[Engineer] The Workshop (builds, guides, and discussion)

[porkstar]

[Rifleman] If they made Hollow Points stackable x3 it would make rifleman a bit more attractive. DOTs are so easily cleansed, it would be a small change.

I think hollow points is a solid tactic right now, one of the few good things in the rifleman path. Each tick can crit for about 550 damage with 800bs, adding a good chunk of damage to snipe.
And it's not cleansable, because it's tactic... Or is it?

The cleansing is something to test I suppose =) HoPo didn't seem good and it only stands out because the rest of the RM tacs are so bad. I'm at 360 WS and 720ish BS and not noticing HoPo much. I shall give it another try though and it should definitely stack at least twice (1) Gun Blast and (1) Snipe. OR it should refresh before the timer is up so that as long as you use gun blast, the dot will not have that potential 1+s gap in application.

[porkstar]

This is my [Rifleman] build. It's probably pretty standard. waronlinebuilder.org - Engineer build
Tactics: Well-Oiled, Masterful Aim, Armor or Hollow Points
Morale: M1-Dodge, M2-100% dmg
Renown: Full WS 34pts (?), Deft defender 4pts, Wounds 1pt, BS 1pt
Gear: Gloves, Boots, Chest - Stalker
Helm - Thickmuck WS, BS, 2% Crit
Shoulders - Devastator
Belt - Qyash WS, BS, 1% crit
Back - Echelon Wrap Skill WS, WOU
Off H - Echelon Spanner +61 BS currently
Gun - Sniper of Rigor
Ring 1 - Underwork +25 BS
Ring 2,3,4 - Frenzied +16 BS, +3AP regen

Stats with Pots:
BS - 715
DMG Bonus: 129
WS - 354
Armor Pen: 30.5%
Crit - 13%
Wou - 423
AP regen - 11/s
Dodge - 9 (according to .getstats in game, I'm not getting the 2% from Stalker boots?)
Disrupt - 9
Spirit Resist - 97!!!!!!!!!!
Armor: 2223 or 1705 (tactic)
Chance to be crit: 15.4%

I do feel like I can put good decent pressure on an unguarded clothie and even some unguarded DoKs but after detaunt, my dmg seems easily tankable and cleansable. IDK I need to find that perfect WS to BS ratio as well.

If a Sorc or Magus even looks at me, I better detaunt and RLH.

[Karast]

Your not going to get enough WS right now to really make a difference unfortunately. In T4 that may change since we will get access to the tactic, and more gear / weapon choices.

If you put those WS points into crit you will get better dps overall. Often the difference between a kill on engi is whether you crit on M2 or not. So they extra crit will help you a lot.

Another good tactic in place of hollow points is hand crafted scope, or if you do a side spec into tinker the AP tactic.

Keep in mind that our dots are a lot more effective on shamans / shaman healed groups. They cannot cleanse hex's. So shamans make a good priority target for spiking.

[Nishka]

This is my [Rifleman] build. It's probably pretty standard. waronlinebuilder.org - Engineer build
Tactics: Well-Oiled, Masterful Aim, Armor or Hollow Points
Morale: M1-Dodge, M2-100% dmg
Renown: Full WS 34pts (?), Deft defender 4pts, Wounds 1pt, BS 1pt
Gear: Gloves, Boots, Chest - Stalker
Helm - Thickmuck WS, BS, 2% Crit
Shoulders - Devastator
Belt - Qyash WS, BS, 1% crit
Back - Echelon Wrap Skill WS, WOU
Off H - Echelon Spanner +61 BS currently
Gun - Sniper of Rigor
Ring 1 - Underwork +25 BS
Ring 2,3,4 - Frenzied +16 BS, +3AP regen

Stats with Pots:
BS - 715
DMG Bonus: 129
WS - 354
Armor Pen: 30.5%
Crit - 13%
Wou - 423
AP regen - 11/s
Dodge - 9 (according to .getstats in game, I'm not getting the 2% from Stalker boots?)
Disrupt - 9
Spirit Resist - 97!!!!!!!!!!
Armor: 2223 or 1705 (tactic)
Chance to be crit: 15.4%

I do feel like I can put good decent pressure on an unguarded clothie and even some unguarded DoKs but after detaunt, my dmg seems easily tankable and cleansable. IDK I need to find that perfect WS to BS ratio as well.

If a Sorc or Magus even looks at me, I better detaunt and RLH.

Rifleman stuff above snipe is crap and going so far up just for a bit more damage isn't worth it.
This one is better for 32/40
http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=eng ... :;;0:0:0:0:
Well oiled machine is a good tactic, but as rifleman you mostly fire from prepared stationary positions so you dont' lose much by sacrificing it for extra ammo.
Chance to crit at 32 lvl in stalker-dev shoulders-inf helm is 19%, in you go full devastator (without helm) for more bs, 17%.
That's if you go 4x dodge/disrupt and 2x crit, like me.
Hollow points must have, because as I said before, when you get more bs that tactic starts to hurt em really bad.
Stacking isn't really needed, because at 40lvl you'll be using focused fire while this dot is ticking.

