[quote=Geoffrey Silt]
So for example you could go water to easily get upgrades for another skill, then switch over the that skill?
[/quote]

That sentence confused me a little. You could only switch to a different element provided you had equal or more skills in that element than the one you're currently focussed on. So you could start as water, gain skills in water, then get more skills in mud (earth + water) and switch to that.