Guild Wars 2

I’m just going to throw it out there, that I’d love to see a direct damage trait not related to shatters or phantasms, show up as an option in Chronomancy. Preferably something boosting 1h sword to some decent damage levels. I’d just love to have this as an alternative to putting all my direct damage hopes and dreams into the illusions basket. Maybe in the same bracket as an illusion or shatter damage trait to make it a choice. Since Chronomancy is going to be heavily based on alacrity and quickness, it would make sense to make our melee do enough to make alacrity and quickness effective.

Hmm I think with quickness the 1h Sword AA will be pretty strong, especially on boonless targets, and alacrity will reduce CD on BF, which means both more defense and offense in melee. (Which in turn synergizes with the post-evade trait, getting you 1.5s of reflection.)

I don’t think it fits the Mesmer to have brute-force traits that make us hit like Hulk, but rather we’re manipulators/controllers.

The combination of slowing your enemy and boosting your own attack speed, as well as CD reductions, fits Mesmers perfectly and can do just as well -if not better- then simple DPS increases.

Just my 2 cents. This is not the profession for 1-button victories. cough Heart Seeker cough

Windwalker.7421:

Hmm I think with quickness the 1h Sword AA will be pretty strong, especially on boonless targets, and alacrity will reduce CD on BF, which means both more defense and offense in melee. (Which in turn synergizes with the post-evade trait, getting you 1.5s of reflection.)

Actually it words inversely when it comes to something like blurred frenzy. A faster activation means less defense from BF because you cycle through the blur effect faster meaning using it under quickness in most circumstances is in fact worse.

Windwalker.7421:

Hmm I think with quickness the 1h Sword AA will be pretty strong, especially on boonless targets, and alacrity will reduce CD on BF, which means both more defense and offense in melee. (Which in turn synergizes with the post-evade trait, getting you 1.5s of reflection.)

I don’t think it fits the Mesmer to have brute-force traits that make us hit like Hulk, but rather we’re manipulators/controllers.

The combination of slowing your enemy and boosting your own attack speed, as well as CD reductions, fits Mesmers perfectly and can do just as well -if not better- then simple DPS increases.

Just my 2 cents. This is not the profession for 1-button victories. cough Heart Seeker cough

Its got nothing to do with “hitting like the hulk”. Currently, our melee is probably the weakest of any profession due to lack of % modifiers on any weapon damage trait. Our only % modifiers are on illusions and shatters. Both of which are notoriously bad for group content and sustained damage. Just like has already been said, alacrity and quickness have the opposite effect on blurred frenzy’s defense. They both have a minimal effect on direct damage output on low damage attacks….namely 1h sword…due to the aforementioned lack of direct damage modifiers and low base damage on this weapon for mesmers. All I’m saying is that there should be a build option with some melee damage..that doesn’t depend on phantasm damage primarily.

That comment about mesmers being manipulators/controllers may as well mean “support class” as far as this game goes. Assigning roles is exactly what this game is not about. Everyone is supposed to damage, support, and control at the same time. One of the main points ANET made when they started talking about the elite specializations was to fill in gaps in each class….to allow all classes to enjoy all playstyles. The two gaps we currently have are support and direct damage. The new Chronomancer elite spec seems to offer good support with alacrity and quickness, I would just like to see a splash of direct melee damage as an option in there too.

kylwilson.9137:

Actually it words inversely when it comes to something like blurred frenzy. A faster activation means less defense from BF because you cycle through the blur effect faster meaning using it under quickness in most circumstances is in fact worse.

Yes, good thing then that I never said anything different. I clearly related Quickness to the Sword AA, and Alacrity to BF.

That said, it’s obtuse to sell this trade-off as a negative to using BF while quickened. Being under the effects of Quickness is the same as a 33% DPS increase, so due to the duality-design of BF, you’re not only getting the good elements of Quickness but also the bad. That’s 100% intended design, and makes sense.

Also, OP, look into a new Minor trait called Fragility. It’s a 10% flat damage increase on… (drumroll) any target that’s Vulnerable! Hmm? Now where would you get Vulnerable from? ;-)

There is your flat damage increase and you can get Quickness & Alacrity on top!