Curse

Windseeker · Mar 06, 2007, 12:10 PM // 12:10

Hi there, just looking for a little advice, and I think this is the right place for it

Little background.. I came back to guildwars after a good 6 or 7 months off. Before I left I was just getting started in TA with a nice 4 man team of friends, but alot of IRL stuff happened (god damned army callups) and we all gave it a break.

Anyways, when i left, i mostly played Air Elementalist Builds in Ra and in Ta with my buds. When i came back, i spent a good week in RA playing with my ele and learning the ropes again. Last night, I figured after a good bunch of long winning streaks, i figured i'd like to have another crack at TA.

This is my build i was planning to use:

Lightning Strike
Lightning Hammer
Blinding Flash
Enervating Charge
Shock
Air Attunement
Elemental Attunement (e)
Ressurection Signet

I bring the strike and hammer for assisting people on killing stuff. flash and charge are the skills i spam mostly, alot of people in RA don't seem to know what to do when they get blinded i guess. the attunements are for endless blind spamming ( i understand GoLE is probably a better choice and frees up my elite slot, but i havn't had a chance to play with it much since reading up on the subject). The slot shock occupies is generally a filler, i'v been using shock there just to help interrupt monks in those annoying stalemate games where no ones getting killed, the knockdown at a timely moment is nice.

Now, when I went to find myself a TA team, I blanked. I spent a good 2 hours trying to get myself into a team, and got told left right and centre I couldn't play my blind build without Blinding Surge. Every single time i showed people my build, they laughed.

Now, I'm not a bad player. Inexperienced for sure, but I'm fast at picking things up and I'm not stupid

Which brings me to the help I was asking for. Any insight on my build is appreciated, of course. What I was wondering is why has this style of build fallen from grace so hard? When I left, my ele was welcomed with open arms in lots of teams. Maybe I was just unlucky, or maybe my build is horribily flawed for the current Ta game. I don't know, I havn't been around. Any help would be appreciated.

Also, I wasn't sure whether this went here or in the Ele forum. Apologies if it's in the wrong place.

Bastian · Mar 06, 2007, 01:38 PM // 13:38

I still love air ele's. The ability to go both defensive (blinding flash/surge) and offensive (helping with spikes) makes it a great tool imo. Usually there is room as well for the occassional draw condition, heal party, or aegis.

One of the reasons you may be seeing a lack of enthusiasm for air ele's is because from a purely damage standpoint - ritualists are bringing a lot of heat. However, their nerf is impending. Also, fire is being played quite a bit lately. People love AoE damage (although for TA, I would rather be able to spike people).

The only thing I would change on your bar is shock for gale.

Agyar · Mar 06, 2007, 01:45 PM // 13:45

Air ele's are great in TA because they can provide an effective anti-melee measure, some assistance damage and some other support (as can any ele). Being able to fit things like convert hexes or purge conditions on an ele gives the monk the support they need to keep everyone up and clean.

bungusmaximus · Mar 06, 2007, 01:46 PM // 13:46

I would take a fast casting mesmer with some air skills rather then an ele in TA. Reason: TA gameplay is very fast-paced, by the time you have 2 attunements up half your team can be dead. Attunements are interrupt fodder, so is lightning hammer due to the long casting times. In TA I would like a character that can keep moving all the time while doing it's thing. That's just my two cents, but I tried the same as you actually: to run an air ele in TA. I didn't like it. Too many mesmers around anyway. Especially when the most powerful condition in the build, blind, can be achieved through other means too.

Bastian · Mar 06, 2007, 02:01 PM // 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by bungusmaximus

Especially when the most powerful condition in the build, blind, can be achieved through other means too.

True. But, are there any better ways to shut down an assassin spiking or an adrenaline spike besides B-Surge or B-Flash? Those two skills, when played right, and reduce an insane amount of damage for your team.

Windseeker · Mar 06, 2007, 03:31 PM // 15:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bastian

People love AoE damage...
The only thing I would change on your bar is shock for gale.

Yeah, I think i'll probably put gale on instead of shock. i guess the range is better, and the energy cost is irrelevant considering that i don't wanna be spamming it.

