Echo Spiker "Storm Mage" Advice on tweaking needed!

E/Me
Storm Mage
PvE/General PvP
Spiker/Support/ some interrupt

Air 12 + 3 rune + 1 hat
Energy 12 + 1 rune

1. Aura of Restoration (Energy Storage)
2. Air Attunement (Air)----or--->Elemental Attunement {elite}
3. Arcane Echo (none)
4. Lightning Strike (Air)
5. Lightning Orb (Air)
6. Lightning Surge (Air) {elite}----or--->Lightning Javelin (Air)
7. Enervating Charge (Air)
8. Res Sig (none)/Cap Sig (none)/ Javelin (Air)

The purpose of this build is to appeal to PUGs in places like Mineral Springs, FOW, UW, and SF for farming and questing and to have a "pure" aeromancer build. Many people feel that the echo Nuker is "a bit long in the tooth" so to speak. This is not the way I feel about nukers, however, I have been having better luck advertising "Echo Spiker", which I call a "Storm Mage" (generic enough to work) and getting a group. The way I run this build is pretty standard. Skills 1 & 2 are prepatory followed by AE + L. Orb. Now I start the combo of L. Surge + L. Orb + L. Orb + L. Strike for a true spike in damage. If you target your softies and life banks first you can't help crippling your opponents. The alternate choices for the skills are left up to you and the given scenerio. If I'm in a Mage heavy area, I will use an interrupt, if not I shoot for damage dealing.

For PvP few things need to change. You have energy management, damage capabilities, partial healing, enervating charge for those pesky Warriors and Rangers. Again this is a pure aeromancer build and is designed to play very straight ahead.

The weaknesses of this build are the same as any elementalist build; stay away from mesmers and interrupters unless supported by a party. The only other concern that comes to mind is, watch your energy, I intentionally did not put any exhaustion or 25 energy skills in this list, however echoing orb can eat away energy quick (of course it will lay a trail of corpses out quick too). If anyone has any critiques or improvements, please, feel free to help me tweak this build.

I'd say if you've got a good monk with you, drop Aura of Rest and bring Both attunes. You won't get many problems then unless you come up against an enchat remover.

I suppose this build is perfect (not really, but) considering there is no one leaving any feedback except the one appreciated fellow above.

I agree with the dual attunments comment. I believe Orb costs 3 energy with dual attunments.

Leave Surge behind and just go with Orb (3 energy), Strike (1 energy), and Charge (2 energy), and spam them as fast and as often as you possibly can (get a 20/20 focus if you don't already have one). Use Echo on Orb to spam Orb even more.
I say keep Aura of Restoration though. Since you'll be casting non-stop, you'll also be healing non-stop.

Of course, stay away from Mesmers and Necros. With 3 enchantments running, they can ruin your day. Rangers too, considering Orb's interuptable 2 second cast time (20/20 focus can help this).

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Thanks so much for the responses and insight, I will try this build this weekend.

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Surge's Elite status is primarily due to its delayed effect which is somewhat useful for a true spike in PvP but which does not hold much value in PvE. Mind Shock with its 25% AP would be more useful. Ele attunement is better still -- Cast dual attunements + Arcane Echo, then Orb away to glory. As a previous poster noted, dual attmts give you an Orb for 3 energy.

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Why are you running arcane echo? Stop, look at the cooldown of your spells, and ask yourself "Why do I need this skill?" As an air ele your primary damage output will be lightning orb and it has a 5s cooldown. You simply don't need to echo it. Dual attunements is almost always better in PvE due to poor enchantment stripping and poor healing on the monster's part.

Try this:
12+1+3 Air
10+1 Energy Storage
8 Inspiration Magic

Lightning Strike
Lightning Orb
Enervating Charge
Gale
Air Attunement
Elemental Attunement
Mantra of Resolve
Rez Sig (if you have a few good rezzers in pve this can be swapped for glyph of elemental power.)

This will perform much better. You can consistantly toss out your high damage spells with dual attunements up. You have gale to occasionally knock down a critical monster and temporarily stop healing or a powerful spell. Just be aware of the exhaustion and use it with discretion. With the short cooldown of these skills you should be able to fairly often toss out your spells and keep a decent DPS.

There is simply nothing that is really worth using echo on as an air ele. However air can be quite energy hungry and the dual attunements will serve you well.

one problem with all mentioned *cept the above* how will u keep ur energy?

THE BELOW IS AN AIR SPIKE SETUP FOR PVP!!!

I've found air spike to not only be good for dmg, but for KD as well...which is why ill propose my build to u *accept or not ur choice, just showing my side*

Air-16
Energy Storage-9+1 minor rune=10
Insp Magic-Everything else-should total to 10 or 11 *cant remember*

Skills-

Air Attunement
Lightning Surge [elite]
Lightning Orb
Gale
Enervating Charge
Drain Enchantment
Ether Feast
Rez Sig

Strategy-main combo is Surge with an immediate follow of Orb for dmg while surges 3 seconds runs. When the Surge KD takes effect, as person is getting up use Gale to stick em on their bum again *total time down=6 seconds*, then use Enervating if needed...if the team hits the same target, this should bring a person down

Energy Upkeep-Attunement of course, and Drain since u can find an enchanted person very easily...*problem* the exhaustion of lightning surge and gale-will drop ur energy by 10 every time which is why the high Storage is recommended *solution* basically ur overall energy degen will decrease but U CAN STILL GAIN ENERGY, a strong Drain Enchant will supply around 15-19 more energy *dependent upon lvl* *backup* also-ur matches shouldn't last long enough for ur energy to reach critical (mine hit critical only one time out of say 3 hours of comp arenas)

Defense-

Enervate any tank that comes near so he's weakened, or for better results gale or lightning charge him and run like crazy, once tank is weakened or u have distance from him-Ether Feast which will supply 121 health from above attribues

Secondary/Mods-

If u more on the defensive side u can exchange Blind Flash for Enervating *i use my Enervating as my Lighting Strike, which is why i kept it*

If ur energy seems to drop too fast u can exchange Mind Shock for Lightning Surge *surge's recharge is 10 seconds-shock's recharge is 20 seconds...more time for energy renewal*

U can use any other mods u can think of, the above r just the main ones i could think of in 5 min

The effectiveness of this build-in 2 hours of comp arenas i had 2 teams that made it TA *both monkless* Also, I defeated a team of DUO BOON PROTS *took time but after slight retreat to stratagize and coordination, we got em*

Hope u enjoy,
Malchior Devenholm

Thanks to all for the input, I'll let you know how I do with the before mentioned builds. Thanks again.

An air build I used to run.
Not really spiking just heavy dps

Air Attunement
Elemental Attunement
Arcane echo
Lightning Orb
Ligthning strike'
Ressurection Signet
2 empty slots possible:
Blinding flash, chain lighning,gale,aura restoration(for if you're not sure if you got a monk on your back), enervating charge.

/Silverhawk