Guild Wars 2

Hey all

The next expansion is coming soon™, with it, there is a great chance that new elite specialization will be coming.

It is time for us to give our best suggestions on what the next mesmer elite spec should be. And why not make it a contest?!

So you all have up to the 23rd of October to suggest an elite specialization. It should have a name, a concept, a playstyle and a reason why it complements/fixes the issues of core mesmer. You should also give a list of possible skills/traits. Numbers don’t overly matter, but are useful to give an idea. As any elite specialization, it needs to work with core mesmer skills and traits and if possible have synergies with them!

The best design will be chosen by popular vote between the 23rd and 6th of november and will be awarded with 20 gold + potential donations (given to me) .

glhf

edit: current donation: 30 gold, so total prize is 50 gold
thanks Pyro

edit: The contest is CLOSED, but the voting is on!
Here are the different contestants:

1. Zintrothen’s Siren
2. SaltAndLight’s Enchanter
3. thunderfall’s Prophet
4. Ghotistyx’s Magician
5. Keitaro Dragonheart’s Trickster
6. Menaka’s Nightmare
7. DuckDuckBOOM’s Wastrel’s Reaver
8. messiah’s deceptive mind
9. Xstein’s Dementalist
10. IonoI’s Twins
11. OriOri’s Mirage
12. Silverkey’s Enchanter
13. Arkanthor’s Virtuoso

Here is the poll
http://www.strawpoll.me/11519530

For those of you who submitted an elite spec, please do not vote for your own idea.

edit: The voting is, CLOSED and the winner is Zintrothen’s Siren

Given the power creep over the years, I’m just going to throw out what I presume the next Elite spec will look like, in terms of power/ability if not artistic design/aesthetic.

Please vote for me! :D

Since we are all making wagers, here is mine. You win, iou, I win, you owe me.

$10 worth of gems says there will be another group huggy support spec with another weird f5 shatter and mechanic instead of the dps it needs.

$20 of gems says this new mechanic gets nerfed within a month or two.

Ross Biddle.2367:

Given the power creep over the years, I’m just going to throw out what I presume the next Elite spec will look like, in terms of power/ability if not artistic design/aesthetic.

Please vote for me!

Ahhh… dear Ross… you always have your own spin on mesmer contests, don’t you?

for memory, here is “shatter me” from Ross… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySX3QzaIg1c&feature=youtu.be

Silverkey.2078:

Ross Biddle.2367:

Given the power creep over the years, I’m just going to throw out what I presume the next Elite spec will look like, in terms of power/ability if not artistic design/aesthetic.

Please vote for me!

Ahhh… dear Ross… you always have your own spin on mesmer contests, don’t you?

for memory, here is “shatter me” from Ross… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySX3QzaIg1c&feature=youtu.be

You see the butterflies, so you know it’s legit.

Edit: I revamped all the shouts and most of the traits. I didn’t like how they worked before, and honestly, I’m not just making this spec for this silly contest! I want to make a spec that I want to play! Anyway, many changes have been made. Some of these are definitely too strong, others too weak. Numbers can be tweaked as always. Mechanics can be changed. For now, these are the ideas I have.

And now…

Introducing: Siren

Siren is similar to Bard in that it’s a musical spec. Though it’s much darker, using life stealing, control, and weakness to take down your enemies!

Themes

The main theme of this spec is life stealing. The new weapon (MH dagger) steals life on AA. There are also traits that add more life stealing or enhance it. A GM trait makes shatters steal life. But a competing GM trait makes life stealing better and grants stolen health to allies. With life stealing, healing power might also become a bit more useful, as long as it scales well.

The next theme is control. Taunt is a common CC with the spec. This keeps with the theme of seduction that Sirens are known for.

The third theme is weakness. You’re enemies become weak from your powerful control and life stealing. Baseline Siren will steal life when a weakened target strikes you. Previously, I had given the spec poison, but that, in combination with life stealing, made it feel too much like a Necro rip off. Though Necros have access to weakness as well, it’s not as much of a focus as poison is for them.

There are some support skills and traits as well. Unfortunately, I don’t think this can be a high damage spec due to all the taunt it offers. However, it will offer higher damage from the constant life stealing.

New weapon and utilities

The new weapon is a main hand dagger! Mesmer’s previous elite spec, Chronomancer, received an off hand weapon. They do not need another OH! So I’ve chosen a MH weapon, and the most suitable one is dagger, to keep the caster theme of Mesmers.

The new utilities are shouts! Previously, I had made the shouts summon a phantasm. But this just didn’t…work. So I changed them to be like regular shouts. And so I revamped all the shouts to something new from before. They weaken, steal life, steal boons, CC… And the best one of all (the idea is by Ithilwen.1529), the elite shout causes enemies to attack their own allies. And if no allies are present, they hit themselves. This of course has a long CD due to its power. I want these shouts to be powerful and worthy of a good fight, instead of something to be seemingly spammed, giving off a minor effect. So the trait only gives superspeed in addition to reduced CDs.

And now…Skills!

Note: I didn’t give any names for these skills. I also didn’t give damage and healing numbers, but I did give duration, stacks, CDs, etc. No cast times either also.

Dagger

Skill 1: Steal life on hit. Range: 900.

Skill 2: Whirl around and weaken nearby foes. Combo finisher: whirl. Number of targets: 3. CD: 8 seconds.

Skill 3: Teleport to your target and place a leeching field. Enemies in the field have their life stolen. Combo field: dark. Duration: 4 seconds. Radius: 240. Number of targets: 5. CD: 15 seconds.

Skill 3 follow up: Teleport back to your original location and summon a clone.

Heal, Utilities, Elite

Heal: Heal yourself and then steal life. Struck foes are also blinded (6 seconds). Number of targets: 5. Radius: 600. CD: 35 seconds.

Utility 1: Daze nearby foes. Allies gain fury (8 seconds). Radius: 600. Number of targets: 5. CD: 30 seconds.

Utility 2: Steal life from foes and grant it to allies. You also apply weakness (6 seconds). Radius: 600. Number of targets: 5. CD: 35 seconds.

Utility 3: Steal a portion of nearby foes’ defensive boons and grant them to allies. Boons stolen: resistance, protection, stability (1 stack), vigor, swiftness, regeneration. Portion stolen: 50% of duration. Radius: 600. Number of targets: 5. CD: 45 seconds.

Utility 4: Break stuns from nearby allies. Grant stability (3 stacks, 3 seconds) if a stun wasn’t broken, and evasion (1 second) if one was. Radius: 600. Number of targets: 5. CD: 40 seconds.

Elite: Channel an attack, cause foes in a large area to redirect their attacks to their own allies. If no nearby allies to a foe are present, it attacks itself. You cannot move while channeling. Duration: 4 seconds. Radius: 600. Number of targets: 5. CD: 150 seconds.

Shatter

Seduce: You taunt nearby foes. Radius: 340. Duration: 1 second per illusion. Number of targets: 5. CD: 90 seconds.

Traits

Minor

- Gain access to a Seduce, Main-hand dagger and Shouts.

- Steal life from foes who strike you with weakness.

- Illusions taunt (2 seconds) foes around it when they spawn. 25 second ICD. You’re critical strike chance is increased against foes with taunt. Increase: 25%.

Adept

- Blind also applies vulnerability (3 stacks, 10 seconds) and weakness (4 seconds).

- Daze also applies taunt (1.5 seconds). 15 second ICD.

- Deal 10% increased damage to weakened foes. Reduces the recharge of dagger skills by 20%.

Master

- Shouts grant superspeed (3 seconds). Reduces the recharge of shouts by 20%.

- 1 Condition on you is transferred every second to nearby foes that you or illusions taunt.

- Taunt strips 1 boon per second it is taunted. Removing boons also steals life.

Grandmaster

- Whenever a foe that you or an illusion has taunted reaches you or the illusion, they are inflicted with conditions. Conditions: crippling (4 seconds), weakness (6 seconds), blind (4 seconds).

- Allies gain life that you steal. Apply a stacking effect onto a target each time you critically strike it. This effect increases the strength of life stealing on it by 10%. Stacks up to 5 times. Duration: 10 seconds.