[porkstar]

Good suggestions for sure. I'll try to set up a test with the WS vs added crit. Is there a good DPS calculating add-on? Enemy probably has something. I'd also agree the M2 spiking is better with more Crit and makes magnet engie so rofl sometimes I know people on both sides of the WS in T3 debate. Even at 30.5% armor pen, it is noticeable and I feel like I'm not such a slave to my M2. Regarding Extra Ammo, I would be very willing to use it if I was well-supported and wasn't focused much but often times I'm solo, duo or trio in scs or RvR and well-oiled is so key for those situations. It may be nice to have extra ammo as an option but then I can't tell if people love ME or they just love my AP

[shaggyboomboom]

http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=eng ... 4:;0:0:0:0:

This any good?

[Nishka]

http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=eng ... 4:;0:0:0:0:

This any good?

Phosphorous shells is probably the worst ability in the game. Don't take it.
Quick reloader tactic, while isn't too bad, is still worse than extra ammo from the tinker path. It reduces only the cost of the rifle spec skills while in many situations grenades are more preferable, even if you're in rifle. At siege you will probably be spamming blunderbuss blast through doors, so QR won't help you there as well.
Also, Extra Ammo adds some utility (which rifleman spec sadly lacks)by restoring ap to everyone aroudn your turret. Not just for your group but for everyone.

[shaggyboomboom]

http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=eng ... 4:;0:0:0:0:

This any good?

Phosphorous shells is probably the worst ability in the game. Don't take it.
Quick reloader tactic, while isn't too bad, is still worse than extra ammo from the tinker path. It reduces only the cost of the rifle spec skills while in many situations grenades are more preferable, even if you're in rifle. At siege you will probably be spamming blunderbuss blast through doors, so QR won't help you there as well.
Also, Extra Ammo adds some utility (which rifleman spec sadly lacks)by restoring ap to everyone aroudn your turret. Not just for your group but for everyone.

http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=eng ... 2:;0:0:0:0:

Better?

Also just clear things out... WS>BS? Explain why pls.

[porkstar]

http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=eng ... 4:;0:0:0:0:

This any good?

Phosphorous shells is probably the worst ability in the game. Don't take it.
Quick reloader tactic, while isn't too bad, is still worse than extra ammo from the tinker path. It reduces only the cost of the rifle spec skills while in many situations grenades are more preferable, even if you're in rifle. At siege you will probably be spamming blunderbuss blast through doors, so QR won't help you there as well.
Also, Extra Ammo adds some utility (which rifleman spec sadly lacks)by restoring ap to everyone aroudn your turret. Not just for your group but for everyone.

http://waronlinebuilder.org/#career=eng ... 2:;0:0:0:0:

Better?

Also just clear things out... WS>BS? Explain why pls.

WS definitely isn't better than BS. WS just makes BS more effective by bypassing armor. WS is key for physical dmg but almost everyone will say to max primary stat (BS) and get as much crit as possible without breaking the bank. Sometimes a few more crit isn't worth what you lose in exchange.

My whole take on WS, it is reliable dmg that isn't subject to chance (like crit) or situational like Morale2 to have a decent effect. Crit + M2 is unarguably the engie's primary threat tool but I loathe the idea of putting all my eggs in a basket which is subject to chance and circumstance. I could also be incredibly wrong with this strategy. A player with excellent situational awareness, experience and knowledge of game mechanics will probably be more able to use crit+M2 to its maximum potential. I consider myself pretty average since I've only been playing engie (and ranged for that matter) on the private server. I like knowing that I'm getting past as much armor as possible. I pretty much use the WS as passive dmg so I can try to work on getting better.

All that being said, there is an ideal ratio of BS to WS and a lot of players say is that it is not possible to attain that ratio in T3 and that the BS and crit will be better. I am not sure what that ratio is. I'm at about 2 to 1 - BS to WS but I am sacrificing about 100 BS, 3+% crit and probably the spirit resistance buff from full dev and it may be that I am gimping myself.

I think it deserves a test and I have the WS build already. Once I get the more gear, I could do a DPS test of the WS build vs the crit/BS build and really know for sure.

[Karast]

I personally don't feel like WS is worth it until you can get around 400.

That is not impossible if you mix and match set pieces, spec renown, and use a few WS tali's.

But the thing to think about is this.

let's say your hitting a dok / mara / dps tank. At what point is it better to use firebomb, then it is to use gunblast / snipe? A lot of people overlook firebomb, but in the time it takes you to do 1 snipe you can use 3 firebombs with 1-2 autoattacks. Maybe more if your close enough and running expert skirmisher.

If you focus on crit / bs your non physical dots and non physical abilities do much better damage, even if your not spec'd into tinker / grenade. Firebomb / flashbang, friction burn, incendiary rounds all do fairly decent damage if your running high BS / crit.