Looking ahead the next Elementalist Elite Spec

[Moriartiy.6753]

Hi,

 

Part 1

 

Since Living World Seasons one is wrapped up and "Season Six" is on on the Horizon I wanted to take a look into the unkown future and give my own opinion onto what I would like to become the next Elite Specialisation for Elementalists in the next Expansion!

 

A little my about myself, I have played Guild Wars 1 back in my Childhood.. yea I'm that old and also Guild Wars 2 since launch although with some significant breaks. also I wouldn't consider myself as neither a very good player - decent I guess nor a diehard Elementalist main.

 

The Idea for the new Elite Spec comes mostly from a "class fantasy point of view" while the Mechanist kicked of the Idea in the first place more on that soon. Also I will take actual gamebalance very little into account as that is subject to change.

 

So first of all in its core what is the Elementalist and all its current Elite Specs from a thematic pov?

Its a Mage (Scholar) Profession designed about attuning into various Elements: Fire, Water, Air and Earth which makes it both innately flexible and rather complex - you end up with a lot of different abilities doing all sorts of different effects e:G. Spells dealing damage, healing, supporting, mobility, debuffing, and so on all on one weapon changing based on the element currently attuned to. 

 

Engineer face a similar problem of being rather complex with a lot of different tool kits granting many new weapon abilities

Which cost both of these classes to lose their ability to swap weapon midcombat, but now comes in the Mechanist designed to a degree to make the class more easy to pick up achieving that by easy to use signet spells and a Pet automatising a lot of mechanics players had to engage with previously. (note I have very little experience as Engineer this is just to proof my concept)

 

Part 2

The new Elementalist Elite Spec! for a lack of a better name "The Vortex???"

Until now Core Elementalist and all its Specs revolved around swapping atunements as quick as possible - meaning camping a certain element is usually not the viable strategy (although possible)

 

The Vortex would take a spin on the design philosophy of the elementalist as a whole as you lose the ability to swap attunements mid combat but instead gain access to weapon swap!
This would drastically tone down the complexity of the class for newer players potentially and also might also be less straining on rotations (unless you play LI builds anyway - nothing wrong with that). You ofc could still switch attunements before combat. 

 

New Class Mechanic: Epicenter

F1: Cast a Vortex around you that damages enemies and builds up elemental energy
F2: Become some sort of "human Vacuum" that sucks up projectiles building up elemental energy

F3: Unleash your elemental Energy in a blast causes an effect based on your attunement 

Fire: Damage & Burning

Water: Healing & Condition Cleanse

Air: Damage & Quickness

Earth: Conditions & CC
F4: Element Swap (only works out of combat)

New Weapon

Not much to say on this honestly, in my opinion and a I know a lot of others would like a Longbow, I could also see a shield working pretty well - a major point of the Spec is that you can weapon swap mid combat so the new weapon shouldn't one you'd want to camp 😄

New Skills - Vortex Skills: All of these skills would be castable AOE fields with a combo finisher Whirl (its  a Vortex after all) not going to hard into the specifics

Healing Skills - heals you and allies inside the aoe 

Utility 1 - Damage enemies based on your current attunement (would be another heal skills in Water) 

Utility 2 - Applies Conditions based on your current attunement (in Water this would cleans ally conditions and apply cc to enemies) 

Utility 3 - Offensive/Defensive Boons & Damgage / Healing based on Attuement (maybe some extra quickness along with a trait option) 
Utility 4-  Overwrites harmful enemy fields into positive fields (does not autoatically combo whirl them) 

Elite - Pulls in Enemies, applies a effect based on attunement  like Damage, Healing or CC, Swiftness 

 

The Trait line

I'd like to be leave the trait line open as I don't have any particular Ideas about it - maybe you could grant quickness every time a finish a combo? or make a trait that resolves around swapping weapons? 

Anyway this is my Idea for the Vortex a new Elementalist Elite spec thanks for reading and stay safe 🙂
 

 

Edited December 1, 2022 by Moriartiy.6753

[Batalix.2873]

Eh, honestly sounds a lot like what Tempest should have been. I don't know why Tempest's unique mechanic is "singularity", yet I am not allowed to camp a single element. So first off, since this seems very melee-oriented, I don't think it would fill a particularly needed or desired niche. When Ele is sorely lacking in a true ranged espec.