- Your shatter skills also steal life. F1: steals some life. F2: steals some life when applying a condition. F3: steals life whenever you daze. F4: steals life when struck. F5: steals life when a taunted foe reaches you.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this presentation! Feel free to give constructive criticisms and suggestions, and I’ll revise this for another thread, separate from this contest.

i like the whole life leeching idea, but i’m hoping that they beef up necromancer’s before even consider giving it to mesmer.

Lightsbane.9012:

i like the whole life leeching idea, but i’m hoping that they beef up necromancer’s before even consider giving it to mesmer.

That’s a concerned I have. There’s likely too much life stealing. So I’m making changes to make poison more of a life stealing condition and reducing the amount of other life stealing methods. Instead now, the second minor trait will steal life whenever poison ticks. Some traits like the interrupt one have been changed as well to apply poison instead of instantly leeching. I also changed dagger skill 3 to place a dark field so you can whirl in it with skill 2 for leeching bolts. This also works well with other Mesmer off hands. Focus has the whirl phantasm, torch has the blast finisher, pistol has two projectile finishers, and sword has the leap phantasm.

How about making use of Torment, also? It would seem fitting for your Siren. You also need a skill called Phantasm of the Opera.

I’m thinking about The Illusionist. I don’t know how to flesh this out. But this is my base idea. Please feel free to fill it in.

Where the Chronomancer effectively brought fast casting back from GW1, The Illusionist will bring back Illusionary Weaponry.

Illusionary Weaponry’s mechanic will affect the weapon skills – a bit like shroud/reaper/druid. A bit like the enchanted weapon foes from GW1, but more purpley and phantasmy, you will turn into an illusionary greatsword.
….But this greatsword will be melee! Your weapon skills will turn into melee greatsword skills! (still need to think on these)

The new utilities are…. illusionary weapons (essentially spirit weapons)!

Going with the idea that mesmers use physical weapons in magical ways and Illusionary Weaponry’s neccessity for a melee weapon in gw1, why not give them a mace?

Confusion, misdirection, some interrupts, and some serious damage will come out of this Illusionist. Misdirection will be enabled by taunt and fear!

(what would also be cool would be an illusionary menagerie and we get to summon the illusion of an elder dragon as the elite skill or some such like revenants do Glint)

Thoughts on how this should go?

I already made a trait that applies torment and confusion when taunting an enemy. My concern with adding any more confusion or torment is that it would work too well with the Illusions trait line. It’s already a powerful line being our main condi line as well as our profession mechanic line, so I’m trying to add more focus onto other lines instead so they have a chance to work with Siren. Of course that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be any use for Illusions with Siren. There should be as much synergy as possible with every core trait line. Also Phantasm of the Opera might be too silly! :P It would make a fantastic placeholder name at the very least.

Illusionary weaponry sounds interesting. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. I’ll think of some ideas myself and message them to you in game.

Enchanter (formerly Spellbinder)

Specialization focusing on manipulation of foes emotions and perception, mobility, and deception.

Spellbinding Trait Line – gain access to off hand dagger, Phantasmagoria shatter, enchantments, and Doppelganger elite.

Minor Adept
- reduces recharge on skills that grant stealth, teleport, and Portal Entre

Major Adept
- Gain Fury whenever you or an illusion attacks with a dagger
- Whenever a new condition is applied to you, inflict Torment on adjacent foes
- Reduce the duration of incoming Fear, Taunt, and Torment by 33%

Minor Master
- Torment you inflict lasts longer

Major Master
- Whenever you receive stealth or teleport, gain Swiftness
- Increased critical hit chance against foes affected by Torment or Confusion
- Your phantasms inflict Taunt when they attack.

Minor Grandmaster
- You take less damage from foes afflicted by Confusion or Torment

Major Grandmaster
- Shattering illusions grant you stealth (1s per illusion)
- Lose a condition and heal a small amount whenever you gain stealth or teleport
- Whenever you shatter at least 2 clones, summon a Phantasmal Assassin

Healing Skill:
Succor – Enchantment. Heal yourself while this skill channels. If this skill fully channels, a nearby downed ally is revived. If no allies are downed, remove a condition for each of your active illusions from you and nearby allies.

Utility Skills:
Fevered Dreams – Enchantment. Daze target foe and apply Torment and Confusion to foes nearby. Daze: 1s. Torment (x3) 5s. Confusion 5s. Damage 180. Number of Targets: 3
Clumsiness – Enchantment. Knockdown target foe and inflict Weakness and Vulnerability to foes nearby. Range: 900. Knockdown: 1s. Vulnerability (x5) 5s. Weakness 5s. Damage: 180. Number of Targets: 3
Illusion of Grandeur- Enchantment. Nearby foes are Blinded for 3s and you gain Stability and Resistance for 2s. You and nearby allies gain a stack of Might for each of your active illusions. Breaks stun. Number of Targets: 5
Hypochondria – Enchantment. Stun target foe. They lose Resistance and gain a copy of all conditions on foes and allies in the area. The duration of these conditions is increased by 7% for each of your active illusions. Damage: 100.

Weapon Skills:
Dagger 4 – Deceptive Stab: Teleport to target foe and stab them, crippling them. If successful, gain access to Deceptive Slice. Damage: 450. Range 900. Cripple 5s.
Deceptive Slice: Slice and teleport away from target foe, inflicting bleeding. Damage: 250. Range 900. Bleeding (x3) 10s. Leap Finisher.

Dagger 5 – Phantasmal Assassin: Summon a phantasm behind target foe which has stealth and initially attacks with Backstab and applies Poison. Subsequently attacks with Double Strike.

Elite Skill:
Doppelganger
Phantasm. Your Doppelganger has the same appearance and attributes as you but with 50% of your health and wields your active weapon set. If your weapon is ranged it is summoned at your location. If your weapon is melee, it is summoned at the targets location. The doppelganger will attack with the primary weapon skill. Shattering the Doppelganger casts Mirror Images.

Shatter:
Phantasmagoria – shatter all your clones and phantasms, inflicting Fear and Torment on all nearby foes. Damage: 100. Gain additional stacks of Fear and Torment for each illusion shattered. The shatter affect also occurs at your location.

EDIT: Fleshed out remaining Utility Skills.

The Prophet Mesmer ES Idea
What it adds
What it adds: The Prophet is another buffer spec. (It is just an idea, doesn’t have to be added instead of a DPS spec). It brings unblockables and group distortion to the table. It also inflicts weakness. It also has access to a new combo field, the Mystic field.

Projectile finisher: applies weakness
Whirl finisher: weakening bolts
Leap finisher: 1 sec distortion.
Blast finisher: Aoe 1 sec distortion

The new weapon is a MH focus. The new utilities are Meditations, which take on more of a passive role than the Guardian’s meditations. It replaces shatters with new shatters.

Lore (Contains SPOILERS)
After interacting with Aurene, the PC was able to see visions of Glint. Glint taught the Prophet how to look into the future, and use that ability to its fullest extent.

New Shatters
F1) Final Death: same, but deals more damage against foes below 50% of their health.
F2) Self-fulfilling Death: sames, but also applies weakness
F3) Fear of Future: instead of daze, stun
F4) Evade the Future: Same, but applies one additional sec of distortion

Focus Skills (900 range unless otherwise stated)
Skill 1) Bolt of Fate: Fire a magical bolt that homes in on foes of they are below 50% health.
Skill 2) Fateweave: Spin, piercing all goes in 600 range with magical threads, which weaken them for 3 secs. 6 sec cd. Whirl finisher.
Skill 3) Denial of Truth: Form a magical shield in front of you that destroys projectiles. It moves as you move and turns as you turn. 10 sec cd.
Flips to: Shatter Truth: End your magical shield, causing an explosion. Blast finisher.

Heal Meditation
Live to Fight Again: Heal for a small amount. If you would become downed in the next 3 secs, heal for another small amount and gain distortion for two secs. If this doesn’t occur, heal for a large amount instead. 25 sec cd.

Utility Meditations
Precognitive Accuracy: Your next 3 attacks are unblockable. If they are evaded they go on half cd. 30 sec cd.

Precognitive Evasion: You and up to 1 ally gain distortion for 2 secs. 20 sec cd.

No Escape to Fate: Target area becomes a mystic field for 4 secs. It finishes downed enemies in it. 100 sec cd. 1.5 sec cast.

Blurred Fates: Create a mystic field around you. Pulses 1 sec distortion to allies and 1 sec weakness to foes every two secs. 10 sec duration. 60 sec cd.

