Guild Wars 2

Hey everyone. I’m not coming in here to rant about how dungeons need nerfing or that random groups need to play better; I’m asking for advice. I’m level 52 and I’m playing an Elementalist. I’ve only tried AC so far (story mode twice and explorable once), all to completion.

The simple version of my question is this: is it possible to get through a dungeon without dying?

I’ve only done the dungeon in random groups, but the most recent time I completed it, the other players had all completed it many times and explained everything to me pretty well. That said, everyone was downed and died many, many times, and I lost count of the amount of times we all had to rush back from the waypoint.

I’m not playing a glass cannon either, if that helps. As far as traits go I’ve got 20 points in Earth and Water, with the remaining points going in Fire until I get to 60 and can unlock the next book. Half of my gear is a mixture of vitality, toughness and healing power, and the rest is power and condition damage. I’m using a scepter/dagger combo as well, but I’m going to have another look at the staff and scepter/focus skills when I log back in soon.

It just feels like, in the few times I’ve completed the dungeon, that it’s more by luck than judgement. That and every fight feels like a battle of attrition with the sheer amount of time it takes to kill each mob and the amount of running back from waypoints.

While I fully appreciate that people like to learn by doing, I don’t want to throw all my money away on repairs just yet. Any advice would be appreciated, whether it’s for gear, skills or simple tactics. I’d rather not just watch Youtube videos on how to get past the traps and how to kill mobs, but when they throw you into a room of flaming gargoyles and you go down in a matter of seconds if you don’t know where the switches to turn them off are, you can understand why people do it.

Thanks! I’m expecting people to rip me apart for not being good enough, but I figured I’d give it a go.

Soulblitz.5809:

The simple version of my question is this: is it possible to get through a dungeon without dying?

Yes, it is entirely possible.

Some tactics that I liked to use: Bring chain blinds to keep the rangers from two shotting you. If you have a mesmer friend, have him bring his transform elite. Transforming an elementalist into a moa then burning the elementalist down quickly.

Well i also play Ele and my build is 30/10/0/10/20 and i think its a good build i dont die really often rather only when i dont pay attention I also use Staff. Well i would say complety without dying its not possible or at least i cant do it ^^
Why i use Staff is pretty easy. I can do sooo much dmg with AoE skills from all elements and i have so much and good CC which helps me alot to stay alive!
I cant specific say u must do or this better. Try to play with Staff a little and maybe it fits ur style more.

If not tell me i can tell you a few good combos to stay alive

Any other advice from anyone?

Use staff in dungeons. Its cc are godlike. Fire is a perfect aoe. Water – solid heal+ condition removal. Etc. With half-melee weaps your repair bill will be very fat. But with staff you can hold on very, very long time. Also use right utility skills, changing them on situation.

Well, you cant expect not to die in a dungeon and go in…then blame the dungeons build for getting you killed. Its expected you will die, over…and over…and over.

If you survive, then you were lucky, someone else in the group took all the death streaks for you, or you know what your doing when it comes to avoiding attacks.

Its just not guaranteed that you wont die, because you are expected to die. Thats the challenge Anet put on us players. They made the dungeons so we would die, but yet able to complete them.

It’s possible. I’ve completed many dungeons, AC Story included, in groups that suffer less than five Downs, and no Defeats. These are in PUG groups, with no voice and no more than one person I know playing at the same time.

As to specifically how you go from repeatedly wiping to being able to tear through them without dying, I can’t really say, because it’s a pretty subtle learning curve. There weren’t a whole lot of light bulb moments, except when dealing with specific boss/room gimmicks (mostly in explorable mode). It sort of just comes down to picking up the rhythm of dungeon play, and being in a party where at least two or three others have also adjusted to the new demands.

I play Elementalist too, and mostly use staff in dungeons and at some parts dual daggers. It’s really possible to complete dungeons without dying (a lot), but it’ll depend on your skill as player, as well as how well the rest of the team plays like. It’s important people res each other when one goes down.

When you play Elementalist you need to know how to use your attunements effectively. If you’re being attacked, go to Earth attunement for the protection buff (and Magnetic Aura skill on staff against projectiles). If you need to recover health, don’t always immediately use your heal, but instead go into Water attunement for the regen buff and cast one of the heals. Dodging in Water attunement will heal you too with the right trait. Water can also slow down mobs for you with chill if you’re being chased.
Lightning is good for the swiftness buff, the staff’s Static field can be useful to stun enemies getting close to you. It also has a knockback and an AoE blind, all useful for when stuff gets too close.
Fire for nuking the hell out of stuff. Burning retreat can be used as a free dodge roll.

Almost got through AC story without dying once. Went down literally as the final cutscene loaded in around my screen.

lvl35 warrior with mace/shield + rifle and rounded traits. Staying at range is too good, that’s what the rifle was for. I would melee for a short while, then go to rifle until my health was back. Spent most of my time at range which was pretty boring.

Anet really needs to work on the range/melee unbalance.

Also I don’t get why eles are so squishy. It seems unfair to them. They don’t really seem to do more damage so what is balancing out their squishyness?

Without being downed? it’s hard, but no dying is pretty doable.

Arcane shield and Ether renewal (healing skill) are really good for surviving, it’s almost imposible to die due to burning/bleed/poison with ether renewal.

Using glyph of strom with earth is also really good, it constantly blinds enemys inside it. (not too many people know this)

Also staff is better for surviving due to lots of CC and magnetic shield which is usefull against your worsts enemys, mobs with range auto attacks.