Guild Wars 2

With the upcoming changes to traits I’ve had an idea for a sort of ‘defense auto-trigger’ build. It’s not a very serious idea yet, but I was wondering what you guys think of it.

20 Fire Magic for ‘automatic Cleansing Fire’.
30 Air Magic for ‘automatic Static Field’.
10 Earth Magic for ‘automatic Armor of Earth’.
10 Arcana for ‘automatic Arcane Shield’.

Now, the first problem is that this is a semi-random selection of traits that apart from the auto defense, have nothing in common. This led me to the second concept: a cantrip based auto defense build.

20 Fire – auto-Cleansing Fire & Might on Cantrip use
10 Earth – auto-Armor of Earth
20 Water – regen and vigor on Cantrips, -20% recharge on cantrips

This leaves 20 free points for traits of choice and of course the utility slots can be cantrips too. With a whopping 5 cantrips, the might bonus is rather good (easily maxed when combined with Sigil of Battle), it’s got pretty much perma vigor, a good way to combat conditions and of course plenty of stability and stunbreakers.

Does this mean that cantrips are basically the best skilltype again, except this time not for just anti-stun but for offensive use as well?

I use a D/F cantrip build, and I think cantrips are the better option. They’re fun to use, and even with my terrible reaction times I can survive encounters and contribute to a group.

I only have two complaints when it comes to cantrips: the 20% recharge reduction is pretty much mandatory; and compared to Armor of Earth, Lightning Flash, and Cleansing Fire, Mist Form seems lackluster—although it’s cooldown is normally a whopping 75s. The only time I’ve ever found occasion to use in PvE is running around in the Toxic tower, wherein there’s a lot of aoe, projectiles, and tight spaces.

@ ThiBash

I like your second concept build more. Cantrips are always going to be awesome not necessarily a bad thing all the professions I play have the popular utilities and most of the popular utilities that are chosen can be used offensively and defensively offering well “Utility”.

It would be interesting to see though I would probably take those last 20 points and go Arcana to get elemental attunement. Maybe even better 10 arcana 10 air for Zephyr’s boon and renewing stamina. Maybe put 10 in air just for Zeyphr’s and the other 10 in earth for geomancer’s freedom Runes of Hoelbrak

The issue with this is that Elementalists are more of a dynamic kind of class built around clutch plays.
The only reason cantrips are so powerful is that they can be deployed at the perfect times to make them so useful.

If they’re used “automatically” it kind of defeats the purpose of them and they would not be effected when used manually.

I do see them be able to serve a purpose, but I don’t see them in high-end game play because the less you control about your character the lower the skill cap.

Cool concept but I myself have never played with the automatic defenses, so I need some clarification.

If you slot Armor of Earth and trait 10 Earth Magic for the auto Armor of Earth, does the utility slot Arm/Earth go on cooldown if the automatic Arm/Earth is triggered?

Or can you essentially fire off Armor of Earth twice if you use the utility Arm/Earth just after the automatic proc?

Mash Hog.5672:

If they’re used “automatically” it kind of defeats the purpose of them and they would not be effected when used manually.

The way I understood it, the new Cleansing Fire trait would trigger whenever you’d have 3 conditions, so it’d always be useful. The same goes for Armor of Earth and Arcane Shield (because when they trigger you’re in trouble) but I agree that it wouldn’t be so great for Shocking Aura (especially against ranged opponents).

Wraistlin.6072:

Cool concept but I myself have never played with the automatic defenses, so I need some clarification.

If you slot Armor of Earth and trait 10 Earth Magic for the auto Armor of Earth, does the utility slot Arm/Earth go on cooldown if the automatic Arm/Earth is triggered?

Or can you essentially fire off Armor of Earth twice if you use the utility Arm/Earth just after the automatic proc?

They’re on separate cooldowns, so yeah, you can trigger it twice. And thanks to boon stacking, it doesn’t even hurt if they would go off at the same time because the stability and protection would just get doubled.