Curse

jacen110091 · Dec 06, 2006, 09:03 AM // 09:03

As an elementalist, I know that our choices of viable weapon sets are limited to our element of choice but with 3 campaigns worth of greens and the notable addition of Inscribable Weapons/Focus Items . . I was surprised "not" to find a thread discussing the usefulness of a certain weapon type.

In this thread, I urge all my fellow Elementalists to share what weapon(s) they use, and recommend, for their various elemental builds.

____________

*I primarily PVE and play as a Support Nuker/Echo Nuker (Fire) + Solo Farmer (Earth) and so I suppose I ought to start with the weapon set(s) I recommend for those types...

Fire Magic -

1) Exuro's Will

Fire dmg 11-22
HSR 20%
Energy +10
Inscription - "Hale & Hearty" Energy +5 ^ 50% Health
HP +30
HP +30

2) Feiry Nightmare Spear of Enchanting | Forgotten Shield (Motivation)

Fire dmg 14-27
Enchantments last 20% longer
Inscription - "I Have The Power" Energy +5

Armor 16
HP +30
Armor +10 vs Fire

3) Insightful Fire Staff of Enchanting

Fire Dmg: 11-22
Energy +10
HSR 20%
HCT Fire 20%
Energy +5
Enchantments last 20% longer

___________

Earth Magic -

4) Hale Earth Staff of Enchanting

Earth Dmg 11-22
HSR 20%
Energy +10
Inscription - "Have Faith" +5 / enchanted
HP +30
Enchantments Last 20% Longer

____________

Energy Storage -

5) Voltaic Wand of Quickening | Tarlok's Flagon

Lightning Dmg 11-22
HSR 10%
Inscription - "Seize The Day" Energy +15 / Energy Regen -1

Energy +12
HP +30
Energy +15 / Energy Regen -1

6) **Everlasting Ghostly Staff

Energy +15
Chaos Dmg 11-22
HSR 20%
Energy +5 ^ 50% Health
Enchantments +20%

7) **Menzes' Ambition | Adamantine Shield

Chaos Dmg 11-22
HSR 10%
HCT 10%

Armor +16
Health +30
Dmg -5 (20%)

____________

*Last edited on 29 Jan
**I do not yet own these set(s) but am working on acquiring them.

jacen110091 · Dec 06, 2006, 09:11 AM // 09:11

Other than simply stating your weapon set(s) I would also urge you guys to discuss weapons (specially the non ele ones as I have seen many ele's use sword/shields and have never understood why) . . .

____________

To get things started, I'd like to rant about what is arguably the most expensive ele weapon out there,
Rago's Flame Staff!

The skin is non-unique!
The stats are replicable at a third of the sale value!

And "Enchantments Last 20% Longer" ???
What enchants does a Pyro use? Aura of Restoration + Fire Attunement?
Both of those last a minute (or more) Why am I to care for a few extra secs! The recharge is lower than the base duration for both of those enchants, and if I'm worried about interrupts, a 20% mod isn't gonna save me!
(same goes for those using dual attunements . . )

Permasiel · Dec 06, 2006, 09:20 AM // 09:20

Quote:

Other than simply stating your weapon set(s) I would also urge you guys to discuss weapons (specially the non ele ones as I have seen many ele's use sword/shields and have never understood why) . . .

First of all you do not use one weapon set. Four sets seems better, at the very least.

For your sword/shield question, the answer's easy. Using a wand compared to a sword only means you can do 11-21 dmg by wanding from a distance, at the cost of +30HP/+5 armor, etc on your sword.

For the shield:
Focus req 9 something : +12 energy, +30HP, +10 armor vs smth or 20% recharge
Shield req 9 something : 8 armor (if it's a max shield and you don't meet the req you get 8 armor), +30HP, +10 armor vs smth.