 

I don't see us getting a shield because we got two shield especs in HoT, and generally the especs have introduced ~2 classes with any particular weapon, with dagger and sword being the only exceptions (as the butter knives of fantasy weapons). Given that there are still several weapons that need love: focus (0), shortbow (1), longbow (1), scepter (1), warhorn (1), mace (1); and that GW2 is increasingly an action/DPS-oriented game, I just don't see a third shield spec as very likely. It would need a *really* unique gimmick, and I just don't see a shield Ele comparing favorably design-wise to a much-needed ranged espec that could use a bow or gun.

 

I also think that a bow Ele is...less likely than a gun Ele, and that a pistol Ele is less likely than a rifle Ele We already have fire arrows on Warrior/Renegade,  light arrows on Dragonhunter, bomb arrows on Thief, as well as Ele's conjure frostbow. There's just not a lot of unique design space left for elemental arrows (and yes, I know lightning hammer exists, but we didn't really have a fire or ice hammer in the game before Catalyst, nor a real geomancer/shaman spec that begged a hammer).

 

Compare this to a magic-firing gun, which definitely doesn't exist in any kit yet, and synergizes a lot better with Ele being about very fast, explosive casting and also having a low-key sci-fi/physics flavor. I also think rifle is more likely over pistol because we already have two pistol specs, and if they are going to go long range and blasty on an Ele espec rifle just fits better. We don't have a big, blasty cannoneer spec in the game yet, so the archetype is also very much fair game.

 

This is assuming we even get a fourth espec, but I don't consider your ideas especially likely. Obviously there is always room for the unexpected, but imo if the design philosophy of prior specs were used, I think a blasty rifle spec has the best odds.

Edited December 1, 2022 by Batalix.2873

[Moriartiy.6753]

3 hours ago, Batalix.2873 said:

Eh, honestly sounds a lot like what Tempest should have been. I don't know why Tempest's unique mechanic is "singularity", yet I am not allowed to camp a single element. So first off, since this seems very melee-oriented, I don't think it would fill a particularly needed or desired niche. When Ele is sorely lacking in a true ranged espec.

 

I don't see us getting a shield because we got two shield especs in HoT, and generally the especs have introduced ~2 classes with any particular weapon, with dagger and sword being the only exceptions (as the butter knives of fantasy weapons). Given that there are still several weapons that need love: focus (0), shortbow (1), longbow (1), scepter (1), warhorn (1), mace (1); and that GW2 is increasingly an action/DPS-oriented game, I just don't see a third shield spec as very likely. It would need a *really* unique gimmick, and I just don't see a shield Ele comparing favorably design-wise to a much-needed ranged espec that could use a bow or gun.

 

I also think that a bow Ele is...less likely than a gun Ele, and that a pistol Ele is less likely than a rifle Ele We already have fire arrows on Warrior/Renegade,  light arrows on Dragonhunter, bomb arrows on Thief, as well as Ele's conjure frostbow. There's just not a lot of unique design space left for elemental arrows (and yes, I know lightning hammer exists, but we didn't really have a fire or ice hammer in the game before Catalyst, nor a real geomancer/shaman spec that begged a hammer).

 

Compare this to a magic-firing gun, which definitely doesn't exist in any kit yet, and synergizes a lot better with Ele being about very fast, explosive casting and also having a low-key sci-fi/physics flavor. I also think rifle is more likely over pistol because we already have two pistol specs, and if they are going to go long range and blasty on an Ele espec rifle just fits better. We don't have a big, blasty cannoneer spec in the game yet, so the archetype is also very much fair game.

 

This is assuming we even get a fourth espec, but I don't consider your ideas especially likely. Obviously there is always room for the unexpected, but imo if the design philosophy of prior specs were used, I think a blasty rifle spec has the best odds.

except from the class mechanic which would be meele the heal, utility and elite skill would all be castable aoe fields with range i very much inteded this to be a range oriented spec 

 

Honestly i don't really mind the weapon choice none of the scholar professions have any bow or rifle (theres two pistols) and i think rifle would be cooler for mesmer, the point of the spec was not do reinforce current design philosphies - very fast explosive casting etc. - but provide a more simple style 

 

[draxynnic.3719]

My expectation is that a weaponswap-capable elementalist elite specialisation would need to come with an autoattack-capable weapon. All of the professions with weaponswap have at least four core weapons - it would feel pretty confining if you only had one weapon that you didn't take.

