Guild Wars 2

I’ve been trying to figure this out and can’t seem to figure it out as an engineer.

If I focus on downing their clones they either rush and explode on me taking half my hp or the player starts doing a ton of damage. If i focus on the player then the clones just do their abilities on me and then explode and do a ton of damage.

How are do you guys counter mesmers? Especially as an engy.

You’re going to need slick shoes.

Assuming you’re a bursty engineer, you’ll probably need to do false bursts to bait. Since you have to lure out BF,PR and Distortion before you can actually kill the thing and then shoot the gap between BF and PR.

Hey ~

The first thing to do when fighting a mesmer is to find the real one. This is relatively easy as the real mesmer moves/dodges/does animations other than auto attacks, and of course the mesmer doesn’t look like a ghost. If the clones start running at you, try and dodge roll into them to avoid the burst or use any skills you can to blow them up before they kill you.

Mesmers have a few common set ups that they will be using. Shatter (burty, usually glass cannon), Conditions (can be more tanky, at least mine is), or a hybrid.

If it’s a shatter then try and avoid their initial burst, the combo is fairly obvious as it usually involves a stun (pistol 5) followed by a clone stabbing your legs (sword 3), a barrage of swords in your face (sword 2) and more than likely while you’re getting pummeled with illusionary lead (pistol phantasm). If you manage to evade that, you’re good for a little bit and should instantly punish them, as they should be pretty glassy and you can do some good damage on them quick. If you can stun break (I think the rifle sounds like a good counter to this with that knock back it has, and maybe even that jump?)

Condition are a little more annoying to deal with, as killing the clones typically will just layer more conditions on you (if traited) and not killing the clones will still layer conditions on you (if staff clones) so I would recommend trying to avoid the clones as best you can and bursting down the mesmer. The one saving grace with condition mesmers is that they don’t do a lot of damage at once, so if you have condition removal in any way, or if you’re tanky, then you can hold out while you fight them.

Probably not the best advice out there, but I play my mesmer basically 99% of my time, have since start, and this is how I handle facing other mesmers. If you want to face a mesmer for practice feel free to find me and we’ll work on it

Hope it helps ~

WhiteRose.6934:

Hey ~

The first thing to do when fighting a mesmer is to find the real one. This is relatively easy as the real mesmer moves/dodges/does animations other than auto attacks, and of course the mesmer doesn’t look like a ghost. If the clones start running at you, try and dodge roll into them to avoid the burst or use any skills you can to blow them up before they kill you.

Mesmers have a few common set ups that they will be using. Shatter (burty, usually glass cannon), Conditions (can be more tanky, at least mine is), or a hybrid.

If it’s a shatter then try and avoid their initial burst, the combo is fairly obvious as it usually involves a stun (pistol 5) followed by a clone stabbing your legs (sword 3), a barrage of swords in your face (sword 2) and more than likely while you’re getting pummeled with illusionary lead (pistol phantasm). If you manage to evade that, you’re good for a little bit and should instantly punish them, as they should be pretty glassy and you can do some good damage on them quick. If you can stun break (I think the rifle sounds like a good counter to this with that knock back it has, and maybe even that jump?)

Condition are a little more annoying to deal with, as killing the clones typically will just layer more conditions on you (if traited) and not killing the clones will still layer conditions on you (if staff clones) so I would recommend trying to avoid the clones as best you can and bursting down the mesmer. The one saving grace with condition mesmers is that they don’t do a lot of damage at once, so if you have condition removal in any way, or if you’re tanky, then you can hold out while you fight them.

Probably not the best advice out there, but I play my mesmer basically 99% of my time, have since start, and this is how I handle facing other mesmers. If you want to face a mesmer for practice feel free to find me and we’ll work on it

Hope it helps ~

Thanks it does. Didn’t know killing them gives you conditions too. I’ve been thinking of making one or a guardian.

