[POLL] Next Elementalist Weapon

[Sporks.4395]

You know if they give us longbow, it's gonna be 360 range right?

[Joncal.9623]

Anything that isn't melee, and that include lame attempts at making "melee" weapons ranged.

I'm looking at you revenant hammer. 🤨

Edited February 19, 2023 by Joncal.9623

[Fueki.4753]

8 minutes ago, Joncal.9623 said:

Anything that isn't melee, and that include lame attempts at making "melee" weapons ranged.

I'm looking at you revenant hammer. 🤨

Revenant's hammer used to be decent though. But eventually, it got touched again.

And on Mesmer, Greatsword still is my favourite weapon.

Edited February 19, 2023 by Fueki.4753

[Kodama.6453]

59 minutes ago, Fueki.4753 said:

Revenant's hammer used to be decent though. But eventually, it got touched again.

And on Mesmer, Greatsword still is my favourite weapon.

Yeah. Honestly, I like that they are taking weapons in these different directions. It's fun to see a weapon used in an unconventional way like with mesmer gs and revenant hammer being long range options.

That's also why I am probably the only one liking the bladesworn pistol. I found it fun exactly because it is a melee weapon. All other pistols in the game are ranged, so it was a fun little step out of that paradigm. And exploding a bunch of shells directly into the face of your enemy is just cool and in brand for warrior.

[Fueki.4753]

2 minutes ago, Kodama.6453 said:

That's also why I am probably the only one liking the bladesworn pistol. I found it fun exactly because it is a melee weapon. All other pistols in the game are ranged, so it was a fun little step out of that paradigm. And exploding a bunch of shells directly into the face of your enemy is just cool and in brand for warrior.

At least to me, pistol being melee isn't the issue by itself.

The issue is Pistol, a usually ranged weapon, being melee, while the only two ranged options are horribly undertuned.

If Rifle and Longbow did good (or at the very least decent) damage, I think some other Warrior mains wouldn't mind Pistol being melee as much as they do now.

At this point, Pistol being melee merely serves as yet another proof that Warrior is not allowed to be decent at anything other than melee power damage.

[Bunny.9834]

On 1/30/2023 at 6:50 AM, Ultramex.1506 said:

Rifle

Honestly would’ve been the perfect weapon for the Catalyst theme. 

 

[Bladestrom.6425]

mainhand focus works for me, elementalist spewing death and destruction from duel wielded orbs of hell!

[TheGrimoire.4039]

I'd love dual-focus with an emphasis on Arcane magic; if only to dual-wield Ipos.

[Joncal.9623]

I'd love a functional staff but heeeey! one can wish. 

[zeyeti.8347]

Any weapon (even a mace) but with a full skillset at least 900 range to 1200 range , we are playing elementalist , in any other mmo it's a ranged class , here 3 e-specs have obvious melee design : tempest Ol , sword for weaver , hammer , all mostly melee ...

Edited February 26, 2023 by zeyeti.8347

[Virtuality.8351]

Anything but firearms please. The scientific/technology theme just does not match the elementalist archtype.

Also something that can fit into a "water/ice elemental" theme, since we already got one spec for air (Tempest with Warhorn), fire (Weaver) and earth (Catalyst with Hammer and Jade sphere, both of which are pretty physical) each.

Edited February 26, 2023 by Virtuality.8351

[Joncal.9623]

3 hours ago, Virtuality.8351 said:

Anything but firearms please. The scientific/technology theme just does not match the elementalist archtype.

My dude, this is how we've been "casting" since forever. It's just parlor tricks and not actual magic. 😆
It's just more obvious on the Cata.

*runs for cover from the weavers and temps*

Edited February 26, 2023 by Joncal.9623

[draxynnic.3719]

8 hours ago, Virtuality.8351 said:

Anything but firearms please. The scientific/technology theme just does not match the elementalist archtype.

Also something that can fit into a "water/ice elemental" theme, since we already got one spec for air (Tempest with Warhorn), fire (Weaver) and earth (Catalyst with Hammer and Jade sphere, both of which are pretty physical) each.

I know people think otherwise due to the splash art of a tempest using Air Overload, but overall Tempest is far more Water-oriented than Air-oriented. Focus on giving auras to allies, healing, the trait that procs an aura procs a water aura, and the trait that procs an effect on switching to an attunement does so on switching to water. 

