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How to balance every single thing that's bad on Engineer [PvP]


Chaith.8256

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@Chaith.8256 said:Update:Removed suggestions to High Caliber, No Scope, and Serrated Steel to reflect an improved Firearms spec from last balance patch.

New suggestion for Serrated Steel to reflect overall increased durations and lower stacks of conditions in PvP:

Serrated Steel: Currently: Bleeding duration increased by 33%. New: In addition to its previous effects, when your bleeding is removed from a foe, that foe receives a final bleeding tick for 33% of the bleeding damage removed.

This is purely for the purpose of helping PvP/WvW condition engineers recoup a little viability in light of recent nerfs.

Seems interesting in first place but totally inappropriate. That would change too much things, both in the way players will have to learn and the way it's implemented in the game. Now, the game only has to check whether you're poisoned or not before reducing your healings or not.

With your change it will have to track bleeding, bleeding source and if the source is traited. Also it means a player can actually be damaged and got his healings reduced by two different conditions.

That would be really complicated for both players and programmers.

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@RedSPINE.7845 said:That would be really complicated for both players and programmers.

Seems like your post and what you quoted don't match up, I deleted the suggestion for a Firearms bleed healing debuff and suggested a backlash to cleansing bleed. Kind of like when you attempt to cleanse 22 confusion and take 3k damage for each failed attempt.

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Open core mode only queue.

We can all make educated guesses that certain professions won't be viable, but until we get in there and see we truly have no idea. Look at every expac where everyone says a certain class is trash only to have them OP as fuck. Granted we all know core pretty well, but we won't be 100% sure of what's completely viable/unviable.

So I say open up core only queue & let's have a good time.

As for the profession balance....I'm sorry but from HoT to PoF is all a broken spamfest mess. Engi has always been in a great place and I can't remember a time when it wasn't one of the top classes in the game. I can't condone buffs to anything related to the profession & would rather see nerfs across the board. I'd like Engi to lose all the passive auto proc win toys throughout the entire profession (all the other classes as well too btw). GW2 should honestly only have active defenses.

Scourge/Mirage/Firebrand need to be gutted and then slightly buffed over the course of a few patches until viable. This is b/c our balance team haven't been able to balance with surgical precision.

I didn't read the entire thread so someone can quote me and update if i missed something.

Thx

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@"Chaith.8256" said:Updated April 2018

Here's what it would take to create near perfect build diversity across Core Engineer, Scrapper, and Holosmith in PvP primarily, but also keeping other game modes in mind. Strap in, have fun imagining all these new toys and builds to play with.

Disclaimer, these are the changes I think are necessary to bring each dead skill or trait into a balanced side-grade, or part of a brand new build.

The goal is to have more than just Rifle Holosmith around the "great" tier on metabattle. Ideally Scrapper and core Engi could compete with other core builds, and balanced HoT/PoF ones.

Engineer =/= Holosmith

This thread is a no power creep zone, that means not raising the one current strong specialization past its current limit.

Core Engineer:

Weapon Skills1.) Pistol #1: Increased damage by 20%. Is now an explosion. Fragmentation Shot now bleeds on the 120 radius explosion instead of the projectile.

2.) Pistol #2: Is now piercing. Increased damage by 20%. Now applies .75s of weakness per dart, in addition to its previous effects.

Kits1.) Toolkit #2. 1 Torment added to ticks, in addition to its previous effects, same duration.

2.) Toolkit #3: Damage increased by 15%.

3.) Elixir Gun #2: Damage increased by 15%. Velocity increased by 50%.

4.) Elixir Gun #3: Poison duration increased from 2 to 4 seconds.

5.) Flamethrower #2: Ground targeted and explodes on contact, like Elementalist's Phoenix.

6.) Flamethrower #4: Duration reduced from 10s to 5s. Interval reduced from 1s to .5s.

7.) Flamethrower #5: This skill has two ammunition.

8.) Med Kit: All skills that remove conditions remove an extra one. Med Blaster healing tripled. #2-5 abilities now affect 5 unique allies before being consumed

Turret Related Changes:1.) General Turret changes:

  • Turrets deliver a short point-blank knockback on death (120 distance).
  • Reduce all Turret cooldown to 20s.
  • Supply Crate CD reduced to 90s.
  • Turrets no longer auto-attack.
  • Cooldown starts immediately on use.
  • Removed functionality to pick up turrets & reduce cooldown.
  • Turret duration reduced to 10s before detonating.
  • Flame Turret Overcharge, in addition to its blind effect, Smoke Screen weakens foes on the same interval.
  • Rifle Turret Overcharge, instead of firing faster for 10s, rapid-fire 10 shots over 3 seconds.
  • Toolbelt skills for Thumper Turret & Net Turret - reduced from 38s to 25s.
  • Toolbelt skill for Flame Turret, Throw Napalm, radius increased from 180 to 240.
  • Toolbelt skill for Rocket Turret, Rocket, velocity increased 50%.

2.) Experimental Turrets: Rocket Turret's Retaliation increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Healing Turret Vigor increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Flame Turret's might stacks increased from 3 to 5 stacks. In addition to its current affects, if a turret reaches the end of its 10s lifespan, the turret performs an overcharged attack as a parting gift. Edit, April 2018: Reflective shields activate without delay.

Utility Skills1.) Utility Goggles: Currently: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to blind for ten seconds. New: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to all debilitating conditions (blind, weakness, vulnerability.)

2.) Personal Battering Ram: Currently: Launches foe, 130 range. New: Target required, affects only the target, and range of Ram attack extended to 450.

3.) Slick Shoes: Currently: Spray oil, knocking enemies down for 2 seconds, affects once per target. New: Given two ammunition, ammunition recharge, 20 seconds. 2s ICD between using ammunition. (Note: Each use of Slick Shoes still only affects an enemy once.)

4.) Throw Mine: Currently: Throw a mine that damages, knocks back, and removes a boon. New: Instead of removing a boon, Throw mine can only remove stability.

5.) Mine Field: Currently: Plant 5 mines around yourself. New: Instead, place a 300 radius field on the ground that lasts for 5 seconds. At every 1 second interval where a foe within the field is moving, a mine explodes on their position. Maximum 3 explosions per second. (Note: The mine's damage, radius, and boon remove effects are the same as the current Mine Field mines.)

6.) Toss Elixir R: Currently: Remove conditions and Revive allies. New: Cooldown Reduced from 90s to 75s, now only removes damaging conditions.

Healing Skills

1.) Elixir H: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals. Grants all boons previously offered at 40% base duration instead of RNG.

2.) Toss Elixir H: New: Grants all boons previously offered at 40% of base duration instead of RNG

3.) Bandage Self: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals.

Core Engineer Traits

General trait changes:Inventions' 'Bunker Down' trait switches places with Explosives 'Short Fuse' trait.

Explosives

1.) Short Fuse, now Bunker Down. Currently: On crit, drop a mine & bandage. New: To reflect being reduced from a GM trait, reduced mine damage and healing from dropped med packs by 33%.

2.) Orbital Command: Currently: when striking enemies below 50%, cast a lesser orbital strike.New: In addition to its current effects, Edit: April2018: Your mortar shots become unlockable after traveling 600 distance.

Firearms1.) Juggernaut: Currently: Gain might and stability while wielding a flamethrower. New: In combat only, interval extended to 5s, stab duration increased to 4s, might stacks increased from 1 to 2 to reflect larger interval. Effect extended to affect Pistol and Rifle mainhand as well as Flamethrower. Five second interval makes you have to be in a kit for a while until the boons are given. Interval reset to 0 from any interruption from wielding a weapon/kit that's affected by this trait. (Note: This 5 second wait time reset is designed to make this trait less effective for Elixir S, Photon Forge, or other non-flamethrower kits, preventing those users from gaining Stability until a full 5s interval has passed on re-entering.)

2.) Serrated Steel: Currently: Bleeding duration increased by 33%. New: In addition to its previous effects, your bleeding does 1.5% more damage for each stack of bleeding on the afflicted target. (Max25)

Inventions1.) Autodefense Bomb Dispenser: Currently: Drop a smoke bomb when disabled. In addition to its previous effects, all Smoke Bomb effects grants 3 seconds of stealth to up to 5 allies when activated.

2.) Soothing Detonation: Currently: Blast combo finishers heal nearby allies for a small amount. New: Instead, successful Blast finisher combos cause an additional Blast combo: Water as well. 2s ICD added.

3.) Energy Amplifier: Currently: When you are under the effects of Regeneration, gain +250 healing. New: In addition to its previous effects, your regeneration increases the amount you heal other allies by 25%.

4.) Medical Dispersion Field: Currently: 20% of healing you apply to yourself is shared with your allies, 360 radius. New: Increased radius to 480 to match Healing Turret. In Addition to its previous effects, when your HP is full, Medical Dispersion Field regenerates you and your allies. In combat. (Note: Functions as if you were a placed Healing Turret.)

5.) Bunker down, now 'Short Fuse'. Currently: Bombs have shorter fuse time and 20% reduced recharge. New: In addition to its current effects, the first Bomb Kit #1 skill used inside a Fire Bomb or Smoke Bomb will generate a blast finisher.

Alchemy1.) Health Insurance: Currently: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in Med Kit. New: You and your allies receive 33% additional healing from your abilities while in Med Kit. (Note: Allows you to burst heal yourself better by swapping into Med Kit prior.)

2.) Backpack Regenerator: Currently: Recover health each second while in an Engineering kit. New: Effect extended for 5 seconds after using an Engineering Kit (Note: this is a half-duration version of how it actually functioned from launch until Core Specializations patch.)

Tools:1.) Static Discharge: New: Damage Increased by 25%. All static discharges now deal consistent damage with the tooltip and are always directed to the current target.

Scrapper

Function Gyro: In addition to its previous effects, when the function Gyro is off cooldown and hovering around the Scrapper, enhance the Scrapper with +120 Power and +120 Precision. Added small tendrils of electricity leaping between the Scrapper & Function Gyro when in combat.

Utility skills1.) Medic Gyro: Reconstruction Field instant again.

Traits1.) Shocking Speed - Currently: Leap & Blast finishers in lightning fields applies 3 seconds of superspeed around you. New: All leap and blast finishers apply 2 seconds of Superspeed around you, internal cooldown removed.

4.) Expert Examination - Disabling (not just stuns and dazes) a Foe applies vulnerability and weakens them. Duration of Weakness and Vulnerability decreased from 6 seconds to 4 seconds. (With condition duration and a CC focused build this could stack too much weakness otherwise.)

5.) Final Salvo: Currently: Spawn a lightning field when a gyro is destroyed, granting Superspeed.New: Lightning field now mobile and centered around the Scrapper's position rather than where the Gyro dies.

Holosmith

Disclaimer: Low Priority changes ahead. Holosmith has two good configurations in PvP but like every spec has lots of janky utilities and overly niche traits, like a trait only good for running Yaks. A few shaves to overly good traits included.

Utility Skills1.) Coolant Blast - Always grants additional small heal over time. New above high heat threshold effect: Expel 25 heat. No longer chills or applies frost aura.

2.) Flash Spark - now pulses blind every second for 4 seconds. Increased duration of light aura from 3s to 5s, and grants it after last pulse.

Traits1.) Solar Focusing Lens: Currently: First few attacks after entering Photon Forge or Overheating do 10% more damage and burn. In addition to its current effects, prevents the Engineer from suffering from the self damage over time component of overheating. (Note: This trait combined with Photonic Blasting Module will allow you to take no damage from Overheating.)

2.) Heat Therapy scaling with Healing Power - increased from 0.006 to 0.025. With 500 healing this allows Heat Therapy to heal around 19% more than with a Marauder stat load. (Note: Currently, 500 healing makes heat therapy 4.6% better, needless to say, that's a pitiful increase for the opportunity cost on running an amulet like Avatar/Sages/Celestial over getting Power/Precision/Ferocity/Vit/Toughness)

3.) Crystal Configuration: Storm - Currently: Photon Forge #1 now fires explosive projectiles. New: 10% damage penalty removed. In addition, only fires the trait modified version if target is greater than 240 range away. (Note: This allows the Holo to not be unjustly affected by projectile hate when not utilizing the longer range.)

4.) Crystal Configuration: Zephyr - Currently: Holo Leap removes movement impairing conditions and grants superspeed instead of swiftness. New: Instead of granting superspeed, increases the attack range of Holo leap from 600 to 900, (travel distance of Holo Leap from 450 to 750.) Adds .75s evade. This trait increases the cooldown of Holo Leap to 5s, and increases swiftness duration to 5s.

5) Photonic Blasting Module: New: In addition to its current effects, while overheated, all heat % bonuses are energized to the highest tier.

6) Heat Bonuses added for mainhand weapons:

  • Pistol #1: 50+ heat, 1s burn. 100+ heat, 2s burn. (Note, burn applies only to initial target.)
  • Pistol #2: 50+ heat, Fires 7 shots (2.25s cast). 100+ heat, Fires 10 shots (3s cast).
  • Pistol #3: 50+ heat, +1 bounce. 100+ heat, +2 bounce.
  • Rifle #1: 50+ heat, 4s vuln. 100+ heat, two 4s vuln.
  • Rifle #2: 50+ heat, additional .5s immobilize. 100+ heat, additional 1s immobilize.
  • Rifle #3: 50+ heat, 2s cripple. 100+ heat, 4s cripple.

