I've decided to post some information regarding the Engineer class. In this guide, I will be going over the Engineer's role on the battlefield, playstyle, power description, popular builds, squad combinations and also some Drone tricks and strategies. This guide is intended to help out thoughs that do not know much of the class and desires to learn more. Sadly, I spend my time playing Mass Effect 2 on the Xbox 360 so I am unable to offer the viewers some visual feedback to go along with the guide.
The Engineer Overview:
Firstly, I would like to compliment Bioware on their ability to design 6 classes with their own unique playstyle. You have the Vanguard who is the In Your Face class, the Sentinel that serves as the Defender / Tank, the Soldier that offers us the full Shooter experience, the Infiltrator that depends on Stealth and Sniping. Then you have the Adept and the Engineer; two classes who's playstyle is fairly similar yet extremely different. Both classes excel at manipulating the battlefield, yet their methods of doing so is what makes them unique.
While the Engineer is not all that powerful compared to the full force of a Vanguard's Shotgun or a Soldier's Adreniline Rush, that class excels at crowd control and distracting enemies, without having to fire a single shot. While Squad members may still use their weapons, Shepard can clear a room solely with the use of the powers. Each power has a way of disorientating a specific targe and using the full extent of their abilities is quite situational.
The Power Behind the Engineer:
Overload is a powerful charge of electricity that has the ability to strip away shields and potentially disable synthetics. It is extremely effective vs synthetics and can be lethal vs those that have had their shield and armor removed. The Higher the rank, the more damage is done to synthetics and the more shield it removes. The maximum rank either allows you to pulse synthetics with electricity so powerful that it causes them to explode on impact (Heavy Overload), or widen the range of overload (Area Overload).
Incinerate is basically a fireball that is launched from your omni-tool. It is heat seeking and can curve around corners to reach its target. It is weak vs synthetics but very effective against organics. It has the ability to remove armor in one or two shots and can distract organics that are vulnerable while dealing a fair amount of damage. The max rank gives you the option to burn or melt anything it touches (Heavy Incinerate), or increase the radius of the explosion once Incinerate reaches its target (Incineration Blast).
Combat Drone is the Bread and Butter for Engineers no matter what playstyle you are more comfortable with. Each time you use the ability, you summon a Drone behind the target of your choosing. It then electricutes them, temporarily distracting the target from the battle. Whether you choose to kill the target at that time or use its disorientated state to take down someone else is entirely up to you. However, just because it is the Engineer's Unique power, doesn't entirely mean that is useful vs every target. Certain enemies with the intent of killing Shepard, the Praetorian and the Geth Destroyers are just a few that I can list off, have the tendency of ignoring that little shocker. The max rank has the option of increasing the Drone's overal damage by 40 (Attack Drone) or causing them to explode each time it's destroyed, dealing 100 damage to those around it (Explosive Drone)
Cryo Blast is probably the most situational power in the Engineer's arsenal. It's the only one that doesn't work against armored and shieleded targets. However, when the target is vulnerable, it can become very deadly. Cryo Blast is a force of subzero temperature that is launched at the target in a small blast. Similar to Incinerate, it's able to curve corners in order to reach its target. Once it connects, it freezes the target (roughly takes one to two seconds to do so), freezing them where they stand and making them even more vulnerable to attacks. The max rank gives you the option to increase the duration of the freeze (Deep Cryo Blast) or the range of the blast. (Full Cryo Blast)
AI Hacking was the most interesting power for the Engineer in Mass Effect, and although the overall experience of the game is different, it is still fun in Mass Effect 2. AI Hacking is only useable against synthetics that have had their armor and shield removed. Once they are controlled, they become a puppet to the Engineer and attack their former allies. Also each rank increases the duration of how long they are controlled as well as the amount of shield they gain while under the Engineer's control. The max rank gives you the ability to enhance these features more (Improved AI Hacking) or increase the amount of vulnerable synthetics you can control at once (Area AI Hacking)
Tech Mastery is the Engineer's passive power that makes your creative powers "faster, flashier and more frequent". There max rank option is what truly defines your Engineering experience in the long run. You have the option to make your powers incredibly efficient, making them recharge faster and last longer. This option is Mechanic and it also improves your Paragon / Renegade score by 100%. The other option specializes in combat operations, and reduces the recharge time of your powers while gaining a bonus to their damage. This is the Operative and it boosts your Paragon / Renegade score by 70%.
The Engineering Experience:
As expected and much like the other classes, Engineer's has the potential to host an entirely separate experience simply by picking a few key abilities. Of course in order to get the full potential of your designed playstyle, I highly suggest picking these powers in unison.
