Zhaitan

Jason Seven, on 23 November 2012 - 04:05 AM, said:

This is my favourite post in the history of favourite posts.
It's pure magic.

A.Net decides to cater to the grinders and manages to piss off every person that hates grind in the process. And then the grinders complete the grind and realize that the game really doesn't cater that well to them either. And they get pissed off also.
So, not only is the game now worse off than it was at the start because it completely lost its direction, everyone is pissed off about it.
Beautiful.

My guess is "mudflation".

Zhaitan, on 24 September 2012 - 02:11 PM, said:

Lol that wasnt my comment at all, that was what ShadeMoon said to me

I tried to explain to him what you just said to me more or less, but he just twisted my words thinking it would make me angry which it didnt. Some people just want to see Fans worked up I guess!

This build only becomes available at level 40 and remains effective until level 80.  There are a few tenets but the core abilities remain the same.  This build is effective at 40-80 PvE including level 80 event farming due to massive *instant* AOE damage with no delay allowing you to effectively tag large groups of mobs.

This build revolves around our lightning hammer, water stance, and cantrips with traits that augment all of the above.  It becomes available and level 40 and you'll see a massive increase in character strength and will boost your elementalist from one of the weakest classes to a farming powerhouse.  You must try this build.

My guardian was a much better farmer than my elementalist.  I found myself taking frequent dirt naps and putting out very poor damage especially considering my survivability was almost non-existant.  This build will double to triple your damage output and give you a much higher survivability.

The build at level 40 will require these core tents.  There is an overwhelming amount of synergy giving your character access to four different ways to heal: passive water regeneration (soothing mist), cantrip regeneration (which stacks w/ soothing mist), your primary healing ability which also grants regeneration, and your water spells which will be effective due to points being placed in your water trait tree.

20 points in FIRE:

CONJURER (Conjured weapons have +10 charges)
SPELL SINGER (Cantrips grant +3 might when used)

10 points in WATER:

SOOTHING MIST (Gives you passive regeneration for water form, which will be your default form)
SOOTHING DISRUPTION (Cantrips grant you regeneration and vigor)

---UTILITY, HEALING, & ELITE---

Glyph of Elemental Harmony (gives you regeneration and health, our best heal)

Conjure Lightning Hammer

Armor of Earth (this with the above traits will make you a survivability powerhouse and ensure you can sit there and tank 2+ elites.  Grants 3 stacks of might, protection, regeneration, stability, and stun resistance)
<<< cantrip - our second heal -

Lightning Flash (grants regeneration, might, and is an escape) <<<cantrip - our third heal -

Summon Elemental (summon an ice golem when things are tough, will chill enemies for you allowing you to escape or kite)

When out of charges or if you need extra healing, drop into water form and drop a few heals.  I rarely leave water form, I go into air for the runspeed buff, and fire for damage when my hammer is completely exhausted.
-----

These are the level 40 traits.  

I do not recommend any points in either the earth or arcane trait lines.  Earth gives you condition damage which you don't need so you're wasting half of every trait point allocated there, and in the arcane tree you gain no benefit as we aren't switching attunements so the +10 per trait bonuses are completely lost.  Spend points elsewhere!  

I recommend going 25 into water and getting bountiful power and cantrip mastery, both great talents, and then placing the remaining points in air to get "bolt to the heart" and the movement speed in air. T

here aren't a whole lot of traits that help our build past this so you want to put the points that give you the best stats, i.e. in air for movement speed in air for moving around the map more quickly.

You will stay in water form the majority of the time to receive the passive water regeneration, that boosted by the regeneration from your cantrips and glyph of harmony will ensure you can literally tank an elite group with adds while outputting massive damage with your lightning hammer.  You should prioritize your gear towards a mix of vitality/toughness/and power.  Do not skip out on survivability stats, you will be doing plenty of damage you don't need to stack tons of power.  You will be in melee range, remember that.  DO NOT USE CONDITION DAMAGE - YOU WILL NOT BE USING ANY DoTs, burns, or bleeds!

This build will allow you to solo almost any veteran mob or group with ease, literally you won't need to dodge any ability.  Your passive healing, regeraneration, and innate survivability will be better than an equal level guardian (I have an 80 guardian), a class which I consider the best PvE farming class.  

It's kind of sad that a melee build is our most effective PvE build but before knocking this, go out and try it.  You'll be amazed at how much more damage you do.   The survivability and the fact that Soothing Mist stacks with regeneration means that you'll be able to tank more damage than you ever thought you could.

Also I recommend gearing primarily towards toughness and power since you'll have plenty of vitality and healing from your water traits.  You'll need toughness and a lot of it.  I also recommend  Major Sigil of Bloodlust (or luck if @ 80 and farming events) in your primary weapon.   Rack up 25 kills with your weapon and then switch to the hammer, this will give you over 150 permanent power (or 15% MF) as long as you aren't downed.  If you have sufficient vitality/toughness, you should hardly be downed.  You will also have 20 points in fire from the get-go so you'll have +200 power from that.  Your damage will not be lacking, do not skip out on the survivability stats!

As far as runes, I like divinity although there are some really good ones that will fit into the build such as Dwayna (2/6) etc.  Use your imagination.  Obviously if you're farming at 80 you'll want magic find.