Guild Wars 2

First of all, English is not my native language, sorry for the mistakes that I will have xD

I know that a lot of people will not be agree with me, but the elementalist will be strongly buffed with the incoming update (without speak about Tempest, because we dont know anything jet). Even with the nerf on EA/EAtt. lets speak for example about D/D CELESTIAL META build.

D/D
I am agree with the people who said that the new META will be 0/0/6/6/6, and that will me stronger than the actual cele 0/2/0/6/6. Lets compare it.

http://dulfy.net/gw2traits#build=AgAE-AJUBaw~

That build just by traits will give us perma Protection, perma Vigor and almost Perma Fury. like baseline. We lose EvasiveArcana but gain Geomancer Defense and StoneHeart.

Even if we just go to earth 2s each 10s we will have 7s without critical hits, and thats A LOT of damage reduction. If we do some numbers, for example against an enemy with 200% critical damage.

The old 02066 with have a damage reduction of :

*7s/10s with only Protection:
Critical Strikes 200% (Crit Damage) – 33%(Protection) = 167% of damage
Non Crit Strike 100% (Normal Damage) – 33% (Protection)= 67% of damage
*3s/10s no Protection – No damage Reduction
Critical Strikes 200% = 200% of damage
Non Crit Strike 100% = 100%

New 00666 have perma Protection due ES, EC and EAtt. + 7s/10s of SH (no Crit Damage) + 4s/10s ShootingIce.

*7/10s with Protection+SH+GD
Critical Strikes 200%-100%(SH)-20%(GD)-33% (Protection) =47%
Non Crit Strikes 100% – 33%(Prot) -20% (GD) =47%
*3/10s with Prot+GD+SI (CD of SI during SH because without Crits, SI cant work, so It will start always after SH finish)
Critical Strikes 200%-20% (GD)-33%(Prot)-10%(SI) = 137%
Non Crit Strikes 100%-20% (GD)-33%(Prot)-10%(SI)= 37%

So, the damage reduction will be huge due the HUGE sinergy between LingeringElements and StoneHeart. I think that lose EA its not a lot in front of this. The conditions that we dont clean with EA going to water and dodge will be changed to SI+CleansingWater without need to go to water.

For that reason, we will have a really strong armor and CELE amulet will not be a need anymore, just a decision if you wanna tank(CELE) o burst (ZERKER). We have a really strong buff on our defensive traits, so, lets go for something more agressive on armor, trinkets and gameplay!! XD (without lose might staking or combofields…)

As well, I would like to say that I am confused about why anyone propose Lingering Elements like baseline because It is a really important trait for all elementalist, who prevent from self interrupt ourselves on long casting skills when we swap attunements, allowing it in a fluent way. If Devs want different META for a proper use of our skills we should not be clamped on arcana just for that trait.

I dont know if someone is interested in deeply check with numbers the reality of the expansion. This was an example about what I think, but I am sure that fresh Air and Staff will be buffed too.

If someone could give me other points of view I will be happy to speak about that XD

Thanx EveryOne

That would be the case if Lingering Elements work.
It only works with the elementalist minor traits,
So on that FWA build, the only benefit Lingering Elements will give you is 5 secs of extra 120 thoughness when you get out of earth. Soothing aura already extends out of the water attune.

So yea, Lingering Elements could be a really good trait, but its really crappy now, borderline useless.

There are many suggestions to change it to work with other traits, like you mentioned above, making it a good trait and lowering a lot of dependency on EAtt for defense.
I did some myself here.

ApaWanka.2698:

the HUGE sinergy between LingeringElements and StoneHeart

HUUUUUGE

I would agree with you if your assumption that stone heart and lingering elements actually worked together was correct. But it isn’t so overall still a major nerf. If it actually did work like that it would be a rediculously op combo.

Also, the EWA build will not have a place in pvp, kind of like Condi-regen rangers now. Yes, you will be great at tanking and 1v1’s, but you have almost 0 team support. Tanky 1v1 builds are never taken, as other builds that perform nearly as well in 1v1’s (like shoutbow and cele engie) also have way more support/cc.

As others have pointed out, Lingering Elements only works with the 1-point minor in earth now (maybe it does with the 1-point in air, but that trait basically does nothing anyway). I doubt they will buff it to work with other things, and are even changing the fire minor in a way that is impossible to synergize. Further, tempest will have no trait that works with it as well.

This is all besides the point. They are making a change that will just cause no Ele to use evasive arcane, because it is sub par to EA. At the same time we are still stuck in the arcane line because EA is basically a required defensive mechanism. So they are effectively removing one of 2 of the very active parts of the Ele playstyle by forcing the choice between the two.

Meanwhile they are giving integral mechanics as baseline to other classes. Honestly they should make EAtune self buff baseline OR make EvaseA baseline. Making EvaseA baseline would be the same thing as IP on mesmers its an powerful trait that is just core to the class, it would also remove the problem that people don’t think ele should get buffs on swap without traits, fine but EvaseA makes sense as a core mechanic and works with every wep set (maybe tone down the effects of heal but buff fire-blast and maybe even air blind.

THE OTHER OPTION is to integrate EvaseA or Eatune with element lines. Integrate them with one of the minors and buff fire too 3 stacks of might. The arcane equivalent also already exists (Fury on all swaps) and I’m sure tempest will have something as well. so EAtune being integrated makes sense here. EvaseA could also be done here although the fire would need a buff. Then arcane and tempest would need some on dodge effect to match )maybe arcane gives 1 free crit post dodge on a 20 sec internal CD or something arcane related. (harder to balance and actually make sense as you cant control an ICD in all elements without counting in your head or something making it random WHICH IS BAD so better suggestions welcome)

Now that brings us back to the problem of still being stuck in the arcane tree for only one trait. To fix this they need to buff the fire and air trees. they need to include some type of active defenses or powerful enough traits to open up more options. The arcane tree needs more choices to contend with these choices. Because being the weakest class in armor and HP and having no active defenses on spells (evade, block, stealth, clones, etc) is suicide (yeah I’ve played fresh air and quite enjoy it as a style but you are an easy target with no escapes, unlike thief/Mesmer)

Likely the tempest tree is going to be one of the best, as its being built form the ground up and structured with the intent of 3 different play-styles(as shown by necro guard and mes) and this is what all of our current lines need. We have a plethera of useless traits and no innate survivability which forces us into the defense lines (water earth arcane) If they mix active defense in with the fire and air lines they will be come more viable and people wouldn’t freak out about being forced to pick between a major primary defense mechanism and something that just feels natural to the class EvaseA