I'd also expect such a design to still have two attunements rather than fully focusing on one, since elementalist weapon skills are balanced on the basis that you have four sets of them.

[Kodama.6453]

1 hour ago, draxynnic.3719 said:

I'd also expect such a design to still have two attunements rather than fully focusing on one, since elementalist weapon skills are balanced on the basis that you have four sets of them.

Also we have to keep in mind that the elite spec will pick 2 other trait lines. How the current elementalist trait lines are structured, having just access to one attunement would mean that this elite spec is also hard forced into picking arcane every time.

Because all the elemental trait lines are heavily focused on their attunement. Too many mechanics lost if you can't switch into the attunement of your chosen trait line. But if the spec is allowed to pick 2 attunement, then they can comfortably make use of all their traits.

Edited December 2, 2022 by Kodama.6453

[draxynnic.3719]

1 hour ago, Kodama.6453 said:

Also we have to keep in mind that the elite spec will pick 2 other trait lines. How the current elementalist trait lines are structured, having just access to one attunement would mean that this elite spec is also hard forced into picking arcane every time.

Because all the elemental trait lines are heavily focused on their attunement. Too many mechanics lost if you can't switch into the attunement of your chosen trait line. But if the spec is allowed to pick 2 attunement, then they can comfortably make use of all their traits.

Not to mention that a significant portion of Arcane, including two minor traits, are based around attunement swapping. The whole profession is really built on the assumption that you'll be using at least two attunements, and I really can't see any elite specialisation changing that.

[Noodle Ant.1605]

i dont think locking out attunement swap is a good idea, and gaining weapon swap probably wont really do anything to help that. being locked to one attunement will likely result in hyperfocused but invariably flawed roles such as a dps that can only dps or a heal that can only heal, and useless roles such as air/earth which arent actually very special by themselves (they have almost 0 useful camping potential unlike fire/water). so i would recommend having access to at least two attunements, but personally i dont think reducing the amount of attunements ele has access to or trying to give ele weapon swap would be a reasonably good or feasible idea in the first place

[MarzAttakz.9608]

At this point in history I have little faith that Anet can actually deliver a cohesive specialisation.

Core suffered so many nerfs to the identity for outdated and ludicrous reasons. One step sideways, two steps back...

Tempest feels and plays the most cohesively yet most closely fits a role, something core was nerfed to prevent. One step forward, two steps back...

Weaver was interesting yet fundamentally flawed. And look where sword is today. Again one step forward, two steps back...

Catalyst I'm only now getting to grips with after a two year break. Energy? Hammer? Why? One step forward, two steps back...

For those counting that's 3 steps forward, 8 steps back... kitten that!

Too often we use the word espec without fully grasping the word "specialisation" and our class is the one in the most need of proper choices to specialise.

I don't care if I have to give up two elements in order to: properly focus on what I want to achieve AND goddamn have a weapon swap in combat.

 

I'm sick of self gimping, undertuning and mediocre jack of all because "Sooo much skills that other's don't have" - take two of my elements, give me weapon swap = the same number of skills.

 

Regarding balancing around multiple skills - Engineer much? Firebrand says hello when not crying now. Herald where are you bro? Granted they are fewer but far more focused and effective.

Take away my "of all trades" I just want to be called Jack.

 

[Dadnir.5038]

On 12/1/2022 at 5:49 PM, Moriartiy.6753 said:

The Vortex would take a spin on the design philosophy of the elementalist as a whole as you lose the ability to swap attunements mid combat but instead gain access to weapon swap!
This would drastically tone down the complexity of the class for newer players potentially and also might also be less straining on rotations (unless you play LI builds anyway - nothing wrong with that). You ofc could still switch attunements before combat. 

You make a good tier of the core traits pointless by doing that... And the worse is that among those traits there are minor traits.

From my point of view this is a terrible start for an elementalist's e-spec.

If you look at the various elementalist's meta rotations objectively, you'll see that those rotations aren't especially more complex than most of the other profession's meta rotations. Those rotations might be tighter but that's mainly because the CD between attunment swap allow it.

