Grenadier | Defensive Build

For this build you will need to be level 40 & Renown level 80 to fully utilize the build. The game allows for great versatility so you will have to modify it to fit you game style. Some might go for more damage (aka glass cannon) some for more survival or somewhere in the middle. It is hard to give a guide for all builds since 1 change in 1 tactics or 1 weapon is a new build. I will attempt to give you a sample build and the neccessery information about this path and what is important and what you need to make this path work.

THE GEAR

Defense engineers are those that love to be in the front lines simply because they can take a punch and give two back. They also specialize in defending and holding positions to the best of their abilities. Extremely useful in holding BO’s in scenarios or small corridors to hinder the enemies advance. Never the less, their skills shine when they are part of a groups which can help them to be more effective, after all, this is a multi player game.

First lets see what gear we will need to use. Here you can use full Oppressor set which is the best defensive set in game until you get sovereign set. Wings of impervious set for jewelry and Scenario Defensive weapons (the ones with HP regeration on). All talismans should be armor, the highest you can get the better and the 2 on the weapons ballistics. When you play defense grenadier you need to hold as much as possible and deal a fair amount of damage. A full range of potions will help a lot.

MASTERIES

Below you can see what skills i prefer for my build. We use the path of Grenadier and the path of Tinkerer.

From Path of Grenadier pick:

Sticky Bomb (Best dot ever)

Phosphorous Shells

Napalm

From the path of Tinkerer pick:

Bugman’s Keg (heal)

Lightning Rod

RENOWN POINTS

Now that we have our gear and our skills its time to improve them all. It is time to use the renown we have acquired through PVP. In this build we focus on defense and aoe damage. With this build you want the enemies close to you, to have them on the passive aoe damage while you are actively killing them 1 by 1. You win by lasting longer not by out dpsing the enemy.

5 levels of Vigor for more HP. Hp is the best damage buffer. (Wish i could have more)
1 level of Futile Strikes to reduce chance to receive critical even further.
4 levels Deft Defender for Dodge and Disrupt + Turret you can have around 58% dodge and Disrupt so that you don’t have to worry about those ranged too much.
4 levels Reflexes for Parry to fend off those annoying melee classes.
1 level that’s left put in Impetus .. every little helps…

TACTICS

Ancestral Inheritance

Masterful Aim

Expert Skirmisher

Fighting Chance or Trench Fighting

There is a choice here. Fighting Chance will give you more parry from weapon skill and 120 ballistics while reducing toughness.. where Trench Fighting will give you more damage cause 15% is more damage than 120 ballistics and will not lose any toughness… but you will lose the parry and strike through. I play with both sets on.. they work .. Your choise!

MORALS

Concealment

Armour Plating

Cannon Smash

Hail of Doom

PROS & CONS

Positives of Defensive Grenadier Build

High Survivability

Frontline action

Great mobility

Negatives of Defensive Grenadier Build

Requires high player skill

DPS is just not enough sometimes

No pull makes it hard to fight ranged with reduced Critical and Ballistics.

Very Action Point demanding

ROTATION(S)

Napalm

Keg

Lighting rod

Friction Burn

Acid Bomb

Everything else

NOTE

This build does not have the power to kill healers. Also its best to fight between 5 feet and 25 feet to make usre that napalm, lightining rod and friction burn are ticking. Remeber this is a defensive build out last the enemy not burn the enemy down fast.

VARIATIONS & GEAR COMBOS

This build has a lot of variations, mainly on the tactics and morals as the defensicve gear are only 2: Oppressor and sovereign. Tactics and game play vary a bit as well for different types of defensive builds see Tinkerer | Utility Build.

Grenadier | Defensive Build