Guild Wars 2

Here, a thread dedicated for you to list your profession’s build crutches. I’ll begin by listing what I know from my main, so fill in the blanks.

Mesmer:
-Deceptive Evasion: Our trait which makes clones on dodge. Clones, or illusions, are the mesmer’s profession mechanic. It is a mechanic which we are unable to access on-demand without forcing usage of 2-3 skills for sub-optimal to optimal results from shattering. DE gives us this necessary ability to produce clones when we need in exchange for endurance. It also forces all of our meta and sub-meta builds to go 4 trait points into the “Dueling” line, which is severely crippling our customizability as far as builds go.
-

Guardian:
-Justice is Blind
-Altruistic Healing [OR] Monk’s Focus

Elementalist:
-Evasive Arcana
-Elemental Attunement: The class just doesn’t work without this trait. It is a 100% necessary, and its part of the reason the class is so broken. This trait is brokenly OP, but even with this trait the top-level ele build is relatively balanced (esp at high tiers more recently, where they aren’t seen as much anymore, although some will come argue they are OP b/c of their 1v1 efficiency). No ele build EVER has worked without at least going to get this trait. Pidgeon-holing eles into going at least 6 in arcana or 4 water AND 4 arcana greatly restricts build variety. It is also the reason no ele specialization will ever work unless its trait-line has some equally OP offerings. [Provided by @BlackBeard]

Thief:
-Trickery[Trait Line]
-

Engineer:
-Grenade Kit
-Speedy Kits

Warrior:
-Fast Hands[Depending]
-Cleansing Ire

Necromancer:
-
-

Ranger:
-
-

I run a different mesmer build, i run 2-0-6-0-6. I also use moa and portal. I actually some matches ill use no invisibility skills. This build is my version of a bunker mesmer and its very good vs average and below players since they will kill clones and get condi dmg and ill shatter for condi dmg.

And after i win the fight ill drop a portal and move to find at mid or far and portal back if i see someone trying to decap or cap. With a good team and good rotations we destroy teams since we can portal from different spots and move around freely to help other people.

I have maintained a 52%+ win rate with this build as a solo que player and with my guild team we went 11-2 about 1 month ago.

I find your comment to not be truthful and the problem of the gw2 community since you dont know how to make other builds work. Simply cause you either arent good enough/ cant change your style of play/ lack the understanding of a 5 vs 5. Though i do like the idea of the community talking about classes.

once agree i completely disagree with your idea of the mesmer class.

kdaddy.5431:

I run a different mesmer build, i run 2-0-6-0-6. I also use moa and portal. I actually some matches ill use no invisibility skills. This build is my version of a bunker mesmer and its very good vs average and below players since they will kill clones and get condi dmg and ill shatter for condi dmg.

And after i win the fight ill drop a portal and move to find at mid or far and portal back if i see someone trying to decap or cap. With a good team and good rotations we destroy teams since we can portal from different spots and move around freely to help other people.

I have maintained a 52%+ win rate with this build as a solo que player and with my guild team we went 11-2 about 1 month ago.

I find your comment to not be truthful and the problem of the gw2 community since you dont know how to make other builds work. Simply cause you either arent good enough/ cant change your style of play/ lack the understanding of a 5 vs 5. Though i do like the idea of the community talking about classes.

once agree i completely disagree with your idea of the mesmer class.

You’re sounding kind of aggressive, so please restrain yourself from insulting me personally if possible. Your point is valid, however I find it rude that you assume my opinion being somewhat exaggerated and differing from your apparent experience is due to my own unskillfulness or lack of understanding.

My understanding of mesmer’s position is thus: The majority of our builds, excluding maybe 1-5%[made up statistic], use DE in PvP. Power Shatter, Condi PU, MtD Shatter, Lockdown[Again, most of the time], even Phantasm[sometimes]. These same builds are what mesmer tends to be known for, what people know us as, and thus what the majority of mesmers use. Don’t take my word for it, of course. Ask top-tier mesmers, ask the whole mesmer community. I’m not saying not using DE cannot be done, I’m saying that DE as a whole steals a place in the majority of the mesmer’s builds that it is indeed a crutch which the mesmer is leaning on at the moment. Saying “all PvP mesmers use DE” may be an exaggeration, but only slightly so, like seeing “$1.99” and thinking “$2.00”.

