Guild Wars 2

MESMER – THE DPS SUMMONER
Mesmers effectively died with GW1. Now, before people start getting upset about bringing GW1 into a discussion about GW2, the point is that GW2 Mesmer is not a real control class. It has little movement-impairing CC that doesn’t outright deal damage, isn’t part of an in-progress spike or is the result of instant-activation, passive procs. Furthermore, everything is auto-aimed for the Mesmer—which is a double-edged sword of awful design. Not only does it take the thought of target-tracking out of the equation for almost every Mesmer skill, but it also removes the Mesmer’s ability to adequately contribute to team fights that span a large area or deal damage to [Shadow Refuge] (I’m sorry, I mean Thief—I’M SORRY, I MEAN STEALTHED TARGETS).

In short, Mesmer, at its core, is just as spammy/relies on unfair as much as any other class yet is denied the ability to properly aim their abilities or contribute any real AoE to combat thanks to their innate class design.

The changes below are meant to force the Mesmer to develop target-tracking and skill-combo techniques and reduce reliance on sticky-tab targeting as a means to connect damage. This increased freedom from sticky-tab targeting also allows the Mesmer to contribute more damage over a wider area as well as maintain pressure or threat on the battlefield as opposed to everything collapsing when the Mesmer can’t select a specific target.

As a final note, I’m aware that I haven’t done any phantasm changes (in line with the others) for the downed state phantasm nor for the underwater phantasms. I’m not getting paid to do this. Think them up yourself. Regardless, underwater combat is a joke and you shouldn’t get super-powerful downed-state abilities anyway.

PHANTASM FUNCTIONALITY CHANGE

• Phantasms no longer require a target in order to summon; Mesmers can now summon Phantasms when outside of combat.
• Phantasms now have a maximum lifespan of 60 seconds.
• A Mesmer can only have 1 Phantasm active at a single time. Summoning Phantasm B while the Mesmer already has Phantasm A on the field will result in Phantasm A shattering immediately (this shatter applies all active shatter-related effects).

PHANTASM BEHAVIOUR CHANGE

• Phantasms will now attempt to attack the Mesmer’s current target.
• If a Phantasm is summoned when the Mesmer has no selected target, the Phantasm will attempt to follow the Mesmer instead of attacking the nearest valid target.

PHANTASM COMMAND SKILLS

• Using a Phantasm skill now causes that skill to chain into another skill.
• Phantasm chain skills are phantasm-specific commands issued by the player.
• Phantasm command skills will always interrupt the Phantasm’s current active skill queue and immediately queue the chain skill for use so as to promote clutch, responsive chain skill application.

NEW CONDITION UNIQUE TO THE MESMER – NIGHTMARE

• Foes hexed by a nightmare take 5% more damage from phantasms. Hexing a foe with nightmare removes up to 2 stacks of Defiant.
• Nightmare does not stack in duration nor in intensity. If a foe hexed by a nightmare were to be hexed with nightmare again, the second instance of nightmare would simply overwrite the first instance.

Greatsword skills
[Spatial Surge] (1)
*This skill now uses projectiles for each of its hits. Three orbs now track along the beam connecting the caster and the target. These orbs are piercing projectiles and home in on their target.

[Mirror Blade] (2)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: ¾ second
• Recharge: 8 seconds
• Clone. Throw an illusionary greatsword that shatters at the target location, leaving behind a clone. You gain might for each foe that you strike.
• Damage: 259 (0.65)
• Damage radius: 150
• Vulnerability (3): 5 seconds
• Might per target (1): 8 seconds
• Minimum range: 50
• Range: 1200
  • This skill strikes up to 5 targets.
  • This skill shares its projectile behavior with that of Engineer grenade skills.
  • This skill only summons a clone if the Mesmer is in combat.

[Mind Stab] (3)

• Radius increased from 120 to 150.
• This skill now has a ½-second lag time between cast-completion and when it inflicts damage. The particle effect animation has been adjusted to reflect this.

[Phantasmal Berserker] (4-1)

• FUNTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 1 second
• Recharge: 20 seconds
• Phantasm. Create a phantasm that whirls across the target location upon creation, damaging foes in its path. This phantasm throws its greatsword to damage and cripple foes.
• Damage: 159 (0.5)
• Combo Finisher: Whirl
• Range: 1200
  • This skill uses a Mesmer [Temporal Curtain] ground-targeting reticle. The phantasm will attempt to perform its Warrior [Whirlwind Attack] parallel to the middle of the reticle’s linear vector (in the direction that the arrow is pointing when the player places the reticle). The phantasm’s linear attack will start at the location of the reticle.
  • This skill now chains into another skill upon cast-completion: [Crippling Anguish].

