Guild Wars 2

I just wanted to let everyone on this forum know how fantastic this trait is. Whenever you’re about to die, you get 3 seconds of invulnerability. You basically get a free Elixir S without having to actually equip the skill (and you don’t have to worry about “forgetting” to activate it :P ).

And when u want to cleanse 25 stack of bleeding, suddendly u can’t and die!

You should actually try it before posting.

*edit: Also, if you have the 409 trait, it’ll clear a condition for you.

I tried this once, and even with cleansing formula, which would probably include a HGH build at this point, u’d still cleansing 1 condition, out of so many u may actualy have; this trait is situational, and trust me when I say once it was perfect when u could actualy use 409 with ur healing skill and with that trait…

I liked it when I was still upleveled in WvW but now I rather pick other traits. It isn’t bad, but sometimes you haven’t planned it and then it goes into effect, messing up what you wanted to do.

This trait used to be quite epic.

I say “used to be” because Elixir S was sadly nerfed, so now this skill makes you a sitting duck to conditions, and even against power builds it is an impromptu self-interrupt that can ruin your heals, your controls, or your kills, and makes you a sitting duck with no viable defensive tactics to employ during your invulnerability. It will get you killed more often than it will save you, making this skill ultimately a negative; you literally are worse off than if you had nothing.

The only use it currently has is if you are in WvW. If A: An ambush thieve ambushes you, or B: you need to get into a keep but get snared, then this trait can save you. Problem is, there are better ways to do both that don’t require 75% of your HP.

Back when it worked right, this skill was epic. I used to run a 20/0/30/20 build with turrets, using Protection Injection and Self-regulating defenses, and it was a pain to kill. When I hit 25% health, I became invulnerable, my heal + interrupt + damage recharged instantly, and I could still manage my turrets, letting me maintain and offense and heal + contribute to the fight at the same time.

3d seconds of dazing yourself, is often more beneficial to your opponents than the invulnerability with shrink which warms them not to blow any cooldowns is benefit to you.

It’s a junk trait since elixir-s was made wothless except for stomping in spvp etc.

Kalan.9705:

3d seconds of dazing yourself, is often more beneficial to your opponents than the invulnerability with shrink which warms them not to blow any cooldowns is benefit to you.

It’s a junk trait since elixir-s was made wothless except for stomping in spvp etc.

Couldn’t agree with this more. Every time I see a fellow engineer running around tiny in wvw I switch targets the them immediately because most likely they popped S because they were in trouble. As soon as there 3 seconds of running around doing nothing ends I can usually down them pretty easily and once downed…well you know how helpless we are. The only real use I get out of S now is when I need to suicide run past a bunch of people in front of a keep/tower. I’ll drop S and hope for invis on the approach then burn S and fire off rocket boots right as it wears of and hope I make it in. The skill is indeed a ghost of its former self but I’m not sure how they could fix it to make it better than now but not as good as before though.

Meh, I’ve tried using the trait a few times but I couldn’t get used to it, as it often interrupted my skillflow, which is now especially annoying since the Elixir S nerf.
Out of the Adept Traits I’d much rather use Fast-Acting Elixirs, Invigorating Speed, or Protection Injection, depending on the build ofc.

kazi.6438:

I just wanted to let everyone on this forum know how fantastic this trait is. Whenever you’re about to die, you get 3 seconds of invulnerability. You basically get a free Elixir S without having to actually equip the skill (and you don’t have to worry about “forgetting” to activate it :P ).

I really only use this trait in WvW. There are better stunbreakers for PvE and in PvP, the invulnerability makes you uncontest a capture point.

Most players in tPvP have gotten VERY good at queuing up their burst so that it lands as soon as this effect ends. I only use the actual Elixir S utility and then only when I want to stomp or revive someone.

I use SRD in only one very specific build where 25% of my health is close to 7K so I don’t suffer so badly from timed burst when it ends.

Self-Regulating Defenses is a rare gem among traits and when used properly in a build can get you out of trouble rapidly. Notably you should only run it if you also have 15 or more points in Inventions for the Heal skill automatic recharge which will trigger at the same time as your Self-Regulating Defenses. Granted this does nothing for the conditions from which you are suffering when you go into Elixir S, but it gives you back your heal as you come out.

