Elite Skill Question

[doogal.9368]

Hi all,

 

Just wondering if Elite Skills are primarily the OH SH!T button or something else?

 

edit: I feel like this is what they were primarily back in the day (pre gw2) but maybe I'm way off.

Do you think this idea has changed vastly?

 

Happy Hunting!

[Ashantara.8731]

If only I knew what the meaning of "OH kitten button" is. Mind to explain?

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

I think it's 'One Hit Something' button.

 

Can't say my Elite Skills do that. Well, they _do_ do that on ambients. :tongue:

[thepenmonster.3621]

> @"Ashantara.8731" said:

> If only I knew what the meaning of "OH kitten button" is. Mind to explain?

 

"I screwed up and am going to die. Hail Mary time!"

[Tommo Chocolate.5870]

I initially read 'OH' as 'off-hand' but that doesn't make sense. Perhaps the capitalisation is irrelevant and - to paraphrase while avoiding the kitten filter - the OP means something like "oh dear button", i.e. a button you press to save your character when things have gone badly enough for you to say "oh dear!" (Or your preferred equivalent).

 

I think the only elite skill in GW2 that fits that description is Rebound. And I'm a bit confused about the comment about "pre GW2" since I can't think of any elite skills like that in GW1. Maybe Unyielding Aura?

[aspirine.6852]

GW2 elite skills are very very lackluster compared to the GW1 ones, that would define a build. I would rather replace my elite with another utility skill, that's how useless they are.

[mercury ranique.2170]

I'm going to assume the OP wonders if elite skills are very powerfull. In my opinion this is not the case. They have a long recharge time and are often just part of the rotations. To me they are often part of the class mechanic and even complete this (although it is not always the case)

[Danikat.8537]

> @"Tommo Chocolate.5870" said:

> I initially read 'OH' as 'off-hand' but that doesn't make sense. Perhaps the capitalisation is irrelevant and - to paraphrase while avoiding the kitten filter - the OP means something like "oh dear button", i.e. a button you press to save your character when things have gone badly enough for you to say "oh dear!" (Or your preferred equivalent).

>

> I think the only elite skill in GW2 that fits that description is Rebound. And I'm a bit confused about the comment about "pre GW2" since I can't think of any elite skills like that in GW1. Maybe Unyielding Aura?

 

I think you're right. When I moved all my skills to the number pad I bound heal to the 0 button because it's bigger and hard to miss and I have sometimes called it my panic button. I've also said the same about the F5 button on my ranger, because if I'm using druid it gives me extra healing skills and if I'm using soulbeast I also use the Eternal Bond trait which means if I would be downed I instead leave beast mode and gain health, so I tend to push F5 when my priority is just to keep myself alive. I can see how elite skills might seem like the same thing.

 

@"doogal.9368" - short answer no they're not. Elite skills are stronger versions of normal skills, so when and how they're used depends on the skill. There's very few (if any) which are guarenteed to turn the tide if everything's already going wrong for you. A lot of them are best used at the start of a fight (and then whenever they come off cool down) because they have on-going effects, and others do a lot of damage in a short time so you want to use them when the boss is vulnerable or as many enemies as possible are in range. Exactly how and when to use them will be different for each skill, depending on what it does.

 

Also it was pretty much the same in GW1. The main difference in how elites worked in that game is they could have much shorter cool-downs so your elite skill could be your main attack. But even then they'd rarely be the deciding factor between whether you lived or died, just a major source of damage.

[joneirikb.7506]

I typically find elite-skills to be the least important part of a build, and the thing I use the least. There are a few that actually can work as "get out of jail for free" skills, notable Renewed Focus on Guardian, but if you build for it Dagger-storm on Thief can pull that off as well.