[Imagined Burden] (Phantasmal Berserker attack skill)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: ¾ second
• Recharge: 6 seconds
• Throw an illusory greatsword at your target so that it returns to you, crippling foes along the way.
• Damage: 159 (0.5)
• Crippled: 3 seconds
• Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
• Range: 900
  • This skill uses the Warrior [Bladetrail] attack animation.
  • This chain skill’s recharge or usage does not affect the recharge of [Phantasmal Berserker]. The two skills share separate recharges and each will immediately go to into recharge upon respective use.

[Crippling Anguish] (4-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 25 seconds
• Your Phantasmal Berserker leaps and strikes foes at the target area. This attack stuns, immobilizes and deals extra damage to crippled foes.
• Damage: 286 (0.85)
• Damage vs crippled foes: 402 (1.2)
• Stun vs crippled foes: ¼ seconds
• Immobilize vs crippled foes: 1 second
• Damage radius: 180
• Combo Finisher: Blast
• Range: 1200
  • The phantasm uses the Warrior [Earthshaker] animation for this attack.
  • The Range tool-tip describes the skill placement range with relation to the Mesmer’s current location. The actual range of the skill itself is 600. If the phantasm is outside of that range when ordered to use this skill, it will approach to within the proper range and then use the skill.

Staff skills
[Winds of Chaos] (1)

• Bleeding duration reduced from 7 seconds to 3 seconds.
• This skill no longer inflicts burning.
• This skill now also has a chance to inflict Torment (1 stack; 3 seconds).

[Phantasmal Warlock] (3-1)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 1 second
• Recharge: 20 seconds
• Phantasm. Create a phantasm at the target location. This phantasm deals extra damage for each unique condition on foes that it strikes.
• Damage: 285 (0.85)
• Extra damage per unique condition: 10%
• Range: 1200
  • This skill now chains into another skill upon cast-completion: [Mistrust].

[Mistrust] (3-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 25 seconds
• Your Phantasmal Warlock casts a spell over target location. Foes caught in this spell weaken and confuse adjacent foes when they use a skill.
• Delay: 2 seconds
• Damage: 179 (0.55)
• Damage radius: 240
• Mistrust (5): 3 seconds
• Weakness per skill use 2 seconds
• Confusion per skill use (1): 5 seconds
• Mistrust radius: 180
• Range: 1200
  • This skill strikes up to 5 foes.
• [Phantasmal Warlock]‘s spell cast-time is 1 second. During the delay time, [Mistrust]’s skill icon looms above the target area specified by a red circle.
  • If it hits, this attack applies 5 stacks of a unique debuff called Mistrust which lasts for 3 seconds. Each time that a foe under the effects of Mistrust uses a skill, the Mistrust stack decreases by 1 and all other foes (up to 5 targets) within a 180 radius of that foe are weakened (2 seconds) and confused (1 stack; 5 seconds). Foes under the effects of Mistrust do not suffer confusion or weakness from their own skill use.
  • While activating this skill, the Phantasmal Warlock uses the Elementalist [Rock Barrier] animation.
  • Foes under the effects of Mistrust have the skill’s skill icon suspended above their head.
  • This chain skill’s recharge or usage does not affect the recharge of [Phantasmal Warlock]. The two skills share separate recharges and each will immediately go to into recharge upon respective use.

[Chaos Storm] (5)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: ¼ second
• Recharge: 20 seconds
• Create a magical storm at the target location that builds conditions on foes and boons on allies. Each pulse also hexes foes with nightmare. Each pulse has a 50% chance to daze weakened foes.
• Damage (3x): 537 (1.65)
• Damage radius: 180
• Nightmare: 2 seconds
• Crippled: 3 seconds
• Poison vs crippled foes: 4 seconds
• Weakness vs poisoned foes: 2 seconds
• Daze vs weakened foes: 1 second
• Swiftness: 5 seconds
• Retaliation for allies with swiftness: 3 seconds
• Protection for allies with retaliation: 1 second
• Duration: 3 seconds
• Combo Field: Ethereal
• Range: 1200
  • This skill shares its pulse schedule with that of Elementalist [Lava Font].
  • [Chaos Storm] checks foes and allies respectively for specific boons and/or conditions. Based on the boons and conditions that [Chaos Storm] detects on a given foe or ally, [Chaos Storm] inflicts a certain boon or condition in addition to dealing damage. To this effect, if [Chaos Storm] were to strike a foe without any conditions, it will inflict crippled in addition to its damage. If [Chaos Storm] were to strike a foe suffering from poison, it would only inflict weakness in addition to dealing damage. This same principle applies to every other boon and condition listed in the skill’s description.

