I replace the soldier’s amulet with a cleric’s amulet. I lose vitality, but gain a massive amount of healing power. With that amulet, ether feast heals for an enormous amount, and regen ticks for 270. It’s quite fantastic.
Hehe, I did that too. Was trying your build with cleric’s instead of soldier’s stats. It’s incredible how much Ether Feast heals now, but what’s even more incredible is how often I don’t even use it. Thanks to all the defensive tools and permanent regeneration ticks my hitpoints usually stay at proper levels – without casting my heal!. I seriously consider using Mirror heal instead just for the reflection effect. On the other side it feels dumb not to use Ether Feast when you have 3 illusions up almost all the time.
One idea behind my change to cleric armor was the increased healing for myself and the other players around me. On myself it makes a difference, but it’s hard to tell how much it helps my allies.
A downside is the lower hitpoints pool. If you are in a zerg fight and receive too much burst damage, the healing doesn’t help because you are already in downstate. With a higher hitpoints pool (from soldier’s armor) you might survive it.
On the plus side, many zerg fights in WvW last very long, and having the extra healing power is great for those long, drawn-out battles.
Overall, this is more a 1vs1 build and not very useful in large WvW zergs, but this has nothing to do with clerics or soldiers armor, it’s the build itself.
I tried the cleric amulet in sPvP. While the healing gain is notable, the resistance to conditions is even lower and got me killed more often than not.
Wouldn’t recommand, unless you know exactly what you are doing. The soldier’s amulet is still more permissive.
So I just got done reading this thread from front to back . All I have to say is great theory crafting on the build . You were on top of all the questions about why this and why not that lol , I also like the high armor on my Mez , I got all my p/v/t armor I just need a few more Arah token’s so I can get my mask to have the full set . I’ve been following Seven and Osicat’s threads and came across your . Your build seems to suit my play style more then the others . I never really liked the focus for anything except for pulling peeps of ledges lol after playing around on one I am actually loving it now . I don’t know if I will love it more then the pistol though but well see for sure .
So after reading everyone’s comments I only have one question believe it or not lol . So my Mes is my main toon and she has the power , toughness and crit damage trinkets well the accessory’s and back piece all ascended and I have the p/v/t rings . Do you think they would be sufficient or should I start going for a full p/v/t set ? I remember reading on one of the post’s about the build not really focusing on crit chance and crit damage and the stats in the build being low . If I was to have to get another set I wouldn’t mind fOtM is cake and easy to get relics just the accessory’s is gonna suck is all . But it will give me something to do once I find a active fun guild that’s drama free lol . Well thanks for taking the time for posting and sharing your build with the Mesmer community .
I Anonymity I-Lvl 80 Mesmer
Commanders of the Reborn Empire [CORE] Ehmry Bay
So I just got done reading this thread from front to back . All I have to say is great theory crafting on the build . You were on top of all the questions about why this and why not that lol , I also like the high armor on my Mez , I got all my p/v/t armor I just need a few more Arah token’s so I can get my mask to have the full set . I’ve been following Seven and Osicat’s threads and came across your . Your build seems to suit my play style more then the others . I never really liked the focus for anything except for pulling peeps of ledges lol after playing around on one I am actually loving it now . I don’t know if I will love it more then the pistol though but well see for sure .
So after reading everyone’s comments I only have one question believe it or not lol . So my Mes is my main toon and she has the power , toughness and crit damage trinkets well the accessory’s and back piece all ascended and I have the p/v/t rings . Do you think they would be sufficient or should I start going for a full p/v/t set ? I remember reading on one of the post’s about the build not really focusing on crit chance and crit damage and the stats in the build being low . If I was to have to get another set I wouldn’t mind fOtM is cake and easy to get relics just the accessory’s is gonna suck is all . But it will give me something to do once I find a active fun guild that’s drama free lol . Well thanks for taking the time for posting and sharing your build with the Mesmer community .
