Guild Wars 2

Hi everyone.

As a really experienced elementalist (more than 4000 hours playing it mosty in power fresh air), I decide to try to propose for developpers a solution for power based build on elementalist in PVP. Because we can see, with the last pacht, that arena net do some changes of the fresh air so they are really interested on make this happend.

1) Thank you arena net team for changing the dragon tooth skill and put so ferocity into fresh air trait. Because of that we can play fresh air a little bit and having some extra dammages. ^^

2) I am conscious that elementalist are hard to balance. But why?
I wanna explain for those that dont know it well.

- Elementalist is a mage who cannot disapear, who has heavy CD’s on blocs, invulnerablities, and has not a big amount of mobility skills (again heavy CD’s example: ride of the ligthning skill)

—> So, the elementalist need toughness, healing power and a little bit of vitality in order to survive.
—> Actual survable abilities with elementalist are: dodges, healing power and dispels
—> Result: elementalist are worthy on tanky support build (which is fine, I mean someone has to do it)

3) The problems are that, if arenat do changes on the general based elementalist (such as changing the based vitality of the elementalist, chaging cantrips,…) they will up at the same time the elementalist tanky support builds. So they cannot do that because the goal is to make an evolution of the elementalist meta build.

4) For me, the main changes of the elementalist should be directly correlated with the traits/weappons that the elementalist power is forced to play with.

So here is some reasonnable ideas that can change a bit the meta of the ele:

- Associate more particularities to the fresh air trait. I mean arena net understand it well because they already put so extra ferocity on the fresh air trait. But why not a extra vitality (not too much but just enough for us to go full zerk sometimes whitout having the 11k hp and no armor). By doing this you will up the fresh air elementalits without upgradding the tanky build.

- Up the scepter weappon. I know that many peaople say it already. And, again, arenat net understand that is the a good way to up ele becasue they change a lot of things in scepter but not the essential ones. Not that i demand something op…
But, why not making and auto attack in fire shorter and putting some extra dammages into it (maybe something like the water auto attack could be enough but in fire because is more likely the dammage element so… ).
Another auto attack to up is the air one. Make it just shortter for all the dammages come out fast (increasing the overall dps ). As for example the mesmer greatsword auto attack.

-Reduce the arcane shield colddown. That’s one of the most frustrating things in elentalist power. We can not have 60-75 s CD ! on arcane shield just for blockig 3 attacks.

—> I will give again and example: the guardian, revenant. Thoses 2 classes are like the elementalist playing full power(i mean there are diffenrencies) but in the end there are classes that are mostly playing with no sealth . The big difference with ele fresh air is that guardian and revenant have a lot of more blocks and invulnerabilities.

Please talk about it in a serious way.

Thank you.

One simple solution for a fast implementation can be the following:

1) increase the base healing for all healing skills
2) reduce scaling with healing power

Balance the numbers around the Cleric stats pvp amulet, making the cleric ele not gaining any increase on his heals.

Result: more viability of dps ele with gained survivability with offensive stats; no change to the support ele which is already strong in his role.

This doesn’t fix the condition problems: arcana, fire, air and tempest on their own have close to no condition cleansing, outside the synergy with water; earth diamind skin is too nerfed to be effective alone.
This is making the ele inconsistent: water should provide team cleanses while self cleanses should be more available to the tempest ele. One tempest GM trait could be cleansing 2 or 3 condis on overload. Alternative maybe something for arcana like condition cleanse on boon gain (with internal cooldown) or cleansing on attune swap.

Yes fine.

I had another idea that will open more build diversity in tempest.
Tempestious aria: It competes with regeneration on auras. It even looses agaisnt stability on overloads for fresh air.
So if you add a 20% CD reduction on shouts here you won´t buff the bunker but open other more agressive builds that will mitigate damage by weakness while blasting.
Currently all is focused on the bunker and secondary fresh air. I feel this will open more options. Shure it is tempest not base classes but this is another thing.
That scepter needs a bit is clear. Its even not much a bit number changes in cast times (not CD´s) can be sufficient.
An arcane shield … Yey i realy liked it but 75/60 is ridicolus.