Elite Meditation
All Seeing Eye: Self float for 5 secs Creates a large range mystic field around you. Pulses 1 unblockable attack to allies every sec. Pulses distortion for one sec every second to allies. 180 sec cd.

Traits
Minor Adept
Fortunetelling: Gain access to new shatters and meditations. You can use a main hand focus.

Major Adepts
Fated Weakness: Weakness you apply had a longer duration. Weakening bolts are unblockable.
Distorted Pain: Distortion you apply also reduces condition damage by 20%.
Infinite Foresight: Meditations recharge faster. Precognitive Accuracy gives 1 unblockable attack to two nearby allies. Precognitive Evasion applies to 1 nearby ally.

Minor Master
Fate Maker: Heal for a small amount when you apply weakness.

Major Masters
Rejection of Truth: Mainhand Focus skills recharge faster. Denial of Truth now reflects projectiles instead of destroying them. Blast finishers in Mystic fields make you and your allies’ next attack unblockable.
Compelling Predictions: Precognitive Evasion becomes a stunbreaker. Activate Precognitive Evasion when you are hard cced.
Distorted Lies: When you are distorted, 50%chance to apply weakness for 4 secs with each attack.

Minor Grandmaster
Fail to Act: When you apply weakness the enemy is damaged for a small amount.

Major Grandmasters
Fate’s Assassin: Deal 20% more damage to weakened foes.
Fate’s Protection: Distortion you apply also reduces condition damage by 60%. This stacks with Distorted Pain.
Fate’s Slayer: If an attack is unblockable, but the enemy does not block it, it deals 50% more damage. 20 sec icd.

Rune

1. Gain vitality
2. Deal more damage when you have distortion
3. Gain vitality
4. When you apply distortion to an ally, heal for a medium-small amount
5. Gain vitality
6. Using a heal skill gives you distortion for 1 sec

Weapon
Loom of Life: Looks like a miniature loom, focus.

Headgear
Third Eye: Glowing eye symbol on character’s forehead.

thunderfall.8095:

The Prophet Mesmer ES Idea

While I like the overall theme, by chaining blurred frenzy, F4, and your 2 (non-elite) meditation which grant distorsion, you would reach 50% distorsion/evade uptime. I did not include the cooldown reduction from Illusions, sword traits and meditation traits, and on top of that you can also dodge.

I think you have slightly overturned the distorsion here :p

Here we go. Another Espec contest.

Design Goals:
1. Increase Raid style dps without disrupting other game modes
2. Use existing mechanics in new ways
3. Callback to GW1
4. Create synergy among multiple traitlines

The Manipulator

Weapon:
MH Pistol

Dazzling Shot(Weapon Skill 1): Fire an incendiary bullet that bounces to foes behind your target [103 (0.5), 3/4s activation , 2 Bounces, 900u range]
Flash Powder(Weapon Skill 2): Fire a incandescent shot at your foe generating a Clone and granting Stealth and if it hits. [89 (0.2) , 1/2s activation, 3s Stealth, 15s cd, 900u range]
Ether Bomb(Weapon Skill 3): Plant a bomb at your location. After 1 second, it ignites [636 (0.65) , 1/4s activation, Launch 240u, 15s cd, 240u radius]

Utility Skills:
Stances

Inspired Stance(Heal):Heal yourself every second [1711 (0.35), 1/4s activation, 4s Duration, 30s cd]
Calculated Stance(Utility 1): Gain Quickness every second and deal 1% more damage each time you damage a foe [Quickness 1s, 15 Max Stacks , 4s stance duration, 5s stack duration, 40s cd]
Fevered Stance(Utility 2): Copy all incoming conditions to nearby foes [ 5 Targets, 240u, 4s Duration, 40s cd]
Persistent Stance(Utility 3): Remove Cripple, Chill, and Immobilize every second [4s Duration, 30s cd]
Prideful Stance(Utility 4): Foes that attack you are Taunted [Taunt 1s, 4s Duration, 40s cd]
Inspired Stance(Elite): Gain Protection, Resistance, and Aegis each second [Boon durations 1s, 4s Duration, 60s cd]

Traits:
Adept:
Gunslinger(Minor): You gain the use of Main Hand Pistol and Stances.
Wandering Eye(Major 1): Blind your foe when struck [Blind 3s, 15s cd]
Illusion of Haste(Major 2): Clones have Quickness when created [5s Quickness (unaffected by Boon duration)]
Drain Enchantment(Major 3): Steal a boon from your foe when you’re Disabled [1 Boon, 10s cd]

Master:
Residual Powder(Minor): Striking a blinded foe causes Burning [Burning 3s]
Revealing Hex(Major 1): Reveal nearby foes when you’re critically struck [6s Reveal, 30s cd]
Resolute Posture(Major 2): Stances last longer and grant Stability on use [2s more duration, Stability x1 6s]
Painful Shame(Major 3): Blind foes you interrupt and deal more Damage to Blinded foes [Blind 4s, 10% more damage]

Grandmaster:
Panic(Minor): Disabling an enemy deals damage to target foe and foes near your target after 1 second [308 (0.33) damage, 120u, 3 Targets]
Sum of All Fears(Major 1): Fear nearby foes when struck below 25% Health [Fear 2s, 240u, 60s cd]
Hypochondria(Major 2): Phantasms take conditions from you periodically [1 condition 10s cd per Phantasm]
Aneurysm(Major 3): Disabling an enemy causes Bleeding [Bleeding 2x 8s]

The idea behind Panic is that it should still work through a defiance bar (even if that might not exactly be the case currently). I don’t expect it would get too crazy with the current Mesmer offerings, as its designed to pair with specific traitlines for specific styles of build. I didn’t add an F5 or mess with the F1-4 because not every Espec will necessarily affect those (and I just didn’t want to try to shoehorn something in). I looked at the damage of skills under Berserker and Viper settings and the overall DPS looked alright, but I didn’t try to speculate how it would fit within more complicated parameters like full Raid buffs, wvw zergs, etc. Designing Especs is fun, and I’m glad there’s another contest like this.

It’d be nice if power Mesmer would get some looks but with a twist. I’m not sure what that twist would be but I’m kind of bored from condition.

Silverkey.2078:

thunderfall.8095:

The Prophet Mesmer ES Idea

While I like the overall theme, by chaining blurred frenzy, F4, and your 2 (non-elite) meditation which grant distorsion, you would reach 50% distorsion/evade uptime. I did not include the cooldown reduction from Illusions, sword traits and meditation traits, and on top of that you can also dodge.

I think you have slightly overturned the distorsion here :p

I agree, it is a bit overtuned. It could be balanced though, with an increase in cool downs.

Mesmer: The Trickster

The Trickster is a master manipulator, spreading chaos and discord, tricking enemies and allowing them to believe they have the advantage. The Trickster gains access to Tricks and Off-Hand Dagger.

New Shatter: F5 – Shared Burden – Recharge – 90s

Destroy all your Clones and Phantasms. Inflicts Slow, Chilled, and Weakness (2s for each illusion shattered) to target and all foes in range of the target. (Range 900)

Off-Hand Dagger:

Skill 4: Crippling Anguish – Cast Time – 0.25s/Range – 900/Recharge – 15s

Throw a dagger in a straight line in front of you. All foes struck along the path take damage and are inflicted with crippled and torment (1 stack) (5 seconds)

Skill 5: Illusionary Assassin – Cast Time – 0.5s/Range – 130/Recharge – 25s

Strike an opponent and teleport backwards (Range 600). Summon a Dagger wielding assassin behind the target. The Phantasm uses Backstab on summon, then attacks normally.

Healing:

Power Leech – Trick – Cast Time – Instant/Range – 1200/Recharge Time – 35s

Daze target foe (0.5s duration) and heal yourself. Inflict Weakness (5s) and gain Vigor (5s) if an action was interrupted.

Healing if Foe Interrupted – 5000-6000ish
Healing if Foe not interrupted – 3000-4000ish

Utilities:

Illusion of Strength – Trick – Cast Time – 1s/Range – 900/Recharge Time – 60s

Target foe regains all Endurance, then target and nearby foes take X Damage for each point of endurance gained.

Psychic Instability – Trick – Cast Time – Instant/Range – 900/Recharge Time – 40s

Target foe takes damage and is dazed (1s). If an action would be interrupted, target foe is knocked down (3s) instead.

