Ultimate/Consolidated Engineer breed choice guide

[Graftmage]

The one defining advantage of nanomage was always better nano skills and uhm,, a complexion like veal.

Dreadloch Endurance Booster - Nanomage Edition

[Susi]

Also, if you like goth girls, you should choose nanomage...you get a +15 bonus in charms if target=goth

[Uaintseenme]

Dreadloch Endurance Booster - Nanomage Edition

yeah like i said, there is NO reason to roll a nanomage anymore.

[BlockAndLode]

So, from what you are all saying, it seems Solitus is the one breed that is most appropriate for Engineers as they have the best all around health, tradeskills, and playability.

The PvP issue: I've NEVER been one for PvP in ANY game I've played because I simply don't have that mentality. PvP gets me angry, raises my blood pressure, and I would rather enjoy the story, quests, and social interaction while helping folks than see how many "newbz I can gank w my leet skillz".

I rolled a nanomage and got it out of newbie land into Borealis. I may roll a solitus and see what it's like playing that in newbie land if the general concensus truly thinks the solitus is the end-all way to go.

[Cynic092]

In newbie land the breed differences are barely apparent. Once or twice in the progression of my engineer(s), I've wished I'd rolled them differently but ultimately when it comes to PvM and Tradeskilling, each breed is suited for it in different ways. It's only really for PvP that a few breed-specific toys/perks makes a huge difference.

I don't regret my NM, Soli and Opi engineers at all. Never got too far with my MA Trox though.

[-Stage-]

yeah like i said, there is NO reason to roll a nanomage anymore.

Whatchoo talkin' about Uaint?

[Uaintseenme]

Stop trying to be gary colleman.

One single, difficult to get item that doesnt offset the amount of lacking HP on a nanomage, that drops from a mob thats barely killed on rk2 anymore, does not make a justifiable answer as to why to roll a certain breed.

We are playing a prof that is allready "not bad" defensively, Items, nano's and anything else that adds to our defensive abbilitys are far less important these days than getting that ofense edge.

[ragerayden]

Also, if you like goth girls, you should choose nanomage...you get a +15 bonus in charms if target=goth

<3
Reason to be nanomage > being able to cast pets without changing your whole set of armor but only 5 pieces, u don't hit anything in pvp, thus relying on pets only.
In pvm: being squishy as hell.

[-Stage-]

I see. Dreadloch bosses are still constantly killed on RK1, and people tend to sell lootrights for stuff that drops that they don't need. So getting it on RK1 is basically a matter of waiting for someone to post it for sale in a shopping channel, or posting in a dreadloch services thread, if you're too lazy to go farm it yourself.

Nanomages have something like 1.5kish less HP than solitus/opifex, iirc. It's not a great deal. It's certainly a fine tradeoff for the rather powerful absorb. There's something wrong with your thinking if you really think an extra 1.5k HP will get you out of more trouble than a 5k absorb every 4 minutes.

I would pick nanomage over opifex for engineers any day of the week, no questions asked, for PvP. I'd pick solitus over either IF the person rolling the toon is willing to grind an extra 10 AI levels for survival. Trox sort of looks ok on paper, but the fact that I've never seen a serious trox engi on RK1 makes me reluctant to recommend it. It certainly can't be fun to cast DB nanos with a trox. It'd take a hell of a lot more effort to equip 300 symbs. I kinda suspect that this effort would pay off.

Opifex is the new nanomage, get used to it

[Louderer789]

Solitus: Nice all around, decent for symbs. Survival is a lovely tool for both pvm and pvp, and is useful to your entire team. 10 perks is a lot tho

Nanomage: Nanoskills bonus still somewhat relevant for engy. Nice for a lot of symbs, but horrible for some also. Nanomage absorb a great defensive tool, unlike survival is instant and can be used while stunned etc.

Opifex: Best advantage for opi engy is still the 100 or whatever extra AS trickle

Trox: Why bother, our perks suck.

[kuznechik]

Well, nm also can land tUF easier than soli (I'm not saying it's easy, it's easier)
And for soli tacky hack>survival. I'm not gonna dump 10 perks into soli beta, I need it elsewhere, even with unperked ATE. While root immunity is golden for us to live another day.

[Racatti]

Trox: Why bother, our perks suck.

I know one rk2 eng whos used MR to land medallion+FoL and just watch the pets chain-crit just about anyone to death after.

[kuznechik]

I know one rk2 eng whos used MR to land medallion+FoL and just watch the pets chain-crit just about anyone to death after.

Well, works in duels. Very specialized build.
Called Brainwash

[dritst]

Well, works in duels. Very specialized build.
Called Brainwash

Also Trox look>any breed, futhermore if you wear spe edi

[Ventor]

I think a MR trox is (or used to be) about the only engi that can kill anyone with ease. Land demo on adv = dead adv.

[MajorOutage]

Also Trox look>any breed, futhermore if you wear spe edi

If looking like a big dumb brainless hunchback is your thing, then by all means...

[IHaveHugeNick]

Uh.

And here i am thinking we've estabilshed some things.

The best breed for PvP depends a lot depends on setup of your choice.

Nanomage advantages are:

-better RE trickledown
-nanomage absorb
-higher nanoskills

Solitus advantages are

- survival (that takes 10 perks)
- more HP
- tacky hack

I dont consider symbs as a point of interest that matters in the current state of this game. Any breed can get very high symbs if you try hard enough.

Now: 2 current major Engineer pvp builds, are RE and Bow. If you decide on RE setup, you will most likely need at least some perks in CoHA to keep it out of OE, and i dont see any viable builds atm without full CoNC .

Lets face it, normal people dont have AI30, nor are planning on it. Ai30 is for people with brain damage.

With RE setup normally you wont have enough perks for survival, or it will cause you a lot of trouble to have it. As a Nanomage you wont have that problem, and you will have better RE trickledown to support your ugly weapon and you can use more HP armor then solitus.

With Bow setup - you dont need any AI perks apart from tacky hack and CoNC, so its very easy to find those 10 perks for Survival even if you dont have brain damage. So with this setup Solitus starts to shine, because you will have more HP, more healing, root resist, without making any severe sacrifices.

So - RE - Nanomage, Bow - Solitus.

[bungerman]

Now: 2 current major Engineer pvp builds, are RE and Bow. If you decide on RE setup, you will most likely need at least some perks in CoHA to keep it out of OE, and i dont see any viable builds atm without full CoNC .

I dont have any CoNC perked in my setup :S unless you are talking a setup that has the nanoskills for the 2147 reqs, which aren't really needed for pvp sadly.

[-Stage-]

If you decide on RE setup, you will most likely need at least some perks in CoHA to keep it out of OE, and i dont see any viable builds atm without full CoNC .

Not sure if my build is considered "viable" since I still use a r-hand symb, but I only have 1 perk in CoNC. Takes me six swaps to cast DB nanos, including scope with it's fecking 10s swap time. I'm more or less used to that; my pets don't die very often at all any more, but when they get randomly disconnected for no damn reason I just about lose my temper.

[-Stage-]

I dont have any CoNC perked in my setup :S unless you are talking a setup that has the nanoskills for the 2147 reqs, which aren't really needed for pvp sadly.

Once you get used to your pets having 48% reflect, it's hard to go back. This does mean when people get on board BS and start yelling "RUSH CORE BAFF THERE ZOMG GOGOGO" I'll reply "Hey, **** you buddy" while I'm still less than 1/3 of the way through my buffing/swapping routine, but I really couldn't bear going back to losing my pets every time a soldier sneezed on 'em.