As a side note, its shocking for me to see fire ele's be so popular (not a bad thing mind). When i first started PVPing, i tried fire (i did the pve campaign as fire) and people just laughed ^^.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bungusmaximus

I would take a fast casting mesmer with some air skills rather then an ele in TA. Reason: TA gameplay is very fast-paced, by the time you have 2 attunements up half your team can be dead. Attunements are interrupt fodder, so is lightning hammer due to the long casting times. In TA I would like a character that can keep moving all the time while doing it's thing. That's just my two cents, but I tried the same as you actually: to run an air ele in TA. I didn't like it. Too many mesmers around anyway. Especially when the most powerful condition in the build, blind, can be achieved through other means too.

If a mesmer can provide a nice spike as my ele can, i'd like to give this a g too, although i havn't had much experience at all with playing a mesmer. could you give me an example to test out as a comparison to my air build?

and last but not least.. alot of people prefer me to take blinding surge over blinding flash. after trying both, i kinda prefer using flash, it doesnt take up an elite slot, and does pretty much the same thing. the aoe blind happens once in a blue moon, and i like freeing up the elite slot for other things. is there a defining answer as to why surge is preferred? or is it simply because its cheaper?

Thanks for your input guys, appreciated.

Bastian · Mar 06, 2007, 03:46 PM // 15:46

Hey, you forgot to change the quote name. Without being too offensive, I personally think FC Air is dumb and outdated. Didn't want people reading that and thinking I said it, cause I would rather have what you are running.

EDIT:

I think I like having the dual attunements instead of B-Surge. It allows you a bit better e-management with hammer. As for having attunements interupted or people dying b-4 you use them - basic tactics ftw?

moko · Mar 06, 2007, 04:18 PM // 16:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bastian

True. But, are there any better ways to shut down an assassin spiking or an adrenaline spike besides B-Surge or B-Flash?

to make it short; yes. there are better blinding versions than elementalists (or the old FC mesmers) in TA right now.

eles are rather useless in the current TA meta, imo.

Patrick Smit · Mar 06, 2007, 04:24 PM // 16:24

gale, blinding surge, spirit of failure, and your good to go for energy. I still like some diversion, and interupts can be stopped using mantra of resolve. On top of diversion I still put some wastrels, and that can also be used to break hexbreaker. Leaves one for res, and one slot for e management i say GolE.

Divineshadows · Mar 06, 2007, 04:42 PM // 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mokone

eles are rather useless in the current TA meta, imo.

The nerf to gale is what hurt air eles in the TA meta so much. If I were going to bring an air ele into my TA team I would want blinding surge, air attunement, glyph of lesser energy, and blinding flash as the base 4 skills and work from there. Still, there are more efficient options.

Bastian · Mar 06, 2007, 04:51 PM // 16:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mokone

to make it short; yes. there are better blinding versions than elementalists (or the old FC mesmers) in TA right now.

eles are rather useless in the current TA meta, imo.

Not trying to be argumentative, but what is a better?

I have seen quite a few teams run mesmers with Expel Hexes, so Blurred visions isn't all that great. Especially considering you have 15 secs for it to recharge if it gets removed quickly.

Yes, I would agree there is quite a bit of melee shutdown in TA right now that may be better than blinding. In GvG I really like a water ele over the air eles for anti-melee when needed. But as far as catching an assassin or warrior unloading their bar on someone, I still think an air ele is going to reign supreme at being able to "catch" the spike quickly.

However, I would agree that eles may not be the best option for TA right now. I would say that out of the the 3 attribute lines, I would prefer air in TA over any other at the moment - if I was forced to bring one.

Windseeker · Mar 06, 2007, 04:51 PM // 16:51

Apologies Bastian, fixed my post.

@ the attunements
i don't find myself being interupted whilst using them (ie i dont stand in front of rangers whilst doing it

) its just people stripping them off becomes a problem if they notice you.

@Mokone
i already figured something like this. that's why i posted

what are the better blinding builds, and why are they so much better in TA at the moment? a blanket statement such as saying eles are useless needs a little info for new guys like myself to believe it, especially considering nowhere else here seems to hint at this.

