Guild Wars 2

So, I’m rolling up an ele and im curious about builds.
I tend to be a fan of melee specs, battle mages etc. Was wondering if there was a PVE centric D/D build out there? I havent played sense a little after launch, which is why I dont know a whole heck of alot outside of warriors xD

There are many. A good one that’s not too difficult to play is 0/30/10/0/30 with berserker stats and offensive runes. Focus on dealing damage with lightning whip and swapping to air between other attunements for the lightning strike while the heavier hitting abilities in other attunements cooldown. Stack might with superior sigil of battle and evasive arcana for earth in your fire fields. Using elemental attunement, you have permanent swiftness and regeneration (if you use the healing Glyph in water attunement when it’s needed). You have +10% damage while attuned to air, +10% while within 600 distance of your target, auras grant fury and a heal on dodge when in water.

The stats are offensive, and the traits are based on critical damage in order to keep some healing capability and reduced attunement cooldowns to get more lightning strikes and might stacks in. A squishy D/D elementalist is very viable; the 300 range on those attacks does make a difference as opposed to having to be in actual melee range of 130 distance. Signet of earth is always an option if you want a bit more toughness though.

EDIT: While elementalist lacks a “weapon damage modifier” because they are attunement-specific, with Air Training and Fresh Air you can use an ability in one attunement, change to Air before it hits, and it’ll get the 10% damage increase for being attuned to Air.

D/F is also fun melee action
the only thing I really miss when using focus off hand instead of dagger is ride the lightning. well, at least for PvP. In PvE you can actually hit things with Churning Earth, so I miss that one too. Anyway with all the damage mitigation skills on focus it makes me feel pretty boss. especially the earth ones. Go invulnerable while pumping out the damage, in the middle of everything. lets me feel like an unstoppable tank even though I’m made of glass.

figured I’d throw that out there in case that’s your cup of tea

Impact and reikken both have some great points. I personally love Eles because of the sheer versatility that they offer. With that versatility though comes complexity and, as such, it may be a good idea while leveling to use a sceptor or even a staff to get familiar with the mechanics before venturing directly into the fray with dagger/dagger.

As far as d/d builds are concerned, a safe starting point would be the tried-and-true x/x/x/30/30 build. The key traits to pick up are: Cleansing Wave, Cleansing Water, Evasive Arcana, Elemental Attunement, and Renewing Stamina. Focus on Cantrips for your utilities and either Ether Renewal or Signet of Restoration for your heal. Start with Soldier’s gear (power, vitality, toughness) until you really get the hang of it then move towards Knight’s or Berserker’s gear later for more damage. Add the remaining 10 points to taste. I prefer to put them into Earth for Stone Splinters (10% more damage when you are within 600 range of your target) since you will be within 600 range a majority of the time anyway.

This is how I have my “Tank Ele” set up. The Trident is actually another dagger that I swap out once I have 25 stacks of Bloodlust.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fEAQJAoYhMmibzR4wjDAkHuYCLjCdUekzM2A-jwCBYLChEEIkIAUBgJQFRjtMMsVXRr8KI6FYqTER1+DFRrGA-e

Hope that helps!

I’m the same with you OP. Mageknight, or hybrid class is what I like most in all MMOs.
Right now I’m trying Scepter/Dagger. Since I found D/D is a bit too squishy for me. I might try D/F though.

Lightning Hammer is very good, btw.