How to make core engineer viable in PvP

[Josif.2015]

This list is outdated. An updated version of this list can be found here.

Hello GW2 community. Let me introduce myself. My name is Karras and welcome to my first forum post. I've been playing GW2 since 2013 (I know, 5 years and only now I make my first forum post), starting with my first character being a warrior, then made an engineer a few months later and I fell in love with the profession. I love how diverse and unique the profession is and the amount of things you can do with the engineer makes it one of the professions with the highest skill ceiling.

As much as I love core engineer, I'm also kind of saddened to see the profession being neglected, especially in PvP. While I think Scrapper is a good sidegrade to core engineer with a different way to play the profession (despite a few bugs with the gyros), my biggest issue comes with the Holosmith. Ever since the release of Path of Fire, the Holosmith has basically replaced core engineer, in the sense of doing what core engineer does, but does it better. The skill ceiling for the Holosmith is lower compared to core engineer, but what infuriates me the most is that it's able to achieve more by doing less.

So, why am I talking about core engineer? For starters, it's the profession that I love the most and seeing it as this high risk, low reward type of profession in PvP just saddens me. And with the (in my opinion) unnecessary nerfs core engineer received over the past few years just makes it worse. Chaith, a well known engineer player is also trying to keep core engineer viable (thank you Chaith) and while he did make a list of how to improve core engineer, I believe I've made the perfect list of changes that will make core engineer viable in PvP once and for all. Any criticism is welcomed and I would love to see what you think of the things I'm about to say. It's a long list of proposed changes, so just bare with me. Here we go.

Weapons

1. Pistol (main hand)

• Fragmentation Shot: increase the damage by 10-20%. No need to change anything else.• Poison Dart Volley: increase the damage by 10-20%. Also, remove the cone pattern. Why does it even exist? The randomness that's involved with this skill is what kills it because the only way to hit most, if not all of your shots is to be really close to your target. Change it so that every dart goes to the target instead of occasionally around them.• Static Shot: increase the damage by 10-20%. Again, no need to change anything else.

2. Shield

• Magnetic Shield: reduce the cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds.• Static Shield: reduce the cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds.

3. Rifle

• Hip Shot: increase the damage by 20-30%. The damage on this skill is really low and really needs to be increased. Especially for core power engineers like myself, using the rifles' auto attack is really lackluster.• Net Shot: increase the velocity by 10%.• Blunderbuss: increase the damage within range 0-250 and within range 400-550 by 20% and maybe reduce the cast time from 0.5 seconds to instant.• Overcharged Shot: it's a self-CC skill, which is really stupid in my opinion. Here's an idea: make it function the same way as the warriors' rifle skill 4 Brutal Shot. Seriously, why has nobody ever thought of this before? Having a dodge while knocking back your target is way better than a self-CC. And another thing, increase the range of the skill to 900.• Jump Shot: when you land on your target, you daze/stun them for 1 second. Please make this happen, it would be amazing in team fights when you're trying to prevent a rally.

Gadgets

• A.E.D: reduce the cooldown from 30 seconds to 25 seconds.Gadgets are fine in their current state and they can still be used in PvP. Some gadgets are obviously better than others, but there's no need to change them.

Elixirs

• Elixir B: reduce the cooldown from 40 seconds to 25 seconds.• Toss Elixir B: increase the stability duration from 4 seconds to 6 seconds.• Elixir C: reduce the cooldown from 40 seconds to 30 seconds.• Toss Elixir C: increase the number of conditions converted to boons on allies from 2 to 3.• Elixir H: Remove the RNG boon application from this skill and make it so you gain all boons.• Toss Elixir H: Remove the RNG boon application from this skill and make it so you grant all boons to allies.• Toss Elixir R: reduce the cooldown from 90 seconds to 70 seconds.• Elixir U: Remove the RNG boon application from this skill and make it so you gain all boons.• Toss Elixir U: Reduce the cooldown from 40 seconds to 30 seconds, reduce the duration from 12 seconds to 6 seconds and remove Smoke Screen. Smoke Screen is awful compared to Wall of Reflection.

