Guild Wars 2

In JANUARY, Arenanet is gonna do balance changes right?

Lets make sure we are visible well with our suggested changes (remain on frontpage and such).
The better our chances are to be heard.

+1,000 to this. I love scepter, but it is so underpowered in PvP and WvW that it is completely unusable.

I think all of the following skills need to be buffed:
Flame Strike Needs a much higher damage coefficient and a faster projectile.
Dragon’s Tooth: Reduce delay to 1s from 2s (as ppl have pointed out, this skill is impossible to hit a stationary target with, let alone a moving one).

Ice Shards: Chill or weakness would make it worth using, still wouldn’t be great.
Shatterstone: Give it a chill/ice field and also buff the damage. This is the worst skill on the scepter, period.
Water Trident: Either cleanse 1-2 condis baseline, along with regen, or make it pulse regen (3 times) so that it cures more than just 1 condi with the Cleansing Water trait, if people remain in the radius.

Stone shards: Reduce cast time to 1s from 1.5s, and make it a 100% physical projectile for each cast (not for each projectile).
Rock Barrier: Increase the total toughness to 400 from 250 —> this would add some survivability to our squishiest main hand weapon.
Hurl: To balance out the increased toughness and create a tradeoff (risk vs. reward) add another 10s onto the cooldown of Rock Barrier if this skill is used.
Dust Devil: Add 2s of weakness to this skill or add a slight knockback (120 or so).

Phoenix and our air attunement skills are the only ones that are any good. This is a lot of buffs, but the scepter needs all of these to even be viable in sPvP now, let alone effective.

All Anet has to do is look at the number of elementalists running scepter right now in PvP, and the win/loss ratio of those players, and I’m sure they will be convinced. Or just have a few staff members try to use the weapon in sPvP/WvW. I guarantee they can’t come up with a viable working build using scepter when playing against anyone with a decent skill level.

These changes would allow the scepter to be used for condi, power or both depending on build. It would become the versatile weapon it was designed to be, yet would still be quite difficult to pull off successfully. I think it would allow for a lot more build diversity overall.

What do you guys think about it?
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/elementalist/What-if-3/first#post5873677

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Lets keep the thread going.

lucadiro.4519:

What do you guys think about it?
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/elementalist/What-if-3/first#post5873677

Maybe there could be a trait or something else that makes it happen when you have a scepter equipped?

Edit:I posted a bit more extensive reply in your thread.
Also with question regarding the mobility of this groundtargeted version

I do think that the weapon skills on scepter itself needs improvements first though, before an tempest spec overload mechanic, is changed for scepter.

Agree with above post, fix scepter first.
I used to run a S/F condi build a year or more ago. Wasn’t to bad back then, but now that I came back and the new classes are released, scepter just feels weak.

Yashuoa.9527:

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Lets keep the thread going.

lucadiro.4519:

What do you guys think about it?
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/elementalist/What-if-3/first#post5873677

Maybe there could be a trait or something else that makes it happen when you have a scepter equipped?

I do think that the weapon skills on scepter itself needs improvements first though, before an tempest spec overload mechanic, is changed for scepter.

They will never improve scepter skills.

lucadiro.4519:

They will never improve scepter skills.

Lets try get things done with with a more optimistic attitude. You prefer that in your own thread as well right?

Posting suggestions, a bit before the balance patch, might have a higher chance of being read by Arenanet than in other times.

Also the scepter changes suggestions are mostly number tweaks, so it wont be all that difficult to implement them, which makes it more likely to happen as well.

I rather give it a chance to give suggestions when we are nearing the balance patch
and hope that they are being considered,
instead of not trying anything around these times when the balance patch is nearby.

I like the idea of adding a knockback to Dust Devil. The sand wisp things in SW/DT have it…I think it would be cool both mechanically and thematically.

Yashuoa.9527:

Liewec.2896:

Yashuoa.9527:

Staff ele is not exactly known for its dmg in pvp

Staff ele in pvp is more a support build than a pewpew nuke dps build.

i disagree,
rather strongly.

