Conjured Weapons idea--kinda crazy but here we go...

So you know how Ventari revenants have the tablets that move around with the Heal skill? I had an idea.

Conjures as they currently stand are nothing more than kits but an extra one dropped on the ground. Picking up the extra weapon isn't used too often in PVP/WVW gamemodes... I feel like removing this mechanic in place of a different one would prove interesting.

The mechanic is this: when you cast a conjure, you summon a floating weapon. Your weapon skills are replaced with the conjured weapon's skills. You can move the weapon around with the follow-up skill on the same utility slot as the conjured weapon via AoE targetting, on a 3 sec CD. To quit your conjured skills, press the Weapon Swap button. Doing this will restore your normal weapon skills.

Of course, in order to do this some of the skills would need an overhaul, particularly the defensive ones. Here is a sample of what the skills would look like on Molten Axe:

Skill 1-1.5: Lava Axe & Double Lava Axe remain unchanged.

Skill 2: Explosive Lava Axe remains unchanged.

Skill 3: Burning Retreat is replaced by Heat Flow, which pulls enemies in within a 600 radius towards the axe. Apply 3 stacks of Burning for each foe pulled; apply 3 stacks of Might for nearby allies for each foe pulled within a 600 radius (Max: 10).

Skill 4: Ring of Fire remains the same (though this one just feels boring)

Skill 5: Flame Leap remains the same.

Notes:

• The distance for how far the weapons can go from your character is the same as the Ventari Tablet--900.
• Conjured weapons are indestructible.
• All Conjures have their CDs reduced by half because of the removal of the second weapon spawn.
• Because the weapons float, they can be moved towards any teleportable surface.
• You can move while using a conjured weapon, as well as being able to use utilities, and attunements.
• AoE skills from the weapons themselves (like Frost Storm) are overhauled to produce PBAoE skills around the weapon rather than targetted AoE.

Reasoning: I felt like conjured weapons took away a lot of an Elementalist's sustain (except Earth Shield). Melee conjured weapons were by far the biggest offenders as they were highly risky to use, maybe not so much for Earth Shield. Still, it's nice to be able to kite around terrain and be able to unleash conjured weapons' with ease. It also provides a ranged option for melee weapons thanks to its newly-added mobility, which I think would greatly aid in build diversity.

Let me contribute some ideas for your conjures idea; I like the idea.

Conjures could now become the Elementalist equivalent of Ventari's Tablet; purely for the mobility and now cast their skills at their position or something.

All conjures now cast their skills at their position; conjures now can be unequipped and last for 20 seconds. Their cool down is reduced to 25 seconds in PvP and 20 seconds in PvE; conjures would basically become minions to micromanage what they're doing; adding another layer of sophisticated management. Conjures continue their skills if they're using a channel; but they cannot move unless the weapon is equipped, the utility skill used to equip them being the means of moving them. The range would be around 600; equipping and unequipping the conjure has a 3 second cool down.

Flame Axe:

• Axe 1: No longer an auto attack; this'll become some sort of PBAoE with blinds and burn being inflicted. The radius would be medium; maybe 150. The cool down would be relatively low; maybe 5 seconds; the skill itself would cast for 3 seconds.
• Axe 2: Continually creates a Blast Finisher at its location; dealing moderate damage and does so at a rate of every .5 second for 2 seconds. The radius would be the same as the original skill did.
• Axe 3: Grants the ability for allies next couple of attacks to burn. Burn duration would be a middle ground of high and low as it'll pulse this skill every second; consuming the stack when the ally misses or lands the attack. The skill would linger for 5 seconds; the cool down would be 25 seconds; Burning damage and duration will scale off of the Elementalist; radius would be 300.
• Axe 4: Simple enough, a Fire Field, but it'll grant two stacks of might with medium duration if it removes a condition. Lingers for 4 seconds at a rate of every .5 second; the cool down would be somewhat high; 15 seconds; the radius would be 180. It removes two conditions per pulse.
• Axe 5: Something like a self-destruct, dealing devastating damage with 2 seconds of delay before doing so. With a telegraphed warning. The Elementalist can move the Conjure while it prepares to self-destruct. The radius would be 300. There is no cool down since it'll destroy the conjure.

Ice Bow:

• Bow 1: Drop a Water Field that pulses Regeneration, Vigor, and Protection for a second of each boon. It will cast this skill for 5 seconds, each second granting each boon. The radius will be 300. The cool down will be 20 seconds.
• Bow 2: Pulse chill and heal allies. Lasts 3 seconds, inflicts a half second of chill and heals allies for a small amount every half second. The radius will be 300. The cool down is 10 seconds.
• Bow 3: Grant nearby allies Frost Aura and immunity to Chill. Instantly casts, affect lasts 4 seconds, as would the aura. Cool down of 25 seconds.
• Bow 4: Generate hail that inflicts three seconds of bleed upon enemies it hits, pulsing per half second and lasts 5 seconds. Cool down of 15 seconds.
• Bow 5: Grant allies Frost Aura, detonating the conjure as it heals allies for a large amount. No cool down as it destroys the conjure.

weapon skills = replace 20 skills with 5 skills for a period of time. I can't see how you can ever balance that for ele and make it worth the while.

@vesica tempestas.1563 said:weapon skills = replace 20 skills with 5 skills for a period of time. I can't see how you can ever balance that for ele and make it worth the while.

My idea which I'm still contributing to work out. is that they're quick little skills that you can swap to, to activate for an AoE or pulse of some sort. That's all.

I love playing weaver because I can swap attunements faster and fit as many abilities as possible in a short time frame which is one of the reasons why I hate conjures, they are like camping Fire for more damage: enough is perfect, too much is a waste, so it doesn't fit the profession that much other than a 5th attunement: you use what you need and then swap. The cooldowns on the conjures neither encourage holding them for too long nor will allow them to be as engi kits, their only use is the bonus stat for Lightning Storm, a filler skill 4 on LH or both (finish downed in WvW). I would love a whole new set of utilities to replace them

I like the idea....BUT....

One thing I do not like is changing something within the game that isn't inherently destructive or harmful that ultimately removes a playstyle from the playerbase that likely someone somewhere enjoyed. They did this with Phantasms and Spirit Weapons (and technically, with Nature Spirits) and it always rubs me the wrong way that a player who had fun with the game can take a break and come back to the game only to find out the have to not only relearn the game but simply cannot do something they once did purely because someone wanted something different.

My only suggestion is, perhaps link this functionality change to the Conjurer trait. Yes, you'd have to take a trait line to utilize such a cool feature which is limiting to those that might want to weave this into a tight build, but that's what balance is...it's give and take and sacrifices to get a desired property. In fact, if such limits were imposed, that'd be more reason to make these ideas more attractive.

Also, one might point out that "It'd just be more complicated having to balance both old and new conjure skills simultaneously" to which I'd simply answer: THEN DON'T! Just leave regular current conjure skills alone (don't ever touch them again) and aim all attempts to make conjures more competitive to this traited functionality. Not everything has to directly compete with everything else always in a game meant to be fun. Stop ripping people's characters, themes, backstories and styles away from them for the sake of balance lol