Thren's ENG Hybrid Build

[Lady_Pebbles]

My Engineer's (Thren's) Build @lvl41

My Gear

Full Custom Ruentech Set. Replace the vest with the Tech-Priest Vestments (new pink vest for Engs). With this vest, my stats are bananas! lol

Weapon: Primed Tempest Coil (or Custom Chaos Breather)

Shields: Blackstar Shield (more hp), Electro Blocker (more intl), Energy Field Generator (more armor). Use whichever one you feel you need. I use the Blackstar Shield.

Implants: Condor Eye Implant or Eagle-Eye Implant to maximize your dmg.


My Stat Points

INT & STR. Play around with the amount you distribute to get whatever balance you want. It will balance out your stats a bit.

OR

All INT. Increases all of your skills dmg, base dmg & heals... but you'll use up more mana stims. Overall best way to go if you're not sure how to mess with the STR stat as an ENG.


The Skills I Use

1 Rev | | | 6 Wither
6 Emp | | | 6 Decay
6 Trans | | | 3 Pain
6 Supp | | | 6 SB or Leech

NOTE: You can swap SB for Leech. I have used both and with the new maps (The Hive and UCS Savant) I switched to Leech because it does both dmg and heals at the same time. Even though I don't think it stacks up well as a skill (imo). We really need all our skills to be tweaked. SB could really use a good push-back/down effect. Especially at level 6.

Please consider that switch when reading the next section... Its all the same just switch those two skills.

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How I use them:

I start by hitting Rev & Emp for the group (or myself in a solo run) before attacking in the sequence below because Rev actually boosts Mana Regen (used to regen Dodge too but found out its a glitch that was later fixed on a patch update). Due to mana Regen boosting, the skills CD (Cool Down) is reduced a bit. I spam these throughout the runs.


Then I follow this sequence:

• (1.) AoEs (when I am ahead of the group)
  
  Supp>Pain>Trans (or SB)>SB (or Trans)
  
  - Only Suppressing this early when I am running ahead of the group to isolate my main threats; i.e. Snipers & Pushers.
  
  ~Supp & Pain have a bomb effect on the mobs. SB hits the whole mob and gives a nice chunk of damage. Trans damages targets while healing party members as well.
  
  
• (2.) My Aim:
  
  -I aim at the one that heal other enemies or deal the most damage and since I pull all the aggro, I want to take them down a.s.a.p.
  
  ~~Example~~
  
  In SY:
  Healers>Pushers>Everything else.
  
  In Voleria, The Hive, & UCS Savant:
  Snipers>Pushers>Dogs>Everything else.
  
  -When fighting off a mob with Pushers, I stand up against a wall near my group so I don't get pushed everywhere & can spam heals better while taking them out.
  
  
• (3.) DoTs (after AoEs or begin attacks w/this if someone else is running ahead of the group):
  
  Weapon on Auto Attack>Wither>Decay>Pain>SB (or Trans)>Trans (or SB)
  
  ~Wither & Decay do DOT and combined with SB, Trans, and the auto attacking of my weapon, it helps to kill them faster.

After doing the sequence once, I proceed by using the skills that finish cooling down first (see above note on Rev's Mana Regen) and I often get combos when using these in a run with a PUG.

While attacking, I keep my ENG running either from side to side or circling the target to minimize damage taken (even though spaming Empathy and Rev helps minimize it too... Its just a habit that helps me out).

_________________________________


This has worked very well for me and I hope it works for yall too.

_________________________________


Updates & Notes:

8-15-12 | This needed another update since we have new gear and new maps.

4-11-12 | Added info on what I do w/a mob that has pushers.

4-4-12 | The #s in -purple- is what I have at level 41 (the current level cap). They are the same skills I used before but with certain skills maxed out. Oh & I added a lil more info.

[ninjaduck]

Thanks alot for sharing this its really is gonna help me with them godforsaken boss runs -.-

[Lady_Pebbles]

You're welcome! Hope you like it.

[Hullukko]

A correction:
Rev yields +1 m/s, +1 dmg and +1 armor. All that for one full minute. No effect on other stats, aside from vitality when you're dead.

But yes, in my opinion a critical role for every engineer is to cast that once a minute from the very start.

And a few differences of opinion (and I'm talking about pve only, pvp may be a totally different beast, but as we know next to nothing about it yet, there's little reason to spec for that yet):
Suppression? Really? With a follow up transferance and/or sonic boom? In shipyard maps? You've just wasted 6 skill points.

