Elementalist WvW | Large Group Dagger/Dagger | Assaulter Balanced D/D version#2

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Summary

D/D elementalist can be really useful in organized WvW group. D/D provide solid and stable dps and solid burst on demand and as D/D ele you have great survivability. But remember key aspect is proper movement !

 

This guide will provide basic info about balanced D/D ele with Ether renewal.


I. Weapons and Skills

Berserker's Dagger
  • Weapon Strength: 924-981
  • Power: 120
  • Precision: 85
  • Ferocity: 85
Knight's Dagger
  • Weapon Strength: 924-981
  • Toughness: 120
  • Power: 85
  • Precision: 85
  • Weapon Strength: -
  • Fire Attunement
    Attunement. Attune to fire, gaining heavy damage and burning abilities.
    Fury: 2 s
  • Water Attunement
    Attunement. Attune to water, gaining superior support and healing abilities.
    Fury: 2 s
  • Air Attunement
    Attunement. Attune to air, gaining heavy damage and control abilities.
    Fury: 2 s
  • Earth Attunement
    Attunement. Attune to earth, gaining superior damage-over-time and defensive abilities.
    Fury: 2 s
  • Dragon's Claw½
    Fling fire in a claw-shaped spread at your foe.
    Damage per projectile: 126Range: 400
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
  • Drake's Breath5
    Spray a cone of fire at foes while on the move.
    Damage (4x): 672x4Burning: 2.5 s (3936 damage)Range: 400
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
  • Burning Speed¾ 15
    Slide forward and blast the area, leaving behind a line of fire that burns foes.
    Fire wall damage: 34Duration: 4Burning: 1.5 s (328 damage)Blast radius: 240Blast damage: 672Combo Field: FireRange: 600
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
  • Ring of Fire¼ 15
    Damage nearby foes with a ring of fire, burning foes that pass through it.
    Damage: 417x2Burning: 4 s (1640 damage)Duration: 6Radius: 240Combo Field: Fire
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
  • Fire Grab¾ 45
    Damage foes in a cone in front of you. Deal more damage to burning foes.
    Damage: 588Damage vs burning: 941Range: 300
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
  • Ether Renewal 14½
    Cantrip. Heal yourself and cure a condition with every pulse.
    Healing: 418Duration: 4Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
  • Lightning Flash 32
    Cantrip. Teleport to target area.
    Damage: 366Radius: 120Range: 900Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
  • Mist Form60
    Cantrip. Morph into an invulnerable, vaporous mist for a brief time.
    Duration: 3Breaks StunRegeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
  • Armor of Earth72
    Cantrip. Protect yourself with earth armor and gain protection and stability.
    Duration: 6x10Stability: 6 sProtection: 8 sBreaks StunRegeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s
  • Tornado 1 120
    Cantrip. Gain stability and shape-shift into a tornado that damages and launches foes.
    Blowout: 600Damage: 122Stability: 3 s (per pulse)Radius: 240Combo Finisher: WhirlRegeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 s
    • 0
      Regeneration: 9 sVigor: 9 sFury: 2 s

Weapon and Skill Details

This guide is focused on D/D elementalist so best advantage is really great combination skills on D/D, you have a lot of skills good for survivability and also you are able provide great and stable damage in close range.
In short to the other weapons. S/D is useless in WvW you cannot properly aim your skill in open field. Staff is great for support ele but it is another chapter.

 

Weapons skills
Fire
#1 solid AOE dmg
#2 dmg and long burning, low cd
#3 short-range gap closer, great dmg and short burning, could be used in combo with lighting flash
#4 some dmg and burning, FIRE field
#5 great dmg to burned enemies but need to be aimed properly, could be used in combo with lighting flash
Water
#1 nothing extra dmg, but stacs vulnerability
#2 heals and good dmg on close range
#3 chill with low cd
#4 aura, good defensive skill
#5 solid AOE heal nd condition cleanse
Air
#1 AOE, providing nice dmg
#2 weakness with low cd
#3 shock aura, stuns melee enemies if they attack you, can save your ass :)
#4 nice mobility skills but long cd if you miss
#5 CC with long cd, could be used in combo with lighting flash, if you are out of endurance it can be used like small dodge.
Earth
#1 nothing extra dmg, but stacs bleeds
#2 solid dmg, low cd
#3 great root, gap closer, leap
#4 Knockdown and BLAST, could be used in combo with lighting flash
#5 awesome dmg but long cast, BLAST, could be used in combo with lighting flash

 

Healing skils
Ether Renewal - heals a very high amount, great condi removal and low cd. Works great with Solid rock trait.

