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Elementalist
User	Diogo da Silva
Categories	Skill feedback → Elementalist  → Other Mechanics → Other

Here are some ideas for the second part of the elementalist's update. I'm not going to focus on creative changes, but instead take skills that are almost-good-but-not-quite-there and suggest some tweaks I feel relevant enough, under justification. I'll also suggest some further nerfs to other classes that might directly or indirectly affect the elementalist's viability, and further changes to HM, not unlike how part 1 of the update turned out.

1.5 Second Casting Time

I see the new 1.5s casting time feature as a success, as it was enough to make almost-good skills good. Here's some more that could just get strong enough from such change:

• Phoenix - For the same reason Fireball got it.
• Lightning Hammer - To make it relevant again for PvP, although it won't still see use in PvE.
• Lightning Orb - To make it relevant again for PvP; for PvE, this skill is already decent at times, it would now be decent more frequently.
• Magnetic Surge - Much like Obsidian Flame, an unused skill that would get too strong at 1s casting time.
• Ebon Hawk - Yes, it's a nerf, but the constant KD is annoying for PvP. Increase the damage to 10...78...95 to compensate.
• Vapor Blade - Same reason for Magnetic Surge.

There was one single skill from part 1 update that I feel it didn't become powerful enough.

• Energy Blast Reduce recharge to 12.
• Energy Blast Reduce max damage to 110, reduce recharge to 12.
• Energy Blast Reduce max damage to 110, reduce recharge to 8.

Energy Blast has some unique drawbacks that interact with each other. Its dependence on energy, and how it costs 10 without attunement support. More than being unique, it has potential to work as extra spike support with any element. However, the 20 second recharge makes it unfavourful in PvE, especially as it does not works with most 40/ 40 weapon sets. 12 recharge would make it relevant enough, but not to the point of overshadowing every other elementalist spike skill (which usually have 5s, 6s, 7s or 8s recharge). Should this change make the skill too strong, a reduction in damage would be needed, and 110 is still a high value. Meanwhile, should this not prove enough to make the skill useful, a redution to 8s recharge time can be considered.

Epic 25e PvE-centric spells

• Meteor Shower 2 , 30 .
• Meteor Shower Have its effect take place the moment the spell is cast, 3 , 30 .
• Maelstrom Spell. Create a Maelstrom at target foe's location. For 10 seconds, foes near to that area are struck for 20...44...50 cold damage each two seconds. Maelstrom interrupts spell-casting when it hits. (25 , 1.5 , 30 , 10 ).

While Eruption is a very popular option for eath builds, the fire and water 25e epic spells are underwhelming. To note that Eruption is nearby range, has no exhaustion effect, and it is still a fairly balanced skill.

Even if Meteor Shower gets the same recharge and casting time of Meteor, it would still have a 3 second delay before its effect take place, and it would take 6 seconds to be stronger than Meteor. For PvP, it would have its strengths and drawbacks (you can easily flee from it), but it would be better than Meteor for PvE because of the way Ai works, even taking into account the delay effect and the high cost. Not that Meteor is meta there, anyways. Alternatively, have a higher activation for an instant effect would make it easier to rupt in PvP but harder to avoid. Increasing it to Nearby range would be a possibility, but it would make it too strong (worthy of elite status), or it would have to keep the absurd 5 cast and 60 recharge times it has now, which both leads to boring gameplay (for PvE, you have to wait until the recharges before each battle; for PvP, it would be both too strong and then have your bar reduced to 7 skills for 60s).

Maelstrom, however, does not deal enough damage, and has no worthwhile range. I suggest to keep the nature of the skill focused on AoE interrupt, and move it to nearby range. What happens then? For PvE, it would still need a snare to be taken to full potential, but at least it could be worthwhile without it. As it stands, it usually rupts one or two enemies two times before they move out of it, for little to no damage. It would now affect much more enemies. And for PvP, coupled with a snare, because it could be too strong, having the effect only activate every 2 seconds would give the opposing spellcasters the possibility to time their spells right in favor of the skill, but not in favor of what their party needs. Finally, a 1.5 casting time would be more relevant for such a rupt-focusing skill.

Ether Renewal, it had to be

• Ether Renewal Have its effect cap at 3 enchantments; have the skill be disabled for 30 seconds.

Really, I have nothing against EMo Protters. I think it's cool elementalists can fill some secondary builds with their energy storage elites. I do have a problem, though, to how powerful Emo protters are.

Most of the EMos load up to 4 enchantments upon themselves, when not more. From what I have tested, 4 enchantments gives ridiculous energy gains, but 2 enchantments make this strategy kinda ineffective. Number 3 was chosen from this. It gives them "infinite" energy, but they only fill their energy bar rather slowly, especially when it's mostly depleted, which means that when ER is not up, EMOs will have to play more carefully.