It only does if the mesmer is traited for it, it’s a 10 point trait in the chaos line, usually staff mesmers will go for this if they are running conditions.

Mesmers can be quite tricky. If I’m (A Longbow/SnB Warrior) against an okay mesmer, most of the time I’m able to beat them if my timing is right. You really have to utilize your evades and/or defensive cd’s when against those bursty mesmers. If you are able to negate a good amount of damage from their burst, thats the time you want to start pressuring them into forcing them to use their own.
The worst thing is to have a mesmer vanish after you popping everything and then wasting it…
Against good mesmers, its a 50/50 with me, if not they usually defeat me more than I defeat them.

I highly suggest not aiming any of the clones of a mesmer. Always focus on the mesmer him/herself. Rely on your defensive skills and well timed evades to dodge the burst, and keep as much pressure up as possible. Mesmers are fairly squishy so you dont need “mega warrior-frenzy-HB” style burst to do a good amount of damage.

In my opinion, memsers are a difficult matchup for most engineer builds. If you’re a non-grenade build, it’s very useful to have some instant condi removal available (like kit refinement flamethrower or elixir gun) to get you out of their immobilize. If you’re a grenade build, use elixir S/block when necessary and then absolutely don’t miss with your grenades…

Grenades. Aoe destroys there clones, and mesmers are terrible at clearing conditions.
The once you learn to dodge/block a shatter youve won.

Beat out one shatter in a mesmers 1vs1 with you, and youve probably won, as llong as your landing a high percentage of gren.s

I usually just try to kite the clones, don’t worry about killing them at all you don’t want to risk conditions. It’s pretty easy to see when they’re going to blow the clones up because they will all charge you in an obvious way. If they’re using a 2h sword just be on your toes for that berserker clone (one that whirlwinds) it hits like a truck but CAN be avoided. if they have a staff be ready for the aoe-field and kite away until it’s gone.

Most importantly place a target marker on the real mesmer.

Everything said. The tricky thing stays on the shatter mesmer (the most common build played). And there you just need to dodge when the first clone jumps on you. Also good is to know all the cool-downs for this combo. (e.g. 10 secs on F1). Helps alot to know when bursts coming again.

Deified.7520:

I’ve been trying to figure this out and can’t seem to figure it out as an engineer.

If I focus on downing their clones they either rush and explode on me taking half my hp or the player starts doing a ton of damage. If i focus on the player then the clones just do their abilities on me and then explode and do a ton of damage.

How are do you guys counter mesmers? Especially as an engy.

Deified, you mention it a bit later in the thread – you are thinking of rolling one…. THAT is the best way of beating a Mesmer. I was struggling with them until I played one for a while in PvP. Great players who specialize in the Mesmer will still be horrible to fight but you’ll be countering the rest before you know it.

you could roll 100nades and try blowing them the F up, but watch out for retaliation, that HURTS with grenade builds, i’m not sure how strong the perma retaliation is on their phantasms.

It’s going to depend on the build. 100 Nades for example is in a disadvantage against them, while Condi-Burst has the advantage. The previous one being a Power-based damage variant and the latter a Condi-based damage variant. Mesmers are very good at mitigating burst damage, but terrible at shedding conditions.

Some of the most basic tips I can give you are from a previous post of mine.

Ayestes.1273:

• Dodge roll into the clones when they shatter. This triggers their explosions. A Shatter mesmer’s damage is mostly in these shatters. Mitigate them and you mitigate the vast majority of what they can do.

• Move away from the Mesmer if possible. Mesmers need you to be close to deal their real damage. Unless they have a Greatsword they have no real way to deal damage in this long range case, and without the Staff they are incredibly weak defensively beyond the trickery. AoE slows in particular can make it very easy to pick off Mesmer stuff.

• Move all the bloody time and learn to recognize the leaping clone. This leaping clone is the very beginning of the burst combo that you are going to be hit with. If you can keep away from it and/or dodge the follow-up then you have fully mitigated the combo. The other way to start the combo is with the Magic Bullet stun, so dodge roll that projectile if possible as well and stun break it if you get caught while having that cooldown up.

