walking torch tempest build

[HnRkLnXqZ.1870]

Note: This is not a meta-build. It is obviously inferior compared to any meta-build and can never reach similar levels of efficiency. If you are looking for good build to play as an Elementalist, please visit snowcrows, discretize.eu and lucky-noobs.com or just google "GW2 Elementalist meta build."

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I have recently read a couple of discussions on this board regarding Elementalist. Some people claiming this class to be the most difficult in the entire game, where you need years of intense training to master it. I do have my issues with the class as well, so I gave it a new try. The task was to create an Elementalist which can survive without swapping elements. Utilizing one of the neglected rune-sets in the game, which are considered trash.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PGgAg2lJwAZMsF2JOUPftfA-zRRYiJNN4gLkMTgIKgeDCXmFAX2A-e

We basically camp the Fire Attunement, utilize the Rune of Fire and maintain almost 100 % uptime of Fire Aura. This rune-set grants + 10 % damage while having Fire Aura. The aura itself grants 1 stack of might on you and 1 stack of burning on every foe that hits you.

What causes Fire Aura?

• You start combat (no internal cooldown)
• Focus 5
• Overload Fire Attunement after the attack = it is wise to cast an Aura right before you press that button, so you benefit from the +10 % damage boost.
• Feel the Burn (Utility 9)
• Summon Conjoure Flame Axe (Utility 7)
• Summon Conjoure Firey Greatsword (Elite 9)
• Flame Leap (Fire Axe 5) on a Fire Field
• Picking up the 2nd Flame Axe from the ground
• Picking up the 2nd Firey Greatsword from the ground

What causes a Fire Field?

• Dagger 3 Burning Speed = rushing forward, creates a line of fire
• Focus 4 Flame Wall = creates a line of fire, ground target
• Flame Axe 3 Burning Retreat = Burning Speed reverse, creates line of fire
• Flame Axe 4 Ring of Fire
• Overload Fire

About the Conjoure Flame Axe

• before using auto-attack, you should always use one of the other skills = results in throwing two axes instead of one
• Explosive Lava Axe (Flame Axe 2) on a Fire Field causes Area-Might
• Flame Leap (Flame Axe 5) should always be used when ready, always on a Fire Field

How does sustain work?

• If you use the diviner's trinkets as suggested, every application of a Fire Aura results in 4s Protection. Protection cuts your incoming damage by 40 %. So if you create a Fire Aura every ~ 4 seconds, you can maintain permanent Protection.
• Every Fire Aura you apply, heals you for 522 HP.
• Every Fire Aura cleanses 1 condition from you.
• Every Fire Aura stacks up Vigor and Regeneration = both will be permanently up.
• Sigil of Energy will provide you with even more endurance, so you can dodge a lot.

Notes:

• Focus 5 can detonate Fire Aura to cause damage. You can use it right before the aura runs out anyway and then cast another after that.
• Gear can be replaced. You can play it on full Berzerker's, Grieving or other combos you use. Keep in mind replacing the Diviner's pieces will result in a drop of boon-duration, which affects Protection and Might uptime.
• Conditions are no problem. CC however is a bit critical, as your only stun-break is Eye of the Storm. This is where the 1-Element challenge reaches its limits.

Tested the build in HoT and PoF, it works. You cannot turn the squishy Elementalist into a tank, even with 40 % damage reduction most attacks still hurt a lot. But the theme is quite funny (imo), as you can play as a fire avatar. Looking forward to some comments, ideas, suggestions, improvements or just tell me how bad it is. Thanks for reading!

[Downstate.4697]

You dont need to stay in fire if you get an aura from feel the burn and conjures. Its an interesting concept, but axe damage is laughable. You can run rune of radiance and get much more out of having fire aura.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PGgAg2lZwWYjMQ2JOUT5tfA-zRRYcRD8G+TwhDA-e

Now you have passive healing and stupid uptime of might.

[steki.1478]

Outside of RP this build is flawed in many ways and there's much better way to optimize it without losing its theme - play condi with dire gear and balthazar runes.

Half of the traits and all utilities are a huge waste on your build. Condi build can use those traits much better, do almost twice as much damage while you still keep the same weapons and relatively the same playstyle (camping fire) and tankiness.

[Kalaina.8245]

If you're running Smothering Auras with a ton of applications of fire aura, you probably don't need to run Diamond Skin on top of it. In PvE you're really just not going to be facing that much condi hate. Written In Stone with Signet of Restoration alone is probably going to give you higher overall healing than Glyph of Elemental Harmony unless you really need the burst heal. You'll have zero problem maintaining might, regardless.

Elementalist sustain builds are really driven by healing power, and trying to do a simple sustain-oriented build without any investment in healing power. particularly one driven by Elemental Bastion, which scales very well with healing power, is probably not a great idea.

Fire/Earth is typically a condi-oriented setup. You can run a very similar build with condi stats, .e.g. http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PGgAs2lZwWYMsL2JOSPntfA-zRRYRJNt3gLjEKi0TEHmFHl2A-e. This does compromise fire aura uptime, but the damage is probably fairly similar, and this comes a lot closer to turning the squishy elementalist into a tank, as you say. I've been running a similar level of bulk on open world ele for years and I've always felt pretty sturdy.

Apothecary/Settler mixed with Plaguedoctor, full Plaguedoctor, or Plaguedoctor mixed with Minstrel are probably all workable for a burn condi setup. Maybe even some amount of Dire/Trailblazer, though those lack the healing power. Full Plaguedoctor and Plaguedoctor/Minstrel give the boon duration for high protection uptime. It's not quite 100%, though. While Plaguedoctor does offer probably the best mix of damage and defensive stats, a pure vitality setup does reduce the percentage value of heals. On the other hand, the 10% health from Balth runes scales well with vitality. Something like Apothecary or Dire is probably easier to get in exotic, though.

This is more of a take on a survivable build that stays in fire 100% of the time, though. If you're after 100% uptime of fire aura specifically, then I think a power-based setup like this is probably better. Particularly, since you do need to run Conjurer and a conjure weapon to bridge the gap, and thus lose out on Burning Precision which is a bedrock of burn builds. I do still think some healing power would be warranted, though, probably with some amount of Zealot's gear.