Once any aoe cancels the stuns what you get is a angry mob, and I'm not only talking about enemies, rather referring to the group that just lost their attack targets over nothing. There's a reason 99% (*) of the cap engineers don't use that skill and it isn't because they're all wrong.

Put the suppression skill points to wither first and split the rest between leech, pain and sonic boom pretty much any way you like.

And little tweaks that apply to lower level toons, too:
I suggest you make an emphasis on casting decay earlier (before the others actually) because it cuts down on enemy armor and as such paves the way for further attacks. Ops amplify pain before they unleash their fury, too.

And for further efficiency, pain is best used not part of such a skill sequence, or not quite just like that. I suggest you cast that onto a target, preferably one that is likely to stand through the few seconds until the blast, and then switch target to something you want to put down early and start hammering away. Leaving the pain target to live through to the blast will get, well, get you the blast. This is crucial in soloing and very helpful in sy5 for example (cast the pain to the kermit and then deal with the healers, the kermit will stay up and give you the extra blast which you'd lose if you'd cast it onto something weaker). Also the ladies with the glow sticks are good targets for pain.

(*) I would've said 100%, but you're the first I've seen or heard to be at cap while still using suppression. But then again it was day before yesterday I was in a pug where a 35 engy mid-way to 36 spammed suppression on mysterious guy, which is without exception only harmful.

[Lady_Pebbles]

A correction
Rev yields +1 m/s, +1 dmg and +1 armor. All that for one full minute. No effect on other stats, aside from vitality when you're dead.

Actually it DOES have effect on dodge and Mana Regen. i've tested it out. My Mana Regen goes from 3 to 4 every time I use it. Dodge (however) doesn't always go up. Im thinking the latter is a glitch or was fixed during the last patch update. Unless its an effect caused by using Rev combined with other player's skills to raise Dodge. o_O

But yes, in my opinion a critical role for every engineer is to cast that once a minute from the very start.

And a few differences of opinion (and I'm talking about pve only, pvp may be a totally different beast, but as we know next to nothing about it yet, there's little reason to spec for that yet):
Suppression? Really? With a follow up transferance and/or sonic boom? In shipyard maps? You've just wasted 6 skill points.

Once any aoe cancels the stuns what you get is a angry mob, and I'm not only talking about enemies, rather referring to the group that just lost their attack targets over nothing. There's a reason 99% (*) of the cap engineers don't use that skill and it isn't because they're all wrong.

I am the one always running ahead so yes, this works. Especially in Shipyard (which is where I do all of my runs). The other people coming in to cancel the stun of Suppression actually have a chance to aim their weapons on a target if they want to. Or in fact use the combination of a Commander's Stomp skill after Suppression then with my Sonic Boom and on top of that Transference is a good way to give an entire mob a nice amount of damage -while- adding extra healing effects to your party & self.

Put the suppression skill points to wither first and split the rest between leech, pain and sonic boom pretty much any way you like.

And little tweaks that apply to lower level toons, too:
I suggest you make an emphasis on casting decay earlier (before the others actually) because it cuts down on enemy armor and as such paves the way for further attacks. Ops amplify pain before they unleash their fury, too.

And for further efficiency, pain is best used not part of such a skill sequence, or not quite just like that. I suggest you cast that onto a target, preferably one that is likely to stand through the few seconds until the blast, and then switch target to something you want to put down early and start hammering away. Leaving the pain target to live through to the blast will get, well, get you the blast. This is crucial in soloing and very helpful in sy5 for example (cast the pain to the kermit and then deal with the healers, the kermit will stay up and give you the extra blast which you'd lose if you'd cast it onto something weaker). Also the ladies with the glow sticks are good targets for pain.

All that is just a matter of opinion. I mean what works for one doesn't work for everyone. I didn't say my build and the way I used it would be beat for everyone lol.

I use pain later because it focuses on one target. I like to hit the entire mob first and then single targets. Like in Shipyard, I hit the entire mob then healers then the guys holding the cannons and then the chick with the stun laser. Each one gets a few hits of the aingle target skills as well as the collective ones.

(*) I would've said 100%, but you're the first I've seen or heard to be at cap while still using suppression. But then again it was day before yesterday I was in a pug where a 35 engy mid-way to 36 spammed suppression on mysterious guy, which is without exception only harmful.

I don't use Suppression on the Mysterious Figuer because it cancels out pushes. I use them on mobs that are far enough from him so that it doesn't effect the Commander's and Operator's pushes. For example, when the Mysterious Figure is being pushed onto the wall behind the terminal, I remain near the entrance to Suppress the next two enemies entering the mob to give the other players in the party more time to kill the rest enemies in the mob they are already targeting. It works pretty well actually.

