So, am I just utterly jaded and blind or are most of the staff changes bug fixes, AoE mechanics changes, and nerfs?
I see handful of changes that were mentioned but for the most part we all knew those were not going to matter much, but pretty much everything else feels like a net-negative for it.
Oh well, I was already using a conjure build. I guess I’m personally getting more “variety” in switching my 9 skill (LH) out more often. At least Ice Bow now should have solid dps outside of frost storm. Anyone else get the feeling the devs want to push ele to treat conjures like engineers treat kits ie depending on them?
Bad@Ele: Alaric Von Manstein
Bad@Thief: Kiera Gordon
Sea of Sorrows, a server never before so appropriately named.
Because AoE was nerfed acrossed the entire game, an ele playing a staff after the patch might feel weaker than what used to be before the patch.
However, while most other professions had their aoe nerfed without compensation, ele’s got its aoe weapon nerfed and buffed at the same time.
This means that, even though staff ele might feel less effective in wvw with the new patch, it’ll still be at a better place compared to the alternatives from other professions than what it used to be before.
Because AoE was nerfed acrossed the entire game, an ele playing a staff after the patch might feel weaker than what used to be before the patch.
However, while most other professions had their aoe nerfed without compensation, ele’s got its aoe weapon nerfed and buffed at the same time.
This menas that, even though staff ele might feel less effective in wvw with the new patch, it’ll still be at a better place compared to the alternatives from other professions than before.
So then what ANet should have said was “We’re buffing staff because first we’re taking it out back and taking this switch with us”.
Bad@Ele: Alaric Von Manstein
Bad@Thief: Kiera Gordon
Sea of Sorrows, a server never before so appropriately named.
I’m particularly floored by the lack of updates to Air, which is very overtly the weakest attunement for Staff by a large margin.
Seriously, I’ve been playing Marvel Heroes a lot lately and the difference in quality with both the updates and response to feedback is staggering.
You mean other games actually fix/balance and make their classes fun often? Because they know the meat of their game is their classes/characters?
It must be nice, I wonder what it would be like to have bi-weekly balance changes that fix, balance, and make the classes more and more fun constantly. lol
Biggest underated buff to staff —> improvedburning retreat and the possibility to chain with 1 with air !!
Comboing this witn 1-with-air is not actually possible as there is a cooldown applied to every attunement on swap. You wouldn’t have time to swap air—>fire and then burning retreat further, and you certainly couldn’t do it on-demand. It would be the only use for air besides the #5 ability on staff anyway, but sadly doesn’t work.
I’m particularly floored by the lack of updates to Air, which is very overtly the weakest attunement for Staff by a large margin.
Seriously, I’ve been playing Marvel Heroes a lot lately and the difference in quality with both the updates and response to feedback is staggering.
I think fire is the weakest attument. You have nothing particular to aim for at grand master if in PvP for example. Nothing that has a defensive type of effect, like signets for rangers. Air has gotten quite a few updates and is by far more valuable to me. A subjective statement of course.
I think staff feels very good now. The problem is, it is still hard to compete with the power creep on warrior and others.
Edit: Haven’t been doing WvW lately, but I am afraid the Unsteady Ground change will make staff eles very overpowered in big fights.
Why don’t you see people complaining about Line of Warding from guardians then?
Staff eles also have Static Field, Frozen Ground, and the ability to keep 100% of their damage potential from 1200 range (disregarding the fact that our projectile auto attacks are slow and mostly miss from 1200 range…) Don’t get me wrong though, I am obsessed with this new Unsteady Ground. Just saying it might be ridiculous when they start popping up all over in WvW in addition to the other control/damage staff ele already brings to zerg.
I think staff feels very good now. The problem is, it is still hard to compete with the power creep on warrior and others.
Edit: Haven’t been doing WvW lately, but I am afraid the Unsteady Ground change will make staff eles very overpowered in big fights.
Why don’t you see people complaining about Line of Warding from guardians then?
Staff eles also have Static Field, Frozen Ground, and the ability to keep 100% of their damage potential from 1200 range (disregarding the fact that our projectile auto attacks are slow and mostly miss from 1200 range…) Don’t get me wrong though, I am obsessed with this new Unsteady Ground. Just saying it might be ridiculous when they start popping up all over in WvW in addition to the other control/damage staff ele already brings to zerg.
I was trying some WvW yesterday and the staff feels quite nice there, and balanced. You’re strong in group scenario, but when heavily focused or when you try to roam (silly idea), you’re dead already
But I don’t play a standard WvW build, I like little bit more damage on my meteor, so when specced for support/bunker, you can endure quite a lot
Too bad they didn’t buff the most lacking aspect of staff: air
The Air attunement is really quite weak, agreed. But there’s one spell that however situational, it can be quite useful. It’s gust I can’t count the number of times when enemies tried to push/pull me down from a cliff and I’m determined to return this favor back (Unsteady ground have it’s use in this, too, now )
Troll dem to da ground, dude
This is a nerf more than a buff. Earth skill 4 was better before. It was a further nerf to AoE. Now dodging targets count as one of the five possible targets.
AoE changes are same for everyone else. What makes you think your Elementalist is the special snowflake?
Anyways I would like to remind everyone that their philosophy is to do small changes and let the meta evolve. If they say massive they probably just mean lots of changes.
AoE changes are same for everyone else. What makes you think your Elementalist is the special snowflake?
Anyways I would like to remind everyone that their philosophy is to do small changes and let the meta evolve. If they say massive they probably just mean lots of changes.
I agree. And if we look at the number of skills they have changed we must admit they are true to their word.
The change to Unsteady Ground is horrible. It used to be a somewhat viable way to CC people with stability, but now it’s just an inferior Line of Warding… They should of just buffed the cripple duration.
As for the rest of staff, all it’s got that I like is decent CC and useful/convenient combo fields. Unfortunately the damage is still only good against afk players (and in some zerg fights, fine…). :/ Anyone smart enough to move 5 feet in any direction when a conspicuous red circle appears around them will continue to be invincible to staff Elementalists. Depressing…
