User:Jasminethetender/builds/ele

Elementalist

=Searing Flames=

Equipment

 * A Full set of + Health Armor
 * A +5 Energy/30 Hp Weapon with an offhand of choice.
 * A 15/-1 Energy Set
 * A Staff of Enchanting is optional.

Usage

 * Keep Fire Attunement up at all times.
 * Find a mob of players or NPCs and cast Searing Flames, Glowing Gaze, Liquid Flame repeatedly.
 * Use Glyph of Lesser Energy whenever possible to assist your energy.
 * Cast Meteor Shower on a bunched up group of players/NPCs to cause panic.

Counters

 * Enchantment removal, Anti-spam skills such as Backfire, Spiteful Spirit, and Diversion, Avatar of Melandru, Signet of Humility, Mantra of Flame, Protection Prayers (Protective Spirit in particular), This build is less useful against split or spread teams.

Variants

 * Use Arcane Echo:
 * with Meteor Shower for a devastating 'double-nuke'.
 * with Searing Flames short term double DPS.
 * Replace Glyph of Sacrifice with Aura of Restoration for PvE.
 * Replace Resurrection Signet with Dash for Alliance Battles or Competitive Missions.
 * Replace Glyph of Sacrifice with Mark of Rodgort for extended (and reapplied) burning. Only one elementalist per group should carry Mark of Rodgort.
 * Replace Liquid Flame with Meteor or Gale for Knockdowns.
 * Serpent's Quickness can be used to decrease recharge times.
 * Use Mending Touch for condition removal.
 * Replace Glyph of Lesser Energy with Mantra of Flame to counter other SF teams.
 * Use a HCT+HSR Fire Magic wand+focus set - this will increase your average DPS. Only switch to the +15/-1 if you are out of energy and need one or two more shots to finish something off.

=Lightening Blinder= This build uses Blinding Surge as a staple ability to spam cheap non-projectile air magic spells and keep opponents constantly blinded. It is designed for the Random Arenas, with simple variants for Competitive Missions and Alliance Battles.

Equipment
A wand and offhand with 20/20 HCT/HSR are strongly recommended. No special armor is needed.

Usage
Cast Air Attunement before entering combat. Pick a target, spam Blinding Surge, Lightning Strike, and Arc Lightning as they become available. Use Lightning Orb on unsuspecting targets or as a finisher. Use Gale to interrupt or prevent key actions such as self-heals and knock down fleeing foes. Use Glyph of Restoration to recover health.

Counters

 * Any anti-spam abilities such as Diversion or Distracting Shot.
 * Removing Air Attunement can cause energy problems in protracted fights.
 * Protection from casters is relatively light, so high-damage caster builds and degen can often overwhelm the light healing provided by Glyph of Restoration.
 * Protection spells such as Protective Spirit and Spirit Bond can severely reduce the amount of damage dealt by this build.
 * Dazed combined with any non-blinded attacker will completely shut this down.
 * Anti- spell caster hexes such as Backfire, Soul Leech, Spiteful Spirit, Migraine, and Arcane Conundrum.
 * Avatar of Melandru will prevent the blindness effect entirely.

Variants

 * If playing Luxons on Fort Aspenwood, pick Necromancer as your secondary and replace Resurrection Signet with Gaze of Contempt or drop one point in Energy Storage for 5 Death Magic to get Well of the Profane.
 * For Alliance Battles, Jade Quarry, or Kurzicks on Fort Aspenwood, replace Resurrection Signet with Windborne Speed.
 * Lightning Orb can be replaced with Glyph of Elemental Power for more reliable damage frontloading, but less spiking power.
 * Glyph of Restoration can be replaced with Aura of Restoration to cover Air Attunement, while providing heal-over-time.
 * Glyph of Lesser Energy can be used over Gale to help with energy management.
 * Some skills that can replace Arc Lightning are Enervating Charge, and Lightning Bolt. Also Chain Lightning is good but it causes Exhaustion.

=Air Spiker= The Air Spiker is an aggressive Air Magic spike damage build. It is commonly used in Guild versus Guild with many others running variants of this build. Air Spikers are common in almost every area of PvP thanks to their high damage output on single targets.

Equipment

 * An Insightful Air Magic staff is the standard suggestion. Runar's Brimstone Staff is excellent.