I like a lot of these changes. One thing I would change, is the suggested change to Crystal Configuration: Zephyr. Keep the superspeed, extend it's ss duration to 5 seconds, keep the 5 second cd on holo leap, and keep the evades. I use this trait currently for a slippery build that focuses on bursting damage to opponents to and +1ing fights. It doesn't have the mobility of a thief, but it can still do a pretty good job of getting around the map and bursting down opponents who are low health, or who are prioritized. Also works good against scourge.http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQFAUnUUB1IjFJD2UBcJjFSDrf/NALgjBgmzz5r0caaNA-jJxHQBXrMwZ2fwgPAAAcBAAA

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@Ghos.1326 said:

@"Chaith.8256" said:Updated April 2018

Here's what it would take to create near perfect build diversity across Core Engineer, Scrapper, and Holosmith in PvP primarily, but also keeping other game modes in mind. Strap in, have fun imagining all these new toys and builds to play with.

Disclaimer, these are the changes I think are necessary to bring each dead skill or trait into a balanced side-grade, or part of a brand new build.

The goal is to have more than just Rifle Holosmith around the "great" tier on metabattle. Ideally Scrapper and core Engi could compete with other core builds, and balanced HoT/PoF ones.

Engineer =/= Holosmith

This thread is a no power creep zone, that means not raising the one current strong specialization past its current limit.

Core Engineer:

Weapon Skills1.) Pistol #1: Increased damage by 20%. Is now an explosion. Fragmentation Shot now bleeds on the 120 radius explosion instead of the projectile.

2.) Pistol #2: Is now piercing. Increased damage by 20%. Now applies .75s of weakness per dart, in addition to its previous effects.

Kits1.) Toolkit #2. 1 Torment added to ticks, in addition to its previous effects, same duration.

2.) Toolkit #3: Damage increased by 15%.

3.) Elixir Gun #2: Damage increased by 15%. Velocity increased by 50%.

4.) Elixir Gun #3: Poison duration increased from 2 to 4 seconds.

5.) Flamethrower #2: Ground targeted and explodes on contact, like Elementalist's Phoenix.

6.) Flamethrower #4: Duration reduced from 10s to 5s. Interval reduced from 1s to .5s.

7.) Flamethrower #5: This skill has two ammunition.

8.) Med Kit: All skills that remove conditions remove an extra one. Med Blaster healing tripled. #2-5 abilities now affect 5 unique allies before being consumed

Turret Related Changes:1.) General Turret changes:
  • Turrets deliver a short point-blank knockback on death (120 distance).
  • Reduce all Turret cooldown to 20s.
  • Supply Crate CD reduced to 90s.
  • Turrets no longer auto-attack.
  • Cooldown starts immediately on use
    .
  • Removed functionality to pick up turrets & reduce cooldown.
  • Turret duration reduced to 10s before detonating.
  • Flame Turret Overcharge, in addition to its blind effect, Smoke Screen weakens foes on the same interval.
  • Rifle Turret Overcharge, instead of firing faster for 10s, rapid-fire 10 shots over 3 seconds.
  • Toolbelt skills for Thumper Turret & Net Turret - reduced from 38s to 25s.
  • Toolbelt skill for Flame Turret, Throw Napalm, radius increased from 180 to 240.
  • Toolbelt skill for Rocket Turret, Rocket, velocity increased 50%.

2.) Experimental Turrets: Rocket Turret's Retaliation increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Healing Turret Vigor increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Flame Turret's might stacks increased from 3 to 5 stacks. In addition to its current affects, if a turret reaches the end of its 10s lifespan, the turret performs an overcharged attack as a parting gift.
Edit, April 2018: Reflective shields activate without delay.

Utility Skills1.) Utility Goggles: Currently: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to blind for ten seconds. New: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to all debilitating conditions (blind, weakness, vulnerability.)

2.) Personal Battering Ram: Currently: Launches foe, 130 range. New: Target required, affects only the target, and range of Ram attack extended to 450.

3.) Slick Shoes: Currently: Spray oil, knocking enemies down for 2 seconds, affects once per target. New: Given two ammunition, ammunition recharge, 20 seconds. 2s ICD between using ammunition. (Note: Each use of Slick Shoes still only affects an enemy once.)

4.) Throw Mine: Currently: Throw a mine that damages, knocks back, and removes a boon. New: Instead of removing a boon, Throw mine can only remove stability.

5.) Mine Field: Currently: Plant 5 mines around yourself. New: Instead, place a 300 radius field on the ground that lasts for 5 seconds. At every 1 second interval where a foe within the field is moving, a mine explodes on their position. Maximum 3 explosions per second. (Note: The mine's damage, radius, and boon remove effects are the same as the current Mine Field mines.)

6.) Toss Elixir R: Currently: Remove conditions and Revive allies. New: Cooldown Reduced from 90s to 75s, now only removes damaging conditions.

Healing Skills

1.) Elixir H: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals. Grants all boons previously offered at 40% base duration instead of RNG.

2.) Toss Elixir H: New: Grants all boons previously offered at 40% of base duration instead of RNG

3.) Bandage Self: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals.

Core Engineer Traits

General trait changes:Inventions' 'Bunker Down' trait switches places with Explosives 'Short Fuse' trait.

Explosives

1.) Short Fuse, now
Bunker Down
. Currently: On crit, drop a mine & bandage. New: To reflect being reduced from a GM trait, reduced mine damage and healing from dropped med packs by 33%.

2.) Orbital Command: Currently: when striking enemies below 50%, cast a lesser orbital strike.New: In addition to its current effects,
Edit: April2018: Your mortar shots become unlockable after traveling 600 distance
.

Firearms1.) Juggernaut: Currently: Gain might and stability while wielding a flamethrower. New: In combat only, interval extended to 5s, stab duration increased to 4s, might stacks increased from 1 to 2 to reflect larger interval. Effect extended to affect Pistol and Rifle mainhand as well as Flamethrower. Five second interval makes you have to be in a kit for a while until the boons are given. Interval reset to 0 from any interruption from wielding a weapon/kit that's affected by this trait. (Note: This 5 second wait time reset is designed to make this trait less effective for Elixir S, Photon Forge, or other non-flamethrower kits, preventing those users from gaining Stability until a full 5s interval has passed on re-entering.)

2.) Serrated Steel: Currently: Bleeding duration increased by 33%. New: In addition to its previous effects, your bleeding does 1.5% more damage for each stack of bleeding on the afflicted target. (Max25)

Inventions1.) Autodefense Bomb Dispenser: Currently: Drop a smoke bomb when disabled. In addition to its previous effects, all Smoke Bomb effects grants 3 seconds of stealth to up to 5 allies when activated.

2.) Soothing Detonation: Currently: Blast combo finishers heal nearby allies for a small amount. New: Instead, successful Blast finisher combos cause an additional Blast combo: Water as well. 2s ICD added.

3.) Energy Amplifier: Currently: When you are under the effects of Regeneration, gain +250 healing. New: In addition to its previous effects, your regeneration increases the amount you heal other allies by 25%.

4.) Medical Dispersion Field: Currently: 20% of healing you apply to yourself is shared with your allies, 360 radius. New: Increased radius to 480 to match Healing Turret. In Addition to its previous effects, when your HP is full, Medical Dispersion Field regenerates you and your allies. In combat. (Note: Functions as if you were a placed Healing Turret.)

5.) Bunker down,
now 'Short Fuse'.
Currently: Bombs have shorter fuse time and 20% reduced recharge. New: In addition to its current effects, the first Bomb Kit #1 skill used inside a Fire Bomb or Smoke Bomb will generate a blast finisher.

Alchemy1.) Health Insurance: Currently: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in Med Kit. New:
You
and your allies receive 33% additional healing from your abilities while in Med Kit. (Note: Allows you to burst heal yourself better by swapping into Med Kit prior.)

2.) Backpack Regenerator: Currently: Recover health each second while in an Engineering kit. New: Effect extended for 5 seconds after using an Engineering Kit (Note: this is a half-duration version of how it actually functioned from launch until Core Specializations patch.)

Tools:1.) Static Discharge: New: Damage Increased by 25%. All static discharges now deal consistent damage with the tooltip and are always directed to the current target.

Scrapper

Function Gyro: In addition to its previous effects, when the function Gyro is off cooldown and hovering around the Scrapper, enhance the Scrapper with +120 Power and +120 Precision. Added small tendrils of electricity leaping between the Scrapper & Function Gyro when in combat.

Utility skills1.) Medic Gyro: Reconstruction Field instant again.

Traits1.) Shocking Speed - Currently: Leap & Blast finishers in lightning fields applies 3 seconds of superspeed around you. New: All leap and blast finishers apply 2 seconds of Superspeed around you, internal cooldown removed.

4.) Expert Examination - Disabling (not just stuns and dazes) a Foe applies vulnerability and weakens them. Duration of Weakness and Vulnerability decreased from 6 seconds to 4 seconds. (With condition duration and a CC focused build this could stack too much weakness otherwise.)

5.) Final Salvo: Currently: Spawn a lightning field when a gyro is destroyed, granting Superspeed.New: Lightning field now mobile and centered around the Scrapper's position rather than where the Gyro dies.

Holosmith

Disclaimer: Low Priority changes ahead. Holosmith has two good configurations in PvP but like every spec has lots of janky utilities and overly niche traits, like a trait only good for running Yaks. A few shaves to overly good traits included.

Utility Skills1.) Coolant Blast - Always grants additional small heal over time. New above high heat threshold effect: Expel 25 heat. No longer chills or applies frost aura.

2.) Flash Spark - now pulses blind every second for 4 seconds. Increased duration of light aura from 3s to 5s, and grants it after last pulse.

Traits1.) Solar Focusing Lens: Currently: First few attacks after entering Photon Forge or Overheating do 10% more damage and burn. In addition to its current effects, prevents the Engineer from suffering from the self damage over time component of overheating. (Note: This trait combined with Photonic Blasting Module will allow you to take no damage from Overheating.)

2.) Heat Therapy scaling with Healing Power - increased from 0.006 to 0.025. With 500 healing this allows Heat Therapy to heal around 19% more than with a Marauder stat load. (Note: Currently, 500 healing makes heat therapy 4.6% better, needless to say, that's a pitiful increase for the opportunity cost on running an amulet like Avatar/Sages/Celestial over getting Power/Precision/Ferocity/Vit/Toughness)

3.) Crystal Configuration: Storm - Currently: Photon Forge #1 now fires explosive projectiles. New: 10% damage penalty removed. In addition, only fires the trait modified version if target is greater than 240 range away. (Note: This allows the Holo to not be unjustly affected by projectile hate when not utilizing the longer range.)

4.) Crystal Configuration: Zephyr - Currently: Holo Leap removes movement impairing conditions and grants superspeed instead of swiftness. New: Instead of granting superspeed, increases the attack range of Holo leap from 600 to 900, (travel distance of Holo Leap from 450 to 750.) Adds .75s evade. This trait increases the cooldown of Holo Leap to 5s, and increases swiftness duration to 5s.

5) Photonic Blasting Module: New: In addition to its current effects, while overheated, all heat % bonuses are energized to the highest tier.

6) Heat Bonuses added for mainhand weapons:
  • Pistol #1: 50+ heat, 1s burn. 100+ heat, 2s burn. (Note, burn applies only to initial target.)
  • Pistol #2: 50+ heat, Fires 7 shots (2.25s cast). 100+ heat, Fires 10 shots (3s cast).
  • Pistol #3: 50+ heat, +1 bounce. 100+ heat, +2 bounce.
  • Rifle #1: 50+ heat, 4s vuln. 100+ heat, two 4s vuln.
  • Rifle #2: 50+ heat, additional .5s immobilize. 100+ heat, additional 1s immobilize.
  • Rifle #3: 50+ heat, 2s cripple. 100+ heat, 4s cripple.

I like a lot of these changes. One thing I would change, is the suggested change to Crystal Configuration: Zephyr. Keep the superspeed, extend it's ss duration to 5 seconds, keep the 5 second cd on holo leap, and keep the evades. I use this trait currently for a slippery build that focuses on bursting damage to opponents to and +1ing fights. It doesn't have the mobility of a thief, but it can still do a pretty good job of getting around the map and bursting down opponents who are low health, or who are prioritized. Also works good against scourge.

build shown shows no mobility at all to having map pressure for a +1. No rocket boots and no slippery shoes.

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@zoopop.5630 said:

@"Chaith.8256" said:Updated April 2018

Here's what it would take to create near perfect build diversity across Core Engineer, Scrapper, and Holosmith in PvP primarily, but also keeping other game modes in mind. Strap in, have fun imagining all these new toys and builds to play with.

Disclaimer, these are the changes I think are necessary to bring each dead skill or trait into a balanced side-grade, or part of a brand new build.

The goal is to have more than just Rifle Holosmith around the "great" tier on metabattle. Ideally Scrapper and core Engi could compete with other core builds, and balanced HoT/PoF ones.

Engineer =/= Holosmith

This thread is a no power creep zone, that means not raising the one current strong specialization past its current limit.

