Suggestions to make Auramancer viable again

Issues that remain with the support ele especially tempest in competitive formats:

• LACK OF STABILITY.
• Filler skills are still too filler.
• Auras aren't impactful enough compared to the other proffesion's 'cheat' mechanics and boons that made ele special are now wide-spread.
• Not enough offensive-impact when compared to Blood Scourge who can output more or the same amount of damage, support and CC with its own niche of corruption.
• Less CC and healing than support Firebrand while doing less damage than support Firebrand in sPvP.

Suggestions for buffing:

• Merge-existing Lucid Singularity with Speedy Conduit, new Lucid Singularity GM trait in it's place that says: upon completing an Overload, boons on cannot be removed or corrupted from nearby allies (10) for the next 8 seconds. Allow Tempest to sacrifice healing to provide something unique. 8 seconds as suggested allows the Ele to chain Overloads to achieve a high uptime if unpunished while still leaving window for corruption if it isn't punished immediately. It would not be too build-wars since everyone uses Sigil of Annulment on professions without boon remove anyway in sPvP.
• Harmonious Conduit: Applies stability to nearby allies instead of just on self.
• Rock Solid: Increased number of stacks of stability from 1 to 2.
• Focus: Larger Flamewall, Freezing Gust as an AoE, Swirling Winds with an initial pushback.

Sound good but rock solid dose not fit the class at all maybe weaver but that not a support spec. they NEED to put stab on auras and transmutation.

Right now only FB has real stab support and a lot of ppl are getting tide of playing FB the pure support way to the point where some are calling it "fire bland" where it has become just a stab pilon. This is due to only FB having viable stab but it also has quickness and many other strong effects and boons where ele lacks every strong boon for support. Making rock solid into a 1-2 stack stab for 2-3 sec on aura and 3 stacks for 4 sec on transmutation would free up the game and players to not having to play FB all the time and give tempest some realy viable with out having all the other boons that FB (quickness).

@"Jski.6180" said:Sound good but rock solid dose not fit the class at all maybe weaver but that not a support spec. they NEED to put stab on auras and transmutation.

Right now only FB has real stab support and a lot of ppl are getting tide of playing FB the pure support way to the point where some are calling it "fire bland" where it has become just a stab pilon. This is due to only FB having viable stab but it also has quickness and many other strong effects and boons where ele lacks every strong boon for support. Making rock solid into a 1-2 stack stab for 2-3 sec on aura and 3 stacks for 4 sec on transmutation would free up the game and players to not having to play FB all the time and give tempest some realy viable with out having all the other boons that FB (quickness).

That's abit too much. I think it's more beneficial for the game if there's a few stacks of stability that can actually stick rather than having to spew out so much out. Tempest healing had been the best support for a long time before PoF came along and the only reason Firebrand is so needed to literally spam their boons so much is to outdo the spamming that is Scourge's constant 10-man corruptions. Overload themselves also don't feel quite impactful enough to gain zone control when people can just slap Wind of Disenchantment or Well of Corruption on top of your Overload Fire and Earth.

Just letting Ele have a way to prevent corruption and boon loss with a few party stabs of it's own would go a long way to making it relevant without being overpowered. And especially for WvW, Ele doesn't have to be the best support and replacing Firebrands, there just needs to be a reason to bring different professions along instead of Firebrand and Scourge stacking.

@zencow.3651 said:

@"Jski.6180" said:Sound good but rock solid dose not fit the class at all maybe weaver but that not a support spec. they NEED to put stab on auras and transmutation.

Right now only FB has real stab support and a lot of ppl are getting tide of playing FB the pure support way to the point where some are calling it "fire bland" where it has become just a stab pilon. This is due to only FB having viable stab but it also has quickness and many other strong effects and boons where ele lacks every strong boon for support. Making rock solid into a 1-2 stack stab for 2-3 sec on aura and 3 stacks for 4 sec on transmutation would free up the game and players to not having to play FB all the time and give tempest some realy viable with out having all the other boons that FB (quickness).

That the thing you have skills on FB that are giving out a lot of stab on long duration but its the only class doing it in the game. Have you looked at the cd for the stab skill FB has? Even with aura spam tempest has giving low stack on short duration stab dose not come close to the same effect as FB.

Its a real problem to give one class an effect that no other classes can even come close to giving out the same effect and its sad how weak rock solid is now and even with your suggestion of an update for it will do nothing to help the ele class or the game over all.

