Returning Elementalist Getting back to the game - Is this class worth coming back to?

[BSuaz.8241]

So I guess my simplistic question is this: Is Elementalist currently worth playing/returning to since last year?

So last year I picked up both expansions and began playing GW2 after quite a long break. I had a blast playing through the PvE content as a weaver and even went back to playing some WvW. Weaver was a lot of fun, and I was doing a lot of satisfying damage, but I was dying a lot especially in WvW. I was planning on getting back into GW2 as I will have more time in my life now. But what would u guys say the current state of this class is? I have been reading up and it seems like the class is considered by the vast majority to be very weak. If it is so weak - is it even worth playing/getting into now? Or should I just go play on my Engineer and specc into Holosmith as it seems this class does everything weaver can do but significantly better?

Also are there any highly recommended guides for Weaver I could look into to kind of get me updated on the best current builds exc.?

Thanks!

[Derkon.7408]

If you take a simple tour to the rest of the elementalist forum, you will see that the simple answer, to both the class, and the current state of the game is a relative no in the VFM / VFT spectrum.

[steki.1478]

It's not that it's weak, in best situation it's balanced. The thing is that you have to play perfectly in order to have same performance as playing other class on average level. Whatever you do, others can do almost the same and then have something more to add to that role.

I'd say it's not worth putting effort into it if you were never that good on ele. Holo would be better choice for nearly everything.

[katniss.6735]

Pull/shade spam is meta now. Kinda hard to hit top damage if anyone moves. Shades move.Then if you play healer, it's not that exciting. I've been playing a chill spec because I like to make everyone's lives worse.

[fuzzyp.6295]

The short answer is No. It's not worth playing unless you really enjoy giving 150% in order to achieve what other classes can get giving about 50%. We've made improvements, but Anets silence is telling, they don't know how to move Ele forward. There are other classes out there that give so much more and are much more fun to play than Ele. Between Weaver and Holosmith, there is literally no contest of which is the better class to devote your time too. You should only be clinging to Ele if you've been maining it since launch at this point.

[Dace.8173]

@steki.1478 said:It's not that it's weak, in best situation it's balanced. The thing is that you have to play perfectly in order to have same performance as playing other class on average level. Whatever you do, others can do almost the same and then have something more to add to that role.

I'd say it's not worth putting effort into it if you were never that good on ele. Holo would be better choice for nearly everything.

I think this is a fair assessment. If you suck with Ele (Weaver) then you are likely to find yourself frustrated. Despite any shortcomings I still find Weaver to be a lot of fun.

Though, I do not find Holosmith to play similar to Weaver so I'm not sure why anyone would consider it doing everything Weaver does but better.

[MyPuppy.8970]

The fun is worth the effort. The viability isn't really worth it, but as long as you're having fun...

[BlackBeard.2873]

For PvE, its fine, but I personally hate weaver.For PvP, it is garbage, don't waste your time unless you like being a monkey that dances around on point and just stalemates people.For WvW, roaming it is garbage. For WvW zerg fights...I guess staff is still fine to get lots of numbers that ultimately mean very little b/c its not burst damage.

[LazySummer.2568]

Avoid ele at all cost.

You'll just be frustrated all the time by how much effort you need to put in just to be on similar level of effectiveness that other classes can do with average or little to no effort AND a poor balance team that infuriates you repeatedly by:

1. Giving you inconsequential buffs while simultaneously nerfing your only few competitive options when you're already bottom of the barrel tier class in competitive modes
2. Preemptively nerf buffs you'll get, even on skills/traits that are already bad and don't see much use, which results in the buffs being pointless, sometimes even making the skill/trait worse off than before
3. Balancing you in all modes based on dps numbers you can get from stationary golem's hitbox size in pve when you have to spec your entire build to do that dps as well as require boons from other classes babysitting you. The achieved dps number is on a hitbox size that's not even found in high end pve content (raids/fractals)
4. Specifically single out threads related to the class, dump them in this subforum, and ignore all your suggestions related to the class

[MyPuppy.8970]

@LazySummer.2568 said:Avoid ele at all cost.

You'll just be frustrated all the time by how much effort you need to put in just to be on similar level of effectiveness that other classes can do with average or little to no effort AND a poor balance team that infuriates you repeatedly by:

1. Giving you inconsequential buffs while simultaneously nerfing your only few competitive options when you're already bottom of the barrel tier class in competitive modes
2. Preemptively nerf buffs you'll get, even on skills/traits that are already bad and don't see much use, which results in the buffs being pointless, sometimes even making the skill/trait worse off than before
3. Balancing you in all modes based on dps numbers you can get from stationary golem's hitbox size in pve when you have to spec your entire build to do that dps as well as require boons from other classes babysitting you. The achieved dps number is on a hitbox size that's not even found in high end pve content (raids/fractals)
4. Specifically single out threads related to the class, dump them in this subforum, and ignore all your suggestions related to the class

I can't play anything but ele, but there's so much truth and facts in this comment, it's almost funny.