Some traits are so good that they basically have to be taken. Examples include all Vigor traits for all classes. Other crutch traits include mandatory mobility traits such as Speedy Kits. Beyond that, some crutch traits specific to classes are Justice is Blind for Guardians, Evasive Arcana for Elementalists (and also Elemental Attunement), most of the Trickery line for Thieves (Bountiful Theft, Thrill of the Crime, Preparedness), and Fast Hands for Warrior. Deceptive Evasion is like this for Mesmers, I agree with you. These traits are essentially “don’t leave home without them” or you’re going to be in for a rough time.

Elementalist:
Elemental Attunement (Arcana VIII) – The class just doesn’t work without this trait. It is a 100% necessary, and its part of the reason the class is so broken. This trait is brokenly OP, but even with this trait the top-level ele build is relatively balanced (esp at high tiers more recently, where they aren’t seen as much anymore, although some will come argue they are OP b/c of their 1v1 efficiency). No ele build EVER has worked without at least going to get this trait. Pidgeon-holing eles into going at least 6 in arcana or 4 water AND 4 arcana greatly restricts build variety. It is also the reason no ele specialization will ever work unless its trait-line has some equally OP offerings.

At the end of the day, the designers chose to balance the class as though every single build had this trait, which raises the question…why wasn’t this included in the profession mechanic if its going to 100% necessary?

Rising Dusk also covers some of the other traits for other classes, although they aren’t as 100% necessary as Deceptive Evasion and Elemental Attunement are (you can argue Fast Hands is though). There are competitive builds for every class that don’t take some of the core traits except ele and mesmer.

For guards, altruistic healing or monks focus are a must. Without them, you’re as good as dead.

Mesmer – Deceptive Evasion. Tried playing without it and it’s a pain since clone generation skills all have long cast-times vs instant clone on dodge. Would like to see clone generators get cast time reduction to 1/2s or 1/4s or even instant (most are 3/4s right now) at the cost of deceptive evasion getting a 5 second ICD like other dodge skills. Clones are a main class mechanic and should be more accessible without this trait.

Warrior – Fast hands, mainly because warrior weapons are not well rounded. Need ready access to 2 to be competitive.

Necro – Nothing.

Engi – Nothing. Rune of traveler can substitute for speedy kits.

Guardian – Altruistic healing / Monk’s focus. Too squishy without them since HP pool is so low.

Ranger – Nothing. Weapon + utility skills and pet abilities are well rounded and don’t require trait support to make the class work.

Thief – Nothing. Trickery traits are nice, but not necessary. Access to blinds, stealth, dodges, interrupts and condis from weapon/utility skills means that trait dependency is minimal.

Elementalist – Nothing. While I agree that the Arcana line is very enticing, I don’t find it particularly necessary. There are several traits throughout the other trait lines that give good defense (blinds (fire + air), weakness (air), condi immunity(earth), crit immunity (earth), extra healing/condi removal (water), etc) and offense (lots of +X% damage increases + condi damage/condi duration all over the place).

Does Thief shortbow count as a crutch?

The only reason, not to run a shortbow would be some sort of quick pockets shenanigans… But any weapons, where this kind of playstyle was remotely viable got nerfed into the ground.

I don’t think, people nowadays still run S/D+S/D, for example, and even back in the old days, it wasn’t common.

I’d even say, that the thief’s shortbow is probably the single strongest ranged weapon set in the game.

Not a trait, but staff on Necro is pretty standard for any build because of its sheer utility. And it turns into a scythe when you cast.

Cleansing Ire needs to be #1 for Warriors lol.

Agree with Dceptive Evasions, Elemental Attunement and Cleansing Ire. While Fast Hands is a very powerful trait, I don’t think it’s absolutely necesary depending on which weapons you have.
Elemental Attunement especially I think warps the entire elementalist class around it, breaking what could be an interesting class otherwise imo.
Can’t comment on guardian and necro. Ranger and engineer seems somewhat ok as far as traits are concerned.

Necromancer: Consume Conditions.

It is arguably one of the best heals in the entire game, it brings a full condition removal without giving up any vital utility skills/weapons/traits. Basically every single build runs it, and even if our other heals weren’t garbage it would still be a viable option in basically every build.

on that note, what’s your stance on warrior stances?

Engi is: Incendiary Powder

Arguments can be made for Grenadier, Healing Turret, Supply Crate, Speedy Kits, Backpack Regenerator

Literally every build except Turrets is comprised of max points in Explosives, with the rest dumped into Alchemy and Tools, with maybe 2 points in firearms. The allocations change little as well as the traits themselves. You change Engi builds buy primarily swapping the weapons, amulet, and runes. That’s it.

naphack.9346:

on that note, what’s your stance on warrior stances?

