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Mechanist Feedback Thread


Fire Attunement.9835

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Some minor annoyances and issues affecting gameplay

1. accidentally hitting F4 instead of F3 for example) ... so yes, agree with moving Golem Recall to ... something else. 

2. can't see the CD counter on the Command skills (too much black background on the Command graphic?)

3. Seems to be an ODD choice for Jade Cannons to make melee attacks become ranged as this is definitely a departure for the standard risk/reward of range vs. melee DPS.

Overall, pretty satisfied for multiple PVE scenarios and at the risk of being burned at the stake .. it's a VERY easy go for what is typically a complex class to play. The golem feels like training wheels a bit ... The DPS/survival tradeoff seems to have gone out the window with this one. Can't wait to see the AFK farming outrage for this one, cause it will be king. 

 

 

Edited by Obtena.7952
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Shift signet takes a bit long to use. I feel like it should be instant, as shadowsteps usually are. Overclock signet is nice but I want the beam to be bigger >_> it's more satisfying that way.

Edit: Also, I think the passive on Overclock signet should work like alac, not just shaving 6 seconds off the cooldown of other signets.

Edited by Embered.5089
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1 minute ago, Obtena.7952 said:

Some minor annoyances and issues affecting gameplay

1. accidentally hitting F4 instead of F3 for example) ... so yes, agree with moving Golem Recall to ... something else. 

2. can't see the CD counter on the Command skills (too much black background on the Command graphic?)

3. Seems to be an ODD choice for Jade Cannons to make melee attacks become ranged as this is definitely a departure for the standard risk/reward of range vs. melee DPS.

Overall, pretty satisfied for multiple PVE scenarios and at the risk of being burned at the stake .. it's a VERY easy go. The golem feels like training wheels a bit ... The DPS/survival tradeoff seems to have gone out the window with this one. 

 

 

 

You could say that of any class that has a pet really with the trade off, but overall you still have to be careful with the mech since it can die super easy if targeted from bosses if you built for just all condi. So, there is not that much training wheels with it.

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Okay this is pve only. after playing with mech in the pof zones I think its a pretty solid class with a few issues. The mech on veterans is solid im geared in soldiers so he has 52k hp. the damage out put is good even in soldiers, the spec is fun to play I cant argue there. In open world no problems but a few quirks. The AI can be a little off to respond swapping targets he is a little slow, I think the heal needs to be shorter. Its a bit long when you are chaining enemies or taking a lot of damage from multiple sources. In open world it seems solid enough but I have not tried a boss or champ yet. Will try some fracts tonight to and report back, maybe a raid if I have time. But honestly im having a lot of fun on it, better than the untamed.

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59 minutes ago, Drakonhammer.2148 said:

At a first glance: 1. Please make the master and grandmaster traits affect other parts of the mech's appearance the way the first tier traits do, this feel likes a missed opportunity if it is not already in the works. Also please let us dye the mech's carapace at the very least to set them apart from other players' mechs - rangers have a whole load of different animals to choose from, I feel like this change'd help seeing as engineer have just the one mech + a handful of trait variations to choose from.

2. I'd like the attack my target and return to me keys like with core ranger, then have the new skills slot in around those on the F bar. 

3. The loss of toolbelt skills really hurts many slot skills, either a) there needs to be a way to access them with a downside or b) maybe this espec should get weapon swap to compensate? c) would be giving access to toolbelt skills while the mech is gone (but that won't make some specific skills such as the med kit feel much better while the mech is out. Could add an interesting skill juggling dynamic for those that want the option however, so maybe this is best?).

4. Adding my voice to those saying the mech needs to work underwater too.

There are many types of different jades out there so at the bare minimum let us have an assortment of colors to choose from even if its not our entire lineup of dyes.

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3 hours ago, Artyport.2084 said:

mech is fun.

mechanist needs weapon swap.

customization via education would be fun. 

 

jade is your basic minion. 

learn how to summon a golem based on asura technology.

learn how to summon a golem based on watchnight technology.

learn how to summon a golem based on charr technology.

learn how to summon a golem based on fire legion technology. 

 

change the color of the projectiles based on the summon.

It does sound like a missed oppurtunity to only have 1 type of MECH. Shoot ....even give us a Sylvari leaf mech heh.

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4 hours ago, CaboSoul.1204 said:

So to me the Mechanist is just not fun to play. After playing a bit I understood that all it is is someone with a mace that can summon a mechanical companion. And this is because the Jade Mech got all the love.

