Ele *new* GM trait analysis (for devs)

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Posted by: Grimreaper.5370

Grimreaper.5370

Blinding Ashes: This skill will blind enemies when you burn them. (5 second ICD)

Ways to apply burning on an Elementalist:

D/D:
-Drakes breath.
-Burning speed. (Note: Will evading attacks mean a blind is removed while evading?)
-Ring of Fire.

Focus:
-Flame wall
-Fire Shield

Staff:
-Flame burst
-Burning retreat

Scepter:
-Flame Strike
-Dragon’s tooth

Abilities designed to apply burning:
-Cleansing fire
-Signet of fire
-Glyph of elemental power (Although lingering elements could make this less viable)
-Conjure flame axe

Traits that apply burning:
-Burning precision
-Flame barrier (although not reliable due to the lack of staying in fire attunement)
-Elemental Surge(While in fire attunement)
-Arcane Precision (While in fire attunement)
-Evasive Arcana (While in fire attunement)
-Arcane Abatement (While in fire attunement)
-Arcane resurrection (While in fire attunement)
-Fires embrace

Thoughts:
Elementalists have a good amount of options to apply burning, regardless if some of these traits/abilities are not used very often. I’d say its fair to assume a good player could apply Blinding Ashes to a single opponent almost every 5 seconds if the skills to apply burning always landed but since we also must factor in your opponent, the rate at which you could apply a blind will greatly vary.

(edited by Grimreaper.5370)

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Posted by: Grimreaper.5370

Grimreaper.5370

Lightning Rod: Interrupting your enemy causes them to be struck
by a damaging lightning bolt that leaves them weakened(5s)

How an Elementalist can interrupt:
-Shocking Aura (Dagger)
-Updraft(Dagger off hand)
-Earthquake(Dagger off hand)
-Gale(Focus)
-Comet(Focus)
-Gust(Staff)
-Static Field(Staff, lightning Hammer)
-Wind blast (Lightning Hammer)
-Tornado (Elite)

Thoughts:

I’d like to know how much damage each bolt will offer.When considering
how often an elementalist can knock down an enemy, will this trait be worth picking up? It wont rival with fresh air in terms of dps to my understanding so then will the weakness applied make it worth while?


Stone Heart: You can not be critically hit while in Earth attunment.

- After swapping out of Earth attunement, every 10-13 seconds (based upon points spent in Arcana line) you will have the chance to swap back into earth attunement and nullify critical hits.

Thoughts:

Will the down time on nullifying crit dmg roughly every 10-13 seconds be too long to make this trait worth it?
Will lingering elements work with this?


Aquatic Benevolence: Your healing to other allies (Not self) is increased by 25%.

Different ways an Ele can provide healing for its allies:
-Soothing mist(Trait)
-Regeneration(Boon)
-Healing ripple(Trait)
-Evasive arcana(Water attunment dodge)
-Cone of cold(Dagger)
-Clensing wave(Dagger, Evasive Arcana)
-Water trident(scepter)
-Geyser (Staff)
-Healing rain(Staff)
-Water blast(Staff)
-Water Arrow (Ice bow #1)

Thoughts:

Monk runes have been changed to increase healing by +15% (iirc), these runes
Combined with Aquatic benevolence will increase the Elementalists healing
potential for allies by 40%. Will this mean Elementalist is now the most effective
at playing the role of the healer?


Elemental Contingency: Gain a boon when you are struck (CD 10s)
Fire: Retaliation 3.5s
Water: Vigor 3s
Air: Fury 5s
Earth: Protection 2.5s

-Keep in mind you can switch to each attunment every 10 seconds with this trait in mind.

Thoughts:
From the Arcana line, the elementalist already has the option to keep up vigor
constantly (Adept trait: Renewing stamina). What good will giving water 3 seconds
of vigor do for the Elementalist then? It certainly wont leave room for replacing renewing stamina IMO. Fury is another boon the elementalist doesn’t have too hard of a time getting depending on weapon choice, so then will this trait mainly appeal to staff elementalists? Will the 2.5seconds of protection and 3.5 seconds of retaliation be appealing enough to take up this trait as a d/d, d/f, s/d or s/f Ele? My guess is no.


Anet, I’m concerned about the lack of use we may get out of Elemental Contingency, and Lightning rod(although maybe I’m wrong and it will be more useful than it does seem to be on paper). Don’t get me wrong the traits by them selves sound wonderful, but these traits don’t look like they will give something that’s lacking in the Elementalist department. Perhaps lightning rod could also stun? Perhaps Elemental Contingency’s vigor and fury boons could be replaced to boons the elementalist more-so lacks like aegis and stability?

(edited by Grimreaper.5370)

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Posted by: Leuca.5732

Leuca.5732

Blinding Ashes- I have a feeling they have skills like Glyph of Elemental Power in mind with a trait like this; the problem is that GoEP will still be a garbage excuse for a stunbreaker.