Me I like warrior’s stances bar berserker stance in conjuction with the Rousing Resillience trait. 1000 toughness for 8 seconds is a lot. Works very nice with balanced stance and frenzy. Situational though.
Defiant stance seems like too much of a gamble, but than that’s not related to any trait just the design of the skill.

IMO, thief, mesmer and ele have it the worst.

- Playing a thief without points in trickery is really hard if not impossible. Traited steal is just too good to pass up.
- Playing a mesmer without DE …. No. Playing a mesmer without DE and IP? Babye mesmer. Deceptive evasion should be default already. Compensate with nerfs in other areas?
- Ele… Dependency on arcana.

EDIT: Not saying those are the only ones.. but they are the most important ones imo.

Sometime splitting the effects of these overpowered traits and giving them to some other unused traits, would lead to a better build diversity

Engi relies almost completely on Toolkit. It’s just too good to not take. Other strong contenders are the speedy kits + invigorating speed combo and backpack regenerator, both of which are needed for any build that isn’t full zerk/burst SD. Accelerent-packed turrets comes pretty kitten close too.

Kharr.5746:

Thief – Nothing. Trickery traits are nice, but not necessary. Access to blinds, stealth, dodges, interrupts and condis from weapon/utility skills means that trait dependency is minimal.

I’m sorry but I disagree with this notion.

Thief is very trait dependent since it is the only place where we can find some way of surviving.

SA gives access to Shadow’s Embrace.
Acro gives access to Feline Grace.
Trickery gives access to Sleight of Hands.

These are but 3 of the most picked traits that are directly connected to Thieve’s survival.

However, I doubt these traits can be called “crutch” because the Thief profession is not trait or skill based — it is player based. In other words, the player is the crutch of the Thief profession. If you failed to dodge/evade an attack, no trait or skill will save you.

kdaddy.5431:

I run a different mesmer build, i run 2-0-6-0-6. I also use moa and portal. I actually some matches ill use no invisibility skills. This build is my version of a bunker mesmer and its very good vs average and below players since they will kill clones and get condi dmg and ill shatter for condi dmg.

And after i win the fight ill drop a portal and move to find at mid or far and portal back if i see someone trying to decap or cap. With a good team and good rotations we destroy teams since we can portal from different spots and move around freely to help other people.

I have maintained a 52%+ win rate with this build as a solo que player and with my guild team we went 11-2 about 1 month ago.

I find your comment to not be truthful and the problem of the gw2 community since you dont know how to make other builds work. Simply cause you either arent good enough/ cant change your style of play/ lack the understanding of a 5 vs 5. Though i do like the idea of the community talking about classes.

once agree i completely disagree with your idea of the mesmer class.

You’re making a bad build work just because as you yourself said you’re facing bad or average players, so insulting others because they actually play builds that are effective against skilled players makes completely no sense. Your reasoning that it works because the players kill clones only confirms you face people who barely bought the game. Calling OP bad because he runs a build that actually requires skill is just a joke.

Kraljevo.2801:

IMO, thief, mesmer and ele have it the worst.

- Playing a thief without points in trickery is really hard if not impossible. Traited steal is just too good to pass up.
- Playing a mesmer without DE …. No. Playing a mesmer without DE and IP? Babye mesmer. Deceptive evasion should be default already. Compensate with nerfs in other areas?
- Ele… Dependency on arcana.

EDIT: Not saying those are the only ones.. but they are the most important ones imo.

I agree with you. When I started playing the game, I actually thought Bountiful Theft was default on thief, it didn’t make a senese to me why it wouldn’t.

I definitely agree Deceptive Evasion should be default but same goes for Elemental Attunement on ele and possibly Evasive Arcana, obviously slightly nerfed versions. It’s really difficult to make anything but dd ele viable in pvp at the moment and that’s pretty sad.

Bhawb.7408:

Necromancer: Consume Conditions.

It is arguably one of the best heals in the entire game, it brings a full condition removal without giving up any vital utility skills/weapons/traits. Basically every single build runs it, and even if our other heals weren’t garbage it would still be a viable option in basically every build.

Now only if the cast time wasn’t horrid! It’s the most annoyingly laggy heal in game.

A lot of good ones have already been brought up. I have the most played time on Guardian, Elementalist and Engineer in that order and will list some from those three classes.