• AoE is pretty key in dealing with clones in general. This won’t stop the primary combo of clones if you get caught in the burst cycle, but beyond a Mirror Images burst while you are Immobilized it’s completely feasible to cleave them down. If you do get immobilized, make sure you use whatever invuln options you may or may not have.

• Recognize Distortion. They are invulnerable during Blurred Frenzy and their Distortion Shatter. Don’t waste valuable cooldowns during this period. I’ve seen far too many people try to burst a Mesmer I have targeted with Quickness for example. They are literally invulnerable during their burst combo, keep that in mind.

• Best advice in general though, is to go play one.

Condi-Removal and Invulns are generally useful to avoid Shatter damage if you get caught. Know how to break the Illusion AI though. Once you’ve got that, only their CC will allow you to really take any damage.

Unless of course it’s a Phantasm or Condi Mesmer, in which case all of this advice isn’t necessarily accurate. This is all based on a Shatter Mesmer, the most common build.

Use your pull skill and then prybar them followed by nades. It will absolutely destroy them and they can’t get away.

Well we don’t know what the OP has for a build at all, I don’t know how we can recommend specifics. Different builds are going to have to tackle it completely different ways.

Magnet Pull is countered by a variety of things a Mesmer has though. Staff #2 and the Distortion Shatter can prevent any control you had going from that pull. That doesn’t even count utilities they could slot, or if they spot the Magnet animation and either evade or blurred frenzy. You can’t really say that Magnet → Prybar → Nades is an option, when Mesmers are inherently very good at breaking up combos and predetermined rotations.

Darek.1836:

Use your pull skill and then prybar them followed by nades. It will absolutely destroy them and they can’t get away.

This combo won’t work vs a good mesmer.

They have a lot of defensive cooldown that prevent it. One of them being Mirrior of anguish that break youre pull/nade combo.

They also have 2 weapon skill (staff and sword) that have an instant blink and blurry frenzy on short cooldown.

I fought some shatter mesmer on NSP, less glassy then usually, that just had infinite options to get out of my CC/combo.

100nade combo isn’t the answer again good shatter mesmer.

Deified.7520:

I’ve been trying to figure this out and can’t seem to figure it out as an engineer.

If I focus on downing their clones they either rush and explode on me taking half my hp or the player starts doing a ton of damage. If i focus on the player then the clones just do their abilities on me and then explode and do a ton of damage.

How are do you guys counter mesmers? Especially as an engy.

Drop engi and go ele…done xD Anyway, watch for clones coming at you and dodge, keep an eye on confusion stacks, spot the real mesmer (Hard for begginners, automatic as soon as you make experience) looking at hp bar, conditions, distinctive signs (Titles, sigils, finishers if he’s dumb enough to use them cause they appear only on the real one), dodges, bf and skills in general…clones only cast autoattack, don’t dodge and are always full hp since they explode as soon as they get just a little damage..if you get cc stunbreak immediately because a huge mind wrack in coming 90% of times (If you are dazed dodge..if you can’t dodge either move away anyway cause mind wrack is usually coupled with bf, you’ll eat the shatter but you can get away from bf), fill him up with tons of conditions, cc him to prevent him from dodging, no dodges = a lot less clones to shatter, aoes in general to destroy clones and phantasms, watch for illusionary leap, when it comes get the kitten away….and so on…there are many many ways to counter mesmers once you know how they work..

Darek.1836:

Use your pull skill and then prybar them followed by nades. It will absolutely destroy them and they can’t get away.

Any decent mesmer just laugh at 100nades, as soon as you try to cc (Pull, net or whatever) or just go in range dodge and\or f4 (Your burst is gone), leap and swap if needed, f3 even with no clones up(Illusionary persona <3), decoy, mirror images, f1 and you’re dead…bf just to make sure…hp lost? 0 if you did right..

