Difference between revisions of "Elementalist - S/F Fresh Air Roamer"

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<!--'''Note:''' if you don't want to invest into Ascended Dragon's stat pieces, Exotics from the Trading Post will do just fine. The trinkets are relatively cheap, here's a [https://wiki.guildwars2.com/index.php?title=Special:RunQuery/Equipment_query&Equipment_query%5Brarity%5D=Exotic&Equipment_query%5Bsupertype%5D=Trinket&Equipment_query%5Bprefix%5D=Dragon&_run list of them] from the official wiki.-->
 
<!--'''Note:''' if you don't want to invest into Ascended Dragon's stat pieces, Exotics from the Trading Post will do just fine. The trinkets are relatively cheap, here's a [https://wiki.guildwars2.com/index.php?title=Special:RunQuery/Equipment_query&Equipment_query%5Brarity%5D=Exotic&Equipment_query%5Bsupertype%5D=Trinket&Equipment_query%5Bprefix%5D=Dragon&_run list of them] from the official wiki.-->
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'''Note:''' if you're F2P then {{Tooltip|Marauder}} stats won't show up as an option on stat-selectible gear, but you can still buy <span style="color:#FFA500">'''Exotic'''</span> Marauder gear from the Trading Post. For armor pieces simply search for "Marauder", you'll find the trinkets under the name of "Ebony Orichalcum" Amulet, Ring and Earring.
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'''Second set:''' you may have noticed a Focus on the second set, this one's for the tryhards. While Elementalists can't swap weapons in combat, they can still stack Bloodlust on random PvE mobs before fights using the second set then switch back to the first set once they're ready to PvP. The Bloodlust stacks will remain active without the need to sacrifice a sigil slot on the PvP set. It's enough to put 1 weapon into the second set as they'll inherit the missing one from the main set. If you have no intention to stack Bloodlust before fights then you don't need the 2nd set! It's not mandatory.
 
'''Second set:''' you may have noticed a Focus on the second set, this one's for the tryhards. While Elementalists can't swap weapons in combat, they can still stack Bloodlust on random PvE mobs before fights using the second set then switch back to the first set once they're ready to PvP. The Bloodlust stacks will remain active without the need to sacrifice a sigil slot on the PvP set. It's enough to put 1 weapon into the second set as they'll inherit the missing one from the main set. If you have no intention to stack Bloodlust before fights then you don't need the 2nd set! It's not mandatory.

Revision as of 17:02, 24 October 2023

The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good

Focused on: Strike damageMobility and Control

Designed for: WvW Roaming

Difficulty:
Normal
This build was last updated on October 24, 2023 and is up to date for the March 19, 2024 patch.

Overview

S/F Fresh Air is a Power-based WvW roaming build which focuses on burst damage whilst avoiding damage by utilizing Superspeed Superspeed, Blind Blind, anti-projectile skills and invulnerabilities to make up for its lack of sustain.

Being a core Elementalist build this is also available for F2P GW2 players who want to get into roaming.


Skill Bar

Scepter/Focus
Utility


Skill Variants

Heal

  • - better condition cleansing, but the long cast time makes it easy to interrupt. This could however allow you to run instead of for more damage.


Arcane variant

There's an even more bursty version of the build with even less sustain. This is a high risk/reward variant:

  • Take on Arcane.
  • Replace with .
  • Swapping out for could also be considered. While Arcane Shield has a longer CD, it protects you from followup damage and could even be used to shield . It even works offensively, the shield can negate incoming attacks while you're bursting targets.


Template Code

[&DQYfKykqJR50AHUATwFPAZAAkAAcAesAlwCWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACVgAxAAA=]
Copy Template Code


Specializations


Equipment

Head
Marauder
Shoulders
Marauder
Chest
Marauder
Hands
Marauder
Legs
Marauder
Feet
Marauder
Backpiece
Marauder
Accessory
Marauder
Accessory
Marauder
Amulet
Marauder
Ring
Marauder
Ring
Marauder
Scepter
Marauder
Focus
Marauder
Sigil
Sigil
Focus
Marauder
Sigil
Rune
x6
Infusion
x18
Relic

Note: if you're F2P then Marauder Marauder stats won't show up as an option on stat-selectible gear, but you can still buy Exotic Marauder gear from the Trading Post. For armor pieces simply search for "Marauder", you'll find the trinkets under the name of "Ebony Orichalcum" Amulet, Ring and Earring.


Second set: you may have noticed a Focus on the second set, this one's for the tryhards. While Elementalists can't swap weapons in combat, they can still stack Bloodlust on random PvE mobs before fights using the second set then switch back to the first set once they're ready to PvP. The Bloodlust stacks will remain active without the need to sacrifice a sigil slot on the PvP set. It's enough to put 1 weapon into the second set as they'll inherit the missing one from the main set. If you have no intention to stack Bloodlust before fights then you don't need the 2nd set! It's not mandatory.


Equipment Variants

Sigils

  • over Cleansing - better damage if you can affor to give up some condition cleansing.
  • Replacing Energy with Air (while keeping Cleansing) could also be considered when playing with .


Consumables

Food

There are plenty of viable choices, including:

  • - highest possible damage option, great stats plus armor ignoring damage/healing procs.
  • - slightly more defensive version of the Cilantro Lime feast, offering damage reduction instead of the lifesteal procs.
  • - non-Ascended version of the above mentioned feasts with the same stats minus the damage reduction and the procs.
  • - very similar to the Cilantro Lime feast except it offers Precision and not Ferocity. Worth considering if you're not using Precise infusions.
  • or - armor ignoring damage and a bit of extra healing on top of increased crit chance, a suitable budget option.
  • - defensive option with more evasion and a bit of Might Might stacking.
    • Budget version:


Utility

  • or .