Turrets

• General changes: reduce the cooldown on every turret to 20 seconds.• Flame Turret: increase the damage by 80%, make the skill channeled that lasts for 3 seconds and reduce the rate of fire from 3 seconds to 2 seconds.• Throw Napalm: increase the radius from 180 to 240.• Net Turret: reduce the rate of fire from 10 seconds to 5 seconds.• Net Attack: reduce the cooldown from 38 seconds to 20 seconds.• Rifle Turret: increase the damage by 30% and reduce the rate of fire from 2 seconds to 1 second.• Rocket Turret: increase the damage by 10-20%.• Rocket: make it function similar to how the Aim-Assisted Rocket trait works.• Thumper Turret: increase the damage by 10-20%.• Rumble: increase the stability duration from 1 second to 6 seconds and reduce the cooldown from 38 seconds to 25 seconds.

Kits

1. Bomb Kit

• Bomb: bring back the old damage, before the 4% damage reduction. This was one of the stupidest and most unnecessary nerfs to the bomb kit.• Fire Bomb: increase the damage by 60%, increase the field duration from 3 seconds to 6 seconds.• Concussion Bomb: increase the damage by 20%, have it create an ethereal field to stack confusion on foes and reduce the cooldown from 18 seconds to 15 seconds.• Smoke Bomb: reduce the cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.• Glue Bomb: reduce the cooldown from 25 seconds to 20 seconds.

2. Elixir Gun

• Tranquilizer Dart: increase the damage by 10% and increase the weakness duration from 1 second to 2 seconds.• Glob Shot: reduce the cast time from 0.75 seconds to 0.25 seconds or instant, increase the velocity by 50%, increase the cripple from 3 seconds to 5 seconds and have the swiftness be applied to yourself and allies from 900 range when you hit your target, not 400 (this is not written in the tooltip).• Fumigate: increase the damage by 50% and increase the poison duration from 2 seconds to 8 seconds.• Super Elixir: increase the impact heal from 700 to 1000, increase the pulse heal from 204 to 300 and make the field remove a condition per pulse on yourself and allies.

3. Flamethrower

• Flame Jet: increase the damage by 20%.• Flame Blast: increase the velocity by 20-30% and make it explode when it collides with a target. Either that, or make it function the same way as the elementalists' scepter skill 3 Phoenix.• Napalm: increase the damage by 40-50% and reduce the cooldown from 30 seconds to 20 seconds.

4. Grenade Kit

• Grenade: increase the damage by 10-20%.• Shrapnel Grenade: increase the number of targets this skill can hit from 3 to 5.• Flash Grenade: increase the number of targets this skill can hit from 3 to 5.• Freeze Grenade: increase the chilled duration from 2 seconds to 3 seconds.• Poison Grenade: increase the number of targets this skill can hit from 3 to 5.

5. Med Kit

ArenaNet, stop being lazy and buff/rework this kit. Never have I seen a healing skill so bad, yet has so much potential for team support. Not only is it outmatched by a staff water elementalist with no healing power, but it scales poorly even with healing power. Here are a few ideas on how to improve this kit.• General changes: increase the med pack pick up radius and every med pack heals for 1302 health (like the med packs from Med Pack Drop toolbelt skill).• Med Blaster: make it a mobile 360 radius water field that is constantly healing you and your allies.• Throw Bandages: throws 6 bandages that grant regeneration and protection for 8 seconds and remove 1 condition (It's funny how it's called Throw Bandages, yet it only throws a single bandage).• Throw Stimulant: throws 6 bandages that grant fury, might and stability for 5 seconds, remove 1 condition and reduce the cast time from 0.75 seconds to 0.5 seconds.• Throw Accelerant: throws 6 bandages that grant swiftness, quickness and vigor for 5 seconds and remove 1 condition.• Throw Antidote: throws 6 bandages that grant 5 seconds of resistance and remove 2 conditions.• Bandage Self: reduce the cast time from 1 second to 0.75 seconds, using this skill grants protection and resistance for 6 seconds and reduce the cooldown from 17 seconds to 15 seconds.

