Curse

Shifty Geezer · Jul 16, 2005, 02:09 PM // 14:09

I'm a level 15 PvE only kinda guy whose just reached the Gates of Kryta. I keep getting new spells, and I keep deciding they don't seem any good

A lot of non-fire spells do stuff like Blind or Slow, but at higher energy costs and lower damage by a LOT than fire. I think of maybe sometimes using defensive spells, but then what am I supposed to attack with? My wand?! I've monk skills to and I've got a fair bit invested in those. At the moment me and the other memebers of [OOPS] can handle ourselves pretty well, and the area of effect damage from Fire is very good. I can't see that any benefit will be had by losing that AOE damage and replacing it with 'knock down and enemy' or 'blind them for 2 seconds' and whatnot.

When did the rest of you Elementalists ditch Fire as your primary spell class in PvE and stop spamming monsters with Flare?

At the moment my skills are...

Air 0
Earth 2 (with +1 bonus)
Fire 8 (with +1 bonus)
Water 0
Energy 8 (with +1 bonus)
Healing 7
Smiting 0
Protection 4

And I've 27 spells

Algren Cole · Jul 16, 2005, 02:11 PM // 14:11

'Knock down an enemy" stops casters from casting....'blind them for 2 seconds' can pull your monk out of a jam if he's being attacked.

the sooner you realize that you are a support character and not a damage dealer/tank you'll start to recognize the use of the other skills.

TGgold · Jul 16, 2005, 02:19 PM // 14:19

I think fire in earlier PvE is better. Not as good in PvP. I stopped using fire after the mergoyles and undead in kryta. I only used it then cause it was super effective against them ^_^

generik · Jul 16, 2005, 02:22 PM // 14:22

Why not go for water magic? I remember this ele... the one who did ettin farming off beetletun

She did seem to weld her water magic pretty decently. Besides if you can do that you'd really gain the respect of many... good hydromancers are truly rare. What's more, you can smoke.. erm.. drench mobs in Ring of Fire, without Winter!

And last but not least, Superior water rune is *cheap*, dirty cheap.

Do not unestimate water though, try fighting a bunch of inferno imps, vs a bunch of ice imps, and tell me which you find more irritating

Galatea · Jul 16, 2005, 03:12 PM // 15:12

For PvE, I stuck with fire for about 90% of the game.. I switched to water for the Ring of Fire missions, because it seemed to hurt them more & I needed a change, but fire is still my favorite for PvE (even if you're fighting stuff like fire imps, heh), because of it's AOE damage (the PvE monsters don't really run out of them, unlike in PvP where players do), and strong skills for small amounts of energy.

EternalTempest · Jul 16, 2005, 03:19 PM // 15:19

I stayed with fire for the entire game, looking at other types for change of pace better PVP. I was looking at earth but now leaning towards water.

Winterclaw · Jul 16, 2005, 04:03 PM // 16:03

My elementalist, whom I play rarely (working on my Me/Mo healer now), is phasing out her fire spells. As soon as I can get my hands on more ice and air spells, the quicker it'll happen. Flare won't be gone though until I can get ice spear.

I think my W/E switched over to air and ice by yaks I think... maybe a little earlier.

Aetherfukz · Jul 16, 2005, 05:44 PM // 17:44

I switchted my El/Mo from fire to water at around ascention, because by then I had some nice water spells too. And water, if used correctly is really nice. It's got snares, defensive buffs (the elite mist form rocks completely, especially for farming together with smiting) and some nice offensive spells too.

dansamy · Jul 16, 2005, 06:09 PM // 18:09

For PvE, I still use fire. Especially in UW/FoW runs where the tanks can hold aggro on several and I can set them on fire. For PvP, I am experimenting.

Red Locust · Jul 16, 2005, 06:30 PM // 18:30

Fire is the best for PvE. Mass AoE damage and mobs never get out of the area if you have tanks keeping them there. Eles are not support characters. They are the heavy artillery, sitting in the back nuking everything to hell. Meteor shower, fireball and some firestorm, and you can clear out any mass of enemies in very little time.

The Great Al · Jul 16, 2005, 06:49 PM // 18:49

dont stop using fire at kryta - its extremely useful once u get to the southern shiverpeaks...i stopped right after that, which is basically when i started pvp..ring of fire missions, etc - fire and air both work fine

Joseph Fallen · Jul 16, 2005, 06:58 PM // 18:58

Honestly, if you max Fire and Energy and forego your secondary profession, you can walk through this game with fire magic.

Mariena Feladon · Jul 16, 2005, 06:59 PM // 18:59

I've recently started a Water Ele. Although it's pretty tough in the beginning and you have to rely on Fire and your secondary profession, later on it's more fun.

Though I admit I switched to fire when I reached the shiverpeaks. Fighting Ice Golems with Frozen Burst isn't gonna work.

I'm use Water Magic mainly because I want to be original and I like cold.

TheGreatBoo · Jul 16, 2005, 07:14 PM // 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shifty Geezer

A lot of non-fire spells do stuff like Blind or Slow, but at higher energy costs and lower damage by a LOT than fire.

On the contrary. I have a level 20 E/Me air nuker, and I've taken down many fire nukers by just raw power. On a few occasions, you will find a fire spell that costs more than an air spell, but typically the air spell brings along a nice little condition with it. The highest spell that I equip, is lightning orb, its a 15 cost spell that does 106 dmg, plus 25% armor penetration, as opposed to fireball, which I think can do 106, with splash. Dono about the cost. Also, fires stronger skills bring along exhaustion. And common belief is that air does not have aoe. This is false. Air does have aoe, but not as many skills as fire. However, that nice armor penetration bonus adds up.

All the elements have their strengths and weaknesses, air is the best for single target smackdown, while fire is good for pve, and multiple target pvp. Earth and water are great for pvp, but they aren't as good as air and fire in the damage department, they're more technical.

I started my ele as an air nuker, and finished as one. I never changed from one element to the other.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph Fallen

Honestly, if you max Fire and Energy and forego your secondary profession, you can walk through this game with fire magic.

I combined my ele with mesmer for their energy boosting capabilities. The more energy and energy recovery, the more overcharged nukes.

Spike · Jul 16, 2005, 07:20 PM // 19:20

Stick with fire its the BEST for pve. No contest. Don't know or care about pvp. Wow so you can do 106 damage to ONE traget I can do that to SEVERAL AT ONCE.

john little · Jul 16, 2005, 08:53 PM // 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by generik

Why not go for water magic? I remember this ele... the one who did ettin farming off beetletun

you can farm ettins off beetletun easily with fire... (ward against melee, meteor storm, fire storm, healing breeze, meteor, pick up loot), but apparently there are ettin 'death squads' there now so i'll have to see whether i can still farm there...

The Great Al · Jul 16, 2005, 08:54 PM // 20:54

although at first i enjoyed it, being an elementalist does get boring after a while

john little · Jul 16, 2005, 08:56 PM // 20:56

you can just change element though, i'm experrimenting with a geomancer in pvp at the moment..

Ollj · Jul 16, 2005, 09:54 PM // 21:54

you stop using fire/sword/domination as soon as you notice this game is not about max damage!

Sekkira · Jul 16, 2005, 10:15 PM // 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollj

you stop using fire/sword/domination as soon as you notice this game is not about max damage!

Parts of it are.