The Scrying Pool: Elementalist's Mage
The Scrying Pool continues its specialization speculations with Elementalist's Mage.
The Scrying Pool is a Guild Wars 2 column where I simply ask what if? Nothing is off the table as I dive into possible features and future content, looking at what currently exists in Guild Wars 2 before I answer my own what if question with how I think the feature and content could be implemented.
This week we continue the speculation series covering the new specialization feature coming in Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns. Starting off I had given my general speculation specialization before jumping into the profession specific speculations with Guardian’s Cleric followed by Engineer’s Mechanic. This week I dive into speculation for another profession with Elementalist’s Mage.
As I dive into each of these professions and speculate about what their specialization could do, I am looking first at what the profession currently does and what is missing. For Guardian this was a support profession missing ranged support and for Engineer it was an overall slower profession needing some more speed and action.
For a couple of the professions, finding what is missing is more difficult. Professions such as Elementalist and Warrior are what I consider to be the most well-rounded, not really missing anything. Elementalist becomes even harder with utilities such as Conjure Weapons, as well as the ability of Glyphs and weapons to do different effects, and skills based on the current attunement.
The one thing that I see Elementalist missing is a true melee option, which the specialization could provide with a main-hand Sword. The utility skills then become more interesting. Many of the utilities are general purpose to fit any range while skills such as Cleansing Fire and the heal Arcane Brilliance fit very well with a melee Mage.
As I get into the specifics of these skills, it is important to look at these as the greater whole of the profession. It is unlikely that these will be the skills that you see the specialization having, but gives a better sense of the goal that I want this specialization to fulfill. Plus it is really fun to come up with entirely new skills.
So with that, let’s dive right in with Arcane Implosion:
Arcane Implosion – Pull enemies toward the Mage and damage them. (Utility Type: Arcane | Replaces Arcane Blast)
Thematically, Arcane Implosion is the opposite of the skill it is replacing: Arcane Blast. Gameplay wise it is replacing one utility with another, losing the blast finisher of Arcane Blast with the ability to draw enemies into the Mage’s melee kill box. Simple.
Avatar of Flame – Become the embodiment of fire, destroying any projectiles before they hit you while occasionally damaging and burning nearby enemies. (Utility Type: Cantrip | Replaces Mist Form)
Cantrip is a survivability line of utility skills for the Elementalist, something that would help the Mage survive when going in close for a fight. Mist Form is one of the few exceptions, favoring escaping all damage for a short period of time while unable to do any other actions leads it to escape the fight more than jump into it. Avatar of Flame removes some of the survivability, by only burning up projectiles and not protecting from all sources of damage, but would allow the use of other skills throughout its duration while also doing some damage to nearby foes. With this skill, it supports against enemies outside the Mage’s melee range while also supporting its ability to deal damage to foes within the range.
Signet of the Elements – Passive: Improves Power. Active: Put all attunements on a short cooldown and activate all attunement bonuses. (Utility Type: Signet | Replaces Signet of Water)
The passive for this signet isn’t anything special as it is adding a power improving signet passive that many other professions with signets already have. The active effect is where things get a little more interesting.
The first part of the active puts all of the attunements on a short cooldown, something noticeable, but not too long as the signet would also be put on cooldown like any other signet would. The second part of the active will activate any bonuses that are tied to attunements. By default this actually does nothing, but with different traits this would become a very impressive action.
For example, the Elemental Attunement trait applies a boon to yourself and nearby allies when you swap to an element. Attuning to Fire gives Might, Water gives Regeneration, Air gives Swiftness and Earth gives Protection. With this trait, activating Signet of the Elements would give you and nearby allies Might, Regeneration, Swiftness and Protection. If you have the trait Rock Solid equipped, Signet of the Elements would also apply Stability to yourself and nearby allies.
Almost everything that is tied to being in a specific attunement would be activated with the Signet. Soothing Mist is a trait that regenerates health on yourself and nearby allies while attuned to water. With Signet of the Elements, you would gain this ability for a short while even while not attuned to water. The Signet of the Elements can do all of these, but only if the trait is equipped. Without any of the attunement traits, Signet of the Elements would do nothing when activated but put your attunements on cooldown.