[kas3closed]

Holy moly this is totally incredible i might respec next time i run with u lol

[Lady_Pebbles]

Holy moly this is totally incredible i might respec next time i run with u lol

Sweet! Hopefully, it works really well for you as it does for me! See ya in game later to night as usual.

[Kakatoa91]

I tend not to use suppresion too in SY5 with my engie, not a must have skill atm imo.
I guess it all dpd on ur play and the team u r with too.

But mostly if u have a quick good team that skill is useless for me. 3-4 ops on dual can deliver more dmg and eliminate faster during the non aimin time.
We wont be able to do fast run if at each mob group our engie use that skill as it would break the tempo each time.

My main being an op, I can tell u its frustrating not being able to aim/shot at anything lol
It feels like they have a shield, also it add confusion on the target aiming.

[Lady_Pebbles]

I tend not to use suppresion too in SY5 with my engie, not a must have skill atm imo.
I guess it all dpd on ur play and the team u r with too.

But mostly if u have a quick good team that skill is useless for me. 3-4 ops on dual can deliver more dmg and eliminate faster during the non aimin time.
We wont be able to do fast run if at each mob group our engie use that skill as it would break the tempo each time.

My main being an op, I can tell u its frustrating not being able to aim/shot at anything lol
It feels like they have a shield, also it add confusion on the target aiming.

I've only been on a run in SY with all Ops once. For me, it was only slightly as fast as being in a mixed run or a run with all Comms. Only difference is the types of pushes they use. Suppression helps a lot if you use it in ways that benefit you and your party. Such as the example I gave above. Like using suppression then Comm uses Stomp then you use SB or Trans or Trans then SB then focus on individual enemy after making collective damage to the mob... Making it faster to kill them off. However, not everyone uses it the same way.

Suppression like Sonic Boom aren't must-haves but they come in handy once you figure out how to use them to your & your party's benefits!

It shouldn't be frustrating for an Op when the example I just gave is implemented because its done rather quickly and they can hit the attack button to auto attack just as fast. Therefore, it shouldn't be a problem -unless- someone uses it on Mysterious Figure because every second counts with that boss, breaking people's aim with Suppression can cause you to lose the fight. I see how it can be frustrating when people don't test the skill out before hand to see the effects of it with pushes and use it carelessly.

Clearly, pushes break Suppression's stun and Suppression makes Lurch fly right through. Im hoping one day they'll make it so that Lurch actually works with Suppression the way Stomp does for Comms and SB and Trans works for Engs. It would be even more helpful that way.

[Slant]

yeah took out supression at 35, its wasted there, pains not worth more than one either, engies can have seven skills on, two dont need to be maxed, or are practically useless after one, so thats five skills and about 2 points spared at 35 without shield, supression, protection or boom (all useless) - i put in boom coz it seemed to be the best of the lot

supression is good for combos and taking out the creeps, very useful, even essential on a map such as guardian, but totally wasted on the reactor boss, so kicked it

[Kahlua]

meh...this build is really only useful for SY5.

Suppression is basically useless if you're running with a commando or another eng. Considering commandos have like 6 AOE skills, you're wasting 6 skill points on a skill that'll last at best 1 second. Considering a few of the commandos AOE's stun or knock down, as well as some of the Ops single target skills, supression really is just a useless skill unless you're soloing, and even then who solos the 5th map? Waste of time.

Also, pain doesn't do DOT. According to the description, it's a 1 hit, then a 3 second stun, followed by an AOE blast. Casting this on a mob with high hp and then switching to the little guys is a better strategy then just casting it at random. If you're casting pain second to last, the odds it's blast effect will have time to go off are low. You only do this when there's 1 or 2 of those cannon guys left and you just want the stun effect and the blast is just an added bonus.

Not even going to comment on wither because I think it's a waste of a skill. We already have enough healing skills, a single target healer with bad damage isn't necessary or helpful.

You'd be better met just maxing out sonic boom and adding points to revive. More points in revive = longer range and less mana. Will be helpful when you spam it. Sonic boom's damage isn't that great, but link it with transference and you've got some pretty good AOE damage (especially with elixirs).


Not a bad build...but definitely not a build I'll be trying.

[TsunamiTheClown]

Oh thanks Thren! I have not really taken the time to really experiment with my 35 eng because well, i like my mando so much. However i will most deff try this build out!

