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GW2 Help! Ele!

Chook

New member
So basically I was deciding for the longest time to play a Ranger, but decided to switch to Elementilist in the last beta.
I understand the whole conecept of "Element switching" so to speak(Pretty much like a
warrior stance dance in WoW)" but what element is more dependible for sustained damage in SPvP? Should I use Fire? I can just drop some aoes and do a big burst, but the problem there it's so easily avoidable. Should I use Air atonement more? I would like to have this cleared up to save a big hurdle later on down the road. Any help is appreciated! <3
 
In general, Fire works best for AoE burst, Air for single-target spike, Water for support and control, and Earth for defense and pressure. The effectiveness of each depends at least partially on how your traits are allocated.
 
That actually helps allot! I was always using Fire to burn people down, but felt really clunky and useless for single target. <3
 
That actually helps allot! I was always using Fire to burn people down, but felt really clunky and useless for single target. <3
One clue is to look at the stats increased by investing in each trait line. Fire is associated with Power and Condition Duration (to boost burning); Air with Precision and Critical Damage (focused strikes); Earth with Toughness and Condition Damage (damage reduction and bleeding); and Water with Vitality and Healing (support and survivability). This makes sense given the core purpose of each attunement.
 
Personally, I think the finesse of the class has to deal with finding the harmony between the stances.

Right now my favorite combo is Scepter / Dagger...

I start off in Lightning, run through all CDs, move into water, heal with healing CDs, then begin the ridiculous phase of damage.

Frost armor to kite. Ice spike inflicts vulnerability. Switch to fire. Use ring of fire. Use Dragon's Tooth (Stacks 3 might), use Phoenix (stacks 3 more might), dance to Earth, Use quake (knockdown + 3 more might if done fast enough.

Now you have 9 might, and the enemy has 4-5 vulnerability, and you hit with the number 5 Earth skill. It's the hardest hitting Skill of the weapons imo, PLUS your boons, PLUS the vulnerability, PLUS it's an AoE.

I've never had anything survive it except Veterans and Champions. :D
 
This is a really nice tutorial about a boon based build that is relatively awesome for survivability and damage.
http://alttabme.com/forum/index.php?threads/excellent-ele-build-discussion-video.1587/


This is my build for general PvE and everything. My build is a build of convenience rather than optimization. ^^
http://gw2skills.net/editor/en/?fEEQJAoYhImKbkR5gjEAkCvEUQADCFVQRRRM7A;TIAg0CnA
It is basically a glass cannon and you can be easily 1 shotted (that's why I have mist form), but your front loaded damage is pretty ridiculous. Staff is typically used for dungeons and daggers for general pve soloing.
The glyphs give me perma swiftness and ride the lightning makes getting anywhere a breeze. This is the fastest way to travel on foot so far and I haven't found a class that can compare to this speed for moving around, although thief is really really close and can probably catch up by using all of their shadow stepping skills constantly. I just push 2 buttons. LOL
 
This is a really nice tutorial about a boon based build that is relatively awesome for survivability and damage.
http://alttabme.com/forum/index.php?threads/excellent-ele-build-discussion-video.1587/


This is my build for general PvE and everything. My build is a build of convenience rather than optimization. ^^
http://gw2skills.net/editor/en/?fEEQJAoYhImKbkR5gjEAkCvEUQADCFVQRRRM7A;TIAg0CnA
It is basically a glass cannon and you can be easily 1 shotted (that's why I have mist form), but your front loaded damage is pretty ridiculous. Staff is typically used for dungeons and daggers for general pve soloing.
The glyphs give me perma swiftness and ride the lightning makes getting anywhere a breeze. This is the fastest way to travel on foot so far and I haven't found a class that can compare to this speed for moving around, although thief is really really close and can probably catch up by using all of their shadow stepping skills constantly. I just push 2 buttons. LOL
Kali, what's the build you were runnin' with for dungeons now?
 
Kali, what's the build you were runnin' with for dungeons now?

Sorry I said I was going to post it but it but I totally forgot ><;;

Auramentalist
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fEAQJArdhMmYbtR3gjEAkHmATJBFHgwogIiCPA

What it does: It stacks auras on 5 of your party members who are close to you. Each time you apply an aura they get protection, swiftness and fury. Each one of your signets will pop an aura. This helps the rest of the team including you take less damage, deal more damage and can kite better. The range is rather small for who gets the aura, so it is more melee friendly.

