Sword/Shield or Wand/Focus?...or Staff?

Sorry if this has already been asked, I don't know to check if there are similar threads to this.

I am currently playing as a fire elemenetalist and I don't know what would be most useful to me; Wand, Sword or Staff? What stats should I go with on the items aswell?

Some people call me a noob because I don't have a caster weapon or shield and I got to admit that they usualy look nicer than a staff or wand, but I feel that a staff and a wand would have better mods for my build. Can someone reccomend to me what I should wield?

16+1+3 fire magic
12+1 energy storage

Fireball
Tenai's Heat
Searing Heat
Savannah Heat
Arcane Echo
Meteor Shower
Glyph of Sacrifice
Fire Attunement

I amn't asking for you to rate the build. I am just showing you the skills I normally use so that you can tell me what the right equipment would be for it.

Wand and Focus will generally give you the best and largest number of modding opportunities. Caster Weapons generally mean that you are going to be up close doing trying to do melee dmg and worse - receiving melee dmg... Elementalists have weak armor and are naturally susceptible to physical damage so you should be trying to stay away from that and use ranged attacks along with your spells. Now there are builds for just about everything and sometimes they call for a sword or axe etc... but generally and generically speaking stick with the weapons intended for your profession.

hmm.... like i predicted.. someone posted the equip like yesterday.. and people ask =/ thats okay i guess u missed out on that one :P

the ele equipments for ALL BUILDS should be 40/40 sets

20/20 wand 20/20 offhand

this is the best possible setup you can have

20/20 wand and 20/20 offhand > all for a PvE ele.

I often use Technobabble and Pain Inverter on ele bars so I find that a staff is more useful than a 20/20 wand and offhand.

The staves I use always have a 20% Adept staff head and a 20% "Aptitude not Attitude" inscription though. Energy shouldn't be an issue.

A sword/axe/spear + shield combination is handy when you're being ganked and the extra health or armour could save your life, but Interrupt Wars™ almost forces you to run fast cast mods on an ele. Their high damage spikey spells are balanced by long (irritating) casting times.

Thank you very much all! I'm guessing I'll just use a 20/20 wand and a 20/20 focus. I suppose that a wand does keep me at range. I like to autoattack during downtime. I'll just tell those people who say that I am a noob for using a wand to go and **** themselves!

they are newbs for calling you a noob then

btw eles ar sooper fearsum with DAGERZ

i would use a spear instead of a sword/axe, it keeps you out of melee range, and a spear with req 0 that is inscribable would be the best bet if you want to use a non caster specific item.

you might try to do all of them, if you can afford them, i would get a set of each and then use them, and see what ones work better for you, and what ones to change to in certain situations.

Caster classes like eles need the recharge/and or casting time mods on their wep sets and should generally choose a staff or wand/offhand. Though shields are always handy to manage damage. I like wands/off hands better than staves for some reason, except on my necro.

I carry a sword/shield on my mesmer more for cosmetic reasons, then switch to wand/off hand when I'm actually fighting. Monk is the onnly class where this is not cosmetic--as your cast/recharges are so quick on monk spells.

On my ele I have the following:

Sword +5 energy / 20% longer enchants (weaponsmith)
Axe +5 energy / +30hp (weaponsmith)
Shield: +30hp and +10 armor vs dmg type (got all seven) (collector)

Per magic line:

HSR 20/ FC 20 wand (weaponsmith)
HSR 20 / +15 energy -1 energy regen wand (collector)
HSR 20 / +5 energy while enchanted and/or while above 50 wand (dropped and modded or collectors)
HSR 20 / FC 20 offhand (collector)
HSR 20 / +30hp offhand (collector)
HSR 20 / +1 magic line 20% offhand (collector)
HSR 20 / +15 energy -1 energy regen offhand (collector)

and for certain builds:

Some staves


Mostly used:

wand and offhand
Sword/axe and offhand
Sword/axe and shield

...I'm sorry, wut? You know that just because it's sword/axe, doesn't mean you're supposed to go hit them with it, right? That's not the definition of a caster weapon.

