gerard86 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:35 am
im just curious but does the stuff said in this thread go for the engi as well, if no, why not?im thinking of starting a alt , so im just trying to get some information between the class mirrors.
I don't play Magus, so can't say if the things are accurate about it. Engis aren't like this and definitely can put up pressure while being the strongest ranged support class in order, if not the strongest support in all order. Let's see: AoE CC check, AoE Emergency Heal check, Damage Increaser Solo and Group check, Defense Debuff check, Group Synergy and Buff check, Huge AoE AP regen check, etc... Just slot Pierce Defenses and Coordinated Fire tactics and you are doing a lot for your team.
Thing is that you can't be both a damage dealer and a group support; you have to choose and there is no good middle ground here. As opposed to the urban legend of the forums, they can actually put a very good dps output with Path of the Rifleman/Grenadier, and they are also the most valuable ranged support when going Tinkerer and providing lots of group utility. Which path you pick decides if you are taken seriously or not with no other reason than prejudices; both approaches are very good and equally powerful, but Rifleman Engineers aren't taken seriously for some reason. I can tell you that all serious bomb Warbands have 1 slot reserved for an Engi just for their AoE Corporeal Resist debuff and Defense Debuff, which are core skills and need no specialization, and are instrumental for BWs to deploy crazy amount of damage.
These are the builds that I use commonly:
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Rifleman/Grenadier, 4th tactic up to you, Ancestral Inheritance and Fighting Chance are both good picks depending where you think you gonna be fighting the most. If you are picking this approach, more than likely will be Fighting Chance.
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Tinkerer/Grenadier, best compromise between utility and damage. Low in damage still. It's a good build on paper, but requires that you know exactly what are you doing and an extensive control of timers and turrets. Not the build that I recommend to a player starting on the class.
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Tinkerer/Rifleman, your bread and butter ranged utility build and the one that I play the most. Don't expect spectacular numbers, but your team will clearly do better just by having you around in the backline: Healers getting more AP to work from turrets, targets get debuffed or critical hit so it's a win-win situation, frontline getting supported by Keg, assist pressure from Snipe and Signal Flare, and areas for DPSs to focus AoE damage with the pull. Thing is that you can't be stationary with this build, and you have to be constantly running back and forth, so place your long casts in a secondary position cause you will be spamming instant casts mostly.
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All-out AoE, just when you're only ask to add pressure and bring Corporeal Debuff. This is what I find ideal to run in BW bomb Warbands. Notice that I take the M2 damage reduction instead of the AoE damage, and that is pretty much your only group duty in this build that requires to use the brain; use it in difficult pushes. Rest of the time your only group duties are keeping up Acid Bomb in all enemies and Signal Flare in the assisted target, while doing your thing all the rest of the time adding tons of pressure. Only other thing about this spec is to completely take out of your action bar Strafing Run as it will only mess up with your team bombs while also giving away free immunities; not a good idea to punt away enemies to safety (*cough* Swordmasters and BOrks punting *cough*).
EDIT: For some more information, check
Fixxer website. The guides are very extensive and go deep in each tactic and skill. Read them and fit them to your play style.