Anyone have a good PvE build?
Well, what I usually do is basically this:
Grab domination V, dueling X, and illusionist’s celerity.
Pick whatever weapons you want (I recommend against scepter, torch, and pistol though).
Pick up weapon cooldown traits (I only get these when using gs, sword/sword, or /focus but ymmv).
Pick up damage increasing traits with whatever points are leftover.
(edited by Effusion.4831)
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQJARWlwzaqXUTmGa9ICqHgn29dkU0apWJF42FC
That is what I have been using for a while now. I used to run the Legion build and really liked it, but wanted to try something else out, switched to this and fell in love. The GS is what I use for primary damage from myself, the Staff is for defense, AOE, and Illusion popping. Greatsword Training in Domintion can mostly like be switched for Crippling Dissipation, but since I spend most of the time in GS, I like the lower CD’s. Build like this take a bit of finesse to get down, but once you learn to control your shatters, it can be very, very effective. I have also run Null field instead of Decoy, but that is up to you with how comfortable you are with losing some survival.
The nice thing is you have a TON of ways to get the Illusions out there, between dodging, Mirror Images, Decoy and all of your weapon skills, you should always have shatter ammo.
With the Staff, Decoy, Blink, and well timed dodges, you can actually survive very, very well. My main armor set is a full Rampager’s set, but I have a full MF set as well, and in that even doing less damage, I survive just fine with only 15,082 HP and 1,920 Armor. The key is to always be moving, reacting to what’s going on. Memser cannot afford to stand still, regardless of what build you are using in my opinion.
The AOE capabilities of this build, I think can help with those having trouble in Orr DE’s (even though I never got anything less than gold, even when I was using the Legion build.) Mesmer does have to work more to keep up with nade spam engi’s, HB Warriors ect. but it’s very possible to do, and I think this may make it easier.
I’ve experimented with Staff and GS in PvE and a few different kinds of equipment. I think both are excellent weapons for PvE in different ways.
When it came to staff I used carrion [pow/vit/con] (as it was the most readily accessable and gives lots of con damage bonuses). I used sword/focus or scepter/focus in offhand.
20/0/20/0/20 was where I traited. I took traits such as cripple on illusion death, staff recharge reduction, extra bounce attacks in each line respectively. Whatever build you make, I would consider putting 5 points into the last line — reduces recharge on illusion skills by 20%.
The staff and scepter/focus gave me the ability to be defensive and maintain momentum. Battles werent won quickly, but you can pretty much outlast anything — even multiple monsters when you get the hang of it.
With GS I went full on berserker stats and chucked condition damage out the window. I experimented with a hybrid build, but didn’t find it as effective in PvE. In my offhand I used sword/focus. The raw damage output was pretty incredible in cursed shore. You’ll find yourself running and dodging quite a bit — but the weapon damage plus shatters is fantastic if you want to take something down quick. I feel you have to think quicker with a GS than a staff if things get nasty, but its great when you get the hang of it.
For traits with that I went 20/30/0/10/10. It’s something I might refine down the road. I took the greatsword recharge reduction. I would take mind wrack 20% damage increase. In the precision line I’d take defensive things like generating a clone on dodge and such. Phantasm with fury is excellent for phantasmal berserker.
In the last two trait lines I took glamour skills reduce 20% (for null field and feedback) and mindwrack 10% crit chance increase. With this build/playstyle I find myself shattering quite a bit. It’s quite bursty.
30/30/0/0/10 is my build – requires shattering – mirror images – clone on dodge – GS training most important
Mesmer PvE is like playing the piano, you just gotta gracefully movearound, pushing the right buttons. Shatter, shatter, shatter, dodge, dodge, dodge, kite, kite, kite….