Guild Wars 2

I’ve been examining our traits and examining some popular builds for our profession and noticed something: Our traits are arranged (for the most part) to encourage hybrid builds. Inspiration, being the most confusing, with it’s eclectic offerings, vitality and healing power; Illusions encouraging us to both use and blow up our confusing companions, condition damage and reduced shredding recycle; Domination providing power and condition duration. The Dueling and Chaos lines are efficiently built however, which is why they have significant showings in just about every build.

Considering the confusion and retaliation nerfs we’ve gone through, and the ridiculous diversity this profession enjoys, it may be time for us to think spherically. Please have a look at this and give your thoughts or experience with this sort of build, within the past three months preferably.

http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=VP;4ZUk-1z6gW-71;9;5T-JJ;1139;136-49-ToF6UNX8m9fgm9fgj-FqcAg2vsbscEVJWOXU2_Zf49iWQk4R06aN16Rc2;9;9;9;9;9;39s5o

The aim here is play reactive, utilizing conditions and phantasms from range, and sword burst dps until retreat is possible. Rinse and repeat.

Might work alright in PvE/ Dungeon content. Would not reccommend this for sPvP or WvW with your current expectation of the build

“Reactive, utilizing conditions and phantasms from range” Staff is more suited for condition spamming, Scepter has a shorter range and brings torment and confusion to the table which are more effective as Shut Downs or CC.

“Sword burst Dps until retreat is possible” Short of a good blink, special runes and invis and a well placed portal there is no such thing as retreat for Mesmers in over 80% of fights.

While very diverse our class is also very poorly optimized to build in such a way. Trying to cover every potential situation generally, I find, Leads to you being prepared for none.

Mirror Images benefits the most from IC, which brings the cool down to a reasonable time (36 vs 45) but this requires the illusions line and thus promotes that you should instead invest in more shattering/clone generation skills and mind set.

Mantra of recovery is also something i would not recommend without investing 30 into Domination and Inspiration to fully maximize both the healing and potential from it.

I like the name.

I’ll let other people comment, but you can’t have two on swap sigils on the same weapon set. Only one will proc. You have battle and endurance on your sword/sword, you’ll need to revise that detail

Thanks for the feedback!!

ITakatsu – Thanks for the tip! I’m changing the redundant sigil to Sigil of Purity.

Swish – Fighting a mesmer is messy and it can be difficult for a lot of players to discern between clone and player. Watch Seven Mirror’s videos. I was a bit cavalier with the term “retreat” as I only meant “get the heat off”. Also, Confusing Images with scepter 3 deals pretty heavy direct damage.

Mirror Images is better with IC. With the new patches coming up, if I’m not mistaken, they’re moving IC to master which compliments this build.

I do agree that the mantra is clumsy here. I put this build together last night and ran it for a while in WvW. I’m not used to the mantras and I made plenty of mistakes that cost me a few fights. While that isn’t a reason to keep practicing, the build feels much better with Ether Feast.

My burst rotation last night went like this: Scepter 3, Pistol 4, Pistol 5, weapon swap, Sword 3 x2, Sword 2, signet, dodge, Mind Wrack, dodge, Mirror Images, Cry of Frustration, Sword 5, blink and kite in scepter.

An update:

http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=VP;4VPV11z6gW-71;9;5T-JJ;1139;136-49-ToF6PNX8bUytbUytj-FqcAg2vsbscEVJWOXU2_Zf49iWQk4R06aN16Rc2;9;9;9;9;9;39s5Z

Blink is too good and I was instantly missing it, so it’s in.

iSwordsman if traited don’t get the attack speed trait last time I tested it, don’t know if its fixed now.