Elementalist Discussion

[Lucky_]

Didn't get a chance to see how traits changed for Elementalist. Was hoping to check into what changed for the build concept of signets + auras. Anybody try to see what changes happened to traits?

Seemed to stay the same. I didn't notice any meaningful changes. There probably were some, but I mostly sPvP'd with a couple of quickly thrown together builds and didn't really notice the difference.

Numbers felt changed though. Sceptre felt REALLY gimp now. It started as one of the best burst weapons in the game and is now probably the worst one. I almost maxed glass cannon build to try it and still couldn't take more then half health off most people with gale > arcane power > dragon tooth > phoenix combo. It used to crit close to 20k. Now you would be lucky to get it to crit 10k total. That even with the essential melee requirement due to skill shot nature of phoenix.


Right now, sPvP meta is guardians and rangers or GTFO for single queue.

[Ananan]

As Cyclone Jack said, Dragon's Tooth was totally bugged though. It did no damage at all, which certainly messed with that burst combo.

[Karizee]

THIS thread needs a stickie!

[Ananan]

I think it would be a little too many sticky threads. Maybe a stickied thread could have links to all these threads though...

[Deleted]

Had a chance to try out Elementalist in the Stress Test yesterday, first time in the game since I missed the BWE3. I had more fun with Ride The Lightning than I realistically should have.

[Larynx]

Had a chance to try out Elementalist in the Stress Test yesterday, first time in the game since I missed the BWE3. I had more fun with Ride The Lightning than I realistically should have.

Don't worry, we all did.

[Cyclone Jack]

Don't worry, we all did.

And still do.

[Bacardi]

I can't wait for this class!

[Lucky_]

It's not just dragon's tooth being bugged, they nerfed a LOT of elementalist skill damage in general. As noted above, I could two hit people for about 17k damage with dragon tooth and phoenix quad hit skillshot in BWE1. I don't get DT bug in BWE3 because of the way my interface is set (no auto casting to override DT mid cast), but they hit for less then 8k total with glass cannon build when I get the full quad skillshot (DT+triple phoenix hit) in.

They took at least half of damage out from both skills. At the same time, spirit bleed ranger can have a guaranteed crit for about 12k in what is essentially a single macro opener leaving behind a huge bleed stack to boot. It's not even a skillshot and it has best range in game.

But at least the support elementalist in organised groups is still OP as hell. Between the massively overpowered elementalist condition removal trait, the sheer amount of healing the spec can output and its general tankiness, it's lame... and it works as long as you have teammates that bring damage.

[Zilong]

Anyone feel like the skill from air "Ride The Lightning" needs some work? It often goes crazy and messes everything up.

[Loaf Lord]

Anyone feel like the skill from air "Ride The Lightning" needs some work? It often goes crazy and messes everything up.

It has some pathing issues, but as of now it's one of the most powerful abilities an elementalist has.

[Starry101]

It's not just dragon's tooth being bugged, they nerfed a LOT of elementalist skill damage in general. As noted above, I could two hit people for about 17k damage with dragon tooth and phoenix quad hit skillshot in BWE1. I don't get DT bug in BWE3 because of the way my interface is set (no auto casting to override DT mid cast), but they hit for less then 8k total with glass cannon build when I get the full quad skillshot (DT+triple phoenix hit) in.

They took at least half of damage out from both skills. At the same time, spirit bleed ranger can have a guaranteed crit for about 12k in what is essentially a single macro opener leaving behind a huge bleed stack to boot. It's not even a skillshot and it has best range in game.

But at least the support elementalist in organised groups is still OP as hell. Between the massively overpowered elementalist condition removal trait, the sheer amount of healing the spec can output and its general tankiness, it's lame... and it works as long as you have teammates that bring damage.

Would you happen to have a link to the support build?

[Zilong]

It has some pathing issues, but as of now it's one of the most powerful abilities an elementalist has.

Wont help me much (specially with the Ride The Lightning + Updraft Combo) if more than 50% of the cases I don't get anywhere near where I wanted.

Usually I "stop" somewhere and I get stuck for quite a bit on it taking damage.

[Ananan]

I didn't notice it during the stress tests, and I haven't seen it in any build tools, but there is a thread on Guru about how Serrated Stones (bleeds last longer) and Elemental Shielding (protection on Auras) have swapped places - making Elemental Shielding an Adept trait. That change is also on the Wiki.

It opens up for a 20/10/10/30/0 Aura spreading build, if you can live without Elemental Attunement (and Signet Mastery and Written in Stone).

[Deleted]

Wont help me much (specially with the Ride The Lightning + Updraft Combo) if more than 50% of the cases I don't get anywhere near where I wanted.

Usually I "stop" somewhere and I get stuck for quite a bit on it taking damage.

It likely has problems with moving targets, I know that if the target is moving then Ride the Lightning goes on an intercept path, so presumably if they veer off the path you won't get where you wanted to be.

[Zilong]

It likely has problems with moving targets, I know that if the target is moving then Ride the Lightning goes on an intercept path, so presumably if they veer off the path you won't get where you wanted to be.

