The Scrapper, The Dream.

[BoundlessCreation.8906]

I'm pretty new here on the forums, but I've been playing on and off since launch so bear with me even though this has no doubt been discussed to death.

I love Scrapper. But I also hate it. Thematically I think the idea is awesome, the stranded engi making due and putting together something from nothing and swinging a big goddamn pipe wrench. It just screams utility/support bruiser. Yes! this is what I always wanted but didn't even know it for my main engineer.

But at the same time the implementation is just an absolute catastrophe. Where other elite specs get new mechanics that change how their core class is played, Scrappers get broken gyro utilities even the best of which have questionable use outside of one particular game mode, a trait tree with little to no synergy with our others and finally the function gyro, the supposed gimmick of this elite spec akin to reaper shroud, photon forge or celestial avatar ... that does effectively nothing. Totally unaffected by any traits, skills or --- anything! It is utterly directionless, a tragedy.

Superspeed (not technically bad) and lightning fields? really? Barrier seems like a better idea now, but it still has no synergy with out other trees and it all feels like bandaid fixes that in the end just go totally against what the class was supposed to feel like in the first place. Am I wrong here? I don't know if Anet ever publicizes plans or even posts patch notes before the thing even happens, but trying to fix Scrapper by tweaking it's traits and numbers isn't going to do the trick. It needs a rework, and I don't know if that is even on the table.

I'd cry blood if down the line (soon?™), the function gyro gets a fun mechanic like those I've seen here in some scrapper rework suggestion threads, and the trait tree revolving around buffing/altering it a la holomancer and the photon forge. Gyros that are not reliant on AI, anchored to the player with usable effects (blast and whirl in particular) and maybe affected by stats? I didn't play during the HoT launch, so I missed the class' heyday. Something I regret.

Has it ever actually been said that scrapper is going to get some down-to-earth loving in the future? or are most of these suggestion threads I see just hopeful thinking? that is the main thing I'd like to know. Mostly just a rant otherwise on what I personally feel is a damn shame.

[Dadnir.5038]

Indeed, Bandaid fixes... That's what anet do usually.

As for the scrapper, honnestly I always thougth that anet forgot the engineer when they designed HoT elite specs. It felt rushed, half done. And still we knew from HoT announcement that it would wield a hammer...

As for your last questions, I wouldn't have my hope high if I were you. The only glimpse of hope that one can have is that they actually started to touch a profession mechanism very recently, which can let you hope that they will try to really fix some lingering issues that plague the game since launch. As to know at which pace this will be done...

[BoundlessCreation.8906]

I'm not going to open a new thread for this post because there are enough like it, but I am hung up on the sheer number of possible ways scrapper could be made into such a fun, unique elite spec. Even I've managed to conjure up some ideas about it when I should be doing something else. What if .. ?

Gyros now orbit the Scrapper within a set range, with the Scrapper always within their field effects, but said effects are centered around themselves instead of the player. No AI. Blast gyro would attack the first target to enter it's orbital range, or if there are multiple, attack the scrapper's target, once it explodes, either leaves a fire field or weakened to differentiate it from Big Ol Bomb, which atm it is just a shittier version of, losing most of it's damage as a trade for its broken mobility. Bulwark could pulse barrier to allies in it's field as it orbits, shredder could be buffed to fit a burst power build and orbit.

And of course affected by player stats. It isn't 2015 anymore.

The function gyro could be F targeted on living allies and enemies in addition to downed ones, and will apply positive and negative effects to them respectively. These exact effects can be buffed/chosen via the revamped trait tree a la Photon Forge. Examples:

Target suffers/gains additional effects when hit by gyro utilities.

Increased damage to and reduced damage from function gyro'd target.

Shares/steals boons with Scrapper once every interval (5-15 seconds?)

Mirrors attacks against target

Anything like that, doesn't matter, I'm not some balance guru. Opponents could remove the gyro by entering stealth, downing the scrapper, leaving effective range or if it is sent to a different target. It'd go on cooldown when put on a different target or forced off.

Most importantly though, the function gyro's effects would NOT affect the scrapper when it is not deployed, forcing the scrapper to actually use it to support allies or hinder opponents to help the scrapper or someone else tank. Hopefully resulting in the scrapper finally settling in that supportive/off tank role, but maybe with the ability to provide some burst, I don't see why chronomancer is the only elite spec allowed to do both.

A grandmaster trait could make all the function gyro's effects an AoE around it's target, only then allowing the scrapper to directly gain it's benefits, but in addition to his or her party.