If you want a spec less "straining" you can just make the attunments share each other 10s CD. It would put elementalists into the same situation as most other professions and their rotations would adapt accordingly to this limitation. Elementalist would lose all it's charm thought as using AA isn't exactly what elementalists players are used to contrary to other professions.

[Batalix.2873]

On 12/5/2022 at 12:28 AM, MarzAttakz.9608 said:

At this point in history I have little faith that Anet can actually deliver a cohesive specialisation.

Core suffered so many nerfs to the identity for outdated and ludicrous reasons. One step sideways, two steps back...

Tempest feels and plays the most cohesively yet most closely fits a role, something core was nerfed to prevent. One step forward, two steps back...

Weaver was interesting yet fundamentally flawed. And look where sword is today. Again one step forward, two steps back...

Catalyst I'm only now getting to grips with after a two year break. Energy? Hammer? Why? One step forward, two steps back...

For those counting that's 3 steps forward, 8 steps back... kitten that!

Too often we use the word espec without fully grasping the word "specialisation" and our class is the one in the most need of proper choices to specialise.

I don't care if I have to give up two elements in order to: properly focus on what I want to achieve AND goddamn have a weapon swap in combat.

 

I'm sick of self gimping, undertuning and mediocre jack of all because "Sooo much skills that other's don't have" - take two of my elements, give me weapon swap = the same number of skills.

 

Regarding balancing around multiple skills - Engineer much? Firebrand says hello when not crying now. Herald where are you bro? Granted they are fewer but far more focused and effective.

Take away my "of all trades" I just want to be called Jack.

 

 

Why don't players understand that a weaponswap Ele with two attunements would still suck?

 

It would still have access to twice as many weaponskills as non-Eles, which means those weaponskills would still be, generally, undertuned.

 

The only way a weaponswap Ele will ever approach the coefficient balance of the other especs is if it only has access to ONE element, giving it the usual 10 weaponskills instead of 20. Which I think could be made interesting as its own concept and differentiate from the other especs. But it is so frustrating seeing so many comments saying "but give me weaponswap" without really understanding the problem or how the proposition just brings Ele back to square one with just a *different* bloated kit of 20 weaponskills.

[Batalix.2873]

On 12/5/2022 at 12:28 AM, MarzAttakz.9608 said:

At this point in history I have little faith that Anet can actually deliver a cohesive specialisation.

Core suffered so many nerfs to the identity for outdated and ludicrous reasons. One step sideways, two steps back...

Tempest feels and plays the most cohesively yet most closely fits a role, something core was nerfed to prevent. One step forward, two steps back...

Weaver was interesting yet fundamentally flawed. And look where sword is today. Again one step forward, two steps back...

Catalyst I'm only now getting to grips with after a two year break. Energy? Hammer? Why? One step forward, two steps back...

For those counting that's 3 steps forward, 8 steps back... kitten that!

Too often we use the word espec without fully grasping the word "specialisation" and our class is the one in the most need of proper choices to specialise.

I don't care if I have to give up two elements in order to: properly focus on what I want to achieve AND goddamn have a weapon swap in combat.

 

I'm sick of self gimping, undertuning and mediocre jack of all because "Sooo much skills that other's don't have" - take two of my elements, give me weapon swap = the same number of skills.

 

Regarding balancing around multiple skills - Engineer much? Firebrand says hello when not crying now. Herald where are you bro? Granted they are fewer but far more focused and effective.

Take away my "of all trades" I just want to be called Jack.

 

 

Why don't players understand that a weaponswap Ele with two attunements would still suck?

 

It would still have access to twice as many weaponskills as non-Eles, which means those weaponskills would still be, generally, undertuned.

 

The only way a weaponswap Ele will ever approach the coefficient balance of the other especs is if it only has access to ONE element, giving it the usual 10 weaponskills instead of 20. Which I think could be made interesting as its own concept and differentiate from the other especs. But it is so frustrating seeing so many comments saying "but give me weaponswap" without really understanding the problem or how the proposition just brings Ele back to square one with just a *different* bloated kit of 20 weaponskills.

[draxynnic.3719]

The design of elementalist means it'll never work without some form of attunement-swapping mechanism, though.

