Going to try Engi, what do I need to know?

[mPascoal.4258]

Hi guysSo I've been watching the most recent Wooden Potatos series (his most recent Lets Play of Gw2), and I'm thinking of going to the lvls again myself, just to revit that experience since Ive never actually done it again once tomes were around (any character would go straigth to 80) and am thinking of doing it with Engi. I've had one myself back at launch, went with it to lvl 41 and then droped it, and I had one at 80 (again tomes) did I did play a bit on pvp a long long time ago (even before HoT).

Now I'm also a returning player to Gw2 and my main have been Warrior (and will continue to do so), so my knowledge of Engi and how it is in the meta is pretty much none (I know the best spec is Holo, but to be expected anyway since PoF). I there anything I shoud know?

For instance:How is Engi in the current Fractals/Raid meta? If I end this adventure (wich most likely, will continue to do end game stuff, but once dailies are done I might be on the Engi) I will problably want to try Engi on those areas since I actual have a Berserker ascended set on a Thief that is gaining a considerable amount of dust and need to have some .I allways had the idea that Engi is an hard class, at least on PvP seems hard to master there.. but then again the period that I actually tried Engi was when the Celestial Rifle build was around (before HoT, way before) and that was OP and kinda braindead, how is Engi in PvP?Is Engi in PvE as complex as my previous idea might sugest?

Anyway, all these I'm sure I will figure out once I get on playing more, but I wanted some options on the matter. Thank you

[stone cold.8609]

PvE comments only here...

When I first started playing Engie, the hardest things for me to get used was:

• rifle and pistol auto attacks are terrible and should almost never be used! I have my rifle AA turned off so that it doesn't fire off when I don't want it to and delay other attacks
• managing the heat in photon forge
• kit switching

Power Holo is the strongest spec right now in PvE and is part of the raid meta in a DPS role. Rifle or Sword/X are both viable power specs. Rifle gives range (if you need it), CC, and a gap closer so it is typically recommended. If you run rifle, then you will be using a kit (usually bomb and or grenade) as your auto attack. Running sword can be a simpler option since it's AA is about as strong as bomb auto which makes a kitless Holosmith build a possibility.

I play both Engie and Warrior, and currently prefer Engie over Warrior. Engie is more complex than Warrior, but can be made more or less complex by weapon choice and number of kits used in the utility bar. It really plays like no other profession in GW2, although the power Holosmith does have a flashy techno Warrior feel to it (although instead of building adrenaline to use for burst, you are building heat which increases your damage output and will damage you if you get too much!).

[Vagrant.7206]

Here's the short and simple of it: Holosmith is the only spec that matters in engineer right now. Core is dead, scrapper is buggy and underwhelming, holosmith is where the damage is right now. Holosmith simplifies a lot of the gameplay, but it's still not as simple as say, guardian or necro. Holo is meta in all game modes, and is considered top tier DPS for fractals and raids.

We've had a few people come through these forums recently... because they love holosmith, but don't understand the core engineer mechanics. Core is still complicated, holosmith just makes the main damage rotation easier. The tricky part is learning how to properly DPS when Photon Forge is on cooldown.

---

PVE

Core engineer is still complicated. If you're planning on leveling without tomes, you're going to have to get used to kits. The two you should most familiarize yourself with are bomb kit and grenade kit if you want to play holosmith or any high-end engineer realistically. Flamethrower kit is nice for leveling, but all-around weak at higher levels. As for difficulty, it's hard to learn how to use the kits at first, along with toolbelt. Engineer probably has access to the most usable skills at any given time, so there's a lot in theory to learn.

The trick is to focus on what you're good at and expand slowly outward from there. Don't try to learn it all at once. The good thing about kits is that you can simplify the rotation until you're more comfortable with other behaviors.

If you want to know what the meta holosmith build in PvE is, here you go.

---

PVP

PvP balance is a goddamned mess right now, at possibly its worst state since launch (IMO). If you haven't been PvPing for some time now, it will appear as a cluster to you. Scrapper is too buggy and underwhelming to use reliably, and core is just out of the question. Holosmith is one of the highest damage dealers right now, but it's very easily countered by certain playstyles and builds too. A few important things to know about PvP:

