A Quick build guide for my new favorite Barrier Scrapper. Check the article for more details, and enjoy it as much as possible:-)

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Introduction

Today let's take a look at my variation of the popular PvE Barrier Scrapper.

  • As the name suggests, this build can provide a load of Barriers, and overall sustain, keeping you alive even in the toughest situations, while still performing good dps.
  • It shines in the small-scale PvE environment, in the Story, and especially while killing tough enemies.
  • I've been able to solo every single Heart of Thorns Hero Point with ease, for example, after someone said it's impossible.
  • It's also quite viable in Fractals, and Dungeons when playing with pugs, and I had some fun with it while roaming in World VS World as well, but there are better builds for those scenarios for sure.

Gear and Consumables

This build has many variants. Mine is a bit on the defensive side.

  • I've picked a combo of Diviner and Berserker gear for the perfect mix of offensive power, and maximum boon duration, with Scrapper Runes for some extra damage reduction.
  • With the full Ascended or Legendary, I use 6 pieces of Berserker armor, and a Diviner Hammer as well as a Diviner trinkets, and a Backpack. All Infusions are +Power.
  • With the Food and Utility buff, you will reach 99% Boon Duration, which is enough to maximize the duration of all Boons you have.
    For the weapon sigils, go for the Strength which helps with stacking Might and Concentration for Boon Duration.
  • The exotic set is fairly easy to come by since you can buy everything on the Trading Post. Just search for the "Diviner and Berserker" for the armor and weapons, and "Serpentite" for trinkets. For the backpack, buy the currently cheapest "Lucky Lantern" with selectable stats.
  • When it comes to food, there are tons of options. My favorite one is Scoop of Mintberry Ice Cream, for extra Precision, and life steal on crit, but otherwise you can go with anything boosting Power and Precision.
  • For the Utility, it's without a doubt the Holographic Super Cheese, which gives almost 100 extra Power, and the remaining Concentration.

Damage Dealing

The gameplay seems simple, but it has a bunch of hidden synergies you have to learn.

  • There are no rotations, it's all situational.
  • The damage dealing part is super simple.
  • Use Hammer skills with the Shredder, and Blast Gyro on cooldown, otherwise spam auto attacks, and that's it.

Crowd Control

CCs are not great, but also not terrible.

  • You can use Hammer 5 followed by Hammer 3.
  • Blast Gyro is another strong CC as well as Toolbelt 4.
  • Then a bit of Soft CCs from Mortar 3 and 4.

Unfortunately for some bosses, it's not enough, even all of it together.

Boons

Self-buffing is also quite simple, and important. Besides the Boons themselves, you will get healed with each application with the trait Compounding Chemicals and Reduce incoming damage with Iron Blooded.

  • 25 stacks of Might will come from auto attacks alone with the Strength rune.
  • Permanent Fury from the Short Fuse, every time you hit with the explosion. This can be easily maintained just by using Hammer 2 on cooldown.
  • Toolbelt 3 provides Stability with about 50% uptime. Use it on cooldown since active Stability equals a 5% damage boost with the trait Object In Motion.
  • The same trait does another 5% with active Superspeed. Its uptime management is a key to success. When you get Superspeed, you will also get Quickness with the Kinetic Accelerators. You will have way more overall Superspeed than you need, but it doesn't stack well in duration, so you can't just fire up all those skills at once. Your Main Heal, Toolbelt 1, and Toolbelt 2 give Superspeed on demand while remaining 3 Gyros on the end of their effects. It's not that hard to time their usage with, let's say, 5-second delays.
  • Every 30s let your HP drop under 75% to activate the trait Hidden Flask. Besides Might and Fury, you don't need any extra, it gives Resolution for extra damage reduction and Swiftness, which is another 5% damage boost with the Object in Motion.

Barriers

Now let's take a look at Barriers. The Barrier is a temporary over shield that acts like extra health above your regular pool and depletes before it.

  • The primary source of the Barrier in this build is active gameplay, damage, and dodging. With the trait Impact Savant, 5% of your damage is converted into the Barrier. That's why it's important to maintain 25 stacks of Might, Fury, and Quickness all the time. More damage equals more Barrier.
  • The 2nd comes from traits Explosive Entrance, and Blast Shield. Every time you dodge in combat, your next attack explodes, deals damage, and grants a bit of Barrier. Therefore, dodge often.
  • The 3rd source is Hammer 4. Besides blocking all incoming attacks, it deals 5 quick hits in very short range, and if they hit an enemy, you will get back some Barrier. If you hit multiple enemies at once, it will be.. well multiplied. Works up to 5 targets. Use it anytime it's on cooldown, don't save it for blocks.
  • The 4th comes from the Emergency Elixir that procs once you cross the 33% HP threshold.
  • And the final one is the Bulwark Gyro. It's almost as potent as a second heal. Again, use it on cooldown, don't wait till your health drops too much.

Self Healing

The Barrier is not the only thing keeping you alive. Self-healing is just as important.

  • The 1st source is obviously Medic Gyro, the main Heal. But unlike with other builds, you have to it use proactively, when it's on cooldown, do not wait for your health to drop down.
  • The 2nd source is again damage, but this time only from skills that counts as explosions, thanks to the trait Big Boomer. Here it's again a mine after dodge, courtesy Explosive Entrance. Hammer 2 also counts as 2 separate explosions and finally Mortar 1 is a spam-able explosion, but to be honest, you will rarely need that one.
  • The 3rd source, are water fields. You have 3. Medic Gyro, it's Toolbelt 1 and Mortar 5. All those skills heal by themselves, but with the water field they provide, you can squeeze out some extra juice with combo finishers. Use Hammer 3, right after you any of those skills for 2 health blasts. Mortar 1, Hammer 2, and Shredder Gyro inside the Water field also stack loads of Regeneration.

Cleansing Conditions

Condition Cleansing might be a bit issue here, but with all the Barriers, and self-healing, not that pressing actually, or at least I've never felt it.

  • Every 60s trait Transmute cleanses 3 Conditions, but that's about it.
  • There is also Mortar 4. Plonk it on the ground and rapidly fire into it with Mortar 1.

And that is all you need to know.
I will admit it's not exactly a beginner-friendly build, but on another hand, not the hardest one.
It's very proactive and fun to play, probably the most enjoyable build I've ever played with the Engineer.