Ignorance – Trick – Cast Time – Instant/Duration – 5s/Recharge – 50s

The next time you would be the target of a disable, copy and send that disable back to the source instead.

-Break Stun- (On disable)

Ethereal Burden – Trick – Cast Time – 1.5 seconds/Range – 1200/Recharge – kitten

Target foe takes X damage and is inflicted with Crippled and Weakness (5s) if moving. If not moving, target is inflicted with Slow and Chilled (4s)

Elite:

Shatter Storm – Trick – Cast Time – 1s/Range – 1200/Recharge – 180s

Target foe and all nearby foes take X damage and lose all boons. These foes take an additional X damage for each boon removed.

Traits:

Minor Traits:

Illusionary Burden - Grants access to the Shared Burden shatter.

Waste Not, Want Not – Gain Vigor (5s) when you hit a foe not using skills (Recharge 20s).

Accumulated Pain - Illusions deal an additional 2% damage for each movement-impairing condition on the target.

Adept:

Illusion of Haste - Move 25% faster. Movement-impairing Conditions you apply to foes have a 10% increased duration.

Arcane Trickery – Tricks apply vulnerability (1 stack) (5s). Tricks recharge 20% faster.

Tease – Generates a shatter effect on you and stealths you (3s), teleporting you directly away from the target (Range 600) when struck while your health is below the threshold (25%). (90s Recharge)

Master:

Shattered Delusions – Illusions have a chance to rip a boon on a critical hit.

Fragility – Movement-Impairing Conditions applied by your illusions and shatters deal X damage over time.

Illusionary Weaponry - Dagger skills have a chance to apply crippled (1s) on critical hits. Dagger skills recharge 20% faster.

Grandmaster:

Panic – When you interrupt a foe, all nearby foes are also interrupted.

Epidemic – Occasionally, your illusions pull conditions from you and spread them to nearby foes.

An Elite Spec for the Mesmer I was working on for a while, several months ago, because I was bored. It’s heavily influenced on the Guild Wars 1 Mesmer, specifically my favorite play style from GW1; Punishing the enemy’s every action, or even inaction, and controlling the tide of battle. Dunno how good or how bad it is, just something I’ve been toying with. :P Not so good at traits though. x) Missing a Grandmaster trait; I couldn’t think of a third one.

I only read the F5 suggestion and that’s OP as hell. 12 seconds of chill slow and weakness is just insane.

phokus.8934:

I only read the F5 suggestion and that’s OP as hell. 12 seconds of chill slow and weakness is just insane.

Lol, probably a bit, yeah xD Though technically it’s be 9 seconds, since you can only have 3 illusions at once. Could probably trim that down to 6, with 2 seconds per illusion. Maybe up the recharge to 90 seconds. -shrug-

Gonna link a few old ideas:

• Nightmare
• Ethereal Archer and Illusionary Veteran

And I’m gonna throw in a few more ideas I was toying with but didn’t have the time to developt into a spec design.

Skills and traits that swap friendly to unfriendly and vice-versa

• A trait that allows your ethereal fields to change the “allegiance” of enemy fields below them, making them work as if they were launched by the mesmer’s faction.
• An utility skill that applies a debuff (not a condition) that changes the “allegiance” of all the player’s skills for a few seconds. Friendly fire!
• An utility or elite skill that changes “allegiance” for a single player for a few seconds so he can be affected by his allies’ skills as if he was an enemy (and he can’t be helped by his allies with condi removal and heals).

Skills that mess up with the enemy skillbar

• utility skill that puts a random weapon skill in the enemy skillbar (except autoattack) on cooldown
• utility skill that puts a random utility on cooldown
• utility or elite skill that inverts movement for a very brief time (2-4 seconds): pressing forward will backpedal, left will go right, etc.
• elite skill that puts the enemy elite skill on cooldown
• elite skill that swaps the position of skills on the enemy skillbar randomly or based on a specific pattern (for example swap utilities with weapon skills) for a few seconds

You the player count as an illusion when shattering

Wastrel’s Reaver? I’m not the best with choosing elite specs name. Reaver because of the axe melee flare. Wastrel to invoke the kitten ed if you do, kitten ed if you don’t of the gw1 Wastrel skills. Bit of gw1 dervish tossed in there.

The mesmer is supposed to be deceptive but clones fall flat because they act nothing like the mesmer. Furthermore, shatters and phantasms just work against each other for mechanics. Mesmer damage sucks in PvE (this can be fixed by having modifiers affect phantasms but that’s another discussion). I wanted to solve these problems by having 1) Shatters no longer destroy illusions and 2) Shatters mimic other skills we or illusions use to add more deception. I picked 4 different skills from mesmer main-hand weapons to mimic but had their functions change so that when enemies see an animation, they don’t know if to dodge or when to dodge! I also gave this spec a main-hand axe that functions as an interrupt main-hand weapon since neither sword/scepter have any interrupts. However it loses the defense of a block or evade but with heal on interrupt as a trait, Axe has a different kind of sustain on it’s own. Furthermore, there is also defense and mobility built into the new F2-F4. Last general thing I tried to do is make as many of the old weapons and utilities viable with this elite spec by adding traits that can synergize with both old and new stuff.

New F1: Mind Whirl (Looks like Axe 2/3): 360 spin and hit enemies twice before a final 3rd spin that does massive damage. Whirl finisher.
New F2: Cry of Pain (Looks like Sword 3 illusion leap): Leap at your target and do moderate damage and torment. If target is below 50% health, bonus 2x hit for double damage and torment. Leave a clone behind (doesn’t over ride phantasms). Leap finisher and evade.
New F3: Wastrel’s Diversion: (Looks like Scepter 2): Channeled block. When someone attacks you they take damage (like retaliation but actual damage to proc traits). After 1-2 seconds of channeled blocking, damage and daze your target.
New F4: Distorting Stab: (Looks like GS 3): 1200 range. Stab your GS into the ground and create a pulsing ethereal field that lasts 3 seconds. Pulses distortion to allies for 1 second per pulse and minor damage.
Explanation of new shatter mind games:
All of these shatters at a base will use the mist weapon skins. So for example, the base F1 will use an axe that looks like Reaver of the Mists Axe. However, if you have an axe equipped, it should use that skin instead. GS#3 is a damage spike that makes enemies want to dodge. New F4 with the GS animation is defensive. Enemies will have to guess which one is being used and if they should dodge or not. Functionally it’s distortion but it’s no longer instant cast. However, it’s now 1200 range and could be cast on allies far away or to your own phantasms. Master of fragmentation adds reflect to distortion as usual. Scepter 2 is a near instant counter and people know to dodge as soon as block is seen. With the new F3, they see scepter block, they waste a dodge, after the dodge they are dazed. Master of fragmentation makes this an aoe damage and daze. The F2 can play mind games with if an illusion or the real deal is leaping at you. Made to be a finishing move that prevents running. Master of fragmentation further compliments this by adding cripple. The new F1 is similar to the new main hand axe skill but has different timing and gets bonus crit with MoF. Shatter traits I’ve already covered Master of Fragmentation above. Shatter traits that don’t depend on illusions (such as BD or blind on shatter) remain the same. What remains are traits worded as such: “Shatter skills inflict torment on hit.” “Shatter skills also remove a boon on hit.” Nothing needs to change for these traits. F1 hits 3 times and removes a boon/applies torment on each hit. F2 hits once or twice if an enemy is above or below 50% and procs traits 1 or 2 times. F3 hits people each time they attack you while blocking. F4 hits 3 times. The only shatter trait that will scale with illusions will be heals on shatter. However, as none of the shatters are instant cast, this build cant spike healing as hard as the base class and chrono.

Axe: Basically, the new F1, Axe 2 and 3 all have the same initial animation. A whirl with an axe. Axe 2 is just 1 whirl. Axe 3 is 2 whirls. F1 is 3 whirls. The last whirl always has the majority of the damage/animation effect. It’s up to your opponent to guess when to dodge because they don’t know when the whirling ends.
Axe 1: Swing your Axe Swing that axe again. Then swing it some more for a 3rd auto attack chain.
Axe 2: Dazing Whirl Spin and cleave 3 targets and daze them.
Axe 3: Whirling Vortex: Spin and hit enemies with your axe then spin again to pull enemies to you. Leave a pulsing aoe ethereal field that does damage(<3 spear 5).

