Guild Wars 2

I’m thinking about coming back but I’m really pushed back because I remember the ele being a really bad class for tpvp back in the summer.

Did this situation change?

Is any good team using ele?

What are the most played builds in soloq?

What about the frostbow build I’ve heard of?

Is staff worth it after the last changes?

The meta hasn’t shifted that much. Now you see more immobalize stacking than before. Some teams might use an ele, but I haven’t seen one for any tournaments. As far as builds go, many run s/d fresh air. Others will run traditional builds and other run 0 20 20 0 30 with hoelbrak runes. Not sure about this frostbolt build. I wouldn’t recommend using staff.

FrownyClown.8402:

The meta hasn’t shifted that much. Now you see more immobalize stacking than before. Some teams might use an ele, but I haven’t seen one for any tournaments. As far as builds go, many run s/d fresh air. Others will run traditional builds and other run 0 20 20 0 30 with hoelbrak runes. Not sure about this frostbolt build. I wouldn’t recommend using staff.

my bad, frostbow*

Staff is actually pretty good imo, BUT you need a team designed around your staff, which means no one wants to flesh out a cool team comp because people are lazy. Frostbow is great, but very situational I hit for about 12k with it (one target), and prob the only reason why you should run a Ele.

This is the frost bow build I’ve been running in solo q and tpvp for the past 4-5 months. It’s a single focus cc/dps spec that can successfully 1v1 any class (that is, if you play skillfully and have the timing down). The main idea is to chain cc to set-up deep freeze and ice storm, while simultaneously mitigating damage/interruption to this rotation.

Specifics:

Weapon set/sigils: scepter (battle) + focus (accuracy)
Amulet/runes #1: zerker (valk jewel) + runes of the scholar x 6
Amulet/runes #2: soldier (zerk jewel) + runes of rata sum x 6
Utilities: ether renewal, arcane power, arcane shield, frost bow, fiery greatsword
Traits: 0/30 (iv, ix, xii)/0/10 (iv)/30 (i, v, xii)

Notes on rotation:

The build is a bit technical, so I’ll elaborate. Generally, I open with the arcane shield to prevent interruptions against my main skill rotation. I begin in water and cast freezing gust > comet, followed by the air attune > blinding flash > lightning strike > gale (if my opponent is without stability/cc immunity).

Once they’re knockdown, I move to fire and cast flamewall directly on the character (moving within the fire field to build might stacks), and then cast phoenix > dragon’s tooth. Immediately after starting the dragon’s tooth (before it’s channel is complete), I switch to earth and cast arcane power > magnetic wave > obsidian flesh.

Due to elemental surge + arcane power, the flamewall is effectively turned into an immobilize field the moment I enter the earth attune. This combination of flamewall + magnetic wave yields 5 seconds of immobilize. I’ll also be invulnerable for 4 seconds thanks to obsidian flesh. In these conditions, it will be very difficult to evade my ice bow chain because a) immobilize is being reapplied in a pulse that renders condition cleanse and dodging more or less ineffective; and b) the ice bow attacks cannot be interrupted/blinded while invulnerable.

This allows me to have a very high success rate in landing the deep freeze (#5) attack, which will lock down my target for another 5 seconds. At this point, I cast ice storm and immediately swap to water: because of piercing shards I get +20% damage to vulnerable foes (guaranteed by air 25: weak spot). The chances of surviving the full impact of ice storm is pretty low, as it gives upwards of 22-25k damage in zerker gear.

If they aren’t dead by this point, I’ll hit them with frost fan at point blank range, drop the ice bow and immediately attune to air for a double lightning strike.

That’s just one example of a rotation that is very effective, but there are many others….

Gesamtkunstwerk.6590:

This is the frost bow build I’ve been running in solo q and tpvp for the past 4-5 months. It’s a single focus cc/dps spec that can successfully 1v1 any class (that is, if you play skillfully and have the timing down). The main idea is to chain cc to set-up deep freeze and ice storm, while simultaneously mitigating damage/interruption to this rotation.