Anet has a real problem there one real support in gw2 FB both healing and boon support. Tempest is the first true all in support in gw2 with balancing that is 2 years old. The moment anet started to update the other support classes to heal on the same level or have impactful healing at all comply destroy any viability for tempest as an support class.

The other support classes are simply trying to copy what the FB is doing and only are played because FB is a BORING class due to anet being vary bad at making strong classes that are also fun to play.

Ele is the one support who only has healing auras on there own do not do enofe to justify them being a support tool. Putting stab on auras is a start to what it will take to make tempest a viable support.

@Jski.6180 said:

@zencow.3651 said:

@Jski.6180 said:Sound good but rock solid dose not fit the class at all maybe weaver but that not a support spec. they NEED to put stab on auras and transmutation.

Right now only FB has real stab support and a lot of ppl are getting tide of playing FB the pure support way to the point where some are calling it "fire bland" where it has become just a stab pilon. This is due to only FB having viable stab but it also has quickness and many other strong effects and boons where ele lacks every strong boon for support. Making rock solid into a 1-2 stack stab for 2-3 sec on aura and 3 stacks for 4 sec on transmutation would free up the game and players to not having to play FB all the time and give tempest some realy viable with out having all the other boons that FB (quickness).

I understand what you mean but despite being a so called jack-of-all-trades, a lack of stability provided for others seems to be one of the main weaknesses Anet wants eles to have.

The biggest problem with Ele support in the first place was because they essentially wanted other support classes to provide boon and heal like/better ele and in doing so made it obsolete. Having all support classes competing around the same parameters is a bad idea i.e. trying to make other classes like Firebrand isn't a very good plan from the outset. It's a much better design to create a niche that Ele can fulfill so it's not strictly inferior and each profession can have their own roles to play and direct comparisons like such can't be so clearly made.

Auramancer -> Auras.This is true we don't get efficient stab, in duration and numbers, but we don't have to be FB bis.They should improve Auras instead : Get the +30% duration of auras of the runes a trait for Tempest, put an unique buff (and not a boon) to the application of auras, like a lesser Harmonious Conduit or +250 ferocity etc, up the Shocking Aura ...

@Zhaid Zhem.6508 said:Auramancer -> Auras.This is true we don't get efficient stab, in duration and numbers, but we don't have to be FB bis.They should improve Auras instead : Get the +30% duration of auras of the runes a trait for Tempest, put an unique buff (and not a boon) to the application of auras, like a lesser Harmonious Conduit or +250 ferocity etc, up the Shocking Aura ...

FB should not be as it is now and over all its making wvw more and more toxic as time goes by. We NEED stab from other classes badly. Other classes have many strong effect for support and ele dose not. Unless auras start to make you immune and or harder to be hard cc there is no amount of duration that going to fix the aura skill as they are i weak because they need the player to be hit to make them do any thing. That IS the worst way for an effect to work in games like this as in you must play badly to get the most use out of auras.

Core ele and by extension tempest needs stab on auras and transmutation. The class may even need super speed on transmutation as well. We may need need to look into giving a barrier for aruas as well. This is the realitly of trying to support in gw2 you must compete with FB manta/ books as well as core gurds shouts and considerations. Tempest shouts and overlords do not even come close and core ele aura share / boons are a out right joke of support effect.

Mantra of Lore: 3 chargeOpening Passage:

Recite a cleansing word, purifying allies of conditions and helping them recover.

Regen (5s): 650 HealConditions Removed: 2

Number of Allied Targets: 5Charge Recovery: 12sRadius: 180Range: 450

Clarified Conclusion

Recite the concluding passage, converting corruption into enhancements for your allies and aiding them in recovery.

Regen (10s): 1,300 HealConditions Converted to Boons: 5Number of Allied Targets: 5Charge Recovery: 12sRadius: 180Range: 450

Is there any thing tempest has comind that even comes close to just one non elite skill from FB for support? And there soo much more coming from FB on much lower cd and much stronger effect AND on a class that is much harder to kill AND has much better passive effects for support its out right maddening that anet has made such a crazy imbalances in this game.

I would love to see Tempest be a more viable support option. I like some of your ideas, but I think your idea for Lucid Singularity would be insanely overpowered in WvW. This could essentially negate WoD and any sort of boon removal, which I think are pretty essential to the game unless boons get toned way down. It would be far too easy to chain with a few Tempests in the squad.