Thats probably with a glass cannon build (~11k hp Ele or so) and every boon and condition possible

actually it was the opening of the fight.
i had 0 boons, they had 0 condis,
6k meteor showers, 5k lava fonts and 4k fireballs are the starting point for a staff zerker ele (and as 2 deal that damage over time you will be hitting with all 3 at once. getting up to around 20k dps at peak performance, they go down, they’re finished instantly.)
is it glassy? as glassy as they get, but you won’t find better ranged nukage,
not only is the damage crazy high, but it covers the entire node and then some,
and thats what this thread is about right?
if you’re looking for nukes, glass staff ele is for you!

I would be happy even with these changes…we have been asking for buffs on scepter for 3+ years now…

Late happy new year everyone.

Around the start of the new year, Anet will do balance changes.

So lets make sure we are at least noticed until than
and hopefully we get to see some proper scepter improvements.

Liewec.2896:

Yashuoa.9527:

Liewec.2896:

Yashuoa.9527:

Staff ele is not exactly known for its dmg in pvp

Staff ele in pvp is more a support build than a pewpew nuke dps build.

i disagree,
rather strongly.

Thats probably with a glass cannon build (~11k hp Ele or so) and every boon and condition possible

actually it was the opening of the fight.
i had 0 boons, they had 0 condis,
6k meteor showers, 5k lava fonts and 4k fireballs are the starting point for a staff zerker ele (and as 2 deal that damage over time you will be hitting with all 3 at once. getting up to around 20k dps at peak performance, they go down, they’re finished instantly.)
is it glassy? as glassy as they get, but you won’t find better ranged nukage,
not only is the damage crazy high, but it covers the entire node and then some,
and thats what this thread is about right?
if you’re looking for nukes, glass staff ele is for you!

Still meteor shower is a long casttime and cooldown. Lava font is a field. Its easier to keep pve targets in a field, than pvp targets. Water, air and Earth lack dmg.
Lots of the staff attacks are fields
and than there is the 11k hp glass cannon mode, which makes you near oneshottable squishy.

For those reasons, for me its not a real viable pvp nuke build (not in conquest and stronghold at least imo).
In there its more of a support build.

I want a build where I can do pewpew dps and preferably with good ranged dmg included that for the majority, doesnt come from fields where targets have stay in for long, for the fields to deal proper dmg.

With nuke I dont mean real life nuke (like a bomb).
Nuking someone down is more a phrase of dpsing/dmging someone down with good dps and/or burst.

So I would like a good ranged dps pvp build.
I think that is fair to ask for a class like elementalist.

Currently we are in a support role as pvp ele.
The melee has been covered too.
It would be nice to have a ranged dps build that is at least viable, to have something else besides support.

Supreme.3164:

I would be happy even with these changes…we have been asking for buffs on scepter for 3+ years now…

Yeah we dont ask for too much with these changes.

Scepter skills aren’t going to be improved ever.

Anet has stated that they are very cautious about buffing ranged skills with no ranged projectile, that “just hit.”. Scepter Fire 1 and Air 1, qualify (as do skills like air 2+3, Earth 2, and others). Similar skills like Necromancer Axe 1+2 are among the worst skills in the game. Anet fears that a viable skill with this mechanic unbalances the game.

Scepter Water and Earth skills are already really strong paired with focus.

So in conclusion.

Fire: Can’t get a buff
water: doesn’t need a buff
Air: Can’t get a buff
Earth: Doesn’t need a buff

Fire: Can’t be buffed

nekretaal.6485:

Scepter skills aren’t going to be improved ever.

Anet has stated that they are very cautious about buffing ranged skills with no ranged projectile, that “just hit.”. Scepter Fire 1 and Air 1, qualify (as do skills like air 2+3, Earth 2, and others). Similar skills like Necromancer Axe 1+2 are among the worst skills in the game. Anet fears that a viable skill with this mechanic unbalances the game.

Scepter Water and Earth skills are already really strong paired with focus.

So in conclusion.

Fire: Can’t get a buff
water: doesn’t need a buff
Air: Can’t get a buff
Earth: Doesn’t need a buff

Fire: Can’t be buffed

Than you can change some abilities to not just hit, for example
like how Glenstorm suggested for lightning strike.
Or in some other way that fixes their problems with just hit.

Fire and Air are able to get buffs as explained with a possible not just hit change and as explained in the thread.

Water and earth need buffs as well as explained in the thread.
Shatterstone is dog and so is the water autoattack.
Earth needs some improvement on the autoattack too and getting more toughness from rock barrier wouldnt hurt either.

