The Tempest is one of the first elite specializations of the core Elementalist and gives them more power by overloading their current attunements. Each element has different effects and can easily change the course of battle. Let us take a gander at the many powerful builds that Tempests can use in Guild Wars 2.

5. Support Tempest - Structured PvP

The Tempest has demonstrated its mettle in sPvP and has participated in its fair share of fights since launch. It can run a variety of builds, but for the purposes of this essay, we'll mostly be concentrating on the support variant. The Support Tempest is a fun and adaptable unit that can send waves of healing and helpful auras to protect its comrades. 

Why Support Tempest is great

• The Support Tempest offers a variety of ways to assist others, including by offering auras, reflect abilities, healing, or extra firepower.
• The build allows the player to instantly recover fallen teammates and defend them from danger.
• The Support Tempest is surprisingly tanky and can self-sustain, making it a pesky foe to try and get rid of while fighting for nodes.

Choose this build if:

• The group lacks a support capable of assisting the team, a tank capable of defending nodes on its own, or both.
• You aren't afraid to charge into the fray, launch auras, protect allies with reflects, and cleanse conditions from your allies.
• You are a true medic with the ability to bring your opponents down a notch for facing you.

Full build details:

Major Traits and Perks

• Earth - Elemental Shielding, Rock Solid, Stone Heart
• Water - Stop, Drop, and Roll, Cleansing Wave, Powerful Aura
• Tempest - Unstable Conduit, Harmonious Conduit, Elemental Bastion

Equipment

• Armor - Not applicable in sPvP
• Six pieces of Superior Runes of the Soldier (increases vitality, toughness, and cleanses conditions on allies after using a Shout skill)
• Trinkets - sPvP Avatar stat amulet (power + precision + healing power + vitality)
• Weapon set 1 - Main-hand dagger and off-hand focus with Superior Sigils of Transference (increases outgoing healing) and Energy (upon switching weapons, gain a bit of Endurance)
• Weapon set 2 - none

Infusions

• Not applicable in sPvP

Consumables

• Food - Not applicable in sPvP
• Utility - Not applicable in sPvP

Utility Skills

• Heal Skill - “Wash The Pain Away!” - A healing Tempest Shout skill that pulses healing and cleanses conditions for you and your allies.
• Utility Skill 1 - “Aftershock!” - A Tempest Shout skill that grants you and your allies a magnetic aura that can reflect projectiles. It inflicts damage while causing Cripple and Immobilized debuffs on surrounding enemies. 
• Utility Skill 2 - Glyph of Renewal - A core Elementalist Glyph skill that revives downed allies and has bonus effects depending on which attunement is used upon activation.
• Utility Skill 3 - Conjure Earth Shield - A core Elementalist Conjure skill that summons an earth shield at the target location, replaces your current weapon skills, and gives you additional toughness and vitality stats.
• Elite Skill - Tornado - A core Elementalist elite Cantrip skill that turns the player into a tornado, granting Stability buffs and knocking enemies away. It can also damage defiance bars.

For more information regarding this build, check this link: Hardstuck.gg

4. Low-Intensity Tempest - Open World PvE

Low-Intensity builds are helpful builds designed for players who have disabilities that hinder them from playing the game frequently or who are too tired to input a large number of commands. They typically trade pure power for higher endurance, allowing players to endure longer fights while still dealing damage. Despite their complexities, Elementalists have an L.I. Tempest build that is tailor-made specifically for them.

Why Low-Intensity Tempest is great

• The L.I.Tempest can keep up with other players because they can inflict so many Bleeding and Burning debuffs on their foes.
• L.I. builds help players with disabilities enjoy the game and demonstrate that even a complex profession like the Elementalist is playable for them.
• Most of the equipment the L.I. build needs is given right of the bat to new Elementalist players who use the Level 80 boost item they receive after purchasing an expansion pack. They still need to unlock the hero points in the expansion maps, but it shouldn’t take them too long to do so.

