Meet the Elite Specialization for the Engineer coming with Heart of Thorns.

This week ArenaNet is revealing the Engineer's Elite Specialization that is coming with Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns. The Scrapper is a mechanical master that brings damage and disruption through it's array of electrical attacks, new Gyro utilities and the Hammer.

The hammer will be first true foray into the thick of the battle as the profession's first melee weapon. To help the Scrapper get into the battle is the first of the three revealed hammer skills. Rocket Charge has the Scrapper leaping toward and hitting foes with their hammer three times with each attack counting as a Leap finisher to arm them with the added combo effects.

Shock Shield and Thunderclap are two more hammer skills that focus more on survivability and combat control once in range. Shock Shield will block attacks while applying heavy vulnerability to targets in front of the Scrapper. Thunderclap on the other hand will stun enemies, deal damage to them and leave a pulsing lightning field ready for the Scrapper to combo off of.

The other big addition coming with the Scrapper is the Gyro, but these little machines are not limited to just the utility skills. The Function Gyro will change the interaction prompt (F by default) to summon a Gyro on a down ally or enemy, letting the machine do the work of reviving or finishing the target all while you remain at range. The Function Gyro can still be interrupted to stop them finishing you off, but the Scrapper has the option to trait stability onto the gyro to make it that much harder to stop.

In addition to the Function Gyro, ArenaNet has revealed two more Gyros including the profession's new elite skill. The elite Sneak Gyro will provide a pulsing cloak field to stealth nearby allies, though the gyro itself will still remain visible. The respective toolbelt skill for the Sneak Gyro is Detection Pulse which which is "a short recharge" reveal that unstealths enemies in a large area. The other announced gyro is the Purge Gyro that will zip to you or allies and remove conditions on them every few seconds. The toolbelt skill for this gyro is Chemical Field that will leave a poison combo field in the area.

All gyros come with a limited amount of fuel before they detonate or are destroyed. Their final farewell comes complete with dazing sparks, but this explosion can be traited to cover a larger area and stun foes instead.

In addition to some of the skills that the Scrapper will have, ArenaNet has also teased a few more of the traits that will come along with the elite spec. Even with just a few, the synergy between them is already showing.

Impact Savant (Minor Trait): The duration of your outgoing stuns is increased and the duration of stuns applied to you is decreased.

Mass Momentum: Gain Power based upon your Toughness. While you are affected by stability, gain stacking might.

Perfectly Weighted: Gain an increased chance to critically hit with hammer skills. When you critically strike with a hammer skill, you gain stability.

Shocking Speed: Apply super speed to nearby allies whenever you leap or blast finish a lightning field.

Rapid Regeneration: Quickly recover health while affected by swiftness or super speed.

For a more in depth look at the Scrapper, check out the Points of Interest livestream on the official Guild Wars 2 Twitch channel this Friday at Noon Pacific.

Matt Adams aka the Mattsta

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