Elementalist WvW | Large Group Staff | Support Staff build for organized groups
Table of Contents
Summary
Notice: This guide isn't updated anymore since the nerf of icebow (pre HoT release). Since not much changed, the guide can be still used as a general guideline.
The staff elementalist is a key class for any organized group in WvW. He provides easy-to-use support for the raid and delivers a constant high amount of dps and, if necessary, well timed point focus damage.
This guide provides intermediate information and key elements for staff elementalists, who want to play in an organized group. Basic knowledge of the class, gameplay and group organization are required.
Check out http://www.twitch.tv/chemsorly/ for footage.
Changelog
23.06.2015: Pre-HoT Balance and skill changes
03.02.2015: Changed stuff for latest balance patch
13.12.2014: Changed stuff for the 10th december patch
17.04.2014: Changed stuff for the 15th april patch
02.06.2014: Minor tweaks: Added comment to celestial stats choice, changed accordingly to stacking weapon fix
20.06.2014: Added icebows. Pew pew pew.
11.09.2014: Updated Guide to latest patch (Sharknado fix).
I. Weapons and Skills
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- 0Fury: 2 s
- 0Fury: 2 s
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- 0Fury: 2 s
- 0Fury: 2 s
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- 0Fury: 2 s
- 0Fury: 2 s
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- 0Fury: 2 s
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- 0Fury: 2 s
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- 0Fury: 2 s
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- 0Fury: 2 s
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- 0Fury: 2 s
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- 0Fury: 2 s
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- 0Fury: 2 s
Weapon and Skill Details
A staff elementalist obviously uses a staff.
As Healing Skill he uses Ether Renewal since it heals a very high amount, provides a lot condition removal and most important: has a very low cooldown, compared to the other healing spells. Since it got changed to a cantrip, it also has now synergies with the cantrip traits, giving additional vigor and condition removal.
As Utilities, Mistform and Lightning Flash are more or less mandatory, while the third utility depends on the taste of the player. Recommended is either Icebow for coordinated aoe dmg/single target stun or Armor of Earth for the additional stability.
Since the latest patch removed the usefulnes of our remaining elite skills, they are all pretty bad now. Because of that I won't be able to give any recommendation. Glyphe might be useful for smaller combats and you can still abuse Tornado as an additional stability.
Traits
Fire Magic
- Empowering FlameGain 150 power while in fire attunement.
- Burning PrecisionCritical hits have a 33% chance to cause 2 seconds of burning. Burning duration is increased by 20%.
- ConjurerGain fire aura for 5 seconds when an ally picks up a conjured weapon; Conjured weapons have 10 more charges.
- Burning FireUse cleansing fire automatically when you have 3 conditions on you.
- SunspotInflict damage at your location when you attune to fire, and gain 3 seconds of fire aura.
- Pyromancer’s TrainingDeal 10% more damage while attuned to fire. Fire abilities have a 33% reduced recharge.
- One with FireFire auras you apply last 33% longer and grant 2 stacks of might for 10 second when applied.
- Power OverwhelmingGain condition damage based on 10% of your total power attribute.
- Burning RageDeal 10% more damage to burning foes.
- Persisting FlamesExecuting blast finishers on fire fields grant 10 seconds of fury. Fire fields last 2 seconds longer. Create a lava font on your position when you go down.
- Pyromancer’s PuissanceEach skill you use while attuned to fire grant you 15 seconds of might. This effect works in combat only.
- Blinding AshesBlind foes for 4 seconds when you burn them. 8 second internal cooldown.
Water Magic
- Soothing MistYou and nearby allies regenerate health while you are attuned to water. Radius 300.
- Soothing IceGain regeneration and frost aura for 4 seconds when critically hit. 20 second internal cooldown.
- Piercing ShardsWhile attuned to water, your spells deal 20% more damage to vulnerable foes. Vulnerability lasts 33% longer.
- Stop, Drop and RollDodge-rolling removes burning and chilled from you and nearby allies.
- Healing RippleHeal nearby allies when attuning to water
- Soothing DisruptionCantrips grant you regeneration and vigor for 6 seconds. Cantrips have 20% reduced recharge.
- Cleansing WaveRemove a condition from you and allies when attuning to water.