I also had another idea but i guess that one is not what Anet might do.
Baseline trait in arcane line: You can slot a normal uitility into your elite slot. (it is cast as elite e.g. for triggering runes).

Edit: Increasing base healing is dangerous. It might return the brawler D/D role. I would love it but it should be thought twice. Maybe on arcane brilliance.

I don’t see a future for power based d/x play until they can tone down aoe stacking accross all classes or give us might stacking back.

Addressing issues such as scepter auto cast times and arcane cd’s could be a huge first step.

Please no more buffs on fresh air. By the way, fresh air is not the only damage type of elementalist in PvP.

I haven’t used the arcane line in such a long time I mostly forget it’s even there. It needs a design overhaul, there’s no reason to take it in PvE(full damage fire+air+tempe) or PvP(full defense earth+water+tempe).

Alekt.5803:

Please no more buffs on fresh air. By the way, fresh air is not the only damage type of elementalist in PvP.

The point of post is to change the elementalist gameplay.

Actually the elementalist is a close range magician. And we have been playing a close range magician from now almost 3 years. The other option you have is to play staff (but if you get focus on staff power build based you will die in a second ^^).

So, the point here is to see if we can buff the scepter power build based abilities (such as arcanes kills, scepter skills and fresh air trait). If you read my post correctly, you will notice that I propose different solutions and not only a fresh air trait buff.

So, as I said “Please talk about it in a serious way.”

see you

GLOR.2489:

Alekt.5803:

Please no more buffs on fresh air. By the way, fresh air is not the only damage type of elementalist in PvP.

The point of post is to change the elementalist gameplay.

Actually the elementalist is a close range magician. And we have been playing a close range magician from now almost 3 years. The other option you have is to play staff (but if you get focus on staff power build based you will die in a second ^^).

So, the point here is to see if we can buff the scepter power build based abilities (such as arcanes kills, scepter skills and fresh air trait). If you read my post correctly, you will notice that I propose different solutions and not only a fresh air trait buff.

So, as I said “Please talk about it in a serious way.”

see you

Do you think that it is reasonable to give 300 vitality to fresh air because you have established (from an uniformed opinion, I need to add) that it is the only PvP dps way to do it? I see many new faces here on the elementalist forum throwing ideas that are usually too strong.

Speaking now is useless; we’ll all see what happens in two days for the patch. Plus, you have the audacity to tell that I did not read your stuff.

I have documents full of elementalist suggestions. Let me pass a few of them here.

Dedicated to the Quality of Life changes, slight buffs to raise the agressive playstyle of the Staff Elementalist and Conjured Weapon. Mostly simple changes.

NERFS “Wash the Pain Away!” Reduce the heal amount to allies by 50%. As compensation, increase the area of effect to the first and second pulse to 240 radius and 360 radius respectively, up from 180 and 240 radius.

Frost Aura Applies the chill only if the target is within 600 range. This is also a Reaper nerf.

Elemental Shielding is now a Master Trait competing against Geomancer’s Training. Which involves swapping around traits, and combining some, and creating new ones. Serrated Stones could easily be combined with Strenght of Stone. New trait in adept could be an updated Obsidian Focus.

Diamond Skin Condition can now be applied on the Elementalist. Instead, you ignore the conditions applied to you when above 90% threshold, working similarly to Resistance. (Diamond Skin worded that way does not synergize so well with condition clear since the condition is still applied above threshold. But, a build able to come back up to the 90% threshold can be possible and will ignore applied conditions again.) (Changed already)

Overload Earth Protection applied to allies is now the same as the one applied to yourself. 1 second of protection pulsing while channeling and up to 3 seconds upon completing the overload. (Bug fixed now, nerfed, see proposed changes on Tempest)

Tempest

Overload Recharge reduced to 15 seconds, down from 20.