6. Tool Kit

• Smack, Whack, Twhack: the attack chain serves no purpose other than repairing turrets. To fix this problem, reduce the attack chain from 0.5, 0.5, 1 to instant, 0.5, 0.5 and keep the damage as it is. The only thing I'd like to see is the attack chain to apply confusion instead of cripple that lasts for 3 seconds per hit. It would work the same way as the elixir gun, only instead of permanent weakness you get permanent confusion. Please make this happen.• Box of Nails: reduce the cast time from 0.75 seconds to 0.5 seconds or 0.25 seconds. It still feels slow to use this skill. Keep the bleed duration as it is, but increase the cripple duration from 2 seconds to 4 seconds.• Pry Bar: increase the confusion stack from 6 to 10 and when you hit a target, you daze them for 2 seconds.• Gear Shield: please, please bring back the old Gear Shield. You know, the one that used to block for 3 seconds instead of 2 seconds? Now, before anyone tries to justify this, realize that other professions have far superior blocks than core engineer. Guardians have Shield of Absorption (4 seconds) that they can detonate it to heal allies, warriors have Shield Stance (3 seconds) which can heal them if they are using the trait Shield Master in combination with Might Makes Right, elementalists have Obsidian Flesh (3 seconds) and Arcane Shield (5 seconds if not hit). Even scrapper has Shock Shield (2 seconds) that grants barriers when hitting foes. Core engineer gets nothing from blocking other that absorbing damage. The block duration nerf was one of the most unnecessary nerfs and I don't think bringing it back would be that big of a deal, so please just bring it back. Is it too much to ask?

Elites

• Supply Crate: reduce the cooldown from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.

Explosives traits

• Grenadier: this trait is way too mandatory when using the grenade kit and that's the problem. Without the trait, the grenade kit is worthless and you're basically handicapping yourself. In order to fix this, make the throw velocity and explosion radius baseline and bring back the old Grenadier trait. For those that don't remember, Grenadier used to increase the number of grenades you could throw (4 grenades) and increase the range of grenade skills to 1500. It may seem bizarre when you think about it, but I really want this trait to be brought back. My recommendation on how this trait should work is this: reduce the grenade skills cooldown and increase the range from 900 to 1200.• Short Fuse: make the reduced fuse time baseline and change the trait into the following: reduce the bomb skills cooldown and increase the explosion radius from 240 to 300.

Firearms traits

• If Skilled Marksman ever makes a return, make it so it actually reduces the rifles' cast time from 0.75 seconds to 0.5 seconds.• Juggernaut: increase the stability duration from 3 seconds to 4 seconds.

Inventions traits

• Automated Medical Response: increase the health threshold from 25% to 50%.• Soothing Detonation: increase the healing by 50%.• Medical Dispersion Field: make it so whenever you receive healing from the trait Backpack Regenerator, it is given to allies and increase the healing percentage from 20% to 30%.

Alchemy traits

• Invigorating Speed: replace it with a new trait called Invigorating Resistance. When you gain swiftness, you also gain 5 seconds of resistance.• Protection Injection: increase the protection duration from 3 seconds to 5 seconds.• Health Insurance: increase the outgoing healing from 33% to 100% and reduce the med kit skills cooldown.• Transmute: increase the number of conditions converted to boons from 2 to 5 and reduce the cooldown from 60 seconds to 40 seconds.• Backpack Regenerator: increase the healing from 117 to 200 or 250. The current healing is worse than the thiefs' Signet of Malice, making it one of the worst passive healing. Core engineer is way too reliant on using kits, so increasing the passive healing would be great for sustain.• Compounding Chemicals: get rid of this trait and bring back Alchemical Tinctures. May I ask why was Alchemical Tinctures removed? It was the only reliable way for core engineers to cleanse conditions. The removal of Alchemical Tinctures has not only killed elixir builds, but it has made condition cleansing for engineer even worse. Compounding Chemicals only works when you grant yourself boons and the healing it grants you is not worth it. Just bring back Alchemical Tinctures and this time change it so that instead of throwing or consuming elixirs removes conditions, you can use any elixir skill and it removes a condition, that also includes the elixir gun skill 4 Acid Bomb. That skill is an elixir, yet it didn't benefit from Alchemical Tinctures.

