Elementalist Mains: What do we want from an Elite spec?

[Kain Francois.4328]

Firstly, I'll say what I don't want. I DON'T want a "Ranged Elite spec". The simple reasons are that Elementalist's issues with ranged are fundamental to the core class itself, and locking any fun ranged capabilities behind an elite spec just means the core class is still wonky.  Rework Lava Axe, give Scepter and Staff some polish. Maybe even add a new weapon to the core class outright.

As for an Elite Spec, I really want a more bulky frontline class that can stand toe to toe with a Warrior or Reaper. To put it more simply, I want Scrapper on Elementalist. Catalyst was supposed to be this, but failed its bruiser role.

Another Elite Spec idea I would like to see is a true  Jack of All Trades, which can swap to healing, support, or damage on the fly. Although the Element system sort of works like this in theory, because our build is tied to our armor attributes, I can't really heal my allies effectively if I'm on Berserker or Viper gear, which just makes the entire Water element a whole waste of time. Mechanically, how I imagine it working is through stat conversions depending on current Element.

Edited November 5, 2021 by Kain Francois.4328

[BunjiKugashira.9754]

For me Catalyst goes in the right direction. Tempest makes you stay in each element longer, so you can overload. Weaver makes reaching some weapon skills harder and deviating from your rotation is very punishing.

 

I like hammer for actually incentivising rotating through all elements. Hammer 3 is really what sells this weapon for me. Switch through all elements, collect them and then use the collected energy. I just wish we had more than just a single weapon skill with this kind of mechanic. Some of the utility skills should also be like "Do effect x if you were in fire attunement within the last 30 seconds, Do effect y if you were in water attunement within the last 30 seconds...". Although hammer 3 is great, I would've preferred double pistol, rifle or longbow as a weapon. Most projectile weapons in the game feature many many combo finishers, which would go great with the new F5 ability.

 

I also like the F5 skill. I haven't tested if it can be maintained indefinitely, but that should definitely a thing. Ele was always a combo heavy class and I like how ele got a permanent combo field now. That's why I don't understand why none of the new utility skills are combo finishers and only one skill in each element is a combo finisher on hammer. Still, I would like the F5 effect to move with the character. Pressing F5 could send the aura out and recall it when you press it again.

 

What I absolutely don't like is the focus on auras again. Auras should be left with Tempest. Hammer has only a single leap finisher. All additional aura generation comes from traits and doesn't interact with the new weapon or utility skills. Traits should really focus on element swapping and combos. Elementalists are the class with the lowest health and armor in the game. As such they are the class that least benefits from having an aura, since auras require your character to get hit in order to apply their effects.

 

So here's my suggested changes for Catalyst:

Weapon:

- Change it for a projectile weapon (unlikely to happen)

- Add more combo finishers to the weapon

 

F5:

- Make it an aura around the character that can be sent out (like sand shades)

 

Traits:

- Replace the aura traits with traits that interact with combos and attunement changes

 

Utility Skills:

- Scrap these completely

- Replace with turrets (or Binding Rituals) (that look like elemental versions of the GW1 ritualist spirits)

Turrets could be a new source of projectile finishers or other finishers and apply their own effects as well.

Another possibility could be elixirs, that apply effects based on the current element or the elements you visited during the last x seconds.

[Sunshine.5014]

On 10/27/2021 at 11:27 PM, Orijah.3750 said:

posting from reddit:

This looks incredible.

 

Also, has ANet responded to any of the feedback so far?

Wow, I'd pay another $100 to get this instead of Catalyst.

Multiple things I like:

- All auto attacks have the same DPS! No more useless Water and Earth.

- Actually long range 1200

- Add things that Ele lack: boon strip, reveal...

- Doesn't feel OP.