It'd still be a 'has 20 weapon skills and they're individually less potent as a result' profession, but two attunements with a weaponswap would allow for a bit more specialisation in some ways, and a bit more versatility in others. Most elementalist builds tend to have one or two attunements they don't really use because it doesn't fit with their build - power elementalists typically stick to air and fire, condi elementalists to fire and earth, and healing elementalists primarily stick to water. The proposal would mean that the elementalist has more skills available that fit what they're actually focusing on. Meanwhile, a weaponswap would allow elementalist to be able to have a melee weapon and a ranged weapon, rather than being stuck with a weapon that's either fully ranged-oriented or that can't touch anything further away than 600.

[Kodama.6453]

10 minutes ago, draxynnic.3719 said:

The design of elementalist means it'll never work without some form of attunement-swapping mechanism, though.

It'd still be a 'has 20 weapon skills and they're individually less potent as a result' profession, but two attunements with a weaponswap would allow for a bit more specialisation in some ways, and a bit more versatility in others. Most elementalist builds tend to have one or two attunements they don't really use because it doesn't fit with their build - power elementalists typically stick to air and fire, condi elementalists to fire and earth, and healing elementalists primarily stick to water. The proposal would mean that the elementalist has more skills available that fit what they're actually focusing on. Meanwhile, a weaponswap would allow elementalist to be able to have a melee weapon and a ranged weapon, rather than being stuck with a weapon that's either fully ranged-oriented or that can't touch anything further away than 600.

And even if we try to solve this problem by taking away attunements from elementalist without giving weapon swap... then they can design a new elite spec weapon with more powerful skills, but what then?

The spec will simply be hard forced to just run it's elite spec weapons and never use any of the core weapons in their builds. Because they surely won't redesign all the core weapons specifically for the use of this one elite spec.

So I don't see the point of even trying to make a "not 20 weapon skills elementalist".

[Doctor Hide.6345]

On 12/1/2022 at 11:33 AM, Batalix.2873 said:

Eh, honestly sounds a lot like what Tempest should have been. I don't know why Tempest's unique mechanic is "singularity", yet I am not allowed to camp a single element. So first off, since this seems very melee-oriented, I don't think it would fill a particularly needed or desired niche. When Ele is sorely lacking in a true ranged espec.

 

I don't see us getting a shield because we got two shield especs in HoT, and generally the especs have introduced ~2 classes with any particular weapon, with dagger and sword being the only exceptions (as the butter knives of fantasy weapons). Given that there are still several weapons that need love: focus (0), shortbow (1), longbow (1), scepter (1), warhorn (1), mace (1); and that GW2 is increasingly an action/DPS-oriented game, I just don't see a third shield spec as very likely. It would need a *really* unique gimmick, and I just don't see a shield Ele comparing favorably design-wise to a much-needed ranged espec that could use a bow or gun.

 

I also think that a bow Ele is...less likely than a gun Ele, and that a pistol Ele is less likely than a rifle Ele We already have fire arrows on Warrior/Renegade,  light arrows on Dragonhunter, bomb arrows on Thief, as well as Ele's conjure frostbow. There's just not a lot of unique design space left for elemental arrows (and yes, I know lightning hammer exists, but we didn't really have a fire or ice hammer in the game before Catalyst, nor a real geomancer/shaman spec that begged a hammer).

 

Compare this to a magic-firing gun, which definitely doesn't exist in any kit yet, and synergizes a lot better with Ele being about very fast, explosive casting and also having a low-key sci-fi/physics flavor. I also think rifle is more likely over pistol because we already have two pistol specs, and if they are going to go long range and blasty on an Ele espec rifle just fits better. We don't have a big, blasty cannoneer spec in the game yet, so the archetype is also very much fair game.

 

This is assuming we even get a fourth espec, but I don't consider your ideas especially likely. Obviously there is always room for the unexpected, but imo if the design philosophy of prior specs were used, I think a blasty rifle spec has the best odds.

 

I would honestly be all for rifle on elementalist to make an all element gun mage which is not common in a lot of games. There is a lot of elemental bowmages I have seen, but them having guns not so much. I would even take a pistol, but I agree that a rifle is more likely.

