Some disciplines(weapon learned skill) have elemental damage upgrade. Not many weapons have passive elemental damage and is mostly weapon art(weapon unique skills). The longsword(deluxe upgrade) has passive lightning damage. Every elemental has a build-up requirement to take effect and when it's full it inflicts the effect and a damage burst depending on the element plus vulnerability to that type of damage while under the effect. Some difficulty enemies have insane weakness to elements like the trees who completely stun locked while burning and are set on fire with one projectile with fire-build upgrade. Feathering and magic are spell categories.