If your ele has 70+ energy, and you know how to manage your energy, having 12 less energy will not make a big difference. If you end up being low on energy, then you just focus switch to that focus. After all, you don't need that +12 energy until you actually don't have enough to cast your spells. On the other hand, you do need the increased armor while people are beating on you and you're taking damage. Having a shield on a set with a -5 energy / +30 HP set is also a great set to switch to when getting spiked.

The most used weapon sets are :

1. Sword + Focus (standard set)
+12 energy, +30 HP, +10 armor vs smth (focus)
+5 energy, +30HP or 20% enchants (sword)

total of +17 energy, +60HP, +10 armor vs specific
-> good set for when you're taking damage/pressure while you're doing your job (often used in pvp)

2. Wand + Focus (recharge set)
+12 energy, +30 HP, 20% recharge (focus)
+5>50 energy, 20% recharge (wand)

total of +17>50 energy, +30HP, 36% recharge
-> good set if you're taking a little less dmg/pressure (like if you're under aegis/wards or if the aggro is fine in pve)

3. Sword + Shield
armor +8 (shield is 16AL), HP+30, armor +10 vs specific (shield)
+5 energy, HP+30 or +5 armor (sword)

total of +5 energy, HP+60, armor +8, armor +10 vs specific
-> good set when facing high pressure

replacing that +5e sword with -5e gives you a good negative energy set, nice to take less dmg when facing surge, when ether prodigy ends, when using rebirth, etc.

Some cases require a 36% fast cast instead of 36% recharge, etc. Lots of people also like a 20/20 staff with +60 HP.

Obviously if your only enchants are attunements, you're only staying on your 20% enchants set when you're casting them, after which you switch back to another set.

Your focii/shield (armor+10 vs specific) also obviously have to be adjusted to the situation, which is where your game knowledge comes in. Like say you have a grenth dervish on you, obviously you switch to +10 vs cold shield, etc, etc.

Ensign · Dec 06, 2006, 10:06 AM // 10:06

The weapons I own for my ele / create for my PvP characters:

15/-5 / 20% recharge wand
15>50 / 20% recharge wand
+15/-1 / 20% recharge wand
20% recharge / +30 HP focus
5>50 / +30 HP focus
+15/-1 / +30 HP focus
15>50 / +60 HP staff
15>50 / +30 HP / 20% enchanting staff
15>50 / +5 armor / +30 HP staff
+5 energy / 20% enchanting sword
+5 energy / +30 HP axe
-5 energy / 20% enchanting sword
-5 energy / +30 HP axe
+30 HP / -2 while enchanted shield
+30 HP / +10 AL vs fire shield
+30 HP / +10 AL vs lightning shield
+30 HP / +10 AL vs cold shield
+30 HP / +10 AL vs earth shield
+30 HP / -20% cripple duration shield

Maybe a couple others but that's what I'm slotting 99% of the time.

Peace,
-CxE

Sophitia Leafblade · Dec 06, 2006, 10:11 AM // 10:11

I used to use the tryia collectors wands and offhands since they had the best bonus's of the time unless i u had alot of money to fork out for the rare staff mods. The 20%recharge and 20% cast time + another 20% (cant remember whihc of the 2 it was but it was one of them).

When the reduced cast time kicks in its great,especially when your playing as something like a nuker where alot of the skills require long cast times. Similamrly the reduced recharge comes in handy when uve got fast casting skills since u can cast them even quicker when teh recharge kicks in, like when playing as a air elementalist.

the +hp mods i never found particulary usful since uve normally to far out of the fray to need it, the enchant mod is handy for when using an earth ele in particular. but other than that is not essential anymore since the recharges on the old attunement enchants has been dropped drastically from the 60 sec recharges they used to be. There for i had no reason to get any of the Ele greens.

However eventually i decided that although these items where great the were beginning to become usurps by other weopons, namly the +1(20% chance) green staffs which had be released in Factions, the +1 mod is a very powerful tool and with a +5 energy mod on the staff it also allows more energy than my previous combo for the loss of 1 of the repetative 20% mods. Well that was for all my casters weopons aside from pryromancer Ele ofc which still to this day lacks a +1 fire green staff (probally becuse Anet thinks that one of this would be so popular it would have a huge price tag).

