Guild Wars 2

Talking about dungeons and fractals, etc.

Ele can provide very strong support, especially with staff, via combo fields. Every weapon set possible has at least one fire field for group mightstacking, but staff also has two water fields, one with a decent duration; this means the group can take advantage of it to heal themselves. In events with structures as the target, Frost Bow can be a very effective utility skill thanks to the #4 skill on the bow.

With a well-played healing build, eles can keep decent players alive. Really good players don’t need it, and really bad players will die regardless. Unfortunately, ele direct damage builds are more or less outshined by the more popular classes, except for the very large bosses that eat the majority of a Meteor Swarm or Ice Storm.

A condition build could achieve a good amount of DPS (around 3-3.5k DPS from a safe range once the stacks are ramped up), but I’d expect you understand the core issues of condition builds in dungeons and fractals. Unless the way condition stacking changes any time soon, it won’t really be able to shine.

about middle ground, they’re not the best but there’s much worse.

but go into a party full of guardians and warriors and you’ll feel so useless.

They are awful…..

Just because pve currently is ALL about guardian and warriors…

Unfortunately they are on a different level by too much and the game is balanced around them.

Shortly: in many dungeons/fotm you need 1-2 guardians, 1-2 warriors and 1 another class possibly mesmer or thief.

Ele support is horrible, but at least you can ress people and give some might stacks…but guardians and warriors already cap might alone……..

If you delete warriors and guardians from the game, ele used to be in middle ground..,,,,until last patch they ninja nerfed focus and other stuff.

In solo PvE is viable with D/D or staff for Group events…

Earth aura doesn’t work in some instances. Like the troll boss in AC. His ranged skill goes through the aura like its nothing. What other use is there for the aura? none. What other anti-ranged skills do elementalists have? Right they’re all in focus. You know what happened to them? They nerfed those too. Boss attacks now go through focus swirling winds as do treb shots.
Best to just go for a balanced build and hope that Arenanet doesn’t nerf everything and leave you with nothing.

I really enjoy my ele in pve. Weapon selection makes a big difference. Npcs, veterans, champions and bosses will have melee and ranged strengths and weaknesses. Alot of that is tied to their different agro mechanics. I find the variety of the different skills and strats refreshing and fun.

I think most groups appreciate having an ele in the group for the combo fields, might stacks, aura shares, and heals. On top of that you can do some decent damage. I find D/D to be kinda difficult due to mobs aggroing based on proximity, damage & toughness. If you have toughness you might have to switch those stats out with vitality.

The only groups that don’t want ele’s are like speed runners that only have a mesmer, guardian, warrior.

Mek.2947:

I think most groups appreciate having an ele in the group for the combo fields, might stacks, aura shares, and heals. On top of that you can do some decent damage. I find D/D to be kinda difficult due to mobs aggroing based on proximity, damage & toughness. If you have toughness you might have to switch those stats out with vitality.

The only groups that don’t want ele’s are like speed runners that only have a mesmer, guardian, warrior.

I do almost as much damage as a zerker warior but have better sustained healing so I wouldn’t see why we’d not be admitted into speed groups. run CoF p1 in 5ish minutes easy without getting downed. Guardians could easily rival that though with all their aegis-healing-blinds etc.

Tier 2.

They’re weaker than Guardians, Warriors, and Mesmers.

Here is my guide on the Elementalist in PvE: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/elementalist/Neko-s-Guide-to-the-D-D-Ele-in-Dungeons

I never feel inadequate in PvE, and i always have something to bring to the group. If you’re getting heavy into meta and can’t be bothered for your run to go 2 mins longer than it needs to, then war/guard/mes blah blah blah.

But personally, I shell out a lot of dmg with s/d, and have a ton of survivability. Even though i’m squishy i have no problem taking damage. I have easy access to vulnerability if needed, and i can provide the group with almost constant 25 stacks of might. Lastly, i bring a lot of healing, which everyone appreciates.

Swimsasa Stoon.8936:

I do almost as much damage as a zerker warior but have better sustained healing so I wouldn’t see why we’d not be admitted into speed groups. run CoF p1 in 5ish minutes easy without getting downed. Guardians could easily rival that though with all their aegis-healing-blinds etc.

Almost = 50% of warrior damage. Unless you meant you are able to do as much damage as warrior in perfect condition (25 stacks of might/vuln plus fury) which happens because of warriors being in the party in the first place. You’re basically using +%dmg traits that you can’t utilize by yourself.

Galrond.5972:

I think most groups appreciate having an ele in the group for the combo fields, might stacks, aura shares, and heals.

Appreciate? WHAT?

Combo fields are already flawed by their design.

Their offensive part creates conditions with the stats from the finisher.
1.) Nobody runs a condition build, which means that every combo is basically crap with absolute minimal duration and literaly no damage.
2.) Projectile finisher are on range weapons, which are designed to suck compared to the glorious greatsword master race. Finishers are therefore rare if you don’t run with several rangers. (which are also better in meele range)

The defensive part requires blast finisher. When was the last time you saw somebody using a mace or hammer? (no counting elementalist with lightning hammer build) Propably never, since if you are already meele, you’d most likely chose the option that deals damage.

Also, as already said, might is easier caped by warriors and guardians, Same for fury from our auras by warrior banners.

Aura sharing? Which one? Chill? If it’s already on the enemy it doesn’t change anything. Magnetic? -> Wall of reflection/feedback. They also work on ground projectiles and not only if the enemy actually targets the player.
Lightning? Fine, but the uptime doesn’t justify it.

That leaves us with the healbot. Yes, we are quite good healbots, but they arn’t necessary as soon as people learn to dodge. From that point it’s “LF FULL ZERK PING GEAR, MAX DPS, SPEEDRUN!”

Staff Water 4 & 5 blast finishers give instant heavy heals
Staff Fire 2 & Earth 2 can be stacked on top of each other for additional blasts and area might as well as stacked within Water 5 for heals.
Staff Air 5 cc’s and adds vulnerability

D/D
Fire field → Earth 4, Earth 5, Arcane Wave if you have it.

S/D Dragon tooth → Fire Field → Phoenix → Earth 4 → Earth 5 → Arcane Wave if you have it again = a kitten-ton of might.

Also you’re making it out like projectiles are the only finshers…there’s this thing called whirls that melee have access to.

Sorry mispoke about auras. I meant elemental attunement →Might, Regneration, Swiftness, Protection….don’t think those are exactly worthless boons in a dungeon.

They’re alright. Realistically, they provide insane amounts of regen/heal compared to other classes when in D/D with water dodge heal, but their damage is summed up to “meh”.

In staff, the combo fields are nice as well, but you still feel less useful than other classes.

My guard gives better buffs, and my war does tons more damage. Ele is certainly the jack of all trades currently.

Lvl 40+ fractals ele here and so far I never had any problems.

Pretty much every group was happy about having an ele with them (except for those warrior/guardian only groups) and if you use the proper gear and traits you can deal a lot of damage without relying on close combat. Close combat is pretty dangerous for every profession since most mobs in high fractals kill you really fast.

I use full berserker gear with a full DPS build. You are dead anyway if something hits you which pretty much never happens though if you know the fractals/dungeons. The damage is high and you also offer a lot of support.

To sum it up:
Unless you are planning to do a lot of speedruns the ele is really good.