One key example is described as the Demolisher and the Tech Master. The Demolisher focuses on abilities such as Incinerate, Overload and Cryo Blast and uses these abilities to change the tide of battle. More often than not, these players choose Explosive Drone over Attack Drone in order to increase its overall damage potential. The reason behind this is simple. As I stated earlier, the Attack Drone does consistant damage that totals out to 40 every 3 seconds. On Insanity however, the life span of your Drone is shorten, thus weakening the potential of its overall damage. Explosive Drone however, deals damage after death which also happens to have a large radius. Thus, providing the opportunity to spam the Drone for a consistent 100 damage in the midst of a group of enemies.
The Tech Master playstyle differs from the Demolisher on several accounts. Instead of focusing on dealing the damage themselves, they are more dependent on others. They rely on Overload in order to remove shields and then use AI Hacking and the Combat Drone to manipulate the battlefield and turn an otherwise outnumbered fight into an even match-up. My experience as a Tech Master is limited, but I found that Attack Drone has a better chance with this playstyle. With fewer enemies to worry about, your Drone will have a longer life span, thus giving them an edge over the Explosive Drone in damage. Also, majority of the Tech Masters pick Dominate as their bonus power so that they aren't entirely useless in organic fights (IE, Horizon and the Collector Ship.)
I found that the Demolisher's playstyle is more aggressive, charging into their front-lines, destroying their shield and then using cryo to disable the target while you finish them off. Tech Master on the other hand is more conservative and tends to hide behind cover more.
Popular Builds:
Now it's time to talk about what build works best for you. I summarized the overall experience between the two most popular builds in my Demolisher / Tech Master piece. I will, however, go into more detail as to why you would pick these abilities and what bonus abilities work to their favor.
Demolisher - Level 30
Heavy Overload - Rank 4 - 10 points
Heavy Incinerate - Rank 4 - 10 points
Explosive Drone - Rank 4 - 10 points
Cryo Blast - Rank 3 - 6 points
AI Hacking - Rank 1 - 1 point
Mechanic (or Operative - more detail about the option below) - Rank 4 - 10 points
Armor Piercing Ammo - Rank 2 - 3 points
50 points used - 1 point remaining
This was the build I followed during my hardcore run and the majority of my Insanity run. I chose Heavy over Area on both Overload and Incinerate simply because it was easier for me to wear down one target at a time while using my Drone and squad abilities to control and distract other targets. In order to emphasize this playstyle, I needed to increase the power's overall damage. The uses are pretty simple; Overload vs shields / synthetics (which Heavy also gave an advantage against synthetics by adding an AoE explosion), Incinerate vs Armor and vulnerable organics, Drone vs the stronger enemy of the pack, Cryo to CC. I hardly ever used AI Hacking this way.
In the early stages as an Engineer, I rarely used Cryo Blast. However, the more I grew to understand the class, the more comfortable I became with its uses. Cryo Blast is probably the most effective ability you have vs Krogans. Combine that with Drone spammage and you have Krogans on constant lockdowns. Also, if you prefer to play aggressive, you will find yourself using Cryo over Incinerate in order to disable targets as you charge towards them.
I picked Armor Piercing Ammo so that I had an effective way to wear down armor and protection while my powers were on cooldown. Not only that, but it seemed to boost the overall damage of my weapons than the other options I had. Also, the benefit for using AP Ammo is that it is passive and that it does not require a cooldown.
Edit: After contemplating the options more thoroughly, I've decided to also include Operative as a potential max ranked option for Tech Master. The choice, however, is entirely up to you as I will be providing feedback about both ranks and how they can benefit your playstyle.
Firstly, the Mechanic, in my opinion, is probably the better option of the two regardless of the build you choose. It increases the duration of your powers, thus prolonging the potential lifespan of your droid and your Geth / Organic (if you use Dominate) puppets. This is really important for any Engineer. The Mechanic also increases the duration of your Cryo Blast and Incinerate, and because the Incinerate power does damage over time, it also increases its overall damage. However, don't be mistaken, just because its damage is increased over time doesn't mean that it does more damage than an Operative's Incinerate. In fact, the damage between the two is just about even.