Presently the best combo is when you go into Elixir S just start spamming the Healing Turret so as soon as you come out of the form you can get the Heal, area heal, then F1 blast finish in it, and repeat the blast finish by using the new and improved Rocket Boots that will also create some breathing room. If this doesn’t save you, the fight wasn’t winnable for you to begin with and you should learn not to bite off more than you can chew rather than be angry at a trait that worked as intended. “But he was heartseeker spamming! I can beat that!” You say? Trait Protective Shield and watch the idiot wear out his #2 key whilst you negate 33% of his no talent having spam damage (rune of the Forge are excellent thief repellant as well, and can even trait Protection Injection for when they use Basilisk venom. That 3 seconds of protection when crit, 5 seconds when disabled, and 10 seconds at 50% health, all of which will be at least 30% longer.) This combination extends the usefulness of Elixir S tremendously to have protection as you come out of invulnerability.

That being said Elixir S could stand to be improved if it just removed bleeding and burning when activated, or even could be traited to do so (much as I do already with Lyssa runes on Elixir X). Ever since utilities became disabled in this form, the survivability of the option has notably declined, but with a clever player who keeps an eye out for that 25% trigger, it can win fights you otherwise should have lost.

I never play PvP. I feel like I should mention the two situations where this trait really shines: WvW and dungeons (especially the ones with insta-gank mechanics, like Aetherblade Retreat). It’s extremely effective in preventing people from focusing you down and even in small WvW fights people usually just switch targets after Elixir S kicks in. Spam the rocket boots key, and then cleanse the rest of your conditions with 409.

I’m usually one of the crazies who runs into the middle of enemy zergs to take out siege and cause general havoc. This trait is often the key to getting out alive. Without it, you’ll often be stunned/dead in <1-2 seconds with no chance to react if they focus you down (it also appears to be skill-lag proof).

There are two traits that I have always had in every build for WvW; Speedy kits and Self-regulating defenses. There is just not much else to say. Sure it got nerfed now that you can’t heal while tiny, but that three seconds has been just enough time on many occasions for a cooldown to finish and save me. I don’t run with zergs, and typically run dps in small groups so this trait is invaluable when a thief starts training me to allow time for my group to burst him down. It will not be a huge benefit for every build, and i am only talking for a WvW experience, but this trait is very far from being “junk”.

Preacher

@Preacher: on the other hand you could have picked invigorating speed which gives you perma vigor. Perma vigor means a dodge every 5 seconds instead of 10 which in the end, gives you way more survivability than SRD.

Invulnerability is almost always a good thing. The nerf was huge, but I might still want the trait in a couple of situations. It’s good in WvW because 3 seconds is often enough to get somewhere that you can be easily rezzed. Don’t know about PvE. In PvP, it’s not very useful any more.

Fought an Engineer two days ago. Loaded him with conditions, Burn, some Bleed, Poison, the works.
He was getting low to health and was about to heal. Then suddenly he became tiny and got his heal interupted.
When he was done doing a Mario he was on such low health that before he could try healing again he got downed.

A clear reminder to myself to never ever use that worthless trait.

@vinceftw:

I agree that invigorating speed is another great defensive trait and will give more survivability the “longer” I am getting getting targeted. If I’m looking at being anywhere near the fight then I’d be picking that up instead of self-regulating defenses. However when I’m looking to fill the ranged aoe pressure roll in my group and don’t typically get targeted for long periods then SRD is a better trait for those moment when I’ve got two thieves heart-seeker spamming me. This is not a passive trait. it’s one you have to play around, and plan for because as stated it can bite you in the butt if your not ready for it. As stated it’s not great in every build, but don’t discount this trait altogether.

Preacher

Has anyone noticed this trait not working as a stun breaker any more? In both Arah and AC explorable I’ve been knocked down, the trait has activated, and I remain on the ground, sometimes for the entire invulnerability duration.

@OP

It is refreshing to see an Engineer who can actually play around this traits ( and the Elixir S utility skill it mimics) several faults.

The Engineer friends I have, as well as myself however have completely removed this trait and the Utility skill from our rotation. As it has already been mentioned previously several times, In “high end” PvP this trait will simply get you killed, And The Elixir S utility skills may be good preventing a gimmick burst or securing a stomp/Rez but since its Nerf this whole effect of Elixir S is more detrimental once your opponents have played this game enough to understand the mechanics of other professions. Aside from the Tool Belt Skill Elixir S is just in a bad place at the moment.