Tools traits

• Streamlined Kits: reduce the cooldown from 20 seconds to 10 seconds and reduce the swiftness duration from 20 seconds to 10 seconds. Also, have this trait grant you two stability stacks that last for 10 seconds. Before anyone freaks out, let me explain. It's no secret that core engineer has little to no access to stability. I've been thinking about this for a very long time and I believe this change will fix the problem that core engineer has. It may seem overpowered that you can get two stability stacks every 10 seconds just by swapping kits, but this is the kind of buff that I believe will bring core engineer back from the retirement home. No longer will core engineer struggle in team fights, getting knocked around like a football. No longer will core engineer waste their stun breaker only to be knocked down/back a second later and possible die. By buffing the trait this way, core engineer will have the best stability that will outmatch both the scrappers' and holosmiths' stability. Scrapper gets stability by evading an attack and holosmith gets stability when you hit your target with the Photon Forge skill 3 Corona Burst. If this trait gets buffed this way, people will start playing core engineer a lot more and core engineer will become viable again in PvP.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this list, despite it being a long read. I spent a lot of time thinking of ways to make core engineer viable in PvP and like I said at the beginning of the list, any criticism is welcomed and I'd like to hear your opinion on every proposed change, especially the ending.

[Vagrant.7206]

A few thoughts:

• Pistol base damage is pretty abysmal. A 10-20% increase on most of those skills wouldn't actually amount to much. For example, Fragmentation shot is currently: 147 (0.4). That's one of the lowest damage autos in the game. A +20% increase to 147 (0.6) wouldn't do much to change pistol's value. Additionally, many of the pistol skills don't actually cast at their stated time -- Frag shot is listed as 1/2 a second, but it's actually 0.8275's of a second. Even if everything worked the way it was supposed to actually work, pistol's base condition duration and application is low for the current powercreep.
• Your shield changes are fine by me, but I'd also change magnetic inversion to affect a larger area. 180 range is TINY for a knockback. 300 would be more reasonable without being OP.
• Rifle changes look fine.
• Elixir changes look alright, although I might add a condi cleanse onto Elixir H to make it competitive with Healing Turret.
• Most of the turret changes you suggested I agree with, except for net turret. Net turret needs a longer duration on the immob, not a shorter casting time.
• Bomb Kit: Cool.
• E-gun: Cool. I'd throw in there an animation fix on fumigate (the animation is double the size of the actual AoE)
• Flamethrower could also use short ticks of burning on its auto, and napalm could stand to do projectile destruction. Smoke vent should have 3 charges.
• Tool Kit: Cool.
• Explosives: Cool.
• Firearms: I think Juggernaut needs to be extended to more than just flamethrower kit. It's not a kit we typically camp, and traits exclusive to one kit are sorely outdated.
• Inventions: Cool.
• Alchemy: Your change to invigorating speed would be OP as hell without an ICD that might render it near useless. Otherwise ,the rest of your changes would be cool.
• Tools: Cool.

[Chaith.8256]

@"Hoodie.1045" said:

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this list, despite it being a long read. I spent a lot of time thinking of ways to make core engineer viable in PvP and like I said at the beginning of the list, any criticism is welcomed and I'd like to hear your opinion on every proposed change, especially the ending.

Many changes you suggested buff the current Holosmith into monster territory and some are so overpowered I can't even fathom, like "Invigorating resistance", gain 5s resistance when you gain swiftness, on 5s cd presumably. Holosmith can benefit from Streamlined kits suggestion as well too.

Overall I think many of your suggestions have very dangerous side effects for game balance. You must be certain to not buff builds that are fine when attempting to buff core.

I suggest you trim down your list down and re-work ideas to benefit core only.

[Atmaweapon.7345]

The best way to buff Core Engineer is through auto-attack coefficients on weapons and kits, and trait synergy. All those buffs to other abilities, particularly on Rifle, is something that Holo takes advantage of almost as well as Core Engi.

