Guild Wars 2

I would like to poll the community on its feelings concerning how elementalists are described on paper (okay, in text) versus how they actually operate. Let me draw your attention to my first point which can be found on the elementalist’s profession description page on the official website (https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/professions/elementalist/):

“Elementalists are multi-faceted spellcasters that channel elemental forces, making fire, air, earth, and water do their bidding. What they lack in physical toughness, they make up in versatility and the ability to inflict massive damage in a single attack.”

I have noticed that the first bolded portion of the above statement is certainly true: elementalists are extremely squishy and, although this can be mitigated somewhat through gear and/or traits, elementalists necessarily pale in comparison to other professions at taking damage. Now, the real kicker is the second portion: MASSIVE DAMAGE IN A SINGLE ATTACK. I am curious as to which “single attack” this statement refers. Is it hundred blades? Pistol whip? Oh, wait…

Another questionable description of an elementalist’s abilities this time found in-game on the tool-tip description of air attunement: “Attune to air, gaining heavy damage and control abilities.” Which ability in air attunement on any of the available weapons qualifies as “heavy damage”? I am trying to figure this one out.

How do you feel about these select written descriptions of elementalists? On paper, they are made out to seem like a traditional mage class: high DPS, low defense. What do you think about elementalists in their current state?

Glass Cannon, except some Thief stole our Cannon and replaced it with a peashooter.

You mean a wet pool noodle

I have the strong suspicion that the person who writes the profession descriptions have at most only glanced at this game and thus simply described what a similar profession in all other RPGs is like.
We had the same problem in GW1 as well where everyone thought Elementalists would be DDs when they were support; it’s the deal in GW2 now. The misconception that Eles should be able to fulfill the role “glass cannons” is the main reason for all those “Eles are UP” threads we are seeing.

I see my ele’s counterparts as WoW Shaman and EQ2 Mystic, which I’ve also played, not mage/wizard nuker types.

I agree that the product doesn’t resemble the brochure at all.

I sort of have the same problem too. Before i decided on my main character’s profession, i did a little research about gw2’s top dps classes. Most people wrote greatsword-wielding ranger or greatsword-wielding warrior. Like, 1 out of at least 60 comments said that elementalist does pretty good damage too.

So i made a ranger with a greatsword, and it’s pretty good, i usually kill 2-3-4 mobs at the same time and still don’t have issues with surviving (okay it’s only level 34 but so far it’s working like this) and i made an elementalist yesterday, now it’s level 15. The damage is not bad at all, though i can’t remember how my ranger did at level 15. I can’t really kill more than 1, maximum 2 mobs at a time because if i try with more, i have to dodge a lot and run around, and sometimes it just takes longer than killing them one by one. Of course, this isn’t a tank class, but what i expected was that by the time the mobs reached me i had already killed them. If i stand far enough and slowly back away as i spam my skills on the mob, it does work this way, but meh… it doesn’t really give that dps mage feeling like this class type gives in other games.

I think most Elems are upset about being UP because they are outclassed on nearly every aspect except support, and as was said the class is NOT advertised as such.

In the game there arent supposed to be support classes, just support roles that the class can CHOOSE.

Where as the Elem is FORCED into either a support role, a DPS/Support, where just another class as DPS would be better, or some Melee DPS thing, that is insanely frustrating as they have NO business in melee range by design.

It is also draining that the class is designed around the older ideals of you can have your cake but not eat it.

In other words, if you do something cool or useful there is always some counterbalance to it.

I can Meteor !! But I have to stand still and get focused….I can do burst DPS with S/D! But the enemy has to stand still….I can use this neat skill…but it has almost a minute CD….
I get a knockback…but it is only single target, doesnt knockback far, and only hits sometime…maybe.

Other classes tend to get more, I can do this awesome thing…but…but what? I can do this awesome thing!