On themes - there are a lot of elemental guns as bundle items in the open world, and I'm pretty sure that most of them were made by asura elementalists. It's not the stereotypical elementalist archetype, to be sure, but not only is there no reason that an elementalist couldn't use a gun-like implement to channel elemental magic, there's precedent. Including a fair few skins already in-game that just don't make sense firing regular bullets but which would fit right in as a conduit for magic.

[MarzAttakz.9608]

9 minutes ago, draxynnic.3719 said:

I know people think otherwise due to the splash art of a tempest using Air Overload, but overall Tempest is far more Water-oriented than Air-oriented. Focus on giving auras to allies, healing, the trait that procs an aura procs a water aura, and the trait that procs an effect on switching to an attunement does so on switching to water. 

On themes - there are a lot of elemental guns as bundle items in the open world, and I'm pretty sure that most of them were made by asura elementalists. It's not the stereotypical elementalist archetype, to be sure, but not only is there no reason that an elementalist couldn't use a gun-like implement to channel elemental magic, there's precedent. Including a fair few skins already in-game that just don't make sense firing regular bullets but which would fit right in as a conduit for magic.

Fair assessment there.

Please just no more 600-900 ranges unless there's defense and mobility baked in. I want to nuke kitten in vengeance for all the years of kitten from 1200-1500 range wearing Berserker's like all the cool kids without performing parlour tricks to stay alive.

[draxynnic.3719]

11 hours ago, MarzAttakz.9608 said:

Fair assessment there.

Please just no more 600-900 ranges unless there's defense and mobility baked in. I want to nuke kitten in vengeance for all the years of kitten from 1200-1500 range wearing Berserker's like all the cool kids without performing parlour tricks to stay alive.

1500 is still fairly uncommon, but a 1200 range choice would certainly be fair, especially since they seem to be pushing staff more towards support.

[Joncal.9623]

58 minutes ago, draxynnic.3719 said:

1500 is still fairly uncommon, but a 1200 range choice would certainly be fair, especially since they seem to be pushing staff more towards support.

Not to be THAT person but does range even matter? In OW mobs are all over your face anyway since they try to murder you and in group content you're all bundled up in melee either way because of boons. 

 

I can't speak for pvp/wvw because I'm a sitting target there, lol. 

[Virtuality.8351]

13 hours ago, draxynnic.3719 said:

I know people think otherwise due to the splash art of a tempest using Air Overload, but overall Tempest is far more Water-oriented than Air-oriented. Focus on giving auras to allies, healing, the trait that procs an aura procs a water aura, and the trait that procs an effect on switching to an attunement does so on switching to water. 

On themes - there are a lot of elemental guns as bundle items in the open world, and I'm pretty sure that most of them were made by asura elementalists. It's not the stereotypical elementalist archetype, to be sure, but not only is there no reason that an elementalist couldn't use a gun-like implement to channel elemental magic, there's precedent. Including a fair few skins already in-game that just don't make sense firing regular bullets but which would fit right in as a conduit for magic.

Well yeah it is indeed a bit of both. While the healing aspect corresponds to water, mean while Warhorn itself gives you a feel of airflow. There are also multiple traits named "conduit", which could be understood either as electrical conduit, which corresponds to the air attunement, or simply channels that convey water.

I do hope that there will either be another new spec dedicated to either Water or Air them and split it from Tempest in the future.

[Kodama.6453]

46 minutes ago, Virtuality.8351 said:

Well yeah it is indeed a bit of both. While the healing aspect corresponds to water, mean while Warhorn itself gives you a feel of airflow. There are also multiple traits named "conduit", which could be understood either as electrical conduit, which corresponds to the air attunement, or simply channels that convey water.

I do hope that there will either be another new spec dedicated to either Water or Air them and split it from Tempest in the future.

Yeah, I also feel like it depends how you look at it.

From a thematical point of view, I personally associate tempest with the air attunement. You already mentioned warhorn and the conduit traits. Then there are also shouts, which I personally would also associate with air. And the name tempest itself also first and foremost evokes the theme of strong winds for me.

