Guild Wars 2

I love dropping huge aoes on enemy zergs. Sorry, I just do. So I play a zerker elementalist with my staff and get lots of bags and wxp and whatever WvW gives.

I’m very cautious so I stay mostly isolated to avoid getting any attention, far from our zerg and always keep an eye on the enemy zerg. Despite my squishiness, I’d say my survivability is okay, only actually dying to huge aoe mobs and overwhelming zergs (and guys who initiate a pvp me, of course).

My problem at the moment is that I don’t feel like my build is optimized. Here is it : http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fFAQFAWnMISLD2zAWOAfEGgAQCHIyAplyU7NA-TlRBwAX3fU+dT9H86AW8AAAcBAMrEkUAlrMC-w

Is there anything I could improve?

I used to run in the zerg the same as you but i used this build http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fFAQFAWnMISTD2zA2MAfEGgAQCHIyAxlyEq0bA-TlRBwAX3fU+dT9H86AW8AAAcBAMrEkUAlrMC-w

The Glyph gives you an extra AoE plus might and arcane power makes huge damage boost.

I think after retal hits you, you won’t be above 90% health so runes effect goes away. You have no condi cleanse either so if you get targeted it will end fast with 11k hp. Not to mention random thief or any other sneaky guy.

For the rest, if you stay alive with it and can do the job, just play it… Some enemy zergs quality makes it possible for you to be full zerker and some other doesn’t…

Atoss.1056:

I think after retal hits you, you won’t be above 90% health so runes effect goes away.

What runes do you suggest then? Anything good in line? I also thought that my runes weren’t optimal because I often get downed (but given the large number of people I hit, I rally rather quickly) or below that 90% threshold.

Atoss.1056:

You have no condi cleanse either so if you get targeted it will end fast with 11k hp. Not to mention random thief or any other sneaky guy.

Those are the risks, but given the pleasure to see in 2 seconds a dozen people in downed state, I don’t mind them. I think that good positioning gives me an edge on that level and positioning is the main thing on which I work.

If you care about dmg only and like seeing big numbers, Infiltrator rune is fun, +12% dmg modifier, some precision and stealth when your hp goes down if i remember well. Some other like strength or pack are ok too but price is high also.

Once I tried some like this – http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fFAQFAWhMMqeW4wyBrEBWAC1Tlm+IhoAlWC-TVSBABG/AA8Z/BKV/xMlgXp8DFNE4pDYhDEAAXAASBMwyI-w – with many modifiers, squishy but funny numbers. If “planents align” you have above +120% dmg from modifiers.. Add to that some helpful guards who empower for you giving you might and fury from other classes and there you go.. Might be fun in EoTM, but in zergs where enemy uses brains I don’t recommend

I am playing zerker staff ele a lot on SFR and use this build: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fFIQFAWhUMaZW5wsBr0AEAS4ARWIuUmOleD-TlBEABJ8AAYS5XK7PAwFAIR1f2SJoYA0D-w
The most fun part of this build is that with GoEH, strength sigil/runes and fire XII you always have 10-15 might just here and can easily (really easily, just about every time) get to permanent 25 while attacking enemy zerg. Without any might stacking. Yes, strength runes aren’t cheap but you should have bought them before 15.05, patchnotes for it were open for everyone.
Some choices that may seem to be questionable are 1) GoEH as healing skill. It is great to get permaswifness without wasting air5, some might in combat ot extra healing. ER would be nice to counter condi spikes for which you have no answer at all, but you’ll get them very rarely in zerg fights. 2) arcane wave here is just for proccing air VII and some nice instant damage on demand (does nice burst if chained with air 2). 3) signet of fire is something you are going to swith on demand for signet of air/LF/FB or whatever. But it always nice to have slot ready and some extra crit for it. 4) fire XII instead of fier XI. Well, while fury is nice you have absolutely no need to stack might (read above) nor you can actually do it so trait is quite useless (apart from extra seconds of fire 2). 5) air XI can be switched for water VI for 10% of damage, but yeah, retaliation. Your hp is extremely low so you won’t have 90%+ of it for a while. Other stuff like arcane VIII or earth whatever is surprisingly useless.

This build (with a bit of experience) has quite nice surviability, but also some restrictions. First, you aren’t going anywhere without applied fortitude, ever. Second, you aren’t going to kill anyone 1v1. Dont even try unless… well, just dont. Third, you always need to think about you positioning. You cannot go blob on tag under that ACs, you cannot go far from your zerg, you cannot chase, you cannot rush through enemy blob, you cannot, you cannot, you cannot. This will just take some time and experince to learn. And due to this difficulties in maneuvering this build isn’t really advisable in coordinated guild runs unless they have some specific tactics for you.

Just a question: how do you survive a thief? Or a ranger who has Piercing? positioning only and Mist Form? A thief can oneshot you, and a ranger can 2 shot you. from afar. I understand that you can wreck havoc but the very second they realise this you are toast. No stability, so the first knock down kills you.

I don’t see how you survive… Sorry. It must be positioning…

Aggrostemma.1703:

Just a question: how do you survive a thief? Or a ranger who has Piercing? positioning only and Mist Form? A thief can oneshot you, and a ranger can 2 shot you. from afar. I understand that you can wreck havoc but the very second they realise this you are toast. No stability, so the first knock down kills you.

I don’t see how you survive… Sorry. It must be positioning…

You don’t survive anything for more than a second (and you aren’t literally getting oneshotted with applied fortitute). If thief or warrior comes to you you just fire4 or mistform into your guys and let them cleave it while you are CCing a bit. If you are attackeb by ranger (actually rangers are quite rare in wvw) just pop earth 3 and go away. If you got downed you’ll most likely rally from all those guys tagged by aoe before vapor form expires.
And mostly this is really about positioning, not much people will want to attack guy that are on 1200 range and have his zerg between you and him. But if enemy zerg is coordinated (guild for example) and wishes to focus you you shouldn’t play full zerk at all, as I said before.

Thank you Arcturus for all your insights! I happen to have several playsets of the rune of Strength, so I will more than likely give your build a try!