Scepter main-hand skills
[Ether Clone] (1-3)

• Cast-time reduced from 1 second to ¾ second.
• Now also hexes the target with 3 seconds of Nightmare.

[Illusionary Counter] (2) – NAME CHANGED TO – [Illusionary Weaponry] (2-1)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: ½ second
• Recharge: 6 seconds
• Conjure an illusionary kitten nal around you that improves precision.
• Illusionary weaponry (15 seconds): +30 precision per weapon
  • This skill creates 3 illusionary weapons: Two Vision of the Mists pointed vertically upright on either side of the player and a “Phantasm-pink” Foefire’s Power that floats behind the player in an upright vertical position.
  • This skill chains into another skill upon cast-completion: [Illusionary Assault].

[Illusionary Assault] (2-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Strike the target area with your illusionary weaponry. If you strike a foe hexed with Nightmare, you also inflict torment and summon a clone to attack your foe. If you strike a confused foe, you also daze that foe.
• Delay: ½ second
• Damage: 386 (1.0)
• Damage radius: 150
• Torment vs nightmare-hexed foes (3): 6 seconds
• Daze vs confused foes: ¼ second
• Range: 900
  • This attack lingers in the air for 0.5 second over the target area before crashing into the ground, inflicting the skill’s damage and effects; all of the weapons strike simultaneously. Despite there being three weapons that strike the target area, the attack is only counted as one hit.
  • As is the case with Elementalist [Rock Barrier] and [Hurl], using [Illusionary Assault] is the only way to start [Illusionary Weaponry]’s cool-down.
  • The clone conditionally summoned by this skill attacks the affected foe with [Ether Bolt].

[Confusing Images] (3)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 3 seconds
• Recharge: 20 seconds
• Channel a cone of energy that damages and confuses foes.
• Damage (5x): 840 (2.0)
• Confusion (5): 5 seconds
• Range: 600
  • This skill uses the Necromancer [Wail of Doom] cone for its hit-box.
  • This skill hits up to 5 foes.

Sword main-hand skills
[Illusionary Leap] (3-1)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: ¾ second
• Recharge: 12 seconds
• Summon an illusion that leaps to target location and cripples adjacent foes. After the initial leap, the clone will execute the Mind Slash sword chain.
• Damage: 1
• Damage radius: 120
• Crippled: 1 second
• Vulnerability (3): 5 seconds
• Combo Finisher: Leap
• Range: 600

Sword off-hand skills
[Illusionary Riposte] (4-1)

• Cast-time reduced from 2¼ seconds to 1½ seconds.
• Now also hexes the blocked foe with nightmare for 3 seconds.
• Retreating teleport distance increased from 100(?) range to 240 range.

[Counter Blade]

• Cast-time reduced from ¾ second to ¼ second.

[Phantasmal Swordsman] (5-1)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 1 second
• Recharge: 20 seconds
• Phantasm. Create a phantasm at the target location. This phantasm attacks foes with a leaping strike.
• Damage: 554 (1.5)
• Combo Finisher: Leap
• Range: 1200
• Leap attack damage reduced from 672 (1.925) to 481 (1.3).
  • This skill now chains into another skill upon cast-completion: [Mirrorblade Riposte].

[Mirrorblade Riposte] (5-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 15 seconds
• Your Phantasmal Swordsman teleports to target area and blocks attacks. If the swordsman blocks an attack, it retaliates with an explosive flanking strike that damages adjacent foes; it then retreats, leaving a clone in its wake. If this attack strikes a foe hexed by a nightmare, it bleeds and knocks back foes.
• Damage: 386 (1.0)
• Damage radius: 150
• Bleeding vs nightmare-hexed foes (3): 8 seconds
• Knock-back vs nightmare-hexed foes: 200
• Evade: ¾ second
• Range: 1200
  • The swordsman’s block duration lasts for 2 seconds.
  • By “shatters without any further effect,” the description implies that there will be no further damage or effects inflicted by this skill. Shatter-related effects triggered by traits would still proc when the Phantasmal Swordsman shatters despite having not blocked an attack.
  • The swordsman uses the Thief [Flanking Strike] attack animation for its retaliatory attack.
  • The clone summoned by this skill appears 240 range away from the [Mirrorblade Riposte]’s primary target. These clones perform the Mesmer [Illusionary Leap] attack upon being summoned before proceeding into the [Mind Slash] sword attack chain.
  • This chain skill’s recharge or usage does not affect the recharge of [Phantasmal Swordsman]. The two skills share separate recharges and each will immediately go to into recharge upon respective use.