Finally, the recharge time has been meaningless with consumables, and high end PvErs abuse on this. By having the skill get disabled like the avatars, it makes impossible to manipulate and abuse this elite as players currently do.

Yet, taking all this into account, an EMo Protter would still be viable enough. Best for both worlds?

Energy Management

Elementalists have fine energy management, but they must usually dedicate three of their eight slot skills for it. This is mostly because: 1) The attunements aren't enough by themselves and require the support of Glyph of Lesser Energy (and vice-versa) and 2) The attunements are enchantments, and require a cover enchantment.

I propose two possible ways to fix that wouldn't require big mechanic overhauls:

• Fire Attunement Skill. For 10...74...90 seconds, you gain 1 Energy plus 30% of the base Energy cost of the skill each time you use Fire Magic. (15 , 2 , 30 )

Basically, don't make it an enchantment anymore, meaning a cover enchantment wouldn't be necessary neither. The upped activation time would to be for easier interrupting, the higher energy cost would be to further compensate the effects, and the higher duration is there so there's no need to cast as often (for PvE it can be a bit annoying).

Second possibility is:

• Have more alternatives to Aura of Restoration to act as cover enchantment.

For example, if an water elementalist needs the extra armor over the extra health and energy gain, they could have an alternative like:

• Armor of Frost Increase duration to 10...50...60, increase energy cost to 10 .

And this way, cover enchantments wouldn't restrict so much elementalists.

Glyphs

Glyph of Lesser Energy is fundamental, both because attunements are not enough, and because it synergies extremely well with them. What I suggest, is to have other glyphs also add to energy management, just not as much as GoLE, in exchange for the other effects. Here's some examples:

• Glyph of Concentration Moved to Energy Storage. Glyph (15 seconds.) Your next spell costs 10...16...18 less energy, cannot be interrupted and is unaffected by the Dazed condition. (5 , 1 , 30 )

Which means: half the energy that GoLE gives, for more stability. What to choose? Depends on the meta, and on how energy heavy the builds is.

• Glyph of Renewal Moved to Energy Storage. Glyph (15 seconds.) Your next spell costs 10...16...18 less energy, and recharges instantly. (5 , 1 , 10 )

Another interesting thing for the glyphs is to add the exhaustion mechanic to them instead of some crazy drawbacks:

• Glyph of Essence Moved to Energy Storage. Glyph (15 seconds.) Your next spell costs 10...16...18 less energy, and casts instantly. (5 , 1 , 20 , 10 )

This is mostly going to be used for spells like Meteor Shower, or to prevent interrupting. If so, the exhaustion stack can be deadly nonetheless, or the Glyph of Concentration above might be prefered. For that, this has only 20s of recharge.

Finally, because glyphs override each other, players usually prefer to only run one of them. If we don't want them all to be alternative versions of the fundamental GoLE, we can make them interact with each other, much like how stances do with their drawbacks:

• Glyph of Swiftness Glyph. (15 seconds.) Your next 3 spells cost 1...3...4 less energy and are activated 25% faster, but you take double damage. (5 , 1 , 20 )

Mesmer and Ritualist, again

Part 1 of the update toned down key skills for those professions. I feel it still needed more two tweaks.

• Panic - Reduce duration to 1...6...7.
• Panic - Increase energy cost to 15.
• Panic - Reduce energy cost to 5, recharge to 12, reduce range to adjacent.

Not only because it's the most overpowered skill for the mesmers, but also because as it stands, it completely overshadows options like Maelstrom and the new Thunderclap for the Elementalist. With lesser duration or a higher cost, Panic remains equally strong, but it'd be wiser to save it for key moments, to make most use of its effect. Adjacent range is much weaker than nearby range in Guild Wars, usually enough to make an AoE effect not work as AoE for half the time, and as Panic relies on AoE to do anything, it needs to be less punishing to the player whenever it fails.

• Signet of Spirits - Reduce the spirits HP and/ or level slightly.

Elementalist's part 1 nerfed the damage slightly, but it overlooked the fact that part of this elite's effectiveness is in its extremely defensive spirit wall effect. After this change, SoS should be more properly balanced.

Hard Mode - what about Degen?

• Have regen/ degen affect 3HP per point, instead of the current 2.

Degen is currently underpowered for PvE. By buffing it up, not only will it strengthen some not-very-challenging mobs, but it'll open up a lot of underused playstyles and skills, especially for the blood necromancer, condition dervish, and the ranger as a whole. It'll also strengthen burning eles, but

• Searing Flames - Reduce damage slightly, keep burning duration.

This one will have to be toned down. With more 7 DPS thanks to burning, for a total of up to 49, I would reduce the fire damage by ~15, ~25 or even ~35 if this skill proves to be too strong even outside of this update.

However, such a change to HM might need a lot of testing to see how viable it truly would be.

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