Engineer Assault
Joresh'Sajach
Build Overview and Focus
When I made a second engineer, a Jem'Hadar, I knew I wanted to do something different for him on the ground than either a fabrication build or a more offensive mage build. After seeing some posts by DilaZirk on the use of the Covert Assault Drone, I knew I wanted to build a weapon-focused engineer and between his posts and some help from Jayiie, it began to take shape. Internally, we called this build the "gun-gineer" for awhile until we came up with more formalized build distinctions. You could consider this build as more of a hybrid as the Covert Assault Drone does a lot of heavy lifting, but since it's a kit that procs off of weapons fire, I'm classifying it as Assault
I fully acknowledge that this (nor any of my ground builds, really) are not the optimal choices. They're still hitting around top 100 in BHE, but I'll provide some recommendations about what's more optimal. If you're chasing absolute peak DPS, this site probably isn't the best for ground. My builds are very Elite-capable of handling any map, but they're not ruthlessly optimized. I'd prefer more variety and flavor over peak DPS.
Character Info and Thematic Choices
This character is a Jem'Hadar. I eschewed the traditional look since he flies some non-Dominion ships and my head-canon is that he was rescued and partially restored with the aid of the Romulans. Visually, his appearance and loadout are meant to evoke unstoppable commandos from other video games like Master Chief (Halo) and Sam Fisher (Splinter Cell).
Thematic Choices
Secondary weapon is not great or optimal, but what's a commando without a rifle and pistol?
Similarly, every commando build needs a grenade. Since he's an engineer, Harmonic Resonance Device stands in.
Passive medical field over Protomatter Drone allows mobility
I don't like re-using Kit Modules across characters. There are lots of good kit modules, so if I pigeon-hole myself into the 10 best, I don't get to learn about some of the others.
Meta Analysis
BHE: 2.07K. As of posting, this was within the top 100 of BHE records in SCM.
Budget Analysis
This build is fairly cheap if you already have the Section 31 Heavy Phaser Rifle, which is currently unavailable. If the cost seems expensive, don't worry. Lower-budget alternatives are provided below
1 Summer Event kit module
2 Lockbox kit modules
4 Lockbox ground traits
1 Mudd's Store device
3 non-standard doffs
Change History
July 2023: Posted build
Build Breakdown
Heavy focus on kit / fabrication damage. Some survivability concepts included, a little bit of theme
Skills
Skill Unlocks
Notes
The meta skill layout would be to skip Shield Capacity, Endurance, and Armor in favor of Improved Weapon Damage, Weapon Criticals, and Weapon Penetration. I just think ground on higher difficulties requires a bit more survivability than that and haven't felt the need to change it.
Build
Personal Equipment
Notes
If you don't have the Section 31 Heavy Phaser Rifle, the best replacement is likely Federation Phaser Rifle (c2399) Mk XV [CrtD]x2 [Dmg]x2 from the Exchange.
Budget Notes:
Replace the Elachi Combat Walker with literally anything. It doesn't do much.
Paradox Corrector can easily be replaced.
Everything else is fairly cheap.
Kit Modules
Notes:
Anchor of Gre'thor is the single most powerful Engineering kit ability and mixing it in would be a stronger pick than Harmonic Resonance as it would group all the nearby opponents together for Sweeping Beam/Covert Assault Drone DPS
Lead off with Covert Assault Drone, then hit all the other kit buttons but Quick Fix in quick succession, then sweeping beam (secondary fire). If there are any survivors, hit Quick Fix to cool down the secondary fire, and sweeping beam again.
The meta kit modules are probably picking from this pool:
Universal: Ball Lightning, Ba'ul Obelisk Network, Gravity Containment Unit, Mudd's Time Device, Chain Conduit Capacitor, Kuumarke Drones, V'ger Probes,
Tac: Trajectory Bending, Graviton Spike, Motivation, Chroniton Micro-Torpedo Spread, Battle Strategies
Eng: Anchor of Gre'thor, Explosive Drone, Chroniton Mines
Sci: Cold Fusion Flash, Exothermic Induction Field, Andorian Summer
If you want to do that on every character, be my guest.
Set Bonuses
Traits
Personal Traits
Meta-Focused Tweaks:
Probably dropping Soldier for Terran Vision
Firearms Specialist could be Space Explorer is a Great Gig if you really want to blow the budget
Budget Tweaks:
Assault Drone Fabrication is the easy one to drop for Rifle Training
Drop Firearms Specialist for Peak Health
Honestly ground traits aren't super expensive on the exchange. Prioritize Upgraded Gear and Orbital Devastation
Reputation Traits
Active Reputation
Duty Officers
Meta-Focused Tweaks:
You'd probably also want to devote all 6 ground doff slots to ground, but that's not how I roll, and I struggle to see what other doffs would make a significant impact there.
Budget Tweaks:
If low budget, skip the Assault Squad Officers that boosts CrtH/CrtD for Diagnostic Engineers that have a chance for flank attacks to deploy an Exocomp. There's not much else that has a real impact. The Biochemist could be replaced with the EMH Nurse.
Miscellaneous
Ground Stats
Parse Breakdown
Numbers from record Bug Hunt Elite (BHE).
Covert Assault Drone: 793
Section 31 Heavy Phaser Assault Rifle: 751
Orbital Strike: 159
Harmonic Resonance Device: 132
Danube Runabout: 79
Overload Power Cells: 70
Imminent Decay: 37
Support Drone: 30
Piezo-Electric Perimeter Snare: 14 (have seen this higher, I used it late)
Lt VanDerveer: 6