Is it possible to create what I'm trying to create?!

[SydeSplitter.9207]

So first off, I'm a very indecisive, finnicky person and apologize in advance. I'm also relatively new. Basically, I've been having a HORRIBLE time finding a build I want and creating and sticking with a main. I play solo a lot, but I'd like a build that won't get me laughed out of group content. Something that can bring some group support/utility when I'm with others. After trying to follow meta for a while, I realized I was going to eventually go insane attempting to do that, because nothing I WANT to play is necessarily "meta".

What I would really love is a charr engineer. What I need help with? Making an engineer into my ideal playstyle.

I'd like something that can handle solo content fairly well, and is condition damage. Pistols look very fun for engineer, so I'm wanting to do that. I also would like to be able to provide boons, utility or MAYBE some healing to folks who need it, when I find myself with companions, either in PvE or out in the world. I'm not a hardcore player, and likely won't be looking to break any world records. Pug stuff, mostly. Can someone help me create what it is I'm going for here? Is it possible? Near possible? Put my wretched mind at ease... I beg you.

[Kodama.6453]

Are you restricted to core engineer only or do you have access to elite specs?

If you can use elite specs, considering that you want to play a condition heavy build, I guess your best bet would be a variation of condi holo.You should check out the build showcased in this thread here: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/122840/best-engineer-build-for-open-world-pve-lock-load-and-burn#latest

Pretty good condition damage, you provide utility to your team through CC (photon forge 5, flamethrower 3, hard light arena toolbelt, prime light beam) and you can also provide some boons for your allies (toss elixir h, toss elixir b, hard light arena, might through flamethrower 4+2 combo).

[SydeSplitter.9207]

Thank you so much for replying! I do have access to elite specs, and this does look something like that I was thinking! Essentially where my mind is: I'm not necessarily going for the meta, the cutting edge, the top 1%, but I do want to be able to get into group content without a ton of trouble. Would doing fractals and raids be possible on this, from a "people not laughing me out of the group" perspective? In your opinion.

[Kodama.6453]

@"SydeSplitter.9207" said:Thank you so much for replying! I do have access to elite specs, and this does look something like that I was thinking! Essentially where my mind is: I'm not necessarily going for the meta, the cutting edge, the top 1%, but I do want to be able to get into group content without a ton of trouble. Would doing fractals and raids be possible on this, from a "people not laughing me out of the group" perspective? In your opinion.

Fractals: lower levels you can run with this easily, yes.Problem arises in high levels, since power damage is heavily favoured in that environment. Especially in pug groups, this might be a hindrance for you in the very high levels.

Raids: this is the most elite environment in PvE you can find, usually people want to min-max pretty hard in these. But condi holo is viable there, it just needs adjustments.The common condi holo build for raids and such you can find here: https://snowcrows.com/raids/builds/engineer/holosmith/condition/You are giving up the group boons, but you still provide tons of CC for your team (AED toolbelt, bomb kit toolbelt, flamethrower 3, prime light beam, photon forge 5).

[SydeSplitter.9207]

This is not only helpful, but fantastic news! Thanks, I appreciate it!

[Armen.1483]

I would also suggest trying to play heal scrapper in raids (https://snowcrows.com/raids/builds/engineer/scrapper/heal/). It is not META, but acceptable in low kp raids as a secondary healer. You got some good boons too, but you will still need a druid to be able to maintain might. Actually if you can learn to tank with heal scrapper replacing a tank and being a heal can work pretty well in good hands. It is especially good in bad groups where people get downed a lot as you can revive them easily with scrapper. Being a tank as a secondary healer is quite good especially on scrapper. I personally think it is better than the usual minstrel 2k toughness chronos that are completely useless and are there just to leech the group on most of the encounters. So if you wonder, all those people playing minstrel chrono in raids are not playing META either.