[MarzAttakz.9608]

21 hours ago, Batalix.2873 said:

 

Why don't players understand that a weaponswap Ele with two attunements would still suck?

I do understand, I've mained it for a decade. I've given up on hoping that some aspect of any spec they release wouldn't suck. The point is with weapon swap it would suck less...

Case in point, look at Catalyst: if you don't play hammer you're missing out on synergy. Why are orbs tied to a weapon and not using something like F6? 

Furthermore did Firebrand give up anything for the added utility and effectiveness of tomes? Or Herald give up anything for the flexibility of Legends (energy & upkeep, lol, they stuffed that down the Catalyst's throat).

This whole "too many skills so must be inefficient to balance" argument needs to go. Back at the very beginning of the game it made some sense because we were powerful, and that my friend, was the tradeoff for lowest health, lowest armor. Where is that tradeoff now? Conveniently forgotten and nerfed into oblivion.

Take two of my attunements, gimme swap at the bare minimum please.

 

[Markus.6415]

To be honest, I'm preparing myself already to get a melee mace for the next espec, with some generic bonk animations and a bit of fire, splish splash water, and rock effects slapped over it. Coupled with a new set of semi passive "enhancement" utility skills and a boring Elite that you'll not gonna use anyways.

[draxynnic.3719]

17 hours ago, Markus.6415 said:

To be honest, I'm preparing myself already to get a melee mace for the next espec, with some generic bonk animations and a bit of fire, splish splash water, and rock effects slapped over it. Coupled with a new set of semi passive "enhancement" utility skills and a boring Elite that you'll not gonna use anyways.

I don't know, they might change it up and give a shield offhand combined with a specialisation mechanic that rewards being in the middle of a group of enemies.

[Fenom.9457]

It sounds pretty fun, I hate losing elements but it’s actually fair and I really want to gain weapon swap very badly 

[Blazing Rathalos.1904]

A lot of people have already pointed out some of the flaws that make this unlikely, so I'd just like to add some additions/changes that I would prefer (and some of which might make this a bit more feasible)

 

Espec weapon: Since we're trying to make an espec with weaponswap, let's focus on that idea: An elementalist who focuses a bit more on the mastery of weapons (so warrior-light). Because of that, I would like to pick a martial weapon that people expect requires a great amount of skill to use. A shield is a defensive tool, does not feel highly skilled to me. Firearms are historically known as being comparatively easy to train for, so let's throw those out. Mace and axe seem a bit brutish, greatsword could work, but we have enough melee/close range especs, so I agree with longbow! Short bow is fine as well, but we might as well go all the way.

 

On-swap traits: One option is to literally just change these to trigger on weapon-swap instead (or possibly in addition).

 

Attunement swapping: Being locked completely into one element is quite restrictive but that could be an intentional choice you accept (would require a rework of the elemental specializations though, or some other compensation. Potentially any passive traits now work in all attunements). I also see two alternate solutions:

1. Give a long duration (20s?) global cooldown on attunement swapping. This really makes swapping only useful for changing your focus/role, not hitting more skills off-cooldown.
2. Make weapon-skill cooldowns carry-over between attunements, to achieve the same as above. (So if you use Meteor Shower, then swap to Water, Healing Rain is on cooldown).

Profession Mechanic: Some of the things you mention sound like another player-centered AoE. Please no, we have enough of those we're forced into on elementalist. Especially if the weapon this gets is ranged.

[Eekasqueak.7850]

I just want a non melee spec.

[Serephen.3420]

12 hours ago, Blazing Rathalos.1904 said:

A lot of people have already pointed out some of the flaws that make this unlikely, so I'd just like to add some additions/changes that I would prefer (and some of which might make this a bit more feasible)

 

Espec weapon: Since we're trying to make an espec with weaponswap, let's focus on that idea: An elementalist who focuses a bit more on the mastery of weapons (so warrior-light). Because of that, I would like to pick a martial weapon that people expect requires a great amount of skill to use. A shield is a defensive tool, does not feel highly skilled to me. Firearms are historically known as being comparatively easy to train for, so let's throw those out. Mace and axe seem a bit brutish, greatsword could work, but we have enough melee/close range especs, so I agree with longbow! Short bow is fine as well, but we might as well go all the way.

