Guild Wars 2

Is zerk chrono viable at all? I’ve never played the class.

I currently enjoy playing full zerk staff ele in wvw zergs and wondered if you could do something similar with chrono

Since you mentioned staff Elementalist, I’m assuming you’re asking about some sort of backline DPS role for Mesmer. I’m happy to tell you that it is indeed viable, but not necessarily optimal. You’ve got to ask yourself at what point are you trying to be a better well necro? Check out scepter/shield & staff with harmonious mantras and let me know how you feel! Sorry, but it’d be too easy if I just gave you a free build with no effort

I’m sorry, but i was trying to come up with a viable build for this, but i just can’t. Necro will always do it better.

A lot of people have spent a lot of time trying to make full zerk Mesmer into a playable backline build that has an impact comparable to that of an elementalist.

A lot of people have failed.

Mesmer simply is not capable of performing in a way similar to that of an elementalist. There is no possible way to build Mesmer that will let you deal damage in any comparable fashion. Any build you use will feel completely and totally impotent compared to any elementalist backline build.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAreWn0nBlohtfCuqBEgilVjqOZj2r98ISiioMCOuAA-TFCBABA8AAa4IAsxhAIgTAQlq/kn+gzUCi1+jyPSBMwCA-w

Spam Confusing Images and Mantra of Pain for ridiculous damage. Once you have full stacks, camp scepter/shield and only switch to staff if you’re pushed or need poison on downs. Mantra of Pain is really versatile instant cast damage and can synergizes with Restorative Mantras. Drop wells on the enemy midline or when your driver calls for it. Use feedback’s resistance as an instant cast defensive utility against gank and condi pressure. Phase retreat is your friend! Learn how to deselect targets for directional teleports and you’ll be golden.

expandas.7051:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAreWn0nBlohtfCuqBEgilVjqOZj2r98ISiioMCOuAA-TFCBABA8AAa4IAsxhAIgTAQlq/kn+gzUCi1+jyPSBMwCA-w

Spam Confusing Images and Mantra of Pain for ridiculous damage. Once you have full stacks, camp scepter/shield and only switch to staff if you’re pushed or need poison on downs. Mantra of Pain is really versatile instant cast damage and can synergizes with Restorative Mantras. Drop wells on the enemy midline or when your driver calls for it. Use feedback’s resistance as an instant cast defensive utility against gank and condi pressure. Phase retreat is your friend! Learn how to deselect targets for directional teleports and you’ll be golden.

This sounds like something I’d be willing to try! Does this do well while roaming also? Also, the confusion from confusing images, is that viable damage or are you using it similar to an ele air AA on scepter?

Hehe, it’s similar to Fresh Air scepter ele. It can work solo as well, but isn’t as versatile. Swap feedback for decoy, pick up Mental Defense and Chronophantasma and you’re good to go. Use Mantra of Pain for your initial pressure and really capitalize on your Confusing Images burst. The actual confusion and torment you apply is just a distraction

expandas.7051:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAreWn0nBlohtfCuqBEgilVjqOZj2r98ISiioMCOuAA-TFCBABA8AAa4IAsxhAIgTAQlq/kn+gzUCi1+jyPSBMwCA-w

Spam Confusing Images and Mantra of Pain for ridiculous damage. Once you have full stacks, camp scepter/shield and only switch to staff if you’re pushed or need poison on downs. Mantra of Pain is really versatile instant cast damage and can synergizes with Restorative Mantras. Drop wells on the enemy midline or when your driver calls for it. Use feedback’s resistance as an instant cast defensive utility against gank and condi pressure. Phase retreat is your friend! Learn how to deselect targets for directional teleports and you’ll be golden.

If by “ridiculous damage” you mean “roughly equivalent to a single meteor from meteor shower, but actually in a tiny aoe with clunky skills that don’t work very well in WvW”.

This build would be fine in some random pug zerg that doesn’t actually care about who is in it, but the effectiveness of this build compared to literally any backline build on any other class in the game is absolute garbage.

Edit: and don’t even get me started on how worthless well of calamity is.

Give the build a shot Fay. When you factor in Seaweed, Scholars, Force, and Mantra Strength the localized AoE damage is pretty good. I said at the beginning that it wasn’t going to be optimal compared to a backline necro (or ele), but it’s the closest imitation of those traditional roles I can get to.

expandas.7051:

Give the build a shot Fay. When you factor in Seaweed, Scholars, Force, and Mantra Strength the localized AoE damage is pretty good. I said at the beginning that it wasn’t going to be optimal compared to a backline necro (or ele), but it’s the closest imitation of those traditional roles I can get to.

I spent a lot of time trying to make builds that worked for this role. The variation you propose is one of many things that I’ve tried in the past, and it’s no better than various other options. The problem is that at the very best, they’re nothing more than an awful imitation of what a necro or an ele…or a rev, or a warrior, or a guardian, or an engineer, or even a ranger can do. You’re doing nobody any favors by trying to play backline mesmer. You will not get much loot, it’ll feel bad to play, and you’ll be effectively useless insofar as accomplishing anything as part of the backline is concerned.

Zerk chrono in WvW is just bad. Stop it. Grab yourself some Boon duration, tank up, and get in there with the front line.