@patrick
why surge over flash? spirit of failure looks awesome for a blindbot, but you'd be screwed against the players who can remove it, who are the ones you most want the energy to spam it on, so i'm not sure about that. on top of the fact, it seems to me that people remove stuff from their own team (SoF is a hex) more than removing enchantments from their enemies (my attunements).

apologies, i'v no idea which wastrels you mean(i use wiki to look stuff up people mention if i dont know what it is hehe).

mantra of resolve looks nice for getting attunements back up, but i dont see why you would use this and then sub an enchantment out for Gole?

anways, thanks again for your input

edit: @divineshadows
why would you bring 2 blinds (just wondering)? is this to prevent one being shut down?

Thanks

Patrick Smit · Mar 06, 2007, 05:09 PM // 17:09

Blinding Surge blinds all adjacent to target as well, and is a tad cheaper. Removal of nonharmfull hexes is less of a problem, but u can put them on again without much problem, the recharge is ok and u can use the glyph as well. I like the glyph as it can be used for all spells, unlike attunements. Attunements can be shattered, and that hurts. So if i can manage without enchantments (that have long recharge) then i'm all in favor. I play this ion a mesmer though, but i guess some of the options could work either way.

I use Wastrels worry, a single hex removal from other then the target will remove wastrel worry. double clicking Holy Veil will remove wastrels worry, casting veil as it was not up inactivates wastrels worry, but then it gets diverted. U would need convert hexes/purge signet/expel hexes/or divcert hexes.. Though thats a bit of a waste and slow on diversion, best therefore is to sit it out and take the 60-70 damage, unless u must cast.

I use mantra due the slow cast of both diversion and spirit of failure. it will cost me some energy, but it will cheap compared to mesmer interupts, and at par or slightly more expensive then ranger interupts.

I dont know about current hex removal meta, but if its a problem u can always take one character that can cover them with other nasty stuff. And keep in mind that they have to do other stuff then removing hexes as well. Its not a particular nasty hex, so people will be less inclined to remove it, but maybe im assuming that wrong.

moko · Mar 06, 2007, 05:18 PM // 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windseeker

edit: @divineshadows
why would you bring 2 blinds (just wondering)? is this to prevent one being shut down?

the reason flash and surge is needed for an ele to blind properly is because of the huge amount of melees aorund. many teams consider of 2 assasins, and you want to blind them when they spike at the same time, instead of waiting for the recharge in which one of the assasins will have the spike out.

Quote:

The nerf to gale is what hurt air eles in the TA meta so much.

yes. gale often messed me over if a smart player got to use it. now its just a minor treat.

Quote:

Not trying to be argumentative, but what is a better?

EDA is the new meta of decent blinding. Dervs can be fine, rangers if you want additional interrupt, and paragons are leet range blinders. :P

Windseeker · Mar 06, 2007, 05:25 PM // 17:25

@mokone
What is EDA? and how has Gale changed?

For the situations where two sins are trying to spike someone, i blind one and enervating charge (for the weakness) the other. normally kicks enough juice out of melee characters, although thinking about it i guess this is why surge is better (if it hits both).

on top of the fact bringing a 2nd blind means dropping one of my damage skills, which stops the build helping spike things, i think. i'll give it a go anyway

moko · Mar 06, 2007, 06:20 PM // 18:20

gale is now a 2 second KD instead of the previous 3 sec.

[skill]Ebon Dust Aura[/skill]

funny little thing, very effective if you know how, but can be countered by enchant removal (smart people will cover, however) amd is in some ways vulnerable to blind as well (not counting a D/Rt with [skill]Sight Beyond Sight[/skill]+[skill]Extend Enchantments[/skill])

im not sure on weakness but..i think it only affects normal attacks and not the attack skills, meaning it doesnt really work on assasins at all. so youll reduce their already low damage to something lower while their combo is not affected..im not sure tho, i just dont have good experience with weakened sins. :I

Windseeker · Mar 07, 2007, 08:57 AM // 08:57

that Ebon Dust Aura, couldn't you use that with an earth wand? would be alot faster to spam wand and tab target stuff that casting surge or flash

will play around more tonight.. thanks for the info

Riotgear · Mar 07, 2007, 09:27 AM // 09:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windseeker

that Ebon Dust Aura, couldn't you use that with an earth wand? would be alot faster to spam wand and tab target stuff that casting surge or flash

Ebon Dust Aura triggers on attack SKILLS, regular attacks don't trigger it.

Windseeker · Mar 07, 2007, 12:09 PM // 12:09

ahh misread it, apologies.