4v4 Air Spiker Team

[master_baty]

I've been searching through the forums and i can't find any 4v4 air spiker team builds. I've never really played an air ele so i have no idea on what kind of setup to use.

[Adria Soulseeker]

Personally, I use the following setup with a friend of mine and we try and get one additional Ele with a similar setup and finally, monk.

E/Me

Air magic - 16
Energy storage - 12 (i think)

Skills:
Air attunement
Aura of restoration
Mind Shock (E)
Lightning Strike
Lightning Orb
Gale/ Blinding Flash
Arcane Echo
Res Sig

So basically, the plan is to find a target (usually the enemy team monk or mesmer first) that you need to spike. Cast Arcane Echo and call the spike. First, both air eles use Mind Shock (you will have more energy at this point than ANYTHING other than possibly another ele so you will get the extra dmg), that will replace your arcane with another Mind Shock, use it again ( you *MIGHT* not get the extra dmg for your energy lvl at this point but with 12 energy storage, you still should), follow the two mind shocks with Orb and then strike if a final blow is needed. So, with 2 - 3 eles running this setup, a target is struck for anywhere between 600-1000 hp depending on if you have two or three, which is usually enough to wipe out anything. *OH NOES* here come the flames, "but i have 8,000,0000 hp and I can take out that build with a single arm behind my back, yadda yadda" - But take it from me, this works 9 times out of 10 for bringing someone down!

Be VERY careful with your exhaustion though, that is one of the biggest downfalls (other than the lack of healing) for this build. Use strike and orb to manage your exhaustion levels and only use arcane/shock for a called spike. also, dont use a weapon or offhand that reduced your energy regen by one tick, energy is your friend and I prefer to have faster regen over a higher overall level. :cool:

So, ya, good luck with that.

[Pinna]

Nice build :) However, I would take out one (*maybe* two if you wanted to use it in GvG or Tombs) of the offensive skills and replace it (them) with Inspiration skills. In short battles, which most 4v4 are, this would work fine. Spike all 4 players and it's over, but in the kill as many as you can before the time runs outl; energy management might be a problem.

I'd use energy tap or inspired enchantment (take away those damn life bonds) but there are plenty of others available.

That's just my preference though, I alway like to be able to re-fill my energy bar :)

[coldslammer]

Elemental Attunement(E)
Air Attunement
Aura of Restoration (not nessessary, can be useful as cover enchantments)
Gale
Lightning Orb
Lightning Strike
Blinding Flash
Res

just keep gale > orb > strike in that order while all enchantments are up, you'll have enough fight to last a while.

basically you save 80% of the spells you use, example blinding flash costs 15, so, 80% of 15 is 3, good to spam on warriors who attack yr monk. ;)

My advice, take a W/R with you while u agree to spike selected target

[Harun]

What is the best weapon, for one of this type of Ele, is best to have?

[Adria Soulseeker]

Nice build :) However, I would take out one (*maybe* two if you wanted to use it in GvG or Tombs) of the offensive skills and replace it (them) with Inspiration skills. In short battles, which most 4v4 are, this would work fine. Spike all 4 players and it's over, but in the kill as many as you can before the time runs outl; energy management might be a problem.

I'd use energy tap or inspired enchantment (take away those damn life bonds) but there are plenty of others available.

That's just my preference though, I alway like to be able to re-fill my energy bar :)

I agree completely and I was answering the OPs question about 4v4. GvG and Tombs would be a different build altogether and would include some form of energy recovery skill. I dont think energy management is the issue with this build though, its exhaustion. You can have all the energy regen in the world but if you are exhausted, your energy will not rise above the exhaustion point. You just have to be careful.




just keep gale > orb > strike in that order while all enchantments are up, you'll have enough fight to last a while.


No, i disagree with this. gale causes exhaustion, you spam gale and you will find yourself in a world of hurt in a hurry. use gale very sparingly.

[Entropius]

If you're using Mind Shock, a useful trick is to keep two +15/-1 items on weapon switch. That way you can switch over right before you use Mind Shock in order to have more energy than the target, then switch back.

[jibikao]

Can you form a 4v4 Fire spike team?

[Everyname Is Taken]

This build has worked for me, can solo a target unless he's heavily protected.

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100002

[Synthetic]

This is the air spiker I usually run in TA and random.

Air 16
Energy 12 (or how ever high you can get it without a sup or major rune.)

