Elementalist ranged combat and utility skills

[akipappi.3917]

Elementalist at core has many utility skills that do something active, such as Glyph of Storms, all Arcane skills, even Signets have some interesting active effects and visuals. In HoT Ele got Shouts. It was good enough I guess. But in PoF AND EoD Ele got... stances ? and definitely not stances. None of the 3 Especs really offer any ranged combat caster fantasy which the core game supported. And no "cool" utility skills either (like Glyph of Storms). All 3 specs give instant effects which basically just buff you. 

 

Thoughts and ideas:

 

Tempest: Option for ranged Overloads, like a gm trait or toggle. Same as before but the effect is cast as ground AoE while Elementalist can channel it from far, personally I would like to bind the cast range on equipped weapon range but baseline 900 range is fine too. This trait would not really disturb the current Tempest gameplay either, it just gives an option for those who like caster fantasy without spiking up the damage or making Ele OP. Just in case I will reiterate, this Overload would NOT follow the target so it would not be OP in PvP either. And they can disable range Overload option in PvP because I think PvE and PvP require very different things in balance.

Sidenote: different casting animation for fire overload please, like the female channeling animation with the floating.

 

Catalyst: Hammer 3 becomes F5. Easiest solution would be to switch around the skills so Augments would become Hammer 3 and Jade Sphere utility skills (element sphere only castable while in corresponding element) or vice versa. This would let Catalyst keep the same rotation as before without energy restriction which is already a bit unfair considering others get to regen out of combat but Ele can't. It would also let other weapons enjoy the spinning orbs, Grand Finale cast range would just be extended by 400 to reach 1200. Personally I would rather get rid of Augments because it is just Stances two xpacs in a row but replacing them with new skills does not seem possible.

 

Weaver: Cannot complain too much since it actually gave all weapons skills. Only 1/6 stances is completely useless in range so I would call Weaver a good enough design. If anything I would let the weapon keep 3 and make the combined skill F5.

 

I don't think these changes would be difficult to implement and they would not disturb the meta either which could be used as a reason to not do it but I believe that Elementalist should be allowed to be a caster and in general ranged weapons should not be neglected as a playstyle. Some people enjoy it more despite it being lower in damage and in open world it does not matter that much. It is also a lot more accessible and starving range weapons of the things that make Especs cool is not very nice imo. 

[Jski.6180]

I am guessing the ideal was that ele wepon skills where "ranged" base and its utility where means of keeping it self alive. Sadly most of the ele wepon skills are melee or short ranged over all so it never realy worked out for being an ranged main class.

I would love to see a way to make say tempest shout ground tragted though traits (something this game is missing no major way of changing up how utility work when it comes to casting.) I do not think you can make aguments and stances ranged castable beyond using them as self buff leading into an ranged cast.

[solemn.9670]

I feel like a lot of those utilities would be fine if staff was a better weapon overall

[Sahne.6950]

I am running Signet of Earth / Signet of Fire / Aftershock with sceptre.

All of those produce ranged pressure.

satisfys my thirst for a ranged caster.