How to get good at the game? (aspiring Elementalist)

[Vengyre.2506]

Greetings, I've played this game at a very casual level before (2013), coming back and thinking of buying expansions...

But god, how much I suck at it. I like challenge, I like brainstorming over the best builds, but my reaction is not good and I usually play slower games such as Dota 2 and even card games since these are the games I definitely can get good at.

I've picked elementalist because I like having lots of tools available. And I am having a great fun combining the fields and finishers for maximal effect, switching attunements situationally over the fight to fit the situation, trying to see the use in the most weird of abilities, trying different builds even though guide states they are not optimal just to see how they feel like. Currently doing open world content with d/d build and it is really fun, putting down all these combos for a sick damage with AOE buffs while these poor fellow elementalists just run around with staff in fire and do very little, at least in terms of actions. Could even imagine how fun would it be when I get to elite specs.

However, once I get to the harder content such as any pvp or champion mobs, I suck. I can't dodge stuff in time and fear this will be fatal in future. Dodging is something I can't grasp. I've found out that using a delayed dodging preemptively with dagger 3 is more useful to me than a real dodging. I press all those buttons which I know how they work randomly, panicking, switching to wrong attunements, messing up combos, and god forbid if someone interrupts me, my carefully thought out rotation is dead and so do I. And yeah, I just die instantly... I try to put defensives preemptively, dodge as soon as I see someone casting, yet it does not help. Feeling like a headless chicken that presses tons of buttons and dies to a single blow. Tried to practice by soloing a champion mob, which I believe, should be possible in hands of a skilled player, as it attacked rarely and attacks are dodgeable. But, I died, died and died again due to bad timing and eventually gave up, dropping like 20% of it's hp. And it's a damn NPC with a predictable rotation.

My keybinds are ESDF for movement, AWRTG for skills, shift+QWRTG for utilities, Q234 for attunements, shift for interact, B for dodging. Maybe I should swap dodge and interact? Seriously considering a MMO mouse, duh.

While knowledge of the game is something that definitely comes with time, I fear that mechanically I will always be bad at the game and therefore should not really bother. Is there any secret ingredient I am missing and it will get better naturally, or as I stay away from FPS games as the genre I am never good at, so should I stay away from GW2, at least any challenging level?Have you felt the same early on and will it get better?Or maybe there is a class for me?I enjoy sequences of carefully woven spells which end up in a devastating combo, I enjoy having a huge arsenal, thinking about what should I use in a specific situation, but maybe done... slower? Something strategic but less hectic?

I really want to get good as an Elementalist, but I feel like I am hitting a wall.

[Richard.8207]

Yes, I felt that way at first. Yes, it gets better. As you gain experience, you know when abilities will happen with a little more warning, giving you longer to react.

If you want to give a different profession a try, Necromancer and Ranger are a lot easier to learn.

[Eros.6801]

Probably because ele is one of the hardest class to master currently, it get even worse with weaver ( an ele's elite specs ) trust me, but the dps out put is absolute tho. I really can't say much about PvP cuz im not into it but atleast for PvE, what happening to you is completely normal as an ele also champion mob is not something you can solo easily, 2 players at minimum to deal with it. I have played this game for 4 years even i having trouble and confidence dealing with champ mob, especially ele it take a lot more effort to do so compare to other classes, so don't feels bad.

As for solution, i suggest using some deffensive stats like Vitiality and Toughness, sometime full dps is not a wise choice for ele especially the trouble with reaction you are having, the best i think would be Celestial stat ( this one is hard to get ) but also depend on what you want, https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Attribute_combinations

Visit ele subforum and ask there for better advices.

I suggest you try out Necromancer // Ranger // Mesmer, these three are my top pick when it comes to solo play, Necro is the strongest for open world and solo play with minions, lifesteal, ton of HP. Ranger because they have Pets, Mesmer is hella fun to play with and they have clones/phantasms.

[escapay.6301]

I don't think soloing a champion would be a great test of your skills. The champs hit hard and are expected to have more than one person fighting them. I have successfully solo'd with a base ranger and a reaper/necro elite before, but it depends on the boss and it can depend on if they have a breakbar (they usually do).

Can't really help you with the elementalist tips since even though that is one I have played a lot, I do not feel anywhere near close enough to explain things. I continue to learn. I've been better at the staff though than d/d or d/f. If you do get the expansion packs, I gotta say I love Tempest - they have some fun overloads. :)

PvP is not my forte and I personally don't plan on taking my ele there... mostly because class is complex and I still don't understand all of where I need to be at what point. I'd probably recommend trying the builds on metabattle for ele - I don't know whether they have the skill rotations written or not, but would at least give a good start for a build. I don't think I would do those pre-built builds though... if that is what you've done before.

Good luck and don't give up! Can try another class too, always good to have a second or third one just in case for needing to change for pvp composition.