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Posted by: Malcastus.6240

Malcastus.6240

You forgot Fire’s Embrace and signet auramancer builds that will start to look more appealing, especially with S/F.

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Posted by: Malcastus.6240

Malcastus.6240

Blinding Ashes- I have a feeling they have skills like Glyph of Elemental Power in mind with a trait like this; the problem is that GoEP will still be a garbage excuse for a stunbreaker.

GoEP is horrible. I tested it not long ago. The 25% randomness feels a lot more like 10%.

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Posted by: Graendall.4765

Graendall.4765

Nice analysis..i have a question.Is lightning rod aoe?
Cause this will be very good for staff and WvW group play.Applying weakness with statics and earths 4.Not to mention the aoe dmg IF the lighting bolt does dmg.

Zancrow The Red-Elementalist of [ObV]Oblivion-Hardcore WvW guild
http://oblivion-guild.shivtr.com/
Server-Piken Square

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Posted by: ThiBash.5634

ThiBash.5634

My guess would be that they’ll use Lightning Touch for this trait. If they do, then the damage would be roughly half that of Ligthtning Strike. But the weakness would be AoE and that could be interesting…

If you can read this then it is proof that ArenaNet’s moderators just, kind and fair.

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Posted by: Grevender.9235

Grevender.9235

scepter/focus will be the new duelist gear?

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Posted by: Nabuko Darayon.9645

Nabuko Darayon.9645

My issue with Lightning Rod is how much damage will it do… by the description it looks like to be a channeled damage delivery that applies weakness. This can be good in some situations, but the other 2 Grandmaster traits are way more appealing.

The Arcane trait… got mixed feelings about this. For once, we got access to retalliation which can be nice, and protection so I dunno… But I cans ee nice mix of builds happening, maybe not in current meta but still can be done.

~ King Arian and Isabella of [EG] ~

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Posted by: That Other Guy.7351

That Other Guy.7351

I was thinking there’s gotta be a way to use both Blinding Ashes and Stone Heart at the same time effectively, then it hit me; conjures! And since the FGS #2skill applies burning with a 5sec cd using it in earth attunement gives an ele great dueling potential. This could also work with Flame Axe since it has 3 skills that burn with a 15sec on each.

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Posted by: Jski.6180

Jski.6180

I am thinking 30 air 20 water 20 ar with lightning rod as dagger/force for 1v1 or small number combat. That and conjure earth shield you will have 5 ways for lightning rod to go off most of them are aoe to a point (i think its only 3 targets from the shield.)
It pins on stopping the person from healing if you do they lose there heal for 5 sec get weakens and take dmg (most likely the same dmg from switching to air.)

Main : Jski Imaginary ELE (Necromancer)
Guild : OBEY (The Legacy) I call it Obay , TLC (WvW) , UNIV (other)
Server : FA

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Posted by: Maskah.1486

Maskah.1486

While they have said these are tentative they might actually change some of these traits. I feel that Blinding Ashes is a bit off the mark when you consider how many traits you have to invest to get it and compare it to other GM traits in that line. Here are my suggestions and they are not big changes, but enough to make them worth the trait points.

Blinding Ashes - As it stands this trait has very little use in big fights and is only good for 1v1 (unless a warrior is traited to ignore blinds) and somewhat in boss fights.

Suggestion 1 - Make it an AOE blind centered on the first target that triggered the blind first.

Suggestion 2 - Can only affect a target once every 5 seconds.

Personally I think suggestion 2 is the most balanced approach.

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Posted by: Maskah.1486

Maskah.1486

I just realized that Lightening Rod has no cool down. If that is so, this trait is very much worth getting considering the amount of AOE interrupts a Ele can throw around.

It would also make Tornado a more appealing skill to use.

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Posted by: Columbo.5924

Columbo.5924

I just realized that Lightening Rod has no cool down. If that is so, this trait is very much worth getting considering the amount of AOE interrupts a Ele can throw around.

It would also make Tornado a more appealing skill to use.

Careful, this trait only triggers on interrupt – i.e. when someone deliberately uses a leap skill into your static field without stability. Just stunning or dazing your foe won’t trigger it. If you think its good, just check on any day when daily interrupter achievement is on. Then place your static fields and unsteady grounds and whatnot into the enemy WvW zerg and check how many not only get stunned, but actually interrupted and you will see very soon why I would never pick this trait.

Abaddon’s Mouth (DE)

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Posted by: Maskah.1486

Maskah.1486

I just realized that Lightening Rod has no cool down. If that is so, this trait is very much worth getting considering the amount of AOE interrupts a Ele can throw around.

It would also make Tornado a more appealing skill to use.

Careful, this trait only triggers on interrupt – i.e. when someone deliberately uses a leap skill into your static field without stability. Just stunning or dazing your foe won’t trigger it. If you think its good, just check on any day when daily interrupter achievement is on. Then place your static fields and unsteady grounds and whatnot into the enemy WvW zerg and check how many not only get stunned, but actually interrupted and you will see very soon why I would never pick this trait.