Corruptions: They function like corruptions in that they inflict self-conditions or something bad on self. Meant to make yourself look weak and then turn the tides. The roll over skills have a limited window of activation before they auto activate.
Heal: Illusion of Weakness: Lose 3k health. Intervention: Roll over skill Heal 10k. (Will proc Mender’s Purity twice).
Utility: Illusion of Speed: Stun break. Leap Finisher. Remove immobilize, cripple and chill. ¾ second cast/evade frames. Roll backwards. Aura of Thorns: Roll over skill Inflict cripple and bleeding on self and nearby enemies.
Utility: Illusion of Frailty: Apply a buff to currently active phantasms, increasing phantasm damage by ~30% for 8 seconds. Inflict vulnerability and weakness on self.
Utility: Illusion of Pain: Inflict self bleeding each second for up to 10 seconds. Empathy: Roll over skill End the cutting. Copy 4 conditions on yourself onto enemies. (Not transfer but copy)
Utility: Illusion of Balance: Gain pulsing stability for up to 10 seconds. Fleeting Stability: Roll over skill Remove stability from self. BPAOE: Knockback enemies. Self-knockdown. Blast finisher.
Elite: Illusion of Silence: BPAOE: Remove 5 boons from yourself and enemies. Blackout: Roll over skill Stun both yourself and enemies for 3 seconds.

Adept Traits
Minor: You can now use axe main hand and corruptions. Shatters don’t destroy your illusions. Illusions do less damage (10% less in PvE. 30-50% less in WvW/PvP). Seems necessary for balance and a good place to split damage.
1 Waste Not, Want not: Interrupting a foe steals 15 endurance OR CCing a foe gives aoe 15 endurance to allies. Not sure if stealing endurance can be done with this game engine so I gave an alternative idea.
2 Disproportionate Power Surge: Auto-attacks and shatters do 30% more damage. Specifically auto-attacks and shatters. This is intentional as some skills combos such as GS2/3 would be too strong of a spike in PvP but auto attacks are weak in all game modes.
3 Feigned Smile: Gain 2 seconds of Resistance when using a corruption skill. Procs on both initial and roll over skill.

Master Traits
Minor: Gloat: Heal for ~400 when you interrupt/CC a foe.
1 Shared Victory: Gloat (minor trait) now heals in an aoe.
2 Twisted Speed: When you complete a leap finisher, gain swiftness and apply torment to enemies around the end of the combo.
3 Lyssa’s Balance: When you remove a boon from an enemy, clear one condition on yourself. Synergizes with the GM trait Hex eater vortex to add power damage to boon removal.

GM traits:
Minor: Wastrel’s Punishment: 15% more damage to foes that are stunned or dazed.
1 Calculated Risk: Daze and stuns inflicted by the Mesmer have their duration reduced by 50%. Give AOE might to allies and apply torment when you CC an enemy. Long dazes work well for lockdown builds but not for builds that try to chain interrupts together or want Mistrust/confusion to proc more. Furthermore, your team suffers when you nerf the CC duration in both PvE (breakbars) and PvP (not holding enemies down for as long). This elite spec is mostly selfish DPS and this trait is somewhat selfish so I added the AOE might to make it more like a PS build which shares might with allies when it CCs.
2 Infused Vortexes: Ethereal fields now pulse confusion and moderate damage each second. Light fields now pulse torment. This is about bringing glamour mesmer back. The old glamour traits were broken. Not OP but broken/impossible to balance since they had infinite targets. This new trait turns ethereal fields into more standard pulse and hit 5 enemies like back line wells but with glamours. Furthermore, it also buffs axe 3 and staff 5 which also produce ethereal fields. Veil, Focus 4 and the new F4 also receive a buff with torment. Veil is the reason I didn’t mention damage for light fields which would reveal the mesmer.
3 Hex Eater Vortex: Every time you remove a condition from an ally, do minor damage around you. About bringing back/buffing mantras, null field, inspiration, disenchanter and even arcane thievery but also works with the new corruption utilities that apply conditions on self that can be turned into damage.

I could probably spend hours over analyzing this and talking about all the synergy and build potential it has but thank you for reading up until here so I’ll stop for now unless people are interested in more.

Ghotistyx.6942:

You the player count as an illusion when shattering

To elaborate on this, I present to you: The Suicidal.

The Suicidal is granted with taunt in the form of Self-Deprecation.

New phantasms, including the Illusionary Slit-Wrist.

In the spirit of immersion, The Suicidal uses a main-hand dagger.

A new shatter, named Evanescence: using this shatter will shatter every illusion, including the players themselves. This prompts them into a downed state, where they can access a new downed skill called “Bring Me to Life,” which will temporarily rez them. Can be traited with the new “Wake Me Up” to rez players within the range of 1200.

New utilities, including “Nobody Needs Me,” a handy port skill when you’re in a tight situation, or no one really needs you in the fray; “Noose,” a trap where an illusion lays dead in the middle of an AoE float field.

New cosmetics in the Gem Store that will really have synergy with The Suicidal: Eyeliner.

Another one:

The Arcane Thief.

Changes? Basically everything the Thief profession has, but with bright purple colors and butterflies.

New weapon is a shortbow that can do melee damage— and only melee damage— that has a skill that can steal its opponent’s ENTIRE WEAPON SKILL BAR.

the deceptivemind
concept : control enemies actions, skills, movement and endurance. also gain retaliation to give back some dmg.
as we have already power block the idea is not only to cc rather give the enemies harder time to burst or use skills with more skill denial options
this is no burst build concept rather control concept which dmg comes through retaliation, and cc dmg buff

utilities : deception
arcane thievery – enemies utilities are disable for 5 seconds and yours recharge faster 33%. 40 sec cd.
blackout – disable enemies skills for 6 sec . your skills disable for 5 sec. 40 sec cd
overload – create an shocking aura for 5 sec. enemies hit you taking dmg and lose 10% endurance. break stun. 35 sec cd.
energy burn – creating a lighting field which reduce 10% endurance and dmg enemies for each second inside of it . 35 sec cd
elite – tease – taunt and slow enemies around you for 3 sec . 60 sec cd
healing skill – mind shock – heal yourself and get shocking aura for 2 sec and cleanse 2 conditions . 30 sec cd

skills:
weapon: dagger
AA – cause weakness for 2 sec , next attack steal enemies endurance 5%, last attack slow enemies for 1 sec
mindseeker – teleport to your foe and slow them for 3 sec and creating a clone at your location . 8 sec cd
twisted mind – leap forward chill and cripple nearby foes . 15 sec cd

trait line

deceptive mind – gain access to mind shock (F5) which allows you to gain shocking aura to nearby allies for 2 seconds for each illusion you shatter. your shatter skills give retaliation for 3 sec

corruptive mind – your illusions take 1 condition off you every second
deceptive reaction – your deception skills recharge faster 20%. every time you use deception skills you disable 1 random skill from nearby enemies for 5 sec.
panic – if you manage to disable enemy skills you have 10% dmg buff for 10 sec

slow mind – critical hits by enemies slow them for 3 sec (5 sec cd)

dont mind me – create a clone when ever you daze a foe
guilty retaliation- taunt enemies for 3 sec you manage to interrupt. you gain retaliation for 3 sec . 10 sec cd.
delusion mind – you gain 500 hp per second for each condition on you

blur Images – your shattering skills give you superspeed for 3 sec

dead body slow mind – taking fatal dmg heal you instead. your skills are disable for 3 sec. 40 sec cd.
retaliation burden – retaliation is 100% stronger and 50% longer
power lock – do 20% more dmg for 10 sec anytime you interrupt a foe

hope you like it.

Mine’s still the best.

Honestly, I’d rather the mesmer gains illusions that persists even after targets are defeated and focus on area denial and enhancing the current shatter skills. This idea is similar to Ranger’s Spirits but locked unto the Shatter skills instead.

The new profession mechanic: F5 Reflection which chains into F5 Dispell after a Reflection is summoned.
Bonus: you can now generate one extra illusion/Phantasm for a total of (4) however the 4th slot prioritizes Reflections.

