I’m returning to GW2 after a year or two off and my main’s an elementalist. At first, I was just doing some pve- world bosses and hearts- and wasn’t noting anything too strange with my old build.
So I decided to do some PvP finally once I was used to controls/abilities again and it feels like a mistake.
I get killed in 3-kittens by half the guys I face, while doing next to no damage regardless of what ability I’m using in return- and the classes that can’t kill me in seconds like necro I do zero damage over their healing.
I know the game’s extremely build based, I wanted to see how I enjoy it before buying the xpacs but I can’t enjoy it like this.
So- what sort of build should I be using in pvp? Right now I’m using a staff build and it sucks hard. I’d prefer a build where I can 3 shot people- of course, I don’t have any abilities from the xpacs as I’m still deciding whether or not to buy them.
I’m returning to GW2 after a year or two off and my main’s an elementalist. At first, I was just doing some pve- world bosses and hearts- and wasn’t noting anything too strange with my old build.
So I decided to do some PvP finally once I was used to controls/abilities again and it feels like a mistake.
I get killed in 3-kittens by half the guys I face, while doing next to no damage regardless of what ability I’m using in return- and the classes that can’t kill me in seconds like necro I do zero damage over their healing.
I know the game’s extremely build based, I wanted to see how I enjoy it before buying the xpacs but I can’t enjoy it like this.
So- what sort of build should I be using in pvp? Right now I’m using a staff build and it sucks hard. I’d prefer a build where I can 3 shot people- of course, I don’t have any abilities from the xpacs as I’m still deciding whether or not to buy them.
to be frank most of the builds in sPvP if not all, just use the Elitè from HoT.
That said, Ele has one good Core build that works in SPvP without tempest.
And that’s Fresh Air Scepter/focus, but it’s not an “yeah I just started using it, let’s kick some ass” build, infact you will probably get rekt while learning it, and even after learning it, you are still kind of an underdog.
The meta ele build for SPvP it’s a Tempest Support build, so no you are not going to 3 shot anyone. Your role would be actually babysitting people and stuff.
Staff is the worse weapon for PvP, in my opinion it’s the worse weapon in all game modes for eles, you get so many fun stuff from dagger/x and scepter/x, Staff feels like any other mage in any other MMO out there, too boring for my taste.
In any case, ele in PvP is mostly played with the Tempest elite spec, auramancer build and it’s a very strong one too, it’s a support build that has very high sustain. There are a lot of videos on Youtube with that build so you can easily look it up and get a clear idea of how it plays even if you don’t own the expantions.
If you prefer a staff, your only option is healing/support. Forget about dpsing as staff ele in pvp (very strong in pve).
If you don’t have HoT you can go with arcane/water/earth + mender amulet (power/healing + some crit/vitality). With that build you won’t die, but you won’t get any kill either Your job is to help your team mates with healing and supporting them with dmg and staying alive.
If you want to be a dmg dealer then your only option is d/d(f). Just avoid Scepter: the most complicated weapon in the game.
Just avoid Scepter: the most complicated weapon in the game.
or actually start learning it lol, because it’s sooooo fun.
I was a D/D diehard fan once, hated Scepter, couldn’t even play. Then I started to use it and now it’s my best and most favorite build, not in the class, but in the whole game.
it just takes some time to get used to, even for a elementalist that already know how to play the class but sticked to Dagger/staff until now
Just avoid Scepter: the most complicated weapon in the game.
or actually start learning it lol, because it’s sooooo fun.
Ok, it is fun and powerful condi only weapon, but survivability sucks. As Power weapon it doesn’t work in my hands, dmg is just way to low compared to condi scepter.
Just avoid Scepter: the most complicated weapon in the game.
or actually start learning it lol, because it’s sooooo fun.
Ok, it is fun and powerful condi only weapon, but survivability sucks. As Power weapon it doesn’t work in my hands, dmg is just way to low compared to condi scepter.
