Guild Wars 2

Staff, S/D and D/D (don’t really play a lot of focus but ill try to include them)

First of all Trait lines

Air and Earth Magic

In my opinion the new Grandmaster traits are sort of useless although in S/D i find the trait – Fresh air to be useful as I can just switch to the lightning attunement to use electrical discharge.

Arcane

Fair enough this has been buffed and it allows D/D users and S/D users to be able to move around freely during battle. However it may have been better if in the arcane trait line that there was a good buff for staff as well.

Fire

I’m not really sure whether buffing lava tomb was a good thing or not so i’ll leave that out but ‘Persisting Flame’ I can see this as a really good buff to those who prefer glass cannon or power build elementalist because by having fury it’ll increase our critical chance (although that’s really it)

Water

I didn’t really have any problems with the percentage reduction

Skills that seem important to me or has had a major (not really) change

Signet of Air: This skill is now a stun breaker. Increased the cooldown to 30 seconds.

I think this is quite useful although it’s not really recommendable to use signets because of the loss in its passive stats unless you are traited 30 on earth to keep the passive effects when used.

Lightning Flash: No longer a stun breaker, increased damage by 50% CD reduced to 40
I think this was quite a fair change as it is a really good opener rather in comparison to the typical RTL > Updraft. (tips if you don’t really do this). Arguable I think this could have stayed as a stun breaker since it really does make sense.

Cleansing Fire: This is a fair change since stun is more of a Control effect than a condition. On the positive note the cool down has been decreased.

Gust: This skill now passes through enemies, striking multiple foes in a line
I believe this is a really good buff for staff however it is still easy to dodge but by allowing it to pass through those who dodge it, it will hit those who aren’t expecting it. It’s really good for Team fights but could be a tricky skill to use during 1v1s.

I’d say all the reduction of cast time for staff skills are good giving staff builds a bit more mobility. (Specially on water making staff support to be a bit more effective than it was as you can now use healing rain while moving ^^ good buff)

Suggested skill improvements and balance that could have been done

S/D

Increase the speed of dragon tooth by 2-3% and decrease the damage by 5% or arguably it could become a ground targeting skill allowing users to be able to use to place it in a spot (enemy movement prediction) but I’m not really sure if it should really be GT skill.

Blinding Flash should really do some ( or small amount) damage since the animation is a lightning from the sky I’m sure it would hurt if i get hit but you know….game logic.

Shatter stone: I think it should explode after 1 1/2 seconds causing vulnerability (already there) AND chill (2-3 seconds) but if it kept at 2 seconds before it explodes it should really chill enemies while it’s preparing to explode but reduce the range to 700 since people aren’t afraid of stepping over it since they know they can just casually dodge the move.

D/D

No improvements i can suggest i think they’re fine

Staff

Damages on the number 1 skill attunement could be slightly improved

PVP Builds I’m currently running (All the skill numbers represent the new trait line numbers at this time this topic was posted)

Staff support (Healer):
http://www.gw2build.com/builds/simulator.php#1.1.7.0.0.0.27.0.0.0.2.21.20.9.24.1.3.7.0.0.0.18.0.0.0.0.0.50.46.56.61.68.71.0.10.0.30.30

Staff Bunker/Signet
http://www.gw2build.com/builds/simulator.php#1.1.7.0.0.0.32.0.0.0.3.12.14.9.24.8.1.45.0.0.0.0.0.0.31.36.42.50.46.0.64.68.0.0.0.30.20.20

Staff Glass Cannon
http://www.gw2build.com/builds/simulator.php#1.1.7.0.0.0.34.0.0.0.2.21.20.9.24.3.3.9.6.0.0.21.25.27.0.0.0.50.0.0.61.68.0.10.30.0.10.20

D/D

I don’t really need to say a lot for this since most of it is a typical build however there is a build i am currently using which i don’t want people to see … yet although I’m not sure if it’s already out there or not.

S/D

Scepter Glass Cannon
http://www.gw2build.com/builds/simulator.php#1.1.2.0.13.0.20.0.34.0.2.20.10.9.24.3.2.9.0.0.0.21.25.27.0.0.0.50.54.0.64.61.0.0.30.0.20.20

Scepter Bunker
http://www.gw2build.com/builds/simulator.php#1.1.2.0.13.0.32.0.34.0.3.18.14.9.24.1.8.7.0.0.0.0.0.0.33.38.0.50.46.56.62.64.0.0.0.20.30.20

I used a Staff Full Glass Cannon Fire(90% fire) attun of the time, so, nice slight buff on meteor shower. But it still won’t do much, if I can’t cast it fast enough. Mobs would have kicked my kittens way before the 2.5 seconds mark is up……

And yeah, I should be using Static field → Earth 4 → Water 4 → Meteor shower or some combination of that…. But…. I really want to be a Fire ele…… and being surviving it so far until now…….
Oh well, at least now I can cast Meteor Shower faster… slightly….

SirDrygan.1823:

I used a Staff Full Glass Cannon Fire(90% fire) attun of the time, so, nice slight buff on meteor shower. But it still won’t do much, if I can’t cast it fast enough. Mobs would have kicked my kittens way before the 2.5 seconds mark is up……

And yeah, I should be using Static field -> Earth 4 -> Water 4 -> Meteor shower or some combination of that…. But…. I really want to be a Fire ele…… and being surviving it so far until now…….
Oh well, at least now I can cast Meteor Shower faster… slightly….

That combo is alright you know. The best thing to do as a staff build glass cannon ele would be positioning. For personal preference i cast Static field >gt Earth 3 > Earth 2 > Fire 2 (Combo field for might) > (Utility) Arcane Wave (extra might) > Meteor shower.

For healing i’d use Earth3 > Earth 2> Water 3 ( Healing Combo field) > Arcane Wave extra heal. or use healing rain then arcane wave for a big group heal.