I won't trade such amazing self-heal for measly dps increase. Not to mention how clunky ele weapon is.. as soon as you got lag or fps drop it becomes useless immediately.

Ele weapon hits harder, it’s cheaper, and very very bursty in places like vma.
However if I’m doing random dungeons with randos I’ll slot strife for self heals.
But In content where I have a healer ele weapon is superior

Other - I use what fits the character.

I only have one magicka nightblade. She will never join the Psijic Order because realistically, they would never take someone like her. She's a ne'er do well, thief, and murderer; totally the opposite of the ideals the Order aspires to. That means she will never get Elemental Weapon. Part of her theme is cold-hearted icy, so I did not level Force Shock on her as it is multi-element damage. She knows Wall of Elements, Destructive Touch, and Impulse instead... but none of those are on the poll. That leaves one skill remaining: Strife. That is the only one of the three in the poll I would use on her. She is a bad cat and sucks the life out of her foes while chilling them to the bones.

Good spam!

Totally depends.

On a dummy or in a the full trials, straight Elemental Weapon. In dungeons, depends on the group.

In Maelstrom, Force Pulse + Swallow Soul.

In vCR, just Swallow Soul.

In vAS, Elemental Weapon + Funnel Health.