Guild Wars 2

(For Mesmer looking to try the Confounding Suggestions change and a request for assistance from highest level tPvPers)

Hey guys, with the buff to Confounding Suggestions the build I’ve been running has recieved a noticeable boost. While I’ve been using it in tPvP with plenty of success, I wanted to collaborate with other Mesmer to see if there’s any ways we could further improve it.

(Please note: This is a shatter build with a higher-than-normal difficulty because of the added chain-dazing and boon/condition shutdown.)

The link to the thread is here:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/PvP-WvW-Lockdown-Shatter-Shatterlock

but I’ll post part of the first page to make it easier

—SHATTERLOCK—
“Difficult to pick up, but extremely rewarding to master.”

A 30/10/0/0/30 Shatter/Lockdown Build

Shatterlock takes the powerful burst damage and versatility of Shatter Builds and combines it with the chain-dazing and vuln-stacking potential of lockdown builds. Shatterlock was created for PvP play, but can also be used in PvE and WvW with only the slightest tweaks of gear without altering the playstyle. This build can be taken anywhere you would run a shatter build.

- So .. Isn’t this essentially just a less-optimal shatter build?
It’s very important to stress that this is NOT a straightforward shatter playstyle. Though the traits may look similar to your standard 20/20/0/0/30 shatter build, there are quite a few key differences that dramatically alter the playstyle. The utilities, for one, are more geared towards lockdown in the form of dazes and boon removal. The lack of Deceptive Evasion means that every clone/phantasm produced is an important resource. There is a much higher emphasis on lockdown in this build than standard shatter build: Confounding Suggestions, Runes of the Mesmer, Sigil of Hydromancy, and Mantra of Distraction add an extra layer of sophistication that standard shatter builds just dont have.

• Similar Shatter Damage.
  With iPersona and Mental Torment, you’re still doing very similar damage as a shatter build.

• Chain-Dazes.
  Just like in Mind Crush, you can easily lock an opponent out of a fight for over 5 seconds via chain dazing. It’s good to call target (ctrl+T) on these dazed opponents as they’ll also be without boons and burdened with 25x Vulnerability.

• Phantasm Switch-Ups.
  Sometimes Shattering just doesn’t cut it on some opponents. Shatterlock is also adept at quickly producing Phantasms (Sword Phantasms on very low cooldown) to hound opponents that like to dance in-and-out of stealth and rely on passive heals. You can still stunlock while maintaining phantasms.

The build is flexibile enough for you to be able to take on all manner of opponents and play comfortably in either a shatter or phantasmal playstyle. In my experience, Phantasms excel vs ranged opponents wherekittenter dominates melee. Either way you want to chain daze for vuln stacking either beforehand or after the enemy has less than 40% HP to eliminate their heal chance.

I’d like feedback from actual Mesmer players, no parrots please. The lack of Deceptive Evasion isn’t as kittenome might initially think.

Looks like an interesting concept! Even though I don’t play Mesmer much, I’ll try this build when I get the chance.

Given the build idea, is the Illusionary Persona trait still more advantageous then Imbued Diversion?

So.. this build hmm.. I can’t really say much yet? :/ I haven’t tried it.. or any other confounding suggestions builds atm… and I’ve been trying a lot of builds.. right now…

Pros; Looks super bursty! interrupt on a 9 second cd if you never switch weapons
66% daze duration.. 12 s cd phantasms in one weapon set..

Cons;
Super Duper Low surviveability; Shatter uses Energy sigils for 4 dodging all day but you probably don’t wanna weaponswitch much in this build at all just to get away maybe..
If you get targeted’ you’re probably gone..
One of the worst phantasms in game; disenchanter :/
I guess you need it for clonespam..?
No mirror images for wombo combos
Not really shatter oriented because of no clone real clone production..
seems more like Phantasm Lock..
Doesn’t seem like it would work well in team fights; only 1v1 capable?
Phantasms which are constantly melee range like swordsman die instantly with no phantasms trait/sig so you bring little to no sustain and probably would get cleaved instantly.

I think if you’re set on running an interrupt build.. which imho doesn’t work higher then mid tier play..
http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAscWlwzipHUTjGb9IBqHgv7fn0DT36TXqAvB-TsAg0CnIkSJlTKjUSpsSNiYBy0CA
Something like this could work well in tournaments; Pew pew aoe Dazes aoe knockbacks and aoe shatter dazes everywhere…
You never have to get close to the fight; but if you do you have an answer for lots of classes with staff and energy runes.
Btw illusionary invigoration is 2nd trait only now.