Hiya, glad to see you’re enjoying the build and thread.
Power/toughness/crit damage does work, but the issue is, as I mentioned before, you will have really low crit chance. In my build, I just have the base crit chance of 4%, which generally makes any crit damage mods more or less of a useless stat. A full P/v/t set would be better, but P/t/critd will work.
I actually use a full set of sentinel’s armor and weapons now (V/t/p), though I stay with soldiers trinkets because ascended sentinel’s doesn’t exist. It works a bit better than soldiers, but ultimately it’s not a huge difference.
Any change in view about this build with bounce nurf?
The bounce change doesn’t really affect this build at all. My damage and survival never came from staff bounces. They certainly are nice, and it would be better if it were fixed, but it doesn’t actually impact this build at all.
Is the Retaliation gained from the leap/swap bugged? Many times i have stood on the temporal curtain and receive the speed buff but after activating leap i only get the Retaliation now and then :/
Is the Retaliation gained from the leap/swap bugged? Many times i have stood on the temporal curtain and receive the speed buff but after activating leap i only get the Retaliation now and then :/
Yes, it is somewhat bugged. This started appearing a month or 2 ago. The most reliable way to do it, I find, is to position temporal curtain so that you can leap along the line towards your target, and that almost always works properly. Using it as before by just putting yourself in the line and leaping out of it only works sometimes…although it always shows the combo finisher popup.
Awesome 1 v X video ! Could u tell me how to complete phase retreat forward without looking back? Your phase retreat is so quick! I know there is a faceback key but it is very slow to change the camera.
Awesome 1 v X video ! Could u tell me how to complete phase retreat forward without looking back? Your phase retreat is so quick! I know there is a faceback key but it is very slow to change the camera.
When using phase retreat with a target, you will blink away from that target, regardless of the direction you are facing.
What do you think about substituting the Asura racial Pain Inverter for one of the Slot Skills? If so, which one would you recommend swapping out: Decoy, Mirror Images, or Phantasmal Defender?
BTW your guides and videos are by far the best learning tools on the internet. You are a natural teacher. Thank you!!
What do you think about substituting the Asura racial Pain Inverter for one of the Slot Skills? If so, which one would you recommend swapping out: Decoy, Mirror Images, or Phantasmal Defender?
BTW your guides and videos are by far the best learning tools on the internet. You are a natural teacher. Thank you!!
If you were to use pain inverter… I’d honestly suggest going for a Mesmer confusion build. Something around scepter torch…
I can confirm that Vengeful Images does nothing during the 5 seconds of retaliation, making this build really just a tanky shatter build atm.
I’ve tested it thoroughly. As it turns out, the retal DOES work. However, the devs somehow managed to couple the retal damage to the phantasm itself and not the Mesmer, causing us to see no damage floaters from it.
I’ve tested it thoroughly. As it turns out, the retal DOES work. However, the devs somehow managed to couple the retal damage to the phantasm itself and not the Mesmer, causing us to see no damage floaters from it.
Good to know. I tested on some mobs and didn’t see the floater and their health didn’t go down before the phantasm was killed.
When I used multiple phantasms it looked like normal phantasm damage and nothing else. I assume you tested it with a friend and they were able to check the logs or something.
I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I am having increasing problems with engi 1v1 … do you have any advice on them? I read your piece at the beginning but it doesn’t seem to be working ..
I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I am having increasing problems with engi 1v1 … do you have any advice on them? I read your piece at the beginning but it doesn’t seem to be working ..
Are you using this build for the duels? If so, that’s your problem as this build is no longer truly viable, but I’m glad to offer advice otherwise.
Having played extensively since the big patch, I’ve come to the unfortunate conclusion that this build is no longer viable. The retaliation trait was the very basis of this build. With that trait effectively gone, this build no longer has any offense available to it, and simply becomes a difficult to kill Mesmer that you can completely ignore.
