In Guild Wars 2, the Elementalist profession offers a wide range of magical abilities through its unique attunement system. One of the more intriguing utility skills available to this class is the ‘Conjure Earth Shield’ spell. This skill allows players to summon a powerful temporary weapon that provides both offensive and defensive capabilities. The Earth Shield is often overlooked in favor of flashier options, but for players who understand its potential, it can be a game-changer in both PvE and PvP settings. Understanding how to effectively use the Conjure Earth Shield can open up new possibilities for survivability, crowd control, and tactical gameplay.
What Is Conjure Earth Shield?
Conjure Earth Shield is a utility skill in the Elementalist’s arsenal. Like other conjure skills, it summons a temporary weapon at the caster’s feet, which can also be picked up by allies. Once equipped, the Earth Shield provides a new set of five abilities, each focusing on stability, crowd control, and survivability. This makes it a valuable tool in situations where defense and control are more important than raw damage output.
How to Access It
To use the Conjure Earth Shield, players must:
- Be playing the Elementalist profession
- Select the skill in one of their utility skill slots
- Cast the skill to summon the shield on the ground
Once on the ground, the shield can be picked up by the caster or any nearby ally, adding a layer of strategic decision-making to its use.
Earth Shield Skill Set Overview
When an Elementalist or their ally equips the Earth Shield, it replaces their current weapon skills with a new set of five abilities. These skills are:
- Earth Shield 1 – Magnetic Current: Launch yourself toward the target and daze them. This is a mobility and interrupt skill.
- Earth Shield 2 – Magnetic Shield: Grants a magnetic aura that reflects projectiles and provides protection, ideal for surviving ranged pressure.
- Earth Shield 3 – Hurl: Throw the Earth Shield at a target, causing a knockdown. Excellent for interrupting key enemy abilities or buying time.
- Earth Shield 4 – Fortify: A self-buff that grants stability and reduces incoming damage. This allows the user to stand their ground in chaotic fights.
- Earth Shield 5 – Magnetic Wave: A point-blank area attack that pushes back enemies and clears conditions. Useful for area control and cleansing debuffs.
This diverse set of tools makes the Earth Shield versatile. It can serve as a gap closer, a projectile defense, a condition cleanse, and a tool for creating breathing room in crowded battles.
Strategic Uses in Different Game Modes
In PvE
In PvE content like open-world events, dungeons, and fractals, Conjure Earth Shield can help an Elementalist mitigate damage during boss phases or crowd-control enemies that pose a threat to the party. For example, Magnetic Shield can reflect incoming projectiles, keeping the team safe, while Hurl can knock down priority targets like enemy healers or champions.
In PvP
In structured PvP, Earth Shield provides reliable crowd control and defensive tools, especially for support or hybrid Elementalist builds. The ability to grant stability and reflect projectiles is incredibly valuable on node fights, where control over positioning and condition pressure are critical. Players can also use Fortify to secure a stomp or revive without getting interrupted, a common tactic at higher levels of play.
In WvW (World vs. World)
In large-scale WvW battles, Elementalists often face the challenge of staying alive amidst chaos. Earth Shield offers some breathing room, especially when used with Magnetic Wave to clear conditions and push back enemies. When running with small roaming groups or defending structures, the Earth Shield can play a significant role in providing utility and sustain.
Synergy with Traits and Builds
To get the most out of Conjure Earth Shield, players should consider how it synergizes with their chosen traits and stats. Here are a few helpful trait lines:
- Arcane: Boosts conjured weapon duration and recharge, while also improving boon application and skill effectiveness.
- Earth: Increases toughness, adds damage reduction effects, and can grant protection on critical hits ideal for tanky builds.
- Fire: While not directly enhancing Earth Shield, Fire trait lines can boost overall power and help in hybrid builds where Conjure Earth Shield complements burst windows.
Elementalists with support or hybrid roles may combine Earth Shield with Staff or Dagger/Focus sets, using the shield to hold out under pressure before switching back to healing or damage duties.
Tips for Using Conjure Earth Shield Effectively
- Use Before Anticipated Pressure: Cast the shield in advance of enemy burst or CC attempts to prepare for defense.
- Don’t Leave It Behind: Make sure to pick up the shield after summoning it. Leaving it unused wastes the cooldown.
- Coordinate with Allies: In group content, another player may benefit more from the shield. Communicate if you’re dropping it intentionally.
- Combo with Stability Skills: Fortify combined with other stability sources can let you hold objectives or secure revives even under intense focus.
- Reflecting Projectiles: Use Magnetic Shield when facing ranged enemies to reflect their attacks and reduce incoming pressure.
Limitations and Considerations
Despite its versatility, Conjure Earth Shield has some limitations. Like all conjured weapons in GW2, it has a fixed number of charges and can be clunky to manage in fast-paced fights. It also occupies a utility slot that could be used for healing, mobility, or other support skills. Therefore, its use should be intentional and aligned with the needs of the fight.
Additionally, the skill has a cast time and ground-targeting mechanic, which can be interrupted or misused if not positioned correctly. Players unfamiliar with its targeting may find themselves summoning the shield in an inaccessible spot, losing valuable time during battle.
Conjure Earth Shield is one of the more tactical and supportive tools available to the Elementalist in Guild Wars 2. Its wide array of abilities offers crowd control, damage mitigation, and utility, making it especially useful in situations where survivability and control are essential. While it requires thoughtful positioning and practice to use well, the benefits it provides can be significant, particularly in PvP and WvW scenarios. By understanding its skills, pairing it with appropriate traits, and using it strategically, players can unlock a new level of effectiveness for their Elementalist builds.
Whether you’re holding a capture point in PvP or fending off a wave of enemies in WvW, the Earth Shield may be the tool that turns the tide. For Elementalists seeking both control and survivability, this conjured weapon deserves a spot in their skill lineup.