The strengh of 100nades is the istant burst (I’f done correctly), even “more istant” than backstab…but vs a mesmer this is a weakness cause distorsion traited with illusionary persona is enough to negate all burst, even with no clones up…second bad thing bout 100nades vs mesmer is that you have to go really close to the target to make barrage work as intended…and if you’re close to the mesmer he can also use diversion from himself to rupt you pretty easily and open up for mind wrack, or go bf while you’re dazed..if you are glass never go too close to a mesmer (Well, unless you’re a thief in stealth xD)

JoakimFA.4713:

Mesmers can be quite tricky. If I’m (A Longbow/SnB Warrior) against an okay mesmer, most of the time I’m able to beat them if my timing is right.
Against good mesmers, its a 50/50 with me, if not they usually defeat me more than I defeat them.

Use my tactic. Change longbow into riffle. Go into a bush and wait till mesmer passes by. Press 5. Collect points. If he luckily evaded just bull charge frenzy 100b.

Honestly I just made a mesmer and went confusion. I’ve wont about 4/5 1 round turnys (pug) with him and I’ve probably died about 3 times and i’ve killed about 12 people. They’re good…haha.

Purie.9046:

JoakimFA.4713:

Mesmers can be quite tricky. If I’m (A Longbow/SnB Warrior) against an okay mesmer, most of the time I’m able to beat them if my timing is right.
Against good mesmers, its a 50/50 with me, if not they usually defeat me more than I defeat them.

Use my tactic. Change longbow into riffle. Go into a bush and wait till mesmer passes by. Press 5. Collect points. If he luckily evaded just bull charge frenzy 100b.

Time to check bushes around i suppose…..oh well i’ll send our ranger for that, rangers love bushes… u.u

Deified.7520:

Honestly I just made a mesmer and went confusion. I’ve wont about 4/5 1 round turnys (pug) with him and I’ve probably died about 3 times and i’ve killed about 12 people. They’re good…haha.

Or you just faced bad ppl :P

Archaon.6245:

Deified.7520:

Honestly I just made a mesmer and went confusion. I’ve wont about 4/5 1 round turnys (pug) with him and I’ve probably died about 3 times and i’ve killed about 12 people. They’re good…haha.

Or you just faced bad ppl :P

Probably that. The only person I saw with really noticeable, and I think high up gear, was a warrior in full arah and I destroyed him haha. Ill keep playing though and see how he does. So far I like him a lot.

Deified.7520:

Archaon.6245:

Deified.7520:

Honestly I just made a mesmer and went confusion. I’ve wont about 4/5 1 round turnys (pug) with him and I’ve probably died about 3 times and i’ve killed about 12 people. They’re good…haha.

Or you just faced bad ppl :P

Probably that. The only person I saw with really noticeable, and I think high up gear, was a warrior in full arah and I destroyed him haha. Ill keep playing though and see how he does. So far I like him a lot.

Well full arah (In spvp it’s called orrian) is now pretty common around because ppl just farmed loser’s chests in 1vs1 toss paids and crafted it (You need paid tokens for it, and you get them salvaging paid tornament gear from chests)…pretty much anyone who farmed chests even without winning a single paid match crafted it so it’s not reflecting skills at all…at least not anymore… Btw if you want to learn how to play it properly, with portal, time warp, illusion of life and other support skills i suggest you to go 8vs8 tourneys cause 1vs1 map it’s a mess right now, well maybe not a mess but you’re not going to play classes the way you would in the other 3\4 with toss tpvp maps…or you just have to wait for 1vs1 map change…thx god…

Archaon.6245:

Deified.7520:

Archaon.6245:

Deified.7520:

Honestly I just made a mesmer and went confusion. I’ve wont about 4/5 1 round turnys (pug) with him and I’ve probably died about 3 times and i’ve killed about 12 people. They’re good…haha.

