Geomancing in PvE, PBAoE or Bust?

I've noticed that a lot of the better Earth magic spells are PBAoE. At first this seemed really odd to me given how squishy elementalists are, then I noticed skills like Armor of Earth, Stoneskin Aura, ect. So I have some questions.

Is there a typical cookie-cutter geomancer build for PvE?
How does one use PBAoE spells effectively?
Is there anything more to Geomancing than PBAoE?

For groups, you're basically a ward bitch. I think that character is terrible and boring as hell, but some people swear by him.

As a solo character, though, Elementalist/Monk Geomancers are rather strong. Your big skills are Kinetic Armor, Armor of Earth, and Sliver Armor. Generally, you're going to be killing with Shield of Judgement and maybe Aftershock spam. Aftershock isn't that good, but it's the best PBAoE you have and you have to kill with something.

So yeah, there's something more to Geomancing and that's smiting. Smiting is a key part of a good elementalist's arsenal.

Peace,
-CxE

Hey,


I'm using E/Mo and combining Earth and Fire to see what is best ballance for soloing, yet you all say that Monk skills should be used. Could you emphasize whole type of playing like E/Mo-Geomancer.

Earth 9
Fire 9+2+1
E.Storage 9+1


not yet 20th lev....

Quote: Originally Posted by Ensign For groups, you're basically a ward bitch. I think that character is terrible and boring as hell, but some people swear by him Umm, hmm. I have been slowly working my way through the elements. I started with air, a long time ago and it is still by far my favourite. I then moved onto fire, then to earth just recently. Tonight I make my debut with water magic to help a guildie out in Hell's Precipice.

So, ward bitch eh? I don't agree with that. I would say earth magic is a close contender to Air for me. Fire was just boring...some of the NF skills look like they would be potentially fun though. I find Earth magic so much fun to play.

Hmm, no idea about a cookie-cutter build, I just tend to make mine up from what sounds good at the time. Recently I've been running with:

Earth Attunement
Aura of Restoration
Ward Against Melee or Ward against Elements totally depending on the mission
Unsteady Ground {E}
Aftershock
Churning Earth (soooo much fun casting that bad boy)
Earthquake (or the Factions equivalent, Dragon Stomp...curse you Jade Brotherhood Mages!)
Eruption / Stoning / anything else you like.

I know with the last 2 they're all 25 energy skills...but seriously, I have very little energy problems. I don't know why...since with air and fire I always take elemental attunement and "dual-attune" myself due to the spammability of the air skills. Perhaps it's because the earth skills I choose are not spammable, and they have fairly long casting times so I just regen most of the energy.

When I go earth I have a Geomancer's Aura and the following attributes:
Earth Magic: 12 + 1 + 2
Energy Storage: 12 + 1
(a few left over)

I use Zarnas' Wrath and a Collector's Earth Scroll (with +1 Earth Magic 20%)

Earthquake inflicts up to 100 damage and knocks down (also interrupting anyone casting a skill), Churning Earth and Unsteady Ground do AoE damage...casting all 3 together can almost, if not completely, wipe out mobs. I take aftershock in case any get too close .

By the by, if you're thinking of doing Aborstone with long-casting time earth skills, you couls take Glyph of Concentration to stop Cathedral Collapse from interrupting you.

Double Post FTW!

My bad!

You don't have energy problems casting 25 mana skills without an energy elite because you're not doing very much.

Peace,
-CxE

I'd say for your off-hand item, get the Windcatcher. The extra 10% for skill recharge is always nice to have, especially on all your spells. Far more use than a 20% chance for +1. Bizzr's Fury is also a nice option.

Generally, I don't use earth for PvE at all unless I go to areas like grenth's footprint as most of the target are either warrior or ranger; for armor ignoring damages that is. Oh, I did farmed jaquis's aegis (diamond green shield) with earth build, which is almost like what ensign was saying except the SoJ part.