Yeah, but sometimes it goes crazy. And it just locks me in one place being a sitting duck XD, completely destroying my strategies. I dont mind if I miss it for a dodge, but the combat is about moving all the time (mainly) so the least you can expect is some more love into the skill.

[DrakeWurrum]

So I just noticed something, looking over the traits.

Burning Fire:

Cleansing Flame, Signet of Fire, Conjure Flame, and Conjure Fiery Greatsword inflict 3 seconds of burning.

Soothing Wave:

Mist Form, Frost Bow, and Signet of Water grant 6 seconds of regeneration.

I wonder why there aren't traits like that in Earth and Air, for the Earth and Air themed spells.

Could easily make it so Armor of Earth, Signet of Earth, and Conjure Earth Shield... grant Aegis or Retaliation or cause Weakness. And then Lightning Flash, Conjure Lightning Hammer, and Signet of Air could cause Daze or grant Fury.


Also: Supposedly Ether Renewal can be used while moving now?

[PonyCannon]

List of Elemental changes off Guru for those interested.

Bow of Frost

Frost Volley Vulnerability(10s): -30 Defense. 1% Incoming Damage.

Dagger

Churning Earth Bleeding(8s) 5 Stacks : 2.5 Damage. 8 Stacks : 2.5 Damage.
Drake's Breath Damage: 44.27036. Damage: 1106.759.
Frost Aura Chilled(1s Chilled(2s): -66% Movement Speed,-66% Skill Recharge Rate.
Lightning Touch Shock your foe and inflict vulnerability. weakness. 6 10 sec Cooldown. Vulnerability(6s) 3 Stacks : -30 Defense. Weakness(5s): -50% Endurance Regeneration,+50% Fumble.
Lightning Whip Damage: 332.0277. Damage: 387.3656.
Ring of Fire Damage: 289.5291. Damage: 694.87.
Vapor Blade Vulnerability(6s): -30 Defense. 1% Incoming Damage.

Elite

Tornado Radius: 240 feet.

Fiery Greatsword

Fiery Eruption Radius: 150 feet.
Fiery Whirl Radius: 130 feet.

Heal

Glyph of Elemental Harmony 20 25 sec Cooldown.
Signet of Restoration 40 25 sec Cooldown. Healing: 120. Healing: 75. Healing per Cast: 6. 10.

Scepter

Hurl Physical Projectile Finish Type.Damage: 332.0277. 166.0138.
Shatterstone Vulnerability(15s) 4 Stacks : -30 Defense. 1% Incoming Damage.

Staff

Eruption Radius: 300 feet.
Ice Spike Vulnerability(10s) 3 Stacks : -30 Defense. 1% Incoming Damage.
Lava Font Aoe 150(1s) 150 Stacks : Circle 150. Radius: 180 feet.
Meteor Shower Damage: 830.0692. Damage: 719.3932.
Static Field Stun: 3 seconds. Stun: 2 seconds.

Utility

Arcane Blast 15 20 sec Cooldown. Physical Projectile Finish Type.Damage: 883.0318. 824.163.
Arcane Wave 20 30 sec Cooldown. Blast Finish Type.Damage: 1529.417. 1427.456.

Weapon

Discharge Lightning Vulnerability(10s): -30 Defense. 1% Incoming Damage.
Water Fist Damage: 182.6152. Damage: 332.0277.

[Zilong]

I have to ask. I have a ton of fun with air scepter +dagger.

My success as an elementalist is really attached to changing the att.? I mean, I do it and I do good with it, but I would love the power to focus in one element.

Would that make me behind everyone else?

[Larynx]

I have to ask. I have a ton of fun with air scepter +dagger.

My success as an elementalist is really attached to changing the att.? I mean, I do it and I do good with it, but I would love the power to focus in one element.

Would that make me behind everyone else?

It depends, actually. You will have to swap attunements as an elementalist, but you can focus on a single attunement. For example, with scepter/dagger the main burst combos come from fire. The rest are mainly there to support you. So you can simply get traits to improve fire, and focus on fire as your main element.

Generally the way GW2 seems to work with regards to combat is that you build your character around one single thing, and try to take other things to support it.

So like, for example, triple axe build from a warrior. That revolves around the simple idea of using eviscerate as the main source of your burst. So what do you do? Well, you need to be able to gain adrenaline very quickly. So you take the offhand axe and Discipline traits. You might want to also improve your axe efficiency, so you take traits that increases your damage with the axes.

Then you discover the weapon runes. The Intelligence one makes your next attack after a weapon swap a 100% crit. So combine that with eviscerate, stack crit damage, and even take two mainhand axes.

So just apply similar concepts. What do you want to do as an Ele? Then find out the best way to do that, and how to support it. Theorycrafting in GW2 is made easy by the presence of Steady weapons, which do a fixed amount of damage and have no additional stats. And it's also fun, since there's no established metagame, and there's so many possibilities. Anything you want to do right now is possible, it's just figuring out how to make it work in a meaningful capacity.