Choose this build if:

• You currently have physical limitations that prevent you from playing the game normally but would still like to play.
• You are looking to find a less stressful build that allows you to simply let your elementals handle most of the heavy lifting.
• You would rather have a chill build than have to focus on skill rotations.

Full build details:

Major Traits and Perks

• Earth - Serrated Stones, Strength of Stone, Diamond Skin
• Arcane - Arcane Precision, Final Shielding, Evasive Arcana
• Tempest - Gale Song, Harmonious Conduit, Lucid Singularity

Equipment

• Armor - Celestial stat armor (increases all stats)
• Six pieces of Superior Runes of the Tempest (increases all stats, outgoing condition duration, and heals allies after breaking out of stun)
• Trinkets - Six pieces of Celestial stat trinkets
• Weapon set 1 - Celestial set Main-hand dagger and off-hand warhorn with Superior Sigils of Earth (whenever you land a critical hit, inflict Bleeding debuff) and Corruption (whenever you kill a foe, gain a charge that increases condition damage by 10 that has a max of 25 stacks)
• Weapon set 2 - none

Infusions

• Not applicable for L.I. Build

Consumables

• Food - Bowl of Orrian Truffle and Meat Stew (grants Might buff whenever you dodge, increases Endurance regeneration, and experience gained from killing foes)
• Utility - Sharpening Skull (grants increased attribute to you and ally you revive, increases Magic Find, and experience gained from killing foes)

Utility Skills

• Heal Skill - Signet of Restoration - A healing core Elementalist Signet skill that passively heals you each time you cast a spell. When activated, it grants you healing.
• Utility Skill 1 - Glyph of Lesser Elementals - A core Elementalist Glyph skill that summons an elemental depending on your current elemental attunement.  
• Utility Skill 2 - Signet of Water - A core Elementalist Signet skill that passively reduces incoming condition duration and when activated, inflicts damage and Chill debuffs while healing or reviving allies.
• Utility Skill 3 - Signet of Earth - A core Elementalist Signet skill that passively toughness. When activated, it inflicts Immobilize and Bleeding debuffs on enemies.
• Elite Skill - Glyph of Elementals - A core Elementalist elite Glyph skill that summons a stronger elemental depending on your current elemental attunement.

For more information regarding this build, check this link: Metabattle.com

3. Fresh Air Tempest - Instanced PvE

Despite the profession's reputation as a support and utility elite specialty, the Fresh Air Tempest build demonstrates that it is a viable DPS alternative. It has highly powerful abilities that may overwhelm opponents and deal massive amounts of condition damage while also being versatile enough to operate as a semi-support. When its skill rotation is finished correctly, it reveals its full power and can provide a plethora of Might bonuses.

Why Fresh Air Tempest is great

• The Fresh Air Tempest can make quick work of enemies and make several encounters easier thanks to its damage output.
• The build can easily provide Might buffs for the user and their teammates in case the team lacks a good support unit.
• The Fresh Air Tempest can save its allies from a potential downstate if they take lethal damage while using their elite skill, “Rebound.”

Choose this build if:

• Your squad currently lacks DPS and needs a bit more support.
• You are confident in your abilities as an Elementalist/Tempest skills and can quickly adapt on the fly.
• You know the raid, strike mission mechanics and can confidently survive despite being a glass cannon.

Full build details:

Major Traits and Perks

• Fire - Burning Precision, Power Overwhelming, Persisting Flames
• Air - Ferocious Winds, Raging Storm, Fresh Air
• Tempest - Gale Song, Harmonious Conduit, Transcendent Tempest

Equipment

• Armor - Berserker stat armor (power + ferocity + precision)
• Six pieces of Superior Runes of the Scholar (increases power, ferocity, and outgoing strike damage while your health is above 90%)
• Trinkets - Six pieces of Berserker stat trinkets
• Weapon set 1 - Berserker set main-hand Scepter and off-hand warhorn with Superior Sigils of Force (increases outgoing damage) and Accuracy (increases critical hit chance)
• Weapon set 2 - none

Infusions

• 18 pieces of +9 Agony Infusions (increases agony resistance for Fractals of the Mists)

