Guild Wars 2

Way back when I first started playing above had no clue what a build was, I played staff/gs and really enjoyed the massive range. Later on, I started playing condition. Because of school, I had to take a very long break and now have no clue what’s happened with mesmer updates. Before I left, I was fiddling with a staff/gs build to stack bleeds. Is this idea still viable? Are there any viable staff/gs builds? What about builds with similar ranges?
(Btw I play mostly PvE and WvW)

In WvW, GS/Staff is the one of the most viable build. However, it’s a power-based shatter build. You could probably tweak it to become a power-based phantasm build in PvE, since shatter builds are not very effective there. Here is the pvp version:

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Mesmer_-_Double_Ranged_Shatter

You should consider taking a condition removal instead of Portal in WvW (Mantra of Resolve is the one I keep coming back to), and use full berserker gear, with some knight pieces if you feel too squishy. For the rune, if you can afford it, Traveler is really a nice quality of life improvement, because of the +25% movement speed.

I don’t really see it being a condition build. GS especially has nothing to do in a condi build.

I should warn you however: it’s one of the most difficult build in the game to play.

I would not roam in small gp or solo wvw with 2x ranged shatter , just my 2c.

Sorel.4870:

I should warn you however: it’s one of the most difficult build in the game to play.

Sorry mate, but this is bs. Staff/GS Shatter isn´t really hard to play.

Hard to play or not, It’ll be very frustrating as a zerker roamer when you face a thief.
For PvE it’s pretty ok to run staff + gs with a shatter setup for open world. You can go phantasm too, but either way, in dungeons those weapons are mostly a no go.

It is most of the time frustrating to face a good!! thief as mesmer, no matter what build you run.

Thieves are frustrating with any zerker build.
I find GS/Staff probably the best set against thieves. Staff is just amazing defensive weapon and GS has lots of pressure to throw them onto defensive.

I have a video in my sig where I run GS/Staff with hybrid MtD in WvW. It’s a really solid build for solo/small scale WvW.

If you wanna beat a thief on a zerker build, you have to have a higher skill level. There is unfortunately not much else you can do in preparation. Or you can go condi shatter and have a 60% chance of beating him.

I don’t have much experience in WvW or open world PvE, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. That being said, I don’t imagine double ranged shatter being the best in either. For roaming, I’d go with a lockdown build using sword+focus+Staff/GS. The focus will help tremendously with mobility. Despite my opinion, there are plenty of people rekting faces in WvW with shatter, and here are some awesome videos of such:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/VIDEO-Lumenel-Roaming-Shatter-Mesmer/first#post4967505
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Video-Mesmer-Roaming-Sunburst/first#post4956522

In terms of PvE, I’m not entirely sure what the best thing is for dungeons or fractals or any of that stuff. I play living story and do well enough on a zerker phantasm build using sword+focus+staff.

MandJ.8965:

Sorel.4870:

I should warn you however: it’s one of the most difficult build in the game to play.

Sorry mate, but this is bs. Staff/GS Shatter isn´t really hard to play.

We get it, you’re so good Staff/GS is easy for you. It’s still harder than:

1) Every viable necromancer build
2) Every viable ranger build
3) Every warrior build
4) Every guardian build
5) Every somewhat viable elementalist builds including SF, but excluding SD
6) Every viable thief build
7) Every engineer build except SD
8) Most mesmer builds except classic shatter and lockdown

You see what I mean? You have someone here asking if there is ANY viable Staff/GS build, meaning he/she is obviously new to the game. So I’m just warning him/her that this build is difficult compared to others. Once you have a certain experience, every build is rather easy to pick.

Sorel.4870:

MandJ.8965:

Sorel.4870:

I should warn you however: it’s one of the most difficult build in the game to play.

Sorry mate, but this is bs. Staff/GS Shatter isn´t really hard to play.