Core Engineer:

Weapon Skills1.) Pistol #1: Increased damage by 20%. Is now an explosion. Fragmentation Shot now bleeds on the 120 radius explosion instead of the projectile.

2.) Pistol #2: Is now piercing. Increased damage by 20%. Now applies .75s of weakness per dart, in addition to its previous effects.

Kits1.) Toolkit #2. 1 Torment added to ticks, in addition to its previous effects, same duration.

2.) Toolkit #3: Damage increased by 15%.

3.) Elixir Gun #2: Damage increased by 15%. Velocity increased by 50%.

4.) Elixir Gun #3: Poison duration increased from 2 to 4 seconds.

5.) Flamethrower #2: Ground targeted and explodes on contact, like Elementalist's Phoenix.

6.) Flamethrower #4: Duration reduced from 10s to 5s. Interval reduced from 1s to .5s.

7.) Flamethrower #5: This skill has two ammunition.

8.) Med Kit: All skills that remove conditions remove an extra one. Med Blaster healing tripled. #2-5 abilities now affect 5 unique allies before being consumed

Turret Related Changes:1.) General Turret changes:
  • Turrets deliver a short point-blank knockback on death (120 distance).
  • Reduce all Turret cooldown to 20s.
  • Supply Crate CD reduced to 90s.
  • Turrets no longer auto-attack.
  • Cooldown starts immediately on use
    .
  • Removed functionality to pick up turrets & reduce cooldown.
  • Turret duration reduced to 10s before detonating.
  • Flame Turret Overcharge, in addition to its blind effect, Smoke Screen weakens foes on the same interval.
  • Rifle Turret Overcharge, instead of firing faster for 10s, rapid-fire 10 shots over 3 seconds.
  • Toolbelt skills for Thumper Turret & Net Turret - reduced from 38s to 25s.
  • Toolbelt skill for Flame Turret, Throw Napalm, radius increased from 180 to 240.
  • Toolbelt skill for Rocket Turret, Rocket, velocity increased 50%.

2.) Experimental Turrets: Rocket Turret's Retaliation increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Healing Turret Vigor increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Flame Turret's might stacks increased from 3 to 5 stacks. In addition to its current affects, if a turret reaches the end of its 10s lifespan, the turret performs an overcharged attack as a parting gift.
Edit, April 2018: Reflective shields activate without delay.

Utility Skills1.) Utility Goggles: Currently: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to blind for ten seconds. New: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to all debilitating conditions (blind, weakness, vulnerability.)

2.) Personal Battering Ram: Currently: Launches foe, 130 range. New: Target required, affects only the target, and range of Ram attack extended to 450.

3.) Slick Shoes: Currently: Spray oil, knocking enemies down for 2 seconds, affects once per target. New: Given two ammunition, ammunition recharge, 20 seconds. 2s ICD between using ammunition. (Note: Each use of Slick Shoes still only affects an enemy once.)

4.) Throw Mine: Currently: Throw a mine that damages, knocks back, and removes a boon. New: Instead of removing a boon, Throw mine can only remove stability.

5.) Mine Field: Currently: Plant 5 mines around yourself. New: Instead, place a 300 radius field on the ground that lasts for 5 seconds. At every 1 second interval where a foe within the field is moving, a mine explodes on their position. Maximum 3 explosions per second. (Note: The mine's damage, radius, and boon remove effects are the same as the current Mine Field mines.)

6.) Toss Elixir R: Currently: Remove conditions and Revive allies. New: Cooldown Reduced from 90s to 75s, now only removes damaging conditions.

Healing Skills

1.) Elixir H: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals. Grants all boons previously offered at 40% base duration instead of RNG.

2.) Toss Elixir H: New: Grants all boons previously offered at 40% of base duration instead of RNG

3.) Bandage Self: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals.

Core Engineer Traits

General trait changes:Inventions' 'Bunker Down' trait switches places with Explosives 'Short Fuse' trait.

Explosives

1.) Short Fuse, now
Bunker Down
. Currently: On crit, drop a mine & bandage. New: To reflect being reduced from a GM trait, reduced mine damage and healing from dropped med packs by 33%.

2.) Orbital Command: Currently: when striking enemies below 50%, cast a lesser orbital strike.New: In addition to its current effects,
Edit: April2018: Your mortar shots become unlockable after traveling 600 distance
.

Firearms1.) Juggernaut: Currently: Gain might and stability while wielding a flamethrower. New: In combat only, interval extended to 5s, stab duration increased to 4s, might stacks increased from 1 to 2 to reflect larger interval. Effect extended to affect Pistol and Rifle mainhand as well as Flamethrower. Five second interval makes you have to be in a kit for a while until the boons are given. Interval reset to 0 from any interruption from wielding a weapon/kit that's affected by this trait. (Note: This 5 second wait time reset is designed to make this trait less effective for Elixir S, Photon Forge, or other non-flamethrower kits, preventing those users from gaining Stability until a full 5s interval has passed on re-entering.)

2.) Serrated Steel: Currently: Bleeding duration increased by 33%. New: In addition to its previous effects, your bleeding does 1.5% more damage for each stack of bleeding on the afflicted target. (Max25)

Inventions1.) Autodefense Bomb Dispenser: Currently: Drop a smoke bomb when disabled. In addition to its previous effects, all Smoke Bomb effects grants 3 seconds of stealth to up to 5 allies when activated.

2.) Soothing Detonation: Currently: Blast combo finishers heal nearby allies for a small amount. New: Instead, successful Blast finisher combos cause an additional Blast combo: Water as well. 2s ICD added.

3.) Energy Amplifier: Currently: When you are under the effects of Regeneration, gain +250 healing. New: In addition to its previous effects, your regeneration increases the amount you heal other allies by 25%.

4.) Medical Dispersion Field: Currently: 20% of healing you apply to yourself is shared with your allies, 360 radius. New: Increased radius to 480 to match Healing Turret. In Addition to its previous effects, when your HP is full, Medical Dispersion Field regenerates you and your allies. In combat. (Note: Functions as if you were a placed Healing Turret.)

5.) Bunker down,
now 'Short Fuse'.
Currently: Bombs have shorter fuse time and 20% reduced recharge. New: In addition to its current effects, the first Bomb Kit #1 skill used inside a Fire Bomb or Smoke Bomb will generate a blast finisher.

Alchemy1.) Health Insurance: Currently: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in Med Kit. New:
You
and your allies receive 33% additional healing from your abilities while in Med Kit. (Note: Allows you to burst heal yourself better by swapping into Med Kit prior.)

2.) Backpack Regenerator: Currently: Recover health each second while in an Engineering kit. New: Effect extended for 5 seconds after using an Engineering Kit (Note: this is a half-duration version of how it actually functioned from launch until Core Specializations patch.)

Tools:1.) Static Discharge: New: Damage Increased by 25%. All static discharges now deal consistent damage with the tooltip and are always directed to the current target.

Scrapper

Function Gyro: In addition to its previous effects, when the function Gyro is off cooldown and hovering around the Scrapper, enhance the Scrapper with +120 Power and +120 Precision. Added small tendrils of electricity leaping between the Scrapper & Function Gyro when in combat.

Utility skills1.) Medic Gyro: Reconstruction Field instant again.

Traits1.) Shocking Speed - Currently: Leap & Blast finishers in lightning fields applies 3 seconds of superspeed around you. New: All leap and blast finishers apply 2 seconds of Superspeed around you, internal cooldown removed.

4.) Expert Examination - Disabling (not just stuns and dazes) a Foe applies vulnerability and weakens them. Duration of Weakness and Vulnerability decreased from 6 seconds to 4 seconds. (With condition duration and a CC focused build this could stack too much weakness otherwise.)

5.) Final Salvo: Currently: Spawn a lightning field when a gyro is destroyed, granting Superspeed.New: Lightning field now mobile and centered around the Scrapper's position rather than where the Gyro dies.

Holosmith

Disclaimer: Low Priority changes ahead. Holosmith has two good configurations in PvP but like every spec has lots of janky utilities and overly niche traits, like a trait only good for running Yaks. A few shaves to overly good traits included.

Utility Skills1.) Coolant Blast - Always grants additional small heal over time. New above high heat threshold effect: Expel 25 heat. No longer chills or applies frost aura.

2.) Flash Spark - now pulses blind every second for 4 seconds. Increased duration of light aura from 3s to 5s, and grants it after last pulse.

Traits1.) Solar Focusing Lens: Currently: First few attacks after entering Photon Forge or Overheating do 10% more damage and burn. In addition to its current effects, prevents the Engineer from suffering from the self damage over time component of overheating. (Note: This trait combined with Photonic Blasting Module will allow you to take no damage from Overheating.)

2.) Heat Therapy scaling with Healing Power - increased from 0.006 to 0.025. With 500 healing this allows Heat Therapy to heal around 19% more than with a Marauder stat load. (Note: Currently, 500 healing makes heat therapy 4.6% better, needless to say, that's a pitiful increase for the opportunity cost on running an amulet like Avatar/Sages/Celestial over getting Power/Precision/Ferocity/Vit/Toughness)

3.) Crystal Configuration: Storm - Currently: Photon Forge #1 now fires explosive projectiles. New: 10% damage penalty removed. In addition, only fires the trait modified version if target is greater than 240 range away. (Note: This allows the Holo to not be unjustly affected by projectile hate when not utilizing the longer range.)

4.) Crystal Configuration: Zephyr - Currently: Holo Leap removes movement impairing conditions and grants superspeed instead of swiftness. New: Instead of granting superspeed, increases the attack range of Holo leap from 600 to 900, (travel distance of Holo Leap from 450 to 750.) Adds .75s evade. This trait increases the cooldown of Holo Leap to 5s, and increases swiftness duration to 5s.

5) Photonic Blasting Module: New: In addition to its current effects, while overheated, all heat % bonuses are energized to the highest tier.

6) Heat Bonuses added for mainhand weapons:
  • Pistol #1: 50+ heat, 1s burn. 100+ heat, 2s burn. (Note, burn applies only to initial target.)
  • Pistol #2: 50+ heat, Fires 7 shots (2.25s cast). 100+ heat, Fires 10 shots (3s cast).
  • Pistol #3: 50+ heat, +1 bounce. 100+ heat, +2 bounce.
  • Rifle #1: 50+ heat, 4s vuln. 100+ heat, two 4s vuln.
  • Rifle #2: 50+ heat, additional .5s immobilize. 100+ heat, additional 1s immobilize.
  • Rifle #3: 50+ heat, 2s cripple. 100+ heat, 4s cripple.

I like a lot of these changes. One thing I would change, is the suggested change to Crystal Configuration: Zephyr. Keep the superspeed, extend it's ss duration to 5 seconds, keep the 5 second cd on holo leap, and keep the evades. I use this trait currently for a slippery build that focuses on bursting damage to opponents to and +1ing fights. It doesn't have the mobility of a thief, but it can still do a pretty good job of getting around the map and bursting down opponents who are low health, or who are prioritized. Also works good against scourge.

build shown shows no mobility at all to having map pressure for a +1. No rocket boots and no slippery shoes.

Mobility comes from the superspeed and being unable to be hindered by cripple, chill, and immob. Sigil of energy can be switched with sigil of escape for more of this slippery-ness.

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@Ghos.1326 said:

@"Chaith.8256" said:Updated April 2018

Here's what it would take to create near perfect build diversity across Core Engineer, Scrapper, and Holosmith in PvP primarily, but also keeping other game modes in mind. Strap in, have fun imagining all these new toys and builds to play with.

Disclaimer, these are the changes I think are necessary to bring each dead skill or trait into a balanced side-grade, or part of a brand new build.

The goal is to have more than just Rifle Holosmith around the "great" tier on metabattle. Ideally Scrapper and core Engi could compete with other core builds, and balanced HoT/PoF ones.

Engineer =/= Holosmith

This thread is a no power creep zone, that means not raising the one current strong specialization past its current limit.

Core Engineer:

Weapon Skills1.) Pistol #1: Increased damage by 20%. Is now an explosion. Fragmentation Shot now bleeds on the 120 radius explosion instead of the projectile.

2.) Pistol #2: Is now piercing. Increased damage by 20%. Now applies .75s of weakness per dart, in addition to its previous effects.

Kits1.) Toolkit #2. 1 Torment added to ticks, in addition to its previous effects, same duration.

2.) Toolkit #3: Damage increased by 15%.

3.) Elixir Gun #2: Damage increased by 15%. Velocity increased by 50%.

4.) Elixir Gun #3: Poison duration increased from 2 to 4 seconds.

5.) Flamethrower #2: Ground targeted and explodes on contact, like Elementalist's Phoenix.

6.) Flamethrower #4: Duration reduced from 10s to 5s. Interval reduced from 1s to .5s.

7.) Flamethrower #5: This skill has two ammunition.