• Major nerfs are coming in a few days. Holosmith will see a fair amount of damage shaved off, and access to stability significantly nerfed. Our passives are going to take a hit, like everybody else's, but it shouldn't be too significant (a 15s increase on passive elixir S... lol).
• Scourges (Necro spec) should be avoided in melee range until about 50% health. Holosmiths suffer acutely from scourge's corruption mechanic, turning us from badasses into limp noodles. Meleeing a scourge is generally a bad idea unless you know what to expect.
• Mesmers are ridiculously overpowered right now, and the next balance patch will likely cement that even further, given how they are going to receive some of the fewest nerfs.
• Warriors are relatively simple to fight in theory, if not in practice. You want stability up when fighting them, and you want to proc their passive stability trait first thing when you enter the battle, so that you can stunlock them once it ends.
• Guardians are a pretty even battle with holosmiths right now. Just be careful not to get stunlocked.
• Thieves do their typical ganking thing for the most part. 1v1, a holosmith will tend to win, but it's by no means a guarantee against the S/D build.
• With the exception of the ridiculous weaver spike build, elementalists are currently pushovers against holos. If you can stop the spike or avoid the damage, they will need to run away to recharge.
• Rangers/Druids will generally try to outlast you, but holos are usually alright against them.
• Revenant is in a very sad place right now, I haven't fought enough of them as a holo to see them as a threat.

---

WVW

I don't play WvW, so I don't have any firsthand experience, but from what I've heard, engineer is still not doing much in the big zergs. Holosmith is more of your roaming attack/defense, and scrapper provides some support for zergs with reflects and condi removal.

[stone cold.8609]

Excellent post Vagrant!

[mPascoal.4258]

! > @"Vagrant.7206" said:! > > Here's the short and simple of it: Holosmith is the only spec that matters in engineer right now. Core is dead, scrapper is buggy and underwhelming, holosmith is where the damage is right now. Holosmith simplifies a lot of the gameplay, but it's still not as simple as say, guardian or necro. Holo is meta in all game modes, and is considered top tier DPS for fractals and raids.! > >! > > We've had a few people come through these forums recently... because they love holosmith, but don't understand the core engineer mechanics. Core is still complicated, holosmith just makes the main damage rotation easier. The tricky part is learning how to properly DPS when Photon Forge is on cooldown.! > >! > > -------------------! > >! > > #PVE! > >! > > Core engineer is still complicated. If you're planning on leveling without tomes, you're going to have to get used to kits. The two you should most familiarize yourself with are bomb kit and grenade kit if you want to play holosmith or any high-end engineer realistically. Flamethrower kit is nice for leveling, but all-around weak at higher levels. As for difficulty, it's hard to learn how to use the kits at first, along with toolbelt. Engineer probably has access to the most usable skills at any given time, so there's a lot in theory to learn.! > >! > > The trick is to focus on what you're good at and expand slowly outward from there. Don't try to learn it all at once. The good thing about kits is that you can simplify the rotation until you're more comfortable with other behaviors.! > >! > > If you want to know what the meta holosmith build in PvE is, here you go.! > >! > > ------------------! > >! > > #PVP! > >! > > PvP balance is a goddamned mess right now, at possibly its worst state since launch (IMO). If you haven't been PvPing for some time now, it will appear as a cluster to you. Scrapper is too buggy and underwhelming to use reliably, and core is just out of the question. Holosmith is one of the highest damage dealers right now, but it's very easily countered by certain playstyles and builds too. A few important things to know about PvP:! > >! > > Major nerfs are coming in a few days. Holosmith will see a fair amount of damage shaved off, and access to stability significantly nerfed. Our passives are going to take a hit, like everybody else's, but it shouldn't be too significant (a 15s increase on passive elixir S... lol).! > > Scourges (Necro spec) should be avoided in melee range until about 50% health. Holosmiths suffer acutely from scourge's corruption mechanic, turning us from badasses into limp noodles. Meleeing a scourge is generally a bad idea unless you know what to expect.! > > Mesmers are ridiculously overpowered right now, and the next balance patch will likely cement that even further, given how they are going to receive some of the fewest nerfs.! > > Warriors are relatively simple to fight in theory, if not in practice. You want stability up when fighting them, and you want to proc their passive stability trait first thing when you enter the battle, so that you can stunlock them once it ends.! > > Guardians are a pretty even battle with holosmiths right now. Just be careful not to get stunlocked.! > > Thieves do their typical ganking thing for the most part. 1v1, a holosmith will tend to win, but it's by no means a guarantee against the S/D build.! > > With the exception of the ridiculous weaver spike build, elementalists are currently pushovers against holos. If you can stop the spike or avoid the damage, they will need to run away to recharge.! > > Rangers/Druids will generally try to outlast you, but holos are usually alright against them.! > > * Revenant is in a very sad place right now, I haven't fought enough of them as a holo to see them as a threat.! > >! > > -----------------! > >! > > #WVW! > >! > > I don't play WvW, so I don't have any firsthand experience, but from what I've heard, engineer is still not doing much in the big zergs. Holosmith is more of your roaming attack/defense, and scrapper provides some support for zergs with reflects and condi removal.! >