What weapons you use: You can use a different weapon for each situational encounter. I usually stay in scepter/focus for more survivability and swap to staff when I need heavy AoE or to destroy objects like burrows in AC exporables. D/D will give you the most auras (2) but it is also the hardest to use if you have trouble staying alive. Focus has a fire aura and staff has an earth aura. Scepters don't have any aura.

What equipment you need: It depends on what you want to gear for. If you're absolutely great at dodging use berserker's(pow/pre/critdmg) all you want for more damage. If you want to live use soldier's(pow/vit/tgh). I've been using a mixed set with relatively balanced stats so that I can live longer and deal damage. I've tried condition damage equipment for it but you need to stack condition damage at the cost of your power and you'll be forced to stay in earth attunement for the majority of the time just to stack bleeds, which can stack up to 11-13. If you're willing to stay in earth, than spec that if you want.

What runes and sigils are good: I think one of the best sigils for dungeon runs is the chill on swap. Since attunement swapping counts as weapon swapping, you can basically cast it all the time. You're getting another chill to on top of signet of water and water focus 4 skill. The same goes for 3 might on swap and +50% endurance on swap. For runes I would try to find +boon duration or +prot duration and stack those. This will let the aura's buffs last much longer.

This point of this build isn't to do the most damage or tank, it's to help everyone do more damage while keeping them alive, but you're no good at that if you don't stack vit/tough because you will die.

If you have any more questions or see something I've missed please point it out. If you want a leveling build of this just swap your traits in the water line into the earth line and the attune line. 30 earth/10 attune for retained signet passives and boons on attunement swap.

Hope this helps! <3
 
Just started an Elementalist, thanks for the info Kali! That dungeon build looks awesome but any suggestions on a build for leveling?
 
Just started an Elementalist, thanks for the info Kali! That dungeon build looks awesome but any suggestions on a build for leveling?

Just pump everything you have into power/pre when you're starting out. You're also going to be super squishy but you can wreck things in a few buttons presses. (Burning speed+ring of fire+firegrab+arcane wave+arcane blast=fast burst so you can down mobs easily)

You will also get perma swiftness with 1 button (air attunement+glyph of harmony) after you get 20 trait points into the air line.

Dagger/dagger (Skill build below)

For leveling:
1-20
10/0/0/0/0
20-30
10/10/0/0/0
30-40
10/10/0/0/10
40-50
10/20/0/0/10
50-60
20/20/0/0/10
60-80
CRAFT YOUR WAY TO VICTORY!

or

If you find yourself dying too much than take 10 points from fire trait line and put them into the water trait line.
60-70
20/20/0/10/10 Or you can still do this if you don't feel like spending money on the 3rd trait book.
70-80
20/20/0/10/20

If you have no problems with dying just spec straight up damage for killing things faster. Altho this build when trying to run through Orr can get you killed.

30/20/0/0/20 For running through the world, getting points and hearts. If you're just trying to run through mobs you can pick up mist form and arcane shield for more block/invul.

All damage
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fEAQJAoYhImIblx5gjDAhHEwQCCFVQRRRMzA

Mostly damage and some healing
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fEAQJAoYhImIblx5gjEAkCmEUQADCFVQRRRMzA
 
damn it. this makes me want to level an ele. That means shelling out gems for another char slot.
 
There are multiple ways to approach this class.

If you are going to be playing with a big group then the staff is the way to. Change things up, continue to switch elements because that is where you will be most helpful. I usually start in water because #4 throws down (ice?) and slows them down for a considerable amount of time followed by earth. Put a shield on and again number 4 to do condition damage # 2 hits them with an AoE, I usually head into Air next to speed up myself and my comrades with #4. Then into the fire, big AoE # 5 rain down the fireballs. Place a lava mound with #2 to do considerable damage if they arent moving.

Mid-range go into scepter/focus and unleash a furry of attacks. I dont play this that much.

Close range in the fight go with dueling daggers. Awesome for continues pounding. You will need to kite a lot with this one because elementalists toughness isn't that great and you will die quickly unless you can kite and dodge effectively. I mostly stay in this class because i fight alone unless my guild members are online and we can beast through an area or dungeon.

All in all my favorite class so far. Hope this helps some.
 
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