Area Interrupt: Build critique? (PvP)
Hello. First off, mesmer is really flexible when it comes to trait set up, so if its working for you, then great.
I run a similar set up, but I go into chaos instead of illusions (4/4/6/0/0) picking up bountiful interruption and chaotic interruption. I always take daze mantra, and other utilities are situational, but the standard i bring is decoy/blink, but if i need con removal/boonstrip ill take null field or mantra cleanse. if youre running interrupt build I’d say you should probably go 6 in chaos for bountiful and chatoic interruptions because they are really the keystone to interrupt effectiveness. That imob on interrupt is really devastating when you open a fight (and can destroy an enemy mesmer or theif is seconds if youre prepared.
I just feel that imbued diversion isnt necessary because daze mantra is already an AoE and is up about as often as diversion without illusion traits affecting the cooldown. if youre using GS youve also got wave for Aoe interrupt.
Overall, if youre having fun with it, I say go for it. but always try new stuff out, If youre going shatter-interrupt hybrid I must suggest using GS/staff instead of sword focus, because staff has higher clone generation than sword, and focus is very situational in structured pvp.
4/4/0/0/6 sword/focus+GS, looks like classic shatter but with Imbued Diversion as the largest change(and Halting Strike as a lesser change)
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAR8dlknpRtlpxGNcrNipxg60OrNSGQDlslxB-TZhFwAAOIAOuAAw2fIxTAYaZAA.
If there was an even remotely viable build using Imbued Diversion, it would be this trait spread you have and I believe should be played like shatter with an eye for specific AoE interrupts with MoD. I like GS and Sw/F, but staff also works well for double ranged. I’ve tinkered a bit with 0/4/4/0/6 for some pretty impressive might stacking, but the kicker that drives me back to domination are those luscious halting strikes and shattered concentration. I actually haven’t tested this, but I wonder if imbued diversion works with shattered concentration in an AoE fashion; I would think it should.
I do a couple things slightly differently depending on the map and opposing comp, sometimes grabbing signet of illusions for more shatters. This actually helps to make up for on demand distortion you lose with standard shatter, and gives you more access to diversion. As for Melandru, it’s really gimping your damage. I understand playing defensively as you learn, but I recommend a more offensive option such as hoelbrak (decent transition from melandru), pack, or strength and take illusionary invigoration for shatter resets to provide a bit more defense. You still get might from your shatters so having a might boosting rune isn’t a bad play. Energy sigils are good.
All that said, imbued diversion is weak for a GM trait given Anet’s decision to make MoD dazes AoE. With that precedent, imbued diversion needs to be moved t the master slot or made default. Overall standard shatter using IP is indeed much better, being that you have to make up for quite a bit you lose from it by playing this build. I do think though a build using imbued diversion can be effective if played correctly (especially courtyard).
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
(edited by skcamow.3527)
I had pretty much the same build theorycrafted long time ago, but never got myself to try it in PvP.
I had Staff/Sw+Sw and Blink, Null field(MoD now) and Signet of Illusions though. Idea was to provide a lot of AoE boonstrip and long lockdowns on nodes.
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I get the impression you’re talking about on sPvP, but, if you’re not, I could see x/x/6/x/6 with [Chaotic Interruption] and [Imbued Diversion] being good for setting up kills in WvW; especially if used with weapons that summon their clone and/or phantasm next to your target as Dazing AND Immobilizing a group of players could but just what’s needed for them to get gibbed by your side.
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I get the impression you’re talking about on sPvP, but, if you’re not, I could see x/x/6/x/6 with [Chaotic Interruption] and [Imbued Diversion] being good for setting up kills in WvW; especially if used with weapons that summon their clone and/or phantasm next to your target as Dazing AND Immobilizing a group of players could but just what’s needed for them to get gibbed by your side.
Indeed, that’s quite fun in WvW: Chillruption xD
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
To be clear, I was using 4/4/6/0/0 CI before I moved to this one(and this is sPvP, I just didn’t use that term because I momentarily thought that referred to ranked arena).
I definitely do not deny the power of CI, particularly when stacking might with BD; the main inspiration behind switching it up though is the (perhaps misled) idea that the change to Stability will mean that, in a group fight, at least one person will at all times be without Stability, and it’s actually impossible to predict shatter and mantra Dazes. If they DO manage to be immune, they won’t be for long, and there’s a somewhat decent chance that the synergy between Shattered Concentration and Imbued Diversion will either rip the boon right off of them, OR clear all the stacks they had left anyway. (And all the more chance of landing everything if my sigil happens to proc on GS #3.)
I don’t benefit directly from interrupts like CI+BD builds do, but I think I have a lot more control over the field considering just how many classes have access to immobilize removal.
Without extensive pvp experience though, I admit my reasoning may be flawed and I might be vastly overstating what other classes do when immobilized; it simply never seemed powerful during the time I used it. (ON the other hand, I barely used it at all post-stability update…)
And I’m trying not to say “well I just like this more” since I did ask for critique, but I do feel like the posts above are saying “just play the meta” without evaluating what the build does. This isn’t a question of a single trait; this is a spread that I feel actually targets the weakness of the meta itself, though with admitted concern that maybe I’m not reading the meta with the experience and expertise really required to make that call.