8.) Med Kit: All skills that remove conditions remove an extra one. Med Blaster healing tripled. #2-5 abilities now affect 5 unique allies before being consumed

Turret Related Changes:1.) General Turret changes:
  • Turrets deliver a short point-blank knockback on death (120 distance).
  • Reduce all Turret cooldown to 20s.
  • Supply Crate CD reduced to 90s.
  • Turrets no longer auto-attack.
  • Cooldown starts immediately on use
    .
  • Removed functionality to pick up turrets & reduce cooldown.
  • Turret duration reduced to 10s before detonating.
  • Flame Turret Overcharge, in addition to its blind effect, Smoke Screen weakens foes on the same interval.
  • Rifle Turret Overcharge, instead of firing faster for 10s, rapid-fire 10 shots over 3 seconds.
  • Toolbelt skills for Thumper Turret & Net Turret - reduced from 38s to 25s.
  • Toolbelt skill for Flame Turret, Throw Napalm, radius increased from 180 to 240.
  • Toolbelt skill for Rocket Turret, Rocket, velocity increased 50%.

2.) Experimental Turrets: Rocket Turret's Retaliation increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Healing Turret Vigor increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Flame Turret's might stacks increased from 3 to 5 stacks. In addition to its current affects, if a turret reaches the end of its 10s lifespan, the turret performs an overcharged attack as a parting gift.
Edit, April 2018: Reflective shields activate without delay.

Utility Skills1.) Utility Goggles: Currently: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to blind for ten seconds. New: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to all debilitating conditions (blind, weakness, vulnerability.)

2.) Personal Battering Ram: Currently: Launches foe, 130 range. New: Target required, affects only the target, and range of Ram attack extended to 450.

3.) Slick Shoes: Currently: Spray oil, knocking enemies down for 2 seconds, affects once per target. New: Given two ammunition, ammunition recharge, 20 seconds. 2s ICD between using ammunition. (Note: Each use of Slick Shoes still only affects an enemy once.)

4.) Throw Mine: Currently: Throw a mine that damages, knocks back, and removes a boon. New: Instead of removing a boon, Throw mine can only remove stability.

5.) Mine Field: Currently: Plant 5 mines around yourself. New: Instead, place a 300 radius field on the ground that lasts for 5 seconds. At every 1 second interval where a foe within the field is moving, a mine explodes on their position. Maximum 3 explosions per second. (Note: The mine's damage, radius, and boon remove effects are the same as the current Mine Field mines.)

6.) Toss Elixir R: Currently: Remove conditions and Revive allies. New: Cooldown Reduced from 90s to 75s, now only removes damaging conditions.

Healing Skills

1.) Elixir H: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals. Grants all boons previously offered at 40% base duration instead of RNG.

2.) Toss Elixir H: New: Grants all boons previously offered at 40% of base duration instead of RNG

3.) Bandage Self: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals.

Core Engineer Traits

General trait changes:Inventions' 'Bunker Down' trait switches places with Explosives 'Short Fuse' trait.

Explosives

1.) Short Fuse, now
Bunker Down
. Currently: On crit, drop a mine & bandage. New: To reflect being reduced from a GM trait, reduced mine damage and healing from dropped med packs by 33%.

2.) Orbital Command: Currently: when striking enemies below 50%, cast a lesser orbital strike.New: In addition to its current effects,
Edit: April2018: Your mortar shots become unlockable after traveling 600 distance
.

Firearms1.) Juggernaut: Currently: Gain might and stability while wielding a flamethrower. New: In combat only, interval extended to 5s, stab duration increased to 4s, might stacks increased from 1 to 2 to reflect larger interval. Effect extended to affect Pistol and Rifle mainhand as well as Flamethrower. Five second interval makes you have to be in a kit for a while until the boons are given. Interval reset to 0 from any interruption from wielding a weapon/kit that's affected by this trait. (Note: This 5 second wait time reset is designed to make this trait less effective for Elixir S, Photon Forge, or other non-flamethrower kits, preventing those users from gaining Stability until a full 5s interval has passed on re-entering.)

2.) Serrated Steel: Currently: Bleeding duration increased by 33%. New: In addition to its previous effects, your bleeding does 1.5% more damage for each stack of bleeding on the afflicted target. (Max25)

Inventions1.) Autodefense Bomb Dispenser: Currently: Drop a smoke bomb when disabled. In addition to its previous effects, all Smoke Bomb effects grants 3 seconds of stealth to up to 5 allies when activated.

2.) Soothing Detonation: Currently: Blast combo finishers heal nearby allies for a small amount. New: Instead, successful Blast finisher combos cause an additional Blast combo: Water as well. 2s ICD added.

3.) Energy Amplifier: Currently: When you are under the effects of Regeneration, gain +250 healing. New: In addition to its previous effects, your regeneration increases the amount you heal other allies by 25%.

4.) Medical Dispersion Field: Currently: 20% of healing you apply to yourself is shared with your allies, 360 radius. New: Increased radius to 480 to match Healing Turret. In Addition to its previous effects, when your HP is full, Medical Dispersion Field regenerates you and your allies. In combat. (Note: Functions as if you were a placed Healing Turret.)

5.) Bunker down,
now 'Short Fuse'.
Currently: Bombs have shorter fuse time and 20% reduced recharge. New: In addition to its current effects, the first Bomb Kit #1 skill used inside a Fire Bomb or Smoke Bomb will generate a blast finisher.

Alchemy1.) Health Insurance: Currently: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in Med Kit. New:
You
and your allies receive 33% additional healing from your abilities while in Med Kit. (Note: Allows you to burst heal yourself better by swapping into Med Kit prior.)

2.) Backpack Regenerator: Currently: Recover health each second while in an Engineering kit. New: Effect extended for 5 seconds after using an Engineering Kit (Note: this is a half-duration version of how it actually functioned from launch until Core Specializations patch.)

Tools:1.) Static Discharge: New: Damage Increased by 25%. All static discharges now deal consistent damage with the tooltip and are always directed to the current target.

Scrapper

Function Gyro: In addition to its previous effects, when the function Gyro is off cooldown and hovering around the Scrapper, enhance the Scrapper with +120 Power and +120 Precision. Added small tendrils of electricity leaping between the Scrapper & Function Gyro when in combat.

Utility skills1.) Medic Gyro: Reconstruction Field instant again.

Traits1.) Shocking Speed - Currently: Leap & Blast finishers in lightning fields applies 3 seconds of superspeed around you. New: All leap and blast finishers apply 2 seconds of Superspeed around you, internal cooldown removed.

4.) Expert Examination - Disabling (not just stuns and dazes) a Foe applies vulnerability and weakens them. Duration of Weakness and Vulnerability decreased from 6 seconds to 4 seconds. (With condition duration and a CC focused build this could stack too much weakness otherwise.)

5.) Final Salvo: Currently: Spawn a lightning field when a gyro is destroyed, granting Superspeed.New: Lightning field now mobile and centered around the Scrapper's position rather than where the Gyro dies.

Holosmith

Disclaimer: Low Priority changes ahead. Holosmith has two good configurations in PvP but like every spec has lots of janky utilities and overly niche traits, like a trait only good for running Yaks. A few shaves to overly good traits included.

Utility Skills1.) Coolant Blast - Always grants additional small heal over time. New above high heat threshold effect: Expel 25 heat. No longer chills or applies frost aura.

2.) Flash Spark - now pulses blind every second for 4 seconds. Increased duration of light aura from 3s to 5s, and grants it after last pulse.

Traits1.) Solar Focusing Lens: Currently: First few attacks after entering Photon Forge or Overheating do 10% more damage and burn. In addition to its current effects, prevents the Engineer from suffering from the self damage over time component of overheating. (Note: This trait combined with Photonic Blasting Module will allow you to take no damage from Overheating.)

2.) Heat Therapy scaling with Healing Power - increased from 0.006 to 0.025. With 500 healing this allows Heat Therapy to heal around 19% more than with a Marauder stat load. (Note: Currently, 500 healing makes heat therapy 4.6% better, needless to say, that's a pitiful increase for the opportunity cost on running an amulet like Avatar/Sages/Celestial over getting Power/Precision/Ferocity/Vit/Toughness)

3.) Crystal Configuration: Storm - Currently: Photon Forge #1 now fires explosive projectiles. New: 10% damage penalty removed. In addition, only fires the trait modified version if target is greater than 240 range away. (Note: This allows the Holo to not be unjustly affected by projectile hate when not utilizing the longer range.)

4.) Crystal Configuration: Zephyr - Currently: Holo Leap removes movement impairing conditions and grants superspeed instead of swiftness. New: Instead of granting superspeed, increases the attack range of Holo leap from 600 to 900, (travel distance of Holo Leap from 450 to 750.) Adds .75s evade. This trait increases the cooldown of Holo Leap to 5s, and increases swiftness duration to 5s.

5) Photonic Blasting Module: New: In addition to its current effects, while overheated, all heat % bonuses are energized to the highest tier.

6) Heat Bonuses added for mainhand weapons:
  • Pistol #1: 50+ heat, 1s burn. 100+ heat, 2s burn. (Note, burn applies only to initial target.)
  • Pistol #2: 50+ heat, Fires 7 shots (2.25s cast). 100+ heat, Fires 10 shots (3s cast).
  • Pistol #3: 50+ heat, +1 bounce. 100+ heat, +2 bounce.
  • Rifle #1: 50+ heat, 4s vuln. 100+ heat, two 4s vuln.
  • Rifle #2: 50+ heat, additional .5s immobilize. 100+ heat, additional 1s immobilize.
  • Rifle #3: 50+ heat, 2s cripple. 100+ heat, 4s cripple.

I like a lot of these changes. One thing I would change, is the suggested change to Crystal Configuration: Zephyr. Keep the superspeed, extend it's ss duration to 5 seconds, keep the 5 second cd on holo leap, and keep the evades. I use this trait currently for a slippery build that focuses on bursting damage to opponents to and +1ing fights. It doesn't have the mobility of a thief, but it can still do a pretty good job of getting around the map and bursting down opponents who are low health, or who are prioritized. Also works good against scourge.

Thing is that swiftness works perfectly with alchemy vigor, and Scrapper superspeed fields I suggested to become more mobile, the superspeed jump pads infringe on scrapper flavor I feel.

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@Ghos.1326 said:

@"Chaith.8256" said:Updated April 2018

Here's what it would take to create near perfect build diversity across Core Engineer, Scrapper, and Holosmith in PvP primarily, but also keeping other game modes in mind. Strap in, have fun imagining all these new toys and builds to play with.

Disclaimer, these are the changes I think are necessary to bring each dead skill or trait into a balanced side-grade, or part of a brand new build.

The goal is to have more than just Rifle Holosmith around the "great" tier on metabattle. Ideally Scrapper and core Engi could compete with other core builds, and balanced HoT/PoF ones.

Engineer =/= Holosmith

This thread is a no power creep zone, that means not raising the one current strong specialization past its current limit.

Core Engineer:

Weapon Skills1.) Pistol #1: Increased damage by 20%. Is now an explosion. Fragmentation Shot now bleeds on the 120 radius explosion instead of the projectile.

2.) Pistol #2: Is now piercing. Increased damage by 20%. Now applies .75s of weakness per dart, in addition to its previous effects.

Kits1.) Toolkit #2. 1 Torment added to ticks, in addition to its previous effects, same duration.

2.) Toolkit #3: Damage increased by 15%.

3.) Elixir Gun #2: Damage increased by 15%. Velocity increased by 50%.

4.) Elixir Gun #3: Poison duration increased from 2 to 4 seconds.

5.) Flamethrower #2: Ground targeted and explodes on contact, like Elementalist's Phoenix.

6.) Flamethrower #4: Duration reduced from 10s to 5s. Interval reduced from 1s to .5s.

7.) Flamethrower #5: This skill has two ammunition.

8.) Med Kit: All skills that remove conditions remove an extra one. Med Blaster healing tripled. #2-5 abilities now affect 5 unique allies before being consumed

Turret Related Changes:1.) General Turret changes:
  • Turrets deliver a short point-blank knockback on death (120 distance).
  • Reduce all Turret cooldown to 20s.
  • Supply Crate CD reduced to 90s.
  • Turrets no longer auto-attack.
  • Cooldown starts immediately on use
    .
  • Removed functionality to pick up turrets & reduce cooldown.
  • Turret duration reduced to 10s before detonating.
  • Flame Turret Overcharge, in addition to its blind effect, Smoke Screen weakens foes on the same interval.
  • Rifle Turret Overcharge, instead of firing faster for 10s, rapid-fire 10 shots over 3 seconds.
  • Toolbelt skills for Thumper Turret & Net Turret - reduced from 38s to 25s.
  • Toolbelt skill for Flame Turret, Throw Napalm, radius increased from 180 to 240.
  • Toolbelt skill for Rocket Turret, Rocket, velocity increased 50%.

2.) Experimental Turrets: Rocket Turret's Retaliation increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Healing Turret Vigor increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Flame Turret's might stacks increased from 3 to 5 stacks. In addition to its current affects, if a turret reaches the end of its 10s lifespan, the turret performs an overcharged attack as a parting gift.
Edit, April 2018: Reflective shields activate without delay.

Utility Skills1.) Utility Goggles: Currently: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to blind for ten seconds. New: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to all debilitating conditions (blind, weakness, vulnerability.)

2.) Personal Battering Ram: Currently: Launches foe, 130 range. New: Target required, affects only the target, and range of Ram attack extended to 450.

