Guild Wars 2

I can’t seem to find a good Chrono build… I feel the old metas still outshine the chrono trait line.

Anyone willing to share their builds?

Chrono Condi Shatter

The idea is to stay in Sceptre-Shield and block for illusions and Torment, and use all three offensive Shatters to inflict conditions and gain Alacrity.

Illusionary Counter is up a lot with 6s CD + Alacrity, and Echo of Memory/Deja Vu likewise with Persistence of Memory + Chronophantasma + Alacrity. Seriously, iAvenger is the ultimate Shatter fodder, highly spammable with this build.

With all the Alacrity you’ll be Shattering constantly, which means constant AoE conditions and also constant healing and condition cleansing from Restorative Illusions. The result is a build that’s both durable and dishes out heavy pressure.

The primary weakness of this build is its offensive pressure is diminished if you aren’t being attacked, which can be a problem in team fights. Most team fights will have AoEs lying about however, in which case you can simply run in while blocking for easy punishment.

The reason I use Rabid instead of Carrion is because Toughness is much more valuable than Vitality in healing-heavy builds, which this one is with Restorative Illusions. Going Carrion will increase your offensive pressure but you won’t be able to hold off multiple enemies as effectively (which the Rabid variant is quite capable of).

I use Mantra of Recovery + Restorative Mantras because I’m paranoid about conditions, but Alacritised Restorative Illusions coupled with iDisenchanter + Chronophantasma should be enough. Ether Feast and Persisting Images is possibly a better alternative.

If you feel you need more Illusions you can go Illusionary Reversion instead of Improved Alacrity, but I find it excessive: you’ll generate more Illusions than you can Shatter.

Signet of Midnight can be substituted for Blink or whatever stunbreaker you prefer. I personally like the extra condition duration. If you don’t want to bring Portal I’d replace it with iDefender or a second stunbreaker.

I feel your build lacks condis. Primarily the ones mesmer can apply very effectively (Confusion and torment).

Heres there Chronomancer build I was trying.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQRAre7fnsIClphNqBGpBcrhlXjycFGuRoeYP2lFNAypmA-TJxHwAA3fwwTAwYZAAnEAA

Compared to the traditional build, which I feel is still stronger.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAW7fnsIClphNqBGpBcrhlXDycFDfElJo3RDNA5sJA-TJxHwAA3fwwTAwYZAAXEAA

I don’t know for which mode you’re asking, but I went Domination 1-3-1 or 3-1-2, Illusion 2-1-2 and Chrono 2-3-3 (Chronophantasma) or 2-3-2 (Shatter Quickness). Your Mirror Blade should be around 2-3 secs cooldown everytime.

Ether Feast, Blink, W/E you want, MoR and W/E you want as elite.

By my observations, Mesmer will outshine Chrono in burst damage. You’re sacrificing many damage modifier traits. Chrono is better for sustaining with Shatter and the help of Alacrity.

Kusa.6438:

I feel your build lacks condis. Primarily the ones mesmer can apply very effectively (Confusion and torment).

I had to double check my link to make sure I didn’t post the wrong one. I have absolutely no idea what you mean here…

Kusa.6438:

I feel your build lacks condis. Primarily the ones mesmer can apply very effectively (Confusion and torment).

Heres there Chronomancer build I was trying.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQRAre7fnsIClphNqBGpBcrhlXjycFGuRoeYP2lFNAypmA-TJxHwAA3fwwTAwYZAAnEAA

Compared to the traditional build, which I feel is still stronger.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAW7fnsIClphNqBGpBcrhlXDycFDfElJo3RDNA5sJA-TJxHwAA3fwwTAwYZAAXEAA

K, what you just said makes almost 0 sense.
The only thing in your chrono build that gives confusion/torment that his doesn’t is Ineptitude, which doesn’t add all that much without Blinding Dissipation.
And while your non-chrono build does have BD and adds in some bleeds from Sharper images, it shatters much less than the chrono build, so less confusion/torment.
The primary applications of torment and confusion are:
1. Shatters (Illusion line and MtD)
2. Scepter
Which all three builds have.

Embolism.8106:

Chrono Condi Shatter

The idea is to stay in Sceptre-Shield and block for illusions and Torment, and use all three offensive Shatters to inflict conditions and gain Alacrity.

Illusionary Counter is up a lot with 6s CD + Alacrity, and Echo of Memory/Deja Vu likewise with Persistence of Memory + Chronophantasma + Alacrity. Seriously, iAvenger is the ultimate Shatter fodder, highly spammable with this build.