Currently Alchemy and Inventions have amazing synergy that only Holo and Scrapper can really take advantage of. The best thing to do would be to spread around good PvP traits so that they aren't all concentrated here. Firearms for example, would be a better place to put stability instead of on Tools which Holo sometimes takes advantage of do to Particle Accelerator.

Also, try to avoid adding more CC into the game like with the Jump-shot suggestion. There's too much flying around right now and having 3 hard control effects on Rifle is honestly absurd. Making certain CC we do have more usable is ok. Flamethrower in particular has an absurdly long cast time on #3 which also interferes with its ability to knockback projectiles on demand.

[Ghos.1326]

@Chaith.8256 said:

@"Hoodie.1045" said:

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this list, despite it being a long read. I spent a lot of time thinking of ways to make core engineer viable in PvP and like I said at the beginning of the list, any criticism is welcomed and I'd like to hear your opinion on every proposed change, especially the ending.

Many changes you suggested buff the current Holosmith into monster territory and some are so overpowered I can't even fathom, like "Invigorating resistance", gain 5s resistance when you gain swiftness, on 5s cd presumably. Holosmith can benefit from Streamlined kits suggestion as well too.

Overall I think many of your suggestions have very dangerous side effects for game balance. You must be certain to not buff builds that are fine when attempting to buff core.

I suggest you trim down your list down and re-work ideas to benefit core only.

I agree. One thing I just thought of that COULD (keyword could) work, is having mecha legs grant stability when they are hit with immob, chill, or cripple for a certain time. Maybe grant two stacks for 4 seconds, or 5 seconds, with a 10-15 second icd, as well as reducing the uptime of immob, chill, and cripple on you.

[Radicalz.3781]

@Ghos.1326 said:

@Chaith.8256 said:

@"Hoodie.1045" said:

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this list, despite it being a long read. I spent a lot of time thinking of ways to make core engineer viable in PvP and like I said at the beginning of the list, any criticism is welcomed and I'd like to hear your opinion on every proposed change, especially the ending.

Many changes you suggested buff the current Holosmith into monster territory and some are so overpowered I can't even fathom, like "Invigorating resistance", gain 5s resistance when you gain swiftness, on 5s cd presumably. Holosmith can benefit from Streamlined kits suggestion as well too.

Overall I think many of your suggestions have very dangerous side effects for game balance. You must be certain to not buff builds that are fine when attempting to buff core.

I suggest you trim down your list down and re-work ideas to benefit core only.

I agree. One thing I just thought of that COULD (keyword could) work, is having mecha legs grant stability when they are hit with immob, chill, or cripple for a certain time. Maybe grant two stacks for 4 seconds, or 5 seconds, with a 10-15 second icd, as well as reducing the uptime of immob, chill, and cripple on you.

Holo could easily take advantage of that too, o different than some of the op suggestions.

[Chaith.8256]

@Ghos.1326 said:

@Chaith.8256 said:

@"Hoodie.1045" said:

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this list, despite it being a long read. I spent a lot of time thinking of ways to make core engineer viable in PvP and like I said at the beginning of the list, any criticism is welcomed and I'd like to hear your opinion on every proposed change, especially the ending.

Many changes you suggested buff the current Holosmith into monster territory and some are so overpowered I can't even fathom, like "Invigorating resistance", gain 5s resistance when you gain swiftness, on 5s cd presumably. Holosmith can benefit from Streamlined kits suggestion as well too.

Overall I think many of your suggestions have very dangerous side effects for game balance. You must be certain to not buff builds that are fine when attempting to buff core.

I suggest you trim down your list down and re-work ideas to benefit core only.

I agree. One thing I just thought of that COULD (keyword could) work, is having mecha legs grant stability when they are hit with immob, chill, or cripple for a certain time. Maybe grant two stacks for 4 seconds, or 5 seconds, with a 10-15 second icd, as well as reducing the uptime of immob, chill, and cripple on you.

Mecha legs arguably more accessible to elite specs than core. Scrapper and Holo take inventions to proc condition removal for Purity of Purpose with their inherent protection pulsing abilities.

Not ideal

[Lunateric.3708]

The pistol changes would do nothing to improve core engineer because the power mods are extremely low to begin with... because it was envisioned as a Condi weapon.