 

On-swap traits: One option is to literally just change these to trigger on weapon-swap instead (or possibly in addition).

 

Attunement swapping: Being locked completely into one element is quite restrictive but that could be an intentional choice you accept (would require a rework of the elemental specializations though, or some other compensation. Potentially any passive traits now work in all attunements). I also see two alternate solutions:

1. Give a long duration (20s?) global cooldown on attunement swapping. This really makes swapping only useful for changing your focus/role, not hitting more skills off-cooldown.
2. Make weapon-skill cooldowns carry-over between attunements, to achieve the same as above. (So if you use Meteor Shower, then swap to Water, Healing Rain is on cooldown).

Profession Mechanic: Some of the things you mention sound like another player-centered AoE. Please no, we have enough of those we're forced into on elementalist. Especially if the weapon this gets is ranged.

Some nice ideas but honestly one of the issues is with limiting attunements like that is any weapon other than the espec weapon would end up severely underpowered as no core weapons were designed with that in mind, not to mention it would be extremely unlikely anet would change all core weapons to be able to work with that. 

That is the main issue with all the camping and restricted attunement ideas people come up with.not bad in a vacuum butI have yet to see any realistic solutions addressing those issues.

 

But yes, I would love to have longbow. 

 

 

Edit: i could potentially see something like the initiative system replacing cool downs as a possible solution to making a limited attunement system work. Though I'm not sure exactly how.

Edited January 5, 2023 by Serephen.3420

[Chyro.1462]

I think I would enjoy a longbow ele that deploys little stationary elemental (non-killable) turrets, that fire at the same range and focus on the ele's current target (imagine little volcanos in fire, tornados in air, small towers in earth and bubbles or vortexes in water). Who knows, they could even do something extraordinary and make it into a true ranged spec. Imagine like an elemental node that can be placed and re-positioned, that copies any boons and healing it receives to the elementalist. So you can place that with the group stack to receive boons and healing, while able to freely move and play at range 😄

[the krytan assassin.9235]

A normal weapon swap sounds quite cool but would be quite problematic for various reasons. 

I dont really care what weapon will be added, but i really hope they make some extra changes to the core weaponsets.

Power dmge on dagger mh, scepter still really suck, staff is only mediocre at best only decent power weapon is dagger offhand right now. For condi only scepter is in a good spot, staff condi is an absolute joke if you're not playing Weaver, dagger has potential but simply lacks burning on AA. Focus is one of the most boring & bland weapons for ele out of dps perspective. 

This lack of quality definitely shows when picking an elite spec. 90% of temp builds run with warhorn. 99% of power weavers run sword (used to be 95% on sword for condi aswell up till last year). 100% of all cata play with hammer. 

Adding a weapon to the core set instead would greatly improve the possible build diversity of the class

[Jski.6180]

I am hoping for an non atument base skill but atument effect added effects of skills (and kit skills). An ele with only 5 wepon skills with kits utility. It would be very different from any thing in the game we have now and very different from the ele class that we have now as well.

[draxynnic.3719]

12 hours ago, Serephen.3420 said:

Some nice ideas but honestly one of the issues is with limiting attunements like that is any weapon other than the espec weapon would end up severely underpowered as no core weapons were designed with that in mind, not to mention it would be extremely unlikely anet would change all core weapons to be able to work with that. 

That is the main issue with all the camping and restricted attunement ideas people come up with.not bad in a vacuum butI have yet to see any realistic solutions addressing those issues.

 

But yes, I would love to have longbow. 

 

 

Edit: i could potentially see something like the initiative system replacing cool downs as a possible solution to making a limited attunement system work. Though I'm not sure exactly how.

Yeah, both for reasons of how the profession is designed, and how the skills are balanced, I think you'd still need to have two attunements with a weaponswap. You'd then have the same number of skills, but can discard attunements that don't fit what you're planning to do, while potentially adding a bit of range versatility.

I'd actually be inclined to go with shortbow rather than longbow, weapon-wise. Longbows tend to be the martial version of staff - slow, long range, and generally a bit artillery-esque in nature. Shortbows tend to be a bit faster in skill execution and offer more mobility. Mind you, I'm also not sure shortbow is the right weapon for a 'trade half your attunements for weaponswap' elite.