Guild Wars 2

Ok so for chrono = clock makes sense since chrono means something time related
necro = skull = death

daredevil = feathered foot… ? how is this related to daredevils?

also when the Mesmer shatter their clones, butterflies come out, is this a reference to an anime or something?

Samnang.1879:

also when the Mesmer shatter their clones, butterflies come out, is this a reference to an anime or something?

This is just a visual representing fragility, or could also be a reference to the Butterfly Effect, or chaos theory.

A feathered foot is symbolic for light footed or fast on the feet, which is what Daredevils thematically are meant to be.

To expand on Randulf’s explanation, a feathered, or winged, foot is also specifically associated with Mercury, the patron god of thieves in the Roman pantheon.

Batelle.1680:

To expand on Randulf’s explanation, a feathered, or winged, foot is also specifically associated with Mercury, the patron god of thieves in the Roman pantheon.

oooooh

didn’t know there was a god of thieves lol…

Samnang.1879:

Batelle.1680:

To expand on Randulf’s explanation, a feathered, or winged, foot is also specifically associated with Mercury, the patron god of thieves in the Roman pantheon.

oooooh

didn’t know there was a god of thieves lol…

He’s also the fleet-footed messenger god.

Mercury himself is based on Hermes. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermes)
#TheMoreYouKnow

We (thieves) got a boot from Anet – that is why :P

Samnang.1879:

also when the Mesmer shatter their clones, butterflies come out, is this a reference to an anime or something?

Mesmers had butterlies related to them before they had clones and phantasms – back in GW1. The name itself likely comes from the same root as mesmerism – Franz Mesmer, – and I think the butterfly is meant to come from the Butterfly Effect

I always assumed Mesmer effects used butterflies because butterflies (and moths) are associated with transformation and illusion. They start out as caterpillars, which are often disguised as twigs, leaves or moss, or brightly coloured to imply they’re deadly poisonous (even when they’re not) and then they seal themselves away in a cocoon and change themselves into a completely different animal.

One which often has spots and patterns on it’s wings to either blend in with it’s surroundings so it gets mistaken for a part of the scenery or to make it’s predators think they’re looking straight into the eyes of an even bigger predator, one they do not want to fight with, so they run away, when actually there was nothing there but a harmless butterfly.

(Admittedly neither of these traits are unique to the Lepidoptera but they’re probably one of the most well known examples.)

Haleydawn.3764:

Samnang.1879:

also when the Mesmer shatter their clones, butterflies come out, is this a reference to an anime or something?

This is just a visual representing fragility, or could also be a reference to the Butterfly Effect, or chaos theory.

wow really interesting replies!
thanks for the answers guys. i’m really intrigued by symbols in games and always need to know reasons why something is used.

Butterflies are also an ancient symbol for the mind in general, or the spirit, along with transformation and chaos theory. There are a lot of connections there for Mesmers.