Anthony.8056

How do you give catalyst a hammer with no knockdowns or knockbacks on earth makes no sense.

I'm trying to like this spec but it is so hard because of everything it has going on. I find the lack of mobility, the boring traits, no fluidity on the hammer (half range/half melee), hammer 3 skill, pretty jade sphere that does nothing but look pretty and gives boring boons and a field to be the worst one out of all the other specs. Out of all the weapons that we still don't have access to you decided to give them a hammer which is slow and the slowness adds to the clunkiness of it being a half and half weapon. I feel like they were trying to appease the range crowd by doing that but in turn it doesn't feel fluid. It should have been all melee or given a ranged weapon. Also, if this was supposed to be a combo field spec, they should have more combo finishers and fields on the hammer. When I think hammer, I think Thor and how his hammer can channel weather like rain, wind, snow, earth and lightning but it doesn't feel like that with these skills. There are so many ways to incorporate weather type skills onto a hammer to make it fun and not clunky. They could have added earthquakes, ice walls, boulders, flame whirls, tsunamis, ice chunks, lightning cage on land, more tornadoes, bubbles of water and lightning dashes. I still want to see a blizzard skill sometime in this game. I hate the traits stat increases, a little boons on sphere, and auras is what they decided to go with. I would rather have traits that effect or manipulate the jade sphere other than boons. As I mentioned above the jade sphere seems like it was a main feature for this class but it does nothing just stays stationary for a few seconds providing some boons and a field. You have this nice visual that I can't even enjoy because it doesn't last long and doesn't move. I would suggest make it like a ranger pet but temporary (longer duration), in that it has its own animations that follow and move with you providing the benefits it has and giving it an active skill to do something. My other suggestion would be to make them like ranger spirits that could follow you or teleport. Some people may disagree but I would rather prefer this than what we have now.

I along with other people didn't have a problem with getting blades when I played it in the first beta, so I was a little confused by that. The issues I noticed or saw were that the bladesongs were too basic and add nothing new to the spec other than the visual. They also had an activation time for no reason. Also, all the skills are projectiles which can cause this spec to be useless in all game modes with a lack of unblockable. If anything, it needs to be more attainable throughout it's skills or traits. The lack of conditions and boons on this spec are underwhelming, just looking at the skill descriptions are so bare it's like looking at a blank white page. I'm talking about the weapon and traits not utilities but it's lacking there to. I wish they would have given this spec double daggers to add some melee. It would have opened up more opportunities for this spec while solving some problems. I see people already posting that unstable bladestorm should be aoe but I kinda like it as is. I actually like both ideas so maybe a trait that could change it to a ground target while giving it some benefits that would make you want take the trait.

They seem to be really pushing catalyst with all the streams since they are always playing it.

Throwing numbers at it won't fix the clunkiness and slowness of the weapon. I never look at numbers because they are always going to be an on going balance and it will get nerfed even more. It should be fluid and fun to play even though that is subjective. It should be able to give a good amount damage without it being so restrictive while other classes excel just by pushing one button. I think the excuse for the nerfs and it being to strong is getting old, this class along with the others are still stuck in 2012. I find the previous specs on Ele to be fun play especially weaver but I don't get that with the hammer or the overall spec. It's trying to do alot by merging the previous specs into one and failing. I personally wanted a longbow for the Elementalist.

So I wanted to start this topic because Elementalist is my favorite class to play. It is visually nice to look at because of the animations it has. I have come up with some ideas to improve some of the visuals that are lacking on catalyst hammer. This is my opinion, so feel free to disagree and tell my your ideas to help improve this Spec. Some are animation changes and some are skill changes so bear with me. Since they are reusing many animations, I have merged some ways to make some of the skills more pleasing to use on this spec because other than Hurricane of pain and Wind storm the rest seem to be lacking a flow with the hammer. I don't feel strong using the other skills and feels weak all around this spec. So let me begin..... FIRE Skill 1 Singeing strike merge with skill 2 Surging flames make this a chain attack. First attack fire one flame, Second attack fire two, and Third attack fire three. The animation for both skills are the same the difference is one throws out one fire ball the other throws out like three. This will open up a spot for skill 2. Skill 2 Slam the hammer to the ground creating a field of flame in front you similar to Scourge torch Harrowing wave. The difference is the field will linger after impact. Skill 4 Sweep the ground sending a flame wheel forward leaving behind a flame. This would be a fan shaped skill sending five wheels in front. Skill 5 Molten End and the previous skill 4 Triple Sear should be merged. Leap at your target and leave behind three fire things ( I don't know what to call them). WATER Skill 3 (I know skill 3 is the orb thing but they need to move it somewhere else to give hammer a viable skill to use) I would merge Skill 4 on Warrior hammer Staggering blow and on impact of the hammer use the water animation from Tidal surge on warhorn. This wouldn't knock back but daze instead. Like I said earlier, I know its reused but I'm trying to work with what I got. Skill 5 Cleansing Typhoon You channel a whirling typhoon around you spinning your hammer cleansing conditions from yourself while damaging enemies. The animation would work similar to Hurricane of pain and whirling stones with the water animation around your character spinning as you move. The visual should be if you saw the Shing Jea Island video stream when they are battling the Naga Tide Priest at about 56:13 on the video they have these Typhoons going out everywhere. That animation would work really well with this. AIR Skill 1 Wind Slam I hate this animation along with skill 5 on air. I would take the revenant hammer 1 animation the throw and add like a dust devil or wind visual around the hammer so it looks like your sending out little twisters. Skill 5 Shock Blast change to a lightning bolt coming down from the sky that spreads across the ground EARTH Skill 1 Stonestrike this feels out of place to use like the animation and what your hammer is doing feels disconnected. I haven't thought of something to replace it but if you have any ideas I would like to know but it needs to be changed. Skill 2 Whirling Stones should give you barrier for being so slow Skill 4 Immutable Stone replace with slam your hammer down with great force that a boulder is created above the impact then comes crashing down. I was trying to think of a use for a boulder animation in this kit but I don't know. Skill 5 Ground Pound I hate how this is immobilize and bleed and the animation is the same as churning earth with the spikes. In this case I will reuse a different animation that isn't on elementalist but should be and is currently on the new ranger spec. On ranger hammer skill 4 they have an ability called savage shock wave that would work good on catalyst and I'm just talking about the visual. If they made it more earthy and let it linger for a bit I would find much more interesting than what we have now. You would rumble the earth knocking down and slowing enemies inside the area. That is all I have for know please share your ideas as well. I mentioned the skill 3 replacement earlier and I think it should be moved to the weaver elite skill it makes no sense why it shouldn't be. I have ideas for the jade sphere as well so will see if I post them and the augments need attention to so any ideas are welcome.