On topic: I only use a caster sword/shield for looks. Some people will swear by them, but the energy/recharges available with a wand/offhand are far greater.

Runic blade on my mesmer is ftw though.

dont listen to this guy. a 40/40 set is very helpful, but some builds work better with a different weapon set.

I play ele as my main character and I always have a 40/40 set, melee set with health and +20% to enchants, and a High energy staff with +15energy -1 regen, and a longbow for pulling but you probly wont have to worry about that right now.

/agreed

Nothing compares to a wand/sceptre and focus on a caster.

Caster Sword and Shield are for looks only...

you go ahead and try to run a close aoe ele build with a wand or staff, then try it with a melee weapon. Let me know which is more convenient.

I must be noob then. I always used a wand/focus on my ele, there is pretty much no advantage over them in PvE. You can argue that you can have 20/20 +30hp +5e on a wand/focus but i'll just stick that on a staff (ok -2e over wand/focus, but i have energy storage and management meaning the difference between 87 and 89 energy is nothing). I also dont expect to take damage so the +hp is pointless, if im that desperate for health either the whole parties going down or im being dumb and standing somewhere I shouldnt be.

What are you talking about? A wand and focus are much better at casting then a sword and shield. Also, I am a monk and I am always running in and out of a battle. I get by fine with a focus and sceptre. A 40/40 set trumps a caster sword and shield anytime.

I seriously think you are referring to a solo farming build, which warrants a caster weapons (totem axe or modded weapon). In that case, I will shut up, however, for day to day casting, you are sadly mistaken if you think that a weapon and shield are better for a caster.

In the end...

I carry four sets of weapons

40/40
Energy/health Staff
Caster Weapon and Shield
Bow

I have been doing that for as long as I can remember and it has worked for me and many others.

Focus and one wand are what is best for a caster. This has also been proven statistically on this site and others.

at no point did i say that it was better. I said that there are point where a melee weapon is more useful.

If you are running a earth ele build with.. lets say, after shock, shockwave, and other close aoe damage skills it is much MUCH easier to have a melee weapon equiped. Instead of having to manuver your way in there you hit "c" then "space", and bam! you are right in your enemies face.
It is not for the health and certainly not for the energy. It just makes things a little easier.

Before going on a rant about how right you are maybe you should read carefully.

Here is the point where you said it was better.

I am quoting you again...

Didn't you just say that at no point did you say a sword and wand are better than...???

Sound familiar?

The build you are describing sounds an awful lot like a solo Terra Tank build... (which the caster sword helps with Obsidian Flesh and other Enchantments only).

If you use a caster sword and shield on an ele and think it is better than a 40/40 you have issues that I don't think I can help you with.

I am not flaming you, just pointing something out. Again, refer to your own post, not mine defending the fact that a 40/40 is better than a caster sword and shield. Understand?

By the way, I was just saying that a 40/40 is better when you jumped in and gave me on scenario where it may not be. Sad...

please, tell me where in the dictionary it says conveient and better are synonyms. I think you are getting your definitions mixed bud.

con·ven·ient :–adjective
1. suitable or agreeable to the needs or purpose; well-suited with respect to facility or ease in use; favorable, easy, or comfortable for use.
2. at hand; easily accessible: Their house is convenient to all transportation.
3. Obsolete. fitting; suitable

bet·ter1: –adjective
1. of superior quality or excellence: a better coat; a better speech.
2. morally superior; more virtuous



there ya go. ill give you some time to let that process

I am only saying that what you want as a weapon set depends on what you are running. Telling people that wand and off hand are always tops just adds to the large # of eles out there that run nothing but nuker builds. There is so much out there for an ele to run.

Lord, find something better to do then try and teach people the English language.

Seriously, no one cares. Not even The Way Out.

The question has been answered to the OP's satisfaction, I'm sure. Move along.