Dumb question, how does your stat distribution affect the skills and their effectiveness. I assume the higher int you spec, the better base dmg/heals you have in using skills as an eng, but i really haven't paid attention. My eng is currently :ducks: a str build. I'd love to know the effect this is having on my skills (minus the flames from the leet engs )

Thx again!

[Spu]

Oh thanks Thren! I have not really taken the time to really experiment with my 35 eng because well, i like my mando so much. However i will most deff try this build out!

Dumb question, how does your stat distribution affect the skills and their effectiveness. I assume the higher int you spec, the better base dmg/heals you have in using skills as an eng, but i really haven't paid attention. My eng is currently :ducks: a str build. I'd love to know the effect this is having on my skills (minus the flames from the leet engs )

Thx again!

Hi

[Vladrac]

Bunch of Suppression haters! Lol. I've kept the skill since my early Engineering Apprentice days at Dynastar Technical Institute. It can be a very good and useful (and fun) weapon to have once a savvy engineer gets the hang of it. But it's also certainly not a skill that is essential to have. Now using Suppression in a manner which disrupts the productivity of your group is... well... bad. And I think this is how this skill has gotten a bad rap.

[Slant]

^idk lol supression is good on biosphere with pain, but supression is not better at 2 or 3 or 6 any more than it is at 1... engies have a lot of skills that are useless at more than one (rev, pain, supression), now an engie doesnt need the same amount of energy efficiency as say a commando, because of the high int, so shield and anything higher on stuff like rev is a waste again, at 34 itself you have enough points to map supression and rev or basically, there can be no "good" engie build that uses all the points to optimum benefit, its a matter of choosing between the lesser of two evils

[Kahlua]

^idk lol supression is good on biosphere with pain, but supression is not better at 2 or 3 or 6 any more than it is at 1... engies have a lot of skills that are useless at more than one (rev, pain, supression), now an engie doesnt need the same amount of energy efficiency as say a commando, because of the high int, so shield and anything higher on stuff like rev is a waste again, at 34 itself you have enough points to map supression and rev or basically, there can be no "good" engie build that uses all the points to optimum benefit, its a matter of choosing between the lesser of two evils

Most skills aren't beneficial over lvl 1 because you do more base damage with your weapon (engineers and commandos...operatives are a different story.) Supression is one of the only skills where having it at more than 1 is helpful, as higher levels = more targets mezzed. Revive is good to put extra points in if you have them lying around because it lowers the mana cost so you can spam it more, and it increases it's range. No more missing targets and having to wait for it to regen. I maxed pain because I think wither and that other early on DOT skill are pointless. Decay is 10 times better, and sure pain does the same stun effect at lvl 1 as it would at lvl 6...but I really see nothing else worth putting points in. The armor buff skill is almost pointless now, only giving 60 armor at a maxed lvl 6...commandos have around 800 armor now and engineers getting up there too. Not wasting 6 points to keep operatives alive for another 2 seconds when I can just revive them, lol.

[Slant]

hmm will have to rethink suppression, haven't used it at 6 ever then maybe it does work well on reactor if used right, but wudnt try to energy optimise rev or any other skill because engies already have so much mana its better to invest the points where the energy will actually be used.. yes leech does seem pointless, but only as pointless as everything else. 1 rev 6 decay 6 tranf 6 emp, 1 pain is a good base build more points can be added wherever you please and your engie is still more or less as effective... used 6 wither, 4 leech and 4 boom because i blvd these skills are marginally more effective than uh pain at higher than 1 or suppression at whatever level

and about OPs yeah lol

[Kahlua]

haha don't get me wrong, I think suppression is useless at higher levels, just pointing out the benefits of having it at 6 instead of 1.

[Lady_Pebbles]

LoL!!!

This is hilarious cuz I remember when most people said SB was useless and now they seem to prefer it more over Supp. Which is ridiculous when you can have both and use them at their best so you don't have to choose.

Also, Pain does tick. o_O About 5 or 6 times actually. I've hit an enemy with it and ran off for a min, saw it tick a few times then hit em with Decay and watch it slowly die. Its a fun way to torture them. <==Was probably a glitch so my mistake peeps.

All Im saying is that the way I got my Engineer set up, its another way to have a Hybrid ENG. Just try it. If you like it, then koo. If not, then instead of flaming give some suggestions to make it better. <3

[Kahlua]

Pain only lasts 3 seconds...so ticking 5 to 6 times seems impossible.
You sure you're not confusing pain with another skill?

and flaming? Read again, I gave countless suggestions to make it better. Everything I said was on topic and relevant. It's not flaming to disagree with someone.