Besides, its silly to never improve scepter weapon skills, because that would mean that scepter remains crap for eternity. No point in having a weapon forever in that state.

So it would be more logical to improve scepter into a viable state.

Glenstorm.4059:

Lightning Strike: Keep the instant cast, BUT add a VERY small delay before the lightning hits, along with a visual indicator that the strike is coming, to allow counterplay, AND increase damage to compensate. Why? Because if S/X Fresh Air becomes viable again, I don’t want people QQing about instant-cast damage spikes.

Would be nice to see scepter besides the current bunker ele.

I would love to see shorter casting time on dragon tooth and a slight buff on fire, air and earth auto attack.

Liewec.2896:

Yashuoa.9527:

Staff ele is not exactly known for its dmg in pvp

Staff ele in pvp is more a support build than a pewpew nuke dps build.

i disagree,
rather strongly.

Cool, good rng on a target standing still who is also using a glass build. Well that settles it staff is A-OK…

Out of all ele weapons IMO staff has the potential to make a very interesting nuker yet its the worst option when going this path :| oh how id love a viable pvp nuking option for staff, plz anet

Staff makes a great bunker that i often can´t kill. But i never got shot down in 1:1 by a staff ele in pvp …..

They have plans to improve SCEPTER!

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/profession-balance-goals-for-the-winter-2016-update/

Elementalist
This profession has seen a lot of defensive additions through recent updates and the addition of the tempest. In this iteration, we’ll be fine-tuning the defensive nature of the elementalist a little more and improving its offensive side a bit. To that end, Diamond Skin will see its first change in a long while, moving to condition removal (as is more thematic with the elementalist) rather than condition avoidance. In the effort to improve offense, Air grandmaster traits will be getting usability and damage improvements, while the scepter and focus will be receiving some positive quality-of-life modifications.

Yashuoa.9527:

They have plans to change SCEPTER!

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/profession-balance-goals-for-the-winter-2016-update/

Elementalist
This profession has seen a lot of defensive additions through recent updates and the addition of the tempest. In this iteration, we’ll be fine-tuning the defensive nature of the elementalist a little more and improving its offensive side a bit. To that end, Diamond Skin will see its first change in a long while, moving to condition removal (as is more thematic with the elementalist) rather than condition avoidance. In the effort to improve offense, Air grandmaster traits will be getting usability and damage improvements, while the scepter and focus will be receiving some positive quality-of-life modifications.

INB4 They will add another vunr. stack to shatterstone.

I hope that the scepter skills will do the majority of its dmg, while improving casting times. Dagger auto attacks will still be the best but scepter burst skills should be able to compete or outclass it. Not sure how that will improve focus.

Focus is good as it is, jsut some CD´s are to long. And finaly the DS ranting worked …. I agree it is a heavy trait combined with the sustain against pure condi builds. But i think the fail was giving regen on aura. Scepter needs some love in all Autoattacks… (OK water is not so bad but who camps water …)

I am glad to read that they want to give scepter and focus some positive quality of life modifications. Maybe we have been heard.

Elites, which need improvement too.
The link below is about suggestions to give us proper elite(s).

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/elementalist/Elite-spells-change-required/first

Please share your feedback regarding getting proper elite(s) in there.

Its a good time to try be heard around these times of balance changes.

Mark.1679:

Yashuoa.9527:

They have plans to change SCEPTER!

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/profession-balance-goals-for-the-winter-2016-update/

Elementalist
This profession has seen a lot of defensive additions through recent updates and the addition of the tempest. In this iteration, we’ll be fine-tuning the defensive nature of the elementalist a little more and improving its offensive side a bit. To that end, Diamond Skin will see its first change in a long while, moving to condition removal (as is more thematic with the elementalist) rather than condition avoidance. In the effort to improve offense, Air grandmaster traits will be getting usability and damage improvements, while the scepter and focus will be receiving some positive quality-of-life modifications.

INB4 They will add another vunr. stack to shatterstone.

I dont find that likely.
They say positive quality of life modifications.
Another vulnr. stack to shatter stone isnt among positive quality of life modifications

Hopefully it will be similar or be like the contents in this thread.
Shorter Dragon’s tooth delay, better autoattacks, chillfield on shatterstone, better survival and such.