Guardian-
Traits: AH, Monk’s Focus, Inspired Virtues (Kinda like their EA), Justice is Blind

Skills: Shelter, They’re kinda like necros in that for PvP, there is one clear winner for healing skills. Signets are like interrupt me plz.

Elementalist:
Traits: Evasive Arcana, Elemental Attunement, Water line in many cases cause of the low HP Pool.

Skills: Cantrips

Engineer:
Traits: Speedy/Invigorating Kits, Backpack Regenerator, Incendiary Powder

Skills: Healing Turret, Supply Crate

mes: deceptive evasion, blink
teef: trickery line, shortbow
ele: arcana line, water line
war: fast hands and cleansing ire, longbow
engi: healing turret, supply crate, backpack regenerator, IP
guardian: atleast one of these three always: pure of voice, altruistic healing and monk’s focus
necro: consume conditions, soulreaping line
ranger: wolf pet

For power ranger specs:

• Read The Wind: A very strong trait that allows your arrows to be un-strafable for the enemy. If you don’t take this trait you will simply see lots of arrows miss the target, losing quite an amount of effectiveness to your longbow. Also makes your arrows 10% faster, and it is noticeable.

For condition ranger specs:

• Survival of the Fittest: One of the best traits for self condi clear in the game (removes 2 conditions for every survival skills or traits and gives fury. Entangle removes even more as it is an elite). Works with all the survival skills and survival traits.

• Empathic Bond: If you aren’t playing with SotF, you’ll want to get this trait (removes 3 conditions each 10s) to have the minimum condition removal required to survive with a condition build. Spirits, Traps, Shouts and Beastmasters all need this trait or else they would be in an even worse state than they are at the moment.

Picking Terror as Condition Necromancer. To be effective with condi build, you have to burst with them and do as much damage as possible in shortest time frame possible.

Without Terror, Condition Necromancer just doesn’t have required damage to be effective. We are based around sustained condition pressure and slowly tearing down opponents. This is theory. Yet, doesn’t work in-game. So we need Terror.

Why did Condi Engineers replace Condition Necromancers pre-Dhuumfire for the most part? Because they could burst with conditions and had multiple other advantages. Now, imo the sole reason why we can still sometimes Condi Necro instead of Condi Engi is our corruptions and PoC.

We should be able to do okay without that Terror, really.

The problem is all these traits provide basic needs for a lot of builds. For example, if mesmers had a trait that generated clone on shatter in another trait line they wouldn’t always need deceptive evasion. Don’t tell me they would be op if they took both cause they’d run out of shatters. Anet needs to not be afraid of a little power creep, and making something too strong. All I here for reasons unused builds shouldn’t be buffed are because of power creep or it would be OP. I’d much rather have that then all the useless traits that exist now.

power necro
near to death + deathly perception
2 gm traits
locked build no diversity
i dont think any other build can complain as much as this one

surprised not everyone is saying how necessary grenadier is for engis

Booms.3952:

surprised not everyone is saying how necessary grenadier is for engis

Or the Grenade kit in general. I’m sick of seeing them honestly lol…

Stand The Wall.6987:

power necro
near to death + deathly perception
2 gm traits
locked build no diversity
i dont think any other build can complain as much as this one

Yeah except necros as a class have more than just one viable build, (for most levels of play.) Wanna talk about lack of build diversity? Look at mesmers, literally the ONLY class in the game with one viable build for all levels of play since release. This is the only class that when seen in tournaments has seen build diversity since release. SINCE RELEASE. Let that ish sink in.

Mesmer has it far worse than just Deceptive Evasion. DE is just the prime example.
So,

Deceptive Evasion

• For clone production, not just for shattering but to power a host of traits, not to mention fuel things like healing. Even our kittenty movement speed trait is tied to the number of clones on the field.

Critical Infusion

• Tied in with DE and the dueling line, this Minor Adept trait is Mesmers only reliable source of vigor. If you don’t invest just 1 point in Dueling, Mesmers survive goes way down. Vigor being hardwired to dodging means it’s also quintessential to Deceptive Evasion, and thus Mesmer build viability as a whole. The nerf to Critical Infusion is one of the most understated nerfs for Mesmer in its long list, if only because it doubly nerfs via the reliance on DE.

