Better PUGing by improving your build in 7 steps

Improvavel

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2007

Hi There.
I am a relatively new player (few months now) and really enjoy the game. I liked the initial post and the intention. Thx for the tips. It’s sad that the discussions turns into “what build is best/ better” etc
I Pug the z miss (HM) I do and my experience is surprisingly good. Thx to all the good guys out there. All z miss I did so far, could be completed even with not-perfect builds. The “common sense” from the initial post + half decent communication seems to be far more important than perfect builds. My exp is that missions fail when ppl leave, go afk, DC ...


I run a pretty “HM unfriendly” Searing Flames Fire Nuke/ Burning build (fire skills only, Gl Less Eng, 2 enchantments + Intensity, 2 weapon sets: enchanting/ fight). And yes all my armor is dyed red ;-) I might change the build later when I have access to more PvE skills. However, that’s what I have for now and I also like the “role play aspect” of it. I am just not a fan of the Necro “look and feel”, but hey, that’s just me … and while Im on it, the Ele dance is pathetic.

Normally I can find a group within a few minutes. In yesterdays z miss “Thirsty River” we had 2 ppl (out of 6 I think) running “fire/ burn builds” (no EotN skills) and the miss still went through with no probs.
You will have to understand that many of the posters here play for 3+ years, some since the beta and one of the few things left is to build the most efficient builds.

Additionally PvE is not only easy but a couple of good players using good builds can mask most of the weakness of bad/inexperienced players.

Add a couple of E/Mo (or even plain good monks) an Imbagon and/or a warrior that know what they are doing and you can finish pretty much every area of this game running X Searing Flame nukers with 5 offensive skills and Intensity on the remaining spots

But that doesn't mean there aren't more powerful builds for Eles, even while running/playing a traditional Elementalist role.

For example, you could run a couple of earth wards in a fire build or some other support skills (once you get pve only skills it will most be these) making your character more of a team player.

Lets take your SF dude - which is quite an energy consuming skill.

Get Mind Blast that is quite a good energy engine. Pair it with Rodgorts Invocation and Liquid Flame, reasonable skills that will damage on par of SF. Add Meteor for some knockdown. Add There is Nothing to Fear (sunspear paragon skill) for some party heal and some damage reduction for a few seconds. Fire Attunement. Signet of return or some rez signet/sunspear signet. And you still have an optional for something like a heat or whatever.

The above build (with no GWEN pve skills), that is still inefficient compared to some stuff you can do these days, will provide some offense (that won't be that great against some HM targets) and provide some utility/party support, that is probably quite more interesting to a party than whatever SF nuker build some players run.

Actually what is important in here isn't the skills/builds but how players approach their builds - Elementalist and most other mid line casters SHOULD provide both OFFENSIVE presence and DEFENSIVE presence.

That is what most players fail to do/understand - they only want to play a uni-dimensional role, when it is doing more than one thing is better due to the game mechanics.

- Frontliners need offense and if they can provide disruption (interrupts, knocks, snares like they should Grasping Earth) or defense (shouts like SY!);

- Midliners need offense and defense - some damage skills, rezzes, some defense skills like wards, snares, disruption, hex/condition removal if they can afford it, etc;

- Backliners should provide heal and protection;

- There are also supporters like Orders/Minion masters/Spirit Spammers characters that should try to fit some of those midliner roles alongside their main role.

If your builds follow the above guidelines, you will be able to create decent builds regardless of any changes that may happen to skills - then it is just a question of choosing the best skills or the skills that are just ok and you like.