These new Reflections persists even after shattering and can only be deleted upon use of F5 Dispell but only one Reflection can be summoned at a time. Each shatter summons a specific Reflection. So one Reflection represents one of the 4 shatters:

Reflections are summoned depending on which shatter you use. So F1 has a different Reflection from F2,F3,F4. The Reflection takes precedence over all Illusions and occupies the 4th Illusion slot so summoning a new illusion or phantasm will only overwrite one of the 3 old illusion slots. But if a Reflection is not currently summoned, the 4th slot can be used for Illusions or Phantasms.

F1 , Summons a Reflection of Migrane on your location. On each F1 activation, the Reflection will apply vulnerability, weakness, and cripple. When shattered with F5, it explodes in an area, dealing damage based on enemy vitality and toughness plus a set base damage.

F2 Reflection of Confusion summoned at your location. It will apply confusion, torment, and blind in an area on each F2 activation, stacks depend on how many illusions/phantasms are summoned to a maximum stack of 4 (traited to increase stacks if desired). On F5, the duration and efficiency of Confusion, Torment, and Blind double. Confusion and torment do twice more damage and Blind is effective for two hits rather than just one. Unblockable.

F3 Reflection of Burden, deal damage on enemies depending on how many boons they have. On F5, the number of boons strip depending on the number of illusions shattered, prioritizing Stability and Resistance, then daze enemies in its radius then deals damage depending on total boons stolen by the reflection in its radius.

F4 to summon Reflection of Inversion. On each F4 activation, projectiles will be absorbed then redirected to nearby outside the aoe. If there is only one enemy attacking then his projectile will just be reflected back. If enemies deal Melee damage to allies, it will be absorbed then divided evenly among all the enemies in the aoe; if only one enemy then the damage is reflected. Duration depends on how many illusions/Phantasms shattered.
On F5 Reflection of Inversion, damage and healing become reversed. Healing received by enemies (self and incoming) in the area become damage, damage done by enemies becomes healing onto allies.

I would love to see the Siren specialisation as I feel the concept of a Siren fits perfectly into the chaotic mind mage of a Mesmer. With Chronomancer bending time, the Siren bends will, and the concept of life steal and taunt fit very well into the concepts which are present in regular lore of Sirens. I also like the main hand dagger, as I feel it is only fair for a Mesmer elite specialisation to get a main hand weapon this go about.

Less than 2 weeks left. Sadly I probably won’t have time to suggest my own
But please continue offering your suggestions!

A reminder that my bet still stands, nobody has responded yet to me.

Smoke and Mirrors:

New Mechanic “Misdirection” ; The spec focuses on redirecting an opponent’s attacks. Target a player and hit her or him with a skill. There next attack and subsequent ones go to there nearest ally. In a situation with no allies the attacks are turned on the attacker.

This would persist until the affected player manually switched targets.

multiple slot skills could do variations on this: An aoe effect, and effect that can be steered to a specific target and a random redirect.

This would be similar to the ranger pet taking aggro except that it would direct aggro at another player or pve opponent.

New Elite: Doppelganger as suggested above.

@Ananeos, no bet. You’ve practically got that won already.

Alternative Misdirection Mechanic; Clones and Phantasms taunt, just like ranger pets.

This would finally make clones defensively useful. They haven’t really been since clone death traits were removed.

I really like how a lot of these suggestions use so much of the original GW1 mesmer flavor in their skills and traits.

The Mirage 2.0, AKA: The Dementalist

Description

Demented: Driven to behave irrationally due to anger, distress, or excitement. Bred for battle in the deserts of Elona, Dementalists are bloodthirsty warriors used to drive their foes to the point of insanity, allowing them to land deadly and ferocious strikes. Dementalists are also known to make the most of ally boons, as well as using their shouts to cause even more confusion on the battlefield.

Goals

Increase Mesmer’s sustain damage
Increase Mesmer’s power dps
Maintain survivability through active manipulation instead of passive effects (more fun)
Decrease Mesmer’s reliance on illusions: Currently around 40% ? potentially around 21% with specialization
Help Mesmer problems with illusion deaths
Maintain illusions for shatter skills (Problem formally solved with Chronomancer trait line).
Increase use of some less used traits like Imagined burden and Shattered Strength
At the same time, try to avoid making Mesmer OP in PvP and overall a fun class to play

Traits

Minor Adept – Catch me Now: Your shatters are now imbued with manipulative magic. Gain access to the main hand axe and the new debuff, Insanity.

Imbued Shatters: Your shatters now become blast finishers and you gain access to a manipulative skill for 4 seconds after a shatter. Note: Mind Wrack and Cry of Frustration may need small, undecided damage nerfs with this spec.

Mind Wrack: Protection (1 sec)
Cry of Frustration: Stealth (2 sec)
Diversion: blink to your target
Distortion: Swap positions with the selected or most recently summoned illusion

Description: For example, after you use mind wrack, instead of looking like the traditional cool down, it looks like a different icon (with a different, undecided name) for 4 seconds before going on cool down. This is similar to how shattering continuum split gives you access to continuum shift for a short period of time. Although you may shatter in a specific order, this does not necessarily mean you need to use the manipulative skills right away or directly after the shatter. For example, you could shatter for diversion, click it again to teleport to your target, shatter for mind wrack, and then click mind wrack again for 1 sec of protection. However, you could also do something like Diversion—> Mind wrack —> Cry of Frustration --> Protection —> Illusionary Wave --> Blink to your target —> an attack skill like blurred frenzy --> Stealth. You just need to use the skill within 4 sec. To give you an idea on time, this is ½ sec shorter than a 2 illusion continuum split. This type of mechanic should open the door to a wide variety of possible rotations.

Insanity: Insanity is a debuff applied to enemies. It is like vulnerability in the fact that it increases the amount of damage the target takes by the Dementalists. This debuff does not work with phantasms or shatters, only attacks coming from the Dementalist who applied the stacks. Also, on its own, it does not increase the damage that allies apply to the target. It only works with the Dementalists. This debuff may be cleansed by foes. However, it may not be enhanced through condition damage or condition duration effects. Each stack of Insanity increases your damage on the target by 4%. It may be applied up to 25 stacks. I have considered if Insanity would work best if it just affected the Dementalist who applied it, or all Dementalists. I have the specialization set up so that it is fairly hard to stack (or that’s the goal). If it affected all Dementalists, two or more Dementalists may make stacking easier. It would also make it so that if a Necromancer used plague signet on you, an enemy Dementalist may be able to do more damage to you. I believe this is kind of a cool idea and adds for more interesting game play. However, having it this way may also lead to problems in WvW. It would also be much easier to balance if it just affected the person who applied the stacks. Therefore, I have decided to keep it this way.

Major Adept

A. Phosphene: Apply Insanity when you interrupt a foe (4 stacks, 5 sec)
B. Chaotic Confusion: Chaos armor now has a chance of applying insanity to foes who strike you (1 stack, 5 sec)
C. Brain Cramp: Insanity you apply lasts longer (50%)

Minor Master – Faster: Quickness applied to you is 33% more effective.

Major Master

A. Resurrected: Illusions killed through damage are resummoned one additional time.
B. Hear me Now: Shout skills cleanse one condition on use and briefly give you might (1 stacks, 10 sec) and superspeed (3 sec)
C. What was That?: Shatter skills inflict Insanity on hit (5 sec)

Minor Grandmaster – Stronger: Might applied to you is 20% more effective.

Major Grandmaster

A. Back for More: After killing a foe, phantasms are resummoned on the next closest target (Radius: 600)

B. Hallucinations: Foes gain effects when they reach Insanity thresholds (20 sec ICD).

4: Confusion (1 stack, 6 sec)
7: Torment (2 stacks, 6 sec)
10: Fear (1 sec), Taunt (1 sec)
15: Moa Transformation (3 sec)

C. Phantasmal shatters: Summon a phantasm based on the shatter skill used.

Mind Wrack: Phantasmal Swordsman (15 sec ICD)
Cry of Frustration: Phantasmal Warlock
Diversion: Phantasmal Warden
Distortion: Phantasmal Disenchanter

Shouts

Heal

Protected Mind: Shout out to heal yourself (5,560) and your illusions, briefly giving your illusions distortion for 3 seconds (25 sec CD).

Utility

Brain Wash: Shout out, spreading insanity on foes to nearby enemies in the area (radius: 360) (30 sec CD).

Friendly Fire: Shout out, temporarily allowing friendly fire on enemies in the area for 5 seconds (45 sec CD).

