[Crosspost][Discussion] Ideas for engineer/holosmith improvements.

[Lunateric.3708]

Crossposting from reddit, a buddy made this but he refuses to deal with the censorship over here so I am doing him the favor:

Engineer is a pretty unique class in all the MMOs I have played and that comes with some weird stuff balance wise that I'd like to address with my limited knowledge and/or insight; these changes are in no way game breaking and my intent isn't to make another lolfirebrand or lolweaver. Leaving some ideas here but feel free to leave yours or correct mine:

Regarding the explosives traitline:

Explosives is a pretty popular PvE traitline. They did some pretty redundant changes here last patch that can be fixed easily.

• Glass Canon and Blasting Zone share the same tier and they are in essence the same thing, a power trait with an additional conditional. There's no variety there, the simple solution that will benefit both existing PvE builds is changing one of them to give bonus condition damage (either, honestly, though power seems to have more blast finishers with orbitals) to avoid redundancy.

• Big Boomer is a big missed opportunity on strengthening engi's hybrid nature: vitality is an useless passive dumpstat for a PvE traitline, Ideally it should give both builds minor stats (ferocity and expertise, change scaling to 4%) to mimic what its closest condi distribution gets (wounding precision on warr). It would be realistically an improvement for both condi an power builds.

Regarding the tools traitline:

Here they messed around with its only passive damage modifier and it's honestly worse than what it was before, I'd like if it was a more active bonus there. I'd also like at least one crit chance modifier (taken from firearms) so Explosives/Tools/Holosmith becomes a possible thing, for all the Static Discharge lovers (that's a personal want though), so

• Excessive Energy changed so it gives a stacking power damage bonus every time you use a toolbelt skill, it doesn't mess with your dodging and it rewards ACTIVELY using your toolbelt skills, it even fits better with the traitline as a whole. The bonus damage and the duration of the buff is something we can discuss and it's basically mimicking what berserker's power already does.

Regarding Holosmith:

Oh boy, here there's a lot of weird things that may not be addressed at all, who knows

• Prismatic Converter and Light Density Amplifier merged and toned down to make room for a power mod/trait of any kind that directly helps power builds. You'd have Solar Focused Lens for condi builds, the PvP merged trait for that, and a new power one that works with power builds.

• Crystal Configuration: Storm scaled so it shoots 3 projectiles and has the same power modifier grenade autos got. This a no brainer, Shaped Charge no longer exists and the only trait that this has synergy with is Shrapnel, for it to be worthwile it should roughly be equivalent to grenade autos, I'd probably think it's fair to then also increase its passive heat generation. Then the normal forge auto should have an increase that's high enough for it to hit slightly harder than bomb auto when the projectiles trait isn't selected.

• Laser's Edge to be an active damage mod as long as you're in forge. There's no need to blow forge out of proportion if they change this trait and also fix that level 78 blue weapon issue.

I am sure there are skills and toolbelt stuff that needs fixing too (cauterize, what the kitten, all BOW TO THE HEAL TURRET GOD) but I don't want to suggest anything game breaking.

[Arimas.3492]

Some of these I agree with but others definitely not.

For example the Big Boomer trait is PERFECT for WvW where players normally need more vitality, this trait is really good for a lot of power WvW builds.

The Glass Cannon the Blasting Zone I agree with, it could make room for another trait effecting explosives too.

As for PC and LDA they are both good as they are. If I want to remove conditions exiting forge I'd like to take that trait and not have to worry about increased passive heat generation because the traits are combined.

Same thing from another thread someone wanted to make a change that completely reworked Prismatic Singularity pull to where it didn't even have a hard CC anymore but the hard CC pull is great in WvW and PvP.

A lot of people are in high alert right now because Holosmith isn't performing well in high level PvE and want to change so much to where It might be effective in PvE but a lot of the good skills would be useless for 2 other game modes.

[Snafoo.2869]

@Arimas.3492 said:As for PC and LDA they are both good as they are. If I want to remove conditions exiting forge I'd like to take that trait and not have to worry about increased passive heat generation because the traits are combined.I like the idea actually.For a specialization that's almost entirely focused on damage it sorely lacks (power) damage modifiers. The only one is Laser's Edge really, which is too situational to make the spec.Holo needs a power boost option and most other traits are much more specifically geared towards a certain path (condi - power - defense), but PC and LDA are both straight defense.It also forces a situational choice; Do I want the 15% damage reduction? or Do I need to get these conditions off me? The devs obviously love forcing Holo to make these choices (see: rest of the spec) so it fits.

Other than that, OP touched on it, but Coolant Blast and Cauterize are really my biggest gripes; Why do I need to replace conditions on myself with the most damaging condition in the game? (and 3 seconds no less) Why does it need that long a cast time to do so? Why do I need to wait 30 seconds to do it again? (the CD might actually be a blessing in disguise) Why is our most selfish heal now also pretty much our weakest?A conditional 4 second frost aura is nice and all, but doesn't make up for all that.

[Sylvos Moonlight.2930]

@Lunateric.3708 said:Laser's Edge to be an active damage mod as long as you're in forge. There's no need to blow forge out of proportion if they change this trait and also fix that level 78 blue weapon issue.

This alone would do wonders for Holosmith. Right now, Forge Mode is just extremely undertuned.

[Ten.2617]

Some suggestions:

• Make elite tool belt skill be the only way of on/off holoforge. Swapping to engineer kit no longer exit holoforge.
• Make the engineer kit be the only way of on/off engineer kit. Swapping weapon no longer exit engineer kit.
• Finaly, allow swap to weapon or engineer kit while holoforge is active. This will improve skill rotation and keep generating heat via holoforge. The engineer could enter holoforge, swap to kit without exit holoforge, then exit kit and go back to holoforge skill bar. If the engineer just wants swap to his weapon while in holoforge, he use the swap weapon button, and again, swap weapon button if he wants go back to holoforge skill bar.
• Make the traits "Orbital Command" and "Look On" trigger the traits "Static Discharge" and "Kinetic Battery".
• Make the traits " Orbital Command", "Takedown Round" and "Incendiary Poder" triggers/works while in downed state, like "Aim-Assisted-Rocket".
• Buff "Soothing Detonation".
• Make " Medical Dispersion Field" works with every source of heal, like regeneration, soothing detonation and backpack regenerator.
• Make "Iron Blooded" trait reduce also incoming condition damage.
• Buff photon blitz range to 900 from 600.
• Make aditionals photon walls hits the same target that the player is attacking.
• Make flash spark inflicts reveal.
• Change blade burst to a new skill:Refractive Barrier: Surround yourself with a barrier that refracts the light, grantting stealth.