Guild Wars 2

Hey, general question, any of you phantasm builds have trouble with dungeon runs?

I prime a GS build for Phantasms (straight up power/precision, no condi dmg), and trying to do the Arah runs, but problem I’m having is:
1.) When clear trash, my phantasms tend to aggro other trash mobs (by proximity). I.e. berserker’s on teh run through, but also the clones like from GS2, or caster mobs like Warlock/Dis-Enchanter.
2.) I’ve been told that Gigantus eats Clones/Phantasms for grubs, and told straight up not to do any clones/phantasms at all during that fight, which massively kittens my build.

I tried at once point to use Sword/Pistol build, just to pump out duelists, they do great ranged damage, but I’m just running around trying to stay alive while the duelists do dps on that way, and again got yelled at about using phantasms during Gigantus fight…

Is it just that my build is bad for dungeon running? Do most dungeon running builds use Staff/Condi damage? But you’d have clone issues as well there, too, wouldn’t you?

Any advice on how to use GS/power phantasm build for Dungeon running, or should I just dump this entirely and go Staff/Condi?

Giganticus eatting Clones/Phantasms as Grubs, I’ve never seen happen.

Giganticus will spawn Grubs from Clones/Phantasms, that I’ve seen happen repeatedly.
—This also happens with all other pets as well, including Rangers pets, Necromancer’s Deadites, and even racial summoning skills for a variety of creatures.

Because of that bit, any clones/phantasms spawning or running into melee with Giganticus. I.Duelists, I.Warlocks, and Staff Clones are all safe during the Stage 1 of the fight, as long as you spawn them in/near your cluster and call any Grubs that spawn off of them immediately. If ANY clone or phantasm gets split from the group during Stage 1, Shatter the lot immediately with Distortion (They don’t run into melee to explode, so no chance a grub gets closer).
So during stage one…
G.Sword’s Mirror Blade is dangerous on Giganticus. (Dangerous even on Swarms/Grubs, as you aren’t sure where the Clone is going to spawn.)
I.Zerker must never be used on Giganticus. (Potential on Swarms and possibly catching Grubs with cripple … but something I haven’t Tried)
Scepter’s Auto-attack must not be used on Giganticus. (Don’t bother using for Stage 1)
Sword’s Leap must not be used on Giganticus. (Still great for stopping a Grub with Swap).
I.Swordman must not be used on Giganticus.
I.Enchanter must not be used on Giganticus.
I.Defender must not be used on Giganticus.
Decoy/Mirror Images are safe when holding the G.Sword or Staff (or Scepter but its auto-attack you use isn’t advised)
Repeat: The above is with Stage One of Giganticus Lupicus.

Spawning 3x I.Duelists on Giganticus, then help reaping through the Swarms and Grubs with the MH-Sword’s auto-attacks and Blurred Frenzy works well. Leap->Swap helps keep a grub from running from the group when it spawns in an emergency (Kills an I.Duelist, you can summon afterwards again on Giganticus).
Using a Staff is a decent alternative, though you keep on Giganticus with I.Warlock and Staff Clones until a Grub spawns, where you use Chaos Storm on the grub and ping it repeatedly with the auto-attack.
Using the G.Sword? Auto-attack on boss until Grubs spawn, which then your focus goes onto it (Even with your weaker attack as the grub is at your feet). I.Zerker has … potential but can be dangerous depending on what direction its spin takes it (And will take it towards Giganticus when the grub moves towards him). Illusionary Wave is a possible, if you can get between Giganticus and the grub. Mind Stab works. Mirror Blade … risky depending on where the clone formed is spawned so keep Distortion waiting in the wings.

Now when fighting the trash?
Don’t use the Melee Clones/Phantasms (or even I.Disenchanter) until your own melees engage the target. Keep a finger ready to hit your shatters (Especially Distortion) if the enemy is one that runs/knocks people around and it looks like its going to aggro a group. I.Zerker tends to be especially dangerous, with its spin but I.Swordsman has potential to accidentally jump back and aggro a group as well.

waaah? After he switches phases the grubs stop being an issue and all phantasms become safe. He has never eaten a pet/illusion/turret whatever.

Mirror blade is perfectly safe on grubs/swarms as the grub spawn has a cooldown. In fact you can tell who is going to be “grubbed” next because that person/pet will have an aura of crap around them about 5seconds before the grub spawns. Simply use the generators on the grub and Wrack to kill it.

Use Izerker and Mirror Blade in conjunction with sword 3 and 2 to smack down grubs with quick spawn and shatter. I usually do this and allow most/all the other players in my group to sit on Lupicus. If you’re not confident/ not running enough glass gear to do this you will need some help but generally keeping one person chipping away at Lupicus makes the phase a lot shorter.

If things like iBerserker’s spin or even the swordsman’s leap are aggroing other groups I’d argue that the pull, not the ability was flawed. I use the GS extensively in dungeons and I have never had an issue. It sounds almost like you’re being scapegoated to me. “durr mesmer bad at dungeon.”

Phantasm army builds tend to be mediocre at dungeon crawling. In phase 2 of Lupicus those Phantasms have a snowball’s chance. So you may want to swap out things like the 10point dom trait for 15% illusion damage for the mindwrack damage if you have points in that tree. Phant traits will help on phase 1 more with the iDuelist but phase 1 isn’t the hard part of this fight.

Mirror is actually a decent heal to slot here to block Lu’s incredibly hard hitting, rage inducing auto. If you do get hit by it and see another one coming, cast mirror. It’s like another second of distortion for that obnoxious ability.

20/30/0/0/20 is the power build I’m running right now but it’s a bit glassy, especially for Lupicus. I’m actually looking to switch over to a staff condi build in the near future. Glass mesmer is just incredibly satisfying in WvW so that was the first set I went for.

I hope some of this information was useful.

don’t conjure phantasms and clones who attack as melee.
and use iduelist at max range. somthat lotus won’t attack iduelist :p