I use earth most in RA (still less use than other element I believe... don't exactly count them), where I am a half healing tank with a little potential of a spike (glyph sacrifise + EQ + AS or glyph sacrifise + restore life/ressurection chant). Or, I go with some kind of stoning disturbance when I am bored.

I've played around with a lot of elites on solo farmers. If you can get a lot of milage out of Glyph of Renewal, do it...if Obsidian Flesh or Ether Renewal are key, use them. But for general purpose, Shield of Judgement is the best solo farming elite for an Elementalist - just run 10 smiting, skimp on the Energy Storage, and watch things die to Shield.

Peace,
-CxE

Quote: Originally Posted by Ensign

Yeah, Aftershock is nice with SoJ...either they get hit more often, or you get to fire off Aftershock. Note that I'd use Aftershock as the only PBAoE on the guy with no knockdowns, with knockdowns there's no contest. =)

Peace,
-CxE

geomancery can be one of the strongest and most selfsufficient elements in GW if u use it right. it has the greatest defence and the second greatest offence to pyromancery. and you can knock down everyone!

Quote: Originally Posted by Ensign

It's a bit situational, but in my (limited) PvE experience, I've had a fair bit of success running Shockwave in a geo setup. It's especially good against bunched opponents and some of the less creative Rit spammers who lay down a bunch of spirits in a relatively small area. However, to use it effectively, you have to get up close and personal, so a modded Firey Flamespitter and an earth scroll might be a good combo to use.

Also, I'd also give consideration to some sort of a Sliver Armour/Kinetic/Armour of Earth mix as you will be targetted by the melee players on the other side as a squishy and it's quite funny to see them rush up and start flailing away then wonder why you aren't collapsing like a house of cards

If you can handle exhaustion well, Obs Flame is a good as a single target finisher (or spike in GvG). Some people doubt this, but I suggest observing Death by Coconuts in the current Tournament. They run earth spiking and currently sit at no.5 in the ladder

I use ether renewal with an earth ele in PvE every once in a while for kicks.

Stone Daggers
Armour Of Earth
Kinetic Armour
Earth Attuenment
Ether Renewal
Sliver Armour/Another enchantment of Choice.
Obsidian Flame
Ressurection Signet

You can also run this to solo gank an enemy base in GvG, (I realise its not the best idea) but can be funny if the enemy is unprepared for it and sends melee characters back.

This is mostly a PvE forum. Please do not run a Geomancer in PvP. You're a Ward Bitch, plain and simple, and you'd be better off going into other lines to try and do something than staring at a bunch of irrelevant earth armors and atrocious damage spells.

Peace,
-CxE

no one runs a geomancer outside halls, in gvg you have your water ele and/or air ele spec into earth (for wards only). In halls though, You get to have a bit more flexibility, but you're guaranteed to run at least 3 wards.

Really????

Did you read my post above???

I'll say this for the last time. Unless I've gone completely delusional (and that's a possibility) Death by Coconuts are currently at no.3 in the Guild Ladder. To say that no-one runs a geomancer outside halls is plain wrong

Watch some of their matches - you might be pleasantly surprised

And just to head off some of the criticism I've heard, yes, it's "just a spike" and yes, it's an "old school" idea, but the evidence is there - they do it well and it's working.

And on a personal note, I agree with the poster below. Save us from the self-appointed guardians of orthodoxy.........perhaps a little thinking outside the box might actually be a good thing?

I have to disagree with Ensign on the 'geomancer=ward bitch plain and simple no argument we're nazis and you agree with us or you're wrong' thing.
Specifically, I'm speaking of the role of geomancers (and elementalists in general). Yes wards seem to be a staple, but I have seen some rather innovative uses of elementalists in GvG. Not that this thread is about PvP, as you claimed and then ignored.


P.S. Ensign, you are correct on many things far too often, but don't let it go to your head. Squashing out someone's ideas because they differ is really not the way to convince anyone.
(Though, it definately wasn't the best GvG build...)

Anyone got a good E/Me geomancer for prophosy? I dont care what its strong points are, i just need a few suggestions. Thx.