WildStar Class Guide: Engineer DPS Build

Engineers wear heavy armor, use heavy guns, have ranged attacks, and is currently one of the top damage dealers in WildStar. They have a self snare when casting abilities that reduces their movement speed. This won’t be a huge issue. but it’s something to be aware of so you don’t end up dead.

I’ll go over the build I currently use and why. Ready to dominate in both AOE and single-target situations? Then, you’ve come to the right place!

If you’re looking for other tips, please visit our WildStar Guides.

This guide will go over my Engineer DPS build including:

• Limited Action Set Build – Every ability I use and what they do.
• AMP Build – Every AMP I use, what they do, and why I chose them.
• Rotation Tips – Basic rotation and priority list for this build.

Limited Action Set Build

If you’d like a visual representation of the build, check out my Stay on Target build on ws-base.com.

This build is for level 50 PvE. It does not use the extra ability and AMP points you can get. So this uses 41 Ability Points and 45 AMP points.

Assault Abilities

• Quick Burst (Base)  – Usable only after getting a critical hit and does technology damage to 5 foes.

• Artillerybot (Tier 4) – Don’t underestimate the power of this bot. It does physical damage to 1 foe every 2 seconds and comes with the Barrage ability.
• Barrage – Does damage to 10 foes within a 10m targeted area every 0.5 seconds for 3 seconds.
• Tier 4 also raises you and the bot’s critical hit chance by 6.5%.
• Bio Shell (Tier 5) – Generates 30 Volatility, does physical damage and causes Expose to the target and 4 foes. 1.9 second cast.
• The expose reduces Technology resistance by 12% for 11 seconds.
• Tier 4 makes this instant cast if used between 30-70 Volatility.
• Target Acquisition (Base) – 3 second channel that applies a mark to a foe and generates 3 Volatility every 0.25 seconds. When channel stops, does Technology damage to all affected foes based on number of marks on them. Stacks up to 12 times on a single foe.
• This does good damage and starts your rotation off. It lets you get your instant cast Bio Shell.
• Bolt Caster (Tier 8) – Instant cast ability that costs 25 Volatility and does physical damage 3 times to 1 foe.
• Tier 4 reduces Bio Shell’s cooldown and Tier 8 does extra damage when the target has no shields. Hint: Bosses have no shields.

Utility Abilities

• Zap (Tier 4) – Your main interrupt/stun. Does physical damage, destroys 1 interrupt armor and stuns 5 foes.
• Tier 4 makes it destroy 2 interrupt armor. great when you need more interrupts.
• Volatile Injection (Base) – Generates 5 Volatility every 1 seconds and grants Defense and Empower for 10 seconds.
• Defense increases Deflect Critical Hit chance by 10% and Empower increases Critical Hit chance by 10%.
• Great for extra volatility and increase to Critical hit chance.
• Obstruct Vision (Base) – Another interrupt. Does physical damage, destroys 1 interrupt armor, and Blinds 5 foes.
• Blind hinders vision and increases chance to be Deflected by 20% for 5 seconds.
• This does not stun so use this before Zap when you need to interrupt something.

It is important to point out that Engineers don’t need to use bots. Sure it is most likely the highest DPS, but if something prevents you from using bots, you can still do great damage without them.

If you can’t/don’t want to use bots, drop Artillerybot for Energy Auger and put the points into Energy Auger.

Also, when fighting groups of enemies, switch Tier 8 Bolt Caster with Tier 8 Electrocute.

AMP Build

Assault AMPs

• Tier 1
• Assault Power 1-3 – Combined, these increase Assault Power by 7.5%.
• Critical Hit Chance 1-3 – Combined, these increase Critical Hit chance by 6%.
• Critical Hit Severity 1-3 – Combined, these increase Critical Hit Severity by 12%.
• Tier 2
• Volatility Rising – Generates 7 Volatility every 1.5 seconds while between 30-70 Volatility.
• Another great way to keep your class resource up.
• Shrapnel Rounds – Landing a hit deals 13.3% damage every 2 seconds for 6 seconds. Can only occur every 6 seconds.
• Free damage every 6 seconds. No reason to leave it out.
• Harmful Hits – Landing a Critical Hit increases Critical Hit chance by 9% for 5 seconds.
• Great way to keep your critical hit chance up to use Quick Burst more often.
• Explosive Ammo – Landing a critical hit deals an additional 11.1% Technology damage to the foe and 4 foes within 6m. Can only occur every 1 second.
• More free damage that benefits from having more critical hits.
• Tier 3
• Target Acquisition – Unlock the Target Acquisition ability.
• Unstable Volatility – Landing a hit with direct damage grants 1 stack of Unstable Volatility. At 5 stacks it deals 27% damage.
• Engineers sure love free damage.

Hybrid A/S AMPs

• Tier 1
• Strikethrough 1-3 – Combined, increases Strikethrough by 3%.
• Good if you aren’t Strikethrough capped through gear. Otherwise, switch out for something else.

Utility AMPs

• Tier 1
• Cooldowns 1-3 – Reduces cooldowns of abilities.
• Tier 2
• Reckless Dash – Dashing generates 20 Volatility.
• Great for extra Volatility or if you can’t get Target Acquisition off at times.

Hybrid A/U AMPs

• Tier 1
• Armor Pierce 1-2 – Combined, increases Armor Pierce by 4%.

If you don’t need the Strikethrough AMPs, take them out and only put one point in Armor Pierce. Put the remaining 4 points in Extra Hurtin’.

• Extra Hurtin’ – Increases Armor Pierce by 15% when between 30-70 Volatility.

Rotation Tips

For a visual explanation, visit the build at ws-base.com.

• Start off with Target Acquisition until at least 30 Volatility. Cancel Target Acquisition to cast Bio Shell when it becomes instant cast.

• Activate Exo Suit and spam Bolt Caster. Use Barrage and Quick Burst when they’re available. Activate Volatile Injection after Exo Suit fades.

• Only dash if you are below 30 Volatility and can’t accurately land Target Acquisition.

That’s it for my Engineer DPS guide for WildStar. For other tips and guides, visit our WildStar Guides.