Guild Wars 2

I’m learning how to run as mesmer properly in dungeons (pug) and my rotation is mostly the same as pre-patch. Mostly auto-attacking, keeping phantasms up, using blurred frenzy to dodge, and using support skills when needed (reflect/remove conditions/share distortion/timewarp after fire field/shatter when phantasms will die or some other need, daze to remove defiant stacks).

Am I supposed to be spamming mantras instead of autoattacking? I recently saw one mesmer in my party spamming Mantra of Pain.

MoP deals higher dps than all non-Sword autoattacks, and outdamages even that if it hits the full 5 targets (not sure against 4 targets)
Harmonious Mantras stacks also increase your reflect damage iirc, which can easily outclass your “own” dps in certain encounters.

Finally, with Restorative Mantras traited cycling MoP gives ridiculous self-sustain with incidental group heal. Without 25might that might actually help in some cases, especially for annoying constant dps like the Imbued Shaman or Slick&Sparky.
Doing this in an organised group or next to a skilled ele/engi is a waste, but if you have one of those the boss should die before you can consider a 2nd recharge anyway.

Photoloss.4817:

MoP deals higher dps than all non-Sword autoattacks, and outdamages even that if it hits the full 5 targets (not sure against 4 targets)

On the flip side of this, there’s almost no reason to use anything other than MH Sword in dungeons anyway.

But, that being said, you can use Power Spike during channeled abilities like Blurred Frenzy or Phantasm summoning, which will allow you to build up Mantra Strength stacks and do additional DPS. I think that’s the logic behind its inclusion in the Mesmer dungeon build on Metabattle.

Since the OP mentions PuGs and “long battles” I assumed they weren’t aiming for organised speedruns.
If you can spare the utility slot MoP actually is the best “ranged fallback” option, so if your group decides to range something MoP+Sw+2OH doesn’t cost you much in terms of dps and adds a lot of survivability through BF and Restorative Mantras if you need it.

In an actual speedrun most things will die before you can feasibly recharge the mantra anyway.

The rotation didn’t change with this patch, still same keep phantasms up while AA’ing with sword. One thing that did become an option (and a requirement in most cases), is spamming all your mantras before you burst. Also, spam that Mantra of Pain on CD and recharge it whenever you dodge out and need to run back to the stack, Ancient Ooze and Lupi in Arah being the perfect example of such.

frifox.5283:

The rotation didn’t change with this patch, still same keep phantasms up while AA’ing with sword. One thing that did become an option (and a requirement in most cases), is spamming all your mantras before you burst. Also, spam that Mantra of Pain on CD and recharge it whenever you dodge out and need to run back to the stack, Ancient Ooze and Lupi in Arah being the perfect example of such.

yo frifox, do you have number or link for staff phantasm with x amount of conditions. Lately I like afking with those illusions and auto attack with mantra of pain

If the phantasm coefficients stayed the same as pre-patch (all that I checked did, didn’t check Warlock/Berserker yet), then this sheet should still be valid:

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YDbNaisBlE7k7XUmNwS6Bh4sShIowucUmIAODV2XuOg/edit?usp=sharing

Photoloss.4817:

MoP deals higher dps than all non-Sword autoattacks, and outdamages even that if it hits the full 5 targets (not sure against 4 targets)

This. It’s something most ppl don’t do or understand. It makes weapons like staff, scepter and gs viable ranged options. Replacing aa with mop is awesome. Ofc, stay melee with sword if you can, and charge mop if you face more than 3 targets unless you need the boonstrip (dredges). Just make sure you never interrupt your 3rd sword aa, since that hit is the strongest.

frifox.5283:

If the phantasm coefficients stayed the same as pre-patch (all that I checked did, didn’t check Warlock/Berserker yet), then this sheet should still be valid:

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YDbNaisBlE7k7XUmNwS6Bh4sShIowucUmIAODV2XuOg/edit?usp=sharing

ty, i been wondering about the damage for dragon events. using this as my lazy afk attack

Thanks for the insights. I’ve been running fractals 50, sometimes lower and a few dungeons daily and I’m learning a lot so far, swapping traits/utilities depending on the encounter.

I’ll try using MoP as a ranged option if I can spare the skill slot. Often times I don’t because I usually load up on the following: reflect (if anything can be reflected), condition removal (if there are threatening conditions), stability (stability if I managed to catch it, stun break if I missed) and daze (to get rid of stacks for Icebow 5).

I’ve been using Greatsword as my ranged option for Mai Trin (I often act as bait for the ranged shot) and Imbued Shaman but I notice the lack of utility when I’m on it, for example I have to swap to use blurred frenzy, block on sword or reflect on focus. On those fights, I also use Imagined Burden to spam cripple on GS skills which seems to help manage the fight in case everyone is unreliable.

