Build Suggestions please?

I am currently at the last mission (Hell's Precipice) with my boyfriend, and want some ideas on what I can do to help my skills for other things in the game.

Here is my current skill template:

[skill]Elemental Attunement[/skill][skill]Maelstrom[/skill][skill]Ice Spikes[/skill][skill]Shard Storm[/skill][skill]Frozen Burst[/skill][skill]Deep Freeze[/skill][skill]Armor of Mist[/skill][skill]Glyph of Elemental Power[/skill]

I have used mostly fire and water, and only a few earth skills as well as no attributes. I have been using very few of my Mesmer secondary skills, but I'll leave those for the mesmer forum.

Lose Glyph of Ele Power for Water Attunement and lose Frozen Burst for Res Sig.
Or Shard Storm for Res Sig.

What campaigns do you have? I recommend taking [skill]Blurred Vision[/skill], at least for Hell's. I might drop Armor of Mist for Water Attunement, drop something else for Glyph of Lesser Energy, and then use an elite like [skill]Shatterstone[/skill] or [skill]Ward Against Harm[/skill] instead of Elemental Attunement. These suggestions are largely for Hell's since I really don't endorse using Water Magic in most other parts of the game.

I have Prophecies, Factions, Nightfall and GW:EN expansion. Not got BMP yet.

<off topic> we got HP done with a PUG but the advice helps for other areas of the game. </off topic>

I would usually use fire, but needed water advice too, so thanks for the help and keep the suggestions coming.

Normally people don't really go water simply because the damage is on the low side and that mobility isn't really too much of an issue in PvE.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but I would stick with more fire nuking skills now that you've completed HP.

Rodgort+Steam is also an amazing combo, you might wanna try it out.

my regular mostly fire build looks like this atm (just so you guys know):

[skill]Elemental Attunement[/skill][skill]Meteor Shower[/skill][skill]Flame Burst[/skill][skill]Inferno[/skill][skill]Incendiary bonds[/skill][skill]Maelstrom[/skill][skill]Steam[/skill][skill]Glyph of Restoration[/skill]

I've used that for some while now and it works alright but I know there will be better skills than that.

Quote: Originally Posted by empressdonna

Quote: Originally Posted by empressdonna

Uh, your fire build is kinda inefficient. Maelstrom without a snare = no no.
Only one skill initiates burning (for a short duration) making steam's synergy less reliable. Also, PBAOE skills shouldnt really ever be needed as your a squishy and you DONT wanna be adjacent to foes, ever. Ele Attunement isnt really necessary since there are really good fire elites to use. GoLE and Attunment are just fine...

Id rework your build to either drop Maelstrom or add a snare. A snare would also help maximize any duration AoE skills like MS. And take out Flameburst for more ranged spells, and if you insist on using Steam, either have Searing Flames or Mark of Rodgort on yourself or heros.

On to water builds...
As most will tell you, water overall is not very effective general PvE areas...
Its biggest advantages are support in any role (aside from the Fire Islands).

For example. If you ran 3x Savannah Heat Heros, you could act as the intelligent snare to maximize duration dmg on foes and at the same time provide utility support. Maybe something like::

You - [ward against harm][deep freeze][maelstrom][freezing gust][steam][glyph of lesser energy][water attunement][Resurrection Signet] - Other options to add/change:: [Glowing Ice][vapor blade][ice spikes][ice spear][slippery ground]
Or, if defense isn't as needed:
You - [Shatterstone][Glowing ice][vapor blade][ice spikes][steam][glyph of lesser energy][water attunement][Resurrection Signet] - Many variations to take also...
Hero - [Savannah Heat][Teinais heat][searing heat][mark of rodgort][glyph of lesser energy][Fireball][fire attunement][Resurrection signet]
Hero - [Savannah Heat][Teinais heat][searing heat][mark of rodgort][glyph of lesser energy][Fireball][fire attunement][Resurrection signet]
Hero - [Savannah Heat][Teinais heat][searing heat][liquid flame][Glowing Gaze][glyph of lesser energy][fire attunement][Resurrection signet]

Not the greatest setup, but from experience it can definitly be effective and fun! There are many variations for a water support build :P
sorry to babble on, im bored at work :P
hope that all helped give u ideas ^_^

Thank you all for the advice.

I have picked up some of the skills that people have suggested and will test out the builds that have been suggested (so i see how they work in game).

thank you all again

I like using water skills because of mist form/armor of mist...in combo with a monk as secondary prof.(for healing). Difficult to spam mist form at times(recharge time) but with the proper equipment and glyphs still possible. Water is very effective in taking out melee monsters.

Quote: Originally Posted by Seether

my fire bar usually looks like this:

[skill]fire attunement[/skill][skill]liquid flame[/skill][skill]searing flames[/skill][skill]glowing gaze[/skill][skill]Glyph of Lesser Energy[/skill][skill]Rodgort's Invocation[/skill] and usually ( depends of area but 99% of the time) I take [skill]ward against melee[/skill] and some res, most likely [skill]rebirth[/skill]

but most fire bars here are just fine ( and almost the same ), but SF is fun if you never tryed it

The Mesmer skill Mantra of Flame can be pretty useful in Hell's Precipice with all the fire-based damage there.

Don't forget [Mind Blast]. It means unlimited energy, and when combined with [Rodgort's Invocation], it is very powerful. You can use it to power any number of utility and damage skills, such as [Ward Against Melee], [Searing Heat], etc.

If I use a water ele, it means I am there to support the monk's, and the one's doing the real damage, i.e. aoe ranged hexes, ward against harm(to armor up the monk's). Glowing ice is nice for extra en management with water attune, and of course maelstrom(which you have) to mess up the casters trying to "buff" when you first aggro. I would swap elemental power for lesser energy, shard storm for glowing ice, freezing burst for blurred vision, armor for water attune, and run ward against harm for your elite. On a side note, Ive nvr understood Mind Blast, yes you have limitless energy as long as you spam away, but you are essentially spamming flare over and over, which for 90% of the game will just irritate a monster into coming and killing you. My two cents.

I just don't see why you'd pack Ward Against Harm. The only dangerous skill you'll find is a Rodgort's Invocation, which can easily be interrupted instead of bunching everyone into a ward who'll all then get blasted by it. Other skills to watch out for are Mind Burn and Inferno, the former generally being used after Rodgort's and the latter only in melee (which is easy to look out for).

Also, if your team packs winter, it negates the boost of WAH anyway.

Quote: Originally Posted by Damian979

Omg, I did say Ward Against Harm for the MONKS didn't I? When would you ever cram 8 people into a ward? Frankly, if the entire team needs me for their armor they are not a very good team. Monks always have a bullseye on their head for any kind of damage so any buff for them is useful. And as far as Mind Blast is concerned, if you could have more than one elite it would be one thing, but it is a glorified glowing gaze w/ a fancy yellow border around the icon, And other skills can manage energy just as good. Even if you don't want to use WAH there are far more effective elites you can use.

[ebon battle standard of courage] > [ward against harm]

Quote: Originally Posted by Damian979