Pvp Support/staff Elementalist Build

[Tijseh]

Elementalist Build Guide: Support/Staff

 

In this guide we present to you an elementalist build focused entirely on supporting others around you. This build deals little to no damage, but it has considerable survivability and is capable of healing your team mates for large amounts. It does rely heavily on being in Water attunement but will be well supported by team mates in sPvP and WvW.

Please Note: This build transfers directly to PvE you simply need to buy Cleric items. 

Positives

Negatives

+ Capable of healing for large amounts

- You can deal barely any damage

+ Has excellent survivability

- Relies heavily on Water attunement

+ Excels at supporting a team through Water attunement

- Relies heavily on Cantrips and having all your cooldowns available

+ Brilliant mobility through its Cantrips and Air attunement

- Is vulnerable to spike damage

+ Plenty of stun removals and defensive Cantrips (use wisely!)

- Requires a solid team to truely excel in TPvP

+ Works really well in PvE and WvW

 

Please Note: If you find yourself dying too often to conditions, user Ether Renewal

Please Note: If you want to lower the cooldown on your Water spells, simply swap out Soothing Disruption for Aquamancer's Alacrity.

This build was primarily designed for my guilds elementalists. In large group encounters and with a "back line", support elementalists in Water attunement can make a massive difference to a group. With 2 area of effect water fields that heal for considerable amounts, that can also be blasted, they are excellent for group play. 

While there primary damage might be limited, the entire purpose is to support others through vulnerability, chill and cripple (when swapping to other attunments). The fact that the majority of staff skills are area of effect really lend itself to structured PvP as players (and groups of players) clump together on capture points. It allows you to quickly spread your water skills while stepping back into Fire and Earth attunements from afar. 

It must be said that this build really does rely on others to be truly effective as you will struggle to kill anyone by yourself though with the right use of Cantrips and skills, you'll also struggle to die. 

In terms of "Gameplay & Skill Rotation", due to the team orientated play of this build, it's difficult to display how to utilise it. Primarily, you want to ensure that your Water skills are used at the optimum moment (before your parties health is too low) and to ensure that know your knockback in Air attunement is used sparingly while your immobilize in Earth attunement is saved for when your party wishes to spike individuals. 

It's paramount that you don't blindly waste your healing skills when in Water attunement as they do heal for a considerable amount while you should also ensure that when you use your primary heal, you are in Water attunement when you do it. This will then grant you a considerable length of regeneration. 

Finally, try to utilise your elite skill also in Water attunement as the Elemental from the glyph will provide you and your team with healing when it attacks.