Healing Power ration on Elemental Bastion reduced to (0.35), down from (0.5).

Hardy Conduit’s protection duration raised to 5 seconds, up from 3.

Staff

Lava Font : First instance of the damage occurs immediately after the cast. (Instant First tick).

Lighning Surge : Reduce cooldown to 5 seconds from 10 to better match cooldown with Fresh Air.

Gust : Add minor damage on impact.

Magnetic Aura : Apply cripple for 5 seconds in a 300 radius around the player on cast. Reduce cooldown to 25 from 30.

Shockwave : Improve power ratio to 1.0 from 0.5. Increase bleeding stacks to 3 from 1, reduce duration to 8 from 20. Reduce cooldown to 20 from 30.

Healing Rain: Reduce cast time to 1 seconds from 1 1/2 seconds.

Traits

Inscription: Increase the might gained from casting glyphs while attuned to fire to 3 stacks from 1 stack. Additionnaly, it now reduces the cooldown of the summoned elemental special ability cooldown by 20%.

Weak Spot: Increase the Vulnerability Stacks on critical strike to 2 from 1.

Earthen Blast : Add 3 stacks of bleeding for 3 seconds in the 240 radius when swapping to Earth.

Lightning Strike : Increase range to 1200 from 900.

Renewing Stamina : Reduce recharge to 4 seconds from 10. Reduce duration to 3 seconds from 5.

Elemental Attunement : Increase the radius to 360 from 240.

Conjurer : Combine One with Fire and Conjurer together as a single trait.

New trait to replace One with Fire: Element of Purification : Applying Fire Aura cleanse 1 damaging condition and increases damage dealt by condition by 5% and damage by 5 % for the duration of the Aura.

Pyromancer’s Puissance : Bonus (Minor and Major traits) from Fire Attunement now lingers for 5 seconds after swapping from Fire Attunement.

UTILITIES

Arcane Shield: Reduce cooldown to 50 seconds, down from 75 seconds.

Arcane Power: Reduce cooldown to 40 seconds, down from 45 seconds. Additionnally, improves Ferocity by 250 for the duration of the spell.

Arcane Blast: Reduce cooldown to 15 seconds from 20 seconds. Additionnally, the spell now launches 3 projectiles in a barrage to the target with a 100% projectile finisher. Damage is improved by 10%, but splitted in 3 instances of damage.

Arcane Wave: Reduce cooldown to 20 seconds from 30.

Arcane Brillance: Reduce cooldown to 15, down from 25 seconds. Short cooldown healing skill.

Signet of Restoration: Clears one condition when casted.

Signet of Water: Now also removes chill every 10 seconds in addition to the regular condition clear. When activated, gain Frost Aura on successful hit in addition to the chill on the target.

Signet of Fire: Now grants Fire Aura on successful hit in addition to the burn on the target.

Glyph of Elemental Harmony: Increase healing value to 6,490 (1.0), up from 4894 (0.75).

Glyph of Elemental Power: Reduce cooldown to 40 seconds, down from 45 seconds.

Eye of the Storm: Now grants a static charge to allies for 10 seconds in addition to the old effect, similar to the effects upon completing air overload.

Conjured Weapons

-Reduce initial cooldown to 45 seconds from 60. -Reduce Fiery Greatsword cooldown to 120 from 180 seconds. -Improve visibility between allies’ and enemies’ conjured weapon. -Drastically reduce the delay to pick up Conjured Weapon (or Bundles) when already on the floor.

Conjure Earth Shield

Passive stats : -Remove vitality from the passive stat gains since it is immediately lost when the Conjured Weapon is discarded.

-Add Concentration (20% boon duration) to the passive stat pool.

Stone Sheath : Increase radius to 360. Each enemy hit grants two seconds of Retaliation. Reduce cooldown to 5 seconds from 8.

Magnetic Surge : Add a Leap Finisher to the skill.

Crippling Shield : Add a Projectile Finisher to the skill.