3.) Slick Shoes: Currently: Spray oil, knocking enemies down for 2 seconds, affects once per target. New: Given two ammunition, ammunition recharge, 20 seconds. 2s ICD between using ammunition. (Note: Each use of Slick Shoes still only affects an enemy once.)

4.) Throw Mine: Currently: Throw a mine that damages, knocks back, and removes a boon. New: Instead of removing a boon, Throw mine can only remove stability.

5.) Mine Field: Currently: Plant 5 mines around yourself. New: Instead, place a 300 radius field on the ground that lasts for 5 seconds. At every 1 second interval where a foe within the field is moving, a mine explodes on their position. Maximum 3 explosions per second. (Note: The mine's damage, radius, and boon remove effects are the same as the current Mine Field mines.)

6.) Toss Elixir R: Currently: Remove conditions and Revive allies. New: Cooldown Reduced from 90s to 75s, now only removes damaging conditions.

Healing Skills

1.) Elixir H: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals. Grants all boons previously offered at 40% base duration instead of RNG.

2.) Toss Elixir H: New: Grants all boons previously offered at 40% of base duration instead of RNG

3.) Bandage Self: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals.

Core Engineer Traits

General trait changes:Inventions' 'Bunker Down' trait switches places with Explosives 'Short Fuse' trait.

Explosives

1.) Short Fuse, now
Bunker Down
. Currently: On crit, drop a mine & bandage. New: To reflect being reduced from a GM trait, reduced mine damage and healing from dropped med packs by 33%.

2.) Orbital Command: Currently: when striking enemies below 50%, cast a lesser orbital strike.New: In addition to its current effects,
Edit: April2018: Your mortar shots become unlockable after traveling 600 distance
.

Firearms1.) Juggernaut: Currently: Gain might and stability while wielding a flamethrower. New: In combat only, interval extended to 5s, stab duration increased to 4s, might stacks increased from 1 to 2 to reflect larger interval. Effect extended to affect Pistol and Rifle mainhand as well as Flamethrower. Five second interval makes you have to be in a kit for a while until the boons are given. Interval reset to 0 from any interruption from wielding a weapon/kit that's affected by this trait. (Note: This 5 second wait time reset is designed to make this trait less effective for Elixir S, Photon Forge, or other non-flamethrower kits, preventing those users from gaining Stability until a full 5s interval has passed on re-entering.)

2.) Serrated Steel: Currently: Bleeding duration increased by 33%. New: In addition to its previous effects, your bleeding does 1.5% more damage for each stack of bleeding on the afflicted target. (Max25)

Inventions1.) Autodefense Bomb Dispenser: Currently: Drop a smoke bomb when disabled. In addition to its previous effects, all Smoke Bomb effects grants 3 seconds of stealth to up to 5 allies when activated.

2.) Soothing Detonation: Currently: Blast combo finishers heal nearby allies for a small amount. New: Instead, successful Blast finisher combos cause an additional Blast combo: Water as well. 2s ICD added.

3.) Energy Amplifier: Currently: When you are under the effects of Regeneration, gain +250 healing. New: In addition to its previous effects, your regeneration increases the amount you heal other allies by 25%.

4.) Medical Dispersion Field: Currently: 20% of healing you apply to yourself is shared with your allies, 360 radius. New: Increased radius to 480 to match Healing Turret. In Addition to its previous effects, when your HP is full, Medical Dispersion Field regenerates you and your allies. In combat. (Note: Functions as if you were a placed Healing Turret.)

5.) Bunker down,
now 'Short Fuse'.
Currently: Bombs have shorter fuse time and 20% reduced recharge. New: In addition to its current effects, the first Bomb Kit #1 skill used inside a Fire Bomb or Smoke Bomb will generate a blast finisher.

Alchemy1.) Health Insurance: Currently: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in Med Kit. New:
You
and your allies receive 33% additional healing from your abilities while in Med Kit. (Note: Allows you to burst heal yourself better by swapping into Med Kit prior.)

2.) Backpack Regenerator: Currently: Recover health each second while in an Engineering kit. New: Effect extended for 5 seconds after using an Engineering Kit (Note: this is a half-duration version of how it actually functioned from launch until Core Specializations patch.)

Tools:1.) Static Discharge: New: Damage Increased by 25%. All static discharges now deal consistent damage with the tooltip and are always directed to the current target.

Scrapper

Function Gyro: In addition to its previous effects, when the function Gyro is off cooldown and hovering around the Scrapper, enhance the Scrapper with +120 Power and +120 Precision. Added small tendrils of electricity leaping between the Scrapper & Function Gyro when in combat.

Utility skills1.) Medic Gyro: Reconstruction Field instant again.

Traits1.) Shocking Speed - Currently: Leap & Blast finishers in lightning fields applies 3 seconds of superspeed around you. New: All leap and blast finishers apply 2 seconds of Superspeed around you, internal cooldown removed.

4.) Expert Examination - Disabling (not just stuns and dazes) a Foe applies vulnerability and weakens them. Duration of Weakness and Vulnerability decreased from 6 seconds to 4 seconds. (With condition duration and a CC focused build this could stack too much weakness otherwise.)

5.) Final Salvo: Currently: Spawn a lightning field when a gyro is destroyed, granting Superspeed.New: Lightning field now mobile and centered around the Scrapper's position rather than where the Gyro dies.

Holosmith

Disclaimer: Low Priority changes ahead. Holosmith has two good configurations in PvP but like every spec has lots of janky utilities and overly niche traits, like a trait only good for running Yaks. A few shaves to overly good traits included.

Utility Skills1.) Coolant Blast - Always grants additional small heal over time. New above high heat threshold effect: Expel 25 heat. No longer chills or applies frost aura.

2.) Flash Spark - now pulses blind every second for 4 seconds. Increased duration of light aura from 3s to 5s, and grants it after last pulse.

Traits1.) Solar Focusing Lens: Currently: First few attacks after entering Photon Forge or Overheating do 10% more damage and burn. In addition to its current effects, prevents the Engineer from suffering from the self damage over time component of overheating. (Note: This trait combined with Photonic Blasting Module will allow you to take no damage from Overheating.)

2.) Heat Therapy scaling with Healing Power - increased from 0.006 to 0.025. With 500 healing this allows Heat Therapy to heal around 19% more than with a Marauder stat load. (Note: Currently, 500 healing makes heat therapy 4.6% better, needless to say, that's a pitiful increase for the opportunity cost on running an amulet like Avatar/Sages/Celestial over getting Power/Precision/Ferocity/Vit/Toughness)

3.) Crystal Configuration: Storm - Currently: Photon Forge #1 now fires explosive projectiles. New: 10% damage penalty removed. In addition, only fires the trait modified version if target is greater than 240 range away. (Note: This allows the Holo to not be unjustly affected by projectile hate when not utilizing the longer range.)

4.) Crystal Configuration: Zephyr - Currently: Holo Leap removes movement impairing conditions and grants superspeed instead of swiftness. New: Instead of granting superspeed, increases the attack range of Holo leap from 600 to 900, (travel distance of Holo Leap from 450 to 750.) Adds .75s evade. This trait increases the cooldown of Holo Leap to 5s, and increases swiftness duration to 5s.

5) Photonic Blasting Module: New: In addition to its current effects, while overheated, all heat % bonuses are energized to the highest tier.

6) Heat Bonuses added for mainhand weapons:
  • Pistol #1: 50+ heat, 1s burn. 100+ heat, 2s burn. (Note, burn applies only to initial target.)
  • Pistol #2: 50+ heat, Fires 7 shots (2.25s cast). 100+ heat, Fires 10 shots (3s cast).
  • Pistol #3: 50+ heat, +1 bounce. 100+ heat, +2 bounce.
  • Rifle #1: 50+ heat, 4s vuln. 100+ heat, two 4s vuln.
  • Rifle #2: 50+ heat, additional .5s immobilize. 100+ heat, additional 1s immobilize.
  • Rifle #3: 50+ heat, 2s cripple. 100+ heat, 4s cripple.

I like a lot of these changes. One thing I would change, is the suggested change to Crystal Configuration: Zephyr. Keep the superspeed, extend it's ss duration to 5 seconds, keep the 5 second cd on holo leap, and keep the evades. I use this trait currently for a slippery build that focuses on bursting damage to opponents to and +1ing fights. It doesn't have the mobility of a thief, but it can still do a pretty good job of getting around the map and bursting down opponents who are low health, or who are prioritized. Also works good against scourge.

build shown shows no mobility at all to having map pressure for a +1. No rocket boots and no slippery shoes.

Mobility comes from the superspeed and being unable to be hindered by cripple, chill, and immob. Sigil of energy can be switched with sigil of escape for more of this slippery-ness.

Zephyr is in combat mobility, superspeed only helps in combat, and obviously you're only eating chill/cripple/immob in combat. Rotating is half out of combat, Rocket Boots is very important for that.

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@Ghos.1326 said:

@"Chaith.8256" said:Updated April 2018

Here's what it would take to create near perfect build diversity across Core Engineer, Scrapper, and Holosmith in PvP primarily, but also keeping other game modes in mind. Strap in, have fun imagining all these new toys and builds to play with.

Disclaimer, these are the changes I think are necessary to bring each dead skill or trait into a balanced side-grade, or part of a brand new build.

The goal is to have more than just Rifle Holosmith around the "great" tier on metabattle. Ideally Scrapper and core Engi could compete with other core builds, and balanced HoT/PoF ones.

Engineer =/= Holosmith

This thread is a no power creep zone, that means not raising the one current strong specialization past its current limit.

Core Engineer:

Weapon Skills1.) Pistol #1: Increased damage by 20%. Is now an explosion. Fragmentation Shot now bleeds on the 120 radius explosion instead of the projectile.

2.) Pistol #2: Is now piercing. Increased damage by 20%. Now applies .75s of weakness per dart, in addition to its previous effects.

Kits1.) Toolkit #2. 1 Torment added to ticks, in addition to its previous effects, same duration.

2.) Toolkit #3: Damage increased by 15%.

3.) Elixir Gun #2: Damage increased by 15%. Velocity increased by 50%.

4.) Elixir Gun #3: Poison duration increased from 2 to 4 seconds.

5.) Flamethrower #2: Ground targeted and explodes on contact, like Elementalist's Phoenix.

6.) Flamethrower #4: Duration reduced from 10s to 5s. Interval reduced from 1s to .5s.

7.) Flamethrower #5: This skill has two ammunition.

8.) Med Kit: All skills that remove conditions remove an extra one. Med Blaster healing tripled. #2-5 abilities now affect 5 unique allies before being consumed

Turret Related Changes:1.) General Turret changes:
  • Turrets deliver a short point-blank knockback on death (120 distance).
  • Reduce all Turret cooldown to 20s.
  • Supply Crate CD reduced to 90s.
  • Turrets no longer auto-attack.
  • Cooldown starts immediately on use
    .
  • Removed functionality to pick up turrets & reduce cooldown.
  • Turret duration reduced to 10s before detonating.
  • Flame Turret Overcharge, in addition to its blind effect, Smoke Screen weakens foes on the same interval.
  • Rifle Turret Overcharge, instead of firing faster for 10s, rapid-fire 10 shots over 3 seconds.
  • Toolbelt skills for Thumper Turret & Net Turret - reduced from 38s to 25s.
  • Toolbelt skill for Flame Turret, Throw Napalm, radius increased from 180 to 240.
  • Toolbelt skill for Rocket Turret, Rocket, velocity increased 50%.

2.) Experimental Turrets: Rocket Turret's Retaliation increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Healing Turret Vigor increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Flame Turret's might stacks increased from 3 to 5 stacks. In addition to its current affects, if a turret reaches the end of its 10s lifespan, the turret performs an overcharged attack as a parting gift.
Edit, April 2018: Reflective shields activate without delay.

Utility Skills1.) Utility Goggles: Currently: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to blind for ten seconds. New: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to all debilitating conditions (blind, weakness, vulnerability.)

2.) Personal Battering Ram: Currently: Launches foe, 130 range. New: Target required, affects only the target, and range of Ram attack extended to 450.

3.) Slick Shoes: Currently: Spray oil, knocking enemies down for 2 seconds, affects once per target. New: Given two ammunition, ammunition recharge, 20 seconds. 2s ICD between using ammunition. (Note: Each use of Slick Shoes still only affects an enemy once.)

4.) Throw Mine: Currently: Throw a mine that damages, knocks back, and removes a boon. New: Instead of removing a boon, Throw mine can only remove stability.

5.) Mine Field: Currently: Plant 5 mines around yourself. New: Instead, place a 300 radius field on the ground that lasts for 5 seconds. At every 1 second interval where a foe within the field is moving, a mine explodes on their position. Maximum 3 explosions per second. (Note: The mine's damage, radius, and boon remove effects are the same as the current Mine Field mines.)

6.) Toss Elixir R: Currently: Remove conditions and Revive allies. New: Cooldown Reduced from 90s to 75s, now only removes damaging conditions.

Healing Skills

1.) Elixir H: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals. Grants all boons previously offered at 40% base duration instead of RNG.

2.) Toss Elixir H: New: Grants all boons previously offered at 40% of base duration instead of RNG

3.) Bandage Self: New: Cast time reduced to .75s to be consistent with other heals.

