Best Engineer Builds in Guild Wars 2

Work Smarter, not harder.
Image via ArenaNet

In Guild Wars 2, engineers are technological and alchemical masterminds. Engineers have a second set of skills in their tool belt that provides them with many options for any situation. They use turrets, grenades, elixirs, gadgets, and even their own Engineering Kits to defeat their enemies. This is for you if you don't want to build the best Guardian and would rather work with mechs or grenades. Below, we have the best Engineer builds in the game.

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The Best Grenadier

Image via ArenaNet

Anyone can use this build, regardless of whether they pay a subscription fee or not. The build is also excellent for players who want to be good overall, but it requires players to have a Grenade Kit.

Skills

  • Main Skills
    • Grenade Barrage - Throw many grenades in one area, dealing large amounts of damage.
    • Throw Wrench - Throw a wrench in boomerang style, damaging all enemies in the path.
      • The wrench will return at the end of the skill.
  • Grenade Kit
    • Grenade - Throw a lot of grenades at once.
    • Shrapnel Grenade - Throw grenades that blow up and create a hail of shrapnel, damaging enemies and causing bleeding.
    • Flash Grenade - Throw grenades that create a blinding flash when they explode. This causes Blinded to all nearby enemies.
    • Freeze Grenade - Throw a grenade that, when it explodes, will give enemies a Chilled debuff.
    • Poison Grenade - Throw many grenades at once that create a poisonous blast.
  • Utility
    • Elixer H - Drink Elixer H to heal yourself and gain Protection, Regeneration, and Swiftness.
    • Grenade Kit - Equip your grenades.
    • Tool Kit - Equip a kit that gives you tools.
    • Elixer C - Drink Elixer C, which converts all debuffs to buffs.
    • Elixer X - Drink Elixer X to become a ramping brute or whirling tornado.

Specializations

When you level up, you can select one of these specializations:

  • Alchemy
    • Lesser Elixir B
      • Invigorating Speed
    • Lesser Elixir C
      • Elixir E
    • Compounding Chemicals
      • HGH
  • Explosives
    • Explosive Entrance
      • Lesser Grenade Barrage
    • Steel-Packed Powder
      • Explosive Temper
    • Shaped Charge
      • Flashbang
  • Tools
    • Optimized Activation
      • Lesser Utility Goggles
    • Mechanized Deployment
      • Fire Shield
    • Excessive Energy
      • Adrenal Implant

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PvE Mechanist

Image via ArenaNet

If you don't want to just focus on grenades and want to be able to solo the environment, this build is for you. It relies on you having both a mace and a pistol but isn't hard to develop once you know what to do. We recommend this class as a PvE build. While you may not be as strong as a single warrior, you have a mech that can do heavy damage.

Skills

  • Main Skills
    • Crash Down - Your Jade mech attacks a targetted area. The recharge time goes up if your mech is attacked during this time.
  • Staff
    • Mace Strike - Strike your target.
      • This is a basic attack but is good nonetheless.
    • Energizing Slam - Jump forward and slam onto the ground. This gives Vulnerability and Confusion to enemies while granting Vigor and Regeneration to party members.
    • Rocket Fist Prototype - Launch your first at the target. If it hits, it damages and stuns any nearby enemies.
    • Blowtorch - Shoot flames from your pistol to burn enemies. The damage is increased the closer you are.
    • Glue Shot - Shoot a glue puddle at a target area.
      • All enemies caught in the puddle will be crippled.
  • Utility
    • Rectifier Signet - This passively heals the player and mech. When activated, you heal yourself and your mech much faster.
    • Grenade Kit - Equip the Grenade Kit to get some grenade skills
    • Superconducting Signet - Passively improves damage dealt. When active, it creates a damaging field around the player that gives debuffs to any enemies nearby. If your mech is active, the field radiates from the mech instead.
    • Shift Signet - Passively increases movement speed, and any Boons you get are given to your mech. You and your mech Shadowstep to a location you choose. This also removes any negative conditions on you and your mech.
    • Overclock Signet - Passively reduces the recharge of the signets above. When activated, your mech will fire its ultimate weapon, the Jade Buster Cannon.
      • If your mech isn't present, it will be summoned.