If i hadnt upgraded to these green weopons im sure that i would have upgraded the colllector wands to teh +5 energy ^50% wands since it stops the duplicate of the bonus (although the bonus did stack). I did happen to get one of these for my pyromancer since it lacks a +1 staff.

When Nightfall came out it offered even higher energy staffs, namly all the ones that provide a massive +20 energy, i had a good look at them but decided that infact despite the increase on energy it there arent as usful modded weopons. alot of them had + more hp too which again i found to be useful but not useful enough to be as effective as my current set up. However having said all this i did upgrade my Fire weopons to Exuros will; namely to reduced my already tight storage space although i dont find it as usful a weopon as my old setup doe to the lack of reduced cast times which is very handy on a Nuker. Ragos has this bonus and a + lengthening enchants however i cant afford this weopon. Given the opportuntie i would upgrade Exuros to Koosun's staff for teh cast time mod altough at the cost of lowering the energy provided or for Staff of teh forgotten for extra energy. Or if i ever get enough money to buya cheap Ragos i would upgrade to that as my current target weopon to have.

However if in the future there is a 20 recharge, 20 cast time, +30hp (or +5 energy) +1 Fire staff i would upgrade to taht so its matches all of my other weopons since i find this setup the most effective since it provides oftimal energy, with increased casts per min and will every now and again boost damage to 19 (when using glyph that raises attributes)

ok so to put that all simply my current weopons are:

Air:Kunvie's Air Staff

Earth:Arbor's Earth Staff

Fire: Exuros Will (wanting to get a betta one)

Water: Kaolin Water Staff

jacen110091 · Dec 06, 2006, 11:38 AM // 11:38

Permasiel thanx for clearing that up mate!
I'm gonna take your advice and get a +10 vs Fire inscription for a shield/focus for the Ring of Fire missions that I'm about to start with!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

15>50 / +60 HP staff
15>50 / +30 HP / 20% enchanting staff
15>50 / +5 armor / +30 HP staff

A 15^50 Staff?
Curious . .
As an ele isn't most of your damage spell-based?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophitia Leafblade

However eventually i decided that although these items where great the were beginning to become usurps by other weopons, namly the +1(20% chance) green staffs which had be released in Factions, the +1 mod is a very powerful tool and with a +5 energy mod on the staff it also allows more energy than my previous combo for the loss of 1 of the repetative 20% mods.

I had a +1 Pyro Staff . .
Had to buy the staff wrapping for 15k on guru, but they are much cheaper now with the availability of global +1 Wrappings...
I might try re-building that actually!

So that would work out as -

+30HP Head
+1 Fire Wrapping
either a HCT 20% or +5^50 energy inscription?

Can't you just use a +1 Artifact for that actually?
Lian's Lantern n' The Kindlerock are the first to come to mind . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophitia Leafblade

However if in the future there is a 20 recharge, 20 cast time, +30hp (or +5 energy) +1 Fire staff i would upgrade to taht

Can't you do that right now mate?

A Max HSR 20% collector NF Staff with -

Inscription - "Aptitude not Attitude" HCT 20%
Hale Staff Head +30HP |or| Insightful Staff Head +5 Energy
Staff Wrapping of Fire Magic +1 (20%)

Ensign · Dec 06, 2006, 12:14 PM // 12:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacen110091

A 15^50 Staff?
Curious . .
As an ele isn't most of your damage spell-based?

Nope. What mod are you going to use that's better?