Focus off-hand skills
[Phantasmal Warden] (5-1)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 1 second
• Recharge: 25 seconds
• Summon a phantasm at the target location. This phantasm throws an axe at foes so that it returns to the phantasm. The returning strike from this axe pulls foes hexed by a nightmare.
• Damage: 252 (0.75)
• Pull vs nightmare-hexed foes: 300
• Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
• Range: 1200
  • This skill now chains into another skill upon cast-completion: [Phantasmal Whirl].

[Whirling Defense] (Phantasmal Warden attack skill) – NAME CHANGED TO – [Phantasmal Axe]

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: ¾ second
• Recharge: 6 seconds
• Throw an axe so that it returns to you. The returning strike from this axe pulls foes hexed by a nightmare.
• Damage: 261 (0.65)
• Pull vs nightmare-hexed foes: 450
• Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
• Range: 900

[Phantasmal Whirl] (5-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 12 seconds
• Shatter. Your Phantasmal Warden teleports to target area and whirls its axes about, creating a defensive bubble that protects itself and allies from attacks while dealing damage to foes.
• Damage (12x): 3816 (3.3)
• Damage radius: 180
• Bubble radius: 90
• Combo Finisher: Whirl
• Range: 1200
  • This chain skill’s recharge or usage does not affect the recharge of [Phantasmal Warden]. The two skills share separate recharges and each will immediately go to into recharge upon respective use.

Pistol off-hand skills
[Phantasmal Duelist] (4-1)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 1 second
• Recharge: 20 seconds
• Phantasm. Create a phantasm at the target location. This phantasm shoots foes with its pistol. This attack inflicts vulnerability and torment if it strikes a foe hexed by a nightmare.
• Damage: 179 (0.55)
• Vulnerability vs nightmare-hexed foes (2): 5 seconds
• Torment vs nightmare-hexed foes (1): 5 seconds
• Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile (20% chance)
• Range: 1200
  • This skill chains into another skill upon cast-completion: [Overload].

[Illusionary Unload] (Phantasmal Duelist attack skill) – NAME CHANGED TO – [Phantasmal Shot]

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: ½ second
• Recharge: 2 seconds
• Shoot your foe.
• Damage: 179 (0.55)
• Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile (20% chance)
• Range: 900

[Overload] (4-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 20 seconds
• Your Phantasmal Duelist teleports to target location and unleashes a blast from its pistols that knocks back foes. This attack launches foes hexed by a nightmare.
• Damage: 386 (1.0)
• Knock-back: 450
• Launch vs nightmare-hexed foes: 450
• Range: 1200
  • This skill uses a Mesmer [Temporal Curtain] ground-targeting reticle. The phantasm will attempt to perform its attack parallel to the middle of the reticle’s linear vector (in the direction that the arrow is pointing when the player places the reticle).
  • This skill uses the first attack frame of the Thief [Unload] animation. This skill uses the Engineer [Blunderbuss] cone for its hit-detection.
  • This skill strikes up to 5 targets.
  • This chain skill’s recharge or usage does not affect the recharge of [Phantasmal Duelist]. The two skills share separate recharges and each will immediately go to into recharge upon respective use.

Torch off-hand skills
[The Prestige] (4-1)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 30 seconds
• Mark target area and disappear in a cloud of smoke, confusing and blinding adjacent foes. After 3 seconds, you summon a clone at your current location, teleport to your marked location and reappear.
• Blind: 3 seconds
• Confusion (2): 5 seconds
• Blind radius: 180
• Stealth: 3 seconds
• Mark range: 1200
  • The mark detailed in this skill’s description doesn’t actually have a physical appearance. The reticle simply serves as a means for the Mesmer to know where he/she will be after 3 second’s time.
  • The clone summoned by this skill is based on the player’s main-hand weapon. If the player is wielding a sword, this skill will summon a sword-wielding clone that attacks with [Illusionary Leap] before proceeding into the [Mind Slash] sword chain. If the player is wielding a scepter, this skill will summon a scepter-wielding clone that attacks with [Ether Bolt].
  • This skill only produces a clone if the Mesmer is in combat.
  • This skill now chains into another skill upon cast-completion: [Wandering Eye].

