Curse

Numa Pompilius · Aug 01, 2006, 01:20 AM // 01:20

I've played through prophecies six times or so, but never as elementalist, so I thought I'd give it a go... and so far - at level 17 & Fire Magic 14 - the damage output just plain sucks.

I thought Eles were supposed to be main damage dealers, but seriously, so far my *mesmer* easily outdamages my fire ele, and there's just no comparing to my warrior or my ranger!

Will it pick up eventually, or should I resign myself to viewing my Ele as backline support, dropping wards, blinding & knocking down rather than doing serious damage?

If it doesn't pick up, I can only say that Eles is the one class in GW most in need of a buff.

LifeInfusion · Aug 01, 2006, 01:32 AM // 01:32

It is not so much that eles can't dish out the damage, it is that the armor level of the mobs is insanely high against elemental damage.

I thought I would rephrase that for you.

BTW, I don't mind a passive role... beats smashing echo meteor shower every so often.

fiery · Aug 01, 2006, 01:35 AM // 01:35

Fireball,phoenix,metoer shower.

Lightning orb, lighting strike.

Obsidan Flame, stoning.

Vapor Blade I think it's called.

KiRi · Aug 01, 2006, 01:38 AM // 01:38

Eles do notneed a buff, The damage they can put out can be insane.
Just tweak your build if you find its not producing. Try something besides just fire. Air perhaps?

Ozric · Aug 01, 2006, 01:40 AM // 01:40

You're right, Ele's do need a buff. While they've been given a little love in recent updates, their damage still doesn't compare to classes such as an SS in the higher level missions where the baddies have alot of armor.

Still, if you know how to play the class you'll get your damage. As a fire ele, you've just got to wait for the mob to pack up on the tanks or minions, tab to a baddie in the middle, and let your MS and Fireballs fly.

Though I may be wrong, I really don't think there exists another class that has to think more tactically in order to get the most damage out of their abilities than the Ele, you've only got that large pool of energy that dwindles quickly with those costly spells, and you've got to make them count when you pop em.

Reza · Aug 01, 2006, 01:40 AM // 01:40

FIRE???!!!
u wanna do some real dmg on a single foe? AIR!
u wanna do area of effect dmg and protect yourself too? EARTH!
u wanna help other ele do ore dmg by keeping foes in area of effect? WATER!
u wanna be fire ele? JUST DONT DO IT!

i suggest u dont do fire ele! ppl just want u to do meteor shower. fire ele is why i gave up playing ele first time i made an ele. but after a month i made an ele and tried earth, and I LOVE IT!
now im testing my earth ele in RA and i gained 5 gladiator points in one day

xiao1985 · Aug 01, 2006, 01:40 AM // 01:40

or go air magic, lightning orb, lightning surge... makes a very good spiking team... i saw a guild using 8 ele for spiking 1 warr = gone in 1 second... now that was fun...

Phades · Aug 01, 2006, 01:41 AM // 01:41

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...y+Nuking+Sucks
Start here, its pretty self explanitory without getting into other issues like actual possible energy regeneration. I guess its safe to say that its hard to realize something is amiss, until you have played other damage dealing classes awhile.

bono · Aug 01, 2006, 01:46 AM // 01:46

To up your Elem damage take 3 skills:
1:elemental attument(e)
2:Air/fire/water/earth attunment
3: Aura of restoration (to cover the above 2 enchantment so they dont get removed)

you will get 80% energy refunded so u can spam spells non-stop.

try arcane echoing some lightning orbs for some amazing damage.

Numa Pompilius · Aug 01, 2006, 01:49 AM // 01:49

Quote:

It is not so much that eles can't dish out the damage, it is that the armor level of the mobs is insanely high against elemental damage.

This is true. E.g. Phoenix is supposed to do 190 damage at Fire 14, but actual damage after armor is about half that. Which, for a 15-energy spell with three-second cast & 25 second recharge, is pretty sucky.

Quote:

Fireball,phoenix,metoer shower.

Yeah, well... Fireball does about 30 damage (after armor) at fire 14, with a cost of 10 energy & 2 second cast time. Doesn't exactly rock.
Phoenix (see above).
Meteor shower is good for the knockdowns (same with Dragons Stomp), but I have to arcane-echo meteor shower to be certain of killing at least one mob (so that's 65 energy, 7 second cast, 22% exhaustion, to kill one mob - provided it doesn't move for 20 seconds, that is). Again bad damage for the cost.