Core Engineer Traits

General trait changes:Inventions' 'Bunker Down' trait switches places with Explosives 'Short Fuse' trait.

Explosives

1.) Short Fuse, now
Bunker Down
. Currently: On crit, drop a mine & bandage. New: To reflect being reduced from a GM trait, reduced mine damage and healing from dropped med packs by 33%.

2.) Orbital Command: Currently: when striking enemies below 50%, cast a lesser orbital strike.New: In addition to its current effects,
Edit: April2018: Your mortar shots become unlockable after traveling 600 distance
.

Firearms1.) Juggernaut: Currently: Gain might and stability while wielding a flamethrower. New: In combat only, interval extended to 5s, stab duration increased to 4s, might stacks increased from 1 to 2 to reflect larger interval. Effect extended to affect Pistol and Rifle mainhand as well as Flamethrower. Five second interval makes you have to be in a kit for a while until the boons are given. Interval reset to 0 from any interruption from wielding a weapon/kit that's affected by this trait. (Note: This 5 second wait time reset is designed to make this trait less effective for Elixir S, Photon Forge, or other non-flamethrower kits, preventing those users from gaining Stability until a full 5s interval has passed on re-entering.)

2.) Serrated Steel: Currently: Bleeding duration increased by 33%. New: In addition to its previous effects, your bleeding does 1.5% more damage for each stack of bleeding on the afflicted target. (Max25)

Inventions1.) Autodefense Bomb Dispenser: Currently: Drop a smoke bomb when disabled. In addition to its previous effects, all Smoke Bomb effects grants 3 seconds of stealth to up to 5 allies when activated.

2.) Soothing Detonation: Currently: Blast combo finishers heal nearby allies for a small amount. New: Instead, successful Blast finisher combos cause an additional Blast combo: Water as well. 2s ICD added.

3.) Energy Amplifier: Currently: When you are under the effects of Regeneration, gain +250 healing. New: In addition to its previous effects, your regeneration increases the amount you heal other allies by 25%.

4.) Medical Dispersion Field: Currently: 20% of healing you apply to yourself is shared with your allies, 360 radius. New: Increased radius to 480 to match Healing Turret. In Addition to its previous effects, when your HP is full, Medical Dispersion Field regenerates you and your allies. In combat. (Note: Functions as if you were a placed Healing Turret.)

5.) Bunker down,
now 'Short Fuse'.
Currently: Bombs have shorter fuse time and 20% reduced recharge. New: In addition to its current effects, the first Bomb Kit #1 skill used inside a Fire Bomb or Smoke Bomb will generate a blast finisher.

Alchemy1.) Health Insurance: Currently: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in Med Kit. New:
You
and your allies receive 33% additional healing from your abilities while in Med Kit. (Note: Allows you to burst heal yourself better by swapping into Med Kit prior.)

2.) Backpack Regenerator: Currently: Recover health each second while in an Engineering kit. New: Effect extended for 5 seconds after using an Engineering Kit (Note: this is a half-duration version of how it actually functioned from launch until Core Specializations patch.)

Tools:1.) Static Discharge: New: Damage Increased by 25%. All static discharges now deal consistent damage with the tooltip and are always directed to the current target.

Scrapper

Function Gyro: In addition to its previous effects, when the function Gyro is off cooldown and hovering around the Scrapper, enhance the Scrapper with +120 Power and +120 Precision. Added small tendrils of electricity leaping between the Scrapper & Function Gyro when in combat.

Utility skills1.) Medic Gyro: Reconstruction Field instant again.

Traits1.) Shocking Speed - Currently: Leap & Blast finishers in lightning fields applies 3 seconds of superspeed around you. New: All leap and blast finishers apply 2 seconds of Superspeed around you, internal cooldown removed.

4.) Expert Examination - Disabling (not just stuns and dazes) a Foe applies vulnerability and weakens them. Duration of Weakness and Vulnerability decreased from 6 seconds to 4 seconds. (With condition duration and a CC focused build this could stack too much weakness otherwise.)

5.) Final Salvo: Currently: Spawn a lightning field when a gyro is destroyed, granting Superspeed.New: Lightning field now mobile and centered around the Scrapper's position rather than where the Gyro dies.

Holosmith

Disclaimer: Low Priority changes ahead. Holosmith has two good configurations in PvP but like every spec has lots of janky utilities and overly niche traits, like a trait only good for running Yaks. A few shaves to overly good traits included.

Utility Skills1.) Coolant Blast - Always grants additional small heal over time. New above high heat threshold effect: Expel 25 heat. No longer chills or applies frost aura.

2.) Flash Spark - now pulses blind every second for 4 seconds. Increased duration of light aura from 3s to 5s, and grants it after last pulse.

Traits1.) Solar Focusing Lens: Currently: First few attacks after entering Photon Forge or Overheating do 10% more damage and burn. In addition to its current effects, prevents the Engineer from suffering from the self damage over time component of overheating. (Note: This trait combined with Photonic Blasting Module will allow you to take no damage from Overheating.)

2.) Heat Therapy scaling with Healing Power - increased from 0.006 to 0.025. With 500 healing this allows Heat Therapy to heal around 19% more than with a Marauder stat load. (Note: Currently, 500 healing makes heat therapy 4.6% better, needless to say, that's a pitiful increase for the opportunity cost on running an amulet like Avatar/Sages/Celestial over getting Power/Precision/Ferocity/Vit/Toughness)

3.) Crystal Configuration: Storm - Currently: Photon Forge #1 now fires explosive projectiles. New: 10% damage penalty removed. In addition, only fires the trait modified version if target is greater than 240 range away. (Note: This allows the Holo to not be unjustly affected by projectile hate when not utilizing the longer range.)

4.) Crystal Configuration: Zephyr - Currently: Holo Leap removes movement impairing conditions and grants superspeed instead of swiftness. New: Instead of granting superspeed, increases the attack range of Holo leap from 600 to 900, (travel distance of Holo Leap from 450 to 750.) Adds .75s evade. This trait increases the cooldown of Holo Leap to 5s, and increases swiftness duration to 5s.

5) Photonic Blasting Module: New: In addition to its current effects, while overheated, all heat % bonuses are energized to the highest tier.

6) Heat Bonuses added for mainhand weapons:
  • Pistol #1: 50+ heat, 1s burn. 100+ heat, 2s burn. (Note, burn applies only to initial target.)
  • Pistol #2: 50+ heat, Fires 7 shots (2.25s cast). 100+ heat, Fires 10 shots (3s cast).
  • Pistol #3: 50+ heat, +1 bounce. 100+ heat, +2 bounce.
  • Rifle #1: 50+ heat, 4s vuln. 100+ heat, two 4s vuln.
  • Rifle #2: 50+ heat, additional .5s immobilize. 100+ heat, additional 1s immobilize.
  • Rifle #3: 50+ heat, 2s cripple. 100+ heat, 4s cripple.

I like a lot of these changes. One thing I would change, is the suggested change to Crystal Configuration: Zephyr. Keep the superspeed, extend it's ss duration to 5 seconds, keep the 5 second cd on holo leap, and keep the evades. I use this trait currently for a slippery build that focuses on bursting damage to opponents to and +1ing fights. It doesn't have the mobility of a thief, but it can still do a pretty good job of getting around the map and bursting down opponents who are low health, or who are prioritized. Also works good against scourge.

build shown shows no mobility at all to having map pressure for a +1. No rocket boots and no slippery shoes.

Mobility comes from the superspeed and being unable to be hindered by cripple, chill, and immob. Sigil of energy can be switched with sigil of escape for more of this slippery-ness.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vdAQFAUnUUB9dhdeBmXBcJjlKDrPD+BHhjnn1zYRMZEAKPA-jJxHQBA4CAYvyAnZ/BD+AAAA

this is a build i gave out to a bunch of people to play in rank last season, the mobility/dps out put is all there. You'll move around the map 10x better with this spec then the other 1.

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@Chaith.8256 said:

@RedSPINE.7845 said:Or make the launch instant.

It can hit up to a 9k AoE with 3 walls, i suspect that may be unfair if you never know when it's coming or is usable while CCd.

I might even just be a fan of letting the walls launch only when the duration ends. But not firm on that

They could make it so multiple cannot strike the same target. Which is honestly something that should be done with most skills that fire a fan of projectiles because it leads to awkward balance problems where the potency of the skill varies wildly depending on how many of the projectiles strike. Case in point: Grasping Darkness which typically will only strike a target once maybe twice, but can potentially strike 6 times in very rare occasions.

EDIT: blasted thread necromancy. I didn't realize you rerolled necro, Chaith.

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@Crinn.7864 said:

@RedSPINE.7845 said:Or make the launch instant.

It can hit up to a 9k AoE with 3 walls, i suspect that may be unfair if you never know when it's coming or is usable while CCd.

I might even just be a fan of letting the walls launch only when the duration ends. But not firm on that

They could make it so multiple cannot strike the same target. Which is honestly something that should be done with most skills that fire a fan of projectiles because it leads to awkward balance problems where the potency of the skill varies wildly depending on how many of the projectiles strike. Case in point: Grasping Darkness which typically will only strike a target once maybe twice, but can potentially strike 6 times in very rare occasions.

EDIT: blasted thread necromancy. I didn't realize you rerolled necro, Chaith.

Lol. It's still updated so everything in the OP is reflecting April 2018 balance. I had to delete many suggestions because they were already fixed or replaced in the last few patches

As for Photon Wall, it's seeing play and seems to be in a decent spot in the new balance environment. Not a huge reason to tweak it when other things are much worse

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Really liking most of the suggestions. Consider everything I don't comment further on as something I'd like to see implemented :)

@Chaith.8256 said:1.) Toolkit #2. 1 Torment added to ticks, in addition to its previous effects, same duration.

I wouldn't add another condition on top, 3 different "minor" conds rapidly getting reapplied just devalues condition counterplay (yeah we see it on other class but I'd not like to go down that route any further). To increase the usability / viability I'd instead add a little direct damage that applies to people moving within the field.

@Chaith.8256 said:6.) Flamethrower #4: Duration reduced from 10s to 5s. Interval reduced from 1s to .5s.

I'd also like to see a projectile block on it (makes sense too) and with the shortened duration it might be balanced. Might get out of control in combination with other block / reflect skills so I'm not sure, maybe with a slight CD increase.

@Chaith.8256 said:8.) Med Kit: All skills that remove conditions remove an extra one. Med Blaster healing tripled. #2-5 abilities now affect 5 unique allies before being consumed

MedKit #2-5 should also get a slightly bigger pick up zone and be unblockable (afaik thrown bandages, just like thrown elixirs get blocked by enemies with a block up and projectile hate).

@Chaith.8256 said:

  • Turrets deliver a short point-blank knockback on death (120 distance).

Would you have this trigger on detonation too? In that case it might be a bit too much to get it for free (used to be on an Explosion trait). I'd love to see it back but it would reinforce HT as default healing skill. Maybe let it only apply to the utility turrets.

@Chaith.8256 said:

  • Flame Turret Overcharge, in addition to its blind effect, Smoke Screen weakens foes on the same interval.

Also, auto overcharge on placement.

@Chaith.8256 said:2.) Experimental Turrets: Rocket Turret's Retaliation increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Healing Turret Vigor increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Flame Turret's might stacks increased from 3 to 5 stacks. In addition to its current effects, if a turret reaches the end of its 10s lifespan, the turret performs an overcharged attack as a parting gift. Edit, April 2018: Reflective shields activate without delay.

With the reduced CD and CD start on placement I'd cut the shield duration to 2-3sec but leave it out when the turret gets destroyed. The overcharge on the end of the turret's lifespan might also require to increase it's lifespan (otherwise e.g. Rifle Turret won't have time to perform it).

@Chaith.8256 said:1.) Utility Goggles: Currently: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to blind for ten seconds. New: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to all debilitating conditions (blind, weakness, vulnerability.)

Another problem with this skill (especially since the last patch with 90sec CD) is that it can be put on CD with a blind, preventing it from working as auto-stunbreak. Split the trait into two procs (similar to Lock On), one for the stunbreak alone and one for Fury + debilitating condition immunity.

@Chaith.8256 said:1.) Autodefense Bomb Dispenser: Currently: Drop a smoke bomb when disabled. In addition to its previous effects, all Smoke Bomb effects grants 3 seconds of stealth to up to 5 allies when activated.

Do you mean on every pulse? I'd just have it apply it once when it explodes. 3 times stealth is too much.

@Chaith.8256 said:3.) Energy Amplifier: Currently: When you are under the effects of Regeneration, gain +250 healing. New: In addition to its previous effects, your regeneration increases the amount you heal other allies by 25%.

I don't like the regeneration interaction due to Inventions being a line that no longer has innate regeneration access. I'd make it increase healing to all targets (including yourself) depending on the target's missing health. 5/10/15 % increase when below 75/50/25 % of health. Awards holding your heals back / playing risky and has a good synergy with AED.

@Chaith.8256 said:5.) Bunker down, now 'Short Fuse'. Currently: Bombs have shorter fuse time and 20% reduced recharge. New: In addition to its current effects, the first Bomb Kit #1 skill used inside your Fire Bomb or Smoke Bomb will generate a blast finisher.

