Curse

cr00mz · Dec 12, 2011, 10:48 PM // 22:48

I tried searching for threads about Water magic, and most of them are some years old, so i might as well ask.

How is Water Magic, in PvE? I've been using Fire/Earth like forever, just a few months ago i tried Air. I've had my elementalist for almost 4 years and i have never touched water.

If i played a water elementalist what would i be doing in PvE? Slowing the enemies for the rest of my team?

How effective would it be if i played Water, and have a team of AoE elementalist heroes?

wilebill · Dec 13, 2011, 01:05 AM // 01:05

Rarely use water these days. The Trident is ok for a spammable skill. The other stuff, meh. Air/Water can provide nice armor, though.

In HM, ele AoE has never impressed me. Today doing a vanquish I took along Sousuke running a build designed to allow spamming Searing Flames. Everything was on fire, but otherwise searing flames did not do jack be dingle.

Would like to see a good water build for PvE if anyone has one.

ultimak719 · Dec 13, 2011, 01:26 AM // 01:26

Well, they are remaking Water Magic soon, so it isn't really worth throwing something together and getting it nice and tested, but as a quick theorycraft...

Elementalist / Mesmer
Water Magic = 12 + 1 + 2

Energy Storage = 10 + 1

Inspiration Magic = 8

Ward Against Harm
Blurred Vision
Maelstrom
Ice Spikes
Vapor Blade
Water Attunement
Waste Not, Want Not
Leech Signet

Wenspire · Dec 13, 2011, 02:10 AM // 02:10

Water is a tough line to play with in PvE. Damage is fairly low, cast times are high and spells are mostly high EN costing. From all the years I have played, I have only been able to come up with one water build that I was somewhat happy with playing in PvE. I'm hoping that the new update to Ele skills will change that.

Chthon · Dec 13, 2011, 05:37 AM // 05:37

As others have already noted:
1. Presently, water magic is flat out awful for PvE.
2. There's a planned update that will make it not awful, and maybe even good.

Zenzai · Dec 13, 2011, 06:53 AM // 06:53

After Christmas, the entire Elementalists are getting a complete overhaul. Eles pretty much suck at their main purpose right now. Most ice magic as, of now, are mostly just costly snares. Really not worth using in PVE. When the update goes live, I'm sure people will find a more viable use.

cr00mz · Dec 13, 2011, 11:04 AM // 11:04

If it really is that crap, i might as well stick with Air for a little while longer.

WarcryOfTruth · Dec 13, 2011, 02:53 PM // 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenzai

After Christmas, the entire Elementalists are getting a complete overhaul. Eles pretty much suck at their main purpose right now. Most ice magic as, of now, are mostly just costly snares. Really not worth using in PVE. When the update goes live, I'm sure people will find a more viable use.

Complete overhaul? I thought they were just reducing foe armor to normal levels, and just buffing their HP in Hard Mode significantly to compensate? That would make more sense

Quaker · Dec 13, 2011, 04:12 PM // 16:12

I ran Water on my Ele for a long while before switching to Air last year. I'm always in favour of playing whatever you find interesting or fun, so I don't worry too much about the relatively minor differences in effectiveness. Some people seem to forget the idea of 'fun'.

The best thing I liked with the Water Ele was the slow-downs. They would help to keep the enemies balled up (until the MM's minions got to them), slowed down enemies that were chasing the squishes, and there were enough damage skills like Water Trident, Glowing Ice, Shard Storm, etc, to keep him busy. Of course, like so many 'builds' these days, my Water Ele build uses some PvE skills which tends to make things more 'universal'.

I switched to Air around the time that they 'nerfed' Ebon Dust Aura (Dervish skill) to make it only melee. Until then, I had a great Ranger EDA/Volley (hero) build to blind the enemies. Now I use an Air ele (Hero and Human) to do blinding plus spike damage.

Basically though, I very seldom play Ele any more, but the Ele Hero is part of my default 7-hero team. What little I play these days is spread between Ranger, Ritualist, and Mesmer.

zelgadissan · Dec 13, 2011, 04:17 PM // 16:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarcryOfTruth

Complete overhaul? I thought they were just reducing foe armor to normal levels, and just buffing their HP in Hard Mode significantly to compensate? That would make more sense

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...7&postcount=22

This post was confirmed by Regina later in the thread to be accurate.

Wielder Of Magic · Dec 14, 2011, 09:43 AM // 09:43

Water magic isnt really viable outside of a few select zones ( catacombs of kathandrax for example).

Ofcourse, in the current state of pve you can run anything and get away with it, but fire/earth/air will outperform water in both damage and utility.

Fire is still the massive AOE blow stuff to oblivion and burning line.

Earth has decent AoE and can support with wards, weakness and blind.

Air has the decent spike damage and AOE of invoke+chain, and can support with cracked armor ( and to a lesser extent blind).

What does water possibly have to offer?

The answer is: not that much.
Water does not have a lot of AoE, and most of them are so costly its usually not worth bringing them.
The only combo worth considering water magic for is when you will face many balled casters, and combine deep freeze with maelstrom.
Then again, why rupt when you can kill?

Water elites aren't that great in pve either.
Single target never did the trick.
Only semi-useful elite is Ward against Harm when facing heavy fire damage.
But since most people run imbagon/ER prot/ST to migitate damage, that elite isnt that useful either.

bhavv · Dec 28, 2011, 02:53 PM // 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelgadissan

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...7&postcount=22

This post was confirmed by Regina later in the thread to be accurate.

Nice, I cant wait.

Coast · Dec 28, 2011, 04:20 PM // 16:20

shatterstone will be great for pve

i Valinor · Jul 16, 2012, 09:43 PM // 21:43

water is about control,

Keep mobs grouped up and slowed so your AoE heroes or party members can really do some damage.

Although with so many areas and mixes of targets and the AI behaving differently from expansion to expansion, its doable.

Skills have change alot of the years but i used to run a master of magic water/air build that was pretty fun, and packed a bunch with good utility.