The rifle changes aren't bad but once you add holosmith into the equation they'd just make that particular spec and all its rifle builds a giant monster.

[Ghos.1326]

@Chaith.8256 said:

@Ghos.1326 said:

@Chaith.8256 said:

@"Hoodie.1045" said:

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this list, despite it being a long read. I spent a lot of time thinking of ways to make core engineer viable in PvP and like I said at the beginning of the list, any criticism is welcomed and I'd like to hear your opinion on every proposed change, especially the ending.

Many changes you suggested buff the current Holosmith into monster territory and some are so overpowered I can't even fathom, like "Invigorating resistance", gain 5s resistance when you gain swiftness, on 5s cd presumably. Holosmith can benefit from Streamlined kits suggestion as well too.

Overall I think many of your suggestions have very dangerous side effects for game balance. You must be certain to not buff builds that are fine when attempting to buff core.

I suggest you trim down your list down and re-work ideas to benefit core only.

I agree. One thing I just thought of that COULD (keyword could) work, is having mecha legs grant stability when they are hit with immob, chill, or cripple for a certain time. Maybe grant two stacks for 4 seconds, or 5 seconds, with a 10-15 second icd, as well as reducing the uptime of immob, chill, and cripple on you.

Mecha legs arguably more accessible to elite specs than core. Scrapper and Holo take inventions for Purity of Purpose with their inherent protection pulsing abilities.

Not ideal

I thought purity of purpose was Alchemy line XD

[Ghos.1326]

@Chaith.8256 said:

@Ghos.1326 said:

@Chaith.8256 said:

@"Hoodie.1045" said:

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this list, despite it being a long read. I spent a lot of time thinking of ways to make core engineer viable in PvP and like I said at the beginning of the list, any criticism is welcomed and I'd like to hear your opinion on every proposed change, especially the ending.

Many changes you suggested buff the current Holosmith into monster territory and some are so overpowered I can't even fathom, like "Invigorating resistance", gain 5s resistance when you gain swiftness, on 5s cd presumably. Holosmith can benefit from Streamlined kits suggestion as well too.

Overall I think many of your suggestions have very dangerous side effects for game balance. You must be certain to not buff builds that are fine when attempting to buff core.

I suggest you trim down your list down and re-work ideas to benefit core only.

I agree. One thing I just thought of that COULD (keyword could) work, is having mecha legs grant stability when they are hit with immob, chill, or cripple for a certain time. Maybe grant two stacks for 4 seconds, or 5 seconds, with a 10-15 second icd, as well as reducing the uptime of immob, chill, and cripple on you.

Mecha legs arguably more accessible to elite specs than core. Scrapper and Holo take inventions for Purity of Purpose with their inherent protection pulsing abilities.

Not ideal

oh wait i think i get what you're saying. They would take inventions, alch, and then holo. i think i got you now.

[Aetatis.5418]

make toss elixirs an aoe around the character, rather than throwing that damn thing

[Chaith.8256]

Truthfully, core Engi should have a unique way to proc multiple short duration protection boons on itself. Like hard light arena and reconstruction field.

Possibly this: Blast-Shielded: While equipped with Grenade kit, Bomb Kit, Flamethrower, suffering a critical hit grants you protection over time. 12s ICD. Prot: 1s, three ticks, interval: 1s.

Possibly insert this in place of Orbital Command, or Aim-Assist Rocket.

Propping up core Engi defense that is desperately needed but rather unusable by Elite spec archetypes.

Obviously the point would be to allow core Engi to use Anti-Corrosion plating and get basic condition removal.

[Josif.2015]

I'd like to thank everyone for sharing their thoughts and opinions, especially from Vagrant and Chaith. Really appreciate it.

Your thoughts on the proposed changes have made me rethink the list and so I decided to update it and point out the things I'd like to see changed in the next balance patch. Knowing that ArenaNet might not read this list or even update everything on the list, here are the things that in my opinion need to be changed the most.

