Guild Wars 2

After seeing the fire elemental thread, it got me thinking about the two glyph elementals you can summon and how they could be used to create new builds, as well as potentially making builds that lack that certain something more viable, both in PvE and PvP.

You are of course welcome to nitpicking and all that, just be constructive about it while keeping it civil, please. And please do not bring up current bunkers and how OP they are, as this thread was made with the intention to bring ideas to the table regarding build diversity, which I feel the elementalist is lacking in certain areas.

Like Conjure weapons has a dedicated trait and synergy with others, it could be very exciting to influence the summons in more ways than just Quick Glyphs.

General ideas:

• Adding a “destruction” option for the summons by pushing the same button a second time (as with the guardians Spirit Weapons), which will have different effects based on the type of element you are using.

- Fire: A fiery blast that inflicts damage and burning to nearby foes.
- Air: A strong gust of wind that inflicts damage and pushes foes back.
- Earth: A blast of shards that inflicts damage and bleeding to nearby foes.
- Water: A blast of cold that inflicts damage and vulnerability to nearby foes.

This option alone would add some flavor to gameplay and make the summons more than just a button you push and then go about your business with no regard for what the summon does.

• Two traits that allow you to focus on offensive and/or defensive play using Glyph of Lesser Elementals and Glyph of Elementals.

Offensive Trait: Positioned in fire or air (adept or master). The trait increases the damage of each summon type slightly, and allows you to use the summon destruction to greater effect.

This could aid the glass cannon variety for instance, as Quick Glyphs lies in the air traitline and offers neat synergy with fire/air focused builds. Fire would probably be best for this trait, not only because it makes sense that fire = more damage, but also because it’s viewed as one of the weaker traitlines and could use some lovin’.

Defensive Trait: Positioned in earth or water (adept or master). This trait allows you to increase the duration, health and toughness of the summon slightly.

I could see this trait being put in earth, because the traitline could use it. It also fits in earth well, opening up interesting variation in builds. It could make condition builds more interesting, and open up an aura sharing signet support build that could benefit the summons and allies (just a random example). There should be lots of variation possible.

There have been several threads about leveling elementalists being a difficult task. With the option to pick a trait or two that makes the summons more durable and/or doing more damage, it could help those in need.

There are plenty of traits that currently isn’t used often, or at all that could be potentially swapped out. What comes to mind are these.

- Fire: Persisting Flames and One with Fire.
- Air: One with Air.
- Earth: Salt Stone, Stone Splinters and Strength of Stone.
- Water: Soothing Wave and Shard of Ice.

These are just ideas I wanted to share and hear your oppinions on. Perhaps they can be used, perhaps not. Personally I do believe that you could make some interesting and viable builds, including a summoner type centered more around support.
The traits being adept or master, and what traitline they could be in are just what seeemed to make most sense to me while I was writing this, so don’t take it too much to heart.

What do you think about these mechanics? Would you like to see something like this implemented? Are there other and better variations you think could improve gameplay and build options involving the glyph elementals?

Thanks for reading.

Can see where you’re coming from, but what you’ve got to keep in mind is that because the elementalist is designed as versatile build, it does have pets but they’re not the same as those of other professions.

The main appeal of them is that you can pick what pet you’d like, rather than be stuck with whatever was on your bar when you placed it there.

They’re fine to me anyway. It’s just a matter of picking the right one for each situation.

I guess the main problem is just that cantrips are just the best.

If there was a glyph or signet that broke stuns/granted stability you’d see more builds with them.

emikochan.8504:

I guess the main problem is just that cantrips are just the best.

If there was a glyph or signet that broke stuns/granted stability you’d see more builds with them.

This is a big one. I’ve been wanting to run inscription with a bunch of glyph signets to have fun with all the buffs I’d get, but lack of stun break holds me back.

ThiBash.5634:

Can see where you’re coming from, but what you’ve got to keep in mind is that because the elementalist is designed as versatile build, it does have pets but they’re not the same as those of other professions.

The main appeal of them is that you can pick what pet you’d like, rather than be stuck with whatever was on your bar when you placed it there.

They’re fine to me anyway. It’s just a matter of picking the right one for each situation.

Yes, they are okay as they are, but could be a bit more. I got it that the summons aren’t like hunter, necro or guardian pets/summons, but eles did get two of them to begin with, so improving on such could help when it comes to build diversity. And that I believe is needed, in order to interest people in other types of playstyles. The CD of them are rather long, so it certainly doesn’t come close to other classes in that regard.

I am afraid that the jack of all trades, master of none label was put on them after the masses chose 0/10/0/30/30 type of builds to survive. While there are alternatives in PvE to a certain degree, this idea was to open up options.

Minion of Vey.4398:

emikochan.8504:

I guess the main problem is just that cantrips are just the best.

If there was a glyph or signet that broke stuns/granted stability you’d see more builds with them.

This is a big one. I’ve been wanting to run inscription with a bunch of glyph signets to have fun with all the buffs I’d get, but lack of stun break holds me back.

Having a stunbreak, instead of a destruction mechanic would be interesting, although not prove much help (compared to cantrips at least), as the CD on the summons are rather long. I don’t think that there will be other stunbreakers than the current cantrips for a while.