Consumables

• Food - Bowl of Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Soup (increases power, ferocity, and experience gained from killing foes)
• Utility - Tin of Fruitcake (increases power based on both your precision and ferocity, Karma gained, and experience from killing foes)

Utility Skills

• Heal Skill - Glyph of Elemental Harmony - A healing core Elementalist Glyph skill that heals you and has varying effects based on your current elemental attunement.
• Utility Skill 1 - Conjure Lightning Hammer - A core Elementalist Conjure skill that summons a lightning hammer at the target location, replaces your current weapon skills, and gives you additional precision and ferocity stats.
• Utility Skill 2 - Glyph of Storms - A core Elementalist Glyph skill that summons an area-of-effect storm at a target location based on your current elemental attunement to deal damage.
• Utility Skill 3 - Signet of Fire - A core Elementalist Signet skill that passively increases the user’s critical hit chance. When activated, it inflicts Burn debuffs on your foes.
• Elite Skill - “Rebound!” - The Tempest’s elite Shout skill that prevents user and their allies from taking lethal damage when timed correctly and are then healed. When the skill ends, the user and their allies gain an Aura based on their current elemental attunement.

For more information regarding this build, check this link: GuildJen.com

2. Support Tempest WvW Edition

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," as the adage goes, perfectly describes the WvW Support Tempest. It is a famous build used by Elementalists in the competitive game mode that has been improved with the Tempest elite specialization. They can provide loads of support and healing for their comrades in the hands of a talented Tempest.

Why Support Tempest is great

• It is a very versatile build that can make or break squads due to how vital support units are.
• The Support Tempest adapts on the fly, opting for either staff or dual daggers whenever the situation calls for them.
• Their powerful Magnetic Auras can be shared with their allies, protecting them from ranged attacks and turning the tide in battle.

Choose this build if:

• You want to be with a zerg in WvW and provide tons of support.
• You aren’t confident in your skills as a roamer yet or want to learn how to play WvW as a great unit that has tons of work to do.
• You don't mind being in the heart of zerg blob battles and can continuously heal others while dealing AoE damage with your staff and elemental overloads.

Full build details:

Major Traits and Perks

• Fire - Conjurer, Smothering Aura, Pyromancer’s Puissance
• Water - Soothing Ice, Cleansing Wave, Powerful Aura
• Tempest - Unstable Conduit, Invigorating Torrents, Elemental Bastion

Equipment

• Armor - Minstrel stat armor (toughness + healing + vitality + concentration)
• Six pieces of Superior Runes of the Monk (increases healing, boon duration, outgoing healing, and further increases it after sharing buffs)
• Trinkets - Six pieces of Minstrel stat trinkets
• Weapon set 1 - Minstrel stat dual daggers with Superior Sigils of Transference (increases outgoing healing) and Energy (upon switching weapons, gain a bit of Endurance)
• Weapon set 2 - Minstrel stat two-handed staff with Superior Sigils of Life (whenever you kill a foe, gain a charge that increases healing by 10 that has a max of 25 stacks) and Energy

Infusions

• Not applicable

Consumables

• Food - Not applicable 
• Utility - Not applicable 

Utility Skills

• Heal Skill - “Wash The Pain Away!” - A healing Tempest Shout skill that pulses healing and cleanses conditions for you and your allies.
• Utility Skill 1 - “Eye of the Storm!” - A Tempest Shout skill that provides the user and allies Swiftness and Superspeed buffs, and acts as a stun break.
• Utility Skill 2 - Conjure Earth Shield - A core Elementalist Conjure skill that summons an earth shield at the target location, replaces your current weapon skills, and gives you additional toughness and vitality stats.
• Utility Skill 3 - “Flash-Freeze!” - A Tempest Shout Skill that inflicts damage and Chill debuffs on enemies, slowing them down. It also provides the user and their allies with a Frost Aura.
• Elite Skill - “Rebound!” - The Tempest’s elite Shout skill that prevents user and their allies from taking lethal damage when timed correctly and are then healed. When the skill ends, the user and their allies gain an Aura based on their current elemental attunement.

