Guild Wars 2 Engineer sPvP Guide

Guild Wars 2 Engineer sPvP Guide by Tagen

Hello fellow engineers, this guide was made to help you to gain a deeper understanding of the engineer and help you to make the most out of this profession. Throughout the guide, i’ll be presenting all the tips and tricks myself and other forum members have come across. Hope you enjoy the read, and if you want anything to be contributed please leave a comment!

Engineer Overview –

The official quote for Engineers from the Guild Wars 2 website
“I’d explain it all to you, but a demonstration would be more useful”

“Engineers are technological and alchemical masterminds. They employ turrets, grenades, elixirs, a variety of other impressive devices, and concoctions to overcome their enemies. As an adventurer profession, engineers wear medium armor.”

The role of the Engineer –

Engineers are a very versatile class. If using the right build, the engineer has more available skills during combat than any other class (yes even elementalists). This is attainable through kits, but more on that later.

Here are the kind of things you can expect from an engineer

• You have access to permanent swiftness (yes permanent, it’s amazing!) with a mere 10 points into the Tools trait line. (minimal investment)
• You are an excellent roamer profession – more mobile than you think.
• One of the best classes to apply conditions.
• Most of our Elixirs are rng based. (random)
• Unique synergies between utilities because of our class mechanic, which is the tool belt.
• Has some of the longest range skills in game, (traited grenades and mortars)
• Excellent aoe group support through the use of thrown elixirs and aoe healing.
• Is almost on par with the guardian for node control, has access to many many knock backs.
• Can use turrets strategically to help defend a point (more on this later)

The Engineer excels in a 1v1 scenario, having the ability to knockdown foes for a good portion of the fight. This gives room for the Engineer to apply conditions, and to hold out nodes – very effective against melee or power builds. Against condition builds, engineers can invest 20 points into alchemy, to gain the trait – Cleansing Formula – which will ensure an almost constant condition removal depending on weapon/utility choice.

The Engineer excels in a 4v4 or 5v5 scenario too, having access to aoe heals, and aoe condition removal. Glue shot – an aoe immobilize – also helps out the melee in your group tremendously. If using the elixir R toolbelt an engineer can revive any allies who are downed within it’s radius – quite a game changer in mid-combat! Our only decent elite for sPVP (supply crate) is an aoe stun that drops med kits(more heals) and a bunch of supportive turrets(even more healing and immobilizing).

Having access to incredible node control and the ability to help keep up the group, as well as being able to apply some fast conditions, makes the engineer a class you should consider using in your sPVP teams.

Tool belt –

Each class in Guild Wars 2 has a class specific mechanic that will take up the f1-f4 slots. For the Engineer, their class mechanic is the tool belt. The toolbelt  grants each utility and heal a corresponding additional skill.  For example, if you use the Healing Turret as your heal skill, your f1 skill will be an additional skill that the Healing Turret provides, which is Regenerating Mist. If you use the Utility Goggles in one of your utility slots, either f2-f4 will have the skill Analyze. Because of the tool belt, all of the Engineers utilities are two utilities in one. This makes many unique synergies between different classes and provides a wider scope of skills available to the Engineer in or out of combat. Abilities on the toolbelt have a reduced cooldown depending on how many points the Engineer places into the tools trait line.

Weapons –

Like the elementalist, the Engineer has access to only one weapon set at a time. This is because of the Engineers ability to equip kits. Ill be going through each weapon / kit and give a detailed explanation on the use of the skills and my opinions on each weapon.

Rifle – 2 Handed

Thoughts on the Rifle –

The rifle is a very mobile weapon. This weapon tends to favor power based builds rather than condition based builds. The rifle is a decent weapon that has a higher skill cap than pistols. Lack of condition application make the rifle less loved by fellow engineers, but overall, it’s very effective when used in power builds.

Conditions –

• Bleeding​
• Immobilize

Boons –

• None

Control –

• Blowout
• Knockback

Combo Field –

• None

Combo Finisher –

• Physical Projectile
• Leap

Skills –

Hip Shot

The rifles basic auto attack. Deals decent damage that scales with the power stat. Pretty ordinary skill, that can be spammed and has a 20% chance to be a combo finisher. Hip shot also has a 100% chance to pierce through enemies by default – useful when dealing with multiple enemies. Has a very nice range.

