Guild Wars 2

So I’m finally getting around to leveling an elementalist to 80. It is now 71. I have tried Staff, S/D, and D/D. Universally, I have noticed that a -lot- of skills are incredibly underwhelming for damage. It is always a struggle just to kill things without getting killed in return. None of the other classes I have leveled to 80 (Ele and mesmer are the only classes I have that are not level 80) all have a much, MUCH easier time in PVE.

Is it just me, or is this class severely underwhelming for damage?

And before anyone says its a L2P issue (It very well could be, I don’t know.), my typical rotation is as follows:

D/D: start in Air, RTL to target, Shocking Touch, Updraft (if able), Switch to fire, Burning Speed to target, Drake’s Breath, Ring of Fire, Fire Grab, Switch to Earth, Earthquake, Churning Earth and pop Arcane Shield at the same time. If I don’t have Arcane Shield up, I will typically be downed before Churning Earth goes off. If NPC is still alive, switch to water and pop everything waiting for Fire to come off attunement. My heal skill will be used at some point during that rotation depending on HP levels. This all happens in about 5-7 seconds give or take. This combo doesn’t even kill most NPCs at level 70, and I’m left auto attacking in whatever attunement is left. If I am fighting more than 2 NPCs, I’ll just get absolutely destroyed. If I do kill them, I’m left at about 20-30% of my HP, and thats after using all my healing abilities.

S/D: Start in Air, Lightning Strike, Blinding Flash, RTL to target, Updraft if able, Lightning Strike again, go into fire, Ring of Fire, Dragon’s Tooth, Phoenix targeted just behind the target so it hits them going out, exploding, and on the return, Fire Grab, Switch to earth, Earthquake, Churning Earth while popping Arcane Shield (or I’ll die), go into water, pop everything waiting for cool downs. Again, I’ll heal where needed. Again, more than 2 targets and I get my kitten handed to me.

Staff: I really don’t have a rotation here. I’m honestly not sure what to do with this weapon. I know its good for WvW but it doesn’t seem that great for killing random NPCs with as nothing stays still long enough to be hit by anything but auto attack. (Possible L2P issue here.)

My traits are put in Fire, then Air, and any left over put in Arcane. I still do not have all of them unlocked (THIS NEW TRAIT UNLOCK SYSTEM IS REALLY REALLY BAD!)

What am I doing wrong? or is this class like mesmer in that its complete crap until you get all your traits and exotic armor?

wear zerker
camp fire staff
spam 1 and 2
profit
kite them around ur lava font

6/2/2/2/2
or 6/6/0/0/2
blasting staff is a must if not they run out of lava font quickly
get all the modifiers

arcane brilliance
arcane blast
signet of fire
signet of Air /icebow (for tougher mobs)

Can’t remember what I used to use while levelling but for what I use now…

S/F + Lightning Hammer: My main build for Dungeons. Wouldn’t recommend for open-world content as by the time you’ve stacked Might the trash mob is normally dead and there’s no need for LH.

Staff: Good for open world although very boring. Camp in fire using 1 + 2 and 5 on large hit boxes. Switch to the other attunements just for support skills.

D/F: Burning speed into them, drop firewall, arcane brill, arcane wave, earth 4, 5, water 5, switch to air till dead.

I use D/F for harder content as it has good survivability so for normal PvE you can probably just use D/D as you’ll have some added burst skills like Fire grab.

Key thing to remember is stack might at every opportunity. You should get used to using fire 3 into mobs and then blasting that fire field while you can.

Edit: Just re-read your post in a bit more detail. Your D/D play is all wrong. You need to be starting in fire to open a fire field to stack might. The only thing you should use in Earth is #4 as #5 takes way too long to activate. Your main DPS tool is Air Auto-attack, not fire. You should be circulating the enemy and trying to keep behind it. Once fire comes off recharge and if your arcane brill/arcane wave skills have recharged then swap back to fire, burning speed through it, put firewall down and get blasting that Might again.

I don’t know how the new trait system works as I haven’t levelled a character since but if you aim to have Fresh Air in the Air line or Persisting Flames in the fire line.

well indeed: go for fresh air build, stack might and be as mobile as possible
0 – 6 – 0 – 4 – 4 is a good build imo
i am using this build (wvw playing)
http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fFUQJArYhcM6cW5wkBd0AQAGxeQLQcDIAkBLGFOCA-TFTDwA9UCBT9ngKdEYCJgZgEKBrcCAApF4nyAAPAw0Ft9HUpDgUAlLMC-w
but my scepter is berzerk with sigil of air

i am very satisfied about my survivability and my dps. try to stack the mobs and use the AOE of ur spells
u should stack in 3 sec with fire enough might to nuke ur target

btw when pve replace mist form to armor of earth for chunning earth (= stability) and during casting time swap to water for heals and 20% more crit chance ^^

ele is harder to play then warrior for example, take ur time to master it

Kravick.4906:

So I’m finally getting around to leveling an elementalist to 80. It is now 71. I have tried Staff, S/D, and D/D. Universally, I have noticed that a -lot- of skills are incredibly underwhelming for damage. It is always a struggle just to kill things without getting killed in return. None of the other classes I have leveled to 80 (Ele and mesmer are the only classes I have that are not level 80) all have a much, MUCH easier time in PVE.

