I first created this topic in the “Structured PvP”-section, but was advised to jump to the Elementalist forums.
My main is an Elementalist, and I’m loving the class. I really want it to work in 1v1 sPvP, but it feels like we’re the squishiest class that also makes some of the least damage of all. I feel like a squishy burst-thief that lacks both burst and damage.
I’ve had more success with D&D over S&D, but even if I’m Attunement-dancing like crazy, utilizing all of my weapon- and utility- skills and jumping all over the place with the “standard-D&D-rotation” I’m still doing alot worse in 1v1 than with my Warrior or stealth-Thief, from which I’ve had alot of less practice with.
I’ve seen many topics that suggests that Bunker-Eles’ are overpowered, but are these any good in 1v1? Do you people have any suggestions of a build that’s great for 1v1 as an Elementalist, or is it just not meant to be?
Vote for/against <dueling>: http://strawpoll.me/1650018/
Cred to Latinkuro Gw2 is a masterpiece at it’s foundation. Content-wise however…
I got great feedback from the sPvP forum and learned that Eles’ are more than viable in 1v1 and that the lower trait-lines are the ones to go for, but I’m still in the search for a bit more precise information, such as an actual build.
Vote for/against <dueling>: http://strawpoll.me/1650018/
Cred to Latinkuro Gw2 is a masterpiece at it’s foundation. Content-wise however…
Yes, D/D bunkers are overpowered, they are very viable 1vs1. In some scenarios, even 1vs3.
The key to the build’s enormous success is the ability to always initiate combat on your terms—-or end combat on your terms. What this means is, when played correctly the abilities allow you to finesse an escape in any situation (thus avoiding death) and they can conversely be utilized to prevent any opponent from escaping combat. D/D have the best “Catch” and “Escape” mechanisms in the game! This means in any 1vs1’s you always have the advantage, and a tremendous one.
^I agree with this post, but this is only possible with cantrips. Sure, you can break away from a fight with ride the lightning or what have you, but cantrips are basically GUARANTEES that you get out of that fight. Make the els burn those cantrips, and you’ll be looking at a greater chance of whittling the bunker ele down and killing him before he escapes by locking him down (immobilization, stun, daze, cripple, chill)
Resident deaf elementalist – Tarnished Coast
Everyone needs a little optimism!
YES! Bunkers are great in 1v1, especially against glass cannons, if aren’t dead by the time they have used their initial burst, you can heal up most of the damage takes anyway, assuming you have adequate healing power:
water attunement + healing ripple, cone of cold, cleansing wave, regen from any cantrips used + water-3 trait, all while putting out some sustained, even if it isn’t on par with with a more offensive class, we have so many skills to sustain constant damage we can wear them down, and use one of our awesome gap-closers when they start to get all chicken!
Just make sure you know when to ride the lightning away, and make sure you have lots of condition removals if you are stacking toughness and healing power.
TLDR; sustained damage and survivability > quick spike of damage!
Bunker builds are the way to go. It seems the cookie cutter bunker is 0/10/0/30/30 d/d ele using cantraps as utility.
Just put in the time. There are way more things to look at then just the build itself. Watch your surroundings, opponents behavior, etc. You need to pay attention to your cooldowns, and need to memorize everything you and your enemy can do.
Bunker builds are the way to go. It seems the cookie cutter bunker is 0/10/0/30/30 d/d ele using cantraps as utility.
Just put in the time. There are way more things to look at then just the build itself. Watch your surroundings, opponents behavior, etc. You need to pay attention to your cooldowns, and need to memorize everything you and your enemy can do.
Elementalist’s are just having a hard time with Theifs imo, just like most classes are. They can hit us for 14K with their first combo easy if their smart. All of the melee classes are a little buff right know it’ll get better eventually. If you having a hard time kiting Bunkering is defiantly the way to go.
Elementalist’s are just having a hard time with Theifs imo, just like most classes are. They can hit us for 14K with their first combo easy if their smart. All of the melee classes are a little buff right know it’ll get better eventually. If you having a hard time kiting Bunkering is defiantly the way to go.
Lollerskates, what? Despite our small hitpoint pool, Elementalists have the easiest time with thiefs out of any class.