 

Utility
Cantrips - Cantrips provides surveability for D/D ele.
Mist Form provides 3.5 seconds of invulnerability, it's stun break, Can be used for safe stomp.
Lightning Flash - best utility in my opinion, allows an Elementalist to get out of bad situations, gap close and can be used in combinations with other skill like churning earth, earthquake, bugning speed or firegrab.
Armor of Earth provides stability and protection, it's good skill but long cd.

 

Elite
There isn't best option like in case of staff eles. Glyph of elemental is useless in my opinion. Conjure greatsword can be good for example for your necro friend (conjure greatsword provides good condi/direct dmg). Tornado can be used in some special cases (a lot of downed enemies etc.)


II. Traits

Adept Master Grandmaster

Trait Details

For the D/D ele is 0/0/0/20/30 distribution pretty much mandatory, last 20 points can be spend everywhere, but best option is 0/10/0/30/30 or 0/0/20/20/30.

 

#EARTH
Stone splinters:
Good pick for D/D ele.
Rock solid:
when you attuned to earth you and allies get stability for 2.5sec, with very low cd, great for safe stomps or awesome in combination with ethereal renewal !

 

#WATER
Cantrip Mastery:
Provides cooldown reduction for the cantrips.
Soothing Disruption:
Provides regen and vigor which is important for surviving.

 

#ARCANA
Renewing stamina:
Trait for another vigor, in combination with cantrip skills, you are able to have 100% uptime for vigor.
Elemental Attunement:
Provides boons when you attuned to element, most important is earth - protection, water - regen
Evasive Arcana:
at least for me it's mandatory for D/D ele, create spell at end of the dodge, internal cd is 10s for every element. In earth you have another BLAST, In water you have solid heal and condi removal, In fire you have burning for at least 5sec, In air you have another blind (awesome mainly for duels).

 

Minor traits
Important minor traits provide you: heal when you attuned to water, cripple enemies around you for 3sec when you attuned to earth.


III. Stat Specifics & Effects

Primary Stats

  • Health 18175 (+6530)
  • Vitality 1569 (+653)
  • Armor 2696 (+860)
  • Toughness 1776 (+860)
  • Attack 2821 (+924)
  • Power 1840 (+924)
  • Critical Hit 28% (+28%)
  • Precision 1509 (+593)

Secondary Stats

  • Attunement Recharge Rate 30% (+30%)
  • Bleeding Duration 20% (+20%)
  • Boon Duration 45% (+45%)
  • Condition Damage 583 (+583)
  • Condition Duration 10% (+10%)
  • Condition Duration (self) -40% (+-40%)
  • Critical Damage 41% (+41%)
  • Damage 981 (+0%)
  • Defense 920 (+0)
  • Experience from Kills 20% (+20%)
  • Ferocity 616 (+616)
  • Healing Power 583 (+583)
  • Movement Speed 25% (+25%)

Boons

  • Aegis
    Block the next attack.
  • Distortion
    Allows mesmers to evade attacks for some time.
  • Frenzy
    Increases damage taken by 25%. It typically seen as a mechanic to offset a beneficial effect such as quickness.
  • Frosty Armor
    Chills foes that hit you.
  • Fury
    20% critical chance increase. Stacks in duration.
  • Haste
    Regenerate endurance at 50% effectiveness when under the effects of this skill. It's typically seen as a mechanic to offset a beneficial effect such as quickness.
  • Invulnerability
    Prevents the target from taking damage or receiving conditions. It is also placed on rallied players for one second.
  • Might
    X damage per attack increase. Stacks intensity.
  • Protection
    33% damage reduction. Stacks in duration.
  • Quickening Zephyr
    Prevents healing. It typically seen as a mechanic to offset a beneficial effect such as quickness.
  • Quickness
    Makes all skills and actions 50% faster.
  • Regeneration
    Regenerates X health per second. Stacks in duration.
  • Rejuvenation
    Regenerates health. This effect is exclusive to the guardian profession through the Virtue of Resolve.
  • Resistance
    Resistance temporarily negates the affected target of all effects caused by conditions.
  • Retaliation
    Does X damage to an opponent each time they hit you. Stacks in duration.
  • Smiting
    Causes every fifth attack to apply burning. This effect is exclusive to the guardian profession.
  • Stability
    Cannot be knocked down, pushed back, launched, stunned, dazed, floated, sunk, or feared.
  • Stealth
    Allows the user to be invisible to enemy players and avoid being spotted by enemy NPCs.
  • Swiftness
    33% movement speed increase. Stacks in duration.
  • Vigor
    Faster endurance regeneration. Stacks in duration.

