Curse

TryingToVanquish · Jun 04, 2009, 05:10 AM // 05:10

I searched this forum but the search function doesn't allow less than 4 words so I can't find much of it for air.

I been wanting to try out air build for a long time but I wasn't sure if it's any effective. I been running AP with PvE skill for so long so I didn't feel like I was even playing a ele. I have a few question regarding air elementalist in HM.

1. Is it effective running [blinding surge] for general HM pve?
2. Gale has exhaustion but is it still worth taking for the 2 sec KD?
3. Is whirlwind worth it? I don't see much people running this but it seems to be decent.

Zodiac Meteor · Jun 04, 2009, 05:44 AM // 05:44

1) Blind + HM = win, they can't kill what they can't hit. Same thing with Daze.
2) No, WTB "You move like a dwarf!"
3) It's really weak, as it only hits adjacent foes for weak damage. Unless your going to go terratank, leave it.

TryingToVanquish · Jun 04, 2009, 05:51 AM // 05:51

I see, thanks for the quick reply. I changed my build and it looks something like this now:

Blinding surge
Enervating charge
Shell shock
Epidemic
Shock arrow
*optional
Elemental lord
Air attunement

Fril Estelin · Jun 04, 2009, 06:02 AM // 06:02

I usually bring Mindbender to improve DPS and get IMS at the same time, Shock Arrow like you for energy management, Invoke Lighting+Attun. For areas with party of 4, an Asura summon like the Ice Imp was useful, but not absolutely necessary.

TryingToVanquish · Jun 04, 2009, 06:09 AM // 06:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fril Estelin

I usually bring Mindbender to improve DPS and get IMS at the same time, Shock Arrow like you for energy management, Invoke Lighting+Attun. For areas with party of 4, an Asura summon like the Ice Imp was useful, but not absolutely necessary.

Invoke lightning? Would that be alright to run in HM pve(in terms of efficiency)? Maybe I could switch blinding surge for blinding flash if I do that. How is it working for you?

tmakinen · Jun 04, 2009, 06:18 AM // 06:18

In terms of efficiency, there are rather few decent options for an ele outside various PvE skill abuse builds, and Vekk does a good job with a basic PvE air conditioner build anyway. However, if you want to take that slot yourself, I would recommend going E/N and taking Enfeebling Blood instead of Enervating Charge.

Elephantaliste · Jun 04, 2009, 06:52 AM // 06:52

you can still play AP and feel playing an ele if you bring functionnalities other prof can't bring.
If you want to blind mobs eruption is an excellent choice.
You can bring some wards like ward of stability/against the element (generally not against melee if you bring eruption).
Or you can just play some UG builds and quite good results.
IMHO air is one of magic you won't be the most effective as ele. That said, people gave you good advices.
And to answer you can change bsurge for blinding flash depending of number of melee foes you expect to shutdown. You can play Invoke Lightening for a change if want it, it doesn't matter. Since you can hardly be as effective as pve skills spamming, so just play what you have fun with and/or novelties.

[Morkai] · Jun 04, 2009, 10:16 AM // 10:16

When playing Ele, my bar is usually something along these lines:

Blinding Surge
Shell Shock
Shock Arrow
Glyph Of Lesser Energy
Finish Him!
Air Attunement
Mindbender/Pain Inverter
Death Pact Signet

Blind works amazingly well in HM.

elypta · Jun 04, 2009, 01:26 PM // 13:26

Yh, Blinding surge does wonders in HM, the build above me, morkai's does the job pretty gd but i would exchange the glyph for something support like like splinter or an other PvE skill

smilingscar · Jun 04, 2009, 01:28 PM // 13:28

why shell shock instead of lightning orb? Just curious, everyone seems to prefer it.

Xenomortis · Jun 04, 2009, 01:47 PM // 13:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by smilingscar

why shell shock instead of lightning orb? Just curious, everyone seems to prefer it.

Quicker cast time, lower cost, line of sight not required and it cannot miss.