For fractals as @"Kodama.6453" said, you should rather go power holo if you don't want to be a liability. If you are really good at condi scrapper (which is kinda hard to play imo) you could fill in as dps maybe, but you are handicaping yourself and your group like that. Fractals are played around fast power damage. However maybe in future if you get into fractals and start doing CMs condi holo could maybe fit in the new CM100. Not the best option, but the only place in fractals that it won't be at "garbage" level at least.

For new players condis seem to be fun and interactive at first, but in reality they are not that interesting... you kinda do the same thing as you would do with power, gameplay doesn't change much, so I don't quite get it when ppl say "I like playing condi and dislike power". You mash buttons and do damage. To show the difference I quote metabattle:"Power - bursts damage in a short duration and hence suits fights with short phases. A few bosses also have low toughness, which strongly benefits power builds.Condition - takes some time to ramp up their damage, but deals more long-term and so are suited to fights with longer phases. Some condition builds apply Confusion Confusion or Torment Torment, which deal extra damage when the target activates skills or moves. Builds that inflict these conditions are able to deal damage very quickly on suitable bosses."Usually power builds are more recommended for newer dps players as they are more universal.

[Wolfb.7025]

@"SydeSplitter.9207" said:Thank you so much for replying! I do have access to elite specs, and this does look something like that I was thinking! Essentially where my mind is: I'm not necessarily going for the meta, the cutting edge, the top 1%, but I do want to be able to get into group content without a ton of trouble. Would doing fractals and raids be possible on this, from a "people not laughing me out of the group" perspective? In your opinion.

It's not even a matter of people laughing you out of the group, raids and high level fractals are made so all 10 or 5 players in the groups respectively put their part towards a goal, a offmeta build like a condition engineer with support stats/skill wouldn't fit on these groups as you would not only be outshadowed by other people on these groups, but you would be dragging your team back because you're also not putting your own part with low numbers.You can definitely run that build on Fractals T1 and T2, DRMs, low level strikes, and open world all you want though.

Said this, I'm just gonna summarize what can you pick and which stats to get. Overall engineer is really bad at giving "useful" boons, they mostly focus on converting conditions into boons thanks to Purity of Purpose.

The statis for a condi heal support are:Condition Damage -> It increases the condi damage you put on your foes.Expertise -> It increases the duration of the conditions you put on foes, more condition time = more damage.Healing power -> Increases your healing effectiveness.Concentration -> Increases the duration of the boons you apply.

You can also put some vitality and toughness, which increases your max hp and your defense respectively.

Unfortunately there aren't armor sets that gives you all of thes, so you're gonna have to tinker around the existing sets like Shaman, plaguedoctor, trailblazer, or simply go for somethign like Celestial, which gives you all stats.

Bomb Kit is a really good kit for condi damage, fire bomb and concussion bomb are really hard hitting aoe condi skills, smoke bomb works as a defensive aoe smoke field that will make enemies miss.Flamethrower is another good condi kit, napalm, flame blast and the toolbelt incinerary ammo.

As for supportive skills.

Med kit is your healing skill, it equips you a bundle of skills that are useful for healing allies, Infusion bomb gives regen, swiftness and vigor to 5 people, and all other skills are good for healing and condi cleanse.Holosmith has access to Hard Light Arena which gives protection and fury while inside the AoE. its a good skill if you want to give some support, although having boon duration for this is a little bit redundant for how boon stacking works.

Everything else, i'm afraid to tell you are not good skills, and are more focused on self boons or situational circumstances, I suggest you to build your engi condi support based on this, and then you can afterwards start reading skills and see if there is something that picks your eye.

[SydeSplitter.9207]

You guys are all so helpful in this community, I love it. Thank you for all this info, I'm doing my homework now!

[The Boz.2038]

Know that you are fully supposed to not run just one build for all content. A "general all-takers PvE" build is fine and all, but you will need some tweaking when going into higher (T3ish) fractals, raids, strikes, etc. Dungeons and lower fractals are ay-okay. So set yourself up something comfy that you can use right now, and don't worry about highly specific specs and builds that become relevant later in the game.