Guild Wars 2

Hi all, I’m hoping you can help me make a decision.

For condition mesmers, bleeds are our most common and easily applied condition via sharper images. I’m running a sw/f – sc/p weapon set, with a sigil of geomancy on scepter and sigil of earth sword, all bleed focused.

I’m wondering if using a sigil of doom on the scepter would provide more benefit to cover the bleeds. I would hate losing that wonderful AoE bleed when I switch weapons in melee, but can see the benefit using poison as a cover condition, with my opponents blowing a cleanse while the bleeds still tick away underneath. I’m also toying with the idea of going with a sigil of doom on the sword as well, but sigils of earth are really nice since you can stack more bleeds pretty quick w/BF.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Why not: Earth for sword, Doom on pistol, Hydromancy on focus/scepter

Sw/F for conditions? I would throw in a staff for burning too.

Regards to sigils, I prefer doom & hydromancy. Due to the nature of Mesmer conditions (almost random) I like to have a guaranteed CC, and poison. Clones will happily plug away at bleeding fairly constantly.

@Advent I believe you will only proc one sigil per weapon swap.

My weapons have:

Staff: Doom
Pistol: Doom
Scepter: Corruption

you have to remember that on crit, weapon swap sigils share a cool down. So if you have say Earth on one weapon set and it procs and you switch to the other set that has doom it wont proc due to the earth proc.

I already have plenty of cc with the build I’m working on – it’s actually a condition variant to the Chillruption build I posted awhile back. I definitely use hydromancy on the power version of that build.

Condition damage builds with focus are under-rated IMO, but works extremely well with this build due to the interrupt/immobilize into warden concept, then AoE bleeds, etc.

@ArmageddonAsh: Regarding the earth sigil; I believe it has no internal CD since you can stack bleeds over and over if you crit.

@Nixonlnnes: Do you mean you use doom and hydromancy on different sets? I don’t see those working on the same set.

I like using sigils of accuracy on the OH weapons in this build since higher precision is a premium. When using dual weapons sets, a lot of people use corruption sigils which is another good choice, but I usually try to charge those stacks up and then switch.

I really like the poison in the mix. It’s another condition for someone to have to remove and in doing so, at a reduced healing amount. I have it on both weapon sets. You’ll have to do a 10 count in your head to make sure you reach the icd of the sigil. With a little condition duration you can have a full up time on it. Bleeds are easy to stack up with clones and if you’re using staff, burn is crazy good. Sigil of doom really shines while using staff. Get in close for bounce backs, hit em with chaos field and swap for poison over it all. Player panics with all the conditions, heals at a reduced amount. Considering you know they’ll heal though punch f3.
IMO, Sigil of Doom blows Geomancy away.

skcamow.3527:

@ArmageddonAsh: Regarding the earth sigil; I believe it has no internal CD since you can stack bleeds over and over if you crit.

You are half correct.
The sigil doesnt have a cool down BUT it proccing puts all other On Crit and weapon swap sigils on cool down.

ArmageddonAsh.6430:

skcamow.3527:

@ArmageddonAsh: Regarding the earth sigil; I believe it has no internal CD since you can stack bleeds over and over if you crit.

You are half correct.
The sigil doesnt have a cool down BUT it proccing puts all other On Crit and weapon swap sigils on cool down.

If that’s correct, without a doubt I’m ditching the earth sigil on the sword and will go with either geomancy or doom. Poison obviously does more damage anyway and the reduced healing effectiveness is a big deal.

So far I’m leaning doom on both weapon sets for the many reasons discussed and also because of this good point:

Samiell.1259:

Player panics with all the conditions

This build will proc and maintain 4 concurrently (up to 6 based on how often I’m interrupting) fairly easily.

Also as a point of clarification, is the ICD 10 seconds for doom? Wiki says 9.

All on crit sigils and all weapon swap sigils have internal cooldowns AND share internal cooldowns. Weapon swap cooldowns are 9 or 10 seconds, most on crits are about 3. If you proc a crit and then swap, you will not get the on swap bonus, and if you swap to an on crit, your on crit will not proc for 9 or 10 seconds.

skcamow.3527:

If that’s correct, without a doubt I’m ditching the earth sigil on the sword and will go with either geomancy or doom. Poison obviously does more damage anyway and the reduced healing effectiveness is a big deal.

