Sepher Yetzirah.4615

New elite utility 'Signet of Aether' I *almost* don't care what it's function might be, despite having some ideas, but I just can't settle with the thought of the Master of Elements class having no grasp of the quintessential element.

Understood. I do play too casually and don't often keep up with all the changes in updates. That being the case, with the change implemented, then it justs needs a UI cleanup.

Ok, so maybe this is my confusion. After activation, it does show a boost in toughness near 15%, which in a dirty calculation I presumed might equate to around 10% less damage, making it look like the +tougheness/damage efect was only given on activation. It didn't cross my mind that the -10% damage effect was invisible and the added toughness on activation the bug. p.s. and it does say "Signet Passive: Improves toughness." despite mentioning below -10% Incoming Damage.

Maybe I am missing something(?), but it seems to me that the Ele's Earth Signet passive effect (increased toughness bonus) is only activated when the signet is activated. Or so say my stats...

I've been maining spellcasters since WoW and in GW2 for some time now, but, last year, fed up with playing my Ele from the floor, I relegated him to an undignified spare bank role and resorted to splitting my main time between a Warrior and a Necro, who usually only go down when I push them beyond the limits of sanity. Months past, over this last month I decided to give my disgruntled Ele another go, forget Meta builds and create a new one almost from scratch, in a somewhat desperate attempt to bring back the joy that I remembered only playing an Ele can bring. Not that other classes cannot bring back as much, as I have found with my other two recent "mains", but there are things only an Elementalist can do the way it can, just as there are those that only my bulldozing Warrior or my putrid Necro can. I'm still tuning the build and finding room for improvement, but, only last week, I found myself doing things I had never been able to do. This week, in an almost empty Silverwastes, I found a lone player, probably as bored as I was, shooting in auto attack from a safe distance at a stationary Legendary Mordrem Tormentor. In what I thought was a suicidal move, I decided to jump at it and, some minutes later, with the legendary's health at 50%, me still alive and being able to sustain the fight, I turned around to realise I had been facing the beast alone for some time. I went on for a couple more minutes, before deciding that either it was not possible to finish the dammed leecher or that it would take a long time. So, I rode the lightning out of there onto the next prey, the Nothern Silverwastes champion. The lone player was already there, and the two of us brought it down without a sweat. Later, I also found myself finishing off the Mangler alone, while the rest were caught mesmerised... twice. Now, the above may not sound like big feats, but if you consider I was playing a lower class Ele - Core build, as I haven't yet invested in getting hero points for specialisations -, that sacrifices some damage for some sustain, perhaps it should make anyone at least question the idea that Eles are weak. And the other idea this whole experience made me question was this rulling tendency to assign the balancing (or lack of) to Arenanet, as ooposed to "sharing the burden", as I realised I also have plenty of options to find the best balance that suits both my playstyle and skill (or lack of). I am sure I can find ways of dealing more damage, even without sacrificing sustain, but being a full crystal glass cannon would demand a level of skill and knowledge (many skills to memorise and combine) that I simply don't have. And yet, it doesn't feel I like I am doing bad. On the contrary, more recently, I am doing better. Most important, I got my Fun back and having a LOT of it. Also this week, some disgruntled squad players wined about the "special effects" my Ele was bringing, while another wrote "Y'all looking cool with all the special effects". I was using my "support build", sharing auras with added near 100% upkept boons of Protection, Fury and Swiftness. Another poster asks "where do Eles shine?" Come to the Silverwastes and you'll see the light(show)! 😄

In 5-10 years?! By then you'll be teaching young warriors how to dual wield axes up to 80 in 5-10 days. 😁 Go hack them!

... Or they l'd be swapping classes to jump the queue. Their choice.

Well, precisely. If the problem is top dmg dealers class stacking in PvP, there is always that option, to limit the number of members of any class in such groups, without messing up class balance. Would make much more sense, in my mind.

Three actually, this not even counting the OP, who started it. 😝 One left earlier. Another insists, from his high mount, I lack even basic understanding, so I won't even bother to reply. Most of what you said I alse agree, but I still one reservation here: IMO, not to the point of ignoring how op it would be, again, at least at core level, stronger than it is, ensuring it to be at least in par with any other class, across the spectrum of comparable builds, Elites included, and if not a little stronger even, especially if I am to give any credit to the OP, and in @AliamRationem.5172 own words, 12 months ago, - I believe - before some patches others felt nerfing as well: Whether you or others here disagree with him, when it comes to Elite traitlines, in combination with core ones, you and other Elite spec players be the judge. I am listening and, right now, I read diverging opinons.

Not such a good start, to try to answer in good faith, followed immediately by a suggestion that I am the one not understanding something. Try harder or - you know - drop the good faith BS. Never my point. What on earth makes you think I ever suggested comparing Core with Elite specs or even making Core as competitive as Elite? If you don't think this, what's your point? This? Considering both the OP and even you, 12 months ago, described your experiences with the Elite specs in very similar terms to my experience with core, I agree to disagree. I would agree, if the expressed experiences and class deficiencies, both by the OP now and yourself 12 months ago, were very different from mine. As it happens, and on the contrary, they are very similar. I never spoke on the state of the class, never mind presumed. I spoke on the state of the class "at core level" and made that very clear. Not what you said 12 months ago about Elementalists, in relation to other classes. Again, I am not and have never compared Elite to Core. Do you know what this comes down to? Two Elite spec players backtracking on what is their own experience, feeling somehow threatned by and needing to contradict a Core Build player's opinion, despite reflecting their own, in a quest for self-assurance. You know, it makes you look very insecure, far from the kind of experienced Elite player whose opinion I would personally value much, before deciding in which profession I will invest.

@AliamRationem.5172 Recognise these words? Some people change their speech, one moment saying one thing, the next saying the very opposite. Must be the wind... or gases. p.s. sounds like life has improved much for Eles in the last 12 months.

Only I didn't, did I? I spoke of core experience only that related to the OP's while I admitted, from my very first comment, that I haven't tried the elite specs. All this BS you and your pal insist in writing are just fruit of your presumptuous little heads making... presumptions.

Sorry, disgruntled Elementalist of the last human kingdom here, so I hail Her Royal Majesty Jennah, Queen of Kryta and Regent of Ascalon. King Doric has long passed away. Didn't you get the memo?

Oh apologies, I didn't realise you speak for all. Apparently this forum is full of Royal Highnesses.

Do you realise how nonsensical this above statement is?!