Engineer kits are supposed to make the class more flexible and diverse, but in reality they limit Engi alot. Not because the whole idea of kits is bad, but because most of kits favor the same type of condi builds. Power Enhi is really lacking weapon options: Rifle is the only real ranged power weapon, but it is also semi-melee due to some skills, while BOTH elite specialization provide Engineer with melee power weapon. The problem is that without weapon swap Engi cannot use both Rifle and weapon from any Elite specialization.Addition of weapon swap would be the easy and lazy way to fix that problem, but it would work bad for core engi (pistols would not work well with rifle) and also would ruin the uniqueness of the profession.The best way to solve the problem is to give Engi a long range power-based kit. And the best candidate for a rework is a Bomb Kit.

Why Bomb Kit? There are a couple reasons.First of all, the whole idea of squating while running and putting explosive cakes beneath your feet is ridiculous. Bomb kit uses this awful animation for every single skills and majority of players hate it.Secondly, bomb kit works not very well in various builds. It fits badly power-based builds because the only reliable source of good raw damage this kit has is its main autoattack. However, Bomb kit is not the best option for condi-based build because other kits can perform far better, especially Grenades, that can be successfully used both at range and melee.And finally, Bomb kit is just another melee oriented kit. Tool kit and Flamethrower are good options of close range weapons, especially Flamethrower that can work well for power builds. Even Grenades can be very useful in melee range, leaving Bomb kit behind.

Because of these reasons I suggest to rework Bomb kit into 1200 range mostly power-oriented Rocket Launcher kit with some condi-options to save synergy with Explosives and Firearms specializations. The overall idea of Rocket launcher is a weapon that can deal AoE damage like Bomb Kit, but at long range like Mortar Kit, but unlike Mortar this new kit should not be heavily focused on ground-target skills to make it more reliable weapon of par with other long range weapons from other professions.

Here are some example of skills I suggest:

1 Skill main attack: MISSILE BARRAGE

Release three homing missiles that deal moderate damage and applies Vulnerability on impacted target and nearby enemies.

• 1 second channel time
• 120 radius
• 1200 range
• Each rocket is a projectile finisher (20%)
• Each rocket is Explosion
• Three instances of damage provide better synergy with Shrapnel, Steel-packed Powder and Sharpshooter traits for condi builds
• Missiles are slower that average projectile from other range weapons like Rifle or Longbow, but they have a homing effect to compensate.

2 Skill: WHIRLWIND ROCKET

Release a slow-moving rocket that travels forward and can be manually detonated to perform whirl-like explosion that deals heavy damage and applies Confusion.

• 3/4 sec cast time
• 6 seconds CD
• 240 radius
• 1200 range
• Detonation counts as single Explosion
• Detonation is a Whirl finisher with 2 instances of damage
• Rocket passes through enemies, Detonations happens only on manual use or automatically upon reaching max distance

3 Skill: ARTILLERY SALVO

Unleash an artillery salvo of rocket on target area, dealing extreme damage in total and leaving scorched ground that Burns enemies.

• 2 seconds cast time that cannot be perform while moving
• 18 seconds CD
• 240 radius
• 1200 range
• 4 seconds Salvo duration
• 12 instances of damage (3 per second)
• Every instance of damage counts as Explosion (3 instances per second just like Main attack)
• Leaves Fire Field for 6 seconds that pulses burning 6 times

4 Skill: GLUE ROCKET

Fires a fast traveling rocket that explodes on target area coats surrounded it with puddle of glue that immobilizes foes on impact and then cripples foes remain withing

• 1/2 second cast time
• 25 seconds CD
• 1200 range
• Other properties are same as Glue Bomb

5 Skill: BLAST RETREAT

Blast ground beneath, dealing heavy damage and leaving smoke field that blinds foes, and then leap at targeted area.

• Instant
• 30 seconds CD
• 1 second travel duration
• 1200 range travel
• Other properties are same as Smoke Bomb

Tool Belt Skill: Big OL` ROCKET

Launch rocket into the sky that will hit target area after 3 seconds, dealing massive damage and launching nearby foes.

• 1/2 second cast time
• 25 seconds CD
• 1200 range
• Properties of Big Ol` Bomb
• Target area is marked so enemies can see where Rocket will hit

Conclusion:

This kit will be a great addition to Engineer. Focusing on Vulnerability Stacking and heavy direct damage it will be a great addition for Power builds, while numerous instances of Explosions and some innate conditions will save it as a part of Explosives specialization condi build.But most importantly, this kit will open a long range weapon that can be used by both Elite specializations with no need of sacrificing Hammer or Sword in favor of Rifle.

this sounds more like a mortar rework tbf

@derd.6413 said:this sounds more like a mortar rework tbf

No, it remains the same utilities as Bomb Kit (Glue and Smoke) and focuses on raw damage. Mortar Kit should stay the same as an utility ground targeting weapon focusing on creating fields. Also mortar is a heavily arcing projectile weapon, while Rocket Launcher is closer to other long range weapons like Rifle and Longbow.Mortar Kit is fine as it is, while Bomb Kit has a lot of problems that can be solved by major rework.

@Bomboed.5697 said:

@derd.6413 said:this sounds more like a mortar rework tbf

i'm not saying this should be a mortar rework but it looks to me like it's just too similar to mortar.

also mortar could defenitly use some changes to how it plays (not what it does but more to how it does what it does)

It does sound similar to mortar kit, but your idea does sound fun. Agreed I avoid the bomb kit, so nearly anything would be an improvement. As long as they didn't make skill #1 ground targeted, I'd be okay with it. Keeping targeting on skills #2 through #5 is okay, but I'd want the autoattack to be truly autoattack. (Not like grenade kit.)

@derd.6413 said:

@Bomboed.5697 said:

@derd.6413 said:this sounds more like a mortar rework tbf

The goal of my rework is to give Engi an option to deal reliable power damage from long range.

Doing so via addition of another core weapon like Longbow or Staff could work at some extent, but it still will be heavily limited by lack of weapon swap, which means that Elite specs would have an absolutely unnecessary dilemma of choice between their own Elite weapon and this new core weapon.

Doing so via reworking Mortar would be strange because it would mean a complete radical change of this weapon purpose: from utility weapon focusing in field to power based weapon focusing on dealing damage. Mortal is also an Elite skill and putting a weapon for regular use in Elite slot is weird because it will compete not with other weapons and kits, but with long CD utility skills, which is not healthy at all, especially for Elite specs. I completely agree with your point on Mortar - it definitely requires some changes, but it should be an Elite skill level changes, not weapon level changes. Improvements should be done to how Mortar works, but not change its purpose.

Doing so via reworking Bomb kit is more optimal. By reworking Bomb into Rockets we change how this kit works (from close range to long range), but do not change it purpose - it is still a weapon for regular use that focuses on dealing heavy direct damage. And this change is not as radical as it seems because I tried to save all good parts of Bomb kit: Rocket Launcher still has Fire Field and Burning, Confusion, Explosions for synergy with traits, Smoke Field and Blind, Glue for CC. It does the same, but better and in more viable form that fits better in overall Engi arsenal of weapon options. It is also and utility slot kit which means it will contribute more to diversity of builds.Yes, I agree that it may seem like Rocket Launcher is similar to Mortar, but the same could be said about Longbows and Shortbows. It is a question of realization: if done right they will be different. When I talk about Rocket Launcher I think more about Charrzooka than Mortar. A lot of players love Charrzooka's feel and fantasy, but don't use it because it is a lackluster racial ability just like all other racial abilities. I think that this feel and fantasy will fit Engineer very well and this could be done in viable form.