We get it, you’re so good Staff/GS is easy for you. It’s still harder than:

1) Every viable necromancer build
2) Every viable ranger build
3) Every warrior build
4) Every guardian build
5) Every somewhat viable elementalist builds including SF, but excluding SD
6) Every viable thief build
7) Every engineer build except SD
8) Most mesmer builds except classic shatter and lockdown

You see what I mean? You have someone here asking if there is ANY viable Staff/GS build, meaning he/she is obviously new to the game. So I’m just warning him/her that this build is difficult compared to others. Once you have a certain experience, every build is rather easy to pick.

Thank you for saying this.
What is for you viable? I know a few Ranger Builds that are harder to play as the Standard Shatter or the Range shatter (both not really hard), same for some engineer builds. Rest of your list, I agree with. But There are harder builds as Range and Classic shatter on Mesmer.

And for OP, if you dont want to play shatter, a hybrid GS/Staff Mesmer is nice for beginners.

MandJ.8965:

Thank you for saying this.
What is for you viable? I know a few Ranger Builds that are harder to play as the Standard Shatter or the Range shatter (both not really hard), same for some engineer builds. Rest of your list, I agree with. But There are harder builds as Range and Classic shatter on Mesmer.

And for OP, if you dont want to play shatter, a hybrid GS/Staff Mesmer is nice for beginners.

I mean builds whose difficulty doesn’t come from the fact that it’s terrible, but can actually compete in the environment you want to play in.

For example, I mostly play pvp, lately on a SD/SB condi thief, and I basically kill stuff by dodging. I could argue it’s hard to play, because you have to find a way to keep your opponents in your caltrops, but mostly it’s hard because it’s unnecessarily bad (though not as much as you would expect).

Would you mind telling me what ranger build you play that is harder than Staff/GS mesmer? I have a ranger and plays on it from time to time, but I never really liked it because I found every build a bit too easy, with a rather stale gameplay. Thank you very much!

@OP yes it’s called double ranged shatter. And don’t worry about PvE relate issues you can roll what you want and still be able to solo everything. (Except high end frac and obviously mechanics that require more than one person… kitten you CoE laser door ><!)

@easy vs hard: nothing in this game is hard to play once you have your muscle memory down for a build and let your APM adapt which anyone can do.

Imo The ONLY thing that determines if something is hard or not, is A. How much set up does a build require to be effective? B. How vulnerable are you during that set up. And C. If you whiff your major damage moves how vulnerable are you? and how much set up follows your next momentum changing attack.

@Sorel
Sry, I played Ranger a year ago, just for fun in PvP. Don’t know the build anymore, was just surprised that it needed a bit more skill then range Shatter Mesmer. (But it was something with full melee, so no braindead bow pew prw build which a monkey can play. But yea, my words weren’t correct, maybe it was the only one which needed more skill.)
A bad build like your SD Condi Thief is hard to play because it is hard to play to land the dodge right to kill people, and maybe when its well played it is really strong. This would be a build for me which need skill (But SD Condi thief with dodging to kill something really sounds bad XD)
@Daishi
Disagreed with your first passage On hard vs easy.
Agreed with your second

MailMail.6534:

Despite my opinion, there are plenty of people rekting faces in WvW with shatter, and here are some awesome videos of such:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/VIDEO-Lumenel-Roaming-Shatter-Mesmer/first#post4967505.

@MailMail, Thank you for the kind words and video link. Glad you enjoyed it! Another video coming in about…15 mins. With more of the music you like :p

<3 Lumi

Deejjster.3702:

MailMail.6534:

Despite my opinion, there are plenty of people rekting faces in WvW with shatter, and here are some awesome videos of such:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/VIDEO-Lumenel-Roaming-Shatter-Mesmer/first#post4967505.

@MailMail, Thank you for the kind words and video link. Glad you enjoyed it! Another video coming in about…15 mins. With more of the music you like :p

<3 Lumi

Of course! I’m always trying to be helpful and supportive of my fellow Mesmers! Looking forward to your next video and of course the music! <3