Note: In a synchronized Air spike team, the 20% chance of faster casting speed weapon mod can give the spike target away. It is imperative in such teams that all spikers hit the target at exactly the same time; therefore, it is best not to use it in such a build.

Usage

 * Cast Air Attunement immediately before an encounter and remember to keep it up.
 * Choose a target in sync with your party's plan and try to take it out.
 * Use your spiking skills in the order of how fast they recharge, Lightning Strike and Orb can be spammed indefinitely since their recharge is only 5 seconds each.
 * Use Gale to control events around your party. If the spike target is running away, you can pin him down with Gale long enough to finish him off with Lightning Orb. If the target is using a long casting self heal like Troll Unguent or Healing Signet, use it as an interrupt. If an enemy is harassing your monk, use it on the enemy to give your monk a breather.
 * Use Glyph of Lesser Energy to save energy on Lightning Orb and Blinding Flash.
 * Use Blinding Flash to shut down enemy non-spellcasters.
 * Air Spells are cheap and fast to recharge, so in general, being interrupted is not a big issue. Beware of Distracting Shot and Diversion however. Also, a well-placed Backfire can kill you in a matter of seconds.

Variants

 * Replace Invoke Lightning with Lightning Surge, and use it immediately before Lightning Orb for a massive 200 damage spike.
 * Also for PvP, consider mesmer as a secondary profession and bring Shatter Enchantment or Drain Enchantment to make your spikes more effective, especially to counter skills that reduce your damage like Protective Spirit and Feigned Neutrality.
 * Aura of Restoration can be used especially in RA as a self-heal and cover Enchantment for Air Attunement.
 * Windborne Speed and Storm Djinn's Haste can be used for a speed boost. This is especially useful in Competitive Missions.
 * Invoke Lightning can be replaced with Mind Shock. This allows for a Knockdown.
 * Vigorous Spirit can be used in conjunction with Aura of Restoration for decent healing whenever you cast your spells.

=Terra Tank= This build uses Stone Striker to convert damage received into Earth Damage, which trigger Mantra of Earth to reduce the damage and gain energy. Stoneflesh Aura then reduces the damage further. By using high damage dealing skills, this build may be used to solo the Smite Crawlers in the Underworld within 10 minutes.

Equipment

 * Geomancer armor, though not required, will provide you with 20 extra armor.
 * Anything along the lines of Galigord's Stone Staff.

Clear the Chamber

 * Upon entering the Underworld, watch the patrolling Bladed Aatxes in front of the Lost Soul.
 * When they are far away from him, use Storm Djinn's Haste to run and take the Clear the Chamber quest from him.
 * Run back as soon as you accept it and wait in the centre. Make sure you retarget yourself with the "F" key.
 * The best way to do this is if you press the "R" key after the "X" key. Which will auto-reverse and run you back.
 * Kill any Dying Nightmares along the edge if you popped them
 * If they are patrolling wait for them to leave before the next step.
 * Do not forget to re-target yourself before proceeding as you will eventually enchant the NPC instead of you.
 * Cast Stone Striker, Mantra of Earth and Storm Djinn's Haste.
 * Cast Stoneflesh Aura and Aggro 1 group of Grasping Darkness’ at a time and return back to the centre as far back as you can.
 * Use the same X-R technique to make this safer.
 * Wait until all of the Grasping Darkness’ use up their Distracting Blows. This is about 5 seconds.
 * Attacking them will induce their Interrupts but make sure you count how many Grasping Darkness' there are and how many have interrupted you.
 * Cast Ancestor's Visage, wait another 5 seconds.
 * Recast Stoneflesh Aura then use Sandstorm followed by Dragon's Stomp 1 second after and Aftershock immediately after.
 * Those that are not dead will run, this is your chance to renew your Stone Striker.
 * Those returning will attack with Distracting Blow as soon as they get back, and remember to count.
 * Cast Ancestor's Visage again and wait 5 seconds.
 * Recast Stoneflesh Aura and use Aftershock.
 * Those still not dead you may simply wand to death.
 * Another method for killing the Grasping Darkness' is to do exactly the same thing, but wait about 1 second before activating Dragon's Stomp, this way, they will often die before running.
 * Do the same for the other groups.
 * Agroing multiple groups of grasping darknesses can be dangerous because of all the interrupting, it's best to go one group at a time.