Permasiel · Aug 01, 2006, 01:51 AM // 01:51

Quote:

try arcane echoing some lightning orbs for some amazing damage.

I LOLed.

Reza · Aug 01, 2006, 01:59 AM // 01:59

just change to somethiong else! fire isnt only type of ele !!! its worst one!
6 sec cast for meteor shower? u have to be so lucky to finish casting it in pvp or high end pvp areas :P and glyphs that make u cast faser have too much penalty...

Ira Blinks · Aug 01, 2006, 02:09 AM // 02:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phades

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...y+Nuking+Sucks

someone need to rub that into ANet's face...

LifeInfusion · Aug 01, 2006, 02:12 AM // 02:12

Considering beta metshower used to be 56 damage at 12 fire and it is 91 at 12 fire today I think fire got buffed since the start.

Fire isn't the solution to everything.

Mysterial · Aug 01, 2006, 02:16 AM // 02:16

Playing a "Damage" Elementalist in PvE against greater than level 20 monsters consists of casting Meteor Shower as fast and often as possible, because even if the damage gets reduced to almost nothing, it doesn't change that the monsters will sit there and take all three knockdowns, which makes the jobs of all your teammates much easier.

LordLucifer · Aug 01, 2006, 02:24 AM // 02:24

eles have some decent dmg, not that great (as it was supposed to be..) but its decent
for PvE i run a renewal nuker http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/E/Me_Heavy_Nuker
with a warrior who knows how to tank its pretty effective, of course the best nuker in the world with his whole skillbar deals less dmg than echo+SS....but 3 godly nukers>3 echo/SS necros (cant hex same target twice, altho any of the cases would be overkill in PvE..)

in RA/TA air spike seems to be very effective (since energy storage is almost just for show you need air attunement+elemental atunement if you plan to cast more than 2 spells in the whole battle..)

ward eles do help your team a lot too, is just very sad to see yourself babysiting other casters when you were supposed to be a scary dmg dealer (w00t after 6 secs, 10 energy lost due to exhaustion, 60 recharge i cast a meteor shower!...wait...why does a meteor cause less dmg than that guys arrow?!)

cheers

EDIT: oh yah, forgot to mention the pathetic AoE range on a friggin METEOR SHOWER lol... and the 25 energy cost.. (low cast time, around 5 energy cost due to expertise, around 10 secs recharge and you deal more with many bow skills....how abt free adrenal warrior skills, eviscerate any1?)

Markaedw · Aug 01, 2006, 02:30 AM // 02:30

I found the best non AoE damage dealer is a lightning/water hex combo.

AoE combos are worthless, they only work on henchies. If you want to stay with fire then get rid of shower and go with meteor, dump echo, get rodgerts combined with flare is also excelent for killing.

Yogi's Pain · Aug 01, 2006, 02:36 AM // 02:36

I'm assuming the OP is concerned with PvE and not PvP, since he's not a level 20. So no point in talking about that.

For PvE, fire ele the only real option. Air might have its rair case where spiking a target is more important than doing AoE damage. And tanking with an Earth Ele might come in handy at times. But for the most part Fire eles are the only logical choice for PvE.

In the two areas that I spend most of my time in, Urgoz and FoW, I am always welcome with my Fire Ele. Sure they want Meteor Shower and why wouldn't they? Great AoE dmg, plus KD. Most of them ask for you to echo it, but I find glyph of renewal is more effective most of the time.

As for SS, yes they are better than eles at times. But like someone already said, you can only hex a target once. So bringing two or 3 SS isn't an option. That is where the eles come in. Take an SS and 2 Nukers who can keep a shower going constantly, along with incendiary bonds/fireball combos. And a rodgarts as a last resort and you'll find that dmg won't be a problem.

Besides, elementalists are the best looking characters in the game. And the male ones have the best dance.

LordLucifer · Aug 01, 2006, 02:41 AM // 02:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yogi's Pain

Besides, elementalists are the best looking characters in the game. And the male ones have the best dance.

/signed!!!!!!!!

*watches*

*faints*

(PS: i think male rits are pretty neat too XD)

Numa Pompilius · Aug 01, 2006, 02:55 AM // 02:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phades

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...y+Nuking+Sucks
Start here, its pretty self explanitory without getting into other issues like actual possible energy regeneration. I guess its safe to say that its hard to realize something is amiss, until you have played other damage dealing classes awhile.

Thanks Phades. That thread answered my question: elementalists are not main damage dealers, but utility (with some spike potential).