Net Shot

Is a 2.5 second immobilize an a low cooldown (10s), Can be easily evaded by players just by strafing and making use of movement and is quite easily dodged. Very unreliable unless going against melee. When landed it is very useful and can be used to guarantee the throw mine skill and/or bomb skills to land. It’s useful to immobilize an opponent and position yourself behind your foe. Doing this makes your opponent unable to use skills on you, or move, practically replicating the effects of a stun.

Blunderbuss

Deals physical and bleeding damage based on how close you are to your foe. Pretty nice damage, but you run the risk of being hit with close range attacks.

Overcharged Shot

An interesting skill. Overcharged shot not only launches your foe, but it will also knock you down too, launching your foe slightly further than the distance you are knocked back. Although this may sound nice, the self knock back affect is really quite annoying and isn’t entirely useful in almost all situations. The one situation where this is not an annoyance, is if the fellow Engineer has decided to pack some stun break into his utilities. Can be used with great effect if you time a stun break skill as soon you are being knocked back. Removes immobilize, crippled and chill, effectively countering CC.

Jump Shot

Used to jump across small distances to gain ground. Particularly useful on the forests map at the keep to jump across the two vantage points above the capture point. VERY nice burst damage when used in a power build. If you can manage to CC an opponent, and can apply the launch damage and the landing damage of the jump shot you will deal damage equal to roughly 4-5 hip shots. The damage has a small aoe radius. Jump shot acts as a leap combo finisher.

Pistol – Main Hand and Off Hand

Thoughts on the Pistol – Main Hand

Definitely my favorite weapon on the engineer. The amount of conditions you can apply alone are incredible. With plenty of conditions at hand on a low cooldown, the engineer is one of the most formidable condition based classes out. The pistol is best used in condition based builds that make use of the firearms trait line.

Thoughts on the Pistol – Offhand

Although good for CC and close range condition damage, i prefer using the shield in almost all scenarios. You might have seen a lot of people using P/P during the betas, but this is because the shield skills were bugged at the time. Unless you can make up the support that the shield gives through utilities, you’ll have a hard time interrupting and disabling your foe(s).

Conditions –

• Bleeding
• Blind
• Poison
• Confusion
• Burning (offhand)
• Immobilize (offhand)
• Cripple (offhand)

Boons –

• None

Control –

• None

Combo Field –

• None

Combo Finisher

• Physical Projectile

Skills –

Explosive Shot

Your basic auto attack. You’ll be using this skill a lot as a pistol engineer. Has a small aoe radius and deals 2s of bleeding to your foes. Has a 20% chance to be a combo finisher. No cool down – nice and spammable.

Poison Dart Volley

Shoots a volley of 5 darts at your foe applying poison. With poison reducing incoming heals by 33% this skill is best used on opponents you know are about to use a heal. Scales nicely with condition damage. You’ll find yourself using this skill quite a lot to apply conditions to your foe and hopefully you’ll prevent the effectiveness of someones heal.

Static Shot

Discharges a lightning bolt on a maximum of 4 targets that applies confusion and blind. Not only will your opponents next attack miss, they will also take damage for using the skill from the confusion. Add the fact that it bounces between 4 targets and you’re supporting your group really nicely.

Blowtorch (offhand)

Similar to blunderbuss on the rifle, except on a shorter cool down and a slightly longer range. Applies decent burning damage when at close range, but otherwise a nuisance as you have to  get close. Being at close range isn’t a great idea when up against melee classes. Couldn’t quite make as much use out of this skill as i could with the other pistol skills.

Glue Shot (offhand)

An aoe puddle of glue that will immobilize foes on contact, and cripple anyone silly enough to walk into it after it’s been placed. Very good for node control and helps out fellow melee team members enormously. I found myself using this skill very often as the puddle lasts for a decent chunk of time (6 seconds)

Shield – Offhand

Thoughts on the Shield – Offhand

The utility and control it provides makes sPVP a whole lot easier. Granting extra defense stats, and being able to mitigate damage, will help you out a lot more than the immobilize off hand pistol provides. Lots of control effects for minimal investment is always useful.

Conditions –

• None

Boons –

• None

Control –

• Knockback
• Daze
• Stun

Combo Field

• None

Combo Finisher

• Physical Projectile  (Throw Shield)
• Blast (Magnetic Inversion)

Skills –

—Magnetic Shield —> Magnetic Inversion

Extremely useful skill, can reflect potentially lethal projectiles back at your foe. Magnetic shield is the activation skill, and once its been used, you can choose to either keep up the shield or use the new skill available which is magnetic inversion. Magnetic inversion is a nice knock back – particularly useful when, to your demise, no one fires any projectiles into your shield

—Static Shield —> Throw Shield

Works the same way as magnetic shield, except offers a stun if hit, or a daze and a tiny amount of damage if you choose to throw the shield. Static shield can also be used on the move, unlike magnetic shield which requires you to be standing still.