Getting to the Ice Wastes

 * After killing the 3 mobs of Grasping Darkness' you will be able to leave the central chamber.
 * Carefully watch the Bladed Aatxe patrols East of where you first entered the Underworld.
 * Make sure that they are away from the tunnel leading into the next room.
 * Run out of the chamber with Storm Djinn's Haste.
 * In the tunnel, wait until the Grasping Darkness' and Dying Nightmare patrol are far away (marked by the X in the map).
 * Run into the Ice Wastes with Storm Djinn's Haste.
 * Once in the Ice Wastes you can farm the Smite Crawlers in the same way you killed the Grasping Darkness’ except use Sandstorm immediately followed by Dragon's Stomp and Aftershock without the 1 second delay.
 * Watch out for Coldfire Nights, do not aggro them.
 * If you do, instantly hit Storm Djinn's Haste and try to run away in a zig-zag pattern to dodge Shard Storm.


 * When Dying Nightmares do pop, let it strip you, then put all enchantments back on. Smite Crawlers can’t kill you before you replace Stoneflesh Aura.

List of Farmable Areas

 * The Underworld
 * Minotaurs at Elona Reach (Recommended to bring Glyph of Elemental Power)
 * Mountain Trolls outside of Droknar's Forge
 * Kirins outside of Maatu Keep (Pongmei Valley exit) (bring a snare skill)
 * Ice Imps outside of the Ice Caves of Sorrow
 * Icy Dragon Sword farming in the Mineral Springs, (build explained in talk)
 * Minotaurs outside Ice Tooth Cave
 * Insects in Arkjok Ward just outside Yohlon Haven.

Farmable Bosses

 * Zelnehlun Fastfoot in The Floodplain of Mahnkelon, a short distance east of Rilohn Refuge (bring Aura of Restoration)
 * Exuro Flatus in Domain of Secrets
 * Bring Aura of Restoration, Armor of Earth and whatever damage skills you see fit. Do not forget to turn your Lightbringer title on.
 * Or use Glyph of Renewal, Sliver Armor, Crystal Wave and Ether Feast
 * Riktund the Vicious in The Mirror of Lyss
 * Bring Storm Djinn's Haste and run out of Beetle's and take Aura of Restoration.

Counters

 * Degeneration (unless you bring either Aura of Restoration or Ether Feast)
 * Enchantment stripping.
 * Stance removal.
 * Interrupts coming from those not adjacent to you.
 * Heavy damage output. (for example Bladed Aatxes or Coldfire Nights)

Variants
Glyph of Restoration.
 * Using Glyph of Concentration is an option. By precasting before agroing the Graspings, you can save yourself the risk of being interrupted. Th downside: losing time on killing smites.
 * To farm easier places, you need to consider any interrupters or enchantment strippers around and modify the build to counter. You may also like to replace Storm Djinn's Haste with Glyph of Elemental Power if running is not needed.
 * For longer fights, bring more armor instead of Ancestor's Visage.
 * Damage skills are very open depending on the circumstance.
 * This build may be replicated with Prophecies and Nightfall only. Dragon's Stomp may be replaced with Earthquake and Ancestor's Visage with Sympathetic Visage.
 * If a particular mob does not need Ancestor's Visage or Storm Djinn's Haste, replace it with a utility skill like, like Grasping Earth or Ward Against Foes and put the extra attributes into Energy Storage or Inspiration Magic.
 * If you are finding it hard to do Smite runs, look on the talk page for variants.
 * If you intend to farm enemies giving out very large damage output, you could bring Kinetic Armor. This needs to be maintained by spamming Stone Daggers.
 * When going into AB, switch out illusion magic and Ancestor's Visage for more Energy Storage and
 * Using the build in the same fashion as killing Smites, you can solo nodes, all except the Mesmer one.

Usage
A Starburster's main job is to deal big damage to all nearby foes by using skills based on striking nearby foes. It uses Death's Charge to quick approach enemy and strike him with his deadly skills. Fire Attunement gives some energy back so it's easy to strike many times. When enemies are weakened it's good to use Meteor Shower after using Glyph of Sacrifice to finish them off.

