Guild Wars 2

I think i might give Greatsword Sword+Focus a try, Scepter really only has 1 skill that was great which was the Scepter #2. If it doesnt work out i will be going back to the Scepter+Pistol as that is a great combo and more suited to my playstyle, taking the Ssword means having to be in REAL close and i am not to keen on that sort of gameplay

I don’t know if Sword is viable in PvP terms, but in PvE it works well.
.#1-1 and #1-2 cause vulnerability, #1-3 is a boon ripper. even clones follow that cycle
.#2 make you almost invulnerable while dealing damage
.#3-1 is a clone skill while #3-2 closes gaps and immobilizies your target.

Sword works great with focus. You get the swiftness (and probably pull), can summon your iWarden, fight next to it and be protected from projectiles – and probably get regeneration.
I got used to fighting with the sword, so I often use it more regular than the GS. The AoE tagging and damage dealing is just great. For mobs which are not meant to be melee-d, switch to GS and cripple the mob away from you.

[ Edit ]
Another peculiar tip would be to use mantras while melee-ing. You charge the mantras between mobs and can use the charges (especially healing) while fighting in melee range. Personally, I combo that with “on heal” runes so I also buff other melee-ing allies.

Though the sword is good i dont think it suits my Gameplay style, it could work in this build and i have done well using it WvW taking down a Warrior and Ranger combo and JUST getting beat by a Ranger Thief combo with them even saluting me after i died.

The fact that (even if its long) the Scepter Auto summons clones is nice for Cripple and Conditions on death. As ever Scepter #2 ROCKS and can hit more then 10,000damage if it procs and the target continually moves during its duration – which they must as soon as i land it i am back into Range
But that required gameplay changes that i wasnt to keen on, I prefer to be at range and using the sword required melee range. I think i will be going back to Scepter, though i will give the Focus some more time, did pretty well in the Tower attack/defense fights that i was part of.

I find the Mantras a bit meh, the condition one isnt to bad, but using them would requie dropping one of my other utilities which are currently: Mirror Images, Decoy and Blink (swapped for Feedback when attacking/defending towers/camps)

Same build, same gameplay in SPvP i did okay, won some lost some mostly in the top 3 for points but wow SPvP has some morons which mostly think its as Deathmatch :/

I rarely have any troubles in WvW or SPvP against some classes – Warrior is pretty much an easy kill. Engi and Ranger i have won more then i have lost. Thief is still a bit of a problem but thats due to when i stealth they run more often then not and i dont have the ability to chase them.

I havent lost any to Mesmers yet either but most seem to be nuke-centric with no stealth abilities so with my high toughness, decent damage, conditions and stealth they cant seem to keep up.

Necro still do a job on me, i dont lose but forced to run more often then not. Though i expect the next set of nerf bat swings might bring them down a bit. that Dumfire thing hit me doing more then 700damage PER a tick :/ so that alone was doing 2500-3000 damage during the fight i had with one.

The Ranger build that spams the spirit beast things was a decent fight, won in the end not really ever in serious trouble but he wasnt as easy as some of the Ranger builds i have faced.

I am not sure that it would work well in TPvP i think a full nuke build using Stealth would do well though.I was using Scepter+Pistol combo, i will give a few matches with others a go – Scepter+Focus, Sword+Focus, Sword+Pistol and see what i feel plays best together.

I do think i will miss Torment to much though, I have gotten it down to the point where 70-80% of the time i can judge it just right that the attack will start and i can pop it, sometimes doing it to early means the person yo uare fighting will just stop the attack for a few seconds.

If against AoE, i found that moving INTO AoE and using it seems to affect them if they are in range and in LoS

Without much experience:

• Don’t use Sword in WvW; I deals decent damage but to melee in WvW you need locking and high burst, to kill those who want to run away from you. #3-2 + #2 sure seem to fulfill those things, but they’re not enough.
• Don’t use Mantras in PvP (unless it’s a mantra burst build); the recharging kills you if you don’t fnish your target in “one burst”

When I said to use mantras, I mainly means healing one. But since I said to use the charges while sword fighting, it means that it’s not suited for PvP or WvW (see above).

Nretep.2564:

Without much experience:

• Don’t use Sword in WvW; I deals decent damage but to melee in WvW you need locking and high burst, to kill those who want to run away from you. #3-2 + #2 sure seem to fulfill those things, but they’re not enough.
• Don’t use Mantras in PvP (unless it’s a mantra burst build); the recharging kills you if you don’t fnish your target in “one burst”

When I said to use mantras, I mainly means healing one. But since I said to use the charges while sword fighting, it means that it’s not suited for PvP or WvW (see above).

this depends entirely on personal playstyle. I would say, in many situations the sword is far superior to scepter due to evasion, an immobilize and a leap combofinisher. A mesmer has so many options getting out of melee in a matter of seconds, so fighting in melee is really not an issue. The scepter has its place (i use often both) but the long attackchain of 1 and the activation time of 3 is often a problem. the only way to make sure that Sc 3 connects is to engage from stealth. Otherwise it get dodged 4/5 trys.

The mantras are exactly the same: i use it sometimes for a very good condiremoval. Sure, it eats up a utility slot, but its viable….

Nretep.2564:

Without much experience:

• Don’t use Sword in WvW; I deals decent damage but to melee in WvW you need locking and high burst, to kill those who want to run away from you. #3-2 + #2 sure seem to fulfill those things, but they’re not enough.
• Don’t use Mantras in PvP (unless it’s a mantra burst build); the recharging kills you if you don’t fnish your target in “one burst”

When I said to use mantras, I mainly means healing one. But since I said to use the charges while sword fighting, it means that it’s not suited for PvP or WvW (see above).

Shame the healing Mantra sucks. Sure its got a shorter cool down but without the trait its very Meh.