 

Try to picture the Holosmith without a toolbelt and instead of a Photon Forge you get a hologram that can use all the Photon Forge skills and all of the utility skills and you are stuck with only a sword and the ability to summon a hologram. Not fun right? Well that’s the Mechanist.

 

You, the devs, poured all of your hard work into making the Jade Mech interesting instead of also making the Mechanist interesting. I don’t want play a class where it just feel there’s nothing more to it then it’s weapon while watching my new big cool toy using all of the new cool skills (utility skills). It just makes the Mechanist feel like a side character while the Jade Mech is the hero.

 

So here’s my suggestion. Let us not just have it as a mechanical companion but also be able to become one with the Jade Mech (seeing how it’s to small to be able to ride it like a golem). This way our character, the Mechanist, can have access to all of the Jade Mech’s skills and also be able to use the utility skills while the mech is up. This would make the Mechanist more then just “someone with a mace that can summon a mechanical companion”.

 

And let us dye the Jade Mech. That way the Jade Mech would feel more personal.

Been saying that since I saw the reveal! Engineers have USED technology for so long let us BE the technology now i.e. Jade Canthan Cyborg. My suggestion would be that when we send the mech away its skills default to us (the signets already do) and we get our toolbelt back also for build diversity.

Edited by HotDelirium.7984
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5 hours ago, ejax.5170 said:

Regarding high-level PvE viability, Mechanist only seems worth taking for its support/alacrity bot. I did some brief testing on DPS golems and the pDPS and cDPS it offers with the slightly adapted meta builds (full ascended vipers and berserker) was not competitive with Holosmith. Can't say yet how this will perform in real content like fractals and raids, but if the mech dies even once in a fight and you have to wait the 100 sec cd, then even simply playing core Engi with its toolbelt and tools trait line would likely yield better DPS. 

 

There might be a case for a running a support build in PvE. The Mechanist can quite easily maintain 100% alacrity uptime and 25 might on a 5-man party, and if you throw in infusion bomb, rifle turret, and thumper turret (with the experimental turrets trait) you can quite easily maintain 100% uptime on fury, regen, protection, and vigor as well. 

It would be unfortunate if the mech A.I. can't stay out of enemy AOEs....

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I used it in WvW in small group and zerg fights.

Mech positioning feels too slow and clunky for moving enemies and dynamic fights. Mech was often not in range, or was attacking the wrong enemies or was running into damage fields etc. And it also was very squishy and died fast.

The mechs of enemies were also not very dangerous and could be easily ignored/killed.

Cooldown of the mech is too long for how fast the mech dies.

Visuals are nice. But we should be able to change the bright green color of the mech. Actual color is too much.
 

Edited by Zok.4956
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4 hours ago, hugo.4705 said:

@Fire Attunement.9835So this will be a very long feedback comment because this is my favourite spec, i paly engie since launch, this is my dream specialization.

 

Positive:

-So firstly: I find the mech skills animations very cool. It looks impressive, render well. I am fan of mech skyrocket to sky when leaving.

-Secondly it is really cool that the specialization traits chosen affect what F1-3 mech attacks skills you have. It is 9 specializations traits that can be chosen, so 27 different possibilities!

-Thirdly, the signets also trigger mech attacks so, in fact, it is 10 skills that are realated to mech, which is quite cool because to me it puts the mech even more under spotlight.

-The damage is very cool, and i feel strong with the mech near me helping me slaughtering foes or giving boons.

-Once the mech is lost, it reappear near us, à la ranger pet, so even it is lost it reappears.

-The mech can be named.

-The overall theme of a jade golemancer/mechanist is respected, and the concept and its execution are on the rendez vous.

-The look of the mech itself is very cool. Like some suggested, I know i would like to dye it too, in dark silver and red instead of gold and green.  But that idea of customization, that can even be monetized could also applies to turrets skins, necro minions skins, elementals skins from ele and so on..... like mount skins but for summons used by the players tied to its profession.

-It feels dynamic, fluid, very cool. I fought with specters against a giant veteran karka and it was E P I C.

-The mace skills don't feel slow, so another good point. Even the mech skills attacks skills have to me a correct recharge time apart summon again one.

 

Negative:

-The biggest issue to me is the very long cooldown to re-summon mech if dead, wouldn't say make it instaneous, but here is an idea: instead of waiting  90sec, maybe allow player to resummon it when healed? If mech health point > 0 then allow mech to be resummoned! Since the signet heal a lot the golem (+ ~15000 health?) allow the player to use heal signet then resummon golem without any cooldown. The resummoned golem will not be full health anyway so i don't see any issue!