With all the Alacrity you’ll be Shattering constantly, which means constant AoE conditions and also constant healing and condition cleansing from Restorative Illusions. The result is a build that’s both durable and dishes out heavy pressure.

The primary weakness of this build is its offensive pressure is diminished if you aren’t being attacked, which can be a problem in team fights. Most team fights will have AoEs lying about however, in which case you can simply run in while blocking for easy punishment.

The reason I use Rabid instead of Carrion is because Toughness is much more valuable than Vitality in healing-heavy builds, which this one is with Restorative Illusions. Going Carrion will increase your offensive pressure but you won’t be able to hold off multiple enemies as effectively (which the Rabid variant is quite capable of).

I use Mantra of Recovery + Restorative Mantras because I’m paranoid about conditions, but Alacritised Restorative Illusions coupled with iDisenchanter + Chronophantasma should be enough. Ether Feast and Persisting Images is possibly a better alternative.

If you feel you need more Illusions you can go Illusionary Reversion instead of Improved Alacrity, but I find it excessive: you’ll generate more Illusions than you can Shatter.

Signet of Midnight can be substituted for Blink or whatever stunbreaker you prefer. I personally like the extra condition duration. If you don’t want to bring Portal I’d replace it with iDefender or a second stunbreaker.

Just something that might be of interest – I switched to Settler’s amulet plus Undead runes (for the toughness to condi damage conversion) in the Inspiration/Illusions/Chrono build and find it much better than Rabid because the precision is useless.

Although I see you’re using an Earth sigil – I use double Energy/Doom.

Here’s my build, but there’s so many options whether to play glamours/support, tank with the iDefender and so on…
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAreWl0nhy0YpawRNQtGLKH1ZAsAHQ9iGpVKalNQRAA-TJRHwAQLDAb/BAnCABPBAA

Curunen.8729:

Embolism.8106:

Chrono Condi Shatter

The idea is to stay in Sceptre-Shield and block for illusions and Torment, and use all three offensive Shatters to inflict conditions and gain Alacrity.

Illusionary Counter is up a lot with 6s CD + Alacrity, and Echo of Memory/Deja Vu likewise with Persistence of Memory + Chronophantasma + Alacrity. Seriously, iAvenger is the ultimate Shatter fodder, highly spammable with this build.

With all the Alacrity you’ll be Shattering constantly, which means constant AoE conditions and also constant healing and condition cleansing from Restorative Illusions. The result is a build that’s both durable and dishes out heavy pressure.

The primary weakness of this build is its offensive pressure is diminished if you aren’t being attacked, which can be a problem in team fights. Most team fights will have AoEs lying about however, in which case you can simply run in while blocking for easy punishment.

The reason I use Rabid instead of Carrion is because Toughness is much more valuable than Vitality in healing-heavy builds, which this one is with Restorative Illusions. Going Carrion will increase your offensive pressure but you won’t be able to hold off multiple enemies as effectively (which the Rabid variant is quite capable of).

I use Mantra of Recovery + Restorative Mantras because I’m paranoid about conditions, but Alacritised Restorative Illusions coupled with iDisenchanter + Chronophantasma should be enough. Ether Feast and Persisting Images is possibly a better alternative.

If you feel you need more Illusions you can go Illusionary Reversion instead of Improved Alacrity, but I find it excessive: you’ll generate more Illusions than you can Shatter.

Signet of Midnight can be substituted for Blink or whatever stunbreaker you prefer. I personally like the extra condition duration. If you don’t want to bring Portal I’d replace it with iDefender or a second stunbreaker.

Just something that might be of interest – I switched to Settler’s amulet plus Undead runes (for the toughness to condi damage conversion) in the Inspiration/Illusions/Chrono build and find it much better than Rabid because the precision is useless.

Although I see you’re using an Earth sigil – I use double Energy/Doom.

Here’s my build, but there’s so many options whether to play glamours/support, tank with the iDefender and so on…
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAreWl0nhy0YpawRNQtGLKH1ZAsAHQ9iGpVKalNQRAA-TJRHwAQLDAb/BAnCABPBAA

This makes a lot of sense, since the primary draw of rabid is the precision for Sharper Images (we’d use dire, obviously, if it were available).
I suspect you’ll be losing a lot of condi damage by going settlers, though.

True it’s a bit of a loss unfortunately – if going for Mental Defence instead of Temporal Enchanter you could take Signet of Domination to buff the condi damage back up.

I’m hovering back and forth between traited glamours or personal tankiness through the iDefender.

The reason why I don’t go Doom/Energy is because the idea of the build is to not swap out of Sceptre-Shield unless necessary. Earth and Fragility aren’t so much for damage as they are for two more confounding conditions to hinder cleansing.

