2+ bladedancers or a Veteran Bristleback are death sentences.
It is not a bad idea, I have had the same thought.
If you accept Kits as the class mechanic—because they are—balancing can be as easy as your suggestion.
-One Grandmaster in each line that significantly increases the efficacy of one or two associated kits.
-Buff the other two grandmasters to ensure true competition (think HGH and IP in the same line) and slightly tweak the damage-only kits to have more utility.
And EIB should stay dead. It was a bad trait that people have lionized in its absence. Only way it should come back is if it affect all kits. THAT would be a good starting point for a decent Grandmaster.
Kits aren’t optimal because of the lack of weapon swap, it’s the ability to have lots of high damage attacks as well as good utilities and the ability to switch between them with virtually no cooldown. If you added weapon swap, you would change an optimal setup from one weapon and three kits to two weapons and three kits.
Kits are optimal because of how kits work, adding weapon swap would change nothing.
Kits aren’t optimal because of the lack of weapon swap, it’s the ability to have lots of high damage attacks as well as good utilities and the ability to switch between them with virtually no cooldown. If you added weapon swap, you would change an optimal setup from one weapon and three kits to two weapons and three kits.
Kits are optimal because of how kits work, adding weapon swap would change nothing.
Seconded.
I really wonder though… Is this really what they had in mind when designing the engineer? Swapping kits every cast, to use the strongest skills on CD over four kits?
If so, anet game design is horrendous.
Always good to see people who have a working understanding of the class.
In a world with weapon swap, the hard hitting skills from hammer and Rifle would just be added to the Zerker Rotation.
I am of the opinion that the number of kits in a build should inform its role, but in the opposite direction as it currently is.
How I see it:
-1 Kit: DPS
-2 Kits: Sustain
-3+ Kits: Support
Now, the best way to do this would be to balance the traits and skills around this concept.
The easy way is just to hard bake the rules into the class mechanic.
Weapon swap might be an idea. Good or bad, I can not decide but it is an idea. However it is not an idea with priority.
What engineer class needs is so simple, so certain, so solid: “CLASS WITHOUT BUGS!”
After all the bugs are fixed, we can see what this class truly can do. Then we can decide if it really lacks weapon swap or not.
I agree, but bugs abound for most professions.
This is not a question about our ability to be effective. We are clearly very good.
It is a question of overall diversity and optimization.
(edited by lorddarkflare.9186)
You already ‘have’ to take grenades now.
And at this point, this is never going to happen. Much more productive to fix what exists than to revamp it.
It does.
Supply Crate became 5x more awesome with the patch.
The Fix ist not rdy on my Char the has AB and VB 100% i have send a PM @Bill
pls fix today
Everyone affected should have received some Gems as compensation.
-Bill
haven’t gotten anything at all for completing all the new maps
This is not the same issue. And we have been told that it will be fixed next release.
Although Bomb Healing was fun to play i could really live with it’s removal if they left us some other way to build for healing and Med Kit wasn’t a piece of utterly useless garbage…
There are plenty of other heal builds and many of which are more effective.
Which is not saying much since EIB-based builds were bad support builds.
A buff to Gadgeteer is not unnecessary, it is kitten ed overdue.
Seriously. Unlike Turrets and Gyros Gadgets should really not be in a bad place.
The damaging line is the problem. Sometimes it can be difficult to see.
Do you have to use kit swapping? No.
Do you have to use kit swapping if you want to be on par with every other class? Yes.
If you want to avoid it, I suggest you make a revenant and keep to it.
This is incorrect. To be on par with other classes, you need to Camp a Kit and your main weapon.
Rifle + Grenades for example.
If you want to exceed the other classes, you needs to start cycling through additional kits.
This is incorrect. Camping in a kit is no more optimal then camping in your original weapon set.
Used the term incorrectly.
Meant to suggest that a weapon kit and weapon could be used in tandem similar to how other classes use 2 weapons.
you don’t need to. cycling through multiple kits is much better. mortar 5 > Egun 4 > rocket charge is an excellent combo that uses two skills from different kits and one weapon skill. using kits, your weapon and the toolbelt as a collection of skills instead of separate weapons is a much better way to play.
other classes have the weapons separate and gated behind cooldowns. engineer can use it’s weapon and all of its kits and one singular tool, not just two tools that work in tandem.
