Scrapper - Solo Storyline / PVE builds?

[Marissa.4796]

Hello all,

I'm thinking of making a engineer - I really want to use a class that uses rifle/pistol, because I've got a lot of cool skins for them I never get to use. I'm sorta debating between engi/thief, and I had some questions.

1. are rifles or pistols on a engi good? Which is better?

2. are they a good solo class - doing storyline, stuff like that

3. I don't think I can play Holo - the animations bother me, so I'd be going Scrapper. Are there any good PVE builds out there someone can recommend? Ones that give high damage?

 

[Dawdler.8521]

IMO the best solo build is hammer with all gyro perma quickness using chrono runes. It will plow through groups of mobs with 10k+ barrier and its so simple while doing it, no kitten turrets, no kits, just pure hammer spam while cycling gyros. Pretty standard raid dps build otherwise. Once you get used to always having quckness, everything else will feel slow as snails. As a bonus the build has lots of superspeed too which means that you can speed up NPCs to the max. Another fun bonus last living story in the dark cave was that you could basicly use the gyros as a sonar - the aoe circles show you terrain differences and where you can go, lol. 

 

It has literally kept my sanity doing story things like DRMs (escorting with superspeed ftw).

 

Only "flaw" is like any other berserker build it can still get oneshot by bosses, but overall it has good sustain (I've had it oulive my super tanky minionmancer on bosses).

[Dediggefedde.4961]

I second Dawdler.

I usually use mortar for main damage and often go rifle if I need breakbar CC, though.

Hammer-5 + hammer-3 delas 300 defiance bar dmg at 20s CD and takes a moment, while rifle-4 instantly does 330, rifle-2 gives another 100 and rifle-5 in shredder-toolbelt another 100.

Mortar is better for AoE dmg and offers more utility (e.g. ticking blind), while the 1 is decent damage.

Take medi-, blast-, shredder and bulwark-gyro unless you get too many condis. Bulwark for quickly restoring barrier, projctile denial, stability and superspeed-source. Rune of Scholar works well for story content. Chronomancer gives higher quickness uptime and probably better crits, but not sure it's actually more damage. both seems valid to me by feeling.  ^^

[ZeftheWicked.3076]

I wouldn't overlook a good old flamethrower kit. Combined with juggernaut trait it gives you pulsing stab, and that combined with mass momentum (and some boon duration which scrapper loves) some nice perma might stacks.

It's mediocre vs bosses, but diamonds vs packs of mobs. You can predict and dodge/block champ's cc , keeping things under control. But a pack of mobs can cc you every few seconds - you don't have enough stab or stunbreaks for that. Meanwhile flamethrower keeps refreshing them stacks keeping you on your feet, and it's aoe ability compensates the 1v1 damage weakness.

And obviously, it's a kit. It's not stopping you from pulling out your hammer and doing hammer things.



 

[The Boz.2038]

With the new traits, there's really no need for Chrono runes, just get some Diviner's pieces.

What my engie is rocking now: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PejAIRlRwaYQsHWKO+LvtWA-zRZYWBhIGkBsSETBKuQqLCCsAaNFUbA-e

[Obtena.7952]

Yup ... a favourite is the perma stability/25 might Scrapper with FT and Strength sigil/runes. Even though it's not the highest single target DPS, bosses tend to like to disable you, so just for the stability alone it's worth it IMO. Build is easy enough ... full zerker. Even the traits are easy to swap between more defense or offense. 

Edited July 5, 2021 by Obtena.7952