[Wandering Eye] (4-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Create a clone at the target location. When this clone dies, it explodes violently, damaging and burning nearby foes. This clone dies automatically after 2 seconds.
• Damage: 151 (1.0)
• Damage radius: 240
• Burning: 3 seconds
• Combo Finisher: Blast
• Range: 1200
  • This clone does not move or attempt to attack any target.
  • This clone will still participate in a shatter command.
  • This clone spawns with a unique buff called Wandering Eye. Wandering Eye‘s effects trigger on death and its effects are detailed in the skill’s description. Wandering Eye will trigger regardless if the clone lives through its 2-second life-span or if it is killed by damage.

[Phantasmal Mage] (5-1)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 1 second
• Recharge: 30 seconds
• Phantasm. Create a phantasm at the target location. This phantasm attacks with a bouncing bolt of energy that confuses foes and grants retaliation to allies.
• Damage: 244 (0.75)
• Confusion (3): 3 seconds
• Retaliation: 3 seconds
• Range: 1200
  • This skill now chains into another skill upon cast-completion: [Backfire]

[Backfire] (Phantasmal Mage attack skill) – NAME CHANGED TO – [Empathy]

• Range increased from 300 to 900.

[Backfire] (5-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 30 seconds
• Shatter. Your Phantasmal Mage casts a spell over the target area that ravages foes with confusion. This spell blinds foes suffering hexed by a nightmare.
• Damage per pulse: 179 (0.55)
• Confusion per pulse (3): 3 seconds
• Blind per pulse vs nightmare-hexed foes: 3 seconds
• 1 second channel: 1 pulse
• 1½ second channel: 2 pulses
• 2 second channel: 3 pulses
• Combo Field: Ethereal
• Radius: 240
• Range: 1200
  • PM’s [Backfire] has a 2-second cast-time that starts with 1 second of dead-time before the skill’s effects actually begin actually to manifest on the field.
  • PM’s [Backfire] has a 1200 range.
  • PM’s [Backfire] pulses once every second. During its delay period, [Backfire]’s skill icon appears above the target area.
  • This chain skill’s recharge or usage does not affect the recharge of [Phantasmal Mage]. The two skills share separate recharges and each will immediately go to into recharge upon respective use.

Glamor skills
[Feedback]

• This skill now uses ground-targeting.

Manipulation skills
[Mimic]

• Recharge increased from 25 seconds to 35 seconds.
• Cast-time reduced from 4½ to 2½ seconds.
• Duration reduced from 4 seconds to 2 seconds.
• Now grants 2 seconds of protection upon activation.
• Now, when activating this ability, the Mesmer gains 1 stack of a unique Mirror of Anguish buff which lasts for 2 seconds. While under the effects of Mirror of Anguish, whenever the Mesmer is disabled (stun, daze, knock-back, knock-down, sink, float, fear or launch), the Mesmer mirrors the disabling effect back to its source.

Utility Clone skills
[Mirror Images]

• Upon activation, this skill now places [Mind Wrack] into a 1-second cool-down if it is not already on cool-down.

Signet skills
[Signet of Domination] (passive)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Interrupting a foe grants you might.
• Might (5): 10 seconds
• Cool-down: 10 seconds

[Signet of Domination] (active)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 30 seconds
• Daze foes at the target location. If you strike a confused foe, you stun that foe instead.
• Daze: 1 second
• Stun vs confused foes: 1 second
• Radius: 120
• Range: 900

[Signet of Illusions] (passive)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Whenever you create a clone, you heal all of your clones and phantasms in the area.
• Healing: 404 (0.2)
• Radius: 600

[Signet of Illusions] (active)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 1¼ seconds
• Recharge: 75 seconds
• Recharge your shatter skills and your phantasm command skills.

[Signet of Midnight] (passive)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Blind nearby foes whenever you successfully evade an attack.
• Blind: 5 seconds
• Radius: 240
• Cool-down: 10 seconds

[Signet of Midnight] (active)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 30 seconds
• Gain stealth for each blind foe in the area.
• Stealth per blind foe: 1 second
• Radius: 360
• Breaks stun.
  • This skill strikes up to 3 targets.