Air Attune
Lightning Strike
Lightning Surge (E)
Lightning Orb
Engravating Charge
Blinding Flash
Lightning Javelin
Res Sig

The way this works is I attune right before fighting. Casting a lightning strike just to make take trigger RoF if it is on my target. Then I cast Lightning Surge. Since it has a 3 second delay I cast lightning orb immediately after so both hit at about the same time or within <1 second of each other. Then I cast strike and engravating charge. Usually the target is done by now unless they have a decent monk (they are just a myth in random most of the time) or they are a war or ranger with high armor and/or ele resistance. If you are going after a war or ranger using blinding flash on them. Lightning javelin is rarely used it is just to fill up the skill bar.

Sometime I will bump ene storage down to ~10 or so and put a few ranks in inspiration and bring Drain enchant, inspired enchant, or energy tap. That is rare though.

The only real weakness in this build is the lack of any self healing. It works well in TA with 1 prot monk, 1 heal monk, and a warrior. The team is then almost invincible if the monks are good. Just something fun to mess around with.

[Pinna]

I agree completely and I was answering the OPs question about 4v4. GvG and Tombs would be a different build altogether and would include some form of energy recovery skill. I dont think energy management is the issue with this build though, its exhaustion. You can have all the energy regen in the world but if you are exhausted, your energy will not rise above the exhaustion point. You just have to be careful.

Yeah I know, but I was just making sure that he/she didn't find your build useful and try it elsewhere because it more than likely won't work. For pure TA/CA this build works wonders, as does the Surge + Orb combo.

But alas, as you say, exhaustion is a real killer. But without it, Spikers would be FAR too overpowered.

[Arturo02]

What is the best weapon, for one of this type of Ele, is best to have?

as high a percentage in lower casting time as possible, as much energy bonus as possible, and % in lower recharge time is nice too.

But I'd go for 40% lower cast time. I don't know if you can get it higher, I think that's the max because you can't hold items with your toes. :)

[Lorien of Mandos]

This is the air spiker I usually run in TA and random.

Air 16
Energy 12 (or how ever high you can get it without a sup or major rune.)

Air Attune
Lightning Strike
Lightning Surge (E)
Lightning Orb
Engravating Charge
Blinding Flash
Lightning Javelin
Res Sig

The way this works is I attune right before fighting. Casting a lightning strike just to make take trigger RoF if it is on my target. Then I cast Lightning Surge. Since it has a 3 second delay I cast lightning orb immediately after so both hit at about the same time or within <1 second of each other. Then I cast strike and engravating charge. Usually the target is done by now unless they have a decent monk (they are just a myth in random most of the time) or they are a war or ranger with high armor and/or ele resistance. If you are going after a war or ranger using blinding flash on them. Lightning javelin is rarely used it is just to fill up the skill bar.

Sometime I will bump ene storage down to ~10 or so and put a few ranks in inspiration and bring Drain enchant, inspired enchant, or energy tap. That is rare though.

The only real weakness in this build is the lack of any self healing. It works well in TA with 1 prot monk, 1 heal monk, and a warrior. The team is then almost invincible if the monks are good. Just something fun to mess around with.

Instead of 'just filling out the skill bar' with a skill that is rarely used, try e/me for drain enchantment or even better would be ele/nec's with desecrate enchantments for spikes on heavily enchanted enemies, or just rend enchants to remove multiple enchantments prior to spike. One thing that running as a bonder in CA has shown is that most 4v4 teams (yes even in TA) are sadly unprepared for heavily enchanted foes. Enchantment removal is vital (imho) for any build to show enduring success.

[dont feel no pain]

What is the best weapon, for one of this type of Ele, is best to have?

Insightful staff of enchating 20/20:D

[The Red Knight]

ele spike is all fun and cool till a migraine mes pisses in your cheerio's Xb

[projectnavi]

So, with 2 - 3 eles running this setup, a target is struck for anywhere between 600-1000 hp depending on if you have two or three, which is usually enough to wipe out anything. *OH NOES* here come the flames, "but i have 8,000,0000 hp and I can take out that build with a single arm behind my back, yadda yadda" - But take it from me, this works 9 times out of 10 for bringing someone down!
So, ya, good luck with that.

protective spirit FTW.

[The Real Roy Keane]

That's why each ele should be usin Drain Enchantment before each spike,it should completely debuff the target. In any case,spike teams aren't ideally suited to 4x4 imho, but each to their own.

[Shinra1003]

Air Spiker
Lighting Strike
Lightning Orb
Chain Lightning
Glimmering Mark (Ellite)
Air Attunement
Glyph of Lesser Energy
Mantra of Resolve
Rez Signet

That works for me at least.

[Francis Crawford]

I have a generic question about elemental spiking -- you kill the monk, he gets rezzed, you do it again and so on -- do you have enough cushion with energy and exhaustion to take out everybody for good? Or do the physical attackers/disrupters get you first?