I’ll also consider MoP for mobs too. Most of the time I’ve only been using reflect (if needed), signet of midnight and mantra of distraction, but I’ll try to sneak MoP and see how it goes.

frifox.5283:

If the phantasm coefficients stayed the same as pre-patch (all that I checked did, didn’t check Warlock/Berserker yet), then this sheet should still be valid:

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YDbNaisBlE7k7XUmNwS6Bh4sShIowucUmIAODV2XuOg/edit?usp=sharing

Big help, Frifox. Thanks a ton!

Something I didn’t knew about the iWarlock is that it’s 10% dmg multiplier stacks aswell multiplicative wich gives it a 3x dmg against targets with all conditions… :o And this happens almost always in open world content like the silverwastes champ train.

I never understood all the GS mesmers there … look at it and cry!
(and now imagine 3 of those choochoo truck throwers!)

Only 25k? Mine hit 32k-38k on Teq. They hit hard, but slow and almost only effective on immovable targets.

One thing I usually do with mantra is to activating all of them during a big reflect (Lupi/ Bloomhunger) to stack the effect of Mantra Strength. Mantra of Distraction and Diversion stacks Vulnerability on target, and so they are perfect to spam right before a big reflect as well.

Iris Ng.9845:

Only 25k? Mine hit 32k-38k on Teq. They hit hard, but slow and almost only effective on immovable targets.

Totally doesn’t count on Teq if you hit him during the laser.

Iris Ng.9845:

One thing I usually do with mantra is to activating all of them during a big reflect (Lupi/ Bloomhunger) to stack the effect of Mantra Strength. Mantra of Distraction and Diversion stacks Vulnerability on target, and so they are perfect to spam right before a big reflect as well.

They aren’t affected by your mantra dmg modifiers, only the vuln of daze.

Fay.2357:

Iris Ng.9845:

Only 25k? Mine hit 32k-38k on Teq. They hit hard, but slow and almost only effective on immovable targets.

Totally doesn’t count on Teq if you hit him during the laser.

Why doesn’t count? Numbers are numbers. They only look pretty. In comparison, Wardens hit about 23k at the highest count.

Xyonon.3987:

Iris Ng.9845:

One thing I usually do with mantra is to activating all of them during a big reflect (Lupi/ Bloomhunger) to stack the effect of Mantra Strength. Mantra of Distraction and Diversion stacks Vulnerability on target, and so they are perfect to spam right before a big reflect as well.

They aren’t affected by your mantra dmg modifiers, only the vuln of daze.

Interesting. I would love to hear more about it. I’m under impression that reflected damage is effected by all damage modifiers, including Empowered Mantra (old) which is now carried under Harmonious Mantra (current). Unless Harmonious Mantra doesn’t give the same damage modifier Empowered Mantra used to do, all of the Lupi-one-shot work involved the use of triple Mantra plus Feedback before the Specialization Patch.

Iris Ng.9845:

Xyonon.3987:

They aren’t affected by your mantra dmg modifiers, only the vuln of daze.

Interesting. I would love to hear more about it. I’m under impression that reflected damage is effected by all damage modifiers, including Empowered Mantra (old) which is now carried under Harmonious Mantra (current).

Afaik the reflects from the mesmer (not phantasms) do use harmonious mantra modifiers just like any other direct dmg modifier.

Xyonon.3987:

Something I didn’t knew about the iWarlock is that it’s 10% dmg multiplier stacks aswell multiplicative wich gives it a 3x dmg against targets with all conditions… :o

Warlock 10% multiplier stacking multiplicatively is something that is widely accepted so I never really tested it. Who know, maybe it actually adds up additively and we’re just doing it wrong. Though, seeing how high these Warlock hits we manage pull off I’m leaning toward it really being multiplicative.

After asking around the speedrun record players, and with frifox’s confirmation, I’m positive that Mantra Strength increases the reflect damage from Feedback and Curtain. So there is one more reason to madly spam your mantra during reflect.

I guess I misread this one:

Iris Ng.9845:

Only 25k? Mine hit 32k-38k on Teq. They hit hard, but slow and almost only effective on immovable targets.

One thing I usually do with mantra is to activating all of them during a big reflect (Lupi/ Bloomhunger) to stack the effect of Mantra Strength. Mantra of Distraction and Diversion stacks Vulnerability on target, and so they are perfect to spam right before a big reflect as well.

I thought, since you are talking about phants you meant the wardens reflection.
Ofc your own reflection works with ALL modifiers on you! That’s out of question ^^