Utility Phantasm skills
[Phantasmal Disenchanter] (x-1)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: 1½ seconds
• Recharge: 30 seconds
• Summon a phantasm with a presence that reduces condition duration on allies and reduces boon duration on foes.
• Insecurity (5 seconds): 30% boon duration reduction
• Fortitude (5 seconds): 30% condition duration reduction
• Pulse: 5 seconds
• Radius: 600
  • This skill now chains into another skill: [Revealed Hex]

[Slash] (Phantasmal Disenchanter attack skill) – NAME CHANGED TO – [Drain Delusions]

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Cast-time: ¼ second
• Recharge: 5 seconds
• Reduce boon duration on foes, and decrease condition duration on allies.
• Insecurity (5 seconds): 30% boon duration reduction
• Fortitude (5 seconds): 30% condition duration reduction
• Maximum number of allies affected: 10
• Maximum number of foes affected: 10
• Radius: 600

[Revealed Hex] (x-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 10 seconds
• Your Phantasmal Disenchanter teleports to the target area and casts a spell that removes 1 boon from foes in the area and 1 condition from allies in the area.
• Radius: 600
• Range: 1200
  • PD’s [Revealed Hex] skill has a ¼-second cast-time.

[Phantasmal Defender] (x-1)

• This skill now chains into another skill upon cast-completion: [Revealed Enchantment].

[Revealed Enchantment] (x-2)

• Cast-time: 0
• Recharge: 40 seconds
• Shatter. Your Phantasmal Defender teleports to the target location and creates a dome of energy that pushes back foes and absorbs projectiles. Your phantasm shatters after executing this attack.
• Knock-back distance: 320
• Shield duration: 4 seconds
• Combo Field: Ethereal
• Range: 1200

Domination Traits
Halting Strike

• Damage reduced from 304 (?) to 252 (0.75).

Cleansing Conflagration (Domination – IX)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Torch skills remove conditions from you and allies in the area around you. Reduces recharge on torch skills.
• Conditions removed: 1
• Condition removal and immunity radius: 360
• Maximum number of allies affected: 5
• Recharge reduced: 20%

Dueling traits
Sharper Images (Dueling – 15 minor)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Phantasm command skills inflict bleeding.
• Bleeding (3): 8 seconds
• Radius: 180

Chaos traits
Mirror of Anguish (Chaos – VII)

• Cool-down reduced from 60 seconds to 45 seconds.
• Now also grants 3 seconds of retaliation when triggered.

Chaotic Interruption (Chaos – XI)

• Now has an internal cool-down of 10 seconds.

Prismatic Understanding (Chaos – XII)

• Now grants vigor (2 seconds) instead of aegis.
• Now grants swiftness (4 seconds) instead of protection.
• Regeneration duration reduced from 3 seconds to 2 seconds.

Inspiration traits
Mender’s Purity (Inspiration – IV)

• Now also affects up to 5 allies in a 360 radius.
• Now also grants 2 seconds of regeneration for each condition removed.

Temporal Enchanter (Inspiration – IX)

• This skill now also grants swiftness (8 seconds) to allies that enter or exit their radii (internal cool-down of 5 seconds per affected player).
• This skill now also cripples foes (3 seconds) foes that enter or exit their radii (internal cool-down of 5 seconds per affected player).

Compounding Celerity (Inspiration – VI)

• Gain haste when you shatter illusions.
• Haste per illusion shattered: 1 second

Illusion traits
Phantasmal Haste (Illusions – X)

• FUNCTIONALITY CHANGED
• Reduces recharge on phantasm skills. Reduces recharge on phantasm command skills.
• Phantasm recharge reduction: 10%
• Phantasm command skill recharge reduction: 20%

The original plan for the Phantasm command skills was to make them actually shatter the Phantasm upon cast-completion and then send the Phantasm into recharge (Phantasms wouldn’t start recharging until they were destroyed or shattered). I felt that everyone would have a cry about that and I don’t care enough at this point to argue with a bunch of angry zealots about whether something is balanced or not, so I decided to keep Phantasm recharges as they are now and simply make the command skills into individual chain skills on separate recharges that stay active for the duration of the Phantasm.

Wow, this is sooo long.

My thoughts:
Please not another Conditoin (nightmare)
You at least proposed once to “daze the enemy if it is confused”. -In my opinion, this in rly contrproductive. When you confuse an enemy, you usally want him to use skills. Dazeing him exactly does the oposite.

I like what you did to Signet of Domination, however, I think the passive might be a little too strong, the active maybe, too.

Making Mirror Images get Mindwrack on CD harms extremly Shatter builds (I think, that’s what you intend). However, I dont think shatter builds need a nerf.

What you did too PU is rly interesting, but this might lead to even more Mesmers using this trait, as vigor and swiftness are things, Mesmers always have high interests in. This means, the amount of “stealth builds” might stay to high.

In general, regarding your changes to phantasms, I’ve the feeling, like you want Mesmer to become another “Pet-class”. To be honest, I’m not a fan of this idea.