Specifics:

Weapon set/sigils: scepter (battle) + focus (accuracy)
Amulet/runes #1: zerker (valk jewel) + runes of the scholar x 6
Amulet/runes #2: soldier (zerk jewel) + runes of rata sum x 6
Utilities: ether renewal, arcane power, arcane shield, frost bow, fiery greatsword
Traits: 0/30 (iv, ix, xii)/0/10 (iv)/30 (i, v, xii)

Notes on rotation:

The build is a bit technical, so I’ll elaborate. Generally, I open with the arcane shield to prevent interruptions against my main skill rotation. I begin in water and cast freezing gust > comet, followed by the air attune > blinding flash > lightning strike > gale (if my opponent is without stability/cc immunity).

Once they’re knockdown, I move to fire and cast flamewall directly on the character (moving within the fire field to build might stacks), and then cast phoenix > dragon’s tooth. Immediately after starting the dragon’s tooth (before it’s channel is complete), I switch to earth and cast arcane power > magnetic wave > obsidian flesh.

Due to elemental wave + arcane power, the flamewall is effectively turned into an immobilize field the moment I enter the earth attune. This combination of flamewall + magnetic wave yields 5 seconds of immobilize. I’ll also be invulnerable for 4 seconds thanks to obsidian flesh. In these conditions, it will be very difficult to evade my ice bow chain because a) immobilize is being reapplied in a pulse that renders condition cleanse and dodging more or less ineffective; and b) the ice bow attacks cannot be interrupted/blinded while invulnerable.

This allows me to have a very high success rate in landing the deep freeze (#5) attack, which will lock down my target for another 5 seconds. At this point, I cast ice storm and immediately swap to water: because of piercing shards I get +20% damage to vulnerable foes (guaranteed by air 25: weak spot). The chances of surviving the full impact of ice storm is pretty low, as it gives upwards of 22-25k damage in zerker gear.

If they aren’t dead by this point, I’ll hit them with frost fan at point blank range, drop the ice bow and immediately attune to air for a double lightning strike.

That’s just one example of a rotation that is very effective, but there are many others….

I love seeing you in tournys.
I know that I HAVE to focus you first otherwise you’re gonna kill everyone :P

Gesamtkunstwerk.6590:

This is the frost bow build I’ve been running in solo q and tpvp for the past 4-5 months. It’s a single focus cc/dps spec that can successfully 1v1 any class (that is, if you play skillfully and have the timing down). The main idea is to chain cc to set-up deep freeze and ice storm, while simultaneously mitigating damage/interruption to this rotation.

Specifics:

Weapon set/sigils: scepter (battle) + focus (accuracy)
Amulet/runes #1: zerker (valk jewel) + runes of the scholar x 6
Amulet/runes #2: soldier (zerk jewel) + runes of rata sum x 6
Utilities: ether renewal, arcane power, arcane shield, frost bow, fiery greatsword
Traits: 0/30 (iv, ix, xii)/0/10 (iv)/30 (i, v, xii)

Notes on rotation:

The build is a bit technical, so I’ll elaborate. Generally, I open with the arcane shield to prevent interruptions against my main skill rotation. I begin in water and cast freezing gust > comet, followed by the air attune > blinding flash > lightning strike > gale (if my opponent is without stability/cc immunity).

Once they’re knockdown, I move to fire and cast flamewall directly on the character (moving within the fire field to build might stacks), and then cast phoenix > dragon’s tooth. Immediately after starting the dragon’s tooth (before it’s channel is complete), I switch to earth and cast arcane power > magnetic wave > obsidian flesh.

Due to elemental wave + arcane power, the flamewall is effectively turned into an immobilize field the moment I enter the earth attune. This combination of flamewall + magnetic wave yields 5 seconds of immobilize. I’ll also be invulnerable for 4 seconds thanks to obsidian flesh. In these conditions, it will be very difficult to evade my ice bow chain because a) immobilize is being reapplied in a pulse that renders condition cleanse and dodging more or less ineffective; and b) the ice bow attacks cannot be interrupted/blinded while invulnerable.

This allows me to have a very high success rate in landing the deep freeze (#5) attack, which will lock down my target for another 5 seconds. At this point, I cast ice storm and immediately swap to water: because of piercing shards I get +20% damage to vulnerable foes (guaranteed by air 25: weak spot). The chances of surviving the full impact of ice storm is pretty low, as it gives upwards of 22-25k damage in zerker gear.

If they aren’t dead by this point, I’ll hit them with frost fan at point blank range, drop the ice bow and immediately attune to air for a double lightning strike.

That’s just one example of a rotation that is very effective, but there are many others….

Nice explanation, I’m quite interested in the other rotations if you have some free time