Ammo mechanic on bomb #1 would play really well with this idea, the trait could then make bomb #1 a blast finisher without further restrictions.

@Chaith.8256 said:1.) Static Discharge: New: Damage Increased by 25%. All static discharges now deal consistent damage with the tooltip and are always directed to the current target.

While I like SD flinging lots of bolts towards the target, having access to more TB skills with lower CD and PF, SD results in a lot of attack "spam". I think SD hitting an enemy without a projectile (similar to Lightning Strike) whenever you actually hit an enemy with a tool belt skill would do it good in terms of combat readability. The damage could be increased a bit more then. This would also enable stronger area denial with pulsing TB skills.

@Chaith.8256 said:3.) Crystal Configuration: Storm - Currently: Photon Forge #1 now fires explosive projectiles. New: 10% damage penalty removed. In addition, only fires the trait modified version if target is greater than 240 range away. (Note: This allows the Holo to not be unjustly affected by projectile hate when not utilizing the longer range.)

I get the idea but having the mechanics, and not just numbers, of a skill change by proximity is not something I'd do. And ANet doesn't even like to do different skill mechanics in different game modes. The bandaid fix would be to make it shoot "hard light lightnings" that don't count as projectiles (a la mesmer beams).

@Chaith.8256 said:4.) Crystal Configuration: Zephyr - Currently: Holo Leap removes movement impairing conditions and grants superspeed instead of swiftness. New: Instead of granting superspeed, increases the attack range of Holo leap from 600 to 900, (travel distance of Holo Leap from 450 to 750.) Adds .75s evade. This trait increases the cooldown of Holo Leap to 5s, and increases swiftness duration to 5s.

Just for clarity, would you keep the condition removal? Also, since the CD increase is a hit to the "stickiness" you get with a 2sec CD mobility skill when you already are at mid or close range, I'd make it apply 2sec superspeed when you hit someone with the attack.

@Chaith.8256 said:6) Heat Bonuses added for mainhand weapons: [...]

Heat adjustments to non-holo weapons shouldn't just be extras. Sword was balanced with a varying heat score in mind, other weapons not. To get a bonus from high heat, weapon skills should be a bit weaker with low heat. Otherwise holo would provide a straight upgrade to core weapons while also providing a strong melee transform "kit", does not seem fair compared to core or scrapper.

Other things I'd like to see addressed:

  • Thrown elixirs should be unblockable, to prevent projectile blocks (which are meant as defensive tools) blocking access to cond removal, stealth, stab etc. (including EGun and Mortar #5)
  • Automated Medical Response: Once a very good trait, this doesn't feel like it is up to the speed and power creep of the game anymore. Rarely, when you're already under 25% and take another hit you have the time to cast a heal skill. This makes it very unreliable compared to other defensive procs. My suggestion would be to make it trigger a "lesser" AED that does heal 50% of the original skill and only when brought to 0% HP within 3sec.
  • Comeback Cure: this seems underwhelming and is too reliant on Inventions being used in conjunction with it to do anything noticeable at all. Maybe make this trait replace the lost functionality of cleaning conds with elixirs?
  • Cauterize: This should have a short casting time (1/4 - 1/2 sec). It's a condition removal that does nothing else besides it other than harming you, it just feels too slow.
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@Silinsar.6298 said:Really liking most of the suggestions. Consider everything I don't comment further on as something I'd like to see implemented :)

@Chaith.8256 said:1.) Toolkit #2. 1 Torment added to ticks, in addition to its previous effects, same duration.

I wouldn't add another condition on top, 3 different "minor" conds rapidly getting reapplied just devalues condition counterplay (yeah we see it on other class but I'd not like to go down that route any further). To increase the usability / viability I'd instead add a little direct damage that applies to people moving within the field.

Looking to help the condition Engineer deal higher pressure, a power pulse wouldn't do that. Two bleeds per tick is my counter.

@Chaith.8256 said:6.) Flamethrower #4: Duration reduced from 10s to 5s. Interval reduced from 1s to .5s.

I'd also like to see a projectile block on it (makes sense too) and with the shortened duration it might be balanced. Might get out of control in combination with other block / reflect skills so I'm not sure, maybe with a slight CD increase.

I'm in favor of a projectile destruction Napalm

@Chaith.8256 said:8.) Med Kit: All skills that remove conditions remove an extra one. Med Blaster healing tripled. #2-5 abilities now affect 5 unique allies before being consumed

MedKit #2-5 should also get a slightly bigger pick up zone and be unblockable (afaik thrown bandages, just like thrown elixirs get blocked by enemies with a block up and projectile hate).

I'm in favor of unblockable & larger pickup zone for Medkit bandages

  • Turrets deliver a short point-blank knockback on death (120 distance).

Would you have this trigger on detonation too? In that case it might be a bit too much to get it for free (used to be on an Explosion trait). I'd love to see it back but it would reinforce HT as default healing skill. Maybe let it only apply to the utility turrets.

I'd say let it apply to all Turrets. Other buffs planned for other heals.

@Chaith.8256 said:2.) Experimental Turrets: Rocket Turret's Retaliation increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Healing Turret Vigor increased from 3 to 5 seconds. Flame Turret's might stacks increased from 3 to 5 stacks. In addition to its current effects, if a turret reaches the end of its 10s lifespan, the turret performs an overcharged attack as a parting gift.
Edit, April 2018: Reflective shields activate without delay.

With the reduced CD and CD start on placement I'd cut the shield duration to 2-3sec but leave it out when the turret gets destroyed. The overcharge on the end of the turret's lifespan might also require to increase it's lifespan (otherwise e.g. Rifle Turret won't have time to perform it).

I would nerf the shields to 2s if they applied instantly, actually. I think killing the Turret should end the effect.

@Chaith.8256 said:1.) Utility Goggles: Currently: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to blind for ten seconds. New: Break stuns, gain fury and immunity to all debilitating conditions (blind, weakness, vulnerability.)

Another problem with this skill (especially since the last patch with 90sec CD) is that it can be put on CD with a blind, preventing it from working as auto-stunbreak. Split the trait into two procs (similar to Lock On), one for the stunbreak alone and one for Fury + debilitating condition immunity.

If this were the case, it'd be too strong and would need to revert to being Blind immunity only.

@Chaith.8256 said:1.) Autodefense Bomb Dispenser: Currently: Drop a smoke bomb when disabled. In addition to its previous effects, all Smoke Bomb effects grants 3 seconds of stealth to up to 5 allies when activated.

Do you mean on every pulse? I'd just have it apply it once when it explodes. 3 times stealth is too much.

On activation, once.

@Chaith.8256 said:3.) Energy Amplifier: Currently: When you are under the effects of Regeneration, gain +250 healing. New: In addition to its previous effects, your regeneration increases the amount you heal other allies by 25%.

I don't like the regeneration interaction due to Inventions being a line that no longer has innate regeneration access. I'd make it increase healing to all targets (including yourself) depending on the target's missing health. 5/10/15 % increase when below 75/50/25 % of health. Awards holding your heals back / playing risky and has a good synergy with AED.

I like the idea but affecting your self healing is a big no. Needs to be outgoing healing to allies only.

@Chaith.8256 said:5.) Bunker down,
now 'Short Fuse'.
Currently: Bombs have shorter fuse time and 20% reduced recharge. New: In addition to its current effects, the first Bomb Kit #1 skill used inside your Fire Bomb or Smoke Bomb will generate a blast finisher.

Ammo mechanic on bomb #1 would play really well with this idea, the trait could then make bomb #1 a blast finisher without further restrictions.

I'm changing this completely to be a condi trait instead of blasting.

@Chaith.8256 said:1.) Static Discharge: New: Damage Increased by 25%. All static discharges now deal consistent damage with the tooltip and are always directed to the current target.

While I like SD flinging lots of bolts towards the target, having access to more TB skills with lower CD and PF, SD results in a lot of attack "spam". I think SD hitting an enemy without a projectile (similar to Lightning Strike) whenever you actually hit an enemy with a tool belt skill would do it good in terms of combat readability. The damage could be increased a bit more then. This would also enable stronger area denial with pulsing TB skills.

I like it, but the projectile counterplay is needed and travel time.

@Chaith.8256 said:3.) Crystal Configuration: Storm - Currently: Photon Forge #1 now fires explosive projectiles. New: 10% damage penalty removed. In addition, only fires the trait modified version if target is greater than 240 range away. (Note: This allows the Holo to not be unjustly affected by projectile hate when not utilizing the longer range.)

I get the idea but having the mechanics, and not just numbers, of a skill change by proximity is not something I'd do. And ANet doesn't even like to do different skill mechanics in different game modes. The bandaid fix would be to make it shoot "hard light lightnings" that don't count as projectiles (a la mesmer beams).

I'm in support of this trait adding a 'beam' mechanic.

@Chaith.8256 said:4.) Crystal Configuration: Zephyr - Currently: Holo Leap removes movement impairing conditions and grants superspeed instead of swiftness. New: Instead of granting superspeed, increases the attack range of Holo leap from 600 to 900, (travel distance of Holo Leap from 450 to 750.) Adds .75s evade. This trait increases the cooldown of Holo Leap to 5s, and increases swiftness duration to 5s.

Just for clarity, would you keep the condition removal? Also, since the CD increase is a hit to the "stickiness" you get with a 2sec CD mobility skill when you already are at mid or close range, I'd make it apply 2sec superspeed when you hit someone with the attack.

A loss of stickiness is a fair penalty for a good active defense. I'm not open for buffing the suggestion further, ie: superspeed on hit too.

@Chaith.8256 said:6) Heat Bonuses added for mainhand weapons: [...]

Heat adjustments to non-holo weapons shouldn't just be extras. Sword was balanced with a varying heat score in mind, other weapons not. To get a bonus from high heat, weapon skills should be a bit weaker with low heat. Otherwise holo would provide a straight upgrade to core weapons while also providing a strong melee transform "kit", does not seem fair compared to core or scrapper.

Yep, I will probably remove this suggestion.

Other things I'd like to see addressed:

  • Thrown elixirs should be unblockable, to prevent projectile blocks (which are meant as defensive tools) blocking access to cond removal, stealth, stab etc. (including EGun and Mortar #5)

I'm with you, defensive projectiles should be all unblockable

  • Automated Medical Response: Once a very good trait, this doesn't feel like it is up to the speed and power creep of the game anymore. Rarely, when you're already under 25% and take another hit you have the time to cast a heal skill. This makes it very unreliable compared to other defensive procs. My suggestion would be to make it trigger a "lesser" AED that does heal 50% of the original skill and only when brought to 0% HP within 3sec.

I'm still into this trait with Scrapper's Recovery Matrix, it really kicks ass at making you a hard to kill cockroach.

  • Comeback Cure: this seems underwhelming and is too reliant on Inventions being used in conjunction with it to do anything noticeable at all. Maybe make this trait replace the lost functionality of cleaning conds with elixirs?

This trait is meh but it's not problematic.

  • Cauterize: This should have a short casting time (1/4 - 1/2 sec). It's a condition removal that does nothing else besides it other than harming you, it just feels too slow.

Not a bad idea.

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Here is some suggestions I had in regards to the Medkit.Medkit: Equip a medkit that focuses on healing you and your allies, as well as providing boons and clearing conditions.

1: Med Blaster - I think it's ok, maybe make the heal scale better with healing power, affect more targets, more range and cone radius.

2: Administer Care - A supply of bandages is dropped onto your party, healing them for a large amountHealing (x5): 4562Interval: 0.5sAllies affected: 10Radius: 600Cooldown: 8 seconds

3: Administer Stimulants - A supply of stimulants is given to allies in a radius, which converts conditions into boons.Conditions converted to boons: 3Allies affected: 10Radius: 600Cooldown: 8 seconds

4: Administer Accelerants - A supply of accelerants is given to your allies, supporting growth and speedy recovery. (This skill could show up as a "buff" and while the "buff" is on them, it will do the below listed effects)Regeneration: 10s (2 stacks per pulse)Might: 1 stack for 15 seconds (1 stack per pulse)Pulses: 5Interval: 1sRadius: 600Allies affected: 10Cooldown: 15s

5: Administer Antidote - A supply of antidote is given to your allies, providing pulsing resistance and curing conditions. (This skill could show up as a "buff" and while the "buff" is on them, it will do the below listed effects)Resistance: 2s (per pulse)Conditions cleared: 1Pulses: 5Interval: 2sRadius: 600Allies affected: 10Cooldown: 20s (or 25s)

Toolbelt skill: Bandage Self - Bandage yourself and heal. (keep this the same as it currently is)

NOTE: I was taking a look at administer care, and not sure if this would be an OK heal to have. COULD be too strong, but on an 8 sec cd, maybe not. You guys can be the judge.

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@"Ghos.1326" said:Here is some suggestions I had in regards to the Medkit.Medkit: Equip a medkit that focuses on healing you and your allies, as well as providing boons and clearing conditions.

1: Med Blaster - I think it's ok, maybe make the heal scale better with healing power, affect more targets, more range and cone radius.

