Guild Wars 2

I recently shelved my elementalist not because he is weak (as I couldn’t care less about that since I mostly PVE) but because its an inconsistent class with a very schizophrenic class mechanic.

Playing an elementalist feels like playing:
5 seconds as AOE DPS
5 seconds as single target DPS
5 seconds as healer
5 seconds as tank
repeat

So to play an elementalist as designed, you need to constantly swap elements. But the problem for me is that I find it obnoxious to do that as each element plays so differently.

The basic idea of this class is you can’t swap weapons but you can swap elements. So far so good right? Except it’s not that you can swap weapons, you HAVE to swap weapons.

Many people miss the fact that by design the idea of the elementalist is to swap elements as soon as they are up. Why? Because of several factors:
1. Long skill cooldowns
2. All master level basic traits provide an effect when attuning to an element
3. Several other traits enhance or add additional effects on attunement

Does anyone else have this kind of problem?

Yes and No, trait build you can add is to gain boons upon switching attunements. And those boons can be stack on other proc boons and Combo Finisher.

Ele is some what a micro-management class.

Stop using staff?

It’s the most boring Ele weapon, why will you do that to yourself.

Rithral.4891:

Stop using staff?

It’s the most boring Ele weapon, why will you do that to yourself.

Ok, I will try dual dagger to see if its any better.

Personally prefer Dagger/Focus. Provides good damage and utility. Four second invulnerability is a godsend, especially if you time it in PvP when the enemy is unleashing a massive damage combo.

I don´t really see the effect. I feel all the time like i´m simply playing with multible tabs of skills to be used as situation demands.

And it´s not even necessary to swap around for swappings sake.

Example:
Going 30 into fire with certain traits makes your lava font only have ,5 second of downtime.
So if nothing threatens you, there´s no reason to swap attunement.
If however something threatens you there´s possibility to go earth, air or water. Earths conditions are really no joke and it can be played just as offensively as fire. Though if you swap trhough air first, unloading cc and the damage it has to offer, then move to earth you can setup a combo with eruption, return to fire and cast lavafont.

just an example of how switching attunement doesn´t mean you have to assume a different role.

I think the problem the OP has is that the entire class is built around attunement swapping. Hence under any sort of pressure at all, attunement swapping is out and out required to survive.

I’m not really a fan of the mechanic if I’m honest. For me it’s kinda a flavour thing. I just can’t seem to get into a solid pattern, I don’t ‘feel’ my character much because my role is constantly shifting. I miss the GW1 elementalist, where my fire elementalist was a FIRE elementalist.
It doesn’t help that the trait system as it exists now practically begs you to specialise in 1 or 2 elements, whilst combat demands you stance-dance all fight long. It creates a disconnect and leaves the class feeling messy and underdeveloped. I’d like to see attunement swapping changed to non-combat only and weapon swapping brought in. Then have the ele’s numbers pulled up finally to be on par with everyone else.

You can tank for 5 secs? unbelievable I must suck