Dragons tooth and S/F Builds
It’s more for keeping people off points :P
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Only ways to properly set up Dragon’s Tooth are to use Signet of Earth’s 3 second immobilize or for the enemy to run out of endurance (weakness from the Glyph of Elemental Power might help), and then for you to CC them, .
I really advise against taking those Signets, and instead suggest going for Cantrips and/or Arcane utilities (and/or GoEP, SoE). Also, you won’t have much luck against mesmers with that build because you lack AoE damage, your damage is fairly slow, and it’s pretty poor outside of the fire and air attunements, which is a major problem with only 10 points in Arcana.
(edited by Chaosky.5276)
There’s a way. It’s super secret and no-one uses it because world would end otherwise. Basically, you have to take elemental surge and arcane power. Now, while being in fire attunement you cast dragon’s tooth, swap to earth, cast arcane power and spam autoattack! Hopefully it will land but you’ll do more damage with spamming flamestrike anyway so there’s no need for that super ultra duper trick!
The correct answer: is don’t use sceptre.
downed state is bad for PVP
The correct answer: is don’t use sceptre.
why? it’s very effective especially during skirmishes.
Only ways to properly set up Dragon’s Tooth are to use Signet of Earth’s 3 second immobilize or for the enemy to run out of endurance (weakness from the Glyph of Elemental Power might help), and then for you to CC them, .
I really advise against taking those Signets, and instead suggest going for Cantrips and/or Arcane utilities (and/or GoEP, SoE). Also, you won’t have much luck against mesmers with that build because you lack AoE damage, your damage is fairly slow, and it’s pretty poor outside of the fire and air attunements, which is a major problem with only 10 points in Arcana.
I Know what you mean about those signets now.
What do you think of: (For Utilities)
1. Lightning Flash (45 sec CD also grants me regen and vigor) as opposed to Earth Armor.
2. Arcane Shield (3 blocks and more aoe damage than Arcane wave almost as much damage as phantasm HP)
3. Glyph of storms – Using either Ice Storm for Chill so I can kite or Sand Storm for the constant blind effect if I get stuck in a melee.
My rotation atm is; build up vulnerability in Water, Daze, Ice Storm.
Swap to fire for a Flame Wall/ Fire Aura/ Phoenix and maybe Dragon Tooth to force a roll.
Then swap to either Air for constant critical channelling and Lightning Strike/blind.
Or if defence is needed go Earth for protection, Blind, Armor.
I was thinking of saving Gale/Obisidian Flesh, Arcane Shield and Lightning flash to counter their burst and to set up my second burst?
Think of DT more as an area-denial attack. After casting it, circle-strafe around the area where it’s going to land, keeping it between you and your opponent. That way your opponent (who is presumably melee) will have a harder time attacking you. Odds are, you won’t be landing it in 1v1s, but it gives you a small positioning advantage.
The spell works better in somewhat larger fights when the enemies are clustered around a point and aren’t paying as much attention to the aoe circles. And it shines when you have teammates who are packing CC. Then you just cast it on whoever’s getting CCed.
If you’re running focus then you should be able to get a Dragon’s Tooth to land 100% unless they have a stun breaker. Cast gale and switch to fire mid cast time then use dragons tooth as soon as you can and it should hit before they can dodge it. Also you can hit phoenix and 2 arcane spells in that time period as well for some decent burst (about 50% of a bunkers health or a 100-0 if you get lucky with crits for a squishies)
Shadowplasm – Thief
Daphne Laureola – Necromancer
Daphne Laureola – Necromancer
First, don’t listen to people who tell you not to use scepter or focus. Most who say that haven’t legitimately tried them. This is especially true for focus. I really really like it because it has counters for almost every class. Range: swirling winds and magnetic wave destroy them. Melee: most are pretty kite-able using freezing gust to create distance after they burn their gap closers. Stealth: two words “obsidian flesh.” Anyone who doubts focus simply needs to equip one and use this skill as frequently as possible; they will surely be convinced otherwise.