Or you just faced bad ppl :P

Probably that. The only person I saw with really noticeable, and I think high up gear, was a warrior in full arah and I destroyed him haha. Ill keep playing though and see how he does. So far I like him a lot.

Well full arah (In spvp it’s called orrian) is now pretty common around because ppl just farmed loser’s chests in 1vs1 toss paids and crafted it (You need paid tokens for it, and you get them salvaging paid tornament gear from chests)…pretty much anyone who farmed chests even without winning a single paid match crafted it so it’s not reflecting skills at all…at least not anymore… Btw if you want to learn how to play it properly, with portal, time warp, illusion of life and other support skills i suggest you to go 8vs8 tourneys cause 1vs1 map it’s a mess right now, well maybe not a mess but you’re not going to play classes the way you would in the other 3\4 with toss tpvp maps…or you just have to wait for 1vs1 map change…thx god…

I’m new to Mesmer and sPvP in general. There are 8v8 turnys? Is that the 3 round one? I’m a bit scared to do that as a pug, and pre patch I once waited like 40mins to get into a game. Are the que times better?

Don’t think it’s a counter, but the best thing I have found to do is call the real one out as a target. Otherwise I have to pick them out of the crowd again every time they vanish. Makes my life a whole lot easier.

Strzalka.9451:

Don’t think it’s a counter, but the best thing I have found to do is call the real one out as a target. Otherwise I have to pick them out of the crowd again every time they vanish. Makes my life a whole lot easier.

probably the best baby step suggested to help start improve play against them. Be wary that their invis moves will remove the call target tho. As an engineer, I typically keep a glue puddle between me and the clones when I think they are going for a shatter/ burst combo, use Elixer S on blurred frenzy/ shatter combo if they get off an immoblize, and other wise keep using grenades or bombs when im playing defensive (aoe tends to kill shatter clones quick but if its a clone health signet mez its a different story) and use my single target pistol conditions when I have them in a bad spot (with out dodges or in between shatter cd’s). Remember you can blind phantasam spawning skills and the most damaging and predictable one of all is greatsword bezerker clone. timing out a blind on that (i.e. static shot or utility skill) will put you in a good spot, gimping their damage for a bit. Also reference previous forum posts about picking out clones from the real ones if that is what is causing you trouble. Many visual ques will give away the real one.

Hope that helps

EDIT: didn’t read Ayestes.1273’s posts until now. His posts are very accurate and do a better job explaining what I am trying to.

Deified.7520:

Archaon.6245:

Deified.7520:

Archaon.6245:

Deified.7520:

Honestly I just made a mesmer and went confusion. I’ve wont about 4/5 1 round turnys (pug) with him and I’ve probably died about 3 times and i’ve killed about 12 people. They’re good…haha.

Or you just faced bad ppl :P

Probably that. The only person I saw with really noticeable, and I think high up gear, was a warrior in full arah and I destroyed him haha. Ill keep playing though and see how he does. So far I like him a lot.

Well full arah (In spvp it’s called orrian) is now pretty common around because ppl just farmed loser’s chests in 1vs1 toss paids and crafted it (You need paid tokens for it, and you get them salvaging paid tornament gear from chests)…pretty much anyone who farmed chests even without winning a single paid match crafted it so it’s not reflecting skills at all…at least not anymore… Btw if you want to learn how to play it properly, with portal, time warp, illusion of life and other support skills i suggest you to go 8vs8 tourneys cause 1vs1 map it’s a mess right now, well maybe not a mess but you’re not going to play classes the way you would in the other 3\4 with toss tpvp maps…or you just have to wait for 1vs1 map change…thx god…

I’m new to Mesmer and sPvP in general. There are 8v8 turnys? Is that the 3 round one? I’m a bit scared to do that as a pug, and pre patch I once waited like 40mins to get into a game. Are the que times better?

Que times are a little bit longer than 1vs1 but usually it’s like 5 min wait during “active” parts of the day..late morning, afternoon and evening 9pm – 1am