Lightning Hammer

Static Field : Allow the wielder to move while casting. Allow to target the field in the area instead of a Point Blank Area, 600 range.

Wind Blast : Improve damage to match Guardian Hammer’s Banish.

Auto Attack : Reduce auto attack windup to match the indicated cast time.

Conjure Flame Axe

Ring of Fire : Update this Ring of Fire to match the current iteration of Ring of Fire on Dagger.

Auto-Attack : Rework the auto attack to include a chain in melee, which could include some evade frames.

Conjure Ice Bow

Auto Attack : Completely rework the auto-attack. Fire a shard of ice that shatters on impact, Bleeding and dealing extra damage to enemies behind the impact. 1 stack of bleed for 3 seconds, 320 (0,6) damage ; 2 stacks of bleeding for 5 seconds, 384 (0.72) damage to target behind. 900 range.

Frost Fan : Increase chill duration to 2 seconds from 1 seconds (to compensate the chill stack limit). Struck enemies and allies now leave a regenerative mist on impact that pulse heal every seconds for 204 (0,2) over 3 seconds.

Ice Storm : Do an evasive leap away from target area while shooting a volatile shard of ice. Detonate midair for multiple explosions of ice. Detonates into 5 shards that cripple and bleeds.

BUG FIXES

Elemental Enchantment Fix the issue causing the overload cooldown to reset back to 20 seconds when swapping out of the element causing the overload.

Written in Stones Fix the issue causing signets buff duration not matching the signet cooldown due to the aftercast. Aftercast duration now adds to the buff duration.

Finally, being hard to kill while using marauder Staff is possible: https://www.twitch.tv/aleriedespins/v/37680678

Alekt.5803:

… give 300 vitality to fresh air because you have established (from an uniformed opinion, I need to add) …. ideas that are usually too strong….

…Speaking now is useless; we’ll all see what happens in two days for the patch. Plus, you have the audacity to tell that I did not read your stuff…

…Finally, being hard to kill while using marauder Staff is possible: https://www.twitch.tv/aleriedespins/v/37680678 …

Ok, I will start then,

1) You didn’t read my post at all. Becaus who talk about “300 vitality”… I did not.

2) My ideas of upgradding fresh air didn’t come from nowhere. It comes from an elementalist that played fresh air all time and play in arena with most of “pro-player” pull since the start of the game (because my MMR is high) . By the way, in this season, I got to legendary by tagging in solo queu ( because none wants a fresh air in his team) and my ratio was 60 wins – 6 loses at legendary. Since I have been playing with really good players now my ratio is going down for a little.

3) This post is not giving a remake of the all elementalist. Actually is the contrary, as we are interested on upgrading ONLY power build based, we just have to make some few changes in a few abilities of the elementalist. Moreover, reducing the CD of the arcane shield and putting more dps on the scepter autoattacks are not a “usually too strong” ideas.

4) This is not useless as I know that arena net read my post on the Dragon tooth and decide to change it. So, my post contributes to that change (and even if it was just for alittle, it was a worhty post then). And, it was because everyone in my post play the serious game of talking smartly without just saying nonsense things like you are saying my friend. ^^

5) Proving that marauder staff build is viable by adding a video of just one guy doenst seem to be rigth. It doesnt prove anything, sorry. Actually, what does give us a proof that elementalist power build base is not good is the population of player that are actually playing it.

see you

“Associate more particularities to the fresh air trait. I mean arena net understand it well because they already put so extra ferocity on the fresh air trait. But why not a extra vitality”

Just figured you meant 300 vitality. This issue is overall the same for a Lightning Rod ele, Condition Sinister or Viper ele (A build that does not exist fully, yet), any fire trait using eles in PvP. The vitality issue is not exclusive to fresh air, and should not be fixed by giving more to Fresh Air. You need a more generalist approach to the issue. Hell, it could even be Tornado being by a signet granting 75 vitality, 75 healing, 75 thoughness.