It's unfortunate that the Virtuoso wasn't a bard spec, it feels like a wasted opportunity. I know some people didn't want a bard for the Mesmer but it fits from a design view.

Out of all the weapons to choose from including conjures they picked the slowest weapon possible. It is horrible especially having two elements ranged and two melee. I really wanted longbow for the weapon but greatsword would have been a better option than hammer. Though now that I think about it, they would have probably ruined longbow by making it melee as well.

I wish they would add better animations to the hammer especially for water since it's lacking visuals. I saw during the live stream the Naga and Champion Naga Tide Priest use that typhoon skill that would look good on the hammer water 5 skill cleansing typhoon. It would work just like Air 2 and Earth 2 skills on hammer with the animation around your character while you spin healing and cleansing conditions and doing damage while you move. It fits with the skill name and they are reusing many animations throughout the specs why it wasn't on the hammer doesn't make sense. I just think it would look cool to be able to move and spin your hammer while being in the center of that animation. I already gave my opinion and thoughts on the Catalyst so I know this is just a minor thing.

I want to get straight to the point... 1. The jade sphere- I like the animations and purpose for it but it doesn't last long enough for anybody to enjoy. Having to build energy in combat for a short duration isn't good plus it's stationary and on top of that has a cool down. Also, it has one trait that affects energy while the other traits that revolve around the sphere are boon related. I wish the sphere would move with you or instead of recalling it teleported to your location to get more use out of it. 2. The Augments- I understand you have to make a lot of skills for this class but at least make them interesting and useful, as of current iteration they are not impactful I forgot that I had them as utilities because I was to busy trying to juggle multiple things with this spec. If it did some effect with the the animal inside the sphere like for example "have the fire phoenix fly up and explode giving the benefits of the augment to yourself while causing a wave of flame in inflict burning to surrounding enemies" or something like that depending on the element. The elite is also lacking because yes it does reduce the cooldown of your skills but the elementalist has 20 plus skills to use unless you are just focusing on one specific skill but it still isn't worth it. I still don't understand why this class doesn't get a good damage elite especially for a class that is a master of elements. 3. Hammer 3 skill- With everything already going on with this spec the jade sphere energy management/cooldown, the combo fields, the auras, the augments and the trait elemental empowerment everything in order for it to be benificial to maximize your class why would giving another management thing on top of everything be a good idea. It feels like this should be a profession mechanic not tied to a weapon. When I first saw the trailer for it it reminded me of the weaver elite ,with the elements swirling around it but a better version. In all honesty this should be the weaver elite skill instead of a hammer skill, it just doesn't make sense with everything else going on. I doubt that would happen but that is just my opinion anyway back to the topic, this does not last long enough to even use in a fast paced scenerio with manageing the jade sphere and the payoff isn't that grand to cycle through all elements. Also, with it not lasting long enough it gets cancelled on block and other things which makes it useless. I like this skill itself but it needs improvement for it to be viable. 4. The Hammer skills- Fire/ It feels weird to have half of the elements with range and half melee. The first two skills on fire are really slow and don't feel right. The fourth skill also feels weird, out of place and weak. I know in order to get proper use out of it needs to be centered around the enemy add that to the million other things I'm doing with this spec. It should also be a fire field why it is not is beyond me. The fifth skill I would merge the fourth skill with this one. Air/ I like skill 2 and 4 the best out of this entire weapon because they feel strong and powerful what my opinion of an elementalist should be, unfortunatly the rest of the skills on the hammer don't feel the same. I will say skill 2 should have a whirl finisher. Skill 5 should have an animation change it looks and feels weak. Water/ Once again it feels slow and being in melee range of this attunement doesn't feel right and it has a lack of animations on it. Skill 5 doen't feel or look like a typhoon for that skill. Earth/ Slow and lack of animations. Skill 1 feels like it should be a chain or something. Skill 2 is slow and should be a whirl finisher. Skill 3 is just there and skill 4 is okayish. Overall, it need more combo finishers for a spec that has a mechanic that creates combo fields that are lacking on the hammer. The management energy and cooldown of the jade sphere and time upkeep on hammer 3 need to be looked at. P.s i apologize for the spelling and punctuation errors and long paragraphs.

I like the Virtuoso spec but it needs work. I agree with others that the traits are underwhelming especially for a Mesmer spec. They don't synergize with the other traits well. I was looking for something interesting in the trait lines to make the class appealing but it seem to fall flat in that department. I like the visuals for it and I know numbers are going to be tweaked before it releases. Overall, it was fun to play but needs work in the trait department. Also, I wish it was called something to reflect the overall image of this specialization.