Flamethrower

Thoughts on the Flamethrower –

Somehow, the flamethrower always seems to find it’s way into my builds. Whether it be a condition or a power based build the flamethrower seems to be able to fit both of those roles. The flamethrower has access to some of the best knock back capabilities. Overall the flamethrower fits 3 roles into one. Power based damage, condition based damage, and control.

Conditions –

• Burning
• Blind

Boons –

• None

Control –

• Knockback

Combo Field

• Fire

Combo Finisher

• None

Skills –

Flame Jet

Sprays fire in a cone shape. Hits roughly 5 times per second, applying physical damage and applying burn damage on the final hit. Pretty much the basic auto attack of the flamethrower, useful in both power and condition builds.

Flame Blast

Fires off a ball of napalm, which hits enemies while its rolling for physical damage. At the end of its pathway, the ball will explode dealing massive amounts of physical damage. A very nice skill in power based builds, takes a bit of skill to be able to time and direct the blast into foes for the extra explosion affect.

Air Blast

A lot of people take the flamethrower just for this skill. This skill is a very nice knock back that hits all foes standing in front of you. Very low cooldown for a knock back skill. (15seconds) Useful on nodes in sPVP or useful to gain the initiative in a 1v1.

Napalm

Creates a wall of fire at the target location. Effective with node control, can be used strategically. E.g. placing a wall of fire behind a foe and then using air blast to push them into the flames. Also creates a flame combo field so your shots can apply burning. Overall deals very decent fire (condition) damage.

Smoke Vent

Blinds foes for 5 secs within a small radius around the user. Very useful defensively when you’re about to be on the receiving end of some seriously strong burst while at close range. Can be used offensively too. You can rush in to close range to get off a blunderbuss or a blowtorch, and blind them just before you get into close range.

Tool Belt – Incendiary Ammo

Is the flamethrowers toolbelt skill and takes up the f2 or f3 or f4 slots depending on where you’ve placed the flamethrower on your utility slots. Instant cast and makes your next 3 skills apply burning. It’s best to use it asap as the effect lasts 60s and the skill is on a 60s cooldown. Because of this it’s possible to have it up again for chain burning. Deals very nice condition based damage.

Elixir Gun

Thoughts on the Elixir Gun –

The elixir gun is a condition based kit. Very good for healing and condition removal. Some of it’s skills are a bit awkward to use, but with practice, you’ll be fine. Good mobility and has access to a light combo field which will remove conditions with physical projectiles. Can be used underwater!

Conditions –

• Bleeding
• Poison
• Cripple
• Vulnerability
• Weakness

Boons –

• Regeneration
• Swiftness

Control –

• None

Combo Field –

• Light

Combo Finisher –

• Physical projectile

Skills –

Tranquilizer Dart

Basic auto attack of the elixir gun. Used to stack bleeding instead of the pistols explosive shot due to recent nerf to the bleeding duration on it. Nice and spammable.

Elixir F

Bounces between characters that will cripple foes and grant swiftness to allies. Very low cooldown, but quite unreliable. It’s similar to the rifles’ net shot in the way that people will dodge the skill just by strafing. Otherwise, the low cooldown negates it’s inaccuracy, and if you manage to be able to chain land it’s affects, you’ll have your foe crippled for quite some time.

Fumigate

Applies poison and vulnerability to all foes in it’s cone radius. Similar usage as the flamethrowers no.1 skill. It’s best use comes from it’s condition removal when used on allies. Fairly difficult to land and has a medium range.

Acid Bomb

Leap backwards and spray elixir on the ground that lasts for 5 seconds. Deals physical damage. Useful when escaping sticky situations. Has a low cooldown for a backwards leap type skill. Rocket boots is on a 30 seconds cooldown whereas acid bomb is only 15 seconds.

Super Elixir

Creates a light combo field for a whole 10 seconds. This almost guarantees constant condition removal with physical projectiles, which will help to nullify condition spec builds. Has a small impact heal and afterwards heals in pulses. A super elixir is also created when you switch to the elixir gun while using the ”Kit Refinement” trait. The super elixir from the trait and the one from the skill stack for double the healing effect.