Conditions

  • Agony
    Agony is an effect unique to Fractals of the Mists that removes a percentage of the player's health every second and reduces received healing by ~50%.
  • Bleeding
    Bleeding is a stackable condition that deals damage over time.
  • Blind
    Causes the target's next hit to miss instead.
  • Burning
    Inflicts X damage per second. Stacks in duration.
  • Chilled
    Reduces movement speed and skill recharge by 66%. Stacks in duration.
  • Confusion
    Inflicts X damage each time a foe uses skill. Stacks in intensity.
  • Crippled
    Crippled is a condition which decreases movement speed by 50%. Stacks in duration.
  • Fear
    Causes the target to run directly away from the caster.
  • Immobilized
    Immobilized is a condition which prevents movement and dodging. Victims also can't turn. Stacks in duration.
  • Poison
    Inflicts X damage per second. Reduces outgoing heals by 33%. Stacks in duration.
  • Slow
    Slow is a condition that reduces the activation time of skills and abilities.
  • Taunt
    Taunt is a control effect that forces the affected target to run towards the source of taunt with all skills except stun breakers disabled while using their auto-attack skill.
  • Torment
    Deals damage every second; deals additional damage if moving; stacks intensity.
  • Vulnerability
    Increases damage the target takes by 1%. Stacks in intensity.
  • Weakness
    Causes 50% of attacks to be glancing and reduces endurance regeneration by 50%. Stacks in duration.

Control

  • Break Stun
    Stun break is an effect which can break control effects on a character.
  • Daze
    Interrupts and prevents the target from using skills for a period of time.
  • Float
    Forces the affected target(s) to move towards the surface.
  • Knockdown
    Interrupts and causes the foe to be unable to move or use skills for a short duration. Knocked down foes fall to the ground.
  • Launch
    Interrupts and tosses a character into the air.
  • Pull
    Shortens the distance between the user and the foe by drawing one of them to another. If a foe is pulled, this can result in an interrupt.
  • Push
    Physically pushes foes away from the player and interrupts them.
  • Sink
    Forces the affected target(s) to move away from the surface.
  • Stun
    Interrupts, immobilizes, and incapacitates foes for a short duration.
  • Teleport
    Teleport to target location.
  • Teleport
    Teleport (alternatively, flash) is a mechanic that causes the user or target(s) to instantly move from one location to another.

Fields & Finishers

  • Dark Field
    Dark Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Blindness
    Leap Finisher: Blindness
    Projectile Finisher: Life stealing
    Whirl Finsher: Leeching Bolts
  • Ethereal Field
    Ethereal Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Chaos Armor
    Leap Finisher: Chaos Armor
    Projectile Finisher: Confusion
    Whirl Finsher: Confounding Bolts
  • Fire Field
    Fire Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Might
    Leap Finisher: Fire Shield
    Projectile Finisher: Burning
    Whirl Finsher: Burning Bolts
  • Ice Field
    Ice Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Frost Aura
    Leap Finisher: Frost Aura
    Projectile Finisher: Chilled
    Whirl Finsher: Chilling Bolts
  • Light Field
    Light Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Retaliation
    Leap Finisher: Retaliation
    Projectile Finisher: Remove Condition
    Whirl Finsher: Cleansing Bolts
  • Lightning Field
    Lightning Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Swiftness
    Leap Finisher: Dazing Strike
    Projectile Finisher: Vulnerability
    Whirl Finsher: Brutal Bolts
  • Poison Field
    Poison Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Weakness
    Leap Finisher: Weakness
    Projectile Finisher: Poison
    Whirl Finsher: Poison Bolts
  • Revealed
    Revealed is an effect applied when stealth is broken, for example by entering combat or exiting a Shadow Refuge circle prematurely.
  • Smoke Field
    Smoke Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Stealth
    Leap Finisher: Stealth
    Projectile Finisher: Blindness
    Whirl Finsher: Blinding Bolts
  • Super Speed
    Activate your slick shoes, enabling you to move at superior speeds.
  • Water Field
    Water Combo Effects

    Blast Finisher: Area Healing
    Leap Finisher: Healing
    Projectile Finisher: Regeneration
    Whirl Finsher: Healing Bolts
Combo
  • Blast Finisher
    Blast Combo Effects

    Dark: Area Blindness
    Ethereal: Area Chaos Armor
    Fire: Area Might
    Ice: Area Frost Aura
    Light: Area Retaliation
    Lightning: Area Swiftness
    Poison: Area Weakness
    Smoke: Area Stealth
    Water: Area Healing
  • Leap Finisher
    Leap Combo Effects