Peace,
-CxE

DOCB22 · Dec 06, 2006, 12:27 PM // 12:27

In echo nuker or SF mode i uess

1.collector's fire Staff
Energy +10
Fire damage: 11-22 (req. 9 Fire Magic)
Halves casting time of Fire Magic spells (Chance: 20%)
Halves skill recharge of spells (Chance: 20%)
Energy +5
Enchantments last 20% longer
same as Rago's Flame Staff but a lot cheaper

my weapon switch is:

2.Koosun's Fire Staff
Energy +10
Fire damage: 11-22 (req. 9 Fire Magic)
Halves casting time of Fire Magic spells (Chance: 20%)
Halves skill recharge of Fire Magic spells (Chance: 20%)
Health +30
Health +30

3.req 8 +5 energy Dragon crest axe Enchantments last 20% longer
Chung's Focus
Energy +12 (req. 9 Energy Storage)
Health +45 (while enchanted)
Energy +15
Energy Regeneration -1

Sophitia Leafblade · Dec 06, 2006, 12:28 PM // 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

Nope. What mod are you going to use that's better?

Peace,
-CxE

well the +5 energy ^50% for a start

@ jacen
Yeah i could mod that staff myself but it requires alot of time, effort and/or money to get it together. But saying that if i did the mod together staffs i would probally put +5 energy instead of +30hp mods on (if there applicable that is). And yes i could use 2 items at the same time but unfortuanally im in serious storage space issues (since my Ele has already all the other weopons, helms and armour she holds) and so 1 staff would be betta than 1 items since it takes up less room in my inventory

jacen110091 · Dec 06, 2006, 02:29 PM // 14:29

Quote:

Ensign
Nope. What mod are you going to use that's better?

Sophitia Leafblade
well the +5 energy ^50% for a start

Or the HCT 20%
or the +5 energy w/ enchanted . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophitia Leafblade

And yes i could use 2 items at the same time but unfortuanally im in serious storage space issues (since my Ele has already all the other weopons, helms and armour she holds) and so 1 staff would be betta than 1 items since it takes up less room in my inventory

Well storage is indeed a potential problem, but if you're only using two-handed weapons, you can have the focus item as the off-hand for all your weapon sets (It'll not work ofcourse, but you can put it as an active inventory item) and thereby save that extra slot . .
(right?)

fgarvin · Dec 06, 2006, 04:24 PM // 16:24

I simply use a 20/20/20 Fire Staff, unless I has MS in my build, then I use the 20/20 Wand and 20/20 Offhand from Factions to get that rare, almost instant, MS cast.

XvArchonvX · Dec 06, 2006, 04:48 PM // 16:48

Yea, I've never understood the +15%^50 damage mod for an ele. I'd rather have a HCT mod anyday.

Personally, I've kept it pretty simple for my ele and just got a Sorrow's Furnace staff for each element. I may get a high energy set for when I get Ether Prism, but what I have has served me fine so far. I really only use my ele in PvE, so I don't think the weapon choice has been that crucial.

I've found that I generally prefer an insightful staff of enchanting with HCT and HSR 20/20 mods (such as Rago's). Extra energy almost always comes in handy and an enchant mod means I'm spending less time mid battle recasting enchants.

beanerman_99 · Dec 06, 2006, 07:46 PM // 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by fgarvin

I simply use a 20/20/20 Fire Staff, unless I has MS in my build, then I use the 20/20 Wand and 20/20 Offhand from Factions to get that rare, almost instant, MS cast.

I use pretty much what you use. But whenever I have the wand and focus equipped it seems I never get that instant cast. Someone in a PUG said that the mods of faster casting and faster recharge did not stack so it was pointless to use them both. Is this true? Cause I thought I had a pretty good, cheap setup but if its not working the way I thought I need to rethink it. The only other thing I use is the Tyria desert collector (or was he outside Thunderhead?) Fire Staff with some added mods.

Ensign · Dec 06, 2006, 10:34 PM // 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sophitia Leafblade

well the +5 energy ^50% for a start

I think that mod is trash on an Ele. The only classes that have any business using it are Mesmers and Necromancers, really. Higher max energy capacity, who cares?

The fast cast mods are pretty marginal much of the time, making fast spells even faster, which isn't bad but isn't exactly exciting either. The slower spells I cast I'm very often trying to time, making the fast cast mod actively undesirable. There are a couple spells that I wouldn't mind it triggering on (Heal Party, Deep Freeze) but that's really it, and I'm not going to take the mod just for a chance of making one spell better.

