Engineer: Short end of the stick?

(Shinigami) #1

Does anyone else here feel like the engineer got the short end of the stick? I have been reconsidering what class to use as my main due to the new skills and skill points and more than ever I feel that justice wasn’t done to the engineer. Here is why:

  1. The improved weapon buff cannot be self administered
  2. The kevlar can not be self administered
  3. The turret costs THREE skill points. This is just ridiculous and this is done only to the engineers. And even worse the turret is mediocre at best.
  4. To kill someone it usually takes two mines so you are forced to used two pips at a time.
  5. The rest of the skills are passive skills. As opposed to an arsenal of grenades, medic buffs/heals, dynamic disguising.

But really its not so much that the engineer is useless cause he is not, but more that the person playing it gets stuck with a ‘passive’ class, and one that can’t even buff itself properly.

(tangoliber) #2

The improved weapon buff can be self-administered. :slight_smile:

(Shinigami) #3

[QUOTE=tangoliber;366650]The improved weapon buff can be self-administered. :slight_smile:
http://brink.wikia.com/wiki/Improved_Weapon_Buff[/QUOTE]

oh really? i remember having a discussion about this even before the game was released, but i don’t think i ever bother to re check the description. still, my opinion holds.

(Nexolate) #4

[QUOTE=tangoliber;366650]The improved weapon buff can be self-administered. :slight_smile:
http://brink.wikia.com/wiki/Improved_Weapon_Buff[/QUOTE]

Correct, and I’m glad to see people using the wiki!

As for the Engineer, you do realise it’s one of the most played classes right?

  • Improved Weapon Buff increases their damage output by almost a third and can be applied to yourself.
  • Extra Kevlar is meant to be a teammate buff like the Medic ones and effectively decreases the enemy’s damage output.
  • The turrets are a choice, one that’s designed to force players to deal with it if you position it right.
  • Landmines aren’t meant to be lethal, especially considering how hard they are to avoid unless you play Operative.
  • Command Post Upgrade doubles the effect of Health and Supply boosts, meaning you could get 50 extra HP instead of just 30.

I dunno about you, but that sounds like one pretty potent class to me!

Regards,
Nexo

(morguen87) #5

Engineer gets the short end of the stick compared to operatives and medics how exactly?

Weapon buff > *, basically. Soldier’s ammo refill is nice, but requires you and your team mates to stay alive long enough to chew through your ammo. Medic’s revive is nice, but nobody in pubs ever waits to be revived. Op isn’t even all that useful.

So how exactly does engineer get the short end of the stick? That’s baffling. Engineer is one of the best classes. I’d rank him 2nd, just behind soldier and if you don’t like to use grenades engineer becomes number 1 easily.

(BioSnark) #6

Engineers have massive damage output. Double mines = kill. Also denies underused corridors. Single mine + firefight = kill. Turret + firefight = kill. Then there’s the massive damage buff…

preference
engineer>medic>soldier>covie

wtb team w/
medics>engineers>soldiers>ops

(neg0ne) #7

indeed engie is a very important class.

What the OP calles “Passive” i call “supportive”

Eng is a support class and as such essential.

probably more effective in a defending team but also very usefull attacking.

(Hortey) #8

The engi is fine as is, the only one that is slightly underpowered is operative… but they have their niche it’s just underutilized. In one build you can have a 30ish% weapon damage buff, 10% damage resistance to others, 2 mines and a gatling turret. It is a great class, it is also the only class that can disarm land mines, HE charges, hackboxes, while also being able to build mg nests and double buff supply depots.

If you think the turrets are bad, you aren’t placing them in the correct areas. If you think the class is bad, you obviously don’t know how to play it properly. The only class more offensively powerful than the engi is a soldier who has been buffed by an engi, and the only class as defensively powerful is medic but only because of self revive. 2 mines and a well placed turret can easily keep your opposition busy enough until you respawn and return.

Also I noticed you said the mines weren’t good enough. They are autonomous explosives that are INVISIBLE… you can put down two of them, and you are complaining they are not 1 hit kills to everyone? geez, what kind of god class were you expecting?

(wolfnemesis75) #9

Engy is very strong Class. Not sure why you think its the short end of the stick. This surprises me a bit.

(burawura) #10

I don’t agree with the OP. Engineer is easily the most powerful defensive class, and their weapon buff makes them crucial on offense as well.

(nephandys) #11

Hypothetically stupid defense situation: 8 engies = 8 turrets and 24 mines. In other words an impenetrable room/area. I don’t think they need any buffing. Also you state that engies are the only one that has to invest 3 pts into an ability set, but if soldier wants fully improved frags he too has to invest 3 pts.

If anything I think the class needs a small adjustment. Right now they need pips for nades, 2 buffs, mines, and turrets, pretty much leaving them out of supplies at all times. Op on the other hand is usually sitting on a couple pips and isn’t as useful to the team as a whole (IMO). So I think giving the Op the weapon buff instead might have made sense. I doubt we’ll ever see this though as it would require the entire reworking of skill trees.