They’re Insane: Call out to your allies, allowing them to briefly take advantage of Insanity on foes (5 sec, 20% effectiveness) (120 sec CD).

Elite

Shake it Up: Shout out, summoning the illusion of a giant to aid you in battle (does not take the place of an illusion spot). Periodically swings its axe in a circle and stomps its foot on the ground, knocking down foes (Duration: 30 sec, 180 sec CD)

Axe Skills

1. Standard Auto attack, slightly higher damage as there is no defensive skills like blocks or blurred frenzy with this weapon. 3rd hit applies 2 stacks of Insanity for 4 seconds (1/2 sec Act Time)
Number of Targets: 5
Range: 130
Dmg: 293, 293, 330
2. Swing you axe close to the ground, knocking down foes in front of you (Dmg 460, Might: 1 stack 8 sec, 15 sec CD)
3. Unleash a fury of strikes around you with your axe (Dmg 6X 1,696, 8 sec CD, Combo Finisher: Whirl). When the attack finishes, blink forward to the other side of your foe, leaving a clone at your original location.

Balance

I attempted to balance the specialization so that 25 stacks of might, quickness, 25 stacks of Insanity, food, and all other ally buffs would give you a dps of roughly 29k to 30k. This is actually based on the sword, so using the axe may give you a slightly higher dps. However, I tried to make it so PvP would be a completely different story. Your shatters have to land for you to imply insanity, or you have to interrupt your foe. Additionally, no one is going to stand still for you to land your 3rd hit over and over again. Your enemy can cleanse your insanity as well. This type of counter play is the reason I made a cleansable debuff rather than a buff. I do not believe Anet would ever allow mesmers to get a straight up buff that makes their power dps comparable to other classes. This would be much too difficult to balance in PvP. Ways to balance this spec would be to change the damage buff value for Insanity, change the duration of Insanity, change the amount of stacks cleansed (For example, perhaps a skill that would typically cleanse one condition stack cleanses 2 stacks of Insanity), change the max amount of stacks, change how fast you can apply stacks, and to change the effective values due to quickness and might. For PvE, there is some ramp up time to get to 25 stacks (<10 sec). However, I believe this is enough time for enemies with larger health pools, while for enemies with smaller health pools, just shattering for some Insanity and damage should be enough to take them down fairly quickly. It is also worth noting that my dream would be for the Dementalist to get both main hand and off hand axe in the same specialization. Lets be honest, it would look pretty kitten. The off hand axe being capable of summoning a phantasm that swings its axe in a large AoE circle. Currently, phantasmal warden is our only phantasm that does AoE damage. However, it is also focused on projectile defense. It would be nice to have a phantasm that is focused only on AoE damage. This would also help the mesmer in another field that it is currently week in.

Xstein.2187:

Imbued Shatters: Your shatters now become blast finishers and you gain access to a manipulative skill for 4 seconds after a shatter. Note: Mind Wrack and Cry of Frustration may need small, undecided damage nerfs with this spec.

Mind Wrack: Protection (1 sec)
Cry of Frustration: Stealth (2 sec)
Diversion: blink to your target
Distortion: Swap positions with the selected or most recently summoned illusion

Distortion: Swap positions with the selected or most recently summoned illusion

Because if there’s anything I’ve ever wanted to do as a Mesmer, its get into any tower, keep, or SMC and portal my zerg into Lord’s.

Ghotistyx.6942:

Xstein.2187:

Imbued Shatters: Your shatters now become blast finishers and you gain access to a manipulative skill for 4 seconds after a shatter. Note: Mind Wrack and Cry of Frustration may need small, undecided damage nerfs with this spec.

Mind Wrack: Protection (1 sec)
Cry of Frustration: Stealth (2 sec)
Diversion: blink to your target
Distortion: Swap positions with the selected or most recently summoned illusion

Distortion: Swap positions with the selected or most recently summoned illusion

Because if there’s anything I’ve ever wanted to do as a Mesmer, its get into any tower, keep, or SMC and portal my zerg into Lord’s.

It would have a range limit, like illusionary leap/swap. Only this skill would gray out if the illusion is not within range, kind like how illusionary leap/swap should work :/

That still doesn’t solve the problem

I guess you would also have to make it so its more like blink. Almost like the illusion blinks to your location while at exactly the same time, you blink to the illusions location.

Just a reminder: this is the last day to submit your ideas!

Keep in mind I don’t pvp much, and i have not thought about it as much as Anet should if they were to make it.

==*New mesmer spec: Twins:*==
The main concept of this specialization is that there are two of you: your character, and your “mirror twin” illusion. a twin is a step up from a phantasm. Chrono deals with time, Mirage deals with space.

==*new weapon: Warhorn (main hand or offhand, not sure)*==
i havn’t thought about it too much, but it might offer a healer build. could also be cc focused.
It would have a melee range phantasm that heals allies while doing some soft cc’s to the target(depending on balance)

=*the mirror twin:*==
-may or may not take one of the 3 illusion slots (depends on balance)
-exact same stats and weapons as you. if you swap weapons, your twin swaps too.
-always uses autoattack.
-attacks your target, and does not die when its target dies.
-the trait that creates the shatter effect on your character works on it (so up to 5 shatters total)
-it generally copies your actions, but not wasd movements. if you jump – it jumps; if you dodge – it dodges; if you get downed – it gets downed, however since you don’t directly share hp, if you rally, it rallies with it’s old hp.

==*the f5 skill (2 part skill, like tempest attunements):*==
-part 1: long cd, create your mirror twin
-imo it doesn’t have to be a shatter, but if it must be, then it will sacrifice all your illusions to create the twin. The twin will only be at full strength if you shatter 3.
-part 2: mid-short cd(depends on balance), swap to your mirror twin (similiar to swapping to sword 2).

==*swapping to your twin:*==
-your twin has independent weapon cooldowns.
-since the AI only uses autoattcks, you effectively refresh your weapon cooldowns(but not utilities)
-may also refresh shatters, depending on balance.

==*New utility set: tricks (similar to thief)*==
-I haven’t thought about specifics too much. but they will be designed to interact with your twin.
-“chain link” create a chain link between you and your twin. enemies or allies that touch the chain are affected in some way.
- “mirror” create a mirror wall at the mid point between you and you twin. it reflects projectiles and possibly buffs allied projectiles.
- “trade” copy all boons and conditions to your twin
- “copy” causes your twin to cast the next utility you cast, possibly twice if the next skill you use is mimic(depends how confusing it gets).
- another possible utility “lonely”: orders your twin to not move for 60 seconds, as long as you are within 5000 range.
- elite “portal” your twin creates a portal entrance. reactivate to create portal exit at your location.
- heal skill “shoot me” heal for some amount; you and your twin fire healing shards both towards and away from each other.

==*Some traits*==
Maybe a trait that gives nearly perma swiftness in some situations(depends on balance)
3 condi traits, to bring condi dps mesmer into the pve meta(depends on pvp balance)
some other traits that synergize with the twin and warhorn.

==*What this will bring to the game:*==
-dps mesmer spec. 2x the current AA dps + halfed cooldowns. This may require a general nerf to autoattacks.
-it offers more dps without having to buff the
-better shatter builds. with up to 5 shatters(3 illusions + yourself and your twin) and with two sets of independent shatter cooldowns. it may be op in pvp, not sure.
-possible healing spec if balanced correctly.

==*gameplay: *==
-the idea was to make mesmer more focused on positioning, and less on buffs and boons.
-try to keep your twin on the opposite side of your target and your team.
-swapping to the twin can be used either for mobility or for resetting weapon cooldowns.

:O a contest. I’m going to assume the name and weapon from the leak are correct

Mirage
Weapon – MH Axe

Mechanic – Hallucination
New F5 shatter, fake out your opponent. Appear to cast 1 random utility skill on your bar, and then attack your opponent with your weapon skills. What happens on your end is that the enemy cannot track what you are doing for .5 seconds for each illusion shattered, all they can see is what utility skill your hallucination made them think is being cast. You are free to move where you want, use whatever skills you want until this runs out and the hallucination for your opponent ends and he can see what you are up to again. 90sec CD untraited. BD will apply 2.5 sec of Quickness upon using this shatter

Axe Skills
1 – .5s cast time. Deals moderate damage (600-700ish per hit?)

