(Note: Calculations on Elementals based on hunting lvl 50 Elementals with a lvl 50 scrapper with no protection or resistance to Elemental attacks.)
The Elementals
There are three types of Storm Elementals in the game: Squall Elementals (minions), Tempest Elementals (Lieutenants), and Cyclone Elementals (Bosses). In CoH, the only time you will encounter these is at the end of Faathim the Kinds TF or in the Storm Palace. They spawn at lvl 41 during the TF as part of an ambush, and at lvls 49-54 in the Storm Palace. This is a list of known attacks and strategies for defeating the Elementals.
1. Ion Field
The Prima Guide simply labeled this as AoE energy damage, but it's fairly severe. The range on it seems to be roughly 15 feet, the Elementals move fairly quickly when aggroed, so this could be off by a bit. At the very least, the ion field gives the elementals heavy resistance to negative energy, but I was only able to test it using shadow maul, which did full smash but 60% of the negative energy it should have.
2. Ion Burst
Cyclone Elemental Boss - 227 points of energy damage
Temptest Elemental Lieutenant 108 points of energy damage
Ion Burst is the longest range, but least damage of the elemental attacks. It's also the first one that is used when an elemental is aggroed. For a minor damage attack, it's still fairly severe and has a ridiculous range. It is the most used, and it is the longest ranged of Elemental attacks. Ion burst is a targeted AoE, so standing next to the tank is a BAD idea.
3. Ion Blast
Cyclone Elemental Boss 336 points of energy damage
Tempest Elemental Lieutenant 177 points of energy damage
This is the second most powerful Elemental attack, and is generally used immediately after ion burst IF you are in range. This lead me to believe burst was a resistance debuff and blast was simply burst hitting harder, but there is no resistance debuffing attached to any of the ionic attacks. I tested this several times and checked my combat tabs, the attacks hit for the same damage every time, even if the first attack misses, etc.
3. Ion Strike
Cyclone Elemental Boss - 567 points of energy damage
Tempest Elemental Lieutenant - 269 points of energy damage
This is a high damage, medium range blast that seems to be the reason the elementals are so difficult. There is nothing notable about these attacks, other than the fact they cause insane damage and can do this at least once every six seconds.
4. Ionic Embrace and Discharge
(Only the Cyclone Elementals have these powers, and the range on both is only slightly beyond melee.)
Unless a player has some protection against holds, ionic embrace will more or less shut a toon down, halting end and health recovery, and slowing recharge to a crawl. Ionic discharge is a stun, but it usually comes right before Ionic Embrace, so even my scrapper with integration can get held by a +2 boss if I get stunned and then held. Then, my toggles drop and I stay held and end up defeated.
Strategies and Tips for Defeating the Elementals
-Dont get close!
One of the things that make these difficult for tankers and scrappers is that the biggest threats from the Elementals come from being close to the elementals, especially the bosses. Ideally, a tank could taunt and stay far enough away but within line of sight, only allowing the elementals to use their minor damage attack, but keeping them occupied while blasters used ranged attacks to destroy them. The closer you get to an Elemental, the more damage youll sustain, and they attack FAST.
-Kill them as fast as possible
One lvl 50 elemental boss will deal over 1000 points of damage within eight seconds if youre in range of all three attacks. Despite the bosses and lieutenants power, the minions are fairly non-threatening and spawn in very low numbers. Use a target blaster if necessary, but try to focus on one at a time.
The elementals that spawn in the Storm Palace are largely lethargic and don't aggro as easily as one would think. However, the ones that spawn as boss pets of Lanaru the Mad are extremely vicious and seen to spawn free of any taunt a tank performs on Lanaru.
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(Note: Calculations on Elementals based on hunting lvl 50 Elementals with a lvl 50 scrapper with no protection or resistance to Elemental attacks.)
The Elementals
There are three types of Storm Elementals in the game: Squall Elementals (minions), Tempest Elementals (Lieutenants), and Cyclone Elementals (Bosses). In CoH, the only time you will encounter these is at the end of Faathim the Kinds TF or in the Storm Palace. They spawn at lvl 41 during the TF as part of an ambush, and at lvls 49-54 in the Storm Palace. This is a list of known attacks and strategies for defeating the Elementals.
1. Ion Field
The Prima Guide simply labeled this as AoE energy damage, but it's fairly severe. The range on it seems to be roughly 15 feet, the Elementals move fairly quickly when aggroed, so this could be off by a bit. At the very least, the ion field gives the elementals heavy resistance to negative energy, but I was only able to test it using shadow maul, which did full smash but 60% of the negative energy it should have.
2. Ion Burst
Cyclone Elemental Boss - 227 points of energy damage
Temptest Elemental Lieutenant 108 points of energy damage
Ion Burst is the longest range, but least damage of the elemental attacks. It's also the first one that is used when an elemental is aggroed. For a minor damage attack, it's still fairly severe and has a ridiculous range. It is the most used, and it is the longest ranged of Elemental attacks. Ion burst is a targeted AoE, so standing next to the tank is a BAD idea.
3. Ion Blast
Cyclone Elemental Boss 336 points of energy damage
Tempest Elemental Lieutenant 177 points of energy damage
This is the second most powerful Elemental attack, and is generally used immediately after ion burst IF you are in range. This lead me to believe burst was a resistance debuff and blast was simply burst hitting harder, but there is no resistance debuffing attached to any of the ionic attacks. I tested this several times and checked my combat tabs, the attacks hit for the same damage every time, even if the first attack misses, etc.
3. Ion Strike
Cyclone Elemental Boss - 567 points of energy damage
Tempest Elemental Lieutenant - 269 points of energy damage
This is a high damage, medium range blast that seems to be the reason the elementals are so difficult. There is nothing notable about these attacks, other than the fact they cause insane damage and can do this at least once every six seconds.
4. Ionic Embrace and Discharge
(Only the Cyclone Elementals have these powers, and the range on both is only slightly beyond melee.)
Unless a player has some protection against holds, ionic embrace will more or less shut a toon down, halting end and health recovery, and slowing recharge to a crawl. Ionic discharge is a stun, but it usually comes right before Ionic Embrace, so even my scrapper with integration can get held by a +2 boss if I get stunned and then held. Then, my toggles drop and I stay held and end up defeated.
Strategies and Tips for Defeating the Elementals
-Dont get close!
One of the things that make these difficult for tankers and scrappers is that the biggest threats from the Elementals come from being close to the elementals, especially the bosses. Ideally, a tank could taunt and stay far enough away but within line of sight, only allowing the elementals to use their minor damage attack, but keeping them occupied while blasters used ranged attacks to destroy them. The closer you get to an Elemental, the more damage youll sustain, and they attack FAST.
-Kill them as fast as possible
One lvl 50 elemental boss will deal over 1000 points of damage within eight seconds if youre in range of all three attacks. Despite the bosses and lieutenants power, the minions are fairly non-threatening and spawn in very low numbers. Use a target blaster if necessary, but try to focus on one at a time.
The elementals that spawn in the Storm Palace are largely lethargic and don't aggro as easily as one would think. However, the ones that spawn as boss pets of Lanaru the Mad are extremely vicious and seen to spawn free of any taunt a tank performs on Lanaru.
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