Equipment

 * A fire wand and flame artifact set with 20% HCT/HSR
 * A second set with +15 energy and -1 energy regeneration.
 * Full Battlemage's Armor (Stalwart Insignia: +10 vs. physical damage)

Variants

 * Glyph of Sacrifice or Flame Burst can be replaced by Bed of Coals.
 * Take Glyph of Lesser Energy if you expect to be spamming your skills constantly.
 * For a speed buff try Flame Djinn's Haste or Burning Speed.
 * Other common choices of Fire Magic skills include Teinai's Heat, Searing Heat, Breath of Fire, Mark of Rodgort, and Phoenix.

=Incendiary Spiker= The Incendiary Spiker is built for RA and TA, where the short length of battles allows for more energy intensive builds. With slightly more conservative play, it can easily be adapted to Alliance Battles. It uses Incendiary Bonds in combination with Smoldering Embers to set up a delayed spike. Augury of Death then shadow steps them to the target so they can finish off with Star Burst.

== Attributes and Skills =

Equipment
= Usage ==
 * Blessed Insignias, With Rune of Superior Vigor and 2 Runes of Attunement
 * Weapons
 * A 20/20 Adept Fire Staff of Mastery
 * Maintain Fire Attunement.
 * Pick a squishy or overextended target for your spike.
 * Cast Augury of Death on the target, but beware of it only having half the normal casting range.
 * Next, cast Incendiary Bonds and queue up Smoldering Embers. Due to aftercast delay, these two spells will hit at nearly the same time.
 * Follow up with Liquid Flame to bring your target under 50% health. This activates Augury of Death, which causes a deep wound and teleports you to the foe.
 * Cast Flame Djinn's Haste and if they still aren't dead, finish them off with Star Burst.
 * While waiting between spikes, you can use Star Burst and Smoldering Embers to help finish off other targets.

Counters

 * Standard spellcaster counters such as:
 * Interrupts (Savage Shot, Power Spike, etc.)
 * Cast-punishing skills (Backfire, Spoil Victor, etc.)
 * Cast prevention skills (Guilt etc.)
 * Dazed


 * Anti-hexes (Hex Breaker, Holy Veil, etc.)

Variants

 * Replace Smoldering Embers with Fireball for AoE damage.
 * Replace Flame Djinn's Haste with Glowing Gaze and use it right after Smoldering Embers for additional energy management.
 * For Alliance Battles, replace Resurrection Signet with Immolate and replace Flame Djinn's Haste with Flame Burst.

This build can be run with Air Magic or Water Magic, keeping everything else the same. The skill bars would be the following:

=Point Capture Nuker= This build is meant to cap mines and break gates only in CM!

Equipment

 * Armor: All Radiant
 * Weapons: Insightful Fire Staff of Enchanting.

Usage
Whenever a mine has been taken by the opposing side, run just out of the range of the NPCs. Cast Glyph, MS, Death's Charge, Assassin's Promise, and then all other PBAoEs to kill the NPCs. This works on Gates and Mines.

Counters
Really any intelligent enemy. This isn't supposed to kill people, just NPCs. Do not go after a gate covered in enemies.

Variants
If you fear damage, you could replace Assassin's Promise with Shadow Form. But then You wouldn't be able to use Glyph of Sac+MS very often.

Equipment

 * Radiant Armor.
 * A Shocking Shortbow. For the suffix, of Fortitude works nicely.  If you're stylish, consider Boulderbeard's Shortbow.
 * A 20/20 Air Magic staff for when Thunderclap is not available.

Usage
The lockdown is achieved with Thunderclap and a steady, uninterrupted stream of attacks from the Shortbow. The gap between the time it takes your enemy to stand up and the time it takes the next shot to hit is a fraction of a second, meaning the enemy will not have a chance to use a skill or move before being knocked down again. To add sustained damage, have Brambles deal 5 damage + bleeding on each hit, and use Apply Poison to add an additional 4 pips of degeneration.

As battle begins, move with the rest of your team to claim a mine. If there is no major enemy group approaching, clear the Luxon Longbows with Lightning Orb and Lightning Strike. If you do see a large mob approaching, set up Brambles and lock down the threats - this should enable your allies to break away and get amber safely to the Gatekeepers.