-The second weird thing, and now it is true it bothers me after playing, is the fact that the toolbelt is absent when golem is not summoned. It feel unfinished: Feels like no toolbelt skills have been created for signets and that's why there is no toolbelt. Toolbelt should be brought back and usable when mech isn't here. I am not a programmer and maybe, the toolbelt is the mech skills because of spaghetti code. When compared to ranger, not an issue for them, because they always have a pet, and they have two of them, but here, mechanist have only the mech and if dead, nothing, so it is needed to have toolbelt. Make F1-F2-F3-F4 signet toolbelt and allows other toolbelt skills.

-I am only disapointed by the MACE skills. Indeed, mace 1 is very basic looking, with the teaser image, would be surely better as animation something like bonk with mace then the player touch the foes with a tesla/electric gauntlet. Mace 1 animation is really meh compared to mace 3 which looks fabulous and banger. Mace 2 is already really cool, but imho miss some effects like jade electric arcs/statics.

-Finally, more synergy with other weapons and playstyles aka build. There should be a little effect added to all specialization traits that affects Kits, Turrets and Elixirs. With jade technology, don't see why we can't have "Upgrade the turrets core with jade power circuitry to make them gain boons" or "Effects of elixirs are stronger because of jade diluted in them" or "Your kits received some upgrades are their skills are now faster, torment and grant might" those are just random ideas.

-I would like the Mech name limit increased by 3 letters and to allow use of NUMBERS. I am currently writing in name things like "Mark XVII" whereas i could write Mark 17. So please allow us those.

-I would recommend lowering the timer of "Mech checking if player near it or not", this way the mech will follow us more closely, not waiting that we are far to teleport on us or getting lost. About pathing, maybe allow mech to fly above void to join us.

Yeah the lack of fidelity among the mace skills is too bad. Skills 1 and 2 are this light orange streak but skill 3 is this green fist out of no where lol

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Tested it in full ascended berserker and minstrel gear, for DPS and SUPPORT builds, with proper runes and such. Random exotic vipers for Condi.

 

The toolbelt scenario is actually fine for both builds. Playing it for a few hours in a bunch of content, I can see what they are going for.

 

First of all, this spec definitely feels like it's meant to be played for it's support aspect. In that regard, it's fine, but I have other issues.

Alchemy, Tools, and Mechanist. Med Kit, Elixir Gun, Barrier Signet, Elixir U, and Mortar Kit, with maximum boon duration allows me to still retain a lot of the self quickness I lost from switching out of scrapper. I found the Inventions trait line not necessary, as there's hardly any incoming healing to spread anymore thanks to barrier. Many boons. Okay self condi-clear and still great ally condi-clear. Med Kit fills in for any damage going past barriers.

However, whether or not groups want to bring one into higher tier content is another story.

 

DPS build (Power) ... right off the bat, this is definitely not going to even come close to Holosmith at max efficiency, which seemed concerning at first.

However, when you actually stop and look at what you are actually doing as a DPS mechanist... you realize you are able to put out decent damage with practically no effort. I'm talking about 20 actions-per-minute for an easy 15-20k DPS with full buffs depending on your setup. (For reference, Holosmith is able to put out 30K+ with good rotations and full buffs)

 

DPS build (Condi) ... definitely has more potential for damage. I can easily hit about 19-20k but with much more effort using SC Signet, Flamethrower, and Grenades, and could probably squeeze out much more damage with better equipment.

 

The real issues tend to be:

AI control, which a lot has already been said.

 

My biggest issue are signets. In most cases, I wouldn't (want to) use most of them. Some of these seem okay for PvP, but for PvE the only one really worth taking is the barrier signet for support builds and SC signet for condi. I have absolutely no need for a shadowstep, the knockback messes things up in PvE (especially when it's based around my mech that I have little control over it's positioning), and the condi-field is pointless on a non-condi build. That leaves barrier signet, which I only take because it pulses barrier.

 

I have an idea: if this spec is all about customizing your mech through traits, why don't they also apply something to signets as well?

For example, the jade buster cannon elite can change based on the grandmaster trait. Healing signet can do different things on activation depending on which build you are going for (power, condi, support).

 

Because right now, the signets are extremely lackluster, and losing toolbelts (while I did say for mechanist, it's not a big deal) causes issues with the fact that a lot of utility skills on engineer really shine through their toolbelt abilities.