    Dark: Blindness
    Ethereal: Chaos Armor
    Fire: Fire Shield
    Ice: Frost Aura
    Light: Retaliation
    Lightning: Dazing Strike
    Poison: Weakness
    Smoke: Stealth
    Water: Healing
  • Projectile Finisher
    Projectile Combo Effects

    Dark: Life stealing
    Ethereal: Confusion
    Fire: Burning
    Ice: Chilled
    Light: Remove Condition
    Lightning: Vulnerability
    Poison: Poison
    Smoke: Blindness
    Water: Regeneration
  • Whirl Finisher
    Whirl Combo Effects

    Dark: Leeching Bolts
    Ethereal: Confounding Bolts
    Fire: Burning Bolts
    Ice: Chilling Bolts
    Light: Cleansing Bolts
    Lightning: Brutal Bolts
    Poison: Poison Bolts
    Smoke: Blinding Bolts
    Water: Healing Bolts

IV. Food, Armor, Trinkets & Upgrade Items

Food Nourishment

Bowl of Lemongrass Poultry Soup
Duration: 30min
Condition Duration (self): -40%
Vitality: 70
Experience from Kills: 10%
  • (30min)
  • Condition Duration (self): -40%
  • Vitality: 70
  • Experience from Kills: 10%

Utility Nourishment

Superior Sharpening Stone
Duration: 30min
Gain power equal to 6% of your toughness
Gain power equal to 4% of your vitality
Experience from Kills: 10%
  • (30min)
  • Gain power equal to 6% of your toughness
  • Gain power equal to 4% of your vitality
  • Experience from Kills: 10%

Armor & Runes

Celestial Exalted Masque
  • Defense: 73
  • Power: 28
  • Precision: 28
  • Toughness: 28
  • Vitality: 28
  • Condition Damage: 28
  • Healing Power: 28
  • Ferocity: 28
Superior Rune of the Traveler
  1. +8 to All Stats
  2. Boon Duration: 5%
  3. +12 to All Stats
  4. +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
  5. +16 to All Stats
  6. Movement Speed: 25%
Celestial Exalted Mantle
  • Defense: 73
  • Power: 21
  • Precision: 21
  • Toughness: 21
  • Vitality: 21
  • Condition Damage: 21
  • Healing Power: 21
  • Ferocity: 21
Superior Rune of the Traveler
  1. +8 to All Stats
  2. Boon Duration: 5%
  3. +12 to All Stats
  4. +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
  5. +16 to All Stats
  6. Movement Speed: 25%
Celestial Exalted Coat
  • Defense: 314
  • Power: 63
  • Precision: 63
  • Toughness: 63
  • Vitality: 63
  • Condition Damage: 63
  • Healing Power: 63
  • Ferocity: 63
Superior Rune of the Traveler
  1. +8 to All Stats
  2. Boon Duration: 5%
  3. +12 to All Stats
  4. +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
  5. +16 to All Stats
  6. Movement Speed: 25%
Celestial Exalted Gloves
  • Defense: 133
  • Power: 21
  • Precision: 21
  • Toughness: 21
  • Vitality: 21
  • Condition Damage: 21
  • Healing Power: 21
  • Ferocity: 21
Superior Rune of the Traveler
  1. +8 to All Stats
  2. Boon Duration: 5%
  3. +12 to All Stats
  4. +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
  5. +16 to All Stats
  6. Movement Speed: 25%
Invaders Acolyte Pants
  • Defense: 194
Superior Rune of the Traveler
  1. +8 to All Stats
  2. Boon Duration: 5%
  3. +12 to All Stats
  4. +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
  5. +16 to All Stats
  6. Movement Speed: 25%
Invaders Acolyte Shoes
  • Defense: 133
Superior Rune of the Traveler
  1. +8 to All Stats
  2. Boon Duration: 5%
  3. +12 to All Stats
  4. +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
  5. +16 to All Stats
  6. Movement Speed: 25%

Armor Stat Totals

  • Defense 920
  • Power 167
  • Precision 169
  • Toughness 169
  • Vitality 169
  • Condition Damage 169
  • Healing Power 169
  • Ferocity 169
  • Boon Duration 15%
  • Condition Duration 10%
  • Movement Speed 25%

Rune Bonuses

Superior Rune of the Traveler
  1. +8 to All Stats
  2. Boon Duration: 5%
  3. +12 to All Stats
  4. +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
  5. +16 to All Stats
  6. Movement Speed: 25%

