Guild Wars 2

Hi all,

I’ve been toying around with a build, but I’d like some feedback on it first before I continue gearing up towards it.

The build is:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgEQRAsd7clwzqqHVTgGbNJxpHMf5NHlitbdSFcdpC8G;TABg0yvEeJ9S9lyLqiMFJKyWkrIZRLMGWsBZGB
(Copy/paste it into your browser bar, the semicolon ruins the fun.)

Dungeons:
My first big source of damage, of course, is through team support, being able to grant a good amount of buffs every 45 seconds, and every buff in the game every 90. (Lyssa runes) I can also spread confusion like mad, and just about everything I do reflects projectiles, which is huge in some (parts of) dungeons. (Changing Illussion II to Illusions IV and my sword #2 attack reflects. I can also change my heal to a reflection heal).
Against melee mobs, I usually use phantasms and my sword for pretty decent to high in your face damage. Next to my scepter/sword, I also have a greatsword on me. On smaller mobs, I may switch to GS instead of Scepter/Sword, but on bosses or anything with big damage, being able to spam clones for all the shatter effects, retaliation on CoF and Confusion spamming on all their big attacks is pretty nice. The clone production on scepter also assures that (because of the no clones on dodge trait), I can still get clones up pretty reliably for a big heal with Ether Feast.

WvW. This build is probably even more fun in WvW in bigger groups. (Coordinated over TS, prefably) Again, a kittenload of reflections and buffing oppertunity’s out of the wazoo. And of course, Mesmers in WvW are useful for portalbombing and stealthing anyway. A good thing that my Portal and Veil both last longer and are more readily available.

Now, the reason I’m making this thread is that a part of the strategy relies on Lyssa runes buff fests. I love Lyssa runes and have them on more characters with short CD heals and elites, but with signet of inspiration, the Mesmer is by far the most amazing Lyssa abuser, as it basically makes the Lyssa runes apply to every ally.
However, even if I’m a Lyssa fan, I realize that my survivability with this build isn’t huge. I know shattercat and similar builds use full berserkers as well, and I do fine with such builds. For my build however, I pretty much need to get up close and personal with sword. And even if I can negate a lot of the big damage, it’s usually the small quick auto-attacks on smaller mobs that melt through my health. (I’m freaking squishy!)
I’m really really unsure if I want to continue with the Lyssa buff strategy in this particular build (which is centered around glamour and reflection, buffing is just an icing), and get runes instead that give more survivability. Dolyak for example.

Sum up. I love my build. I’ve used it for some time now. Berserker’s gear is already bought, and as it is (with just ruby orbs in them, no runes), if I follow the strategy of getting in mobs faces against melee mobs, I get hurt quite a bit. Should I perhaps tweak my build a little or consider a weapon change, but proceed to get Lyssa runes? Or drop the Lyssa/buffing/signet of inspiration part and go for Dolyak runes?

Thanks in advance for the help!

I enjoy using glamours, even when soloing since it provides you some combo fields and you can self-combo. Signet of Inspiration is a great group support, even if without Signet Mastery so you don’t have to have that trait, but 10 points in Dom does have some decent major traits to choose. Since you’ll be more up-close-and-personal with your foes, I think swapping 10 points from Inspiration to Illusion and take Illusionary Persona would benefit you more. Without Deceptive Evasion, you will be relying more on your weapons to provide you clones, as you said. With Illusionary Persona, you can at least use your shatter skills even with no illusions out.

As much as Signet of Inspiration is great, you already provide good support with glamours and damage mitigation via illusions taking the hits for you and your allies, so you can replace SoI with perhaps one of the stun-breakers – Decoy, Mirror Images, or Blink; the 3 stun-breakers have their usefulness and I probably would recommend Mirror Images the most to help give you 2 extra clones for shatter. Also, since Shattered Strength got buffed, you’ll have 3 stacks of might per illusion shatter.

Can’t comment on the whole build, but this part caught my eye:

Yllnath.2573:

Changing Illussion II to Illusions IV and my sword #2 attack reflects.

Are you sure about that? The wiki says:

This trait only affects distortion caused by shattering (F4) and the trait Blurred Inscriptions. It does not affect the “Blur” buff gained from Blurred Frenzy.

I’m pretty sure that Aleph Naught is correct about the distortions being two different things and not affecting sword 2.

If you want more survivability my suggestion would be to ditch the 10 in domination, you don’t need the faster signet recharge, and put those points either in illusions to get illusory persona so you can self shatter f3 to daze or f4 for distortion whether you have clones/fants up or not. Or put those ten points in dueling for the clone on dodge skill so you can put up oodles more clones, ditch the scepter and use a staff.

Or take ten out of inspiration and get deceptive evasion AND max illusion trait line. I don’t really see traiting for focus as being very useful (doesn’t warden already reflect projectiles?). If I were you and wanting to use the gear you have I’d do this for wvw (using glamours/confusion, also notice switching the heals, mirror reflects as well as shorter cd so more boons from your runes) http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgEQNAsdWl0zqqHVTgGb9IyJFMXzh6x1ZdVXJF82FC;TABg0yvEeJ9S9lyLqiMFJKyWkrIZRLMGWsBZGB
And then for dungeons switch the traits to this, and I’d probably swap out focus for pistol or sword: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgEQNAsdWl0zaqHVTgGb9IyJFQXyh6B4ldfXJF82FC;TABg0yvEeJ9S9lyLqiMFJKyWkrIZRLMGWsBZGB

Kazhiel.8194:

I’m pretty sure that Aleph Naught is correct about the distortions being two different things and not affecting sword 2.

He is correct. The reflect from distortion trait also doesn’t apply to the distortion from signet use (Dueling trait).

I use glamour skills mostly in pve even if I can’t trait for them (would rather not give up the damage ability). Feedback and Null Field are much better for the party than selfish skills, even if the cooldowns are substantially longer (I’m looking at you Mantra of Resolve).