 

Personally, I think it doesn't matter if toolbelt is given off mech cooldown or not.

 

And just to throw it out there: I think mace 2 should be a blast finisher rather than a leap. Seems more appropriate.

Edited by WEXXES.2378
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Having spent a couple hours playing around with the Mechanist in pve I can say this spec really delivers on the golemancer feel in a very big and good way. Being able to customize it via traits, while somewhat formulaic (and something I had gripes with on lots of the other elite specs of this generation) really works here thanks to how dramatically they can change how your golem operates.

 

The first tier traits visually changing the arms of the golem is amazing and I hope the other traits will get similar customization before launch, having the golem look completely different based on different choices would be fantastic. And speaking of visuals, the option to customize the golem's color is something I have seen people request and I'm all for more customization though it's not something that bothered me tbh. One last thing concerting customization, the naming is a welcome touch but it's very limiting atm as you can not use numbers, punctuation or sequential capitalization which really limits the names one can give.

 

The mace is solid and seems well rounded, however skill #2, the lunge ability, has a stated range of "410" I have to assume that's a bug or something, what kind of leap has a range of 410? Every leap skill I have seen is at least 600 range. 

 

The signets are all solid and I can't fault any one of them, that said the heal and elite feel kind of mandatory to include based on how much they can impact your ability to keep the golem on the field. On that note, I feel like the tool kit's wrench skill that repairs turrets should also function to repair the golem and offer some more interaction with core engineer skills.

 

Now the golem itself overall feels quite good, possibly too good. I noticed that despite how heavily the traits implied the golem would be borrowing from my engineer's stats it seems like it doesn't even need it frankly. The abilities all have either incredible base damage or scale very dramatically with power as even it's auto attacks in most forms seem to hit for well over 1k without crits, combine this with the fact that it seems to have a base 30% crit chance, massive amounts of HP and the whole thing feels a bit overtuned atm. 

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Same issue as with the Untamed: you can't bind recalling the mech to yourself.

Mace seems weak.

Complete lack of toolbelt really hurts when the mech is down.

Poor mech naming options, and can't dye the mech which will make it really hard to find in a large group (yes I know you can't dye ranger pets either, but their positioning is less critical compared to the mech given how weak the spec becomes if the mech goes down even for a second). Could be especially problematic in fractals/strikes/raids.

Edited by Boogiepop Void.6473
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2 hours ago, Matoro.9708 said:

I think the addition of explosions traits to the mech for Mech Core: Jade Dynamo should move to Mech Core: Jade Drive, as Explosions traits greatly favor power builds. The signet bonuses should be moved to Mech Core: Barrier Engine as this is clearly the support line. 

I agree with the first part, disagree with the second.

The signet bonuses definitely favor solo/damage play over support play, so putting them on the support line robs you of those benefits when you're trying to go for either a power or a condition damage build, or even when you're out soloing.  The support line should benefit group play, and not be required for solo play.

 

Honestly the signet bonuses are the only trait that takes effect when the mech is not active, and we need to remedy that.  ALL of the trait choices should have some impact on the mechanist, especially when the mech is inactive/not available.

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Mech melts away real fast in group fights, making the entire elite spec quite useless to me and many others. Give back toolbelt skills so we can be more self reliant and this elite spec doesn't become near unused once people get bored of the shiny new toy (and realize how horrible the mech is and the mechanist's build diversity). 

Edited by santenal.1054
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1 hour ago, Are.1326 said:

Mech abilities really should not be tied to the traits. Just give us a skill selector over the command skills like Utility skills. Picking traits for Skills instead of their effect feels really bad. Being stuck with unfit mech skills because you wanted a specific trait effect is equally bad.


Master traits should not inheret player stats, it just limits build variety. Instead just have the traits give flat stats to the mech so we can have Support Engineer with DPS Mech, or other combinations. As it is, the master traits isn't really a choice you make. If you got lots of power in your gear, ofcourse you are going to take the trait that shares it with the mech, same with condi builds or support builds. You aren't making any interesting decisions here, just repeating the decision you made for your gear set, a decision you already make too many times.

 

Pet AI remains clumsy, especially in pathing, to solve this I suggest an additional Function key (best suited at F1, with existing skills moving up one) that is a Contextual Command skill.

