Guild Wars 2

Hi guys,
So I have spent a fair amount of time fancying about a new elite specialization for our mesmer class and I thought I’d share with the community here, just for fun I suppose, but hopefully Anet might be inspired by some ideas presented here to “weave” them into the game in the future.

Disclaimer: Not 100% of ideas here I came up by myself as I did borrow some fascinating suggestions (my favourites) from other posters whom I can’t remember exactly so my sincere apologies.

Elite specialization name: Dreamweaver

Concept/Goal: This elite spec is meant to be a SPECIAL TREAT to people who enjoy a phantasm build as you’ll soon find out why in the new class mechanic section. It also offers ways to bolster your confusion condition if you decide to make a build around confusion as your main damage.

If you look at elite spec as Anet’s approach to dual class feature in Gw2 (for example: Dragonhunter can be seen as primary Guardian + secondary Ranger), Dreamweaver is primary Mesmer and secondary Ranger.

New class mechanic: This spec grants the mesmer more control over her illusions as she can transform clones into phantasms at will. It will attempt to redefine the deception theme of the class through the use of dream-inducing traps and more threatening illusions.

Weave and Unravel

As a dreamweaver, you gain access to a new shatter skill called Unravel (60s untraited, 51s traited). This is part of the new mechanic to allow you to turn clones into phantasms.
In order to do this, you need to:
- Apply [Woven] buff onto a clone (this can be done through specific weapon skill or trait).
- Unravel the [Woven] clone to turn it into a phantasm (this can be done by the new shatter skill or through a specific trait)

Clones with [Woven] buff will have a certain visual to distinguish themselves from normal clones for both the dreamweaver and her enemies.

The transformation starts as the clone stops moving and a cocoon is formed around it. After 3s, the cocoon shatters (applying any related shatter effect) and reveals the phantasm. The type of phantasm is determined by the dreamweaver’s weapon at the START of unraveling process. During the unravelling process, the cocooned clone can be still destroyed just like a normal clone.

Also, as the phantasm is formed, it counts as you summon a phantasm and thus would trigger any related trait like Protected Phantasms or Illusionary Inspiration. Apparently, compared to other shatter skills, this skill has an extra 3s delay before the shatter effect occurs.

Note: because you cannot take both Chronomancer and Dreamweaver specializations, you cannot abuse the OP synergy between Chronophantasm gm trait and this new mechanic to shatter same illusions 3 times.

Interaction with Bountiful Disillusionment: give Resistance boon.

Interaction with Master of Fragmentation: Clones have Chaos Armor (3s) as they being unravelled.

Dreamweaver will be able to equip Shortbow as a two-handed weapon and gain access to a full set of traps (6 traps, including a heal trap and an elite trap).

NEW WEAPON SKILLS

Shortbow: a midrange weapon (900 range) with fast-hitting autoattacks dealing moderate damage. It is hybrid in nature and is useful in both power and condi specs.

1. Auto attack chain:
- Spirit arrow: low dmg with fast cast time (0.25s), standard projectile attack (20% projectile finisher)
o Clones created by shortbow will only use Spirit Arrow instead of the entire autoattack chain. They will attack comparatively fast and so would be still useful to stack Bleeds with Sharper Images traited.
- Silk arrow: moderate dmg with slower cast time (0.5s), standard projectile attack (20% projectile finisher). Inflicts Cripple (1s).
- Weaving arrow: moderate dmg with slower cast time (0.75s), after hitting your target, it will bounce to the nearest clone in range (1200) and apply [Woven] buff.

2. Ethereal Dash: (0.75s cast time) fire a piercing arrow and teleports you to the first target the arrow hits and blind the target, spawns a clone. You gain access to Confusing Flashback for 3s. 12s CD.

Confusing Flashback: (follow-up skill of Ethereal Dash) return to your original position and inflict confusion (2stacks, 5sec) to enemies (Max: 5) around you (Radius: 360). Cast time: 0.25s.

3. Weaver’s Retreat: evade backward (0.75s evasion) for 450 range distance. If successfully evade an attack, you gain access to Webspinner for 3s. No cast time. 15s CD.

Webspinner: (follow-up skill of Weaver’s Retreat) weave an ethereal web that immobilizes enemies on contact for 3s. Max target: 5. Radius: 240.

4. Phantasmal Archer: (1s cast time) summon a shortbow-wielding phantasm (Illusionary Archer) that fires a volley of arrows (Imagined Volley) at your target (similar to Poison Volley skill from Ranger’s Shortbow). This shotgun style attack deals high dmg at close range if all arrows hit. (20% projectile finisher). The phantasm will attempt to move into around 300 range before it attacks. 25s CD.

5. Twisted Nether: (0.5s charge up time, 2s duration spin) you spin around in place, pulling nearby enemies towards you (450 range pull), then inflict Fear (2s) at the end of the spin. Combo finisher: Whirl. Max target: 5. 40s CD.

NEW UTILITY SKILLS

Dreamweaver gains access to a full set of traps (6 traps, including a heal trap and an elite trap).

Dreamweaver’s traps are actually magical enchantments that are set up over a specific area on the ground. As enemies walk into these enchanted areas, certain hallucinations will befall upon them. The victims suffer certain debilitating effects while the dreamweaver gains many combat advantages depending on what type of trap.

Among these 6 traps, three (3) will act as persisting fields when sprung and pulse the effect every second (similar to Ranger’s Flame Trap); the other three (3) will only go off once when sprung (similar to Ranger’s Spike Trap).

