So what was it specifically that made me want to write this post? "Fire is overrated. It doesn't have the utility of the other elements." That comment (paraphrased, of course), is one I have seen a few times from different players. So let's go through the basics of the four elements and why they work together.
Before I begin, I am a Staff Elementalist. I prefer the abilities of the staff to almost any other combination so my examples will be based on that.
Fire- This is your damage and dot element. You're going to find yourself in Fire more often than not because it has the most burst damage of any other element. If you invest in Condition Damage you're going to see some great rolling damage from Burning as well. Fire also has a lot of combo capability with other professions.
Water- This element is chill and heal based and is one of the lowest damage autoattacks, regardless what weapon you're using. However, if you're using a staff, your autoattack also has a small heal that affects melee players on impact. If you're using a dagger, it will apply Vulnerability to the mob.
Air- This element has some decent damage and some utility such as blindness and weakness with certain weapons, as well as a stun.
Earth- This element has a lot of utility. You can bleed and cripple enemies, immobilize them, protect yourself from projectiles, and increase your toughness.
Each element has it's own merits but none of them can stand alone. To get the most out of an Elementalist it requires some tactical thinking and a willingness to experiment. Cycling through elements is nearly instantaneous but there is a cooldown. The best piece of advice I can give is not to fear the cooldown but to plan around it.
Let's look at an example of switching elements and working with the cooldown that's pretty basic and happens to me a lot where I find myself facing a pack of mobs. Remember, I'm using a staff for this example.
Most the time I'm in Fire to start so in this situation I'd switch to Earth immediately and lay down Unsteady Ground just in front of the mobs to catch the majority, dropping an Eruption just in front of that adding in a Shockwave for good measure. From there I switch back to Fire now that the cooldown has just about gone away and drop a Lava Font just in front of the Eruption and Flame Burst into the crowd. Chances are, the mobs are just about to me at this point so I will likely use Glyph of Storms at my location and dodge through the pack while switching to Air and dropping a Static Field behind me to slow down the mobs and using Windborne Speed to give me a little more mobility, using Gust to push back one that might be too close. By this time Fire should be cooled down or just about giving me another round of burst damage. Most the mobs should be dead or able to be autoattacked down while strafing. If I had taken some substantial damage before getting behind the mobs again I would've switched out Air for Water, tossed a Frozen Ground patch in front of them and used my personal heal or Geyser before dodging again and switching back to Fire. A lot of times you will run into the back end of your cooldown and it's during this time you'll need to dodge and kite while you switch.
It might sound complicated or like a bit much work but remember, not every fight is going to call for switching but many will. Knowing what each element can do with your chosen weapon and how best to use it to your advantage with your playstyle will keep you alive and your repair costs down.
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