A build that uses Confounding suggestions could look like this in my mind..
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAsdWlwzipXQTjGb9IiJF9mvR6hp1anWJF82FC-TkAg0CnIkSJlTKjUSpsSt+A
This could be a stronger varient; with more defense from chaos; that 10s of regen is pretty crazy..
You can still spam shatters and also get shatter pull interupt combos; dps from ledges as a backup and lock people for quite a long time..

I dunno just my thoughts IMHO the meta is probably phantasms.. and I’m just here running shatter with the phantasm heal…

@Rallad: iPersona is definitely a better trait in my opinion. More useful for multiple situations and improves the Mesmer overall rather than Imbued Diversion which only dramatically improves one ability (and is still a bit difficult to use effectively).

@Darnis: Ty for taking the time to give a detailed response. Your post reminds me why I need to get a video of this build in action out ASAP as I think there’s more than a few misconceptions here. Ironically, the sample build you posted is the build I published before this one.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Guide-Vid-Mind-Crush-CS-Lockdown/first

This build spawned from that one, and is actually superior in a number of ways.

• Super Duper Low surviveability; Shatter uses Energy sigils for 4 dodging all day but you probably don’t wanna weaponswitch much in this build at all just to get away maybe..
  If you get targeted’ you’re probably gone..
  This isn’t a conceptual build, it’s something I’ve been running quite a bit. While I don’t use energy sigils (though they’re a fine choice and I recommended them in the full guide) the staff, combined with the dazes and blink, has actually been plenty of survivability. If anything I feel just as, if not more durable than a standard shatterbuild and definitely have superior defenses to your standard Sword/Pistol – Greatsword setup. I weaponswap constantly as both weapons are important for both DPS and lockdown.

• One of the worst phantasms in game; disenchanter :/
  I guess you need it for clonespam..?
  This is a huge misconception that many Mesmer players have. Hell, I used to feel the same way up until recently and I’ve been playing Mesmer since launch. Disenchanter is actually extremely strong when used properly, and pretty much OP in 1v1 fights. Since it’s on a 16 second cooldown it can be summoned fairly rapidly and even if it only gets to attack once thats still 2 boons/conditions removed per hit and bounces 5 times. It attacks around every 5 seconds, so after two attacks it’s more than paid itself off.

• No mirror images for wombo combos
  - Not really shatter oriented because of no clone real clone production..
  seems more like Phantasm Lock..
  - Doesn’t seem like it would work well in team fights; only 1v1 capable?
  Phantasms which are constantly melee range like swordsman die instantly with no phantasms trait/sig so you bring little to no sustain and probably would get cleaved instantly.

Yeah, the Mirror Images is traded off for Mantra of Distraction, but even still, the amount of Vulnerability that can be stacked and maintained makes for very powerful shatters and phantasm hits. I never looked at this build as either a straight Shatter or Phantasm build as it utilizes both playstyles surprisingly effectively.
Even still, not having Deceptive Evasion doesn’t mean I can’t produce enough clones to shatter constantly, it means that I can’t be sloppy with my shattering and each clone/phantasm is a valuable resource rather than a throwaway.

As for the Swordsman, he actually stays OUT of melee range and jumps in to attack, during its attack it evades all damage until it jumps back out so it’s not very vulnerable to random cleave.

As for teamfights, when used properly this build is just as effective as your standard shatter. You still burst massive damage in AoEs, your dazes and lockdown means you can focus one target and shut out a second target, Disenchanter survives better than expected…

It just all takes time. There are a lot of new concepts in this build that aren’t normally explored in your standard Shatter, but the tradeoff is worth it if you’re willing to put the time in to learn an extra layer of gameplay.

I’ve played shatter builds extensively, hell.. I’ve played almost all Mesmer builds a considerable amount(kind of had to to write the Mesmer Guide) this build is certainly something new and different, but once the chain-dazes are learned properly it becomes very effective.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

@Rallad: iPersona is definitely a better trait in my opinion. More useful for multiple situations and improves the Mesmer overall rather than Imbued Diversion which only dramatically improves one ability (and is still a bit difficult to use effectively).

