Guild Wars 2

Carighan.6758:

@shimmerlessEU
It has nothing to do with the limitations of the Mesmer class, more with what the PU-specs (specifically Blackwater) actually do: Punish 1v1 combat.

In random games, and in free WvW roaming, there’s a neverending supply of people happily throwing themselves at every 1v1 fight, meanwhile telling themselves that this has anything to do with skill instead of build wars.

Ofc, PU shoves that right back into their face: Here’s a build which yes, quite clearly dominates 1v1.

And?
As you say, it’s not being played much outside of an entirely unsupported game format which is actually quite actively discouraged by the game. The reason is that in the end, PU needs buffs. Quite significantly. Or well, the trait is good. But the specs we can build around them, high-stealth-builds, they’re rubbish outside of 1v1. They don’t bring anything other specs don’t bring worlds better.

Sticking with it since Torch was the weapon I picked up out of liking the graphics in the beta, long before PU was ever buffed. Yet on a pure “sense”-level, playing PU is only ever worth it if you run around punishing roamers. Which is fun, especially when you read on the forums how “srsbz” they think that whole style is. :P

PU is not invincible 1 v. 1, it isn’t even the strongest 1 v. 1 Mesmer spec — there are others which are borderline unkillable and put out much scarier damage. I sort of understand where you’re coming from but I don’t think that’s cause to give PU buffs (it was buffed once before already). As far as Mesmer traits go it serves its niche quite well. Like I said it’s weak in capture points for basically the same reason no one plays Shadow Arts, it isn’t just the overdependence on stealth it’s that you give up too much to get to what are essentially selfish traits. 1 v. 1 is semi-supported in home bunkers but you can get much better results with other specs that don’t cripple your ability to keep points capped.

The appeal of PU is mostly based on the hype, the fact that it’s very simple to pick up and play and it pubstomps decently enough for the effort put in. The typical PU setup does counter some other specs (for instance DPS Guard and most crit-heavy melees) pretty hard which may give it some theoretical team value but it’s usually because of the clone death traits, not PU itself. If more people understood our class and what it’s actually capable of I really doubt the lustre around PU would last long.

The sad part is, this was ment to have fun, but not like this….not like this.

Since the RNG boon pool for PU was increased to be more ‘chaotic’ PU builds just aren’t as much hassle as they were before. Also, the community understands what PU builds can and can’t do and it lost its fotm status a long long time ago. So you’re cool…....scumbag.

zaxon.6819:

ya wvw is like one big hotjoin server.. and it really dosent matter what spec you play. And you can play torch specs without pu. People fail to realize that your survivablitly comes alot from being stealthed,, more then it does from pu. Yes i get it the buffs are ok.. But the fact that you arent even a target in a fight matters alot more then PU itself.

I just want to say that this is not at all true. The survivability comes from dire gear with protection and aegis. I hit stealthed PU mesmers all the time because I know how to counterplay stealth well. The problem is that I can never kill them just because the build is so kitten durable and shells out so much damage at the same time while remaining mobile and punishing both pursuit and reset attempts.

Wvwvw roamer opinion:

Playing PU doesn’t make you a scumbag. The combination of PU, Dire gear and Perplexity Runes every Mesmer/Every class in wvw runs makes them scumbags and cowards.

But.. playing PU doesn’t teach you anything. You don’t learn anything. You won’t learn how to be resourceful, you won’t learn to save your cooldowns, because just like any SA Thief, you amp yourself up with fool proof defensives and stealth for easy repositioning or escape. You won’t learn how to max on your damage capabilities, because you only rely on Phantasms/Illusion death effects/Illusion passives to do your damage. Watching your opponent and actively outplaying him becomes a non-factor when all you have to wait is for a dodge roll to press a Phantasm after.

If you’re looking for recognition as a wvw roamer, don’t play PU. If you don’t care, go for it.

If you play torch/veil/decoy/mass invis/PU you may be a scumbag. But you wont kill anyone either.. so you will be a sad scumbag.

zaxon.6819:

If you play torch/veil/decoy/mass invis/PU you may be a scumbag. But you wont kill anyone either.. so you will be a sad scumbag.

So in conclusion, so long as you’re killing people you’re not a scumbag. What you take and how you get the job done is irrelevant so long as they’re dead.

Killing people will either raise or lower your happiness more then your scumbag lvl.. i think that is increased my number of stealth activators.. Indirectly it is a factor because the more stealth you take the less damage you do… less people you kill … more sadness..

I love this thread, really makes me want to run nothing but PU spec in PvP, in fact i will trait Desperate Decoy, run Torch, Decoy, Veil, Mass Invi and Rune of Infiltration.
—- evil laugh —-

Mesmers gotta do, what a mesmers gotta do

If you think about it, PU does not make you a scumbag. It is the same as pretty much any thief going into the shadow arts trait line with an off-hand dagger or using p/d. It’s kinda op sure and doesn’t take much skill to play well, but that shouldn’t stop you. Play what you enjoy

You are scumbag for playing mesmer.