The reason why I suggest Operative as well for a Demolisher relates to the whole build's concept. The Demolisher build is designed to increase damage and burst down enemies and the Operative rank increases the damage of all your powers. This effects Incinerate and Overload more so than any other power in your arsenal. By having their damage increase, it allows you to remove the target's protection quicker than what you're able to do as a Mechanic. As mentioned before, the damage between both ranks is even when it comes to Incinerate, it's just that the Mechanic focuses on damage over time while Operative provides a much better burst and also gives you a stronger edge over synthetics with overload. Operative benefits those that would otherwise ignore the whole AI Hacking ability.
Warp Techie - Level 30
Heavy Overload - Rank 4 - 10 points
Heavy Incinerate - Rank 4 - 10 points
Explosive Drone - Rank 4 - 10 points
Cryo Blast - Rank 1 - 1 point
AI Hacking -
Operative - Rank 4 - 10 points
Squad Warp Ammo - Rank 4 - 10 points
51 points used - 0 points remaining
This build was my build of choice in heavy Collector battles such as Horizon and the Collector Ship. Collector's shielding is actually a barrier instead of armor. Thus, Warp from Thane or Miranda, or Warp Ammo is more effective against them. I think I can safely say that this build is actually focused around the Warp Ammo and aside from that, the playstyle isn't much different than the build above.
Tech Master - Level 30
Area Overload - Rank 4 - 10 points
Incinerate - Rank 1 - 1 point
Drone - Rank 3 - 6 points
Cryo Blast - Rank 2 - 3 points
Area AI Hacking - Rank 4 - 10 points
Mechanic - Rank 4 - 10 points
Area Dominate - Rank 4 - 10 points
50 points used - 1 point remaining
This style replicates the Tech Master experience and overall enhances your ability to control the battlefield. Area overload gives you the ability to remove shields on groups quicker, thus making it faster for you to actually take control of them once their protection is removed. I felt that 2 points in Incinerate was still necessary so that it could help you vs armor on organics. Cryo is the least of your concerns as a Tech Master since you're spending most of the time trying to keep control of the target and less time using powers for other reasons. I felt that Drone itself wasn't as necessary as the other builds considering that you have multiple organics / synthetics under your control as is. Thus, maxing out the Drone is simply a waste of points. Also by taking control of the target, it turns every other enemy against them, thus wearing down their numbers one at a time. As I mentioned earlier, I am slightly less experienced with this playstyle but I can assume that battles have a tendency of lasting longer this way and that you will be more or less playing conservatively.
Squad Combinations:
I would have to say that the biggest drawback yet biggest advantage the class has involves their squad makes. Because they lack weaponry damage, they have to depend on combinations and assistance from their squad. However, because the Engineer's powers gives them the ability to remove armor and protection quickly, they are more versatile as to who they are able to bring with them.
Miranda: She is probably one of your best squad members in almost every mission. Her Overload can stack with yours, removing the target's shield in seconds. In addition, should the target have a barrier, her warp can remove that in a synch as well. One of her biggest strengths though is her Cerberus Leadership ability which increases the squad's overall weapon damage. Combine that with another squadie's squad ammo and you basically get rid of your only true weakness. Miranda works best with either another biotic (Thane, Samara, Jack or Jacob) or someone else that has overload, depending on the map. I found that her and Zaeed made Tali's mission easy with Squad Disruptor Ammo + 2 Overloads. Then you had Miranda and Thane on Collector battles that would otherwise remove barriers in a second. You also have the abillity to combine Miranda's Slam with Thane's Warp for a Warp explosion. Aside from those two, Garrus is probably the third string choice with her as your primary squad member.
Mordin and Grunt: The reason why I list these two as a pair is because I rarely went with one without the other. They truly make a powerful force on heavy organic fights and I went through the IFF Mission in 10 minutes, disincluding cut scenes and dialogue. Combine Mordin and the Engineer's incinerate with Grunt's Incendiary Ammo and things die. I also found that by having either yourself or Mordin use Cryo and then using either Incinerate or the Incendiary ammo on the frozen target would kill them a lot quicker due to the fire and ice damage boost. Also combining Cryo Blast with Area Concussive Shot leads to a devastating result and I found myself laughing on several occasion when I see three targets fall off the map.
Zaeed and Garrus / Miranda: As stated, Zaeed and Miranda makes a great pair on heavy synthetic fights. Zaeed's squad disruptor ammo not only diminishes their shield but it also stuns the target for a brief moment, granting you the ability to capitalize and execute them. In addition, I found that it was very useful to bring someone else that has overload. Miranda can be useful because of her overall boost to damage, but I prefer Garrus over her mainly due to the incredible amount of damage the pair dish out with sniper rifles. Also, his inferno grenade can be quite helpful on maps that also include organics and synthetics, though it's primarily effective against organics.
