Some say AH is not the meta because the meta is DPS. But that’s not right. There is only one meta in GW2 and that is HAVE FUN. And AH can be much fun.
But one thing about AH or using hammer auto attack in a group. As already mentioned in this forum or in the elementalist forum the almost continual light field can overwrite other combo fields.
That means if your hammer auto attack creates it’s light field before you or an other player creates a fire field and places a blast finisher on it only the light combo effect is triggered. You will get only get Area Retaliation but no Area Might. And maybe that’s not what you want. So better carry always a great sword with you.