- Aquamancer’s TrainingDeal 10% extra damage when your health is above 90%. All water weapon skills have their recharge reduced by 33%.
- Aquatic BenevolenceHealing done to allies is increased by 15%
- Cleansing WaterRemove a condition when granting regeneration to yourself or an ally.
- Powerful AuraWhen you apply an aura to yourself, grant that aura to all nearby allies as well.
- Soothing PowerThe healing effect of soothing mist is increased by 200%.
Arcana
- Arcane FuryGain fury for 2s when you switch attunements.
- Arcane PrecisionSkills have a chance to apply a condition, based on your current attunement, on critical hits.
- Renewing StaminaGain vigor for 5s when you deliver a critical hit. 5 second internal cooldown.
- Arcane AbatementTake less damage from falling. Create a spell when you take falling damage, based on your attunement.
- Elemental AttunementWhen attuning to an element, you and nearby allies gain a boon.
- Arcane ResurrectionYou have increased 10% revive speed. When you revive an ally, you and the revived ally gain an aura based on your attunement.
- Elemental ContingencyGain a boon when you are struck, based on your current attunement
- Final ShieldingCreate an Arcane Shield for 5s when your health drops below the threshold (25s)
- Elemental EnchantmentBoon duration is increased by 10% and attunements recharge 15% faster.
- Evasive ArcaneCreate an attunement-based spell at end of your dodge. Fire: Flame Burst. Water: Cleansing Wave. Air: Blinding Flash. Earth: Shockwave
- Elemental SurgeBased on your current attunement, arcane skills inflict a condition on foes that they hit. Gain 150 more ferocity for 15 seconds when you use an arcane skill. Arcane abilities recharge 20% faster.
- Bountiful PowerDeal 2% more damage for each boon on you.
Trait Details
For the staff ele the water and arcane line are pretty much mandatore. They provide survivability, support and everything that is relevant for the group. Additional you can either pick air or fire for additional DPS. Earth is too selfish and is not an option. In general fire should provide better dps and support than air.
Fire Magic
Since we can now max 3 trait lines, fire will be an optimal candidate for it, providing additional damage and group support:
Burning fire: Automatically activating "OH-KITTEN" button for immobilizes or condition bombs. Alternatives are worse, especially considering Burning Precision's ICD.
Pyromancers Training: Straight damage increase and cooldown reduction while attuned to fire, what could be better?
Persisting Flames: This trait gives fury on blasts for your elementalist mates. 3 Elementalists can easily stack up one minute of fury in a 2 second combo. Alternative would be Pyromancers Puissance for the more selfish elementalist.
Water Magic
Stop,Drop and Roll: Group removal of burning and chilled. The ICD makes the trait a bit bad, the alternative (Soothing Ice) is even worse, so better stick with SDR
Soothing Disruption: Probably the best trait ever. Since we use many cantrips (even more after the patch), this trait blatantly increases their effectiveness (regeneration + vigor) AND gives a flat cooldown reduction.
Cleansing Water: Gives regeneration the ability to remove conditions on application. A VERY strong trait which doubles the effectiveness of healing rain, gives a condition removal on water attunement swap (Elemental Attunement) and gives condition removal on cantrip usage.
Arcana
Renewing Stamina: Also a VERY strong trait which nearly gives you perma vigor upkeep time. Even though vigor got nerfed to 50%, still a very useful boon to have.
Final Shielding: Not a super awesome trait, but useful one. It will very like save your ass during a fight at least once. Also very useful against thieves and focus party. Alternatives are bad, so there is not much choice anyway.
Evasive Arcana: Awesome trait that gives additional heal, condition removal (water) and an additional blast. Alternative would be Bountiful Power, but the overall damage increase is just too small (average 5x2%) to be worth using.