Sorry Tali
: My biggest upset as an Engineer was the inability to take Tali with me. As stated, I played a Demolisher so I focused heavily on damage output and the powers that Tali had just didn't go along with that. Tali didn't work to my benefit, but I assume her and Legion are strong with a Tech Master Engineer. I have yet to test the combination out myself, so any additional feedback on the thread or as a message would be helpful.Loyalty Mission Squad Composition:
Miranda = Zaeed
Jacob = Miranda
Garrus = Zaeed
Grunt = Mordin
Mordin = Grunt
Jack = Miranda
Samara = Not important
Thane = Not important
Tali = Zaeed
Legion = Tali
Zaeed = Mordin
Drone Tricks and Tactics:
As stated before, Drone is, by far, the best power in your arsenal. It serves as a tank and also deals a decent amount of damage. In addition, Drones can be used to change the tide of the battle in an instant.
Drone vs Harbinger - Harbinger, when left alone, can be very annoying at times. To those veterans that know the fight, you know that it is your priority to try and take out the other collectors before Harbinger so that you prevent him from taking them over. As an Engineer, this fight becomes less complicated. First of all, Harbinger is one of many enemies that can become distracted by the Drone. I've noticed that by sending the Drone, Harbinger has a tendency of walking backwards and on several occasions, I was able to corner him behind cover while I spent the rest of the time picking of the collectors. The drawback when it comes to using Drones on Harbinger is his ability to take them out instantly, causing you to waste several cooldowns on it before you finally get a break. When this happens, I found it best to just kill him off rather than stall.
Drone vs Covered Targets: As long as you're able to mark the target, you're able to choose where to send your Drone. This tool is essential for pulling your target of choice out of cover and or breaking a group of people apart. Usually only one target is distracted by the Drone, but I had numerous occasions where the whole group worked together to bring the Drone down. This provided me enough time to take away their shields and scorch them to death with Incinerate.
Drone vs YMIR Mechs and Krogan: Similar to how the Drone benefits you against Harbinger, it's also effective vs YMIR Mechs and Krogans. The strategy is the same, just be sure to find cover that denies them the ability to flank you. When the Krogan's in the red, finish them off with Cryo.
Assault Rifle vs Shotgun vs Sniper Rifle:
The answer to this question all depends on the player really. Each player has their own unique style and as a result, they may respond differently to weapon choices. I, personally, chose the Assault rifle as my weapon. My playstyle had me spending a lot of time in cover and out of close range from the target. Also, because I was more conservative, I hardly had the ability to run and find Ammo Clips during mid-fight, so I found that ammo, or the lack thereof, was hard to deal with. Once I got my rifle, it became my primary weapon.
To those of you that prefer to play aggressive, Shotgun may be the best bet. If that is your choice, then I suggest taking Grunt or Jacob with you from there on out so that you can gain from their incendiary ammos. You'll find yourself using Cryo a lot while releasing a barrage of bullets in their face.
Sadly to say, I don't see much of a use for Sniper Rifles for an Engineer. An Engineer's powers a mostly range abilities and they deal a good amount of damage already. There's no sense in wasting the weapon choice for something you already have.
That about sums up the guide for now. I will be adding more information along the way once I receive feedback from the viewers. If there is anything that I missed or anything that you would like to add or change, you may respond on the thread or message me personally. Also, I would like to give a shoutout to Average Gatsby, responsible for the "Adepting Through Insanity" Guide. He is also starting an Engineer guide so it may be helpful to see what he has to say, considering that I am unable to follow in his steps and make a video guide myself. Thank you for taking the time in reading this and I hope that it is helpful!
UPDATE 02/22/10:
After reading some of your feedback, I decided to add a section relating to what abilities are your priority while leveling as well as what powers are better for your squad mates.
Engineer's Leveling Guide:
In order to design a leveling guide that is suitable for everyone, excluding what level you are and everything, I will be separating it into three key points of the game, Horizon, the Collector Ship, and IFF Reaper. The reason why I won't include the Suicide Mission is because the build listed above basically summarizes that portion of the spec since it is at the end of the game. For each key point, I will list the build's progression and then briefly summarize why I chose these powers in these orders. Remember that because Engineer is such a versatile class, that you don't actually need to follow my guide point by point. It is more or less intended to give you an idea why you would invest a point in a certain power at a certain point in the game.
Demolisher
Warp Techie
Tech Master
Modifié par Jaekahn, 24 février 2010 - 12:07 .
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