So far I’m leaning doom on both weapon sets for the many reasons discussed and also because of this good point

Unfortunately, it is true. I am thinking its down to the fact that some people run with 2×2handed weapons and the fact they can only use 1 sigil per a weapon would give those that you 3 or 4 weapons an unfair advantage

Yeah, i use Doom on both my sets with my 3rd choice currently being Corruption, i did have Earth and Doom but found the Doom wouldnt proc ALOT thanks to the high chance of Earth so it seemed pretty much wasted.

Well, the 2-hander weapon bit’s something ANet should’ve fixed by now, tbh. Every other stat on said weapon type is 2x the amount of a 1-hander. Stands to reason Sigils should be the same … just use the same base limitations as a 2-weapon Sigil set would use.

C’mon, guys – I’d like my Earth/Agony Staff, please.

I use my stacking sigil of x stack it up to 20+, then swap in my other offhand weapon with sigil of force. It’s really the only way to effectively use to icd sigils w/o them running into eachother and messing with icd’s.

definitely doom. it is such a huge difference I was very surprised. was running earth and corruption and hydro and geo and whatnot but doom on both sets is SUCH a huge increase in killing!

So, let me know if I have this right – a good thing about running with 2x doom on, say, separate MH sets (w/permanent bonus sigils on the OH’s) is that you can just play and it will proc on whatever weapon set it’s valid on after it’s off CD, period. This because of the proc mechanic off your next attack after weapon swap. I point this out because it’s very unique compared to the on-crit or weapon swap sigils where you really have to keep track of them so as to not cancel them out.

TL;DR – You don’t really have to worry about the CD when running these sigils the way I’ve described. That right?

A couple additional questions if anyone knows:

1. Does a weapon skill count as “your next attack”, or is “your next attack” in this sense always #1?
2. Does your attack have to hit in order for the sigil to proc, e.g. if you’re blind or the opponent blocks?

skcamow,
1. Your next attack could be any attack, as long as it comes from you. I recalled it even procs if you’re on a different weaponset; iirc, there is an icon like boon to indicate your on-swap doom effect is registered for your next attack, use it to keep track of the sigil proc.
2. By common sense, the attack should be connected to apply the effect. Not sure if you fail to hit, the proc remains or cancels though.
Can someone clarify?

skcamow.3527:

So, let me know if I have this right – a good thing about running with 2x doom on, say, separate MH sets (w/permanent bonus sigils on the OH’s) is that you can just play and it will proc on whatever weapon set it’s valid on after it’s off CD, period. This because of the proc mechanic off your next attack after weapon swap. I point this out because it’s very unique compared to the on-crit or weapon swap sigils where you really have to keep track of them so as to not cancel them out.

TL;DR – You don’t really have to worry about the CD when running these sigils the way I’ve described. That right?

Yes. Although its still best to count out to the end of the icd to get the most use out of the 2 dooms sigils but you’re correct. Whenever the icd is up and you switch to weapons it will proc the sigil.

2. By common sense, the attack should be connected to apply to proc. Not sure if you fail to hit, the proc remains or cancels though.
Can someone clarify?

Any use of your weapon whether directed at nothing, a bug or a player will use the charge. Now this isn’t all bad since you can preload it by getting in combat and swapping weapons, then running clear of whatever it was you used for combat. Now you have poison on your first attack.

@skcamow No, one on each weapon set. Off hands I tend to have a perm bonus or some stack building sigils.

Poison on each swap. Hmm, that does sound interesting. Personally I use staff so struggle with locking someone down when they decide it’s time for them to leave, hence hydromancy/doom; but I guess if you have the added immob on sword and loosing the poison from staff it’s a good call.

Doom works by, when you swap to the weapon with doom sigil whilst in combat, you get a wee buff icon and your next attack adds poison. It lasts after a fight too, so you can get in combat, swap and get the buff for your next fight.

Sigil Of Doom = Poison 5s when swap.
Weak vs Blind since ur next atk gonna miss, Same with Block/ Invul.

Sigil of Geomancy = AOE Bleed atk when swap.
If i;m not mistaken this sigil does AOE damage + Bleed when swap, no? If yes this sigil can help a little vs Blind esp if u do “Got Blinded – Decoy – Swap weapon near Enemy(Blind Removed) – Summon Phantasm” Since it’s pretty hard to remove Blind using Melee skill

Go For sigil of Battle in case u always want the weapon swap effect always on. Just my 2C. Hehe.