Your issue is associating only scepter with power build, which I fully disagree with. From my perspective, Staff and Scepter are two completely different class, and I do not like that other class that is Scepter + Focus.

Bonus.
Don’t call me your friend, I am not.

Alekt.5803:

“Associate more particularities to the fresh air trait. I mean arena net understand it well because they already put so extra ferocity on the fresh air trait. But why not a extra vitality”

Just figured you meant 300 vitality. This issue is overall the same for a Lightning Rod ele, Condition Sinister or Viper ele (A build that does not exist fully, yet), any fire trait using eles in PvP. The vitality issue is not exclusive to fresh air, and should not be fixed by giving more to Fresh Air. You need a more generalist approach to the issue. Hell, it could even be Tornado being by a signet granting 75 vitality, 75 healing, 75 thoughness.

Your issue is associating only scepter with power build, which I fully disagree with. From my perspective, Staff and Scepter are two completely different class, and I do not like that other class that is Scepter + Focus.

Bonus.
Don’t call me your friend, I am not.

Scepter to him is what staff and conjures are to you.

Kind of hypocritical to claim he’s not being mindful of other play styles when you just posted suggestions to change practically every ability in your very specific kit of abilities.

I do agree that fresh air is too bloated to have vitality, too. A minor trait in a non-meta trait line would be perfect

Alekt.5803:

“it could even be Tornado being by a signet granting 75 vitality, 75 healing, 75 thoughness”

“Your issue is associating only scepter with power build, which I fully disagree with. From my perspective, Staff and Scepter are two completely different class, and I do not like that other class that is Scepter + Focus.”

Dear friend,

I do understand your point of view. Now think about it. What are the most unsued main hand ele weappon in the game?
—> Dagger main hand is really good and really usefull in PvP, WvW and 1v1.
—> Staff is used by many elementalits in WvW (bus fights) and in PVE (full zone damage)
—>Scepter is used in PVE (less than staff ) and by some guys in 1v1 (the ones who like to take risks).

So, conclusion, what is the most unused main weappon: THE SCEPTER. My post here says that I want to make a change on the elementalist gameplay + make the build power based great as it was at the start of the game. To change completly the elementalist gameplay we should change the most unused weappon (scpeter).

Then, as is said, we can propose a small changes for that without “re-working” the all elementalist.

Plus, I do like your proposition if the “signet of tornado” is nice and easy to implement. But I may fear that the elementalist tanky build will take benefit of it.

PS: You should create your own post for elementalist conditions build and staff ones. Because here we are talking about power builds and changes on elementalist gameplay between grown up people ^^.

Chaith.8256:

I do agree that fresh air is too bloated to have vitality, too. A minor trait in a non-meta trait line would be perfect

Hi,

It is true that the fresh air trait is already too strong. I just put the idea of the upgrading fresh air trait because i was thinking about a trait that is not used by the actual meta elementalist.

Indeed you are right Chaith, we should found a minor trait in non-meta line to change.

PS: What do you think about scepter auto attacks ?

Scepter autos are in a bad spot due to their long casting times.
Fire and Air are the worst for me.
Water is average
Earth is indeed useful if you are a condi build but useless if you are power based.
As i already said: Scepter is a mix of a burst + a condi weapon. This puts you in kitten if power based after the burst and if you build for condi, this makes a lot of skills weak.
So you can go for viper … ups you are dead after seconds… I wanted to do this but it only shines if no one targets you … I tried mercenary in sPvP but this lacked punch …
I am often using sage now and this one works as a reaper counter.
Fire and air need less casting time.
Fire: 1s cast time.
I would split air into a normal 1/2 cast with 150 damage per target hit.
Water: OK as it is. Vulnerability on the shards would be nice.
Earth: Slighly faster projectile speed and poision on the last hit would be great.

Well, you got your scepter buffs, good ones. I don’t agree with the 17% buff on staff fireball, it will only promote fire camping.

