Guild Wars 2

I get great uses out of my phantasms, but can’t seem to find a great reason to let scepter 1 generate illusions.

I love the 2 and 3 on scepter, but does anyone have any situation where scepter 1 doesn’t suck?

It’s an auto attack. You use it in situations where it’s prudent to auto attack.

That’s about it.

It’s primary use is to churn out clones. With a Phantasm build, you generally don’t want that. For a shatter build, it is more useful.

I wouldn’t use it in a Shatter build either, clone generation through Ether Clone is just too slow and the Sceptre lacks strong defensive skills. Illusionary Counter is pretty good as a counter (if you’re a condition build) but doesn’t compare to Blurred Frenzy or the Staff’s kitten nal.

If Malicious Sorcery’s speed buff (maybe a bit faster too, like 20 or 25%) is baseline for Sceptre skills it would make it far more bearable.

An easy way to make everyone happy is making sure the clone AA never overwrites any phantasm.

Or just get rid of it altogether. Then maybe Anet will buff the Sceptre and not hold back because of some theoretical Massed Clone Singularity.

Well the clone production could be in theory valuable if the AA did more conditions. For example, if the scepter AA produced staff clones, people would love it because staff clones are useful. But scepter clones… meh

Silverkey.2078:

Well the clone production could be in theory valuable if the AA did more conditions. For example, if the scepter AA produced staff clones, people would love it because staff clones are useful. But scepter clones… meh

That’s presumably why Anet insists on keeping Ether Bolt weak and not letting Sceptre Clones use the full chain (apart from the Clone spawning Clone silliness that should be pretty easy to code out).

Silverkey.2078:

Well the clone production could be in theory valuable if the AA did more conditions. For example, if the scepter AA produced staff clones, people would love it because staff clones are useful. But scepter clones… meh

Agreed. I love scepter, including the AA, but the best part of the AA is making the clone, so the clones themselves don’t do much. If the clones were of a different type, even a random type (possibly via trait?), it could be a big improvement.

Misguided.5139:

Silverkey.2078:

Well the clone production could be in theory valuable if the AA did more conditions. For example, if the scepter AA produced staff clones, people would love it because staff clones are useful. But scepter clones… meh

Agreed. I love scepter, including the AA, but the best part of the AA is making the clone, so the clones themselves don’t do much. If the clones were of a different type, even a random type (possibly via trait?), it could be a big improvement.

Let Sceptre Clones use the full Ether Bolt chain, that way it gets the longer duration Torment on Ether Blast and also attacks faster overall. Malicious Sorcery’s +15% should be baseline, if not a bit faster.

Then we shall have a MH Condition weapon to rival the Staff, and assuming they don’t nerf Ether Bolt’s direct damage, a decent ranged Power MH too.

I would love if they changed the Scepter block (and OH sword) to function the same as the new shield block so we can get a clone at the end of the channel regardless if we block something. With scepter having a reliable way to produce clones, they could then give it a real (cloneless) AA. We only have 2 MH weapons to use with our 5 OH weapons… they need to have flexible skills that we can use in a variety of builds. The current AA on the scepter really limits its functionality.

Another thing: Ether Bolt doesn’t transition to the next skill in the chain until the previous Bolt disappears, which means the chain is faster the closer you are to the target. I feel like this needs to be changed. And maybe then we wouldn’t need +15% on top of that.

I enjoy “playing badminton” with it (asura animations).

Jump while initiating the third attack for a smash.

I still maintain the sceptre has the single worst 1 skill in the game, by a significant margin.

That after cast is horrendous, its basically a self daze.

I would not go that far, there are really bad AA in this game. The sword on ranger for example is very good at screwing you (yet quite strong)… Overall I feel all of our weapons have a good design except the scepter which is not awful bad but somewhat clunky.

Well that’s the thing, the ranger sword is pretty gnarly to use, but it IS strong and you can work around it by just having auto attack turned off.

With the sceptre, if you complete the chain you get to sit through the uncancelable aftercast. Its not strong power wise and the pressure from condi’s really isn’t there.

Scepter AA is just good on condi builds, that clone also cast ether bolts which applies torment too.

Drgori.5724:

Scepter AA is just good on condi builds, that clone also cast ether bolts which applies torment too.

Except this is very weak even in condi build. Scepter 2 and 3 are amazing in condi build, the AA is… bad. This could be fine as it is since 2 and 3 make up for the lack of damage of the AA. But because of the clone generation, and because of how bad those clones are (since they do the AA, and not even all of it), you don’t only do little damage when you AA, you also cripple yourself by overwriting phantasms (PvE mostly).

Drgori.5724:

Scepter AA is just good on condi builds, that clone also cast ether bolts which applies torment too.

It really isn’t. The Staff is far better than the Sceptre if you’re just looking at the AA. In fact Ether Bolt probably scales better from Power (no number-crunching, feel free to prove me wrong) than condition damage.

Embolism.8106:

Drgori.5724:

Scepter AA is just good on condi builds, that clone also cast ether bolts which applies torment too.

It really isn’t. The Staff is far better than the Sceptre if you’re just looking at the AA. In fact Ether Bolt probably scales better from Power (no number-crunching, feel free to prove me wrong) than condition damage.

I confirm that, with no power and full condi, you would still do more direct damage than condition damage with this skill.

Silverkey.2078:

you also cripple yourself by overwriting phantasms (PvE mostly).

Only if you have three phantasms out, in which case you certainly wouldn’t want to use the AA, that is true.

Misguided.5139:

Silverkey.2078:

you also cripple yourself by overwriting phantasms (PvE mostly).