Gameplaywise, I can see why you can interpret it as a water attunement themed spec. I personally thought of the gameplay just being an alternative interpretation of the air theme, tho. A tempest is "the eye of the storm", someone who stays calm while the battlefield around them descends into chaos.

As another side note, if we start to associate elite specs with core thematics of a class, then I would personally associate weaver with arcane instead of fire. The elite spec is a master of the magical principles which transcends single elements and their mastery of the arcane arts allow them to combine 2 elements unlike other elementalists.

__________________________________________________________________________

Most likely it is not a real hard design principle for Anet that specs are associated with one of the core themes. But it is a fun thought experiment to theory craft new elite specs which works for other classes as well.

[Comus.7365]

2 hours ago, Joncal.9623 said:

Not to be THAT person but does range even matter? In OW mobs are all over your face anyway since they try to murder you and in group content you're all bundled up in melee either way because of boons. 

 

I can't speak for pvp/wvw because I'm a sitting target there, lol. 

yeah it's one thing when you can weapon swap easilly between ranged and melee but for elementalists that ain't happening.

that's why the begging for a ranged spec always felt a little tone deaf to me. like they're forgetting what game it is they're playing. 

the opportunities to be some kind of mage archetype slinging spells at a distance are going to be slim no matter what game mode you play.

[Virtuality.8351]

1 hour ago, Kodama.6453 said:

The elite spec is a master of the magical principles which transcends single elements and their mastery of the arcane arts allow them to combine 2 elements unlike other elementalists.

I just happened to start a topic on this one. See if you are interested.

1 hour ago, Kodama.6453 said:

Then there are also shouts, which I personally would also associate with air.

Indeed!

[Fueki.4753]

43 minutes ago, Comus.7365 said:

yeah it's one thing when you can weapon swap easilly between ranged and melee but for elementalists that ain't happening.

that's why the begging for a ranged spec always felt a little tone deaf to me. like they're forgetting what game it is they're playing. 

the opportunities to be some kind of mage archetype slinging spells at a distance are going to be slim no matter what game mode you play.

Just because a weapon has a range of 1500 doesn't mean you can't also use it in melee range.

[Comus.7365]

15 minutes ago, Fueki.4753 said:

Just because a weapon has a range of 1500 doesn't mean you can't also use it in melee range.

true. but is that really how people asking for a 1500 ranged weapon want to use it?

[Doctor Hide.6345]

I am putting my vote down for either pistol for spellslinger or a rifle. I will even take a longbow tbh now. I just want another ranged weapon over a melee focused one. I love my sword on my weaver, but I like the traditional mage archetype of fighting at ranged too. Yes, I do appreciate the scepter a lot with all the changes to it, but I would still like another ranged option to be added.

[Fueki.4753]

8 minutes ago, Comus.7365 said:

true. but is that really how people asking for a 1500 ranged weapon want to use it?

I can't say about others, but I would certainly try to make use of it at all its possible ranges. At the very least, it'd be more useful at more different ranges.

That's completely unlike close range weapons that become useless, once the enemy is too far away or keeps moving out of close range (like the Aetherblades in Shing Jea like to do).

And then there's also my idea of a specialization that enables weapon swap in combat at the expense of Attunement swap in combat. With such a specialization, Elementalist could use both the a ranged like the specialization weapon or Focus and use D/D or D/F for melee.

Edited February 27, 2023 by Fueki.4753

[draxynnic.3719]

4 hours ago, Virtuality.8351 said:

Well yeah it is indeed a bit of both. While the healing aspect corresponds to water, mean while Warhorn itself gives you a feel of airflow. There are also multiple traits named "conduit", which could be understood either as electrical conduit, which corresponds to the air attunement, or simply channels that convey water.

I do hope that there will either be another new spec dedicated to either Water or Air them and split it from Tempest in the future.

Realistically, all of the elite specialisations still use all of the elements, because that's how base elementalist works and no elite specialisation yet has moved elementalist out of the 'master of all four, but mastering some more than others based on trait selection' mould. Within that framework, though, I think tempest is most aligned with water - it's heavily, albeit not exclusively, focused on healing and supporting allies through auras, which is traditionally associated with water.

It's worth keeping in mind that precipitation is a more reliable component of a storm than lightning.

There are air-related aspects as well, and a bit of earth, but water is the element it builds off the most.