They need to move the aura-share trait to tempest, and improve aura traits in each line. This would give tempest the option to be offensive support, defensive support or something else (full healer, hybrid, etc).From here: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/48446/the-trait-changes-the-elementalist-needs-more-synergy

@lLobo.7960 said:

fire traitlineBring back might on auras!

Air Traitline

• new major master, replacing inscriptions: Zephyr speed - static auras you apply give supperspeed (3s), apply quickness (3s) when you apply supperspeed;

Earth

• swap rock solid with elemental shielding and make it gives stability only to the elementalist
• swap elemental shielding with rock solid and include: protection you apply have improved damage reduction (moved from tempest minor grandmaster)

Water Traitline

• change soothing ice to grant frost aura when critically hit, frost auras that you apply grant regeneration (3s)

Arcane Traitline

• final shielding include: arcane shield is considered an aura for the purposes of traits and effects

Tempest

• tempestuous aria change buffs and conditions to be dependent on the shout (element) and include shout CD reduction.
• harmonious conduit change the buff according to the overload used (fire 5% dmg and condi dmg, air 10% crit dmg, earth -10% dmg and condi reduction, water 10% healing effectiveness)
• Elemental bastion moved to major master (replaces invigorating torrents) and remove frost aura on hit (becomes just auras apply heal)
• Hardy conduit move the improved protection to earth line, overloads provide protection and barrier
• powerful auras moved from water traitline and replaces major grandmaster elemental bastion

This gives the tempest the option to buff allies by sharing auras, improving shouts or being more selfish and focusing on its own overloads to complete them successfully and frequently. The reduced recharge on overloads could be a flat percentage but seems more interesting giving it a reduced recharge per skill use, making that weapons with faster casting times (scepter, dagger) can overload faster than slow ones (staff). The changes try to combine well with the options on each traitline and lets the tempest (by moving aura share from water) becomes a full offensive (fire/air/tempest) or defensive (water/earth/tempest) support or even a mix of those. Tempest can also focus on being more selfish and versatile by focusing on overloading more frequent and successfully at the cost of sharing auras and heals.

For PvE, we need to have fury in the earth tree. Or protection on aura in tempest tree.

The stability changes combined with Ilobo's suggested changes to tempest traits would be a particularly good alternative too. Have earth be protection and stability; tempest be aura share (5 or 10 man) and healing on aura; then choose between water for extra healing and cc cleanse, air for vulnerability stacking and fury, or fire for fury and light cc cleanse.

3 different, but viable tempest builds that could compete with druid in casual PvE. It would probably still be overwhelmed by firebrand in WvW due to their bursts of "boons on demand," but tempest wouldn't be an autokick anymore. Lack of aegis would help keep them relatively weak still in WvW as well.

The problem with auramancer is the traits that effect auras are way to scattered, its rediculous.see here: https://postimg.cc/k6CX5Nc4

First up, anet can merge some of these traits into the tempest elemental bastion trait, and give room for the tempest to take Tempestuous Aria, which no one EVER uses because its so inferior to the other two options, and then buff that trait to reduce shout cooldowns and apply 4-5 might stacks per shout instead of a measly 2, or could also merge Gale Song and Tempestuous Aria, or something else, but it needs a buff.

Additionally they should fix up some base traitlines; Rock Solid in Earth has potential to be useful if it gave 3 stacks for 3 or 4 seconds instead of 1 stack for 2 (kinda worthless), Aquamancer's Training should be +200 healing power or concentration when health above 75%, having a reduction on healing/cleanse skills while gaining a damage buff seems pointless, put the scholar buff in Air or Fire where it belongs. Merge Diamond Skin and Stone Heart but reduce the effectiveness, make the conditions removed only when outside of earth and have a 3 second ICD or something, then you can add some new trait on GM earth. Earth's Embrace and Soothing Disruption could be merged, and give one less boon. Elemental Surge and Arcane Ressurection can be swapped so Arcane can be used more offensively; stacking bountiful power and elemental surge.

Overloads granting stability should be added to the minor trait Speedy Conduit, Harmonious Conduit should grant 10% damage reduction as well, and Lucid Singularity should pulse self resistance while overloading; 1s per 1s and remove conditions upon successfully overloading. These changes can allow tempest to be played solo, as well as in teams and give it far more diversity. Latent Stamina should grant 5 seconds of Vigor and 25 Endurance, and 10 seconds of vigor and 50 Endurance after a sucessful Water Overload. Unstable Conduit should be shared to all allies with or without Powerful Aura from Water line.