For more information regarding this build, check this link: GuildJen.com

1. Heal Alacrity Tempest - Instanced PvE

The Tempest is the Elementalist's jack-of-all-trades elite specialization, capable of doing everything due to their flexibility. Their support abilities are comparable to those of the Firebrand, and they can even collaborate with them. The Heal Alacrity Tempest can grant additional boons that only they can provide, making certain fights easier.

Why Heal Alacrity Tempest is great

• Alacrity is an important buff that players crucially need since it lessens cooldowns, and the Heal Alacrity Tempest can easily provide it while overloading elemental attunements.
• The build can provide nearly permanent defensive buffs such as Protection, Regeneration, Vigor, and many others. In the hands of a capable Tempest-main, you can keep the buffs up for far longer.
• The team benefits from the shared auras when dealing with ranged projectiles.

Choose this build if:

• You want to always be welcomed into a raid or strike mission since everyone needs more support.
• You are a confident raider and Elementalist main who knows your skill rotations very well.
• You love competing against other supports to see who can keep the squad alive under their watch.

Full build details:

Major Traits and Perks

• Water - Piercing Shards, Cleansing Wave, Soothing Power
• Arcane - Arcane Restoration, Arcane Resurrection, Evasive Arcana
• Tempest - Latent Stamina, Invigorating Torrents, Lucid Singularity

Equipment

• Armor - One piece Magi stat helm (precision, vitality. healing power), five pieces of Harrier stat armor (power + healing power + concentration)
• Six pieces of Superior Runes of the Monk (increases healing, boon duration, outgoing healing, and further increases it after sharing buffs)
• Trinkets - three pieces of both Magi and Harrier’s stat trinkets
• Weapon set 1 - Harrier’s set Main-hand dagger and off-hand Warhorn with Superior Sigils of Concentration (increases boon duration) and Transference (increases outgoing healing)
• Weapon set 2 - Harrier’s set two-handed staff with Superior Sigils of Concentration and Transference

Infusions

• 20 pieces of Healing WvW Infusion (increases healing and reduces damage taken from Lords, Supervisors, and Guards in WvW)

Consumables

• Food - Bowl of Fruit Salad with Mint Garnish (increases outgoing healing, healing power, concentration, amount of Karma, Magic Find, Gold, overworld and World vs World experience)
• Utility - Bountiful Maintenance Oil (increases outgoing healing based on healing power and concentration percentage, as well as experience gained from kills)

Utility Skills

• Heal Skill - “Wash The Pain Away!” - A healing Tempest Shout skill that pulses healing and cleanses conditions for you and your allies.
• Utility Skill 1 - “Flash-Freeze!” - A Tempest Shout Skill that inflicts damage and Chill debuffs on enemies, slowing them down. It also provides the user and their allies with a Frost Aura.
• Utility Skill 2 - “Eye of the Storm!” - A Tempest Shout skill that provides the user and allies Swiftness and Superspeed buffs, and acts as a stun break.
• Utility Skill 3 - “Aftershock!” - A Tempest Shout skill that grants you and your allies a magnetic aura that can reflect projectiles. It inflicts damage while causing Cripple and Immobilized debuffs on surrounding enemies. 
• Elite Skill - “Rebound!” - The Tempest’s elite Shout skill that prevents user and their allies from taking lethal damage when timed correctly and are then healed. When the skill ends, the user and their allies gain an Aura based on their current elemental attunement.

For more information regarding this build, check this link: Hardstuck.gg

Closing Thoughts

If you want a profession that can do it all and can be very rewarding to play, the Tempest is your go-to class for it. From DPS to support, and even a surprising tank, the Tempest continues to overwhelm their foes and blow their competition away with their might. Do you have any other builds you could suggest to us for the Tempest? Kindly let us know so that we may follow up next time.

You may also be interested in:

• [Top 5] GW2 Best Builds for Tanks
• GW2 Best Class - What’s The Best Class To Play?
• [Top 10] GW2 Best PvP Builds (October 2022)
• [Top 10] GW2 Best Builds for PvE