I know. And I prefer it that way.
The OP does not seem to, so I was suggesting a way for him to get by.
Do you have to use kit swapping? No.
Do you have to use kit swapping if you want to be on par with every other class? Yes.
If you want to avoid it, I suggest you make a revenant and keep to it.
This is incorrect. To be on par with other classes, you need to Camp a Kit and your main weapon.
Rifle + Grenades for example.
If you want to exceed the other classes, you needs to start cycling through additional kits.
This is incorrect. Camping in a kit is no more optimal then camping in your original weapon set.
Used the term incorrectly.
Meant to suggest that a weapon kit and weapon could be used in tandem similar to how other classes use 2 weapons.
Do you have to use kit swapping? No.
Do you have to use kit swapping if you want to be on par with every other class? Yes.
If you want to avoid it, I suggest you make a revenant and keep to it.
This is incorrect. To be on par with other classes, you need to Camp a Kit and your main weapon.
Rifle + Grenades for example.
If you want to exceed the other classes, you needs to start cycling through additional kits.
I’ll just leave this here… you only need to scroll down just a wee bit to find your answer.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/3qtuk7/any_word_on_glitched_map_completion_rewards/
Good to hear.
Because Arena-Net has pretty much given up on underwater combat.
And quite honestly, I am okay with that.
A few weeks ago.
And it is not 50% less. It is 25%.
Pre-Nerf, the skill provided 20 secs.
Quite honestly, it is barely noticeable.
He is nor verry good 4 wvw ?
I do not play WvW, so maybe someone who does should chip in, but my understanding is that this is correct.
The class is great for both PvE and sPvP. Less so in WvW.
In Dungeons/Fractals the class offers a ton of DPS and utility.
Both Condi and Power specs are available. In PvE, Condi-based builds are more performant. The reverse is true in PvP.
Example PvP build: http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Engineer_-_Soldier_Rifle
Example PvE build: http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Engineer_-_Condition_Grenadier
Not seeing a problem here.
Not every spec needs to be super-performant in every game mode.
sPvP Scrappers are amazing and PvE Scrappers do just fine. And that is okay.
There are definite things that can and should be improved about the spec, but most of that is QoL and general flavor.
You would have a much better argument if baseline Engineer was not so kitten capable.
Would be nice if it also proc by knockdown, knockback and launch. Core engi has only few stuns and dazes.
The trait was pretty much designed around Hammer 3 and 5.
I think the effect itself is fine, it just needs a passive bonus to take it to the top.
Impact savant should be combined with it and buffed to 50/50.
Healing mist was never a condi-cleanse. They most likely just removed an incorrect skill fact.
Mecha Legs was definitely never a 33% IMS. That would have obsoleted swiftness.
No. The current balance is quite good.
If anything needs help, it is Decisive Renown, Stabilization Core and Final Salvo.
This is such a huge issue. affecting More players than ANY other. why has it been SO LONG getting a fix for this? is that guy that was working on it on vacation now? or is it really that complicated of a programming issue.
Probably a systemic problem. Also, I bet they do not have a very good way to tell who should receive rewards.
It is surprising sometimes how easy it is for such things to slip through the cracks.
My problem is abit different, yet the “same thing”.
I have completed VB but when i press “m” it says i only have 25/26 POI, but there is noone left to discover
Have you fought all five possible bosses on the canopy?
Seems like a bug to me.
Coglin nailed everything, but here are some of my thoughts:
Medic, Sneak and Bulwark Gyros are are all good utilities. Medic could use a buff, and Sneak’s toolbelt a tweak, but nothing more.
Shredder Gyro is not meant to do damage. I think it is a fundamentally misguided utility, but so is the suggested fix.
Nerfs are fine, but not splitting changes across the game modes isn’t very cool. And I was trying to unlock scrapper. :S
So, you’re not going to unlock scrapper based on this? This was a shave on a skill that’s still very strong. Seems a bit extreme to make a decision on unlocking the elite from this alone, lol.
It was a shave on one of the very few things that was actually good for the Scrapper.
