Problem explanation of traits & Elemental Empowerment / Suggestions

[SeTect.5918]

Hello, I wanted to give some feedback to every Elemental Empowerment and aura trait that Catalyst has.

This is because these is almost no synergy between hammer and traits at the moment which makes it extremely difficult to maintain full stacks of Elemental_Empowerment_(effect) even if you have full alacrity and quickness and you wont get any interrupt while being in combat.
Source: https://youtu.be/8IHLoKziyd0

This is the optimal rotation on a golem. As you can see, Elemental empowerment moves between 7-9 stacks sometimes (0:17-0:19, 0:30-0:32, 0:33-0:35, 0:38-0:40 and so on, I stopped counting there).
If even a benchmark (not even a real encounter) with full alacrity and quickness struggles with getting 10 stacks, hammer skills should really get more synergy with traits or traits need to have more stacks of elemental empowerment. Having 9 instead of 10 stacks already reduces your crit chance by over 10% (because of Empowered_Empowerment but if its 100%, not 50%, so tomorrow again).
Aura generation also has to do with Elemental empowerment and lots of other traits and is currently a problem.
To be honest, I would just kill away the aura traits and get something new on the table because auras are Tempest's thing already.
Elementalist has the potential to do lots of hits per second, all weapons have this potention, some due to lots of ground fields and hammer due to orb. So maybe Elemental Empowerment could have to do something with hits.
Like...gain Elemental Empowerment if you hit the target 5x.
Or if you place a Jade Sphere, everything is better than on-aura traits for Catalyst tbh.

So I want to give some Feedback about traits and traits that have to do with Elemental Empowerment and auras.

Hardened_Auras (Major Adept) - Not anymore on-aura. Now gains the reduction every time you deal damage or apply a boon with your Jade Spheres.
Vicious_Empowerment (Major Adept) - Might and Elemental Empowerment Stacks increased by 1 stack. (would love it if water hammer 5 could get immob and hammer on fire attunement 1 cc)
Elemental_Empowerment (Minor Master) - Not related to Elemental Empowerment but can this please get a bonus effect. This minor trait is poor tbh.
Empowering_Auras (Major Master) - Not anymore on-aura. Now triggers if you hit the target 5x. (duration decreased from 10 to 8 seconds because it refreshes duration if it triggers.)
Evasive_Empowerment (Major Master) - Now you neednt evade an attack with it, you just have to use any skill with evade on it. Stacks increased from 2 to 3.
Elemental_Epitome (Minor Grandmaster) - Not anymore on-aura. Now grants Elemental Empowerment (1 stack) if you place a Jade Sphere. It also now heals you for 40 hp for each energy gained and gains 60 barrier for each energy spent. (If you want to keep the energy mechanic at least, if not, please do something else with sustain)
Staunch_Auras (Major Grandmaster) - Not anymore on-aura. Now gains the stability if you cc an enemy. (ICD 3 seconds) + stability duration increased from 3 to 4 seconds.


As you can see, there is a ton of stuff you can do with Catalyst traits instead the aura stuff.
If you want to keep the Energy thing, there is even a lot u couldve done with it, however this are my current suggestions.
Now it would possible to get all traits on full stacks even without quickness and alac.

By the way, please make Air Sphere give fury instead of quickness and let Spectacular_Sphere quickness then.
Just to prevent future dps nerfs in term of quickness catalyst.

That were my trait suggestions to Elemental Empowerment and auras, have a nice day.

[Coldtart.4785]

I would much prefer if we had something more interesting than a passive stat boost taking up four traits on what is supposed to be an elite spec that changes the way you play.

[Valtarius.8671]

-I propose the hammer fire 5 and earth should have a knockdown if you hit directly. Better combo with hammer air 2 or earth 2. 

-It would be nice if this e spec focuses on possibly WHIRL FINISHER COMBOS with the hammer. It baffles me on how much spinning you do with the hammer air 2, earth 2, water 5 and not be a whirling combo finisher. 

-Augments definitely need some kind of “wow” factor cus they are all pretty underwhelming except for the earth shield augment.

-The elite augment should also reset all attunement CD so and reset weapon CD or maybe the augments skills. Right now a 90 second elite where ur stuck on an attunements that you havent used beforehand and forced to use it ur currently on. It doesnt help that it has a cast time. 

-Grand finale in my opinion doesnt seem to be that useful. It feels like you should be rewarded to use it but the damage it does is so underwhelming and awkward to use being on hammer 3

Edited March 28, 2022 by Valtarius.8671

[The Boz.2038]

I don't understand why they added Empowering Auras: Yet Another Effect You Need To Keep Track Of.

Axe it, give more Empowerment procs.