Upping my Ground game as an Engineer?

furiontassadar

So, I find myself playing a lot of ground STFs these days, and I've been looking for ways to improve my performance as an Engineer. In addition to fishing for some general tips, I had a couple of specific questions:

- What Ground Duty Officers do my fellow Engineers recommend? I was going to snag some very rare DOffs that give me a chance to summon extra turrets and mortars, but beyond that, are there any Engineer Ground DOffs that are considered "optimal"? Or does it come down to personal preference?

- I was also going to try and get my hands on one of the Delta Expedition Kits that give bonuses to Crit, but I was wondering, again, what were the optimal mods: straight Crit Chance [CritH], straight Crit Severity [CritD] or a mix of both [CritX]? Or does it depend on the other gear I might be using?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me in regards to my specific questions, as well as any more general tips about improving my ground performance you wanna give me.

sander233

Two words: Chroniton Mines. Maybe the single most power ground kit module in the game - and its a mechanic module, not fabrication, so you still have plenty of room for your turrets and generators.

Speaking of turrets and generators, you'll want to get yourself the mk XII plasma turret from the embassy and the biomolecular medical generator from the Undine rep ASAP.

As an engineer, you'll have a raft of tools to deal damage to the enemy (mines, turrets, mortars) in addition to your weapons. I've learned that when you're dealing pressure damage as opposed to spike, you want to land more crits rather than more severe crits, so critH would be the way to go. (Except for your individual weapons - critD is the mod you want to be looking for there.) Its similar to the logic with your ship - you go with the spire vulnerability locator consoles to boost critH to all your weapons, but you want critD mods on the weapons themselves.

Dyson rep armor/shields are excellent for Engineers (especially if you have "Hunker Down" from the Commando spec tree,) as are MACO/AdaptedKHG with the team heals. KHG/Adapted MACO armor/weapon are fun too, as it gives you a grenade ability. My main KDF Eng. usually runs KHG armor/pulsewave, Dyson shield/proton rifle, and a delta critH kit. (For Borg STFs I add the KDF shield and a TR-116b in place of the Dyson gear. And I swap out for the four-pc. Counter-Command rep set to run Undine Infiltration or Bug Hunt.)

[edit:] Doff-wise I like the transporter officer with a chance to beam in a medical or shield generator when the other one is used - this usually lets me get away with not having a shield generator in my fabber kit. There's a Hirogen security doff that turns your chroniton mines into a snare, that's very useful when dealing with mobile, high-hp NPCs like the bosses in STFs. Otherwise the extra turret/mortar doffs are always a good choice.

shevet

My main (Tylha) is a ground-heavy engineer, and I don't have much to add to what sander's said - except maybe one thing: get the neutronic mortar from the Undine reputation gear if you can. Its significantly increased blast radius is a real benefit.

Doffs - yes, all the ones that give you a chance for bonus equipment (the neutronic mortar functions just like an ordinary quantum mortar in this respect - that is, when you place one and have the right doff slotted, you have a chance to get a couple of extra quantum mortars too.)

My strategy, such as it is, tends (depending on circumstances) to be to use Tylha as a one-person bridgehead: advance to what looks like a good commanding vantage point, pop mines and a medical generator (hopefully with a shield generator too - doffs again) for defensive purposes, then pull out the flamethrower turret, the neutronic mortar, and an area-effect weapon (I shelled out for the Jem'Hadar minigun and don't regret it). With that lot, and judicious use of protection and heal abilities, I can generally lay waste to a fair-sized area while pulling (and surviving) a decent amount of aggro.

neomodious

there's also a doff that can spawn extras of the drones, one of which has the power for repairing fabrications, so you don't need to pay as much attention to those.

freakium

I've been using a power called Bulwark Projection that I rather like. It can be used both defensively and offensively. On first activation, it provides a mini cover-shield that hovers in front of you and on second activation, it shoots that cover-shield outwards in a blast that reduces your enemies' damage.

mcduffie369

try this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpsLncQoTtk&list=PLXsQAcYmzAwBRvia361EXnLEFm7IqZH6X&index=2

waldotrek

The above poster has a another good video of a Ground Shield Tank set up. I use that a lot with the full Jem Hadar works excellent for team play if your into that sort of role.
Another good set up is the 2 piece Omega set. With the Distortion Field you can flank the opponent and set up a turret from behind. Use the mission reward Ghostbuster gun if you have crowd and have fun. Finding ground to be a lot of fun.

furiontassadar

I apologize for not stopping back in here sooner, but I did read through some of the advice peeps gave me, and have adjusted my ground build a bit accordingly. I'm now tearing through stuff even faster than before. :P

So thanks for answering my questions and all the other advice!