Hammer is okay, most traits are meh, gyro’s are garbage, profession mechanic is worthless.
The overall value of Scrapper is already abysmal, and it just got a little worst.
What? That is an absurd assertion.
In PvE, all minions were given a 95% damage reduction if they are not direct targets.
In WvW and PvP, Healing Turret and Supply Crate are still the only useful ones.
Systemic changes:
-1/2 of whirl finisher projectiles should home.
-All Gyro detonations should be unique skills
-Gyros should have a VERY aggressive leash
-Final Salvo needs an HGH-type buff.
-Stabilization core should apply to all Gyros, should be AoE, but have 1/2 to 2/3 duration reduction.
Gyro Changes:
-Sneak: Good. Toolbelt could be less PvP-centric I though.
-Medic: Good. Needs condi removal. Should scale better than HT if healing power.
-Bulwark: Good. Toolbelt could use a lower recharge.
-Purge: Needs a complete redesign. Toolbelt as well. One of them should be good.
-Shredder: Needs additional functionality. Toolbelt is very good.
-Blast: Needs complete redesign. Toolbelt is functional, but redundant.
For the HoT content itself, Non-Zerk Armor is worth considering.
I have been soloing with Zerk okay, but I think some Toughness/Vitality could have done me some good.
Same here. Had this issue for both SW and VB. I hope it is fixed soon.
And I would not worry about the retro-activity. I HAS to be retroactive as map completion caches are needed for Specialization Collections.
Something like this? Not much of a rotation, just camp on flamethrower, spamming elixirs.
Hammer is still worth dipping into, just not for more than a few seconds.
Using something very similar in PvE.
Most effective Scrapper build I have managed thus far.
It should be baseline. And apply to Turrets.
Easy way to make the Gyro competitive:
-Multi-Blast finishers
-Small ranged AoE
-Shorter launch
-Slightly longer Re-Charge
I think the minor theme of ‘consecutive finishers’ started by Rocket Charge and Shredder Gyro could be expanded.
I wouldn’t call HGH a nerf, that’s an understandable change.
They are both nerfs, and generally of the same quality.
Quite honestly, these are good changes , I think they could have been done better though.
HGH: This trait is still ridiculous and outshines most grandmasters. Still, Mass Momentum is the problem here. That trait needs to just be re-thought.
AA: Again, still ridiculously better than its direct competition. Would have preferred to keep the same amount of toughness, but spread across a longer period. Like 50 over 10 seconds.
I am not asking for them to change gyros so it can apply condition or else. It’s stupid of course. I just felt if you choose scrapper trait line while still clinging to p/p, you’re not as effective as before.
The point is, I still remember the first time this game came out, they promise we can build how we want, play how we want. And look at it now.
Me myself, I ran with p/p traveler, healing turret, exploding gyro, rocket boots, flame thrower kit and that cannon kit.
It works well with the current new map, new stupid trash mob, but still, I can’t do any effective mix and match anymore.What happened with “build how we want” ?
That was never a promise, and if you think about it, it would be insane if it were.
Yeah, there is a bug with it. I am assuming you only hit the bug if you were already on the story step.
I had the same issue and did something like what Larynx suggests.
Elite Specializations & Hero Point Feedback [Merged]
in Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns
Posted by: lorddarkflare.9186
OP, let them be Anet white knights all they want to. It’s still early into the xpac. They don’t have the foresight any intelligent person would have to know how horrible it’s going to be when you’re on you 5th toon trying to unlock your elite spec. Once they finally get around to that point, they’ll see the light. The grind will finally have worn away their fanboy attitude and they’ll understand what we, and the THREE THOUSAND other angry posters are talking about (reference; see the mega thread). Each elite spec takes an average of 20-25 hours to unlock. I have 11 toons. So kindly, go kitten yourself if you think it’s entitled or whining for wanting elite specs at a lower rate.
This is a poor argument.
1) – Masteries are account bound, so after you have unlocked them all on one character, it will be much easier on the others.
2) – You chose to have 11 characters. It takes much more effort to get all those characters to level 80 than to unlock the Elite. Even with tomes. You had to expend effort to get those.