Not asking for all of these changes obviously but some of them would help improve Tempest versatility a lot especially in competitive modes.

@Henrik.7560 said:The problem with auramancer is the traits that effect auras are way to scattered, its rediculous.

If we're just looking at ele itself, ignoring the ridiculous states of the other classes, it's actually good to have those traits spread out because that means players will need to make choices for what they want to bring to fights while sacrificing other effects. If you, for instance, have to choose between earth and water, you can only bring tankiness vs power damage or healing and condi cleanse. Making players commit to choices like this means that any given build will have strengths and weaknesses. It's a damn shame that concept is lost on the balance team, otherwise we wouldn't be seeing nonsense builds which are resistant to almost everything while also being able to put out damage. Overloading skills/traits with effects, like you're suggesting with Tempestuous Aria, is not a great move for that reason; giving Tempestuous Aria so many effects would just make it an auto-pick instead of making players consider what to bring for which situations. It does need a buff, sure, but let's not balance it like ANet does with certain other class' traits.

@Arkaile.5604 said:

@"Henrik.7560" said:The problem with auramancer is the traits that effect auras are way to scattered, its rediculous.

That comment is full of wisdom. I do agree that ele needs a rework, but i also think it is a good thing it is not one of those "all in one pack" like it used to be. It is in my opinion the profession closest to balance, about choices and consequences, but never overwhelming. If anything, it sacrifices too much for little return. The choices you have to make are not impactful enough.

Weird. It's like you expect Ele to be balanced for a completely different game than every other class. Nobody wants perfect balance and that isn't the end goal. In this game, perfectly balanced means unusable in actual play. They want to be on par with other choices so they get picked for once. Anet obviously isn't going to significantly nerf druid, so Ele needs to be able to put out full Druid boons to even be considered as a support option. Right now there's no way for that to happen while still maintaining decent healing. Even if you gave up on the idea of decent healing, the stability output is non existent and can't spec'ed into. Changing the aura traits to be more easily accessible (you mean you don't take 5 trait lines at once on your auramancer? For shame.) wouldn't make ele too strong, it would make it barely viable compared to druid. It still wouldn't have any stat bonuses or outgoing damage modifiers.

Stop balancing in a vacuum.

@"NaturallyNick.4058" If that comment is directed at me, let me point you to this bit I typed out. I think you caught it, but I'll quote it here just to make sure.

"ignoring the ridiculous states of the other classes"

Doesn't you saying "In this game, perfectly balanced means unusable in actual play" just lend support to the idea that something is over-performing and in need of a nerf? If something is balanced, shouldn't it have a fair shot instead of just being stomped into the mud by other choices?

I'm not saying ele needs to be balanced in a vacuum, I actually think that's part of the problem, why ele is even in its current state. While I agree ANet will almost certainly never nerf supports like druid or chrono, I don't think it's wrong to keep reminding folks that it's kinda dumb how much support they can put out with all the power creep we've seen in the last few years. Hell, it might even lead to some results after another five or so. Forgive me for having an ideal in mind which I think ANet should work toward instead of floundering about with balance, even if making such changes would be slow going or flat out unrealistic.

And to reiterate another point I made, but being more broad with it this time: I agree ele needs buffs, but it, and other classes, should not be balanced to have builds which are the be all and end all of support/dps/etc. They (the classes and builds they offer) should all have trade-offs between reasonable strengths and weaknesses relative to each other. Ideally, no class, build, weapon, or trait should be an auto-pick for too many PvE encounters, as druid and chrono currently are. Some should be favoured over others for particular scenarios, but only if that has to do with their relative strengths and weaknesses and not them being objectively better overall.

I get that this is all a bit much to hope for, but it's a great goal to have in mind.

At first they should adress might generation:-tempestuous aria to 10 stacks might (from 2)-arcane prowess and elemental attunment 3 stacks might (from 1)-latent stamina to any attunment swap (currently water only), reduce cd to 3s

What would this change do? In 5 man might generation would be kinda done by using auras. In 10man switching and using fire warhorn 4 would do the job. It's not good to be forced to overload fire for might sharing as a support as it is right now.It would make switching auras as support actually viable, right now its not really. Vigor would still be a thing for the subgroup, but you would have to make a choice between might and regen on auras, and choices are a good thing usually.