[Vengyre.2506]

As I am levelling crafting profession alongside for both fun and speed up the game a bit (my first character has like 60% map completion), I do have a choice of stats for my gear and try to go for Power+Vitality gear.

Yeah, my first character was a Mesmer which I did not particularly enjoy and it still feels clunky - maybe will get better with elite specs, but currently I don't like it.Another character I've played a bit is Necromancer and while it surely was fun gathering 10 mobs and AOEing them down, it got boring after a while. And as for rangers, not a big fan of a pets, druids though look better, but core profession is not very appealing to me.So far I've been thinking either Guardian or Engineer but the first one might be on an easier side while latter might be even harder than Ele. I am okay with difficulty, I am just kinda... slow, dunno how to say that better. If there was a hard class with good survivability I think I would enjoy it more. Wish I could try both but I have 4/5 character slots taken up :X

Staff Ele, yeah, it feels much easier than d/d (read you can just stay in fire attunement and be fine), but in open world d/d feels more effective and enjoyable, and in PvP staff is more of a zerg weapon.

I've read that Ele is currently subpar in PvP, at least core Ele is, so I guess it might be also this factor.

[AliamRationem.5172]

You could always go with a tankier build if ele is giving you headaches, but ultimately action combat is going to favor faster play. There's no escaping it. So all I can say is consider different classes, different builds, and just practice, practice, practice! Here are a couple of videos of Mirage and Tempest, since you mentioned those and I happen to play them. Maybe it will give you some ideas:

Mirage (Full Viper) vs. Crackling Brandspark

Tempest (Full Celestial) vs. Ruye the Crimson

The tempest is very tanky in full celestial, with plenty of health, armor, and healing capability. More damage will result in quicker kills (provided you survive!), but there's no reason that you must adhere to pure damage builds in open world. Even a defensive healing build like this one can produce sufficient damage to take down champions solo. I am able to beat the timer solo against every HoT HP champion with the build shown in the video, in fact. Even the tough ones like mushroom queen, avatar of Balthazar, and vampire broodmother.

On the other end of the spectrum, the mirage is built for damage. There's no extra vitality, toughness, or healing power here! It's all about dealing and avoiding damage! As a result, the mirage is able to take down bosses much more quickly. If you look at my channel, you will see that against the same bosses my mirage gets the job done 2-3 times faster! This doesn't matter so much against many core and HoT champions, but if you want to get into solo bounty champions in PoF their health pools are several times higher and you have no choice but to use a damage-oriented build.

Two very different ways of playing, and of course there are many more ways you can play it with so many different classes, weapons, specs, and builds. You just have to find something you like and practice with it.

[Biff.5312]

I play a d/d elementalist too, and I think it's not so much a problem of dodging as knowing when it's not realistic to get in close and personal for melee. In group events against champs, I largely send in my elemental stooges, etc. and only push in to hit with short-range spells when the champ's breakbar is down and it's not casting. Then I immediately back off rather than waiting for an indication it might hit me. Stick and move. So it's not a matter of dodging as much as a matter of knowing when it's simply not viable to use your full range of spells. My 2 cents.

[TwilightSoul.9048]

First of all, I don't think DotA2 is a "slower" game than GW2, maybe if you play Wrath King and Viper only but if you've tried Invoker, Chen, Enchantress or Meep (Or in short any micro hero or Invoker) than you'll be either very buisy or you're not doing it right ;)And if you want to play Elementalist then I'd suggest you practice Invoker in Dota2 as Ele and Invoker have some similaritys since both have skills that depend on an additional system (Quas, Wex, Exort for Invoker and Fire, Water, Air, Earth for Ele) that way you can practice when to swap.

Other than that the most important thing in GW2 (not just for Ele) is knowing how and when to dodge and how and where to move - there are lots of skills and attacks that can be evaded just by thinking ahead and moving accordingly so that you only have to use your dodge roll in the worst case - and even then you should try to use it as efficiently as possible. For example: it's possible to clear multiple Necro Staff Marks with one dodgeroll to free up some personal space, if you have to dodge anyway you can keep an eye out so that you can dodge into them, giving you more space in turn.

Since you've already said that you tend to panic in clutch situations you should ask a friend or guildmate to go into the guild arena with you and just throw the same attack at you until you learn to stay calm. Or you can ask him to lay some Necro Staff marks all over the place and you try to trigger (and dodge) as many as possible with one dodge roll - that way you learn to focus more on what you're trying to do. And once you're more focused you can start trying to duel with some friends, don't pick those friends that constantly PvP, ask some of your PvE friends if they'd like to try dueling you, and try starting with a base necro or reaper - they're easier to practice dodging with than thiefs and mesmer (pesky little kittens are they).