shockwave85

I've been rehabbing an Eng character I haven't played since Season 6. My old strategy for Eng on the ground was to spawn all kinds of TRIBBLE, then hunker down and lure the enemy in. That seems really slow though, especially for newer content like the Voth Battlezone. What's the thought on using Eng debuffs like Weapons Malfunction or Fuse Armor, in conjunction with mines and transphasic bombs, and maybe a drone? That way, I can move around while shutting down my enemies and blasting them with explosives. I've had a debuff Engineer, usually an android, as one of the typical Boffs I use on my Tac and Sci characters and it seems to be really helpful.

birzark

A lot of good things have been said in this thread but my favorite thing for engi ground is the trait to upgrade your orbital strike to orbital chasing beam. I need to look on the exchange for how much but its a profession reward trait so depending on who opens it will get a specific thing to help them. With an engineer it gives a trait that increases the orbital strike damage and will chase the target around, its my single favorite ability to use as an engineer.

markhawkman

Eng are generally not well suited to fast offense. Drones are your best option there since they act much like moving turrets.

revanindustries

I don't have a lot of experience with Engineers, but I'll throw in my thoughts as well. Bring in a Med Gen DOffed with the Transporter Officer (free shield gens almost 1/2 the time) and a Plasme Flamethrower turret for your Fab slots. For the Mechanics slots Chroniton Mines are really good, especially with the added Snare DOff. Shield Pulse looks nice as a Team Shield Heal, and then probably either Weapons Malfunction or Fuse Armor in the last slot. That's what I'd probably do for general PVE.

shockwave85

I wasn't thinking fast as in spike damage like a Tac. I was thinking fast as in movement. Say you're trying to take an artillery point in the Voth Battlezone. You're talking like 2-3 guards at each generator, then you need to move to the next. And, you need to clear all 5 within a time limit. I'd prefer not to invest time setting up med gens and turrets that I'm just going to walk away from. I'd prefer powers that go off and confer their benefit right away, like a debuff or mines.

Now, if you're doing something like Bug Hunt, then yeah the hunker down strategy pays off. The beauty of the new kit system is you can swap kit modules on the fly to fit what you're doing. I'm just trying to figure out if an Eng captain has to rely on stationary fabrications, or if there's a way to be successful while being more mobile.

markhawkman

shockwave85 wrote: »

I wasn't thinking fast as in spike damage like a Tac. I was thinking fast as in movement. Say you're trying to take an artillery point in the Voth Battlezone. You're talking like 2-3 guards at each generator, then you need to move to the next. And, you need to clear all 5 within a time limit. I'd prefer not to invest time setting up med gens and turrets that I'm just going to walk away from. I'd prefer powers that go off and confer their benefit right away, like a debuff or mines.

Now, if you're doing something like Bug Hunt, then yeah the hunker down strategy pays off. The beauty of the new kit system is you can swap kit modules on the fly to fit what you're doing. I'm just trying to figure out if an Eng captain has to rely on stationary fabrications, or if there's a way to be successful while being more mobile.

For missions where mobility is crucial, I'd go with a drone swarm strategy. Use doffs to increase your summon numbers. but that's only 1 module. (the second drone skill is an inherent Eng ability)

Shield pulse is great as it's an insta-heal.

Transphasic bomb (and variants thereof) are primarily useful when you either A: know where an enemy will spawn before they spawn, or B: are attacking a mostly immobile opponent. It can be useful in other ways but those are the best IMO.

Mines are good. Flashbombs are great since you can use them AND chroniton mines. They don't require as much setup as turrets, but... they only work if enemies step on them.

One thing I haven't tried is the doffs for making weapons malfunction affect multiple enemies.

centaurianalpha

Some of the new kit modules are quite useful, like the anchor drone. TBH, I find that my sci captain is better suited to fast ground action, because so many of the powers & modules are offensive in nature..

revanindustries

centaurianalpha wrote: »

Some of the new kit modules are quite useful, like the anchor drone. TBH, I find that my sci captain is better suited to fast ground action, because so many of the powers & modules are offensive in nature..

I have to agree here: Science captains have many great damage abilities in ground, most of which are Area of Effect. Properly DOffed and timed I can get 725 damage Crits on an Exo Field, and 90 damage a tick critical on Neutronic Radiation.

welcome2earf

QnD kit: Just grab a purp MK X Enemy neut. CHEAP AND very EFFECTIVE. Seriously. However:

* Weapons Malfunction
* Mortar Fabrication (Agree with poster saying go for Neutronic)
* Chroniton Mine Barrier (If you get the doff with chance to disable weps with mines, you *might* be able to swap weapon malfunction in your kit to something else.
* Turret Fabrication
* Transphasic Bomb/Cryo Bomb

- And any kit that adds CritH and/or CritD - those would be the Delta Expedition kits.