III. Stat Specifics & Effects
Primary Stats
- Health 15255 (+3610)
- Vitality 1361 (+361)
- Armor 2174 (+207)
- Toughness 1207 (+207)
- Attack 3706 (+1540)
- Power 2540 (+1540)
- Critical Hit 42% (+42%)
- Precision 1798 (+798)
Secondary Stats
- Agony Resistance 70 (+70)
- Boon Duration 10% (+10%)
- Condition Damage 207 (+207)
- Critical Damage 65% (+65%)
- DMG to Guards and Lords 2% (+2%)
- Damage 1166 (+0%)
- Damage while moving 10% (+10%)
- Defense 967 (+0)
- Experience from Kills 20% (+20%)
- Ferocity 978 (+978)
- Healing Power 207 (+207)
- Magic find 20% (+20%)
- Might Duration 45% (+45%)
Boons
Conditions
Control
Fields & Finishers
IV. Food, Armor, Trinkets & Upgrade Items
Food Nourishment
60% chance to gain Swiftness (10s) when you kill a foe
Damage while moving: 10%
Experience from Kills: 10%
- (30min)
- 60% chance to gain Swiftness (10s) when you kill a foe
- Damage while moving: 10%
- Experience from Kills: 10%
Utility Nourishment
Vitality: 100
Ferocity: 10
Experience from Kills: 10%
- (30min)
- Vitality: 100
- Ferocity: 10
- Experience from Kills: 10%
Armor & Runes
- Defense: 77
- Power: 30
- Precision: 30
- Toughness: 30
- Vitality: 30
- Condition Damage: 30
- Healing Power: 30
- Ferocity: 30
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Defense: 77
- Power: 22
- Precision: 22
- Toughness: 22
- Vitality: 22
- Condition Damage: 22
- Healing Power: 22
- Ferocity: 22
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Defense: 330
- Power: 67
- Precision: 67
- Toughness: 67
- Vitality: 67
- Condition Damage: 67
- Healing Power: 67
- Ferocity: 67
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Defense: 140
- Power: 22
- Precision: 22
- Toughness: 22
- Vitality: 22
- Condition Damage: 22
- Healing Power: 22
- Ferocity: 22
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Defense: 203
- Power: 44
- Precision: 44
- Toughness: 44
- Vitality: 44
- Condition Damage: 44
- Healing Power: 44
- Ferocity: 44
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Defense: 140
- Power: 22
- Precision: 22
- Toughness: 22
- Vitality: 22
- Condition Damage: 22
- Healing Power: 22
- Ferocity: 22
- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
Armor Stat Totals
- Defense 967
- Power 412
- Might Duration 45%
- Precision 207
- Toughness 207
- Vitality 207
- Condition Damage 207
- Healing Power 207
- Ferocity 207
- Agony Resistance 30
Rune Bonuses
Superior Rune of Strength- Power: 25
- Might Duration: 10%
- Power: 50
- +15% Might Duration; 25% chance when struck to gain might for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 5 seconds)
- Power: 100
- +20% Might Duration; +5% damage while under the effects of might.
Accessories & Jewels
- Magic find: 20%
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
- Power: 5
- Agony Resistance: 5
Accessory Totals
- Power:717
- Precision:412
- Ferocity:466
- Vitality:54
- Agony Resistance:40
- Magic find:20%
Weapon Set Sigils
- Weapon Strength: 1034-1166
- Power: 251
- Precision: 179
- Ferocity: 179
- Weapon Strength: -
- Power: 5
- DMG to Guards and Lords: 1%
- Power: 5
- DMG to Guards and Lords: 1%
Weapon Set I
Sigil of Superior BloodlustYou gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)
- Weapon Strength: 950-1050
- Power: 125
- Precision: 90
- Ferocity: 90
Water Weapon I
Sigil of Superior BloodlustYou gain +10 power each time you kill a foe. (max 25 stacks and ends on down or weapon change)
Upgrade Item Details
Stats for equippment: Celestial
The staff elementalist can utilize most of the stats and celestial gives an overall stat boost between 20% and 70% depending on the slot.
Downside: Celestial gear is harder to optain than normal stat combinations. As alternate use Valkyrie.
Since most people want it more offensive, one clarification: the gear choice are guidelines! You can easily swap any celestial piece with zerker or valk/knight without losing too much defense. When chosing your gear, keep in mind the following rule of thumb: As tanky as necessary, as much offensive as possible. Pick whatever suits your needs and your gameplay.
Runeset: Strength
The Strength runeset provides a lot of power, additional 45% might duration and 5% dmg under the effect of might (which is literally permanent). In combination with sigil of battle/sigil of strength you have between 15 and 25 stacks of might permanently on you.