If I'm not going to be wanding at all, I'm not going to be wielding a wand unless I'm getting a lot of milage out of recharge mods. Otherwise, I'm using a weapon + shield or weapon + focus as much as possible.

So yes, all of my wands and staves are 15>50 or 15/-5, because I think all the other mods are trash, and wanding things down for a bit more damage is useful.

Peace,
-CxE

Thom Bangalter · Dec 06, 2006, 10:43 PM // 22:43

Here's what I have on my pve ele, whom I use in my four weapon slots the majority of the time:

+5 energy 20% enchanting sword/focii halves recharge 20% health +30
+5 energy 20% enchanting sword/shield reduce cripple 20% health +30
+15/-1 halves skill recharge wand/+15/-1 health +30.
+5 energy 20% enchanting sword/+10 vs (damage source) health +30.

I find the last weapon slot fairly marginal, so I'll change my shield for the occasion.

Ensign already dominated this thread, so I don't feel I can add anything else, but I do like the 15^50 wand idea, I may pick up a staff with that on it. A -3/health +60 while hexed shield is another handy thing to have in your inventory.

From my personal experience, I've also found -5 energy mods fairly marginal on an elementalist. Rarely will I need to hide my energy, and If I do, I think hiding 12 is good enough for me with proper focus swapping. So I opt for a 10% halves skill recharge mod on my axe.

Ensign · Dec 07, 2006, 02:33 AM // 02:33

It's not for hiding energy from edenial, it's hiding energy from your own Ether Prodigy.

Peace,
-CxE

Guillaume De Sonoma · Dec 07, 2006, 02:43 AM // 02:43

When I ele and have extinguish on my bar I always take a 36/32? (don't know the exact number) prot spell recharge/fast cast. This only became prominent with KGYU pressure builds.

Thom Bangalter · Dec 07, 2006, 03:09 AM // 03:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

It's not for hiding energy from edenial, it's hiding energy from your own Ether Prodigy.

Peace,
-CxE

I know. I've been e-denied before though, and generally I'm riding prodigy so low that it's not too terribly problematic.

again, hiding 12 for e-prodigy hits is good enough for me, and I'd rather hit a hsr bonus than hide 5 more energy on an ele.

xDusT II · Dec 07, 2006, 05:02 AM // 05:02

For general purpose I'm using a Spirit of the Forgotten (End Game NF Spear) and a collectors flame artifact

Spirit of the Forgotten
Req 9 Spear Mastery
Lightning Damage
Enchant 20%
Energy + 5

and a 20/20 focus of desired attribute.

- Tain - · Dec 07, 2006, 04:21 PM // 16:21

To start off with, this char is PvE-only.. I load a new one for any PvP action. Also, as a PvE char I go for looks almost as much as functionality. Note, I use spears rather than swords; same mods, ranged ftw. Set 1 is my primary use set, 2 is a +energy boost (rarely need of course, but it happens), 3 is -energy for rebirthing (I don't use E. Prod in PvE).That being said, here it is:

1)
Fiery Brass Spear of Enchanting
max, gold, req 9
+5 energy, 20% enchants

Flame Artifact of Aptitude
max, gold, req 9, black dyed
+1 Fire 20%, 20% HSR Fire

2)
Blazing Wing Wand of Memory
max, gold req 9, black dyed
+15 energy/-1 regen, 20% HSR Fire

Fire Prism of Aptitude
max, gold, req 9, black dyed
+15 energy/-1 regen, 20% HCT Fire

3)
Fiery Brass Spear of Defense
max, gold, req 9
+15%/-5 energy, +5 armor

Protective Icon of Aptitude
+3 energy, gold, no req
+5 armor/-5 energy, 20% HCT Prot

Maybe not ideal but definitely funtional, and better than most.
And, most importantly, undeniably sexy