Do not be afraid to die. When you are resurrected, you will have full energy. Dying is energy management. If you resurrect and your base is under attack, set yourself on the cliff overlooking the purple or orange gates, and target any convenient foes with the lockdown. Since these areas are often filled with enemies, you can often lock down 4 or more Luxon Warriors, Rangers with Pets, Minion Masters with their minions or foolhardy W/Mos and 'sins.

If your base is well under control, you can attempt to solo the Command Points. Take out the priests first, then the commanders. It is hard but not impossible to solo the Green Amber Mine.

If enemies get past your gates, then you can take three actions.
 * The First is to rely on your team to hold down the fort and simply try to run amber or take command posts.
 * The Second is to resurrect, and activate Apply Poison before you step into the portal - simply target the most threatening enemy (or possibly a group of enemies, such as a mob of Luxon Warriors) and attempt to take them out of commission. Often, preventing a monk from healing may give your teammates the chance they need to retake your base.  You may die quickly, but just repeat your efforts.
 * The Third option is what you will probably wind up doing when the enemy breaks through the green gate. Set up brambles and attempt to lock down any foes that mob Master Architect Gunther.  Sometimes just buying time will help your team pull things out of the hole.

Counters

 * You cannot knock down a Siege Turtle. To dispose of turtles, poison them, then use alternating casts of Lightning Orb and Lightning Strike.  You are not strong against turtles - do not focus on them if there are other targets.
 * Evasion Stances. Target the guy closest to them.
 * Hex Removal. Thunderclap them or the guy next to them.

Variants

 * Attributes are flexible. Remember that Wilderness Survival is not too important, as the conditions are reapplied on each hit.
 * You can remove Natural Stride for Storm Chaser, but the low cost and evasion chance is preferable.
 * Some might want to bring Glyph of Elemental Power - it costs five energy and requires you to prepare it before you cast Thunderclap, but saves you 1 energy per hit, for a possible gain of about 10 energy.
 * If you decide to take this build to RA, swap out Natural Stride for Resurrection Signet.

Equipment

 * A +5 energy sword/axe of Enchanting and a 20% recharge/+30hp air focus.
 * Runes of Superior Vigor, Superior Air Magic, Minor Energy Storage.

Usage

 * During Spikes, use Lightning Orb and Lightning Strike to deal fast and deadly armor penetrating damage.
 * Being primarily a Support build, your role is to assist the rest of your party.
 * Draw Conditions should be used as much as possible to reduce the need for Monks to waste their energy removing Conditions.
 * Cast Heal Party during pressure situations.
 * Use Blinding Flash to induce Blindness on enemy attackers, primarily Warriors.
 * Ether Prodigy should be used to maintain energy, but avoid filling your energy pool completely.
 * To remove the need of teammates using Resurrection Signet, use Glyph of Sacrifice followed by Resurrection Chant to instantly resurrect your party member to full or near-full health.
 * Use Windborne Speed to aid in a Flag Running role (providing variant is chosen).

Variants

 * Gift of Health is a common addition to this build, usually replacing Lightning Strike.
 * Extinguish can replace Lightning Strike in this build, for faster condition removal.
 * Replacing Resurrection Chant with Restore Life allows you to resurrect the target with much more Energy, but with less Health. This, however, makes it dangerous to resurrect allies beyond the current front of combat, as you have to get within Touch range in order to cast Restore Life.
 * Gale can also be included, but the addition of another exhaustion causing skill requires that it be used sparingly.
 * Replacing Lightning Strike with Enervating Charge allows you to cover Blinding Flash, and/or hinder another enemy.
 * The Glyph of Sacrifice/Resurrection skill combo can be replaced by a Resurrection Signet.
 * Ward Against Melee can replace Glyph of Sacrifice. If doing this, take points out of your other attributes and put a few into earth. A high spec is not required.
 * You may wish to add in Windborne Speed in place of Draw Conditions for Flag running.
 * Healing Breeze can be incorporated as well to counter degeneration.

Equipment

 * Archmage's Armor
 * +5 energy or Halves Skill Recharge 10% sword of Enchanting or Spirit of the Forgotten and hsr 20% Health +30 water focus (weapon slot 1); +5 Energy sword of Enchanting +15/-1 energy Health +30 water offhand (slot 2) and a -5 energy or Halves Skill Recharge 10% sword and focus set to switch to in order to prevent damage from Ether prodigy. A Reduce Cripple 20% Health +30 shield is useful to reduce the duration of enemies that may try to snare you while flagging.
 * Empty armor slots can be filled with Runes of Vitae or a Rune of Restoration, depending on preference.

