Guild Wars 2

Hey guys, another week and another build video. This week I put together a shutdown mesmer that seems to work really well in 1v1s (and soon, team fights!). With the help of mantras and the new and improved halting strike, the build aims to put an end to all those annoying things mesmers hate…. including themselves. Check out the video below for more info, tips, tricks, the who, what and why and check out the different build variations for each of the different game formats (for PvE it’s basically my own version of Chaosangel’s Chaosmancer).

PvP: http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAsaRlwzyoHSTlGb9IiJF9mvR6hpxarWJF42FC-TsAg0CnIkSJlTKjUSpsSN+Y9xEBA

WvW: http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAsaRlwzyoHSzoGb9IiJF9mvR6hpxarWJF42FC-j0CBoiCi0HBiQAM9RQMRSZtsuIas6aYKXAaXRW9KpmzFRrWKgRFGB-w

PvE: http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAW8dl4zCoHWzqGaNJhpH923A/8hkj+A4JVw1A-jADBYfCy0fwkIBK5RQM7BJRKrFhFRjVZDT5KQaXJW9C1grIa1A-e

all maaaantra utility?
::tilts head::

For the love of mantra charging, why?

This spec when the mantra buff hits will be very very decent. +1 for using all mantra utils. Also nice video explaining your spec. I’m going to test more of this spec, as it is really neat.

Helios.3598:

all maaaantra utility?
::tilts head::

For the love of mantra charging, why?

You can replace 2 of those mantras with a different skill if you feel like it, but personally I’m okay with mantra charging. I’ve never really had a problem with charging mantras in a fight, usually because I don’t spam them like crazy unless I’m outnumbered. So I usually have at least 1 charge left if I play really conservatively.

Soon those mantra will be applying aoe group support in the October patch that’s coming up soon. This build looks like it’ll be getting some love soon.

Warlord of Chaos.7845:

This spec when the mantra buff hits will be very very decent. +1 for using all mantra utils. Also nice video explaining your spec. I’m going to test more of this spec, as it is really neat.

Thanks, I try to do my best with explanations, tips and tricks that I learn along the way. Hopefully you’ll find the build fun and formidable even before the buffs.

I am looking forward to how this mantra buff will work… I may run a PU mantra healer build…. Gonna be interesting. lol.

jportell.2197:

I am looking forward to how this mantra buff will work… I may run a PU mantra healer build…. Gonna be interesting. lol.

Oh my goodness… that is going to be painful to fight against….

Add in tons of stability and group protection…. We may not over take guardians. But a mes guard combo…. Lets just say….

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/293/590/6f6.gif

jportell.2197:

Add in tons of stability and group protection…. We may not over take guardians. But a mes guard combo…. Lets just say….

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/293/590/6f6.gif

Dude, even before the patch the combo would still be good. If a team was to take Chaosangels Boonstorm/Chaosmancer build into a team fight, that would be crazy boons infinatum. Throw in the update and you have something so beastly that I would actually call it OP.

I want to like mantras and I’ve tested them thoroughly in spvp. The nearly 3 seconds if inactivity due to mantra charging kills any usefulness mantras provide. Taking three mantras and attempting to charge them during and even fight and winning is impossible. When you charge a mantra you are both not doing damage and are allowing yourself to be hit for nearly 3 seconds. Most tuned burst build can drop you in 5 seconds in pvp. As for the cleanse and stability updates, they’ll need to increase the stability duration to get my interest.

Jportell makes the only positive point about mantras and that’s the PU buff. You can kind of getaway with charging mantras while stealthed. Yet, doing so still forces you to be inactive which reduces your dps and lightens the pressure on your opponent.

The only thing that would make mantras viable in pvp would be for them to make you invulnerable while you charge them. Another option would be to make the recharge passive. Essentially, once you’ve used up your charges and the CD wears off, the mantra will passively recharge on its own and would not be interrupted by anything you do.

Helios.3598:

I want to like mantras and I’ve tested them thoroughly in spvp. The nearly 3 seconds if inactivity due to mantra charging kills any usefulness mantras provide. Taking three mantras and attempting to charge them during and even fight and winning is impossible. When you charge a mantra you are both not doing damage and are allowing yourself to be hit for nearly 3 seconds. Most tuned burst build can drop you in 5 seconds in pvp. As for the cleanse and stability updates, they’ll need to increase the stability duration to get my interest.

Jportell makes the only positive point about mantras and that’s the PU buff. You can kind of getaway with charging mantras while stealthed. Yet, doing so still forces you to be inactive which reduces your dps and lightens the pressure on your opponent.

The only thing that would make mantras viable in pvp would be for them to make you invulnerable while you charge them. Another option would be to make the recharge passive. Essentially, once you’ve used up your charges and the CD wears off, the mantra will passively recharge on its own and would not be interrupted by anything you do.

This pretty much sums up the issues with mantras, it’s the downtime for having to charge an ability, that’s the time that your completely exposed and pretty much defenseless. If that charge get’s interrupted you have a few 5 seconds before you can even start to charge again. I’ve started running an interrupt build for sPvP with Mantra of Distraction and even with one mantra I feel slightly handicapped when i have to hide somewhere to charge it up :p

As helios quite rightly says, there needs to be something added to mantras to give something back when charging them, a simple change to Protected Mantras would be a good starting point, maybe to give you distortion or a % chance to gain distortion or reflection/block while charging the mantra.

Added the build to the Lockdown Builds list.

Everything looks pretty well put-together here. Not sure about MoConcentration and MoResolve though (until the patch, that is). For now, you may wanna consider Decoy / Null Field in their place so you’ll have more enemy boon removal and AoE condition cleanse (and safer disengage + mantra charge)

Also.. I’ve found Debilitating Dissipation (Chaos V) to be better AoE control and defense than compounding Illusionary Defense. Your clones’ll spread AoE Weakness (Awesome)/ 3x Vulnerability (Not bad)/Bleeding (Extra damage but.. meh) on death and when overwritten.. which can be really useful.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

Added the build to the Lockdown Builds list.

Everything looks pretty well put-together here. Not sure about MoConcentration and MoResolve though (until the patch, that is). For now, you may wanna consider Decoy / Null Field in their place so you’ll have more enemy boon removal and AoE condition cleanse (and safer disengage + mantra charge)

Also.. I’ve found Debilitating Dissipation (Chaos V) to be better AoE control and defense than compounding Illusionary Defense. Your clones’ll spread AoE Weakness (Awesome)/ 3x Vulnerability (Not bad)/Bleeding (Extra damage but.. meh) on death and when overwritten.. which can be really useful.

Thanks for the trait advice but for the mantras, the thing is, with the condi necros combined with the Stun Warriors, 3 stun breakers on a low CD, three 2x condi removers (which I only use when I see high stacks of bleeding or burning on me) are just too good to pass up. Only today was I able to take on a Warrior with his repeated stuns because my stun breaks are off CD just as fast has his stuns and necros, 1v1 it’s not even a contest anymore.

I’ve considered your suggestions (and I urge anyone who has problems with mantras to go that route) but for me, I find the mantras the best choice atm.

Gameplay vid for those who would like to see how this build can be played in Solo Queues and the like.