Is it just me, or is this class severely underwhelming for damage?

And before anyone says its a L2P issue (It very well could be, I don’t know.), my typical rotation is as follows:

D/D: start in Air, RTL to target, Shocking Touch, Updraft (if able), Switch to fire, Burning Speed to target, Drake’s Breath, Ring of Fire, Fire Grab, Switch to Earth, Earthquake, Churning Earth and pop Arcane Shield at the same time. If I don’t have Arcane Shield up, I will typically be downed before Churning Earth goes off. If NPC is still alive, switch to water and pop everything waiting for Fire to come off attunement. My heal skill will be used at some point during that rotation depending on HP levels. This all happens in about 5-7 seconds give or take. This combo doesn’t even kill most NPCs at level 70, and I’m left auto attacking in whatever attunement is left. If I am fighting more than 2 NPCs, I’ll just get absolutely destroyed. If I do kill them, I’m left at about 20-30% of my HP, and thats after using all my healing abilities.

S/D: Start in Air, Lightning Strike, Blinding Flash, RTL to target, Updraft if able, Lightning Strike again, go into fire, Ring of Fire, Dragon’s Tooth, Phoenix targeted just behind the target so it hits them going out, exploding, and on the return, Fire Grab, Switch to earth, Earthquake, Churning Earth while popping Arcane Shield (or I’ll die), go into water, pop everything waiting for cool downs. Again, I’ll heal where needed. Again, more than 2 targets and I get my kitten handed to me.

Staff: I really don’t have a rotation here. I’m honestly not sure what to do with this weapon. I know its good for WvW but it doesn’t seem that great for killing random NPCs with as nothing stays still long enough to be hit by anything but auto attack. (Possible L2P issue here.)

My traits are put in Fire, then Air, and any left over put in Arcane. I still do not have all of them unlocked (THIS NEW TRAIT UNLOCK SYSTEM IS REALLY REALLY BAD!)

What am I doing wrong? or is this class like mesmer in that its complete crap until you get all your traits and exotic armor?

You think to much in skill combinations, however it’s best to think in attument rotations. Basically you will burn though you’re attunements to fast, sure ride the lightning → updraft is nice to knock a mob down, but when you switch to another attument you’re best auto attack is now on atleast a 13 second CD. If you play like this a conjurer with usefull auto attack ( lightning hammer) will help you out a bunch, but this will not solve your problem with the class.

However try to open in fire, stack some burning on mobs + fire fields, switch earth for might and bleeds/cripple , then use lightning to kill the mobs. Do not use churning earth if it gets you killed. Also pick atleast elemental attument, water for cantrips and remainder in lightning if you want. Forget about fire until you hit 80.

Just pick fresh air and it’s fine to open in air, with dagger mainhand. Also you may try to pick one with air too, it works well with fresh air in open world leveling like to chase for air aa when mobs are away, or run for life when you cant win.

The Ele is hard to play especially when leveling – it takes ages because of bad gear – not knowing some trivial things as dodging in the right moment or when to use which skill.
We can’t deny that it’s hard class to play, but if you’ve reached end content and knowing when to use what it’s a fantastic class..

I played Scepter/Dagger and Daggger/Dagger for leveling. It’s easier i think and you’re getting used to meleeing.
It’s pretty hard to play with staff if you’re not quite used to the mechanics of an Ele so i would suggest going the “normal” fresh air Bild 6 6 2 0 0. And Using Dagger/Focus (Focus for more survivability) – if you’re quite uncommon to the whole system.

But it definitely gets better and it’s a fun class to play, because of it’s capabilities.

When I was leveling my ele back 2012 it was a blast till around lvl 35. Then I hit power gap and struggled to kill anything at my ~level. The class is just weak during leveling, sure you can use LH or bow to gain little ground but they have long cds even then you will have worse time then other class would(did mesmer necro engi thief and warrior(not fully)).
What I did when struggle started was trait defensively(water/arcana), defensive utilities(Mist/LF/AoEarth) get yourself 2x dagger or better dagger/focus go wvw and follow zerg. I fond leveling that way to be far more enjoyable.

Staff + zerker setup is the way to go. D/D or Scepter is what will get you killed during leveling the most.