Usage

 * Your primary job is to run the flag. As such, do not get overly involved in the fighting unless you have superiority at flag stand.
 * Keep Storm Djinn's Haste up while running the flag.
 * Use Blinding Flash to protect yourself and your team from warriors, rangers, assassins and Dervishes.
 * Assist your team by snaring the opposing team with your water hexes or heal and remove conditions with Heal Party and Extinguish, as well as take pressure off your team's monks with Heal Party spamming.
 * Use Ether Prodigy while assisting the team with heals or snares to regain energy.

Counters

 * Snares make flag running a lot harder. Be sure your monks are aware of you when you get into the enemies range while running the flag.
 * Neither Healing Breeze nor Heal Party are great self-heals and relatively easy to interrupt. This build is not meant to go one-on-one with other characters. If getting attacked while running the flag, try to blind the attacker and run away.

Variants

 * Drop one of the snares for a condition removal skill such as Mending Touch.
 * Drop Freezing Gust for Gale. This way you won't have to spread your atributes into Water Magic, as Deep Freeze's duration is not effected by your atributes.

=Hydro Support Caster= This Elementalist build is a popular support build used in many GvG matches. It provides condition removal, support healing, and many snares to both help your players kite and to help your warriors catch up to their kiters. Not especially strong in spike builds, but great in pressure builds.

Attributes and Skills

 * Use Vapor Blade for helping spikes, Blurred Vision for more warrior hate, Extinguish for condition control, or Teinai's Prison/Ice Prison for more snares.
 * NOTE: Don't use Teinai's Prison or Ice Prison in a team build with fire damage.

Equipment

 * A +5 energy sword/axe of Enchanting and a 20% recharge/+30hp water focus.

Usage

 * Being mainly a support role, don't try to do damage too much.
 * Snare enemy warriors to help your players kite.
 * Snare your warriors' targets to help them reach them.
 * Try to catch multiple people in Deep Freeze's obscene AOE.
 * Snare the enemy team when retreating or when they're falling back.
 * Use Draw Conditions to keep your warriors clean and to help the monks.
 * Use Ether Prodigy to keep your energy up, but be careful not to exhaust yourself out and try not to keep your energy at max.

Variants

 * Gale can also be included, but the addition of another exhaustion causing skill requires that it be used sparingly.
 * Ward Against Melee can replace Heal Party. If doing this, take the points out of healing and put them into earth.
 * You can incorporate Aegis into this build if you're trying to do an Aegis chain.
 * Include Vapor Blade to help in spikes.
 * Replace Shard Storm with Ice Prison or Teinai's Prison for more snares.
 * Use Armor of Mist when doing competitive missions or flag running.
 * Use Heal Other or Healing Breeze to help assist your healers.

Usage

 * Maintain Master of Magic and Zealot's Fire as often as possible.
 * Spam Reversal of Fortune along with Draw Conditions on target ally to deal damage to all foes nearby.
 * Use Balthazar's Aura to further increase damage dealt.
 * Remove harmful hexes with Smite Hex.
 * Enchant attacking allies with Judge's Insight to increase their damage output.
 * Resurrect fallen allies with Resurrection Signet.

Equipment

 * Any weapon can be used, as long as you have an of Enchanting upgrade to your weapon.
 * Rune of Minor Energy Storage, Superior Vigor.

Counters

 * Heavy Enchantment removal harms both your output and your Energy management.
 * Diversion is a major counter, as it can halt your spamming capabilities. However, if Diversion gets, say, Smite Hex or Judge's Insight, you may lose the use of those skills for a while, but they'll be disabled for a long time, contributing to Master of Magic without particularly great loss to the build.  If you've got Diversion on try to throw one of those skills at it.

Variants

 * Use Judge's Intervention for another Enchantment, as well as a defensive skill.
 * Protective Spirit can be used for increased spamming and damage reduction.
 * If energy is still a problem, consider Glyph of Lesser Energy for use with Balthazar's Aura or Zealot's Fire.
 * Guardian is another choice for a spamable enchantment to trigger Zealot's Fire. This also contributes to defense.