Here it is the last of your master piece… Sorry I just laughed when I was reading this and at the end too.

Surprisingly there are really few “delay” on skill in this one. Does this mean Fantasm skill are already to easy to read? I saw just one on “illusionary assault”. sight

Overall, you idea for fabtasm is pretty bad because that would force mesmer even more into shatter. If you look at mesmer weapon damage, they are balance around having 3 fantasms out. So With only 1 fantasm out, we would do… half of our damage. Hopefuly we can still burst by shatter… You didn’t remove shatters skill, do you?

Changes on signet feel out of place…

Nerfing mimic… ( lol )… well why not, change mimic however you want…

Still compounding celerity may be an interesting idea.

Wow… while reading this I thougt : I hope they will never make the mesmer this way. I’m sorry but I have to disaggree on your suggestion, nevertheless i accept your intention:
Making the mesmer less ai based. (this is actually what some mesmers would like to have because phantasms are dump as ****).

Ok let’s just go through it. What I think about your idea:

Phantasms being summoned out of combat:
Not logic — if there’s noone to use your illusion magic at you can’t summon a phantasm.

Only one phantasm up:
We have phantasms on every weapon set. this would make the mesmers damage decrease and would make the fights against mesmers super easy. Only one phantasm to care of.

Command skills
Nice Idea but I’d rather play necromancer then.

Nightmare
Why should the damage be bound to a condition that cannot even stack duration? weird.

Greatsword
GS is meant to be a counter to reflections. so the changes to Spatial Surge and Mirror Blade would just disable that function.
Mind stab: Why delay the dmg? Mesmer is meant to be played fast.

Staff
WoC nerf This AA is already one of the weakest ingame why would you nerf it?
I’d like to have mistrust ingame but not like that. If i got you right mistrust would not do anything in a 1on1. not viable for a 1on1 class.
Chaosstorm: should stay as it is right now.

Scepter
Why making a defensive weapon offensive? would kill build diversity

Sword
Taking away swap from the sword is like taking backstab from thieves. hard dislike
iRiposte: don’t know why the block duration should be decreased. Counterblade cast is ok like it is atm.

Focus
only one warden would make mesmers less viable for reflections and kill them in pve.

Torch
i just don’t understand why.

Glamo+u+r
this is meant to be a skill that can be casted instantly when you see an animation.

Manipulation
no one cares

Mirror Images
Wow so you’re not only telling to nerf phantasms but also shatter spikes :> GJ!

Signet of Domination#
Bountiful interruption… we already have a trait to do that.

*Signet of Illusions:
actually a good idea

signet of midnight
also a good idea

Halting Strike
why? this trait is not op or something

Sharper Images
So there’ll be no viable condition mesmer anylonger?

Mirror of Anguish
Not needed.

Chaotic interruption
can’t understand why. this grandmaster trait is completely countered by stability

PU
yep nerf it! Do it nao!

Menders Purity
not needed

Temporal Enchanter
Temporal Curtain 2.0 — not needet

Compounding Celerity
could be nice.

I appreciate the ideas you put forth. However I don’t follow your logic. Mesmers were designed around clones in plural. As such, they serve specific functions (damage, conditions, defense, etc).

Do you really think the entire class needs to be redesigned to achieve the intent you have in mind? If so, then why are you still working within the constraints of a the given design?

Honestly it seems like you wanted to change everything around for the sake of changing things around.

And finally, the non-sense mesmer changes are here.

Very few changes are acceptable, but the rest, tons of mechanic and big-words/non-impact changes and still mesmers would have the same basic problems:

- Lack of AoE damage skills.
- Traits being awfully organized.
- Lack of condition removal.
- Clone-death builds being OP.
- No build diversity.
- Broken mantras design.
- …

The phantasms… Do you really mean you want us to be a poor and ridiculous version of minion necro? Because it’s what I see, you just can have 1 phantasm up, that also does a what-the-hell you want.
We have a phantasm in every weapon set, plus 2 more utilities, for a reason. Your changes would also need eliminating some of them as they would become non-used skill.
It would also make our damage a joke, and it’d require a general bump on all non-phantasm damage skill. Something I don’t see anywhere.

Then there’s the new “stupid” condition. Do we really need a new condition in a game where condi meta is OP?
We already have primary and condition, confusion. Why don’t you focus on it, as it only works when tons of stacks are applied, a thing mesmer has a really hard time?