@Darnis: Ty for taking the time to give a detailed response. Your post reminds me why I need to get a video of this build in action out ASAP as I think there’s more than a few misconceptions here. Ironically, the sample build you posted is the build I published before this one.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Guide-Vid-Mind-Crush-CS-Lockdown/first

This build spawned from that one, and is actually superior in a number of ways.

• Super Duper Low surviveability; Shatter uses Energy sigils for 4 dodging all day but you probably don’t wanna weaponswitch much in this build at all just to get away maybe..
  If you get targeted’ you’re probably gone.. _
  This isn’t a conceptual build, it’s something I’ve been running quite a bit. While I don’t use energy sigils (though they’re a fine choice and I recommended them in the full guide) the staff, combined with the dazes and blink, has actually been plenty of survivability. If anything I feel just as, if not _more durable than a standard shatterbuild and definitely have superior defenses to your standard Sword/Pistol – Greatsword setup. I weaponswap constantly as both weapons are important for both DPS and lockdown.

• One of the worst phantasms in game; disenchanter :/
  I guess you need it for clonespam..?
  This is a huge misconception that many Mesmer players have. Hell, I used to feel the same way up until recently and I’ve been playing Mesmer since launch. Disenchanter is actually extremely strong when used properly, and pretty much OP in 1v1 fights. Since it’s on a 16 second cooldown it can be summoned fairly rapidly and even if it only gets to attack once thats still 2 boons/conditions removed per hit and bounces 5 times. It attacks around every 5 seconds, so after two attacks it’s more than paid itself off.

• No mirror images for wombo combos
  - Not really shatter oriented because of no clone real clone production..
  seems more like Phantasm Lock..
  - Doesn’t seem like it would work well in team fights; only 1v1 capable?
  Phantasms which are constantly melee range like swordsman die instantly with no phantasms trait/sig so you bring little to no sustain and probably would get cleaved instantly.

Yeah, the Mirror Images is traded off for Mantra of Distraction, but even still, the amount of Vulnerability that can be stacked and maintained makes for very powerful shatters and phantasm hits. I never looked at this build as either a straight Shatter or Phantasm build as it utilizes both playstyles surprisingly effectively.
Even still, not having Deceptive Evasion doesn’t mean I can’t produce enough clones to shatter constantly, it means that I can’t be sloppy with my shattering and each clone/phantasm is a valuable resource rather than a throwaway.

As for the Swordsman, he actually stays OUT of melee range and jumps in to attack, during its attack it evades all damage until it jumps back out so it’s not very vulnerable to random cleave.

As for teamfights, when used properly this build is just as effective as your standard shatter. You still burst massive damage in AoEs, your dazes and lockdown means you can focus one target and shut out a second target, Disenchanter survives better than expected…

It just all takes time. There are a lot of new concepts in this build that aren’t normally explored in your standard Shatter, but the tradeoff is worth it if you’re willing to put the time in to learn an extra layer of gameplay.

I’ve played shatter builds extensively, hell.. I’ve played almost all Mesmer builds a considerable amount(kind of had to to write the Mesmer Guide) this build is certainly something new and different, but once the chain-dazes are learned properly it becomes very effective.

Sorry I don’t browse the pve forums so I didn’t see your previous builds/posts, the build I posted has been around for some time, I think some other mesmer who’s name I can’t remember played with it in some tournament for 10k USD.
Fair points I respectively Disagree. I am looking forward to your team que videos

Edit; Apologies! Confused by team mate who is constantly hyping this Halting Strike build but after looking through all the pax builds it seems it was never run, so nevermind.

Oh dude that’s awesome! I just took a second look at the link, and that build is very similar to the one I’ve posted with the exception of Focus and a Chaos trait. I wouldn’t have switched over to the one I’m using now if I didn’t feel it was considerably superior.

To know that someone took the build all the way to a $10,000 tournament is actually very encouraging, do you know the name of the tournament or have a link to any videos from it? I’d like to find out more information if possible.

With the buff on confounding suggestions (added 25% increased daze duration to go long with 50% chance to stun on daze) I tried it out in a similar build to what you posted. I wanted to see if it stacked with the mesmer runes #6, additional 33% daze duration…. however, it did not a 3.3 second daze with chance to stun on magic bullet would be sweet! But maybe a bit overpowered…

I still think your build there is very viable, the only setback is you dont have Deceptive Evasion which is a nice crutch for shatter.