If you are firing off the skills at the wrong time, sure you won’t get an interrupt. I have really good timing and will get interrupts.

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Posted by: Malcastus.6240

Malcastus.6240

While they have said these are tentative they might actually change some of these traits. I feel that Blinding Ashes is a bit off the mark when you consider how many traits you have to invest to get it and compare it to other GM traits in that line. Here are my suggestions and they are not big changes, but enough to make them worth the trait points.

Blinding Ashes - As it stands this trait has very little use in big fights and is only good for 1v1 (unless a warrior is traited to ignore blinds) and somewhat in boss fights.

Suggestion 1 - Make it an AOE blind centered on the first target that triggered the blind first.

Suggestion 2 - Can only affect a target once every 5 seconds.

Personally I think suggestion 2 is the most balanced approach.

I’m hoping it works like this:
Use single target burning = Single target blindness.
Use AoE burning = AoE blindness.

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Posted by: ATMAvatar.5749

ATMAvatar.5749

I’m confused why anyone in their right mind would add yet another “on being hit” trait to ele. In no universe is it a good idea for an ele to intentionally sit and tank damage. In this vein, I would suggest that every ele trait which requires the player to be hit (or even worse, crit) to activate is terrible and should be replaced with something else.

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Posted by: Grimreaper.5370

Grimreaper.5370

@Malacastus- Thanks I did forget that one.

@Graendall- Not sure, that would be nice to know!

@Maskah- perhaps but the target also needs to be interrupted. Also “suggestion 2”
sounds like how it already is planning on working (5s ICD)

@ATMAvatar- I can agree with you to some extent but sometimes you can’t help but be hit, the Arcana GM trait doesn’t seem appealing enough to help out much in that aspect but the earth GM trait sounds wonderful for fighting glass cannons.

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Posted by: rhodoc.2381

rhodoc.2381

Lightning Rod: Interrupting your enemy causes them to be struck
by a damaging lightning bolt that leaves them weakened(5s)

Lightning Rod + Zerg + Static Field = !‘^!+^%’+&%&%/?

[VcY] Velocity – Gargamell

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Posted by: Darreola.4201

Darreola.4201

Using flame axe or FGS while in earth attunement sounds like a good combo. Of course, the drawback there is that you can’t use the skills from other attunements while making use of this combo. It should be interesting, nonetheless.

Additionally, doesn’t Lightning Hammer add blinds? Imagine equipping LH, Signet of Restoration, and sitting in earth attunement with Stone Heart and that fire trait that applies burning on critical, which would then add blind as well (I could be wrong with this one). You’d be dishing out A LOT of blinds, taking regular damage, healing with every swing, and still have some ability to deal damage and CC.

Now THAT is something worth seeing.

(edited by Darreola.4201)

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Posted by: Grimreaper.5370

Grimreaper.5370

Using flame axe or FGS while in earth attunement sounds like a good combo. Of course, the drawback there is that you can’t use the skills from other attunements while making use of this combo. It should be interesting, nonetheless.

Additionally, doesn’t Lightning Hammer add blinds? Imagine equipping LH, Signet of Restoration, and sitting in earth attunement with Stone Heart and that fire trait that applies burning on critical, which would then add blind as well (I could be wrong with this one). You’d be dishing out A LOT of blinds, taking regular damage, healing with every swing, and still have some ability to deal damage and CC.

Now THAT is something worth seeing.

Except fire sword doesn’t proc healing signet.

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Posted by: Elaron.8150

Elaron.8150

Looks like i wont be playing spvp ele for another half of the year.

  • Blinding Ashes: This skill will blind enemies when you burn them. (5 second ICD)
    blinding flash Arent saving us,why this should?AND its grandmaster.
  • Lightning Rod: Interrupting your enemy causes them to be struck
    by a damaging lightning bolt that leaves them weakened(5s)
    Dev had a lot of fun explaining it use in pve on stream.Glad at least they are having fun.
  • Stone Heart: You can not be critically hit while in Earth attunment.
    Steps in the right direction.™
  • Aquatic Benevolence: Your healing to other allies (Not self) is increased by 25%.
    People still wont like healing power,sorry.
    Overall sadness.

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Posted by: Yajnho.2875

Yajnho.2875

Do ele’s really have enough interrupts to use lightning rod effectively? Maybe I’m wrong but it doesn’t seem like it. I have never tried to play for interrupts on my ele like on my Mesmer, but mesmers have a lot more skills which interrupt. Perhaps if there were one or two non conjure utility skills which could interrupt, or maybe anet wanted more conjure builds. That said the glyphs are kinda weak…

The arcana trait is just dumb, unless ele is switching to heavy armor (wouldn’t that be a good earth trait?)

The fire trait sounds useful and interesting, and tailored to something ele’s actually do.

The earth trait seems to have potential for a condition build that want at to stay in earth more, not sure what that build is right now.