And yeah, I didn’t go Settler because of the loss of condition damage. Precision does provide a bit of extra direct damage, so it’s not completely useless; but Settler would indeed be a better choice for a much more tankier variant.

Overall I think amulet choice is not too big a deal with Chrono Condi, it’s mostly down to what balance of tankiness and offensive pressure you prefer. Settler for tankiness, Carrion for max deeps, and Rabid for something in the middle.

Power/Control/Defensive
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQJARWnknB1qhlpBufCEgilTjiMAWggqcEauwpeaz2vF-TpBFwANuAAtPCALOEA62foaZAAPAAA

Max Power/Control
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAR8enknB1qhlpBufCEgilTjiMAWglrcEauwpeaz2vF-TJBFwANuAA62foaZAAPAAA

Making sure I have at least 2 illusions out before I use Continuum Split, you can get a ton of CC and PB triggers in the first build.

Second build is all about CCing and using Mind Wrack to kill and with Alacrity, more Mind Wracks! And on weapon swaps, my weapon abilities are back up to be used again.

There were a few instances where I was getting 600k+ total damage done which is 100% increase from the current dom/dueling/illusion(chaos) trait setup that I’m getting.

Playing with shield is nice for Tides of Time and utilizing sword Blurred Frenzy adds a bit more defense. Add in iLeap to hold inside the wells, you can get some good damage if they crit.

Staff works just as good and without Decoy, Phase Retreat is a nice blink when CCd. But it’s all about group control and damage and you can blow people up fairly quickly with any spec.

If some positive changes come out of shield 4 (channeled block please!), I’ll be happier.

This is what I used today:
PvP: Selfish Shatter Chronomancer (link fixed)
WvW roaming: Selfish Shatter Chronomancer (link fixed)

Shattering a million times in a row with sometimes Alacrity up time of like 10 seconds was amazing. I often phase retreated through the same Chaos storm twice, had constantly 1-2 stacks stability, around 10-25 stacks of might (not to speak of the millions of other boons) and could use all those long cool down skills like Gravity Well/Moa or Chaos Storm very very often.

My best encounters: A condi shatter Mesmer in PvP, who I held a point against for 5 Minutes without any condi cleanse until our thieve arrived and took his last 10% HP with a steal^^ Right afterwards a condi guardian came (I had only like 30% HP) and I made him regret coming there :P

EDIT:
Also Chronophantasma, Illusionists Clarity and Persistence of Memory synergize amazingly on Shield

TyPin.9860:

This is what I used today:
PvP: Selfish Shatter Chronomancer
WvW roaming: Selfish Shatter Chronomancer

Shattering a million times in a row with sometimes Alacrity up time of like 10 seconds was amazing. I often phase retreated through the same Chaos storm twice, had constantly 1-2 stacks stability, around 10-25 stacks of might (not to speak of the millions of other boons) and could use all those long cool down skills like Gravity Well/Moa or Chaos Storm very very often.

My best encounters: A condi shatter Mesmer in PvP, who I held a point against for 5 Minutes without any condi cleanse until our thieve arrived and took his last 10% HP with a steal^^ Right afterwards a condi guardian came (I had only like 30% HP) and I made him regret coming there :P

EDIT:
Also Chronophantasma, Illusionists Clarity and Persistence of Memory synergize amazingly on Shield

I don’t understand where you would be getting constant stability from. The only source I can see in the build is Gravity Well, which is on a 46s cooldown at best.

AlphatheWhite.9351:

TyPin.9860:

This is what I used today:
PvP: Selfish Shatter Chronomancer
WvW roaming: Selfish Shatter Chronomancer

Shattering a million times in a row with sometimes Alacrity up time of like 10 seconds was amazing. I often phase retreated through the same Chaos storm twice, had constantly 1-2 stacks stability, around 10-25 stacks of might (not to speak of the millions of other boons) and could use all those long cool down skills like Gravity Well/Moa or Chaos Storm very very often.

My best encounters: A condi shatter Mesmer in PvP, who I held a point against for 5 Minutes without any condi cleanse until our thieve arrived and took his last 10% HP with a steal^^ Right afterwards a condi guardian came (I had only like 30% HP) and I made him regret coming there :P

EDIT:
Also Chronophantasma, Illusionists Clarity and Persistence of Memory synergize amazingly on Shield

I don’t understand where you would be getting constant stability from. The only source I can see in the build is Gravity Well, which is on a 46s cooldown at best.

My guess is he picked Prismatic Understanding by mistake. It’s probably meant to be Bountiful Disillusionment.