2 – Throw your axe out to hamstring an enemy, inflicting 2 sec of cripple .5s cast time. 12s CD untraited. Range 450 Deals ~1,200 damage in total (both skills)
2b – Call your axe back, pulling the enemy with it. .25s cast

3 – Strike your Axe into the ground, opening up a rift to the Ether itself and summoning a clone out of it. Damages enemies, and applies 2 stacks of confusion to them. Range 450, Radius 180. CD 23

Clone – Wields Focus. Applies 1 stack of confusion to any enemy that attacks it, .25s ICD for each enemy. Performs a whirling attack similar to Phantasmal Warden that will absorb projectiles at a 33% chance for each projectile.

New skill type – Cantrips
Heal – Illusionary Banquet
Heal yourself for a medium amount and heal your illusions, apply 3s Confusion and .25s Daze to any enemy that tries to interrupt this skill. After casting, it allows you to gain more health if you shatter illusions in the next 4 sec. Base healing 4,940 to you, full heal for clones, 75% heal for phantasms. Gain an additional 570 HP per illusion shattered (including yourself) during the 4sec interval after this skill was cast

Utility Skills
Fake out
Gain the Fake Out effect for 15 sec. The next AoE utility skill you cast, pick 2 (or 3) locations for the effect to display. The skill will activate at the first location picked, enemies will see all 2 (or 3) AoE fields the same on their end and will have to guess which one is the real field. Has no effect on allies. .75s cast time 76s CD

Catch me if you can
Teleport to a location of your choosing for up to 3 seconds. You can cast up to 2 skills at that location before being teleported back to your starting location. Upon use, changes into Return which will immediately return you to your starting location if you wish to go back early. Range 600. Stunbreak. .25s cast time. 50s CD

• Note that using a teleport skill after using Catch me if you can will not return you to your starting location, effectively increasing the range for Blink to 1,800 units if you use Catch me if you can first

I’m over here, now
Select a phantasm and swap places with it instantly, dealing damage and 4 stacks of bleeding to enemies in a 240 unit radius at both locations. Instant cast. Stunbreak. 30

Oasis
Enemies are drawn towards the center of the Oasis (if they stop actively moving, their character will start running towards center), taking increased damage the closer they get to it. Mirage can shatter the Oasis (by using the same skill) and deal large damage along with burning to all enemies inside it, or it will expire after 6 seconds. If it expires enemies take damage but no stacks of burning. Range 900 units, Radius 360 units.75s cast time, 35sec CD.

In PvE, enemies in Oasis take damage each second according to

• 500 if they are within 50 units of the center
• 380 if they are within 150 units of the center
• 240 if they are within 250 units of the center
• 115 if they are within 360 units of the center
  When the Oasis is shattered, all enemies inside of the Oasis will take 2,420 damage and receive 6 stacks of burning

In PvP/WvW, reduce damage on each tick by 1/2 – 2/3, reduce stacks of burning applied to 4. Final damage will stay the same.

Elite – Phantasmagoria
Summons a perfect illusion of the chosen ally (defaults to yourself if you don’t choose an ally. Haven’t decided on a good way to choose an ally so maybe it would just randomly pick an ally (including you) within range of the enemy) for 30 sec. This illusion, being perfect, looks identical to the chosen ally, has the same stats as the chosen ally, and the same weapon skills as the chosen ally. It will fight with a decent AI (At least on the same level as HoT enemies, preferably better though) until it is either killed or the timer expires. Phantasmagoria cannot be shattered, and does not count towards your total illusions. In PvP this skill changes, you can target a downed/dead ally and cast it on them for a 30 sec Illusion, or you can target an enemy and cast it, and it will create a perfect illusion of you for 15 seconds instead.

Traits
Minor Adept – Grant access to MH Axe, Cantrip skill category, the F5 Hallucination, and a new effect Manic. Each stack of Manic grants 1% damage boost, and 0.5% less damage taken. Stacks are used up when casting a cantrip.
Major Adept 1 – Axe skill CDs are reduced by 20%
Major Adept 2 – Confusion’s damage increased by 20%, you take 20% less damage from confusion
Major Adept 3 – Cantrips CDs decreased by 20%, casting a cantrip grants 1 stack of Manic.

Minor Master – Axe skills grant 1 stack of Manic on you, up to 10 stacks. ICD on granting stacks of Manic through Axe skills is 2 sec
Major Master 1 – When you are struck with a critical hit, inflict 2 stacks on confusion on the enemy 5s ICD
Major Master 2 – Confusion you inflict lasts 50% longer (does not stack with minor grandmaster trait), deal 1 extra stack of confusion anytime its applied to an enemy
Major Master 3 – When inflicted with Confusion, you no longer take damage from using skills that heal you

Minor Grandmaster – Confusion you inflict lasts 20% longer, confusion inflicted on you lasts 33% less
Major Grandmaster 1 – Axe skills steal a random boon from enemies and send a random condition you have to the enemy when they crit. ICD 10 sec
Major Grandmaster 2 – Confusion’s ticking damage when enemies are not using skills is increased (in PvE its upped to the same amount that they take when they use a skill. In PvP/WvW its a 10-15% increase)
Major Grandmaster 3 – Cantrips only use half of your Manic stacks (min 1 stack used), Manic stack count increased to 15

I haven’t had time to work much on an idea, but I still wanted to present something, so here is the best I could do in the little time I had:

The enchanter
The enchanter uses the enemy strength against himself. It is a mobile support class, as opposed to mesmer/chronomancer who focuses on area support (wells/glamours). As opposed to the duelist that is mesmer/chronomancer, the enchanter excels when surrounded by multiple enemies. It is also a great healer.

The specialization is meant to work with my phantasm rework, meaning the mesmer has more damage but phantasms do not provide damage (but support).

So, I can now close the contest. Here are the different contestants:

1. Zintrothen’s Siren
2. SaltAndLight’s Enchanter
3. thunderfall’s Prophet
4. Ghotistyx’s Magician
5. Keitaro Dragonheart’s Trickster
6. Menaka’s Nightmare
7. DuckDuckBOOM’s Wastrel’s Reaver
8. messiah’s deceptive mind
9. Xstein’s Dementalist
10. IonoI’s Twins
11. OriOri’s Mirage
12. Silverkey’s Enchanter
13. Arkanthor’s Virtuoso

The votes are now open. You can either vote here or send me a message in-game if you prefer remaining anonymous

For those of you who submitted an elite spec, please do not vote for your own idea.

Overall, a lot of individual good ideas here and there but I felt that most of the elite specs fell flat because they broke this very reasonable rule: As any elite specialization, it needs to work with core mesmer skills and traits and if possible have synergies with them! Or they were just hella OP. In the end my personal two favorites were decided because they work with the base class, rework the F1-F4 instead of giving a new F5, overall balance is sound and a they add a new feel/flavor and I could actually see myself using these in both PvE and PvP.

Silverkey’s enchanter. As much as I loathe the idea of another support elite spec before Mesmers get a DPS one, I would much rather have received that kind of design over what we got with chrono. Having the shatters work with support: Inspiring disapparition and the base F1-F4 rework (not sure if you meant for alacrity to become AOE with master of frag or not but nice trait synergy there) means that I would actually feel compelled to shatter and not feel bad about it. Not spamming wells and standing inside of them for support would be great. There was some Tempesty moving ethereal field, blast finisher, shared chaos aura (traited chaos protection) going on there… but I don’t think you took it far enough.

My vote has to be for Xstein’s Dementalist. I like the rework to the F1-F4 to give them new stuff instead of a new F5. Phantasms traits are great. Just like the enchanter, I would actually feel compelled to shatter a bit in PvE with traits like phantasmal shatter. As someone that wanted a main-hand interrupt Axe, I can get behind that design too. Minor change: I think the insanity debuff need to be inflicted on the Dementalist itself akin to lead attacks from thief traits.

Oh kitten i got late; i wanted to post mine but seems I cannot anomre.
Can i post it even if I don t enter the competition or I better wait for other thread like this?

Arkanthor.2307:

Oh kitten i got late; i wanted to post mine but seems I cannot anomre.
Can i post it even if I don t enter the competition or I better wait for other thread like this?

Well votes have started, so you are putting yourself at a (slight) disadvantage. But technically we are the 23rd, so, if you hurry, I can’t really refuse.