Basic build questions

Basic build questions

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Posted by: raykor.6723

raykor.6723

My main is an Elementalist but these are pretty general questions. And yes, I have been doing my homework…reading a number of build guides, watching videos, and scouring MetaBattle.

I am in the process of crafting my first set of Ascended gear and am trying to decide what stats to prioritize. I am interested in both PvE and WvW and starting to think that I may need two completely different sets of gear. Or maybe not.

My current Exotics build is pretty much a balanced build. Sure, I would love to see huge damage numbers but I wanted some more survivability. It has been working pretty well in PvE during my first few months. I see a whole lot of people dropping dead during world boss fights and I rarely die. But I also see players absolutely obliterate mobs that take me 4-5 seconds to kill. I’ve been jealously admiring their damage while consoling myself with my superior survivability. But the more I play the more I am starting to think that the occasional death is well worth the significant increase to DPS. I am starting to realize that this game’s mechanics give greater weight to damage stats than defensive stats. Does Toughness even matter in this game?

My early impressions of WvW is that the only thing that matters is damage. I’ve played other PvP MMOs where defensive stats were equally weighted with offensive stats. A purely defensive build was extremely hard to kill but was of little threat. In this game it seems that there is no point putting a single point into defensive stats. Again, all about damage.

TLDR: does GW2 reward balanced builds, defensive builds, or is it all about damage?

Basic build questions

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Posted by: Sigfodr.9576

Sigfodr.9576

the long answer (sry no short one), yes: It depends..

It depends on the kind of PvE you like to do and it depends on the kind of WvW you like to do and lastly it depends on how skilled and experienced you are (as a player), let me explain with a few ex.

Open world PvE (world bosses and just running around in different maps): Here it mainly depend on the play style you enjoy, do you like to kill stuff fast and at the same time be awake and fast to react all the time. or do you like to relax and ignore when a random mob start hitting you. If the first, then berserker (or maurader) might be something for you. If the latter, go abit more tanky.

For low lvl fractals/Dungeons: Is fast and org. runs something for you, berserker. Is slower runs with more focus or talking/typing your style= more tanky.

High lvl fractals: more or less same as above, but the higher lvl fractal the more you need to know when to dodge/blind/reflect to survive in berserker gear. But on the other hand, the harder a time you will also have with tanking hits even in a tank sett.

WvW (solo/duo roaming): go full berserker and you will prob be dead all the time. celestial on the other hand will make surviving alot easyer. Something even more tanky and you dont do enough dmg to be a threat and will just slowly die.

WvW org-group (10-15 man): Here your job will often be to heal/cleance the rest. So celestial or even minstreal will be what you want.

WvW not org-group (10+): Berserker gear= stay behind everyone else, everything will kill you. But if you can get some shoots off, stuff on the other side will also die fast. Or go more tanky as in celestial/minstreal and be more melee and help the group with surviving. All up to you and the play style you like.

As you can see, its hard to give an “easy” answer without knowing more about what you like to play and what kind of content you enjoy. HOWEVER generally exotic will be fine (not for high lvl fractals as you need AR) so have more then 1 sett or armor/weapons and do it all when you fell like it

Basic build questions

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Posted by: Sigfodr.9576

Sigfodr.9576

ohh 1 more thing, if you go berserker (glass), then learn to dodge, blind etc. This will often be better at keeping you alive the normal “face”-taniking. Nomatter how tanky you have gone.

Often (in PvE) it is more about learning the fight then about being tanky.

Basic build questions

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Posted by: AliamRationem.5172

AliamRationem.5172

The answer to your question is complex.

First, as far as PvP/WvW go, survival stats tend to be far more important. The PvP meta for elementalist is a healer build. Elementalist has a very difficult time surviving as a damage dealer in this environment. In WvW there are some more offensive builds, but you still aren’t likely to survive for very long in that environment if you don’t at the very least take some extra vitality on your gear.

PvE is a different animal. Elementalists are damage dealers in group PvE. When it comes to open world, there is room for tankier builds (since you can pretty much do whatever feels right to you). However, whether those survival stats are worth it depends a lot on your priorities and skill level.

Why not try full glass and see how it goes? Again, it’s open world so you can do whatever feels right. If it’s too fragile for your tastes, then dial it back a bit until you feel comfortable. You might try a marauder set if berserker isn’t to your liking. The extra vitality really takes the edge off and you still deal great damage.

Basic build questions

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Posted by: raykor.6723

raykor.6723

Thanks for the guidance. I do understand that no build is a substitute for smart play: dodge, blind, reflect, boss tactics, etc.

I think what I’m hearing is that a pure DPS build is not the only way to play and that balanced or even support builds have a place in both PvE and WvW.

Basic build questions

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Posted by: Pretty Pixie.8603

Pretty Pixie.8603

I’d argue that in the condi meta most Zerg eles (Tempests) would be frontline support, able to provide a lot of condi cleanse and healing. It’s more about sustain than damage, with necros being the main damage dealers. Some groups still run backline Eles, but your positioning needs to be impeccable..

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