I wouldn’t say fresh air scepter does low dmg in pvp/wvw. I wouldn’t say it at all.
FA can make 10k+ dmg bursts in an instant. No casting time , no telgraphed animations like an Air Overload or whatever.
Just avoid Scepter: the most complicated weapon in the game.
or actually start learning it lol, because it’s sooooo fun.
Ok, it is fun and powerful condi only weapon, but survivability sucks. As Power weapon it doesn’t work in my hands, dmg is just way to low compared to condi scepter.
I never considered scepter to be a condi weapon O.o condis are just a side effect. It has small aoe, vaunrl, two blinds, instant zap, vigor regen from phoenix. On top of that, you don’t need to be close to your target like the dagger which I would consider the ACTUALL condi weapon. Use focus in offhand and you have projectile reflection, condi cleanse, knockdowns, invuln, chills. kitten son.
scepter can do power burst and sustained condi damage. So it´s actually a hybrid weapon…. Landing the most damaging skills against a mobile oponent(player) is very hard. That´s basically the ground targeted one´s.
Just avoid Scepter: the most complicated weapon in the game.
or actually start learning it lol, because it’s sooooo fun.
Ok, it is fun and powerful condi only weapon, but survivability sucks. As Power weapon it doesn’t work in my hands, dmg is just way to low compared to condi scepter.
I never considered scepter to be a condi weapon O.o condis are just a side effect. It has small aoe, vaunrl, two blinds, instant zap, vigor regen from phoenix. On top of that, you don’t need to be close to your target like the dagger which I would consider the ACTUALL condi weapon. Use focus in offhand and you have projectile reflection, condi cleanse, knockdowns, invuln, chills. kitten son.
yeah it’s kinda niche, even more than Fresh air I would say.
It kinda falls down in my opinion in general compared to fresh-air tho in anything that isn’t a 1v1 or similiar.
But in duels it can be pretty cheesy. I Fought this condi scepter guy once, in wvw, I didn’t expect it to be condi it took me by surprise.
He was mostly camping Earth with Stone heart, doing his bleed dmg and all.
I got destroyed, I was doing 0 damage to him with stone-heart lol.
I think it should be pretty strong against thieves too.
was it me ?
Yes its annoying against power thiefs … against any power build if you don´t make much mistakes (rotate out of earth in the wrong moment).
Unfortunately it struggles with condi mesmer, well played condi thiefs and both are very common in WvW. It also can´t kill other eles or often druids and warriors.
So if you go full condi bunker with it, you get onesided not able to kill builds capable to fight condi. yo need to go hybrid and sacrifice armor to kill things with it including to rotate out of earth.
What people get surprised is the bleed spam it can do, especially when using traited arcane utilities it can kite hard.
Just avoid Scepter: the most complicated weapon in the game.
or actually start learning it lol, because it’s sooooo fun.
Ok, it is fun and powerful condi only weapon, but survivability sucks. As Power weapon it doesn’t work in my hands, dmg is just way to low compared to condi scepter.
I never considered scepter to be a condi weapon
Hmm, maybe it’s just me, but how do you make Scepter any good as Power weapon? I do next to ZERO dmg with Scepter in Air attunement. It takes me about 20 + seconds just to kill an afk player! I can do more dmg as tank/support Mace guard lol, and i am not kidding.
Fire Scepter can do crazy amount of burning dmg.
So can someone enlighten me how do you make an Air or non Fire scepter a dmg dealing weapon? Even Earth condi Scepter works better in my hands, at least i get some survivability.
Autoatack in Air is super slow and the dmg part is laughably low (easily interrupted too), #2 Lightning Strike, nothing special, just another instant spell. No combo fields/finishers … nothing. And people still talking about 10k instant dmg, while my higher number was maybe 1800 crit with Lightning Strike. I am really confused
Your job is to help your team mates with healing and supporting them with dmg and staying alive.