Embolism.8106:

AlphatheWhite.9351:

TyPin.9860:

This is what I used today:
PvP: Selfish Shatter Chronomancer
WvW roaming: Selfish Shatter Chronomancer

Shattering a million times in a row with sometimes Alacrity up time of like 10 seconds was amazing. I often phase retreated through the same Chaos storm twice, had constantly 1-2 stacks stability, around 10-25 stacks of might (not to speak of the millions of other boons) and could use all those long cool down skills like Gravity Well/Moa or Chaos Storm very very often.

My best encounters: A condi shatter Mesmer in PvP, who I held a point against for 5 Minutes without any condi cleanse until our thieve arrived and took his last 10% HP with a steal^^ Right afterwards a condi guardian came (I had only like 30% HP) and I made him regret coming there :P

EDIT:
Also Chronophantasma, Illusionists Clarity and Persistence of Memory synergize amazingly on Shield

I don’t understand where you would be getting constant stability from. The only source I can see in the build is Gravity Well, which is on a 46s cooldown at best.

My guess is he picked Prismatic Understanding by mistake. It’s probably meant to be Bountiful Disillusionment.

Yeah… my bad. Ofc I meant to choose Bountiful Disillusionment

I fixed the links^^

Maybe I looked at his build wrong, or it loaded wrong. Unsure.
Either way, I still feel the traditional Condi build has tons more survival and Condi dmg vs the Chrono builds.

As for power pve builds, I’ve yet to find something I thoroughly like.

As for the power builds, I feel if you’re going to use chrono then you need to use Lost Time and Danger Time. They’re far too powerful to not use in a power build.

this is the build I’m using for PvE right now, It’s the only build I like.
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAR8enknBlphdqBGpBEgiFcj6sFehbrMASgfp+Vn1dF-TxxHwA9U+pZ/h16GM8EAAcRA0r+DTlgkCwchWA-e

Kusa.6438:

As for the power builds, I feel if you’re going to use chrono then you need to use Lost Time and Danger Time. They’re far too powerful to not use in a power build.

100% agree
This is what I used for the whole day

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAR8elknhi0YZawRNwtGL4GlZGkLVQZAsa/S9rOr7KA-TpBEwAGuAAQOCA52fAwBBIbZACPAAA

Small variations were:

• Gravity Well instead of MI or TW (all valid options tbh. The well is countered by Stability though)
• Hoelbrak instead of Pack + Moa for condi, mainly. Also, MoD instead of MoR for more interrupts

I think Chrono focused on slow is extremely strong for power. I wanted something to top it up like CI. In some occasions I was able to literally oblitarate ppl: tons of slow, some chill, immob and stuns. Ofc, you need to remove stab, so Domination can be better because of shattered concentration. However, still weak vs condi.

This is the build I was testing. Am still testing runes and sigils to see which works best.

I call it TCSB

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQRAse7anknBdqhNqBOoBEgilcjqMAStep+Vn1bF9HKpcA-TJxXwAsfIAzPDAA2f4QZAA

The only problem with this build is no condition removal, but I can simply swap out signet for phantasmal disenchanter or Mantra of Resolve.

On a different not,

I tried playing with Well of Eternity, Calamity and Gravity Wells.

Eternity is good in PVE but sucks in PVP when you come across a lot of ground damaging aoe from classes like necro, dragon hunters, ranger trappers, it was pointless to use.

Calamity is very good in PVP not so good in PVE, best use when stealth. Combine that with Gravity wells and you can really do some cc damage. Combine that with blink or illusion leap, and you can really take people down fast.

Last thing, not sure if Sigil of Impart works with condition damage. Can anyone confirm is this work with condition damage or it just direct damage.

Cause I wanted to try out this build not because of time and not sure if sigil works with condition, did not manage to try it out.

Looks good on paper.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQRAre8alknhO1YjawQNwtGL5GVZAka9S9rOr3K6PUS5AA-TpBCABAcEAG+gAo8JA4q9H8qMg1PAAA

Embolism.8106:

The reason why I don’t go Doom/Energy is because the idea of the build is to not swap out of Sceptre-Shield unless necessary. Earth and Fragility aren’t so much for damage as they are for two more confounding conditions to hinder cleansing.

And yeah, I didn’t go Settler because of the loss of condition damage. Precision does provide a bit of extra direct damage, so it’s not completely useless; but Settler would indeed be a better choice for a much more tankier variant.

Overall I think amulet choice is not too big a deal with Chrono Condi, it’s mostly down to what balance of tankiness and offensive pressure you prefer. Settler for tankiness, Carrion for max deeps, and Rabid for something in the middle.

Yeah totally understandable – the choice is very flexible which is a nice thing.