Engineer - Core Grenadier
The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good
Focused on: Strike damage
Designed for: PvP Conquest
Difficulty:
Normal
This build was last updated on September 01, 2023 and is up to date for the November 07, 2023 game patch.
Overview
Core Grenadier is a burst based F2P PvP build for Engineers who don't own the expansions, or simply want to play a decent core build. The objective of this build is to take down your enemies in team fights and +1's via the Grenade Kit.
Skill Bar
Rifle
Utility
Grenade Kit
Tool Kit
Tornado
Rampage
Utility Variants
For the optional utility skill, you should use the following options:
- as your general choice, good all around and the best enabler for Moa combos.
- against a team composition focused on condition damage.
- against a team composition with a lot of bunkering and/or support builds.
Template Code
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Specializations
Trait Variants
- can grant a DPS boost, but leaves you more vulnerable to CC.
- is highly recommended against team comps with plenty of
Stealth, use it when:
- Thieves (of any spec)
- Rangers (of any spec)
- Mesmers (of any spec)
- Dragon Hunters conform the majority of the team composition.
- can offer a free DPS boost.
Note: If you're replacing , make sure to take for compensate the lack of 
Swiftness on the build.
Firearms Variant
At the cost of sustain, you can replace the Tools traitline for Firearms, for a DPS boost.
Equipment
Rifle
Sigil
Sigil
Rune
Amulet
Relic
Equipment Variants
- if sustain is more important than damage.
- for a better sustain against condition builds.
- when not using .
Usage
- The point of this build is to support your teammates at the backline of the fight bursting the enemy with your grenade setup, the build can also hold some 1V1's depending of the matchup.
- Make sure to use in order to land safely land or any telegraphed skill such as .
- will guarantee a safe frame for hit a grenade skill safely.
- is a helpful way to start our combos, it gives the right timing to hit with , and to safely land and start a combo chain.
- offers
Stability, use it for secure safe stomps.
- will help us to keep us clean for condi bursts, always use for clean small amount of conditions, and our main utility for cleanse when we are loaded from over 4 conditions at a time.
- is an instant cast skill, you can use it while performing a stomp in order to secure the kill.
- Always use the mode while transformed into a .
Combos
Main Combo
- or
Other Combos
- or
Counters
- Huge amounts of CC.
- Projectile hate.
- Focused pressure.
Ratings
Needs some adjustments, but I can run this build to plat every season. Take explosives, tools, and firearms. Rocket boots + AED.
Last utility is either slick shoes for a stun break and more cc, or rifle turret for the tool kit damage + vigor and condi removal.
If played well you won't need a stun break, just don't take fights with hammer warriors and you're good. Also take drop supply crate ult. The healing from the tool kit med packs is way too important to pass up.
Only 2 real options for survivability, classes like WB make quick work of this build. I recommend dropping nade kit as a whole and take something like rocket boots, especially with the recent rifle buff. Like any other mediocre build, performs well when teammates carry for you.
(20/04/2022) The build remains the same. With how forgotten Core Engineer is the build has not suffered nerfs nor buffs to talk about, still remains the same, and surprisingly it still works post-EoD.
+ Superb Combo.
+ Survives very well a 1v1 encounter.
+ Good ways to open a fight with Overcharged Shot & Magnet.
- Not Beginner friendly.
- Little to no escape tools if caught on the wrong position.
(3/5 Stars, not the best Engineer build, but it has it's shinning moments.)
Arguably the best core engi can get. High skill cap, high reward. Excellent AoE damage and okay mobility, but sustain's on the lower end of the spectrum and anti-projectile can shut it down hard (even Retaliation is somewhat dangerous). Wouldn't really recommend it over elite specs, but has its moments, is fun to play, and should do the trick for F2P users.
I do agree with the statement that this build will never be meta, but it's surely slippery as hell if you know how to play it and can do some big damage. Very fun build, wouldn't recommend it for newer players, though!
IMO this build can never be meta/the best engi build/excellent in ATs because of a few reasons.
1 - projectile hate mitigates this build substantially. Blocks and aegis spam can mitigate your burst.
2 - condition spam makes it very hard on the engi and will often times shut you down temporarily until you've sustained yourself back to normal
That being said, this is not a 1v1 build, it shouldn't be treated as such. It's a plusser, but can take some 1v1s if absolutely necessary.
The build can be potent, offering burst from range, means of escape, and group utility.
If you know how to play this, this is a decent build that should take you to about platinum... it's no bunker killer since its CCs are far and few, and it doesn't have the best defense but for a core build it is excellent. In fact in the current meta I'd even say it's not too far off from Holo's position at the moment.
Try AED since turret got the nerf.
I've always enjoyed this and think it's now even better with the change to the Explosives line. With the nerf to damage I now run Zerk amulet with Scholar runes, switch Explosive Temper for Blast Shield, run AED rather than Healing Turret, and use Energy and Cleansing sigils.
I have been messing around with builds similiar to this for a long time and after experimenting in both unranked as well as ranked I found this to be a very powerful build when it comes to +1ing fights and blowing up a specific target during a fight.
You have to be extremely careful about choosing you engagements since this is not the type of build where you can charge headlong at an enemy and facetank damage and expect to win. Making using of your burst combo's and the stealth from elixir S (and/or a distracted enemy) is key for this build. Similar to a power shatter mirage or power-shiro revenant most times i have won a 1v1 was by bursting my opponent done and cycling the damage combos. If the enemy gets on you, making use of elixir S and stealth combined with permanent swiftness up-time is the key to getting away but a mobile class like revenant, mesmer, thief, or even core guardian can chase you down quite easily.
This build is extremely fun to play and does require you to think about positioning and when to burst someone. But is very weak to a lot of reflects, and punished by missing your combo. I say give it a try if you like playing engineer and want something different than Holosmith or even Scrapper to play.
Edit: With new rune change running this build with Rune of Speed is amazingly fun and relieves some of the issues.
Comments
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