(RGS) #12

Engineer seems like the most powerful to me to be honest, improved weapon buff (self admin is sweet + gives a big boost to your team), also mines + turrets are very useful IMO.

I play as an engineer and solder, currently contemplating whether to try to squeeze medic skills in too or just max out these two.

(Jimmy James) #13

The Engineer is the best class in Brink in my opinion. They always have a primary or secondary objective, everyone loves a weapon buff, and mines + turret rule you.

Though I could kick Engineer butt if I brought my Field Ops over from ET:QW.

-JJ

(SinDonor) #14

[QUOTE=nephandys;366778]Hypothetically stupid defense situation: 8 engies = 8 turrets and 24 mines. In other words an impenetrable room/area. I don’t think they need any buffing. Also you state that engies the only one that has to invest 3 pts into an ability set, but if soldier wants fully improved frags he too has to invest 3 pts.

If anything I think the class needs a small adjustment. Right now they need pips for nades, 2 buffs, mines, and turrets, pretty much leaving them out of supplies at all times. Op on the other hand is usually sitting on a couple pips and isn’t as useful to the team as a whole (IMO). So I think giving the Op the weapon buff instead might have made sense. I doubt we’ll ever see this though as it would require the entire reworking of skill trees.[/QUOTE]

When I was maining my Op, I was kinda bummed I had no buff to give out. I thought it’d be cool if the Op had some sort of stealth buff that would give all teammates either the bunny slippers or silence their weapons or something to take them off the radar either perm or timed. Maybe make another rank 5 ability that allows the Op to either go invisible Predator style for 10 secs or cloak a teammate for the same time duration.

(Spendlove) #15

Engineer is the class I struggle most with and I am not sure why. I toss out armour, weapon buffs, upgrade posts, disarm, lay mines and plant turrets, but I am not going that extra distance with the engineer. I am not sure where I am going wrong.

Ops, Soldiers and Medics I find a doddle to play.

Any tips? Is there a trick I am missing?

(Hot-Wire) #16

With engineer, camp objectives. The engineer is by far the most important class in the game, especially on defense. If on attack, you are doing it wrong, and should use a more offensive class… or even medic.

However there are attack missions that require engineer, but you will be far more helpful with a different class

… but if you choose to still play engineer on attack. Focus on buffing everyones guns and armor.

Also make sure to place down defensive turrets and mines at plant sites after your fellow soldier or operative start doing their thing.

(Shinigami) #17

I am going to try to explain myself a bit better. Like I said, the engi isn’t useless. Its just that it seems its better to play as other classes.

Here is an example. I used to play as a Heavy engi with chinzor/mini gun. So i would obviously buff myself, buff teammates, and do alright getting some kills.
But now I am using heavy soldier, and heavy medic. And let me tell you, it is so much more dynamic and useful. Assuming there is an engi on the team that gives you weapon buff, now you have the weapon buff but you also have armor piercing rounds and an arsenal of mines, plus an ability to refill your supplies. If you would have been a medic that got the weapon buff, now you have the weapon buff plus the ability to heal yourself and teammates, revive yourself, and use a field regeneration unit.

I know that its kind of a convoluted idea, but the way i see it is that you want an engineer on your team…you just don’t want it to be you. I hope that clarifies a bit.

(Hot-Wire) #18

Engineers are the most objective oriented class in the game. Even if you don’t want it to be you, you NEED them for when things get out of hand… and when a enemy charge magically appears behind your Maginot line at the enemy spawn point.

Then what do you do? Stare at the charge while herp derping amongst each other?

That’s when you need an engineer and 1 is simply not enough… not when the engineer becomes the enemy’s prime target when the fuse is lit.

(Shinigami) #19

[QUOTE=Hot-Wire;366831]Engineers are the most objective oriented class in the game. Even if you don’t want it to be you, you NEED them for when things get out of hand… and when a enemy charge magically appears behind your Maginot line at the enemy spawn point.

Then what do you do? Stare at the charge while herp derping amongst each other?

That’s when you need an engineer and 1 is simply not enough… not when the engineer becomes the enemy’s prime target when the fuse is lit.[/QUOTE]

Lol i feel like you are taking this personal. Im not trying to pick fights here :slight_smile:
Really this thread is because the engi was my favorite class, but after switching to other classes i feel like i contribute much more to the team i play with.

(Throbblefoot) #20

I don’t know if it’s evidence that the Engineer is the most powerful class in the game, but it seems that there’s rarely a lack of Engineers (the way there’s sometimes a lack of Medics and Ops). When I play my Jack of All trades, I’m hardly ever forced to switch to Engineer because no one else is playing one.

Certainly, there’s always something to do as an Engineer, so that may be why it’s so popular.

-Throbblefoot