Sigils: Bloodlust/Strength/Energy
Since the battle sigil nerfed, I switched from battle to strength. Combine it with bloodlust for a long lasting additional power bonus. Use energy instead of bloodlust when the GvG ruleset is applied.
Food Buffs:
Seaweed salad for normal play. It basically gives a 10% increase in damage. Compared to 200 power + 70 ferocity from steak, the damage bonus is higher. Also it gives free swiftness.
Lemongrass for important matches like a GvG where surviving is more important and conditions hit harder.
V. Basic Gameplay
Like every class, the first goal is to survive. But instead of running with the meele train, the staff elementalist plays on his own and provides his main spells in the right moment.
Healing Rain
Pretty much the most important spell of the elementalist. It provides a big waterfield for a long duration with insane condition removal if traited properly. The raid needs to use blast finishers to trigger PBAE healings on the blast location. Some classes can provide multiple blast finishers with one spell (e.g. thief and cluster bomb). This spell should be used offensive when the meele group runs into the enemy group. Usually while fighting the meeles use spells with blast finishers which heals them up. This allowes them to stay longer on the enemies and reduces the chance to get downed. Also the condition removal shouldn't be underestimated.
Static Field
The Static Field stuns for 3 seconds and has no target limitation. If used on an enemy group which has no stability up, they get all stunned for the whole duration. If your group manages to get on the enemy group in that moment, they have 3 seconds to unleash hell on them. Thats enough time to down a lot of players. A well placed and timed static can turn the tide of a fight.
Surviving
The staff elementalist can survive an atomic war on his own if played properly. Positioning is the most important aspect for this. The cantrips are only used in cases where you have to. Dont waste them. The staff elementalist usually stays out of hostile and friendly crowds of players, making himself an unattractive target. The staff elementalists defense is the low attention he gets from the enemies. If there are enemies focussing him, he should utilize the own meele group to survive by forcing the enemy to get through them.
Utilizing the Staff Elementalist as a group
A staff elementalist without a group who knows to utilize it isnt worth more than any other class. There are 3 situations where the group has to react properly to the staff elementalist. The Healing Rain as offensive waterfield to get infight healing for the meele group. The Static Field which catches the enemies without stability (and makes them an easy target). And the Geysier which is used for quick healing regroups.
Providing a Geysier for regroups
The Geysier itself has a very short radius and a very short duration, so it's very important to time it properly with the meele raid lead. Usually the meele raid calls where he regroups. In this moment the Geysier needs to be casted and usually thiefs use their cluster bombs in this direction to provide PBAE healing blasts in the short duration.
Communication is the key
Use voice communication. If the staff elementalist doesn't have a microphone, he should get one. A staff who is not able to call where and when he drops his Healing Rain, Geysier and Static Field is pretty much useless. He should call his fields as soon he starts casting the spells. This gives the raid enough time to react.
Rotations, Rotations everywhere
Nothing is more wasted than dropping multiple fields on the same spot. For this the staff elementalists should make a clear rotation which will be used in all fights. The usual rotation size for organized groups is 3 or 4 staff elementalists. From my experience, a rotation size larger than 4 is too hard to maintain. Depending on how many staff elementalists you run in the rotation, the traits should be adjusted accordingly. For 1-3 staff eles: Swap water 9 with water 8. If you run 4 (or more) in the rotation, keep water 9. With this, the elementalists can provide a healing rain for 6 seconds every 10-12 seconds. Static fields should also be rotated, but are more dependend on the situation.
Icebow madness
The Icebow #4 (Ice Storm) provides high density, high burst aoe dmg which can, when coordinated with multiple players, deliver enough damage to instantly kill a whole group of enemy players. Try to have a couple of elementalists in the raid, that run icebow. Swap to them when regrouping, so raidmembers can easily pick them up. Also call that you dropped an icebow (including where). Icebow #5 (Deep Freeze) delivers a long duration stun, which can be negated by stability and its projectile can be reflected and blocked. For safety (and self-freeze) issues, you may want to use the spell on low stability/reflect classes like necromancers. You can use blink right before the projectile gets shot to reduce the flying distance and have a guaranteed hit.