Just like other traps, Dreamweaver’s traps are unblockablem, have 1s cast time and 0.5s arming time.
All traps have a 240 radius and only affect up to 3 enemies (3 allies for the heal trap). Except for the heal trap, all traps will inflict a condition on foes triggering them while at same time, provide certain benefits for the dreamweaver.

1. Tranquil Memories (heal skill): When triggered, heal allies for a good amount (~3500-4500) and reset your boon state to when you initially set down the trap. Prioritize the healing for you over your allies. Works similar to Ranger’s Healing Spring, triggers when you or ally walks over it when their health is not full. 30s CD.

2. Haunting Images: once triggered, inflict 2 stacks of Torment (5s) and summon a clone for each foe walked over the trap. Max target: 3. 15s CD.

3. Delusions of Grandeur: this trap pulses once when triggered, then 3 more times every second over its 3s duration as long as the enemy stays in the trap. Each pulse grants you 1 stack of Might (10s) and inflict Weakness (2s) on target(s). Total pulse: 4. Max target: 3. Combo field: Ethereal. 20s CD.

4. Torturing Flames: this trap pulses once when triggered, then 3 more times every second over its 3s duration as long as the enemy stays in the trap. Each pulse will inflict 2 stacks of Burning (3s) while also deals direct damage. This is your damage trap. Total pulse: 4. Max target: 3. Combo field: Fire. 30s CD. Damage (4x): 350-400???

5. Drowning Waters: this trap pulses once when triggered, then 3 more times every second over its 3s duration as long as the enemy stays in the trap. Each pulse will force the enemy to switch their skills to underwater combat for 1s and inflict 2 stacks of Vulnerability (2s). Total pulse: 4. Max target: 3. Combo field: Water. 60s CD.

Basically this trap will “drown” enemies into an illusionary body of water thus forcing the enemies into their underwater skill loadout. Great for disruption of enemy skill usage.

6. Harbingers of Death (elite skill): once triggered, inflict Fear (2s) and summon an elite hammer-wielding phantasm called Illusionary Destroyer for each foe walked over the trap. When attacking, this phantasm slams the ground with its hammer, creating a cascading eruption of destructive force (Imagined Judgement), just like Revenant’s Coalescence of Ruin. Max target: 3. 75s CD.

With proper setup, enemies after triggering the trap, fleeing away under the effect of Fear can get hit multiple times by the travelling shockwave from this hammer attack. If 3 foes trigger the trap, you can simultaneously summon 3 of these phantasms and as they attack together, the total AoE dmg can stack up pretty scary high.

NEW TRAITS

Minor

- Reality Detached: gain access to Unravel, Shortbow, and Traps
- Conditioned Confusion: Your conditions last 20% longer on Confused enemies.
- Tailored Disillusionment: After shattering, your next summoned clone has [Woven] buff.

Major Adept

Unsettling Ripples: Ripping or stealing boons from enemies also steal life.

Imaginary Friends: [Woven] clones will continually grant Regeneration (2s) to nearby allies. Max target: 5. Effect radius: 300. Interval: 3s.

Hastened Unraveling: Reduce the time to unravel clones from 3s to 2s.

Major Master

Perplexing Dreams: Traps recharge faster by 20% and apply 2 stacks of Confusion (5s) when first triggered.

Projectile Manipulator: When successfully reflect a projectile, recharge your shortbow skills by 10% and your next projectile attack is unblockable. 10s ICD.

Bountiful Unraveling: Automatically unravel clones when you have 3 illusions out and at least one of them is a [Woven] clone. This trait basically activates Unravel skill and thus will also trigger any shatter related effects. 60s ICD.

Major Grandmaster

Persistent Nightmares: Your phantasms deal 10% more damage and take 10% less damage while they stand in your ethereal field.

Griping Befuddlement: Your Confusion condition no longer deals damage to foes not using a skill. Instead it deals damage whenever enemies use a skill or every second enemies channel a skill. Increase Confusion damage by 50%.

Blasting Transformation: Clones also deal damage to nearby enemies and blast fields when they are unravelled. Clones basically use a weaker version of Elementalist’s Arcane Wave (180 radius and less dmg).

Notes:
Griping Befuddlement: this one i borrowed the proposed change from someone recently who like me didn’t like Confusion to be yet another DoT condition like Bleed and Burning and Poison.

Harbingers of Death: this skill was totally inspired by ideas in past thread about an elite phantasm. And why not? We have phantasms on weapons, on utility skills, an elite skill is most appropriate. Hammer ended up as my favourite choice here.

So what do you guys think?

Again, this is just for fun.
Soon some of us here will be able to get our hands to try out the new chronomancer, but in the meantime please enjoy this.

You could use this thread instead to post it.
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Game-Create-Your-Own-Specialization/first

I think [Woven] should not be on the AA but on a higher CD skill (3, 4 or 5).
Delusions of Grandeur is quite weak I think.
Drowning Waters: hopefully underwater combat will get a revamp some day so that it won’t be considered a “punishment”
Else, there are a few ideas I like (including the elite).

Whats the point of this thread, they won[’t be making an extra specialization for Mesmer, all clasess get one and we get Chronometer, and thats it.

They said they will have more specialization in the future.

Yesssss more Neith pls
/joking

Silverkey.2078:

Drowning Waters: hopefully underwater combat will get a revamp some day so that it won’t be considered a “punishment”
Else, there are a few ideas I like (including the elite).

Glad that u like some of them.
The water trap is probably the most creative one i came up with. And it has lots of trolling potential.

Wanted to give mesmer traps a bit more flavour than the usual dmg/cc/area denial ranger/thief/dragonhunter have so far.

rainpool.7189:

Yesssss more Neith pls
/joking

Haha definitely inspired a bit from Neith from Smite game.