Accessories & Jewels

Jalis Ironhammer's CrestUtility Slot
  • Toughness: 157
  • Power: 108
  • Ferocity: 108
Berserker's BackOffensive Slot
  • Power: 63
  • Precision: 40
  • Ferocity: 40
(Infused)
Lunaria, Circle of the MoonDefensive Slot
  • Power: 57
  • Precision: 57
  • Toughness: 57
  • Vitality: 57
  • Condition Damage: 57
  • Healing Power: 57
  • Ferocity: 57
(Infused)
Solaria, Circle of the SunOffensive Slot
  • Power: 57
  • Precision: 57
  • Toughness: 57
  • Vitality: 57
  • Condition Damage: 57
  • Healing Power: 57
  • Ferocity: 57
(Infused)
Celestial SigilDefensive Slot
  • Power: 50
  • Precision: 50
  • Toughness: 50
  • Vitality: 50
  • Condition Damage: 50
  • Healing Power: 50
  • Ferocity: 50
Ancient Mursaat TokenOffensive Slot
  • Power: 50
  • Precision: 50
  • Toughness: 50
  • Vitality: 50
  • Condition Damage: 50
  • Healing Power: 50
  • Ferocity: 50

Accessory Totals

  • Power:385
  • Toughness:371
  • Ferocity:362
  • Precision:254
  • Vitality:214
  • Condition Damage:214
  • Healing Power:214

Weapon Set Sigils

Berserker's Dagger
  • Weapon Strength: 924-981
  • Power: 120
  • Precision: 85
  • Ferocity: 85
Knight's Dagger
  • Weapon Strength: 924-981
  • Toughness: 120
  • Power: 85
  • Precision: 85
Sigil of Superior Bloodlust
You gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)
Sigil of Superior Energy
You gain 50% of your endurance when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 9s)

Weapon Set I

Sigil of Superior Bloodlust

You gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)

Sigil of Superior Energy

You gain 50% of your endurance when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 9s)

  • Weapon Strength: -

Water Weapon I

Upgrade Item Details

Combination Celestial/Soldier/knight parts is best choice, because it provides great critical damage and good combination of other stats.

 

Runes - there is more then one choice, you can choose traveler or divinity or runes for longer boon duration (2x monk, water, traveler)

 

Sigils - Best choice is Superior sigil of Bloodlust and Superior sigil of energy (for more dodges), you should consider swapping that dagger with stack sigil for another with a Superior Sigil of Force. in case you have the money for the extra dagger...

 

Food - in my opinion for large groups is mandatory food with -36% or -40% condition duration, but if your movement is really good you could use food for more dmg.


V. Basic Gameplay

Like every class, the first goal is to survive, second goal is to deal a lot of dmg. As D/D ele you have two options you can running with the meele train if you have melee party but must be really careful.
or you can running around melee train with harrasment group. For both options is key proper movement and properly using dodge, don't spam it like a boss.

 

Let's say fire skills provide you great burst, water provides you heals and chill, air provides you good and stable dmg mainly from #1, earth provides you protection, few conditions, and CCs.
Don't stay in water and earth elements more than is really needed.

 

Before fire burst you should switch from another attunement to fire, it provides fury for 3 sec, it's enough for fire burst.


Main Skill Rotation

Some basic combos
Drake's breath -> firegrab
Switch to earth -> burning speed
frozen burst -> burning speed
Magnetic grasp -> burning speed
ride the lighting -> Updraft
Updraft -> burning speed

 

after burning speed you can continue:
burning speed -> Firegrab
burning speed -> ring of fire -> firegrab
drake's breath -> burning speed -> ring of fire -> firegrab

 

after burst combo you can switch to water for chill and then you can continue with air, if you dont have ready burst combo and you want to deal max dps so stay in air for lighting wisp.

 

Combos with LF
Lightning flash -> Burning speed
Lightning flash -> Firegrab
Lightning flash -> Earthquake
Lightning flash -> Churning earth
Updraft -> Lightning flash

 

Stomp combo
stomp -> Switch to earth
stomp -> Armor of earth
stomp -> Mist form

 

Healing combo
Ethernal renewal -> Switch to earth
Ethernal renewal -> Armor of earth

 

Healing burst combo
Switch to water -> dodge -> Cleansing wave

 

Might stack
if you are in combat:
Ring of fire -> switch to earth -> dodge -> earthquake -> churning earth

 

Water field in large raid
you should use only 2 blast to water field, earthquake and dodge in earth, don't use churning earth


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