Usage

General

  • The build's all about swapping in and out of every few seconds, made possible by which recharges Air whenever you land a critical strike.
  • Swapping to Air triggers which you should immediately follow up with a for instant burst damage. Entering this attunement also grants you Ferocity from for a few seconds, which is why most of your heavy hitting skills should land in this small time frame. More on that later.
  • Recharging Air: to recharge Air you need to score a critical hit. The fastest way to do it on attunements with slower skills is to start channeling the air autoattack just before leaving . Swapping attunements doesn't break the channeling and Arc Lightning is almost guaranteed to critically hit at least once.
  • Arcane variant-only: should usually be used while in for the Immobilize Immobilize, which makes it harder to avoid your burst. Alternatively cast while still in then switch over to Earth before the projectile hits - this will root the target and you can get back into Air without skipping a beat as Arcane Blast is always a critical hit. With 1.5k range this is also your best ranged option.
  • This build can self-stack Might Might by blasting the fire field created by . Do not prioritize Might stacking, but do take advantage of the incidental opportunities which arise. Your blast finishers are:
  • 's purpose is twofold.
    • Mobility: and are excellent movement skills that can help you disengage from fights if your defensive CDs ran out, or if you want to get to the other capture point as soon as possible.
    • Cleave: and are excellent AoE skills. Use these whenever you need to cleave a downed enemy or want to take a camp (ball up the NPCs in a corner beforehand).
  • Try to aim slightly behind your target whenever you can. This skill passes through targets while doing damage, explodes on the ground, then returns to you once again damaging targets it passes through. The goal here is to hit the target with all 3 parts of the skill, not just the explosion damage.
    • Because of the slow travel time it's best used in melee.


Notable burst combos

These are some of the most common burst combos used by FA players. The quicker you pull these chains off, the better.

If you're playing the default version of the build and not the Arcane variant then skip the s, everything else is the same.


From Fire:

  1. - both the transmute and Dragon's Tooth have a delay, your goal is to get into Air by the time these go off
  2. - optional: right at your target before you finish casting Phoenix to cut down on the projectile's travel time.
  3. - swap to this while casting Phoenix. Note: swapping out of fire triggers an explosion from , dealing considerable damage in melee (after a short delay). Swapping to Air while in melee range of the target therefore adds more damage to your combo.

Note: if Air isn't ready by the time you get to step 3, you need to recharge it somehow with a proc. This is greedy but you could sacrifice an instant utility skill like or and hope for a crit. That's the most seamless way because it doesn't risk messing up your timing, but a cast or two could also get the job done. With the Arcane variant this is much easier as you can just use an to recharge Air.


From Earth:

  1. Optional: if you're in melee range of an enemy you may throw in a which can proc if it hits something.
  2. + + then swap to during the channeling to make the projectiles land in the right attunement. however must land right before attuning to Air to get the Immobilize Immobilize - it moves faster than the other projectiles so timing shouldn't be too much of a problem.
  3. to avoid taking damage, but it's not required


From Water:

  1. - the trident does more damage to Chilled enemies which is important. Shatterstone should secure that but or even could help (when used on Water).
  2. just before Shatterstone and Water Trident hit the target.


Survival

  • makes it easy to kite most specs. Avoid melee range whenever possible! Don't stay in melee unless the target is Blinded, CC'd or you're about to burst them.
  • is a source of spammable Chill Chill which you can even place behind your back when running away. Chill is great at building distance.
  • Needless to say other CCs can also be used for shaking off pursuers.
  • and provide excellent protection against enemies who use projectiles. These however do not work against unblockable projectiles, and some ranged builds - such as this one - are mostly unaffected by projectile reflects and blocks.
  • is the build's best condition cleanse which can also be used while stunned.
  • offers protection against all kinds of pressure.
  • Swapping to Fire procs a Fire Aura from and gaining an aura removes 1 condition via . In the 5th slot on Fire you'll find a skill which grants the same aura, but if you already have the aura it flips over to its chain skill . Smothering Auras removes 2 conditions when you transmute an aura.
  • If you need to cleanse a lot of conditions do the following chain:
  1. - cleanses 1 condition as you gain an aura.
  2. - cleanses 2 conditions.
  3. Use Focus #5 , removing yet another condition.
  4. Transmute again for another 2 cleanses.
  5. if necessary for another cleanse.
  • is great at avoiding crucial skills by blinding enemies, and it also shuts down Power-based specs in general with the Weakness.


Related Builds


Ratings

This build has a rating of 4 stars based on 3 votes.
Log in or register to rate this build.
3 stars
Hanz gave this build 3 stars • December 2022
Scepter recently got buffed which made the build a lot better. It's not that hard to play but it has a rather high skill ceiling and does take some effort to pilot. Overall still a bit weaker than elite spec builds and against Celestial builds it's definitely an uphill battle. Very satisfying to pull off though, worth learning for fun or as a challenge but there are easier and stronger builds out there.
5 stars
InvisableYam gave this build 5 stars • January 2017
Still loving this build and small variations to it, S/F ele is all about timing and this build can be very rewarding if you time it right. It's possible to experiment with a Tempest variation, keeping in mind the fresh air aspect and overloading, that's also about right time right place. Great build.
5 stars
Arete gave this build 5 stars • July 2016
Very difficult to play, but with a very high skill cap and high amount of outplay potential. Struggles against some of the new HoT specs such as herald and daredevil but has the potential to win almost all matchups if played well enough.

Comments

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