Guild Wars 2

Hello everyone, I am currently running the Zerg Soldier build (https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/The-Zerg-Soldier-WvW-Build/) with full PVT Soldier gear. I mainly use that to support my zerg while commander is on and to get some bags.

Today I was roaming EB with a guild party and I had to swap my gear to Rabid I had in bank and change my traits since that build gave me no survivability (no blink, decoy or torch stealth) and I was actually doing NO damage.

Now here comes the question: is there an all-round WvW build that gives decent survivability and damage output both in zerg and small groups roaming?

Thanks

@Kovah, before I start I want to note this*is my opinions*. Others might have other thoughts and i can only talk out of my experience.

If you want to do smal group/ even solo roaming with the build you wont find anything better than a staff as a core for the build. Also as you will move the battle and be flexible a shatter spec is the best. Latley I more and more used Shatter Cat Mist 2.0 both in smal group/solo and big fights, for big team vs zerg/big team is easy to swap decoy for a feedback and possible portal for a nullfield. Focus will always be a fantastic group tool and you can specialice in take softer targets down in the crowd and stomp for friendly rally,s.

Latets video I made is group combat but you find solo and build vids in my sticky thread.

/Osicat

Ya, I agree with Osicat here. You’re no use to your team if you’re dead, that’s why Mobility is critical in group play. Personally, I only use 3 builds when in a group. A stun build, reflect shatter (masterful reflection, feedback and wardens feedback) and a GS S/T shatter. Don’t go with phantasm builds, because in any big group play, they’ll more than likely get burnt down in AoE, and you’re pretty limited in combat mobility wise.

The way I see it, if my team needs DPS, I’ll rock GS S/T, if we have enough DPS and I’ll run a stun build to lock the targets down for DPS to wreck face, and if I’m just tagging along with other people and planning on vs’ing a bigger group, I’ll opt for reflect.

You basically just want to choose something that’ll compliment your group.

I assume this
http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAsaWl0zyqHTzoGb9ICqHYH49dkK0alewbXYuB-jkDBYLCiUEQkFAEBgJPCjpPoJQJqipIasabYaXBVDDRFLymxp2UeIaA-w
is what Osicat was talking about which I found on chapter 30 of http://osicat.weebly.com/guide.html …

Anyhoo, personally, I prefer higher toughness. Throw 20 into the Chaos tree and pickup the Staff trait (chaotic dampening). I also would suggest you take some kind of permanent cleansing. Even a sigil of purity might be enough, but I prefer at least arcane thievery or null field depending on whether I’m traited for glamour or manipulation.

Hi!

If your going to go rabid or any other high toughness item set, to be effective in a team environment, I would suggest focusing more on utility, finding out what it is that your team/guild group is lacking, and plugging up that spot. since we are so versatile/specific, we are able to fill in most gaps, and allow the team to synergise more due to this.

Is there an all round build, not really, but that is the nature of the Mesmer, we are a specialist class, and we do better than nearly every other class when we specialize on a particular element of the combat.
Probably not the answer you were hoping for, but perhaps you can investigate what it is that the group you run with is missing and specialize on that

Hey, I run this at the moment as a kind of all around for everything really (except sPvP):

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAsfWlwzipXUTqGbNJiZG9GyhWAJFt2rVSBvdhA-j0zAIsAizgIBgkHI6DQ2TILBKx2JKiGr6BTXCoOR1oKyecA/BqHZRzA-w

It’s not really optimal for anything but it serves me well in WvW, I can handle myself in 1v1 and small groups and get loads of bags in zergs.. Precision isn’t too great however and find myself not being able to dodge sometimes since the vigor on crits doesn’t happen as much, but overall I have pretty good success.

Decent burst and great in zergs – torch 4 for stealth, sword 3 into the zerg (doesnt break stealth) dodge, swap, blurred frenzy and mind wrack (prestige will burn during blurred frenzy too).. it’s not the best but enough to finish people off or take a decent chunk out of people not focused on defense and good survivability with stealths and toughness.

I mainly use this because I like the adaptability (to go PvE i usually just switch a few traits and switch staff/torch for GS/focus). But then again it’s the first build I’ve properly geared myself up for and stuff so there’s definitely room for changes and improvements

The link in my sig was built for an all around wvw build, and it works great anywhere. Haven’t found a better solo/small group build for me, that still does well in large groups.

Best use for zergs is either on the fringes harassing and breaking up the masses with torch or group support using staff and focus. Does OK at tagging/DPS with GS, but I find staff or torch better for the mobility/stealth when things go south. You shouldn’t have any problems with solo/small groups at all.

Oh, I got both Kylia and Osicat to answer, I’m so happy!!
Not that I’m not grateful to the others answering but, we have two superstars here!

@Osicat: referring to what Kylia said, I really like having high Toughness. I had already looked at your builds (lovely vids, you are really skilled) but I was discouraged from adopting them by the high presence of Berserker stats. Considered that I am currently running a full PVT, how do you deal with the lack of defensive skills? “Attack is the best defence”? Thanks ^^

@Gaiawolf: Mantra of Recovery? :O

@Everyone: thanks for the advices on the zerg breaking, I only have some questions. How do you deal with the lockdowns? Some time I get stunned or immobilized or whatever in place and (also thanking my ca.5 FPS in ZvZ) find myself downed before I can even blink back to the tower.
Are the Glamour utilities useful in a ZvZ even if I’m traited for manipulation?

Thanks to everyone willing to answer this!

@Kovah, Not sure If I would call the Mist 2.0 lacking of defensive stats. I run with 1600 toughness and 2 blinks, close to perma chaos storm/armour in combat 2 stealths and with some valkyre gear around 16000+ helath. Add illusionary persona 4 second immunity that aslo reset at 50% hp for another 4 sec immunity, + sword 2 sec immunity on shorter cd. Its also close to IMPOSSIBLE to lockdown due to the big amount of stnbrakers and blinks.

If you feel you need more passive survival the Shatter cat heavy lastes setup I use have 1700 toughness and same defensive build.

Of my 5 builds 3 are dps/berzerker the remaning 2 is close to dps tanks.

This is the build I have in mind, Add a 2nd chavalier ring to is and you at 1600+ toughness and still 96% crit dmg.

/Osicat

That was the answer I was looking for I probably didn’t look to close due to my “fear” for Berserker gear in WvW environment.
Well, time for some dungeon grinding!

@kovah:
The single mantra is fine with all the stealth the build provides, but it will take a little practice to get used to it. You can usually charge the mantra in stealth or after a good blink. It also provides high swiftness uptime so you can be where you need to when you need to be there, especially with Blink as well. That said, any time I switch out my torch, I usually switch to Ether Feast.

To avoid/escape lockdowns, stun breakers (and stealth in my build) are key, especially Blink (Phase Retreat works great too). Use 1-2 evasive skills or dodges early when everyone is spamming CCs and high damage/high CD skills to down you. You can live a lot longer vs auto attacks than 20s nukes. Just make sure to keep a stun breaker or distortion in reserve.

And here’s a tip for Blink, don’t port directly away from your foe; port behind them or right on top of them! It will often give you a few to several extra seconds to heal up, set up a burst, or make them panic and blow CDS before they locate you. Same goes for stealth: pop stealth, swiftness if you need it, get behind/on top of them.

Great advices, thanks ^^
I just finished grinding some dungeons, time to test out the build!