Pretty much this is all you need. Weapon Malfunction for those annoyingly hard bosses. And get in close and mine them to hell. You *could* one of your turrets for possible a Fuse Armor and get the doff that applies double damage to FA...but the damage is so low it's kinda lame. But...add that to a pile of mines and a Trans bomb and most bosses except a few are gone.

gaullt

As primarily a Tactical I love the Engineer leavings in many places. I find a nice flank proof corner and flank shot the heck out of the Bugs/Borg/etc. that get pulled in by the shilds/guns you gyts leave behind. I do not know how good the flanking attack works for you, but a Cross firing gun turret might be worth nothing extra spent, but your damage starts lookin like XIV epic?

paxdawn

My Eng ground skill set and DoFFs are at my Gal R stoacademy

http://www.stoacademy.com/tools/skillplanner/?build=galrdpstankpreplasmafix_0

Currently, its #2nd at BHE at 871 DPS and #15 1050 at NTTE.

BHE is an Engs playground due to being it mines and bomb friendly. While NTTE and DRSE is a Tacs playground due to those 2 being Ambush friendly but not really optimal for mines and bombs.

Optimal for DPS for Eng are demo and turrets. Can get 50-100 DPS on the drones alone or around 500 DPS with pets. Engs are less weapon dependent since you will be spending most of the time laying mines, bomb, placing turrets/mortars and respawning drones.

For the kit and weapons, i got almost the same as Felisean's eng kit except with a couple of difference. Here is Feliseans ground build:

http://dps.shivtr.com/forum_threads/2036427

manicyaqui

Here's what I've been using for a while with pretty decent success:

http://skillplanner.stoacademy.com/?build=nihlus_0

As other's have said the Neutronic Mortar is great, large target recticle with good damage. I really also like Shield Pulse since I use it as a mobile shield generator, the recharge time on it is pretty decent as well (especially with the DOFF that reduces ground asset recharge times.)

Planting mines then knocking back enemies into them with the shotgun is alwaus fun.

shockwave85

I've been testing out my high mobility Engineer by setting the difficulty to Advanced while leveling up in story missions. It's working pretty well. I have Chroniton Mines, Weapon Malfunction, Seeker Drone, Vaadwaur Anchor Drone, and Shield Pulse. For Doffs, I have one that makes the mines disable weapons, one that spawns extra support drones, and a couple that make Weapon Malfunction contagious. I've only died a couple times, once because I was being stupid fighting the Borg/Undine and didn't realize there were tac drones flanking me, and once because I'm not exactly sure what happened. I killed the Breen captain in the ice cave during Cold Case, then dropped my guard and I think i got hit by a lingering ice mortar or something. I'm not sure. Stuff just started exploding in cold and I lost the last bit of my HP. Generally, things die pretty quickly. Weapon Malfunction is giving me exposes, and when it chains to other enemies I might get multiple exposes for my split beam rifle to hit. Snagging the toughest guy in the group with the anchor drone, then laying mines at his feet also helps move things along. I wish the mines would arm faster since the mobs seem smart enough to move away from them, but what can you do. Sometimes I can push them back onto the mines with my pulsewave.

I'll get some of the traditional mortar and turret modules for missions that favor it, but I like this for what I'm using it for. Often in story missions or running around the battlezone, I can drop a group of regular mobs before a mortar has time to land. I much prefer that my drones follow me around, and the CD on the mines is short enough that even if I waste it I'm not too upset.

rattler2

I would like to suggest, if you can afford it, pick up the Orbital Devastation trait. Turns your Oribital Strike from a one and done blast to a beam that follows targets.

Without knowing more about your preferred playstyle I can't really suggest what kit modules to use. I am usually a Bunker/Drone type with my two Engies setting up turrets and deploying drones. But you might be more of the mobile debuff type that likes to use Fuse Armor or Weapon Malfunction. So ultimately... its up to you to decide what works best. *shrug*

kharlis

Chroniton Mines, Seeker Drone and Support Drone. I usually deploy the drones before contact and try to drop the mines in the midst of the enemy. If done right, you can usually clear most if not all of a mob when the mines blow.

I also usually take two Engineer, one Science and one Tactical Boff along. The engineers for mines, mortars and turrets, the tac for grenades and the sci for healing and such. My away team is neither stealthy nor subtle. Things tend to blow up spectacularly when we show up.

gradii

My engineer uses Shield generator with quantum mortar and cover shield to set up a defensive position, and fires from there with the nice long range of her Mark XIV MACO phaser rifle.

Works great for soloing inquisitor Dran in the Dyson ground battlezone, and your team mates, if you have em- can use your cover shield and shield regen field as well.

Quantum mortar helps pound away at enemy reinforcements, and if theres a need for a sudden burst of anihillation, call in the orbital strike.

I do well in space and ground but ground is definitely my favorite. I find space slow and boring in comparison, although a torpedo revamp might help.