3) – It is not grind if you can get it by just playing the game. Getting Hero Points is just that: playing the game.
So all that said, there ARE reasonable points to the arguments that you an people like you make, it is just the tone you take that kills all reasonable conversation.
For one thing, while Hero Points should remain challenging, they should also do a better job scaling. All of them should be solo-able, but not eye-bleedingly easy with more people in the area.
For another, the total hero points required should be about half of what it is to fully unlock all traits and skills. The remaining half should unlock skins.
Well I do think his “tone” could have been influenced by being called an “Entitled Whiner”. Hostility breeds hostility.
Not just him, but everyone involved comes out looking bad in terms of how they express themselves.
Anyone who does not see this as a ‘mess’ is labeled as a ‘white knight’ as well.
It does not matter if who started it. You should be civil and reasonable regardless of how your detractors behave.
Elite Specializations & Hero Point Feedback [Merged]
in Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns
Posted by: lorddarkflare.9186
OP, let them be Anet white knights all they want to. It’s still early into the xpac. They don’t have the foresight any intelligent person would have to know how horrible it’s going to be when you’re on you 5th toon trying to unlock your elite spec. Once they finally get around to that point, they’ll see the light. The grind will finally have worn away their fanboy attitude and they’ll understand what we, and the THREE THOUSAND other angry posters are talking about (reference; see the mega thread). Each elite spec takes an average of 20-25 hours to unlock. I have 11 toons. So kindly, go kitten yourself if you think it’s entitled or whining for wanting elite specs at a lower rate.
This is a poor argument.
1) – Masteries are account bound, so after you have unlocked them all on one character, it will be much easier on the others.
2) – You chose to have 11 characters. It takes much more effort to get all those characters to level 80 than to unlock the Elite. Even with tomes. You had to expend effort to get those.
3) – It is not grind if you can get it by just playing the game. Getting Hero Points is just that: playing the game.
So all that said, there ARE reasonable points to the arguments that you an people like you make, it is just the tone you take that kills all reasonable conversation.
For one thing, while Hero Points should remain challenging, they should also do a better job scaling. All of them should be solo-able, but not eye-bleedingly easy with more people in the area.
For another, the total hero points required should be about half of what it is to fully unlock all traits and skills. The remaining half should unlock skins.
The amount of CC when doing something Solo is too much. Spiking dmg everywhere without warning. 1 hit kills. long distances to travel without waypoints. vertical designed maps with bad minimap design. gated storyline with masteries needed to unlock. where are the new real jumping puzzles? new wvw is only roaming orientated. you can’t do the world events without a group. commander tag is still 300 gold, even for players who are 3y in the game.
but I do like the storyline so far!
-Masteries make the distances more manageable. I think this was intentional
-Only one really bad mastery requirement, and that is being fixed
-I have found at least one jumping puzzle so far. It is in the <spoiler>-Chamber in Tahir
The CC and the high burst potential of enemies is one of my favorite things about the new maps. Forces you to rebuild in order to mitigate.
I think there may be a bug with the megaserver system and empty maps.
It was fixed because it was unintentional.
Now you could argue that it should be buffed, and that would be fine. But this was not a nerf.
I would like to commend the launch team.
You guys have been doing an amazing job.
I appreciate the nature of the OP.
Scrapper is a very brawler-centric sustain spec. Expect any Scrapper you come across to have the ability to outlast you with their evades, blocks, and reflects (if using hammer). The traits are all pretty defensive as well.
Scrapper’s main weakness is range. This can be helped with the right kit(s) but not having a gun certainly limits range capabilities.
My best advice is to kite and maintain poison to slow down the sustain. If you can spike them down they won’t have time to let sustain kick in, though that’s very difficult to do through blocks and evades.
Generic Engi weaknesses persist for the most part. Drop condis (especially poison) and CC on them.
Yep.
That said, keep in mind that some CCs and condis will not be as effective as they have been in the past.
Just curious, why do you think this should work well?
I have not tried it but I get the opposite feeling. You’re probably not killing stuff fast enough because hammer is not putting out enough condi damage, so you’re taking too much damage is my guess.
My guess too.
Hammer scales insanely well with power so you want plenty of that.