Guild Wars 2

There’s a very good argument as to why elementalists do not get the weapon swap. Yes, 4 elements vs 2 weapons = elementalists already have twice as much in-combat variety.

However, this is facetious.

Because of the 3 choice trait system, elementalists can only really choose up to 3 elements to swap from in combat, bringing the amount of skill sets down to 50% of a non-elementalist player. In addition, many players choose to focus in “Arcane”, bringing the amount of skill-swaps-in-combat down to 2 different sets, which is the same as every other class.

In addition, though the different elements (air, fire, earth, water) have different skills, they all rhyme with each other based on what weapon you are holding. For instance, all of the elemental dagger skills focus on close combat with some condition damage. The staff is long range AoE.

So whereas a mesmer or something can choose two weapons that say “hey, ill swap between a sword and a staff because one is close range one is long range”, elementalists have no versatility. They are either all close range-single target or all long range, making them very predictable.

I think that keeping them from weapon swaps makes them very predictable and inflexible, contrary to the advertisement of the elementalist as the “jack of all trades”. I think this is why my elementalist will never shine the same way that my other characters will.

Are you referring to PvP or PvE since your statement that eles will never shine like your others seem weird. In both PvP and Pve, eles are very strong. Eles are one of the most used classes in speed clears and in records runs so not really sure where you’re coming from in saying that.

Why does select three of the trait lines mean you only have 3 elements to swap to? Just because you select Fire, Air, and Water doesn’t mean you still can’t go to Earth attunement. Why would selecting Arcane mean you can only go to two attunements?

If eles had weapon swap available, that’d be 40 skills to everyone else’s 10. You’d be combining the insane burst that a Scepter/Dagger ele can do along with the sustainability and massive DPS that a Staff ele can do.

Just because a Staff attacks max range is at 1200 doesn’t mean that you have to be at 1200 range for that attack to work . .. You have the versatility of fighting in melee range with your team or backing off a little bit to still do damage.

Agreed. That’s why you hardly see any eles in dungeons or pvp.

100% Agree with Enko here.

However I gotta admit I would probably play my Ele a TON more if it could go S/D + staff xD

Miku.6297:

100% Agree with Enko here.

However I gotta admit I would probably play my Ele a TON more if it could go S/D + staff xD

Ele with weapon swap (without any accompanying nerfs) would be pretty awesome. Though then again, fights that are already only lasting 15 seconds will then probably last 9-10.

Ele with weapon swap would need a huge nerf. Eles right now are in an awesome place. They are one of the most well rounded and solid classes in the game at the moment. They really don’t need weapon swap.

If you think weapon swap in ele would be a good thing, then your judge about balance is completely wrong.

Ele is and has been the most OP profession for a lot of time, across all game modes. Highest DPS in pve, indispensable in pvp, brilliantly and one of a hell versatile in zergs, and good for roaming and dueling.

Ansau.7326:

If you think weapon swap in ele would be a good thing, then your judge about balance is completely wrong.

Ele is and has been the most OP profession for a lot of time, across all game modes. Highest DPS in pve, indispensable in pvp, brilliantly and one of a hell versatile in zergs, and good for roaming and dueling.

^weapon swap + element swap…. ain’t balanced enough while isn’t OP.

now if players defend weapon swap VS element swap that would be different, sacrificing one for another.

Weapon swap available after overload, leaving the attune resets your weapon until.

THEN overload would be viable and weaponswap wouldn’t be OP

Actually kitten overload. After the 5s of being in the attune reactivating it swaps weapons and sets the CD to 10 seconds for that attun and 5 seconds for all others.