Pistol (main hand)

I'll be honest, I've never been a fan of the pistols. To me, these are weapons made specifically for condition builds. Never used them in PvP, but the least you could do is change Poison Dart Volley by removing the cone pattern and make the darts go towards the target.

Rifle

Increase Hip Shots' damage and change Overcharged Shot to function like the warriors' rifle skill 4 Brutal Shot. Forget the rest of the changes I made about the rifle, just focus on these two.

Elixirs

Give Elixir H condition cleanse to compete with the Healing Turret. Cleansing 2 conditions would be nice, 3 if ArenaNet ever returns Alchemical Tinctures.

Turrets

Reduce the cooldown on every turret to 20 seconds is great, but also increase their health except for the Thumper Turret because that turret has the highest possible health.

Kits

1. Bomb Kit

Make Concussion Bomb create a pulsing ethereal field. If Fire Bomb creates a fire field, why not have Concussion Bomb create an ethereal field?

2. Elixir Gun

Fumigate lasts for 8 seconds and Super Elixir has increased healing and removes a condition per pulse on yourself and allies.

3. Flamethrower

Applying small ticks of Burning while using Flame Jet to take advantage of the 10% damage boost on burning foes would be nice, instead of applying burning at the end of the auto attack. Smoke Vent could take advantage of the ammo system and have up to 2 or 3 charges.

4. Grenade Kit

Increase Grenades' damage from 117 to 200 so that it isn't too inferior to Shrapnel Grenades' damage (224). Also increasing the number of targets you can hit with Shrapnel, Flash and Poison Grenade would be nice.

5. Med Kit

I really want to see the changes I've mentioned about the Med Kit, but it'll probably take ArenaNet years to buff/rework this kit. It's got potential of being great, but it currently isn't. Nobody uses anything other that the Healing Turret, thanks to ArenaNet for removing Alchemical Tinctures, making Elixir H worthless.

6. Tool Kit

Reducing the cast time on the attack chain to instant, 0.5 0.5 or same as the hammer (0.5, 0.5, 0.5) would do wonders for this kit. Stacking confusion instead of cripple would also be great and make it sort of a lighter version of the hammer. Box of Nails should have its' cast time reduced to 0.25 seconds and applying 4 seconds of cripple would make it amazing for kiting enemies. And finally, bring back the old Gear Shield. Nobody asked for this skill to be nerfed. Nobody complained about it, so why was it nerfed? I mentioned how other professions have far better ways of blocking damage, so bringing back the extra second would help the engineer a lot.

Elites

I love the Supply Crate, but the long cooldown hurts it. Reduce it at least to 90 seconds.

Explosives traits

Make the grenade kits' increased throw velocity and explosion radius from the current Grenadier trait baseline. Bring back the old Grenadier trait and change it to this: reduce grenade skills cooldown and increases the range of the skills to 1200. The reason why I want this trait to be changed this way is for engineer to have a viable way of fighting scourges. Using the rifle to fight them is not as effective as grenades.It's the same issue with the bomb kit and the trait Short Fuse. Make the fuse time baseline and change Short Fuse to this: reduce bomb skill cooldown and increase the explosion radius from 240 to 300.

Firearms traits

While my proposed change on Streamlined Kits sounds like a nice idea, I have to agree with Chaith. Holosmith would take advantage of that trait. So, the only way we can give core engineer a viable way of gaining stability is by changing the Juggernaut trait so that it gives you stability by using any kit instead of the Flamethrower only. As much as I'd like to see this change implemented, it would be a problem for me because for core engineer I run Explosives, Alchemy and Tools. I have to then swap out Tools for Firearms in order to have the stability and not have the reduced cooldown on the Tool Kit.

Inventions traits

No changes here.

Alchemy traits

Forget I even mentioned the Invigorating Resistance. It's really stupid of me to suggest this and I didn't know what I was thinking, maybe tried too much to make this trait not as useless because I run the Tools trait for the endurance regeneration.Just bring back Alchemical Tinctures and increase the passive healing from Backpack Regenerator. I know most engineers use Self-Regulating Defenses, but I prefer Backpack Regenerator since I've always used 3 kit builds.

Tools traits

Nothing needs to be changed here.