[steki.1478]

@Dace.8173 said:

@steki.1478 said:It's not that it's weak, in best situation it's balanced. The thing is that you have to play perfectly in order to have same performance as playing other class on average level. Whatever you do, others can do almost the same and then have something more to add to that role.

I'd say it's not worth putting effort into it if you were never that good on ele. Holo would be better choice for nearly everything.

I think this is a fair assessment. If you suck with Ele (Weaver) then you are likely to find yourself frustrated. Despite any shortcomings I still find Weaver to be a lot of fun.

Though, I do not find Holosmith to play similar to Weaver so I'm not sure why anyone would consider it doing everything Weaver does but better.

Self boon sustain, better direct damage burst, reasonably tankier, lots of built in aoe cc and blinds, strong heal (with built in cleanse) while doing practically same dps in a perfect scenario. Ele requires that perfect scenario, other classes dont, making them a lot better on their own/in bad groups.

Even healing build is stronger theoretically, ele's build is just more reliable in pve due to bigger radius.

[BSuaz.8241]

Seems like there's a common answer of No among most of you guys. Thanks everyone for answering my question! Weaver was a lot of fun for me, but also I definitely wont be able to put as much time into the game as I'd like. Seems like for Weaver you need to be pretty dedicated to the role and I just dont have that kind of experience as I have played this game on/off. Ultimately I think I'm gonna try and give both classes a try, maybe even test out other classes. If I find Weaver is still the most entertaining I'll probably stick with but as of now seems like rerolling into Holosmith is the better option.

[Zhaid Zhem.6508]

Weaverin Pve is fun, viable. But I don't think it is "newbie" friendly because yes, It needs some skills and awakening ; and I'm 100% sure this is not a good choice for pugging.Tempest fresh air is a better option for that.

In WvW, same : In roaming there are so many counters to weaver, or they can kite/flee so easily. Because where it is viable in pvp, where people need to contest the cap ; in roaming there is no need, and because of the powercreep of Ascended sets, food, infusion, and some traits and skills, ... it's a lot of pain. In zerg weaver staff is really strong.But yes, you need to

really enjoy giving 150% in order to achieve what other classes can get giving about 50%.

[Dace.8173]

@steki.1478 said:

@Dace.8173 said:

@steki.1478 said:It's not that it's weak, in best situation it's balanced. The thing is that you have to play perfectly in order to have same performance as playing other class on average level. Whatever you do, others can do almost the same and then have something more to add to that role.

I'd say it's not worth putting effort into it if you were never that good on ele. Holo would be better choice for nearly everything.

I think this is a fair assessment. If you suck with Ele (Weaver) then you are likely to find yourself frustrated. Despite any shortcomings I still find Weaver to be a lot of fun.

Though, I do not find Holosmith to play similar to Weaver so I'm not sure why anyone would consider it doing everything Weaver does but better.

Self boon sustain, better direct damage burst, reasonably tankier, lots of built in aoe cc and blinds, strong heal (with built in cleanse) while doing practically same dps in a perfect scenario. Ele requires that perfect scenario, other classes dont, making them a lot better on their own/in bad groups.

Even healing build is stronger theoretically, ele's build is just more reliable in pve due to bigger radius.

By those qualities many other professions play like Weaver, such as Firebrand or both of Mesmer's Elites, to name a few. There is no denying that other professions can do things better. I just doubt they deliver the same play experience.

[Stand The Wall.6987]

play whats fun. I play zerk weav staff in unranked and its a blast. don't much care for being a part of the meta monkey troop.

[MyPuppy.8970]

I was planning on playing core staff in ranked this Season, but it might be too crazy...

[Dace.8173]

@Stand The Wall.6987 said:play whats fun. I play zerk weav staff in unranked and its a blast. don't much care for being a part of the meta monkey troop.

Yeah, I do S/D Weaver in unranked. I find it to be a lot of fun and I do ok with it, winning roughly 50% of the matches it faces. Granted, it's unranked but it's still a lot of fun.

[C Cspace Cowboy.5903]

As an ele main, pick a different class. Anything ele can do, any other class can do better with more utility. Anet has destroyed this class in every game mode.

The class balance in this game, mainly in wvw and pvp, is absolutely laughable, and its the reason I rarely log in anymore. I've moved on to other games.

If you only want to play ele, good luck, but hey you never know, they may buff shatterstone again.