Is there a good endgame/PvP build using pistols?

[Mik.3401]

So I don’t know engineer very well but by looking at build websites I don’t really see any pistol/pistol or pistol/shield build. Maybe one pistol/pistol condi for CM fractals if I’m not mistaken.

 

is that it? It’s interesting how the elite specialisations made engi a melee martial weapon class sort of. At least from what I can see.

[Pablo.3259]

I take the time to answer you because I'm a main engi and pistol is the weapon I use the most.

- PVE

1 . I use pistols in openworld and non-competitive content with flame thrower with the juggernaut trait because it's relaxing to have permanent stability and burn stuff.

2 . I use pistolxshield in fractals as healer because shield gives access to a blast finisher that I mostly use to blast blast gyro fire field for more mights boons. Also can be used to blast waterfields. I use overshield trait to grant protection boon to my team and some cc to break cc bar.

 

- PvP

1. I use pistolsxpistols for full burning condi build, the damage is high.

2. I use pistolxshield with a turret build to stall time with shield 4 and 5, to push people out of the bases and to interrupt. I use poison to reduce healing and also to gain access to the -40% protection.

 

WvW

1. Team : I use shield to blast fire fields, smokes fields, waterfields, Lightfields. Shield 5 to help manage your endurance. Overshield + anticorrosion also turn shields skills into cleanses. The -40% protection is also nice.

2. Roam : I used x2 pistol trailblazer build but engi condi get too hard counter by cleanses and most roamers can remove condis now. So no more solo pistol build for me.

 

Conclusion :

I would say that shield is an awesome weapon for engis.

Pistolxpistol can be okayish or useless.

Pistolxshield is more for the shield. Pistol doesnt synergize that well with support builds(stat wise) imo.

It would be awesome to have an other 1handed range weapon like a scepter with skills that will be impactful with any stats we have.

[Infusion.7149]

It's used on condi holo in instanced PVE and on variants of heal scrappers in WVW. The key thing to remember is you're mainly using kits , this was true both for condi engi and heal scrapper.

https://lucky-noobs.com/builds/condition-holosmith
https://lucky-noobs.com/builds/scrapper-heal
https://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Holosmith_-_Condi_DPS
https://snowcrows.com/builds/engineer/holosmith/condition-holosmith
https://snowcrows.com/builds/engineer/scrapper/heal-quickness-scrapper

I would expand on this further, but Pablo pretty much summed it all up and those sites should give you a decent picture of what's possible.

[Axl.8924]

Question to you engi mains

Did flamethrower get nerfed or something?

I saw ajaxx using flamethrower in rated SPVP on scrapper vs another streamer who was using rifle core engi with nades, and even if i saw some ok dmg, i wasn't seeing that huge numbers.

 

I coulda sworn i've seen flamethrower go to 8k or more. I'm also guessing rifle hard counters flamethrower since more range plus aoes.

Edited June 11, 2021 by Axl.8924

[Ivantreil.3092]

On 6/11/2021 at 8:25 AM, Axl.8924 said:

Question to you engi mains

Did flamethrower get nerfed or something?

I saw ajaxx using flamethrower in rated SPVP on scrapper vs another streamer who was using rifle core engi with nades, and even if i saw some ok dmg, i wasn't seeing that huge numbers.

 

I coulda sworn i've seen flamethrower go to 8k or more. I'm also guessing rifle hard counters flamethrower since more range plus aoes.

At contrary! The May 11 Balance Patch gave Juggernaut Scrapper a buff with the changes to Applied Force, giving bonus Power and extra Stability than before (reason why the build has gained more popularity recently), the build itself has some very obvious flaws, you must camp Flamethrower Kit all the time and the build essentially revolves around spamming the AA, this can melt people going in Berserker stats, but anyone with some Toughness or Vitality stats on their build gives them enough time to disengage the Scrapper, a big downside as it only works at melee range.

[Wolfb.7025]

Condi Holosmith uses pistols as main weapons and its really good at Raid condi fights and Fractal CM100.

 

However, the skill cap is really, really high, iirc Condi Holo is one of the hardest rotations of all viable classes, and it suffers a lot when alacrity and quickness uptime is not above 90%. It takes time to learn but its really satisfactory to play.

Edited June 18, 2021 by Wolfb.7025

[PierPiero.9142]

If you want something for having fun in wvw and pvp something like this can work . http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PegAoqlZw6YfsLmKWyTZrTA-zZwKjMTgeLAHGA 

It is a really old build , for sure you find better ones, but if u want to have fun with old playstyle i find it is one of the best old style build till usable . It is not competitive, for sure, but for fun it can work 

[Suyheuti.1732]

I dınt recommend condi in pvp. Everyclass has condi cleanse especially guardians and power builds are more viable, I think. So I use power sword/shield holo in PvP and I'm extremely satisfied in 5v5 group fights. It has good survivability and massive dmg output. Heat management is a little bit challenging but you get used to it in time.