Here’s a three step guide to success:
1. Roam in air attunement.
2. Hit Shocking Aura when a thief tries to do his thing.
3. LOL all over the thief.
Success!
The actual harder classes for Elementalists to deal with are an appropriately specced Necro or just any well-played Mesmer.
One of the best? This is hands down the best class in the game and I’m expecting and actually hoping for a nerf. I’ve been using the ele since the very first Betas and dropped it recently for more challenging classes. I actually became bored of it.
I started off as a staff ele and a few months after release I gave D/D a try and it was straight up easy mode from then on. You can EASILY and I mean EASILY go up against 3-5 opponents and they will not kill you. There’s plenty of videos on youtube showing it in action. Look up a few builds (Particularly bunker builds with 30 into arcana) and you’ll be set.
I started off as a staff ele and a few months after release I gave D/D a try and it was straight up easy mode from then on. You can EASILY and I mean EASILY go up against 3-5 opponents and they will not kill you. There’s plenty of videos on youtube showing it in action. Look up a few builds (Particularly bunker builds with 30 into arcana) and you’ll be set.
I started staff too and hated it. Before giving up I tried D/D and now that’s all I do. I’ve dueled a bunch in WvW and have been lots of professions and lost to them as well. Very good class/spec for WvW.
Ele is horribly designed – there’s only 1 good spec for Ele, D/D with cantrips. Every other weapon and utility set is some combination of crappy damage, crappy survivability or and/or crappy mobility, aka sucks.
One of the best? This is hands down the best class in the game and I’m expecting and actually hoping for a nerf. I’ve been using the ele since the very first Betas and dropped it recently for more challenging classes. I actually became bored of it.
I started off as a staff ele and a few months after release I gave D/D a try and it was straight up easy mode from then on. You can EASILY and I mean EASILY go up against 3-5 opponents and they will not kill you. There’s plenty of videos on youtube showing it in action. Look up a few builds (Particularly bunker builds with 30 into arcana) and you’ll be set.
You’re not killing, let alone downing anyone that is on the same level of skill and gear of you before being forced to run away from 3 to 5 vs 1. WvWvW is not the proper indication of what has to be balanced, is currently balanced and not balanced.
In other words, you’re like a fly who annoys a group of people and flys away before they can catch you.
Funny thing is I got in a couple months ago when everyone was saying it was the most underpowered class in the game and needed major buffs. Barely anything has changed and now most people agree now we are fine to OP. Such a fickle crowd. Just goes to show how a few people that know how to play a class can turn around the entire populations view of a class.
This is all you will ever need to know about how to wtfpwn faces as a D/D elementalist.
~~~~~~~
Read the topic, did some sPvP for almost 2 hours and I had a blast! So far I only die if I let myself do so and I’m doing great in 1v1!
~~~~~~
Yay! Welcome to the club! D/D has a very low skill floor but a very high skill ceiling meaning to be decent you need to be a good player but if you are a great player you can really become incredibly powerful!
Relentless Raven, 80 Warrior
Robin Sparklies, 80 Elementalist
Crimethink [ct] – Yak’s Bend
Viable? More like the best 1v1 class in the game. The skill ceiling isn’t that high, don’t kid yourselves. Cycle attunements, spam abilities off CD, win. If you want high skill cap play an engineer.
Viable? More like the best 1v1 class in the game. The skill ceiling isn’t that high, don’t kid yourselves. Cycle attunements, spam abilities off CD, win. If you want high skill cap play an engineer.
When you say spam abilities you discredit yourself.
There is huge advantages to be had by timing these correctly which will multiply your effectiveness!!! In fact spamming abilities will lead you to bad positioning, since many alter your position when others require you be in 300 range. Hit RTL and you may end up in an entirely different area! Hmmm suspecting I just got trolled. doh!
Bunker d/d ele is very viable but up to the point where you’re pretty much whittling people down very slowly but they’re not taking much damage either while you’re sitting at full. They rock at 1v1 but 1v>1 becomes a dodgefest and you have to keep moving to keep the bunker effect going.
I play a balanced build now and it works so much better for me because I can kill quickly, while having very good tankiness
doh!