  • Essentially a ground target, no cooldown (or tools trait interaction) 1500 range command skill that behaves differently based on what is within the ground target circle:
  •  If the player is in the circle, the pet will stay around the player, only attacking enemies that the player attacks if they are in range.
     Else if an enemy is inside the circle, the pet will focus on that enemy, following it as nessesary to attack it.
     Else the mech will guard the area targeted, not moving unless the player goes too far away, only attacking enemies in retaliation

That would cover both return to me and attack target without using multiple buttons or forcing us to click on the GUI for the desired behaviour.

 

Two of the Adept traits are essentially "Golem go punch". Consider turning the condi one into flamethrowers to differentiate it from the other and give it more personality. That way we pick the mechs auto attack style with the Adept trait, chosing from Ranged guns, Punchy fists, and Flamethrowers.

 

 

Such great ideas!

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I kind of understand the design choices for the spec, but the problem is that those design choices throw a big wrench (ha!) in build diversity. As many people have said before, once you don't have your mech, an entire traitline is being wasted. Furthermore, you become a stripped down core engineer that has no toolbelt skills, which isn't fun at all to play. And that is also what you become when you enter a body of water, because you lose your mech entirely and in place of it you just get an AoE damage ability. At least let us use toolbelt skills underwater with the F5 becoming the Depth Charge skill if that's how you're going to do it. Don't get me wrong though, when you have your mech active, the spec is quite fun. The problem is that it's not very fun to play when you don't have your mech.

A somewhat minor change I would like is for Barrier Signet to be ground targeted rather than be placed wherever the mech happens to be, as you can't really tell the mech to go to a specific spot, and even if you were we would likely see pathfinding issues like we did with the old Gyros.

(Also, it wouldn't hurt if we could recolor our mech to match our style!)

Edited by Teletric.3821
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Some feedbacks with PvE play.

 

When I stepped outside LA, there was a group event with like 10-15 Mechanists and I lost sight of my Mech because they all look the same. It took me a good 30 seconds before I found the blue name tag among all that green Jade tech (I was playing an Asura ,the camera position might make this worst). We really need to have some visual customization. I like the two dye  channels idea (one for the green, one of the metal). Some green highlight could remains because Jade Tech thought.

The break bar feels kinda useless, PvE enemies with CC broke it in one attack on HoT map. I wish my CC broke enemies breakbar that fast. As it is currently balanced, it feels more like it's there to nerf the mech because it make it unable to do anything for 5 seconds and not there to help it.

I was impressed by the Mech tanking a Veteran Bristleback rapid fire attack though.

Mech kills things fast from what I've seen. I have to do a bit more testing because there was a lots of people with mech on HoT map thought and two Mechs just pulverize things.

I won't repeat the bugs, everyone seems to be getting the same ones.

I like the mace, especially Rocket Punch and that my Asura was saying "Rocket Punch!" when using it. The range on the leap is weird thought. Why 410? 

 

The Mech needs to work underwater, but the other beta spec also had issues underwater so hopefully it's just that it's not done yet.

 

This will ended up another option beside Minionmancer for people with disabilities. Although, the Engineer is not as sturdy as the Necro, so it will require a bit more thinking/planning than Necro to play. 

 

By far my favorite spec out of all the EoD ones.

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1. I'd love to see Mech skill choices and trait choices separated. Let us pick mech skills the same way Revenants pick their Legends.

 

Picking out the traits right now is quite boring. There are no compelling mix and match options available. You lose too much for hybridizing since too many build components are tangled together in each slot; build-appropriate mech skill, stat boost, trait effects themsleves are all packaged together as an all-or-nothing deal. So separate mech skills from traits, consolidate some of the similar/boring traits, open up some difficult choices.

 

2. Better ways to reposition the mech would be great. Many mech skills depend on the mech being in the right place. I often found myself burning the shadowstep signet just to get my mech where i want it, but that's obviously not always feasible. Relevant mech skills could either be ground-targeted, or a way to directly move the mech would add a lot. ("go here" skill on f4? or make the mech ai always hug the player?)

 

3. Mace is underwhelming. I'm not necessarily talking about power level, it's just kinda boring and basic. There's a compelling argument for adding simpler options to engi, but the elite mechanic itself already cuts a good bit of complexity off of core engi. An e-spec exclusive weapon could do a little more.

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Can we just delete the mech altogether and just give the F key mech abilities to the mechanist? That way you can keep the customization from the traits, solve the "AI bad" issues and if all F abilities went over 1 we could still keep the toolbar skill for our heal skill thus making medkit a valid choice again. Then to top it all off, F5(which would be used to summon the mech) just needs to do literally anything else.

 

I think this solves all the issues we have had. You're welcome.

Edited by Spasticlese.2358
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