Guild Wars 2

After playing a Mesmer as my main since the game was released, I have to say I’m really frustrated with what thematically should be the focal point of the class: Clones.
The limit of 3 at a time makes sense to prevent abuse, but the fact that they are target dependent is very frustrating. If I am in a fight with more than 2 monsters, I’ll kill one, and then all my illusions that were attacking it vanish, leaving me totally undefended. The game is obviously able to detect when you are engaged in combat because it locks you out of changing your slot skills, so I really think that clones should persist until killed or combat as a whole ends. Ranger’s pets are persistent, and as I understand it, so are Necro’s minions.

clones are easy to summon but since they lack damage they hold no threat and from my own game play i see the bigger flaw in them never being the focus target unless you cc the mob so they will switch targets or vanish.

frankly i would like to see them either pull threat to them on summon or do some actual damage.

If you want Clones that do damage, use the Staff. Staff Clones do excellent damage.

Well again this is an example of people trying to play the mesmer like a necromancer. Clones are there to distract temporarily (absorbing 2 hits from an opponent is actually pretty good mitigation in this game – comparable to other defensive skills except we get them all the time) and to fuel your shatters. There are a few clones who can put out conditions including vulnerability from sword, random conditions from staff and bleeds if you have the sharper images trait.

Clone lifespan is intended to be very short, get them out then use a shatter if you’re built for it.

If you want to try going summoner, phantasms do good damage and will over wright clones if you are at 3 illusions – though necromancer is a lot better at doing the summoner thing and you will likely end up being frustrated with illusion fragility if you go this route instead of a shatter build.

The limit of 3 at a time makes sense to prevent abuse, but the fact that they are target dependent is very frustrating. If I am in a fight with more than 2 monsters, I’ll kill one, and then all my illusions that were attacking it vanish, leaving me totally undefended.

Solution A: Use the Clone summoning capability on separate mobs.

Solution B: Finish the first mob with a Mind Wrack, using good positioning to hit the second mob with the AOEs.

Solution C: Whine on forums.