You said: “The changes below are meant to force the Mesmer to develop target-tracking and skill-combo techniques and reduce reliance on sticky-tab targeting as a means to connect damage. This increased freedom from sticky-tab targeting also allows the Mesmer to contribute more damage over a wider area as well as maintain pressure or threat on the battlefield as opposed to everything collapsing when the Mesmer can’t select a specific target.”

- If there’s a mechanic (shatters) that is basically skill-combo and target-tracking, why do you just mess and destroy a whole class by changing the biggest source of DPS and turning it to a crippled version of minions mechanic? While don’t just focus on what it makes us unique, shatters?
- Why do you just upgrade the phantasm AoE damage, when the truly and real problem is our lack of non-phantasm AoE?

So, in general, you’re just obsessed with phantasms, when, in fact, they are one of the things that are better designed (they just have some bugs and some of them need little bumps).
And with that obsession, you completely forgot everything else about the class. You forgot how only-offensive shatters are. How we are suposed to be the masters of confusion, yet our sources are very limited. How mantras still suffer from their core design. How bad is our condi-cleansing. How do we don’t have AoE damage apart from phantasms. How our support is quite meh. How in raids we’re mostly veil/TW bots. How our build diversity is only PU in roam/pvp, phantasms in pve and shatters in zergs. How our speed OOC doesn’t exists. How our reliable traits are only grandmaster with just 3/4 of minor and major, while the rest only serves because I have space to fill with them…

As someone who has mained a phantasm mesmer since 2 months post launch. This is a kick in the face. If anything we should be petitioning for a set of alternate F1 – F4 skills that benefit phantasm support builds IMO

the only change that I like is the idea of phantasms being summoned outside of combat. would deter people from attacking roaming Mesmer in the first place.

I appreciate the thought and work you’ve put into this. And you have some great ideas. But the main issues with mesmers are really just the need for:
- more condi removal
- more aoe (non-phantasm reliant)
- improved shatter mechanics and potency
- improved scepter
- improved mantras (maybe by reducing charge time)
- change to confusion (either buffing duration giving it some other effect)

In return, most mesmers would be happy to see PU nerfed (if not removed entirely), vigor uptime reduced (though there is an argument both ways on this, as a light armor class should perhaps be able to dodge more), changes to clone-death traits, and other things.

The biggest issue though is condi removal, especially in our condi-heavy meta (immobilize frequently being my death sentence). Its very hard for a mesmer to trait lots of condi removal without seriously gimping (if not entirely neutering) the damage output. Most other classes have skills or mechanisms (shouts, ire, dogged, stealth, multiple necro/ele skills, diamond, engine resistance, etc.) to mitigate conditions. The closest mesmers have is removal on shatter, but that a) requires illusions to hit, and b) wrecks phantasm damage output, which is generally the only real damage of someone going 30 in inspiration.

Personally, I’d like to see F2 changed to a condi removal shatter, but that’s a different story altogether.

Why nerf HS? have you tried Halting Strike before?

Dmg scaling is funky. 3.3k power damage only ranges from 1.5k to 2.5. I mean cmon.

honestly as much as i appreciate the work u put into this, i wouldnt like these changes at all. only 1 phantasm out would require massive boosts in phantasm cooldowns, which will lead to more qq.
what mesmer needs is less ai builds, options to trait for aoe instead, rework mantras(they dont work at all), less 1v1 more multi target skills, way more build diversity( since the glam nerf, we got nothing for wvw raids anymore, as a light armor class with little to no stability, we need to stay ranged in zergfights, but we got no multi target aoe like skills for ranged combat as phantasms will maybe hit once and if u are reeeeaaaallly lucky u get a shatter to work without ip trait, but thats it.
its all veil veilveilveil, tw,veil,portal this portal that, veil and thats it. we need non ai build options that work in raids like glamours did.
i dont mind giving up a ton of dueling stuff.

I have to say, I really wish Mesmers – as much as I love the class – weren’t 80% Theurgists to compare them to DAoC.

I don’t really feel like a duelist build on deception and trickery, rather I feel like a one-shot pet summoner with a bunch of support skills.
Still a lot of fun, just not what it said on the tin.

Ha air pet spam!

I appreciate the intent behind the OPs suggestions, I personally find heavy phantasm builds kind of boring (too passive). Mesmer does have other more active builds that I find fun: shatter and lock down.

One problem I see is the layout of traits limits build diversity. This is particularly true for shatter builds since you pretty much have to have both deceptive evasion, illusionary persona, and typically mental torment as well. There’s a bunch of interesting shatter traits deep in the inspiration tree but I doubt anyone uses them. I wouldn’t mind giving up a bit to have my shatters remove conditions or heal, but currently you have to give up way too much.