Guild Wars 2

I’m a noob, one week in, and was playing a mesmer up to 31.

I’ve had a couple frustrating experiences with being downed. These are just in order of how I recall them. This is just in open world PVE.

A) downed by ranged npc. I mash buttons, phase retreat away. I’m now out of range of my target. But in the target’s range. Unable to mash buttons.

B) downed, mash buttons, phase retreat, now out of aggro range of npc. Npc runs away. No attackers. I die anyway. Was there a condition on me?

C) downed, mash buttons, phase retreat, now there’s an obstacle in the way. I die.

D) downed, phase retreat into other npc. Now have at least one fresh add. Sometimes I get up, but then am usually downed again. Is there a talent later on to give me a shield when I rally? Will that help?

E) phase retreat, lose target lock, hit tab but pull up several non-aggroed NPCs, can’t find mine. I die. This one is primarily poor player skills. On a side note, I lose target lock a lot. I thought I had correctly checked a menu box to have “sticky” targeting. Maybe, it’s not what I expect it to be.

I’m not saying the mechanic is flawed. I’m not saying I have any idea how to improve my situation.

I am saying: I feel like bemoaning my situation. I couldn’t find a post on this and would like a little commiseration if it’s out there.

ATM, the best advice I have for myself is get to level 60 and hopefully not get downed so much.

I’m so frustrated with the mechanic that sometimes I just let myself die. I guess I do have a suggestion for improvement. ArenaNet, could you add a button to let me skip ‘fight to survive’ sometimes and just go straight to my waypoint? That would be nice.

This is my first toon and I did read tons about difficulty leveling a mesmer. But they seem so unique! I just had to!! But now I’m trying out either ranger, thief, or warrior just so I can have an easier way to enjoy content and views. At some point after 70 or so on the alt. I’ll have enough gold to craft the mesmer up to 60 and continue on.

You can also just do nothing if you go downed and let yourself die if you prefer that.
Though I prefer to spam 1-4 and kill something so I rally and just easily stealth/bink/run away or just continue fighting since, most of the times, your healing is off cooldown the time you rally.

It seems that you’re missing some major mechanics of downed state.

First of all, number 2 isn’t phase retreat, it’s an entirely distinct skill.

Secondly, your health will decay over time while in downed state unless you channel the 4th skill to heal yourself.

Thirdly, that advice given to you is correct. You shouldn’t ever really be getting downed unless you’re trying to solo champions.

If you’re losing target a lot, you may want to make sure the “Right-click to attack/interact” option is turned OFF. Otherwise right-clicking to move your camera around tends to decide to drop your target half the time.

Also, in general, I find the easiest way to get a rally in the open world is not to mash buttons at all:
1. Spot lowest-hp target
2. Start attacking it
3. When it gets too close, use #2 to stealth away
4. In stealth – DON’T attack, instead channel your heal (if you attack you’ll get revealed)
5. By now your Illusionary Rogue should be ready – Backstab the lowest-hp dude, get a rally.

Finally – you’re a mesmer, what are you doing getting downed by a ranged npc in the first place? Feedback + Focus, and you’re golden.

Mesmer at 31 can be a little difficult , untill lvl 40 when you can trait 20 duelling to make clones when you dodge.

That said, levelling is still fairly even just playing very basically using greatsword and sword + (focus/pistol/sword) .
Remember to make clones to tank the enemy hits, summon phantasms for dmg…..then swap weapons and do the same again. Watch your 3 illusion lights on bottom left of your screen, to see when you have less then 3, save your clone summon skills to use then so you dont waste clones when you already have 3 out.

As long as you have the clones and phantasms out tanking the mobs you shouldnt be taking much dmg.

Get the utility skills, Decoy,mirror images, signet of illusions are all good for a levelling up mesmer.

You can even just solo the pve content using just the greatsword .

Try this guide also:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Lazy-Kai-s-Guide-to-PvE-Leveling-Guide-Update/first#post850721

Down state is a peculiar mechanic. Regardless of the context, when you’re downed your main objective is to “tag” an enemy with damage (npc or player) that you think will be killed before you die in order to rally.

While this pre-death mechanic can be confusing at times or frustrating for new players it actually adds more depth to battles that weren’t there before. For super troll times you can roll a ranger or necro for downstate awesomeness. If you spec your necro right downstate becomes a super power.

Lifewaster.5912:

Watch your 3 illusion lights on bottom left of your screen, to see when you have less then 3, save your clone summon skills to use then so you dont waste clones when you already have 3 out.

Have to disagree slightly with this point. Every clone summon skill that a Mes has does something incredibly useful as well as generating a clone.

Mirror blade for might and a projectile finisher, Phase Retreat for the teleport and leap finisher, Illusionary Counter for the torment and block, Illusionary leap for a cripple and leap finisher and Illusionary riposte for the block. Underwater we have Spinning Revenge for retaliation and feigned surge for murdering targets trapped up against walls.

So yes, save these skills for clone generation when you need it, but use them for the rest of the skills powers when you need them as well even if you have 3 illusions in play.

Oh, and ignore the ones that say you shouldn’t go down as a Mes, it happens to us all every now and then, just way less than the other classes.

Thanks for the advice!

I realize I don’t understand this mechanic. I’ve panicked and not read the tool tips. I thought 4 just emoted for help and since nobody was around to revive me. But as a self heal, that’ll make a big difference. I’ll remember 2 stealths me away and to stop attacking.

I often right click to move camera so I’ll check that setting.

I have mirror image, signet of illusion an feedback out but maybe i’ll try decoy instead of mirror image for awhile.

Decoy + Blink + Feedback have always been my go-to skills for running around the world.
Mirror Images is more for shatter bursting, and the SoI bonus isn’t really necessary, specially since they buffed base HP for illusions.