Hm… no, I’m not saying that at all. I think these are my questions, as someone who is still reasonably new to pvp:
-Is stability so nerfed that all the things I’ve put in this spread are overkill?
-Is this build a powerful counter to boon spam and stability in both crowds and 1v1?
-What am I not seeing that I am really losing when dropping BD+CI?
-Do those other builds handle turret/bunker engineers, cele elementalists, and thieves measurably and substantially better than this? (I’m not saying this handles them well either, but I identify those as my problem targets regardless of build.)
…Yeah, that’s what I think I really wanted from this topic. I think I either don’t see or I don’t fully comprehend the advantages of the CI.
I did ask for critique, but I do feel like the posts above are saying “just play the meta” without evaluating what the build does.
Not at all, re-read my first reply.
This isn’t a question of a single trait; this is a spread that I feel actually targets the weakness of the meta itself
It doesn’t target a weakness in the meta that standard shatter already has covered. There may be extra boon removal (vs standard shatter) via diversion/imbued diversion/shattered concentration but like I said it needs tested.
As for your questions:
-Is stability so nerfed that all the things I’ve put in this spread are overkill?
-Is this build a powerful counter to boon spam and stability in both crowds and 1v1?
Not overkill at all. It’s a decent trait spread that counters boon spam decently.
-What am I not seeing that I am really losing when dropping BD+CI?
I wasn’t suggesting you play CI, but you do lose the immob pressure from interrupts that this build won’t provide. In addition, you take a GM trait that is for the most part useless in 1v1’s versus CI, which is amazing in 1v1’s. Your impact with this build is felt almost entirely in team fights.
-Do those other builds handle turret/bunker engineers, cele elementalists, and thieves measurably and substantially better than this? (I’m not saying this handles them well either, but I identify those as my problem targets regardless of build.)
4/4/6/0/0 will likely handle those better than this build, again because you have a GM trait that works against multiple targets, not 1v1.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
(edited by skcamow.3527)
Not at all, re-read my first reply.
Admittedly I may have been a bit over-sweeping with my response; I felt a little attacked with the “weak GM trait” part though. I am not good at receiving critique yet, my apologies. (I also had to run before I could give my post one last look over, perhaps I should have just thrown it in notepad rather than #yolo and post it.)
It doesn’t target a weakness in the meta that standard shatter already has covered. There may be extra boon removal (vs standard shatter) via diversion/imbued diversion/shattered concentration but like I said it needs tested.
Okay, this I can work with! It is true that it’s pretty much “slightly more aoe and less damaging shatter” I suppose, except for the fact that it does a good job of knocking stability stacks down if the rip doesn’t get it.
Put in that context, I can see why it comes off as a little weak.
I wish I could say I’m a valid tester, but again, the placebo; it could be that I just play more carefully and intelligently with this build than the other two (major) options being pushed here.
I wasn’t suggesting you play CI, but you do lose the immob pressure from interrupts that this build won’t provide. In addition, you take a GM trait that is for the most part useless in 1v1’s versus CI, which is amazing in 1v1’s. Your impact with this build is felt almost entirely in team fights.
However… I disagree with this point about 1v1. Most, yes, but “1v1” doesn’t take pets/illusions into account, nor the effects a general AoE daze has on stealth. Stealth is another case where I may be grasping for straws, but a couple illusions with an AoE daze -may- get a freak interrupt.
I guess the question I really need to ask myself is whether or not Halting Strike is really pulling its own weight in the pet situations given a lack of BD/CI, and whether I really believe the stealth thing makes a difference at all. (For the second point, probably not…)
4/4/6/0/0 will likely handle those better than this build, again because you have a GM trait that works against multiple targets, not 1v1.
If I swap for IP, I get a free illusion on each shatter, along with the damage bestowed by the extra bounce and the less-certain crit rate on mind wrack. (OR a free reflect if I change one out for Masterful Reflection…)
If I swap the entire line for BD/CI, I immobilize people for two seconds on a successful interrupt, deal damage, and gain might, with a couple other less-certain RNG bonuses. The might is definitely substantial, but in the version of the build I was using( here ), it’s almost the only boon I have most of the time in 1v1; a nice juicy boon removal target.
…I think there’s more to this, though. Sustained damage, maybe? CI is good for bursting, but in a 1v1… maybe that extra bounce is more valuable; it’s potentially an extra 1000-2000 damage per weapon cycle(two throws) with a bit of its own Might. I also wonder if giving the enemy the choice to dodge actually results in more wasted endurance.
If that’s what’s happening, it might be a no-brainer to just drop Imbued and try Confounding Suggestions, in a bizarre 6/4/0/0/4 setup. It’s no CI, but that one second stun would matter in 1v1 more than AoE daze, as you say.