After taking a bit of break from the game I was positively surprised that the knockback has been removed from the Throw Mine skill and changed into a stun instead. Absolutely fantastic change that helps to make this skill more relevant and also more fitting to the theme it is going for (setting up a trap). Really nice synergy with the bomb kit and offhand pistol as well that don't see much use lately. First of all great job on that A-net.
Now, seeing that the skill has gotten some love lately, I think it's time to discuss another aspect that I find lacking when it comes to using the mine, especially in pvp. It has to do with the trait Gadgeteer. As you probably know, it makes it so that another mine is placed below you when you use Throw Mine. As you use the sub-skill Detonate, both mines are detonated at the same time. However, if an opponent has triggered the primary mine (the one that is thrown), you cannot manually detonate the one placed below you. The skill displays the cooldown instead. If the opponent instead triggers the secondary mine, you can still manually detonate the primary one.
I think the skill should allow detonating both mines manually, regardless of which one has been triggered, if any. The Detonate option could just turn to Throw Mine when the Throw Mine skill has recharged completely, at which point the secondary mine couldn't be detonated manually before another set of mines has been placed.
I play core engineer exclusively, and blast finishers are key to surviving in pvp. They help setting up combos as well as kiting. Having a bit more control over this skill could really push it to relevancy in many engineer builds. I already think it is a valid skill to pick, as engineer is weak to many burst- and mobility heavy builds (also I play mostly in low plat so you don't have to go for the best skills anyways, looking at you elixir S). Allowing the player to detonate the secondary mine even after the primary (that is often used to interrupt an action or to stop an escape rather than as a combo finisher) has been triggered would allow for some great defensive utility in combo fields such as smoke and light, or even poison and water. I don't think it would make the skill in any way overpowered or game breaking, just more fun to use, allowing for some really cool plays like intended.
What do you guys think?