2: Administer Care - A supply of bandages is dropped onto your party, healing them for a large amountHealing (x5): 4562Interval: 0.5sAllies affected: 10Radius: 600Cooldown: 8 seconds

3: Administer Stimulants - A supply of stimulants is given to allies in a radius, which converts conditions into boons.Conditions converted to boons: 3Allies affected: 10Radius: 600Cooldown: 8 seconds

4: Administer Accelerants - A supply of accelerants is given to your allies, supporting growth and speedy recovery. (This skill could show up as a "buff" and while the "buff" is on them, it will do the below listed effects)Regeneration: 10s (2 stacks per pulse)Might: 1 stack for 15 seconds (1 stack per pulse)Pulses: 5Interval: 1sRadius: 600Allies affected: 10Cooldown: 15s

5: Administer Antidote - A supply of antidote is given to your allies, providing pulsing resistance and curing conditions. (This skill could show up as a "buff" and while the "buff" is on them, it will do the below listed effects)Resistance: 2s (per pulse)Conditions cleared: 1Pulses: 5Interval: 2sRadius: 600Allies affected: 10Cooldown: 20s (or 25s)

Toolbelt skill: Bandage Self - Bandage yourself and heal. (keep this the same as it currently is)

NOTE: I was taking a look at administer care, and not sure if this would be an OK heal to have. COULD be too strong, but on an 8 sec cd, maybe not. You guys can be the judge.

It's pretty OP, with 100% boon duration you could get 80% uptime of AoE resistance on 600 radius. Kit skills are very accessible and not gated by global cooldowns. I figure reduce every suggestion by 50%.

I don't suggest full reworks due to the extra development time involved, but your suggestion sounds very fun, numbers aside. I really do want to run a good Med Kit support kit on Scrapper, using Mender's amulet.

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Been messing around with P/P a bit lately. It's still godawful. Most builds just completely shrug off my conditions like I'm not even there. I can be fighting on a point, landing every single one of my skills and make exactly zero progress toward killing my opponent. As an aside, has the slow autoattack actually gotten worse lately or am I just noticing it more? Feels like Pistol 1 is taking AGES. Are they ever going to fix that to be the 0.5s it should be?

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@coro.3176 said:Been messing around with P/P a bit lately. It's still godawful. Most builds just completely shrug off my conditions like I'm not even there. I can be fighting on a point, landing every single one of my skills and make exactly zero progress toward killing my opponent. As an aside, has the slow autoattack actually gotten worse lately or am I just noticing it more? Feels like Pistol 1 is taking AGES. Are they ever going to fix that to be the 0.5s it should be?

Facts. Yep, I'm not even sure if being an explosion and aoe bleed would make Pistols usable. Pistols almost don't need buffs, as much as a miracle.

Pistol being undertuned was fine in vanilla because Incendiary Powder in the vanilla era was better compared to now, on top of much weaker average builds. The reason I bring this up is because using pistol to inflict incendiary powder was a meaningful usage back in the day.

Pretty much all the synergy has been killed for Pistol MH over time and it should be looked on at face value, a pea-shooter with nothing to proc anymore.

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@coro.3176 said:Been messing around with P/P a bit lately. It's still godawful. Most builds just completely shrug off my conditions like I'm not even there. I can be fighting on a point, landing every single one of my skills and make exactly zero progress toward killing my opponent. As an aside, has the slow autoattack actually gotten worse lately or am I just noticing it more? Feels like Pistol 1 is taking AGES. Are they ever going to fix that to be the 0.5s it should be?

I haven't played my condi engi in PvP in so long, I haven't noticed. But last I remember, it does feel close to 1 second for pistol autoattack, despite it listing 0.5 secs.

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@Chaith.8256 said:

@"Ghos.1326" said:Here is some suggestions I had in regards to the Medkit.Medkit: Equip a medkit that focuses on healing you and your allies, as well as providing boons and clearing conditions.

1: Med Blaster - I think it's ok, maybe make the heal scale better with healing power, affect more targets, more range and cone radius.

2: Administer Care - A supply of bandages is dropped onto your party, healing them for a large amountHealing (x5): 4562Interval: 0.5sAllies affected: 10Radius: 600Cooldown: 8 seconds

3: Administer Stimulants - A supply of stimulants is given to allies in a radius, which converts conditions into boons.Conditions converted to boons: 3Allies affected: 10Radius: 600Cooldown: 8 seconds

4: Administer Accelerants - A supply of accelerants is given to your allies, supporting growth and speedy recovery. (This skill could show up as a "buff" and while the "buff" is on them, it will do the below listed effects)Regeneration: 10s (2 stacks per pulse)Might: 1 stack for 15 seconds (1 stack per pulse)Pulses: 5Interval: 1sRadius: 600Allies affected: 10Cooldown: 15s

5: Administer Antidote - A supply of antidote is given to your allies, providing pulsing resistance and curing conditions. (This skill could show up as a "buff" and while the "buff" is on them, it will do the below listed effects)Resistance: 2s (per pulse)Conditions cleared: 1Pulses: 5Interval: 2sRadius: 600Allies affected: 10Cooldown: 20s (or 25s)

Toolbelt skill: Bandage Self - Bandage yourself and heal. (keep this the same as it currently is)

NOTE: I was taking a look at administer care, and not sure if this would be an OK heal to have. COULD be too strong, but on an 8 sec cd, maybe not. You guys can be the judge.

It's pretty OP, with
100% boon duration
you could get 80% uptime of AoE resistance on 600 radius. Kit skills are very accessible and not gated by global cooldowns. I figure reduce every suggestion by 50%.

I don't suggest full reworks due to the extra development time involved, but your suggestion sounds very fun, numbers aside. I really do want to run a good Med Kit support kit on Scrapper, using Mender's amulet.

Yeah, I agree. after looking at it a little more closely, that would be a 4 second resistance duration with full boon uptime. I'll fix the notes up as you suggested. The 2 skill can just scale off healing power to do that much healing, or I can reduce the healing to 3k and some change.

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@"Ghos.1326" said:Here is some suggestions I had in regards to the Medkit.Medkit: Equip a medkit that focuses on healing you and your allies, as well as providing boons and clearing conditions.

1: Med Blaster - I think it's ok, maybe make the heal scale better with healing power, affect more targets, more range and cone radius.

2: Administer Care - A supply of bandages is dropped onto your party, healing them for a large amountHealing (x5): 4562Interval: 0.5sAllies affected: 10Radius: 600Cooldown: 8 seconds

3: Administer Stimulants - A supply of stimulants is given to allies in a radius, which converts conditions into boons.Conditions converted to boons: 3Allies affected: 10Radius: 600Cooldown: 8 seconds

4: Administer Accelerants - A supply of accelerants is given to your allies, supporting growth and speedy recovery. (This skill could show up as a "buff" and while the "buff" is on them, it will do the below listed effects)Regeneration: 10s (2 stacks per pulse)Might: 1 stack for 15 seconds (1 stack per pulse)Pulses: 5Interval: 1sRadius: 600Allies affected: 10Cooldown: 15s

5: Administer Antidote - A supply of antidote is given to your allies, providing pulsing resistance and curing conditions. (This skill could show up as a "buff" and while the "buff" is on them, it will do the below listed effects)Resistance: 2s (per pulse)Conditions cleared: 1Pulses: 5Interval: 2sRadius: 600Allies affected: 10Cooldown: 20s (or 25s)

Toolbelt skill: Bandage Self - Bandage yourself and heal. (keep this the same as it currently is)

NOTE: I was taking a look at administer care, and not sure if this would be an OK heal to have. COULD be too strong, but on an 8 sec cd, maybe not. You guys can be the judge.

Administer Care - Reduced the healing from 4562 to 3056. This number would be the total amount healed after the 5x pulses of healing. Increased the amount of time per interval from 0.5 seconds to 1 second for each interval. Increased the cooldown from 8 seconds to 12 seconds.

Administer Stimulants - Increased the cooldown from 8 seconds to 12 seconds.

Administer Antidote - Decreased the uptime of Resistance by half (from 2 seconds to 1 second per pulse). Decreased the interval of each pulse by 1 second (from 2 seconds to 1 second). This should total 5 seconds of resistance uptime on a 20 to 25 second cooldown.

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Update:

I've tweaked a lot of suggestions to favor Core Engineer more heavily and added good suggestions from the community. Here are the highlights if the OP is Tl;dr

General Changes: Projectile changes: Thrown Elixirs, Med Kits, these are now unblockable.

Toolkit #2. Now applies two bleed per ticks.

Flamethrower #4: Duration reduced from 10s to 5s. Interval reduced from 1s to .5s. This skill now destroys projectiles.

Flamethrower toolbelt: Incendiary Ammo cooldown decreased from 50s to 30s to be more in line with push toward slow, ramping damage changes.

Bomb Kit #2: Fire Bomb's initial pulse applies 2 burning instead of 1.

Bomb Kit #5: All Glue Bomb pulses will immobilize enemies, not just the initial pulse - however, each target may only be affected by the immobilize once. Duration increased to 5 seconds.

Orbital Command: Currently: when striking enemies below 50%, cast a lesser orbital strike.New: In addition to its current effects, Increased the velocity of Mortar shots by 50%.

Juggernaut: Currently: Gain might and stability while wielding a flamethrower. New: Effect extended to Bomb Kit and Grenade Kit.

Serrated Steel: Currently: Bleeding duration increased by 33%. New: In addition to its previous effects, your conditions deal 1% more damage for each stack of bleeding present (Maximum 15%)

Incendiary Powder: Cooldown decreased from 10s to 5s to be more in line with push toward slow, ramping damage changes.

Energy Amplifier: Currently: When you are under the effects of Regeneration, gain +250 healing. New: In addition to its previous effects, your healing to allies is increased by 5/10/15% for each 25/50/75% target's health missing.

Health Insurance: Currently: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in Med Kit. New: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in an Engineering Kit. In addition to its current effects, equipping an Engineering Kit will remove a condition in a 180 radius. 10s ICD per Engineering Kit.

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Toolkit #2. Now applies two bleed per ticks.I recommend reducing the cast time from 0.75 seconds to 0.25 seconds and increasing the cripple duration from 2 seconds to 4 seconds.

Bomb Kit #2: Fire Bomb's initial pulse applies 2 burning instead of 1.Either this or increase the field duration from 3 to 6 seconds.

Orbital Command: Currently: when striking enemies below 50%, cast a lesser orbital strike.New: In addition to its current effects, Increased the velocity of Mortar shots by 50%.Great idea. We need a trait that focuses on improving the Mortar Kit. The velocity is way too slow, so having a trait like this would be great.

Juggernaut: Currently: Gain might and stability while wielding a flamethrower. New: Effect extended to Bomb Kit and Grenade Kit.Why only the Bomb Kit and Grenade Kit? Why not make it available across every kit?

Health Insurance: Currently: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in Med Kit. New: Gain 33% outgoing healing to allies while in an Engineering Kit. In addition to its > > current effects, equipping an Engineering Kit will remove a condition in a 180 radius. 10s ICD per Engineering Kit.

Very interesting. Protection Injection got nerfed and the protection boon is not worth that much and Invigorating Speed is pointless if you're running the Tools specialization for the increased endurance regeneration. I really like the idea for this trait being changed like this, it'll work similar to how core Elementalist cleanses conditions running the Water and Arcane specializations, where you can swap to water attunement every 8 seconds, apply regeneration on yourself and allies and cleanse a condition to those you grant regeneration. Good thinking, Chaith.

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@Hoodie.1045 said:

Juggernaut: Currently: Gain might and stability while wielding a flamethrower. New: Effect extended to Bomb Kit and Grenade Kit.Why only the Bomb Kit and Grenade Kit? Why not make it available across every kit?

To prevent might stacking and stability for a purpose other than being aggressive with it.

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So Short Fuse would basically double bomb kit's dps? Doesn't that sound a little out of hand? That's basically the same problem as launch Grenadier on steroids. Removing or reducing the arming time further would make more sense. It's also kind of problematic swapping this over to Inventions, I completely understand trying not to give Holo access to this by putting it on the same tier as Anti-corrosion plating, but I don't think that's worth making traitlines weird this way. Giving Inventions a good offensive trait is fine, but gouging out Explosives' own niche is kind of iffy.

In general I'm going to have to disagree with any suggestion to add Projectile Velocity onto traits. Those types of traits are a relic of the past; Engineer is currently the only profession in the game with a Projectile Velocity talent. Projectile Velocity should be baked into these kits the exact same way Ranger Longbow got its 100% Projectile Velocity increase. If any kit needs a specific trait to function correctly, just bake those effects into the kits themselves and make the traits do something else. That means baking in a 100% Velocity increase to Grenades and Mortar kit with a rework to Grenadier.

Finally, this might be a shameless insert, but how about a trait that goes:

-When below X Barrier, attacks grant up to X Barrier.

The reasoning being that Flamethrower and Grenades are absolutely wrecked by any source of retaliation. This trait would help normalize retaliation by preemptively putting up a barrier which gets eaten by retaliation which then lets the next hit grant barrier again since you're below the threshold. It also indirectly helps against sustained condition damage by possibly putting up a barrier for every tick. Since Scourges don't have a monopoly on barrier anymore, this was the best idea I could come up with that helps with these issues without being designed specifically as a hardcounter. (A hardcounter would be "Retaliation does less damage to you.")

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