Wow, this literally covers all I wanted to know, thank you so muchRight now at lvl 14, and I've noticed kits are the best thing so far as utility. I did check the Holo meta and decided to start with those utilities to try out 1st , but I did not know Holo was at the top of the charts, thats nice to see

Only thing that has been bugging me so far is how slow a character can feel without the mounts.. damn, idk if I can continue map exploration without those xD

[Vagrant.7206]

@mPascoal.4258 said:

! > @"Vagrant.7206" said:! > > Here's the short and simple of it: Holosmith is the only spec that matters in engineer right now. Core is dead, scrapper is buggy and underwhelming, holosmith is where the damage is right now. Holosmith simplifies a lot of the gameplay, but it's still not as simple as say, guardian or necro. Holo is meta in all game modes, and is considered top tier DPS for fractals and raids.! > >! > > We've had a few people

come through these forums

recently... because they love holosmith, but don't understand the core engineer mechanics. Core is still complicated, holosmith just makes the main damage rotation easier. The tricky part is learning how to properly DPS when Photon Forge is on cooldown.! > >! > > -------------------! > >! > > #PVE! > >! > > Core engineer is still complicated. If you're planning on leveling without tomes, you're going to have to get used to kits. The two you should most familiarize yourself with are bomb kit and grenade kit if you want to play holosmith or any high-end engineer realistically. Flamethrower kit is nice for leveling, but all-around weak at higher levels. As for difficulty, it's hard to learn how to use the kits at first, along with toolbelt. Engineer probably has access to the most usable skills at any given time, so there's a lot in theory to learn.! > >! > > The trick is to focus on what you're good at and expand slowly outward from there. Don't try to learn it all at once. The good thing about kits is that you can simplify the rotation until you're more comfortable with other behaviors.! > >! > > If you want to know what the meta holosmith build in PvE is,

here you go

.! > >! > > ------------------! > >! > > #PVP! > >! > > PvP balance is a goddamned mess right now, at possibly its worst state since launch (IMO). If you haven't been PvPing for some time now, it will appear as a cluster to you. Scrapper is too buggy and underwhelming to use reliably, and core is just out of the question. Holosmith is one of the highest damage dealers right now, but it's very easily countered by certain playstyles and builds too. A few important things to know about PvP:! > >! > >

Major nerfs are coming in a few days. Holosmith will see a fair amount of damage shaved off, and access to stability significantly nerfed. Our passives are going to take a hit, like everybody else's, but it shouldn't be too significant (a 15s increase on passive elixir S... lol).! > >

Scourges (Necro spec) should be avoided in melee range until about 50% health. Holosmiths suffer acutely from scourge's corruption mechanic, turning us from badasses into limp noodles. Meleeing a scourge is generally a bad idea unless you know what to expect.! > >

Mesmers are ridiculously overpowered right now, and the next balance patch will likely cement that even further, given how they are going to receive some of the fewest nerfs.! > >

Warriors are relatively simple to fight in theory, if not in practice. You want stability up when fighting them, and you want to proc their passive stability trait first thing when you enter the battle, so that you can stunlock them once it ends.! > >

Guardians are a pretty even battle with holosmiths right now. Just be careful not to get stunlocked.! > >

Thieves do their typical ganking thing for the most part. 1v1, a holosmith will tend to win, but it's by no means a guarantee against the S/D build.! > >

With the exception of the ridiculous weaver spike build, elementalists are currently pushovers against holos. If you can stop the spike or avoid the damage, they will need to run away to recharge.! > >

Rangers/Druids will generally try to outlast you, but holos are usually alright against them.! > > * Revenant is in a very sad place right now, I haven't fought enough of them as a holo to see them as a threat.! > >! > > -----------------! > >! > > #WVW! > >! > > I don't play WvW, so I don't have any firsthand experience, but from what I've heard, engineer is still not doing much in the big zergs. Holosmith is more of your roaming attack/defense, and scrapper provides some support for zergs with reflects and condi removal.! >

Wow, this literally covers all I wanted to know, thank you so muchRight now at lvl 14, and I've noticed kits are the best thing so far as utility. I did check the Holo meta and decided to start with those utilities to try out 1st , but I did not know Holo was at the top of the charts, thats nice to see

Only thing that has been bugging me so far is how slow a character can feel without the mounts.. kitten, idk if I can continue map exploration without those xD

You can use a trait to help you with that:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mecha_Legs