Theorycrafting - Kits Only

So this problem's been around for the engineer for quite a while: -kits are either too valuable to take compared to single-skill utilities or they're lackluster in what they can doSince most engineer players love engi for the complexity anyways; i'm asking how you think something like this would work, and whether you'd prefer it or nah:-non-kit utility skills are removed, or their modified versions put into new kits (therefore there are only kit utilities)-new kits added with specific purposes, but kit count would be less than utilities of other classes-most kit skills are either situational or have a lengthy cast times, reducing their spammy nature and keeping the right-skill-at-the-right-time theme-weapons are more of a passive fighting option, possibly with a reload mechanic as someone suggested in the forums-traits are adjusted accordingly, kits could even have different types to interact with traits

I know, hurrrr durrr balance, anet'd never do it etc etc, this is a what if post, share some of your own ideas

I can only agree with points 3 and 5. It is true that kits are too valuable for core engineer and scrapper, but they can be lackluster compared to what holosmith can do with Photon Forge which is in itself a kit, hence why you don't see non-PvE holosmith builds using no kits.

The tool kit is one of my favorite kits to use in PvP, but it seems incomplete. 3 out the 5 skills are the only skills you'll ever use. The auto attack is atrocious and Box of Nails takes way too long to cast. The auto attack applies vulnerability and cripple, even though there's already a skill that applies cripple on enemies. Simply reduce the cast time on the tool kit auto attack so that it's similar to the scrapper's hammer, have it apply confusion instead of cripple and reduce the cast time on Box of Nails as well as slightly increasing the cripple duration.

Traits are another issue. Most of them are fine, but the grenade kit has one of the worst, if not the worst designed trait in the game. The current version of grenadier not only affects the grenades' blast radius, but also the throw velocity. Not a single player would look at this trait and be stupid enough to not use it. Because of how hard the trait handicaps the grenade kit and is also very mandatory to use, it diminishes build variety. I always suggested to rework grenadier so that it reduces cooldown on grenade skill by 20% and it increases the throw range from 900 to 1,200 while making the blast radius and throw velocity baseline.

I wasn't really trying to make a point for balance changes here, and i didn't have elite specs in mind, those could be adjusted accoringly.This is more of a philosophical question of what it'd be like if engineer didn't have skills other than kits, since this piano-play is what engineer players seem to be into anyways.

It's a question whether you'd be happy if there were more kits, elite specs brought kits, and engineer play was even more centered (and balanced) around kit management

Edit: sorry if this wasn't clear. I'm basically talking about an alternative engineer that only has kits with different types rather than the current utilities.(I agree with some kits feeling incomplete and others trait dependant though.)