Hugh Manatee · Jun 04, 2009, 03:21 PM // 15:21

I like air VS the things that are weak to the lightbringer title. Margonites go boom....

sonofthort · Jun 04, 2009, 04:46 PM // 16:46

I noticed nobody pointed out the obvious, that air is not for aoe, but better for single target damage, which it is nice to have somebody in a group who has good single target damage, but usually fire ele's are the best for pve, and can still do great with single target damage with a searing flame build. I guess if all you want to do is blind, then air makes sense, but if u ask me ele's should kill stuff, and if you want to function more as party support, why not just be a monk or a rit, or an imbagon. Otherwise, go fire magic.

Masmar · Jun 04, 2009, 05:04 PM // 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonofthort

I noticed nobody pointed out the obvious, that air is not for aoe, but better for single target damage, which it is nice to have somebody in a group who has good single target damage, but usually fire ele's are the best for pve, and can still do great with single target damage with a searing flame build. I guess if all you want to do is blind, then air makes sense, but if u ask me ele's should kill stuff, and if you want to function more as party support, why not just be a monk or a rit, or an imbagon. Otherwise, go fire magic.

Fire damage is reduced significantly by HM armour, Air does armour penetration

Fril Estelin · Jun 04, 2009, 05:13 PM // 17:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonofthort

if u ask me ele's should kill stuff

That's what Hydras thought and they were wrong, this week in particular

.

Eles have 4 elements for a good reason, Earth in particular is very much for support (and tanking), Water also via snares (but some good damage, ty Imps!).

Now that I think about this thread, I may want to try a team of 4 Air eles in HM. Anyone tested that?

Fireblaster · Jun 04, 2009, 07:32 PM // 19:32

For what do you need 4 air eles?

They don't do much damage. 25% armor preneration doesn't make air eles to big DD's.
Blinding stuff is the only the thing air eles are good at. The damage isn't very high and necros can spread weakness and cracked armor much better.

sonofthort · Jun 05, 2009, 02:01 AM // 02:01

This is what i see an air ele doing in a group. They don't have good aoe, so they wont really be helping to kill mobs, so they are gonna focus on keeping stuff blinded, and providing damage to single targets, like a warrior enemy who made his way to the back line. In this sense, I would consider an air ele to function more as support for the back line than as a significant source of damage. Does a group need an air ele? Could be nice to have an ele that stays back and blinds monsters who go after the squishies, and provide good single target damage to those foes or other annoying foes like monks. Only thing is most groups aren't looking for an air ele, they want a fire ele if they want ele's at all (roj usually prefered over nukers anyways, meteor shower can still be nice cus of the knockdowns). If a group wants somebody to protect them, then a good prot monk is the solution, or an imbagon. If a group wants somebody with good single target damage, well, usually they don't, cus most ppl in the group can do good single target damage anyways. And fire is not that bad in HM, sure the damage is reduced alot, but u can spam that damage along with burning, amounting to alot of damage over time. I'm not saying air ele's have no place in pve, I'm saying for most type of groups they aren't really needed. That shouldn't stop you however from being creative and coming up with a new type of group that uses air effectively.

[Morkai] · Jun 05, 2009, 12:52 PM // 12:52

The purpose of Air Elementalists in a balanced team build, is to delegate the workload needed.

If you're hitting Blinding Surge on recharge, on the enemy frontline, it allows the rest of your team to take out those annoying caster types, that deal immense damage in HM. So for one team slot, you're halving the amount of work needed to bring mobs down.

The whole "Eles are meant to do massive damage nothing else" era is over, and it ended with the release of Factions. Even if i were to bring a Fire Magic bar to a HM situation, I wouldn't bring Searing Flames, because it's godawful in HM. I'd probably take Mind Blast for the sole purpose of hitting Aegis or Heal Party on recharge .

Also, OP, you could slot Great Dwarf Weapon on the bar I posted above, as it's an amazing skill.

sonofthort · Jun 06, 2009, 02:29 PM // 14:29

I'm not really sure why you would need an ele to keep a physical mob blind while the group takes out the casters as most tanks these days can hold a physical mob fine without any help, or just a little help from a monk or even an imbagon. I guess you could say the air ele's would be helping out the tanks and monks, but if you needed somebody to do that, then wouldn't most groups have 3 monks instead of 2? If you want a character who is gonna do good damage, as well as support, why not an RoJ/Prot monk?

zelgadissan · Jun 06, 2009, 02:35 PM // 14:35

Or, you could be good and run without tanks.