Alekt.5803:

Well, you got your scepter buffs, good ones. I don’t agree with the 17% buff on staff fireball, it will only promote fire camping.

which already happens anyway?

Alekt.5803:

Well, you got your scepter buffs, good ones. I don’t agree with the 17% buff on staff fireball, it will only promote fire camping.

Highest damage is fire so it’s camped regardless

Exactly the point. I wonder who promoted that sort of changes instead of increasing velocity or the accuracy of the projectiles.

Alekt.5803:

Well, you got your scepter buffs, good ones…

Actually that proves that arena net have read this post. Because we made it in a serious and reasonable way .

Now the damage of the scepter is upgraded, we can expect maybe a little more elementalists playing the power based fresh air build. But I think that they still some few things to change, I cant tell what is it right now. I will test the new elementalist power based build fresh air during this season.

To conclude, we can easily say that arena net hear us. And thats the all point. We are in right path by doing this post such as my dragon tooth one.

PS: thank to everyone to take this post seriously, is a pleasure.

see you

It does not prove that they read this post. It was already planned, launched and ready to go before it.

One thing I got changed was the Sigil of Nullification, which was spoken about 2 months prior this date. Now, I don’t say they don’t read; it was already planned before you spoke about it four days before patch.

As one who has played S/D ele since the beginning, and done well against D/D more often than not, I like scepter enough, the playstyle of it fit my play style. However, I do agree the auto’s need to be revamped, the only reason I use autos is because other skills are on cd, but the pressure from them is minimal, particularly Air and Fire like mentioned before.

Case in point: I was in TA (dungeon) clearing the poison flowers, that are normally 1 shot kills (guard staff sweeps em easily) and I had my scepter out, used air auto, and the FULL channel of the auto didn’t kill 1….. lol, running full zerk.

I also liked the suggestion for healing: Strengthening the various heal abilities (like in water), reduce their scaling a bit with healing power.

I don’t run my ele in competitive play currently because I don’t want to run something like Clerics. (And on my other classes, anything other than a Cleric’s ele is easy to deal with)

Ven Zehn.6573:

As one who has played S/D ele since the beginning, and done well against D/D more often than not, I like scepter enough, the playstyle of it fit my play style. However, I do agree the auto’s need to be revamped, the only reason I use autos is because other skills are on cd, but the pressure from them is minimal, particularly Air and Fire like mentioned before.

Case in point: I was in TA (dungeon) clearing the poison flowers, that are normally 1 shot kills (guard staff sweeps em easily) and I had my scepter out, used air auto, and the FULL channel of the auto didn’t kill 1….. lol, running full zerk.

I also liked the suggestion for healing: Strengthening the various heal abilities (like in water), reduce their scaling a bit with healing power.

I don’t run my ele in competitive play currently because I don’t want to run something like Clerics. (And on my other classes, anything other than a Cleric’s ele is easy to deal with)

Thats exactly what they did on the balance patch. Water trident got a nice buff, water and air autos got a decent dps buff and fire auto got reduced cast time. It doesn’t solve core issues vs things like thief or rev that can hard pressure you. Basically if they can consistently blind/block your attacks and get within 300 range of you they win. Arcane shield is useless. I had a rev pop my arcane shield in less than a second and still get me to half health.

Scepter got at least a nice buff. For me rock barrier buff was the greatest. I already liked shooting into a fied with it and now it adds 5 bleeding. Also 1sec on fire auto is a fine thing. Not the superpower but it can fill a bit of a gap by doing some burn preassure.
I personaly see only two power eles realy useful. One is a fresh air power build (scepter or dagger with dagger feelign better) and the other is a staff fire (mostly camping).
The staff build is less suited for duels but easy and nice in PvE and WvW.
I find ele is better as hybrid build and of course as full support …
I personaly alwas run S/F without water (ok i changed in sPvP when seeing a necro army going full cleanse bot). My builds are usually hybrids without regeneration. Teamsupport is still very noticeable but my killing power is a lot higher then cleric bunker ….