 

But for 99% of the time, I'd rather want another utility skill than an elite-skill. All over their effects tend to be weaker compared to the long cooldowns. ANet even seen this and slowly changed so we usually have 1-2 lower impact but shorter cooldown elite-skills as well. Like the shout on guardian which is almost similar cooldown to the utility shouts, and the Basilisk Venom for thief for example.

 

So basically, for the most part, you can play just well enough without the elite-skill.

[Lexi.1398]

Your "oh no" button could be anything- a heal skill, a weapon skill or utility skill that provides block/evade/invuln, any skill that provides a CC.

 

I think elite skills are lacking in clarity of purpose in gw2, although they do serve a somewhat important function in balance since a 4th normal uility would make some builds unstoppable. I like most elites, and their effects (whether theyre tied to a long cd or short) do often serve an important purpose in a build, though that purpose isn't one unified purpose across all elites. In a way it can be nice for some builds, since there's no competition for the elite slot I can slot in something that is useful without it neccesarily needing to be the same purpose the rest of the build is for, and that can be pretty good for some classes, especially professions that don't have a damage skill as an elite (which is a fair few) which can close gaps defensively without sacrifcing much.

[Fueki.4753]

While I like some elite skills, like Feel my Wrath, Headbutt and the Dragon Hunter Elite trap, I'd appreciate a 4th utility skill more than most elite skills.

[kharmin.7683]

I rarely use elite skills, usually because of the long cooldowns.

[Azure The Heartless.3261]

Some Elite skills, like Dagger Storm or Rebound!, are "oh kitten" buttons.

Some Elite skills are super moves.

Some Elite skills are RP tools/lore tools.

Some Elite skills are gags.

Some Elite skills are support or rotation enhancing skills.

 

Its changed since GW1 but Tyria as a concept has changed a lot, so the change is welcome at least imo.

[Fueki.4753]

> @"Azure The Heartless.3261" said:

> Its changed since GW1 but Tyria as a concept has changed a lot, so the change is welcome at least imo.

I doubt all that many people welcome that one slot is restricted to only Elite skills, especially with the limited number of them.

 

 

[Khisanth.2948]

> @"Fueki.4753" said:

> > @"Azure The Heartless.3261" said:

> > Its changed since GW1 but Tyria as a concept has changed a lot, so the change is welcome at least imo.

> I doubt all that many people welcome that one slot is restricted to only Elite skills, especially with the limited number of them.

>

>

 

Which is a symptom of the fact that many of the elite skills are just bad.

 

The elite skill is also an outdated concept. It made sense in GW1 because they were the foundation for many builds in GW1. That role has been replaced by traits in GW2.

 

[doogal.9368]

> @"doogal.9368" said:

> Just wondering if Elite Skills are primarily the OH kitten button or something else?

>

 

OK WAIT OMG lol

It auto-corrected from me trying to say ...the Oh .s.hi.t. button

[doogal.9368]

> @"Danikat.8537" said:

 

> @"doogal.9368" - short answer no they're not. Elite skills are stronger versions of normal skills, so when and how they're used depends on the skill. There's very few (if any) which are guarenteed to turn the tide if everything's already going wrong for you.

>

> Also it was pretty much the same in GW1. The main difference in how elites worked in that game is they could have much shorter cool-downs so your elite skill could be your main attack. But even then they'd rarely be the deciding factor between whether you lived or died, just a major source of damage.

 

This is what I was wondering for the most part.

 

Thanks all for hanging in there!

 

 

[Ashantara.8731]

> @"Tommo Chocolate.5870" said:

> I initially read 'OH' as 'off-hand' but that doesn't make sense. Perhaps the capitalisation is irrelevant and - to paraphrase while avoiding the kitten filter - the OP means something like "oh dear button", i.e. a button you press to save your character when things have gone badly enough for you to say "oh dear!" (Or your preferred equivalent).

 

Yes, but I am still looking for context here. Elite skills are no "safety button."

 

> @"doogal.9368" said:

> This is what I was wondering for the most part.

 

Okay, great someone got you. :lol: