What is your core's Elite spec?

[Crab Fear.1624]

A little brain game, and some working of the imagination bone.

Which core trait for your profession seems to be the "elite" or essential trait for most of its meta (or best it can do) builds?

I would say that trickery is the thief ELITE spec.

Now, after you say what it is, imagine you could not take it when you chose a real ELITE spec.

To justify that change, how could the traitline be buffed to be a true ELITE spec?

[Tayga.3192]

I am not a necro player but I know that the answer is Soul Reaping.

Not having it would hurt both scourge and reaper a great deal.

[Alatar.7364]

RevenantHerald traitline.....................................

[Issette.3248]

Discipline for warrior...

[Crab Fear.1624]

@Alatar.7364 said:RevenantHerald traitline.....................................

Lol.

What about invocation?

[Interpretor.3091]

@Rettan.9603 said:Discipline for warrior...

@Rettan.9603 said:Discipline for warrior...

Only because of Fast Hands which is hilarious since it’s a minor trait.

[ArthurDent.9538]

@Crab Fear.1624 said:

@Alatar.7364 said:RevenantHerald traitline.....................................

Lol.

What about invocation?

I'd go invocation honestly, herald trait line kinda sucks only really taken for glint access.

[Vagrant.7206]

Alchemy, engineer. It's been present in literally every meta engineer build since launch. It's just one of the best defensive lines for engineer to take.

[MyPuppy.8970]

I'd say arcane for ele. Playable without it, but since it's the only reliable source of protection, it hurts not having it.

[Doto.6357]

I think invocation would be the best of the core revenant specs, although devastation isn’t bad. The stun break and cleanse on legend swap and charged mists are just things I rely on at this point.

[sephiroth.4217]

Elementalist - Water.

[Equinox.1463]

Dueling for Mesmer. It ahs too many QoL and damage modifying traits and damage mitigation traits to not take. It's been in every and all meta mesmer/mirage builds since PoF got out, only contested by Chaos on chronomancer (RIP) until chronomancer got nerfed. Vigor + Bleeding + Fury from only minors, then stealth/damage/damage-mitigation/mitigation/damage-damage/damage/QoL, like litterally the best Mesmer traitline by far.

Edit: and nothing should be buffed on Dueling. It could be an elite traitline - wait actually you can play Mesmer with only that traitline and still be at least ok when you're decent at the class.

[Abelisk.5148]

@sephiroth.4217 said:Elementalist - Water.

Fire Weaver would like to have a word

[sephiroth.4217]

@"LolLookAtMyAP.8394" said:

@sephiroth.4217 said:Elementalist - Water.

Fire Weaver would like to have a word

I was thinking along the lines of that or arcane but over the 6 or 7 years, Water has been the staple in most builds.

[Yannir.4132]

Virtues for Guardian.Not taking it doesn't even bother Support Firebrand but would make DPS builds harder to pull off in PvP.DH would be unplayable.

[foste.3098]

Which ever line boosts the class mechanic, be it by giving shorter cooldowns or additional effects.ele - arcaneengineer-toolswarrior-disciplinenecromancer-soul reapingmesmer-illusionsthief-trickeryrevenant-invocationranger-beast masteryguardian-virtues

The reason some elite specs seams so busted is because they stack up effects on the class mechanic on top of these core line which also stacks effects on the class mechanic; for example remember the days of frost fire reapers or the skull grinder immortal berzerkers?

[Koen.1327]

@"LolLookAtMyAP.8394" said:

@sephiroth.4217 said:Elementalist - Water.

Fire Weaver would like to have a word

ironically i swapped fire for water on the fire weaver and got similar resultsthe damage is there already anyway you can get some extra sustain with water

anyway, for me for ranger is wilderness survival, 100% must for every ranger build :)

[ILoveMonotony.1479]

@foste.3098 said:Which ever line boosts the class mechanic, be it by giving shorter cooldowns or additional effects.ele - arcaneengineer-toolswarrior-disciplinenecromancer-soul reapingmesmer-illusionsthief-trickeryrevenant-invocationranger-beast masteryguardian-virtues

The reason some elite specs seams so busted is because they stack up effects on the class mechanic on top of these core line which also stacks effects on the class mechanic; for example remember the days of frost fire reapers or the skull grinder immortal berzerkers?

Those should be made full elite specialisations.

[Equinox.1463]

@foste.3098 said:Which ever line boosts the class mechanic, be it by giving shorter cooldowns or additional effects.ele - arcaneengineer-toolswarrior-disciplinenecromancer-soul reapingmesmer-illusionsthief-trickeryrevenant-invocationranger-beast masteryguardian-virtues

The reason some elite specs seams so busted is because they stack up effects on the class mechanic on top of these core line which also stacks effects on the class mechanic; for example remember the days of frost fire reapers or the skull grinder immortal berzerkers?

I mostly agree to your list, but Illusions on Mesmer hasn't seen plays since... well since Condition Carrion Axe/Torch IH Mirage got shut down. Change that to Dueling, which has seenplays on every Mesmer/Mirage build since I can remember, be it chaos sage or one shot mirage or one shot chrono or CI, and the list continues.

[Exedore.6320]

@DigiQWill.6378 said:I mostly agree to your list, but Illusions on Mesmer hasn't seen plays since... well since Condition Carrion Axe/Torch IH Mirage got shut down. Change that to Dueling, which has seenplays on every Mesmer/Mirage build since I can remember, be it chaos sage or one shot mirage or one shot chrono or CI, and the list continues.

It's not as much about what everyone takes as much as it's about how much it defines builds. Fast Hands in Warrior Discipline or the Guardian Virtues trait line are good examples, as they heavily influence how you play.

I would say Alchemy for engineers is simply just a strong line compared with many weak ones. But having it vs. not doesn't change the play style.

[Swagg.9236]

Elementalist - Air (Lightning Rod) because staff is unviable in PvP without it.

[Math.5123]

@Yannir.4132 said:Virtues for Guardian.Not taking it doesn't even bother Support Firebrand but would make DPS builds harder to pull off in PvP.DH would be unplayable.

I would argue valor. Imagine not traiting meditations.

[Yannir.4132]

@"AngelLovesFredrik.6741" said:

@Yannir.4132 said:Virtues for Guardian.Not taking it doesn't even bother Support Firebrand but would make DPS builds harder to pull off in PvP.DH would be unplayable.

I would argue valor. Imagine not traiting meditations.

Oh that's a good point. Honestly can't imagine a build without Valor.

[Eurantien.4632]

Even though ranger has been practically pigeon-holed into Wilderness Survival for forever, I have to say Beastmastery. It provides a lot of utility for ranger with pet swap quickness and super speed and a lower cd on pet swap and reduced pet cds. Not to mention increased pet stats.

[mortrialus.3062]

@Exedore.6320 said:

@DigiQWill.6378 said:I mostly agree to your list, but Illusions on Mesmer hasn't seen plays since... well since Condition Carrion Axe/Torch IH Mirage got shut down. Change that to Dueling, which has seenplays on every Mesmer/Mirage build since I can remember, be it chaos sage or one shot mirage or one shot chrono or CI, and the list continues.

It's not as much about what everyone takes as much as it's about how much it defines builds. Fast Hands in Warrior Discipline or the Guardian Virtues trait line are good examples, as they heavily influence how you play.

I would say Alchemy for engineers is simply just a strong line compared with many weak ones. But having it vs. not doesn't change the play style.

I'd argue Deceptive Evasion alone is extremely defining for both current Mirage and much of Mesmer history. It's the Fast Hands equivalent of Mesmer I feel. More so than any one trait in Illusion.