So when the mech dies, your entire elite spec is broken for 100 seconds unless you use your elite signet to bring it back early. You become a worse core engi. Here's a more out of the box solution that could also solve the problem of the spec feeling like core engi:
-Give the mech a fuel/energy gauge.
They said on stream that they don't want the mech to be permanent, hence the longer cooldown than ranger pets. Give the mech a fuel gauge that depletes when using the f1-3 skills. When it runs out, it cant use abilities anymore until you dismiss it. While dismissed, it regains fuel at a % per second. When it reaches a certain % (like 50 or so, definitely not 100) you can summon it again. It also regains health at a %/s when dismissed. If it dies, it must reach a certain % health to be resummoned. Also, there a 5 sec minimum cooldown between dismissing/summoning.
This allows you to bring the mech out and back in much more easily, but not making it permanent like the devs wanted. This isn't that great by itself and doesnt fix the whole problem which leads to:
-Traits that cause an effect while the mech is away.
We already have one that shoot mini artillery strikes. Perhaps add one for condi and support as well. Like launching poison gas bombs from the air or dropping barrier fields on random allies. This is important to add with the mech having fuel because the mech will never be around 100% of the time in ideal conditions. We could also add traits that interact with the mech summon, like giving boons on nearby allies for the support version. The crashing down effect on summon is super cool and it would be fun to give it a continuous use. Maybe even remove the 5 sec min cooldown between resummoning i mentioned earlier so that this can be a cool repositioning tool.
These two changes I believe would solve the issue of Mechanist feeling useless when the mech is dead, but also not making the mech permanent.
-Misc, unrelated proposed changes:
1: As many others have said, take the 9 mech abilities out of the traits and let us select them on the bar like utilities. However, they are very clearly designed for power/condi/support, so take the power/condi/support parts out of them and add them to the traits instead. I forget the names, but for example the first support trait. It changes the mech's first ability and also gives might on autos. This change would allow you to have the might on auto with the ranged or bladed arms, but not the extra damage/conditions. This would require a reworking of some abilities entirely, like the second support ability which gives boons and does nothing else. Could just be an aoe damage field or something.
2: Have the traits give bonuses to the engineer themselves. I know, not a unique or new idea. Even something as basic as +condi damage for yourself AND the mech when picking the condi trait.
So when the mech dies, your entire elite spec is broken for 100 seconds unless you use your elite signet to bring it back early. You become a worse core engi. Here's a more out of the box solution that could also solve the problem of the spec feeling like core engi: -Give the mech a fuel/energy gauge. They said on stream that they don't want the mech to be permanent, hence the longer cooldown than ranger pets. Give the mech a fuel gauge that depletes when using the f1-3 skills. When it runs out, it cant use abilities anymore until you dismiss it. While dismissed, it regains fuel at a % per second. When it reaches a certain % (like 50 or so, definitely not 100) you can summon it again. It also regains health at a %/s when dismissed. If it dies, it must reach a certain % health to be resummoned. Also, there a 5 sec minimum cooldown between dismissing/summoning. This allows you to bring the mech out and back in much more easily, but not making it permanent like the devs wanted. This isn't that great by itself and doesnt fix the whole problem which leads to: -Traits that cause an effect while the mech is away. We already have one that shoot mini artillery strikes. Perhaps add one for condi and support as well. Like launching poison gas bombs from the air or dropping barrier fields on random allies. This is important to add with the mech having fuel because the mech will never be around 100% of the time in ideal conditions. We could also add traits that interact with the mech summon, like giving boons on nearby allies for the support version. The crashing down effect on summon is super cool and it would be fun to give it a continuous use. Maybe even remove the 5 sec min cooldown between resummoning i mentioned earlier so that this can be a cool repositioning tool. These two changes I believe would solve the issue of Mechanist feeling useless when the mech is dead, but also not making the mech permanent. -Misc, unrelated proposed changes: 1: As many others have said, take the 9 mech abilities out of the traits and let us select them on the bar like utilities. However, they are very clearly designed for power/condi/support, so take the power/condi/support parts out of them and add them to the traits instead. I forget the names, but for example the first support trait. It changes the mech's first ability and also gives might on autos. This change would allow you to have the might on auto with the ranged or bladed arms, but not the extra damage/conditions. This would require a reworking of some abilities entirely, like the second support ability which gives boons and does nothing else. Could just be an aoe damage field or something. 2: Have the traits give bonuses to the engineer themselves. I know, not a unique or new idea. Even something as basic as +condi damage for yourself AND the mech when picking the condi trait.