Only if you have three phantasms out, in which case you certainly wouldn’t want to use the AA, that is true.

Yes, but that is kinda silly. Saying you don’t want to use skill nr 2 because of the generation is sad but ok, this is something you know. But saying you can’t AA while 1) it’s an “AUTO-ATTACK”, sure you can deactivate this, but the AA is not supposed to punish you 2) you may have no other CD to use at this moment, so are you supposed to wait and do nothing? or just trying to interrupt your AA every 2s to make sure the chain never passes after the second skill?

The problem of course is that the developers probably didn’t expect that 3 phantasms up would be a thing (because if PvE was hard enough, that would never happen). But it currently is and while a condi build would be otherwise very potent with duelist, we cannot go for it with the scepter…

Silverkey.2078:

Yes, but that is kinda silly.

<snip>

The problem of course is that the developers probably didn’t expect that 3 phantasms up would be a thing (because if PvE was hard enough, that would never happen). But it currently is and while a condi build would be otherwise very potent with duelist, we cannot go for it with the scepter…

Well, maybe it’s just me, but I think the real issue here is that we could use another main hand option for phantasm builds. I’m shattering all the time, so scepter works for me.

Actually running the scepter in wvw with all power and the trait in illusions is producing some pretty fun results. The beam hits for over 8k once all buffs and some might maybe 3/4. The auto attack hits over 1.5k per attack in the chain. Number 2 is a block that doesn’t root you so can move and use it. So imo scepter is pretty good in a power build in wvw applications.

Misguided.5139:

Well, maybe it’s just me, but I think the real issue here is that we could use another main hand option for phantasm builds. I’m shattering all the time, so scepter works for me.

Yes, because we have many main-hand weapons available….

Everyone is using sword in efficient group PvE. However, we are among the classes which could have an essentially as (or slightly more) efficient setup using conditions. However, we are still stuck with the sword currently, which is not an amazing condi weapon

I am just trying to promote build diversity in a game mode where there is close to none.

I’m currently playing a build with only scepter mainhand (for both weaponsets). The auto-attack is not great, but I don’t use it too often and I appreciate having another clone for shattering. (The build is an experiment for a future chronomancer, so it’s not a stunningly great build right now.)

For what it’s worth, this is a video of using this scepter-focused build to take a camp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTWbO9sq2fE

You can see there are a couple of cases where scepter auto-attack adds a useful clone for shattering.

eldenbri.1059:

For what it’s worth, this is a video of using this scepter-focused build to take a camp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTWbO9sq2fE

You can see there are a couple of cases where scepter auto-attack adds a useful clone for shattering.

That’s similar to what I’ve been doing as well. Using the Sceptre 1 clone with a double dodge to generate 3 for a shatter. Or summoning my phantasm and then waiting till the third clone to shatter.

It’s great on a Guardian!

Tealots.6095:

It’s great on a Guardian!

I hate to admit it, but that actually made me laugh out loud (and yes, scepter 1 on guardian is a thing of beauty).

At any rate, there appear to be some of us that do like Scepter 1 (on Mesmer), which was what the OP asked. I wouldn’t mind an increase in the projectile speed and a bit longer torment, but I like the unique position it has in the Mesmer kit as an AA that creates clones.

As I said, I do not complain about scepter 1 except that I would love if it does not overwrite phantasm. The clone production is a fine tool, but just prevent it when 3 phantasms are already up.

As for other classes, I am no expert in guardian, but it seems that in general, a-net is quite good at designing amazing staff skills (mesmer, necro and ele staff are some of the best weapons, I think it is fine also for guardian) but awful at designing scepter (scepter is I feel the clunkiest of mesmer weapons, somewhat same for necro and ele).

Silverkey.2078:

As for other classes, I am no expert in guardian, but it seems that in general, a-net is quite good at designing amazing staff skills (mesmer, necro and ele staff are some of the best weapons, I think it is fine also for guardian) but awful at designing scepter (scepter is I feel the clunkiest of mesmer weapons, somewhat same for necro and ele).

Lol, I’m such a weirdo. I use scepter on Mesmer, necro, and guardian. Though it has become secondary to staff on my necro.

Is there anyone who’s happy with their Scepter 1? Elementalists hate theirs, and Necros don’t seem in love with it. Guardians are the least unhappy, I suppose.

Ironically, every class that uses their scepter seems to use it the same way — for huge burst on a single skill, and maybe some utility on the other. Maybe. They don’t seem to be handing out a scepter on any of the elite specs. Does Arena just hate scepters?

Honestly, maybe they do. Rangedone-handers, especially non-projectile, are inherently a bit problematic. The ranged 2-handers lock you in to being ranged. When you do close on a longbow or rifle player, it’s a problem for them. Scepters can be paired with melee offhands, for kits that would be really obnoxious if scepter were good. Scepter/Focus Elementalists and Scepter/Sword or Scepter/Torch Mesmers would probably be pretty obnoxious if scepter were stronger.

I like it on Mesmer when it’s traited.

For an auto attack, its insanely powerful for condi builds.

I am planning to try full sinister chrono-condi-mancer with primary scepter/pistol secondary staff.

Also – Meteorologicus >>> Bifrost

at dungeons it sucks, due to you sometimes like to use a range weapon, but dont wanna loose your dps phantasms (sword off/pistol), so… it sucks^^

Scepter aa? You mean mantra of pain! :P No, seriously, I use the scepter for it’s phantasm and bursting with #3 – it’s the best ranged option most of the time, IF you really have to go ranged (fotm).