Specializations

It will help if you chose these specializations as you level up:

  • Explosives
    • Explosive Entrance
      • Lesser Grenade Barrage
    • Steel-Packed Powder
      • Blast Shield
    • Shaped Charge
      • Shrapnel
  • Firearms
    • Sharpshooter
      • Chemical Rounds
    • Hematic Focus
      • Thermal Vision
    • Serrated Steel
      • Incendiary Powder
  • Mechanist
    • Mechanical Genius
      • Rolling Smash
    • Rocket Punch
      • Discharge Array
    • Exigency Protocols
      • Sky Circus

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Holosmith

Image via Guild Wars 2 Official Wiki

When an Engineer is a Holosmith, they cannot go wrong. Engineers will find this build to be the best PvP build and the best build for destroying any enemy. This is the class for you if you want to be unstoppable.

Skills

  • Main Skills
    • Toss Elixir H - Toss Elixir H to a target area. This grants Protection, Regeneration, and Vigor to all nearby party members.
    • Grenade Barrage - Throw a bunch of grenades at once, causing devasting damage to any enemies nearby.
    • Toss Elixir U - Throw an Elixir U in front of you, greatly increasing your movement speed.
    • Toss Elixir S - Toss an Elixir S, which grants Stealth to all party members in the area.
    • Engage Photon Forge - Activate your Photon Forge, which grants access to new skills. This will disable the use of kits for a short duration.
      • You generate Heat while Photon Forge is active, and if your Heat grows too high, you will overheat and take damage.
  • Sword and shield
    • Sun Edge - Strike your enemies and inflict Vulnerability. This attack will deal more damage based on your Heat level.
    • Refraction Cutter - Slash at your foes in front of you and launch a blade of light at your enemies. Launch extra blades if your heat level is high, each dealing with different debuffs.
    • Radiant Arc - Leap to your target and create an arc of light that strikes nearby enemies. You will gain Quickness based on your heat level.
    • Magnetic Shield - Create a magnetic field that deflects projectiles and can be released to knock back enemies.
    • Static Shield - Electrify your shield and throw it at enemies. All nearby enemies are stunned.
  • Utility
    • Elixir H - Drink Elixir H to heal yourself.
      • This also gives you Protection, Regeneration, and Swiftness.
    • Grenade Kit - Equip a trusty grenade set that gives you grenade skills.
    • Elixir U - You drink Elixir U to gain buffs.
      • This gives you Quickness, Stability, and Vigor.
    • Elixir S - Drink Elixir S to shrink yourself but recover from Stun and Evade attacks.
    • Supply Crate - Request a supply drop of turrets. Turrets overcharge when they first drop.

Specializations

As a player advances through levels, they can choose these specializations:

  • Explosives
    • Explosive Entrance
      • Lesser Grenade Barrage
    • Steel-Packed Powder
      • Bast Shield
    • Shaped Charge
      • Flashbang
  • Alchemy
    • Lesser Elixir B
      • Protection Injection
    • Lesser Elixir C
      • Elixir E
    • Compounding Chemicals
      • HGH
  • Holosmith
    • Overheat
      • Prismatic Converter
    • Heat Therapy
      • Crystal Configuration: Zephyr
    • Laser's Edge
      • Enhanced Capacity Storage Unit

For more on Guild Wars 2, check out 5 Tips for Beginners in Guild Wars 2 or All Professions in Guild Wars 2 here on Pro Game Guides!


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Author
Jorge A. Aguilar 'Aggy'
Aggy has been playing games since he was four years old. He has written for Sportskeeda, GFinity Esports, Dot Esports, Tales, and here at Pro Game Guides. Before becoming the Associate Editor here, he was the Evening Editor, and in the past was the Head of Social for GFinity and the Weekend Editor for Dot Esports. He checks almost every article on Pro Game Guides and runs the Social Media accounts. https://linktr.ee/SirAggy

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Best Engineer Builds in Guild Wars 2

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