Warhammer Online: Dwarf Engineer
MMORPG.com Warhammer Online Correspondent Patrick Buckley writes this overview of the Dwarf Engineer career in Mythic Entertainment's Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.
The Dwarven Engineer is a versatile combatant. His techniques center around doing damage to multiple enemies with an effect that also damages over time. This is only the basic path of the engineer, but it can be specialized into three different, more precise paths upon reaching level eleven. At this point, a Dwarven Engineer has the opportunity to choose one of three paths to devote himself to. Or, he can mix it up and have limited mastery in all three paths. No matter which path is chosen, an engineer can choose to charge into battle with his wrench by his side, or stand behind the meat shields, lobbing deadly bullets and grenades into throngs of unsuspecting enemies.
What I have for you is a guide on building your Dwarven Engineer through all three of his chosen masteries: The Rifleman, the Grenadier, and the Tinkerer. Each one of these paths will also include some suggestions for levelling renown skills to improve your effectiveness as an engineer.
The Rifleman
The Rifleman is a master at long range precision. By all but giving up on the use of machines and explosive devices, the Rifleman dedicates himself to the art of the gun. This specialized path well equips the Dwarven Engineer for long range solo combat, preferably as a support character for tougher opponents or NPC champions. To start things off, don’t be afraid to take skills that are considered to be in either the Grenadier or Tinkerer skill trees. These skills can be used freely by any Dwarven Engineer after learning them and should be used whenever needed. Just remember that you can still purchase any skills later on in the game, but you want to skip over skills you won’t necessarily need. For the Rifleman, these ignored skills are ones that would normally attract attention from multiple enemies such as Fragmentation Grenade and Static Discharge. Skills such as Barbed Wire, Flashbang Grenade, Concussion Grenade, and Self-Destruct are good skills to have to create distance between you and the enemy by either slowing them down or knocking them to the ground completely.
Since a Rifleman relies on his DPS and long range to overcome an enemy, his health and ability to absorb wounds shouldn’t be a primary concern when levelling renown abilities. Your primary concern is to become a Dwarven glass canon. To do this, all renown abilities should be ignored except for the Marksman ability. This ability will effectively increase your Ballistic skill by 102 points when maxed. Once you reach renown level 20, you can then start placing points into the Sharpshooter ability. This will also grant you a 102 point boost in your Ballistic skill and give you a 102 point boost in Initiative. The Ballistic and Initiative boosts will increase your ranged DPS, your ability to hit a target, and your ability to dodge being hit. After renown level 40, it is best to put any more points into the Sure Shot skill. This will give you a 12% boost in ranged critical hits. Any points afterwards should be used wherever you think is needed, but I would suggest abilities used to dodge or parry close combat attacks to ensure your speedy retreat.
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The Grenadier
The Grenadier is a master at spreading massive amounts of damage across many enemies. By giving up on the long range of the Rifleman and the machines of the Tinkerer, the Grenadier improves his ability to throw further and affect more enemies with every grenade he tosses. This specialized path well equips the Dwarven Engineer for group combat right behind the front lines. To start things off, don’t be afraid to take skills that are considered to be in either the Rifleman or Tinkerer skill trees. These skills can be used freely by any Dwarven Engineer after learning them and should be used whenever needed. Just remember that you can still purchase any skill later on in the game, but you want to skip over skills you won’t necessarily need. For the Grenadier, these ignored skills are ones that would normally deal damage to a single target, as opposed to many of them. Skills such as Friction Burn, Blunderbuss Blast, and Land Mine help to complement the damage already done by the Grenadiers arsenal.
Since a Grenadier concentrates on damaging multiple enemies with instant and DPS damage, he would expect to receive a lot of attention in combat. To do as much damage as possible as well as stay alive, a Dwarven Grenadier would need to become a tank character. To do this, all renown abilities should be ignored except for the Fortitude ability. This ability will effectively increase your Wounds stat by 102 points when maxed. Once you reach renown level 20, you can then start placing points into the Vigor ability. This will also grant you a 102 point boost in your Wounds stat. The Fortitude and Wounds boosts will increase the amount of hit points you have, as well as decrease the amount of damage taken from all sources. After renown level 40, it is best to put anymore points into the Reinforcement skill. This will give you a 9% boost in your armor rating. Any points afterwards should be used wherever you think is needed, but I would suggest abilities used to increase you DPS to help increase your effectiveness in battle.
The Tinkerer
The Tinkerer is a master of machines. By giving up on the long range of the Rifleman and the DPS of the Grenadier, the Tinkerer utilizes his machines to increase his proficiency in battle. This specialized path well equips the Dwarven Engineer for group combat in the front lines. To start things off, don’t be afraid to take skills that are considered to be in either the Riflemanor Grenadier skill trees. These skills can be used freely by any Dwarven Engineer after learning them and should be used whenever needed. Just remember that you can still purchase any skill later on in the game, but you want to skip over skills you won’t necessarily need. For the Tinkerer, these ignored skills are ones that would normally deal damage to a multiple targets and skills that have long use times. Skills such as Firebomb, Incendiary Rounds, and Signal Flare are good compliments to the Tinkerer arsenal.
Since a Tinkerer concentrates on doing mass damage to a single target at close combat, as well as some mass DPS, he would expect to receive attention from CC damage or tank characters in combat. To do as much damage as possible to a single target, as well as stay alive, a Dwarven Tinkerer would need to become a CC damage character. To do this, all renown abilities should be ignored except for the Blade Master. This ability will effectively increase your Weapon skill by102 points when maxed. Once you reach renown level 20, you can then start placing points into the Skirmisher ability. This will grant you a 52 point boost in your Weapon skill as well as your Initiative stat. The Weapon skill and Initiative boosts will increase your ability to penetrate armor, increase your evasiveness, your parry rate, and your chance to avoid a critical hit. After renown level 40, it is best to put any more points into the Assault skill. This will give you an additional 52 point boost in your Weapon skill as well as a 52 point boost in your Strength stat. Any points afterwards should be used wherever you think is needed, but I would suggest abilities used to increase your health or you ability to take less wounds.