Mes Utility Trinity

• You learn to make do but realistically Blink and Decoy are a must with few exceptions. You can go without them but the effects are dramatic. The third slot is, ideally a condi cleanse (you have some options at least), or you learn to live (or die) without it. Never the less, the reliance on Blink and Decoy (stun breaks, no stability, necessary for target drop, repositioning, escape) means other utilities can’t even be considered outside of a gimick build (PvE the exception but that’s not even worth talking about).

Traveler Runes

• Most Mesmers can’t build without Traveler Runes, or do so giving up any increase in movement speed. Everybody knows the details of this point.

Assassin’s Reward

Warrior: In my opinion warrior needs this traits and weapons to be competitive.

Traits:
Fast hands
Cleansing ire,
Warrior Sprint,

Weapons:
longbow.

I tried many times to not use warrior sprint, but with the easy boon removal in this game, its so easy to remove swiftness and kite the warrior for days.

Unlike other professions, warrior weapons/combos seem to be made to work with fast hands by default.

Cleansing ire is a must and everybody knows why.

Longbow is the only weapon that can use CI at is full potential.

Dondagora.9645:

kdaddy.5431:

I run a different mesmer build, i run 2-0-6-0-6. I also use moa and portal. I actually some matches ill use no invisibility skills. This build is my version of a bunker mesmer and its very good vs average and below players since they will kill clones and get condi dmg and ill shatter for condi dmg.

And after i win the fight ill drop a portal and move to find at mid or far and portal back if i see someone trying to decap or cap. With a good team and good rotations we destroy teams since we can portal from different spots and move around freely to help other people.

I have maintained a 52%+ win rate with this build as a solo que player and with my guild team we went 11-2 about 1 month ago.

I find your comment to not be truthful and the problem of the gw2 community since you dont know how to make other builds work. Simply cause you either arent good enough/ cant change your style of play/ lack the understanding of a 5 vs 5. Though i do like the idea of the community talking about classes.

once agree i completely disagree with your idea of the mesmer class.

You’re sounding kind of aggressive, so please restrain yourself from insulting me personally if possible. Your point is valid, however I find it rude that you assume my opinion being somewhat exaggerated and differing from your apparent experience is due to my own unskillfulness or lack of understanding.

My understanding of mesmer’s position is thus: The majority of our builds, excluding maybe 1-5%[made up statistic], use DE in PvP. Power Shatter, Condi PU, MtD Shatter, Lockdown[Again, most of the time], even Phantasm[sometimes]. These same builds are what mesmer tends to be known for, what people know us as, and thus what the majority of mesmers use. Don’t take my word for it, of course. Ask top-tier mesmers, ask the whole mesmer community. I’m not saying not using DE cannot be done, I’m saying that DE as a whole steals a place in the majority of the mesmer’s builds that it is indeed a crutch which the mesmer is leaning on at the moment. Saying “all PvP mesmers use DE” may be an exaggeration, but only slightly so, like seeing “$1.99” and thinking “$2.00”.

My comment was simply put there not to be aggressive but to point out that you feel its a necessity as oppose to the preferred. Just because most people use it doesnt mean you have to be a elite build or in the case of the many good for its place.

hackks.3687:

Engi is: Incendiary Powder

Arguments can be made for Grenadier, Healing Turret, Supply Crate, Speedy Kits, Backpack Regenerator

Literally every build except Turrets is comprised of max points in Explosives, with the rest dumped into Alchemy and Tools, with maybe 2 points in firearms. The allocations change little as well as the traits themselves. You change Engi builds buy primarily swapping the weapons, amulet, and runes. That’s it.

i like to run builds that max out inventions and firearms, it beats people purely because they have never ever seen this befor and assume i must be playing a different class.

Laraley.7695:

kdaddy.5431:

I run a different mesmer build, i run 2-0-6-0-6. I also use moa and portal. I actually some matches ill use no invisibility skills. This build is my version of a bunker mesmer and its very good vs average and below players since they will kill clones and get condi dmg and ill shatter for condi dmg.

And after i win the fight ill drop a portal and move to find at mid or far and portal back if i see someone trying to decap or cap. With a good team and good rotations we destroy teams since we can portal from different spots and move around freely to help other people.

I have maintained a 52%+ win rate with this build as a solo que player and with my guild team we went 11-2 about 1 month ago.

I find your comment to not be truthful and the problem of the gw2 community since you dont know how to make other builds work. Simply cause you either arent good enough/ cant change your style of play/ lack the understanding of a 5 vs 5. Though i do like the idea of the community talking about classes.

once agree i completely disagree with your idea of the mesmer class.

