Guild Wars 2

Is it good to focus on power / precision or condition damage too ( hybrid ) ?

Hi mate I undestand why you wonder this as the mesmer weapon setup in some cases get used for several builds and dmg sources.

Sword,s is best used for direct dmg builds, staff is core in condition dmg builds but also a core in most shatter builds due to its defensive abilitys and incombat movment.

Have a look at this sword/sword – staff guide. You notice that even if its a direct dmg build condition dmg play a essensial role aswell.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EJzO2btc1iE

Feel free to have a look in The shatter cat guide if you looking for a build using the setup you described.

The shatter cat guide: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Guide-WvWvW-Pve-Shatter-Cat/page/13#post1269313

only go condition damage if you’re going to use staff or rely on illusions to apply conditions.

power and precision are best for swords and pistols.

iWarlock and iSwordsman deal huge damage for a zerker build too.

I personnally used to run with a sword/pistol + sword/sword with a full rampager gear(precision+power+cnd dmg). Few things I have noticed:

No 1. Sharper image was always always better with iDuelist laying 8 crits+8 bleeding stack per phantasm most of the time.
No 2. Sharper image is pretty decent with sword clones since their attacks are spammy and crits all the time as well despite not having spectacular crits(4-10dmg).
No 3. Sharper image is worst with iSwordsman, even worst than sword clones, believe it or not.

Therefore, having an offhand sword in a power-condition build is worthless.
I switched to focus and iWarden for AoE 12crit+12bleeding and often reach my 25 bleeding cap on my targets.

Conclusion, mainhand sword is good; offhand sword is bad. Grab a pistol or a focus.

deltanium.7543:

I personnally used to run with a sword/pistol + sword/sword with a full rampager gear(precision+power+cnd dmg). Few things I have noticed:

No 1. Sharper image was always always better with iDuelist laying 8 crits+8 bleeding stack per phantasm most of the time.
No 2. Sharper image is pretty decent with sword clones since their attacks are spammy and crits all the time as well despite not having spectacular crits(4-10dmg).
No 3. Sharper image is worst with iSwordsman, even worst than sword clones, believe it or not.

Therefore, having an offhand sword in a power-condition build is worthless.
I switched to focus and iWarden for AoE 12crit+12bleeding and often reach my 25 bleeding cap on my targets.

Conclusion, mainhand sword is good; offhand sword is bad. Grab a pistol or a focus.

Sword block is better than pistol stun.
Swordsman and the duelist damage are equal.
Why is pistol better than sword ?

The thing that both weps is good, the difference is that they are good in different ways, demand a little different builds and playstyles.

Sword (OH) :

Have short cd,s hard single strike phantasm.
Block do high dmg, summon a clone at enemy and block a attack
2 clone summon abilitys for a shatter build

Have short range.
For block to work you need your enemy to hit you.
Tier 1 trait, easy accesable and need 1 trait to buff both MK and OH

Pistol (OH)

Long range, can be traited for even longer range.
On demand cc
Bleed procs x many

Easy for enemy to avoid some of the dmg from the phantasm ( dodge after 1st hit/s)
Only 1 clone summon ability for a shatter build.
No defensive ability vs stealthed enemy,s

Overall this make pistol and sword good, if you use pistol you have a easier time catch runners and put preassure on a enemy at range, still the pistols lack of a block vs thiefs make the user a little vulnebal and you need a little more passive defense. It do thu demand you to go deep dueling to trait, you cant play a shatter build without clone on dodge so 30 p in dueling if you want range and cd.

Sword have short cd,s and generate more clones. Its cheep to trait both oh and MH for shorter cd, simpley put 20 in dueling 10 for sword and 10 for clone on dodge. This open for a invest in vuln on daze and 15% dmg for phantasm, something that give a huge dmg bonus to the iswordsman.

/Osicat

Osicat.4139:

The thing that both weps is good, the difference is that they are good in different ways, demand a little different builds and playstyles.

Sword (OH) :

Have short cd,s hard single strike phantasm.
Block do high dmg, summon a clone at enemy and block a attack
2 clone summon abilitys for a shatter build

Have short range.
For block to work you need your enemy to hit you.
Tier 1 trait, easy accesable and need 1 trait to buff both MK and OH

Pistol (OH)

Long range, can be traited for even longer range.
On demand cc
Bleed procs x many

Easy for enemy to avoid some of the dmg from the phantasm ( dodge after 1st hit/s)
Only 1 clone summon ability for a shatter build.
No defensive ability vs stealthed enemy,s

Overall this make pistol and sword good, if you use pistol you have a easier time catch runners and put preassure on a enemy at range, still the pistols lack of a block vs thiefs make the user a little vulnebal and you need a little more passive defense. It do thu demand you to go deep dueling to trait, you cant play a shatter build without clone on dodge so 30 p in dueling if you want range and cd.

Sword have short cd,s and generate more clones. Its cheep to trait both oh and MH for shorter cd, simpley put 20 in dueling 10 for sword and 10 for clone on dodge. This open for a invest in vuln on daze and 15% dmg for phantasm, something that give a huge dmg bonus to the iswordsman.

/Osicat

Thanks bro , that’s what I want to hear
I will stick with staff and Dual swords .