Soooooo much PU hate…kitten. I sincerely kitten you all PU haters. You don’t HAVE to go full on stealth build,you don’t HAVE to go full on condi build with a freakin’ PU trait. I haven’t thought up something at this moment but I’m pretty sure you can mix in some shatter traits WITH the PU trait,or maybe some interrupt traits combined with the PU TRAIT?

Is it only me,or does every kittening player automatically thinks that if anyone PLAYS PU they HAVE to have THAT trait and THOSE traits? Because certainly,if one is playing a PU mesmer they HAVE to have some “meta” PU build with THOSE predefined traits which everyone seems to think PU involves.

TBH,the OP asked if playing PU makes him a scumbag…I say no. To my understanding he speaks of one trait. Which gives him boons during stealth. If it DOES make him a scumbag let’s all just head over to the guardian forums and bash on the guards using traits which grants them boons. Or the thief using stealth. Or the necro using fear. Yes,let’s hate all the necros who use Death Shroud. because OMFG IT*S A KITTENING SECOND HEALTHBAR. SCUMBAG.

Dear OP. Go play whatever you like,and if people rage at you because they died,well then they just have to l2p.

Omg wow. Necros plz, there’s a separate forum for you.

Fay.2357:

Omg wow. Necros plz, there’s a separate forum for you.

I main a mesmer too…

insaneseagull.7063:

Fay.2357:

Omg wow. Necros plz, there’s a separate forum for you.

I main a mesmer too…

Necromancy

The sad thing is PU is the ONLY viable condi build.

I play a condition mesmer since release (even beta but im not sure). I play almost every condi build (glamour,triforce and others i create). Sadly they all have been nerf to the points that you get perfect by everyclass in the game if you try one of those build.

So one of my friend told me to play Shatter since its the only good build that doesnt make you look like a scumbad. And i hate this play style. When you see all the other classe play the most op build they can find and you just try to look good by playng shatter suck.

So i try pu and i like it because it make me play condition mesmer again. Anet wanted this since its the only build they dont nerf. I dont play the basic staff/scepter torch pu build but i find variant of it and i destroy 99% of the other pu mesmer.

Pu mesmer might be “scumbag” but its the only condition spec you can play

I can name two other condition builds that are very effective in solo q and is workable in team q with an organized team:
1. Signet Clone Death (see the build in my signature)
2. Maim the Disllusioned

Fay.2357:

insaneseagull.7063:

Fay.2357:

Omg wow. Necros plz, there’s a separate forum for you.

I main a mesmer too…

Necromancy

Oh

PU is a trait name :|, but gw2 is a kitten game no matter what build u run, only have to think about kill before is lays eggs or massive waterfield spams and blasts.

Since the necroed started, im gonna ask this.

I played my MtD build and Spirit Ranger build lately and ive been called cheese.

So,. What if for example:

Pyro and I played the same MtD build that was called cheese. But he uses it way better than me, so does that mean that he will be a different level of cheese then?

StickerHappy.8052:

Since the necroed started, im gonna ask this.

I played my MtD build and Spirit Ranger build lately and ive been called cheese.

So,. What if for example:

Pyro and I played the same MtD build that was called cheese. But he uses it way better than me, so does that mean that he will be a different level of cheese then?

He’ll be a cheese with no holes in it.

there are so much better specs then pu.. as condi and power. pu just replaces actual player skill with alot of stealth. it is a good spec to learn mesmer on but a bad spec to progress past the basics of mesmer.

Noone is complaining that pu is OP.. people are complaining that pu is just bad.

the reason people think pu is “cheese” is because your damage abilitys do not reveal you from stealth. so its a long boring skillless fight of stealth dodgeroll/ phantasms summons.. hide behind a rock while you are revealed or just block.. then afk dodge roll in stealth again..

This may win vs very bad players. but it is slow and easily replaced by so many other professions in the game that there is no good reason to bring pu to a fight.

It is a spec that tries to turn a mesmer into a bad tank.. instead of just changing professions and picking a good tank.

zaxon.6819:

there are so much better specs then pu.. as condi and power. pu just replaces actual player skill with alot of stealth. it is a good spec to learn mesmer on but a bad spec to progress past the basics of mesmer.

Noone is complaining that pu is OP.. people are complaining that pu is just bad.

the reason people think pu is “cheese” is because your damage abilitys do not reveal you from stealth. so its a long boring skillless fight of stealth dodgeroll/ phantasms summons.. hide behind a rock while you are revealed or just block.. then afk dodge roll in stealth again..

This may win vs very bad players. but it is slow and easily replaced by so many other professions in the game that there is no good reason to bring pu to a fight.

It is a spec that tries to turn a mesmer into a bad tank.. instead of just changing professions and picking a good tank.

Playing PU that way just makes you had, has nothing to do with the build itself.