You’re making a bad build work just because as you yourself said you’re facing bad or average players, so insulting others because they actually play builds that are effective against skilled players makes completely no sense. Your reasoning that it works because the players kill clones only confirms you face people who barely bought the game. Calling OP bad because he runs a build that actually requires skill is just a joke.

You should look me up before assuming i dont play skilled players. Telling you that i easily beat average and below players with this build shows its not a bad build. Also just because i greatly disagree with the logic that people have to use dueling skills to be effective at the highest level doesnt change my opinion on the 1 sided view of it.

Lastly to play at the highest level in pvp takes skill, you assuming that a build doesnt take skill vs other elite players shows his exact point of view. The idea you have to run certain trait lines then if you lose its because your build takes skill.

ironic, no?

kdaddy.5431:

Dondagora.9645:

kdaddy.5431:

I run a different mesmer build, i run 2-0-6-0-6. I also use moa and portal. I actually some matches ill use no invisibility skills. This build is my version of a bunker mesmer and its very good vs average and below players since they will kill clones and get condi dmg and ill shatter for condi dmg.

And after i win the fight ill drop a portal and move to find at mid or far and portal back if i see someone trying to decap or cap. With a good team and good rotations we destroy teams since we can portal from different spots and move around freely to help other people.

I have maintained a 52%+ win rate with this build as a solo que player and with my guild team we went 11-2 about 1 month ago.

I find your comment to not be truthful and the problem of the gw2 community since you dont know how to make other builds work. Simply cause you either arent good enough/ cant change your style of play/ lack the understanding of a 5 vs 5. Though i do like the idea of the community talking about classes.

once agree i completely disagree with your idea of the mesmer class.

You’re sounding kind of aggressive, so please restrain yourself from insulting me personally if possible. Your point is valid, however I find it rude that you assume my opinion being somewhat exaggerated and differing from your apparent experience is due to my own unskillfulness or lack of understanding.

My understanding of mesmer’s position is thus: The majority of our builds, excluding maybe 1-5%[made up statistic], use DE in PvP. Power Shatter, Condi PU, MtD Shatter, Lockdown[Again, most of the time], even Phantasm[sometimes]. These same builds are what mesmer tends to be known for, what people know us as, and thus what the majority of mesmers use. Don’t take my word for it, of course. Ask top-tier mesmers, ask the whole mesmer community. I’m not saying not using DE cannot be done, I’m saying that DE as a whole steals a place in the majority of the mesmer’s builds that it is indeed a crutch which the mesmer is leaning on at the moment. Saying “all PvP mesmers use DE” may be an exaggeration, but only slightly so, like seeing “$1.99” and thinking “$2.00”.

My comment was simply put there not to be aggressive but to point out that you feel its a necessity as oppose to the preferred. Just because most people use it doesnt mean you have to be a elite build or in the case of the many good for its place.

Skip to last bit if you don’t care for the rant
I won’t say anything not using DE isn’t viable. It’s viable if you can make it work. However that goes for any “crutch” for any profession. The majority of mesmers rely heavily on DE no because they can’t make due without, but because it’s just too good to pass up in most cases. Most of our builds benefit too greatly from such rapid and consistent clone production that it’s hard to give up and makes the build more punishing if you do.

And I’m not speaking to say that I use “elite” builds. I like the MtD Shattering style, and will likely continue it. That doesn’t change the fact that the majority of mesmers in PvP realize and understand that unless they want to put in 10x more effort and time, DE is pretty much our steroid. Tell me that at least 90% of all current mesmer builds in PvP don’t use DE. At least. DE is a crutch on the mesmer profession, despite any few exceptions that happen to be able to do without. I myself can deal with it to some extent, but I also find it not worth not using it just to get results I could have found with more ease using it. I don’t really need to argue on this point. It is a crutch, that is a fact. Exceptions exist, far and few. But, as like my previous metaphor, that’s like saying malaria in Africa isn’t a problem since not everyone in Africa has it.

End of rant

I feel like I typed too much here, sorry for the rant. Point is, DE is felt to be necessary by far too many people to not see it as the sort of crutch which cripples our build diversity.

Honstly I don’t understand how anyone can say DE is not a crutch. I figured out within a week of release that trait was particularly powerful, and still am surprised it apparently has seen no changes.
Sure if you run a phantasm build and don’t care for clones it’s not needed per se. For any build that uses clones and shatters though, it’s too good to pass up.