Second, I’ll tell you my experience with DT. Most of the time in 1v1, it simply isn’t worth casting. When I find it worth casting (1v1): 1) you’re locked in fire attunement (fire aa is bad) or 2) you’ve casted it under scenario 1) and you know your opponent doesn’t dodge/stunbreak out of it. It is, like other people said, pretty good for area denial and in team fights.
Third, how I burst using S/F (requires at least 15 in lightning). Start in water or earth; I like earth so I can get my rock barrier up before the fight. Open with an autoattack just to put yourself in combat. Swap to lightning for the electric discharge and immediately cast lightning strike, then gale, then arc lightning. Switch to fire and land a phoenix (not DT); you have to be pretty close to the enemy because the phoenix is slow. At this point, I usually switch to water so I can interrupt their heal with ice comet, heal myself with water trident, and/or use ice shards until lightning opens back up so I can finish them off. Other than this rotation, don’t rely on rotations! Due to the defensive/counter nature of the focus, swap attunements based on the class/build you’re facing to abuse your defensive skills and burst when the time is right.
Apologies for the long post. I hope I helped a little. Have fun with my favorite weapon set on the ele!
First, don’t listen to people who tell you not to use scepter or focus. Most who say that haven’t legitimately tried them. This is especially true for focus. I really really like it because it has counters for almost every class. Range: swirling winds and magnetic wave destroy them. Melee: most are pretty kite-able using freezing gust to create distance after they burn their gap closers. Stealth: two words “obsidian flesh.” Anyone who doubts focus simply needs to equip one and use this skill as frequently as possible; they will surely be convinced otherwise.
Second, I’ll tell you my experience with DT. Most of the time in 1v1, it simply isn’t worth casting. When I find it worth casting (1v1): 1) you’re locked in fire attunement (fire aa is bad) or 2) you’ve casted it under scenario 1) and you know your opponent doesn’t dodge/stunbreak out of it. It is, like other people said, pretty good for area denial and in team fights.
Third, how I burst using S/F (requires at least 15 in lightning). Start in water or earth; I like earth so I can get my rock barrier up before the fight. Open with an autoattack just to put yourself in combat. Swap to lightning for the electric discharge and immediately cast lightning strike, then gale, then arc lightning. Switch to fire and land a phoenix (not DT); you have to be pretty close to the enemy because the phoenix is slow. At this point, I usually switch to water so I can interrupt their heal with ice comet, heal myself with water trident, and/or use ice shards until lightning opens back up so I can finish them off. Other than this rotation, don’t rely on rotations! Due to the defensive/counter nature of the focus, swap attunements based on the class/build you’re facing to abuse your defensive skills and burst when the time is right.
Apologies for the long post. I hope I helped a little. Have fun with my favorite weapon set on the ele!
Cheers for that.
I’ve played exclusively with Staff or Dagger/Focus and I love the focus too.
I will definitely try your strategy in 1v1.
Do you find yourself trying to stack #2 water at all for vulnerability?
Mesmers are always tough. It depends on the type of mesmer you’re fighting. GC mesmer: the burst combo I mentioned in my last post has a good chance of downing them if you have any offensive stats; make sure not to waste any burst to their stealth or blurred frenzy. Mesmers that like to kite and play defensively while shooting you with their greatsword: just make sure you stay on the right mesmer; you should be able to outlast them with water heals and dodging their iBerserker.
For any mesmer, make sure you are fighting them and not their clones. Tips: any time a mesmer dodges, strafes, moves backwards, or uses any skill other than 1, THAT IS THE REAL MESMER – get ’em (this is key)! If you have trouble relocating them after they stealth, their health bar when they appear is usually similar to what it was when they entered stealth.
I tend not to use shatterstone AT ALL. It locks you up for way too long when you could 1) be swapping to another attunement and doing something useful or 2) use a different water skill. All of them are more useful than #2 (even autoattack – does more damage since its faster).