Toolbelt – Healing Mist

Grants regeneration for 10s around a small radius of the user. Long cooldown for a pretty boring and ordinary heal. Not the greatest toolbelt skill out, but at least the regeneration is applied to nearby allies.

Tool Kit

Thoughts on the Tool Kit –

The Tool Kit is a very versatile kit, offering plenty of control ,defense and physical damage options. If you want to be a melee type engineer, the tool kit is for you. The tool kit has access to the engineers only pull skill (besides the down state). The tool kit is commonly used in burst builds, due to it’s effective toolbelt and high melee damage capabilities.

Conditions –

• Bleeding
• Confusion
• Cripple
• Vulnerability

Boons –

• None

Control –

• Pull

Combo Field –

• None

Combo Finisher –

• Physical Projectile

Skills –

—-Smack, Whack and Thwack

Basic chained auto attack for the toolkit. Smack and Whack deal medium physical damage and both cause 6 seconds of vulnerability, whereas Thwack, deals massive physical damage. Useful in power builds. Quite risky to use unless you can get the Thwack off on your foe. If you like being a melee type engineer, i suggest taking the master tier trait ”Power Wrench” (20 points into tools) . Having this trait makes you cripple foes with smack whack and thwack, effectively allowing you to get all hits off on your foe as they wont be running away. Without using the trait you run the risk of missing attacks due to bad positioning.

Box of Nails

Scatters nails in an aoe radius around the caster that will cripple and bleed foes – lasts 4 seconds. Good skill when on the run, or when being harassed be a melee heavy character. Can also be pre-casted before using magnet which will pull foes, and then cripple + bleed them instantly, allowing for some up close melee attacks.

Pry Bar

Hits for a huge amount of physical damage . Definitely one of the engineers underrated skills. Applies 3 stacks of confusion. Has a satisfying feeling attached to it, there’s nothing better than smacking someone with a pry bar.

Gear Shield

Great skill when used under the right circumstances. Blocks all incoming damage for 2 seconds. Saved me more than a few times against some bursty warriors and thieves. Pretty self explanatory, try to save it for some big skills that you know are coming.

Magnet

Very very nice skill. Extremely useful in getting opponents into melee range for a pry bar to the face. The only drawback is that the range is quite low (600) often causing it to miss or be obstructed. Effective in preventing stomps on teammates or interrupting skills and heals.

Tool Belt – Throw Wrench

Has a pretty decent range, and deals nice physical damage. The wrench is thrown in a straight line and returns back the the user once it reaches it’s maximum range. Strikes ALL foes on it’s pathway. If you have people standing still they will receive the first hit from the wrench, and a second hit from when it returns. Works nicely with static discharge and is a combo finisher (physical projectile).

Bomb Kit

Thoughts on the Bomb Kit –

Conditions –

• Blind
• Confusion
• Cripple
• Burning
• Immobilize

Boons –

• None

Control –

• Blowout

Combo Field –

• Fire
• Smoke

Combo Finisher –

• Blast

Skills –

Bomb
Fire Bomb
Concussion Bomb
Smoke Bomb
Glue Bomb

Tool Belt – Big Ol’ Bomb

Grenade Kit

Thoughts on the Grenade Kit –

Conditions –

• Bleeding
• Blind
• Poison
• Chilled

Boons –

• None

Control –

• None

Combo Field –

• Poison

Combo Finisher –

• None

Skills –

Grenade
Shrapnel Grenade
Flash Grenade
Freeze Grenade
Poison Grenade

Tool Belt – Grenade Barrage

Med Kit

Thoughts on the Med Kit –

Conditions –

• None

Boons –

• Swiftness
• Fury

Control –

• None

Combo Field –

• None

Combo Finisher –

• None

Skills –

Drop Bandages
Drop Bandages
Drop Bandages
Drop Antidote
Drop Stimulant

Tool Belt – Bandage Self

Utilities –

The Engineer has 4 types of utilities at its disposal. Because kits were already discussed in the weapons section, they will be left out for this part of the guide.

Heals
Elixirs
Turrets
Gadgets

Tips and Tricks –

• Elixir R’s Tool belt skill can be used on the ground near you just before you die, so you are revived.
• Picking up a Turret instead of detonating it, will cut its recharge cooldown from 100% to 75%.
• Turrets do not scale with any gear or stats. They do however, scale with traits and condition duration.