[Vengyre.2506]

Well I play carry and offlane heroes, they involve planning ahead, but not quite in terms of APM. My hardest "main" is Timbersaw I guess. Never really tried invoker :>

As for guild/friends, I always had a hard time fitting into any guild in MMOs, with main problem finding the community I feel fit in, usually ending up feeling alone even after joining, but that's something I am hoping to fix.

I guess the best way to learn is to simply practice - as I currently don't even know what some of the professions can do.

[Lonecap.4105]

Just relax. Don't be in such a rush to prove yourself. Play slowly and naturally, your reactions will enhance as your muscle memory on your binds improves.

[Vengyre.2506]

I know this is not my blog, but I've made myself rare set of leveling gear (why not, I want the skin anyways), filled it with runes, chosen useful stuff for supports such as arcane shield, got a lifesteal food, and... today I've soloed my first champion! (well, at 40% 2nd guy came but he died all the time eh)

That was intense and insanely fun.

And... bought ultimate edition PoF + HoT :)

Thank you guys for your support, some of you even contacted me ingame!

[lunarminx.3624]

This is a simple easy staff elementalist. I have no skill whatsoever but I love the elementalist to a fault. I die less on her than any other toon I have. She has decent power and survivability. Once you get to POF zones, use 2 acc and amulet with power/vitality/toughness and use a sentinel staff but keep the berserkers still too. http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vFAQFAWhUMoohNNwvB0RMIAYylsEkCq3QT8TGBgCwDA-jxRBABLcBBoZ/BKV/5KlfA8gAwTHhZKBJEggtA-e

[Vengyre.2506]

I am running full berserker (because need to get good at dodging) staff weaver in PoF story. Tough, but fun and slowly getting better at it.

[Echoherb.6528]

I didn't really get good at elementalist until I had tried all the other classes, and gotten very familiar with the game and its mechanics. After I really learned how the game works, ele became the most fun and rewarding class for me. Unlike some classes (i'm looking at you engi) the complexities of the class are greatly rewarded. That said most classes aren't able to solo most champions, champions are made for large groups and people who solo them are pushing their class and skills to the limits to do it, so I would definitely not use your ability to solo champions as the benchmark of skill. I think soloing veterans would a much better test of your skills.

[Smiggles.6823]

I'm not a great ele player but I main the class. My tip to you is to use your lesser and eliteGlyphs of Elemental asap. If you hit the glyph in earth attunement you'll have a tanky pet that can pull threatfrom you. Water elemental is an ok second.

if things get tough annoying as it is offhand focus will be your friend. Earth attune focus has a 5 second invulnerable button on a long cooldown and magnetic aura which reflects projectiles.

If you use signet of healing there's an earth trait at the end of the line that lets you keep the passive (heal on attack) when the active skill (small heal) is on cooldown. Try to do hero points out in the world for the extra trait and skill unlocks. Toughness and vitality are very handy stats in open world.

I run full ascended armor and trinkets. Celestial trinkets and berzerker armor. Got the trinkets through laurels from login rewards.Ele is all about adaptability so make sure you're experimenting with weapon combinations your skills and traits. Arcane and earth are good defensively and for support.

[Katrina.8702]

Dood not everyone might agree but just get a mmo mouse... 12 skills at your fingertip and just focus on mostly movement of your character with your left hand.

[Majirah.5089]

@Katrina.8702 said:Dood not everyone might agree but just get a mmo mouse... 12 skills at your fingertip and just focus on mostly movement of your character with your left hand.

My mmo life changes when I invested in a gaming mouse with 12 thumb buttons. I used to keybind like OP, but gaming mouse makes things so much better.

To OP: I’ve been playing my ele a bit more lately. Mainly sword dagger weaver with half marauder and half grieving stats. I don’t try to solo any champions, but anything else open world is a fun fight. In pvp I do the weaver scepter focus fresh air burst build with varying levels of success. That build does seem to require fast actions though.

I’m not an ele veteran, but I just keep on practicing.

[Dwaynethe.7914]

I've been running a sw/d earth/arcane weaver bleed dps build (don't judge, bleed is my favorite condi). Full viper with zerk trinkets. I have one custom rotation down. (I refuse to submit to the meta rotations! Individualism!)I found a nifty spot in one of the POF maps to practice intense deffencive and offincive play.In the south of elon riverlands there's a mastery insight locked behind 3 jackel portals. 3 "separate" rooms full of veteran and minor baddies. Like 10+ on small reapawns.

Lots of conditions and cc incomings. I was decent on weaver. I played in these rooms for a few hours strait trying to get all 3 rooms cleared before they started to reapawn.Took a while but it's deffinently a fun area to practice in.I'm going to take all of my specs through this "training"Maybe you should try it. You will have to learn the ins and outs of every aspect of your build to survive until clear.Oh and also there is no waypoint anywhere near. So if you die (without a revive orb) you have to run (or ride) all the way back as punishment. And there are no exits unless you mount back onto your jackel and no ooc spots! Good luck!