I will be adding this note to the beginning of the build. Many of the tips and tricks I have in the guide are still helpful and valid, so I’ll be leaving it up, but until Anet fixes the retaliation trait into a form that isn’t worthless, this build will unfortunately remain unplayable.
@Pyro – have you thought about making the build more condition focused to do your damage? This is something I threw together real quick and uses your favorite scepter/torch combo :-P but I’m thinking it would have some good survivability.
A bit less vitality, more toughness (not that this is good, just how it came out).
Reflections go from warden’s feedback to Feedback/Masterful Reflection.
Illusions master goes from shatter CD to IE which is good for Staff/iMage in condition dmg builds.
Of course with PI, you have that much more survivability going stealth and gaining those awesome boons while stealthed.
No lemongrass soup in favor of extra condi duration w/pizza. Higher healing power/regeneration from phantasms can help to offset bleeds and somewhat offset poison/burning.
Traited glamour CD versus mender’s purity. Condi management comes from melandru runes and regen. You could swap decoy with the iDisenchanter as well since you have multiple other stealth sources (though on long CD). iDisenchanter becomes another regen source.
Boon duration and condition duration are average, having to manage both together in the build but not too bad. I’m sure you could tweak it. Illusions adept could go 33% confusion duration.
I don’t know – sure the power based Immortal Build itself as you built it isn’t as viable anymore, but the Immortal concept is too good; I have to believe it can live again with a different spec, maybe even using very similar traits. Have you experimented with anything else along these lines? If you come up with something while we wait for Anet to revert the phantasm retal change (ha), you can call it 2.0, etc :-)
@skcamow: My immortal build isn’t the only viable tank build out there, not by a long shot. However, the immortal build is designed as a retaliation tank, and that is no longer possible. You can make other very effective tank builds, but this particular one no longer really works.
“When possible, we try very hard not to take away too much potency from popular builds because we know that a lot of people enjoy them – but occasionally we do need to bring some abilities down in power.”
If by “bring down in power” they mean make utterly useless, mission accomplished.
You’d think after a month youd forget these broken promises, but I just went from infuriated to very much annoyed and dissapointed, which is, i guess a slight improvement…
:(
edit: I hope arenanet is listening by the way, In my oppinion it wasn’t even overpowered.
New Rainbow Guild – An open-minded guild exclusively for Transgender people! Warning:link may contain traces of awesome. Lyssa’s Grimoire – a guide every Mesmer should read.
There are other viable tank builds that have good condi damage. Sad to see one of the good tank builds go the way of the DODO. Sad to say anet has effectively wrecked mesmer. :/
Hello, I’ve seen all of your videos and became a great fan
In the last few days I’ve gathered my invader’s armor from the chest badge drops and I’d like to know if this build is still viable or not. (?)
I was thinking about changing the runes to a more offensive one or ruby orbs. And make it a little bit more offensive. Would that work?
Having played extensively since the big patch, I’ve come to the unfortunate conclusion that this build is no longer viable.
are there any similar builds that may use up my hardly gathered soldier armor or it all should go to salvage?
You can make a pretty good tanky phantasm build with soldiers gear, though I don’t know exactly what traits youd want for that off the top of my head…something like 10/30/10/20 or so. You could also take a look at jportell’s protection build, that would work nicely with the soldiers gear.
Having played extensively since the big patch, I’ve come to the unfortunate conclusion that this build is no longer viable. The retaliation trait was the very basis of this build. With that trait effectively gone, this build no longer has any offense available to it, and simply becomes a difficult to kill Mesmer that you can completely ignore.
I will be adding this note to the beginning of the build. Many of the tips and tricks I have in the guide are still helpful and valid, so I’ll be leaving it up, but until Anet fixes the retaliation trait into a form that isn’t worthless, this build will unfortunately remain unplayable.
I read quite a bit of this thread more than once and I am so sorry that Mesmer is now another toon I have to shelve until they figure out how to make it viable in every single area – WvW, pvp, and pvE…
Darn it – I needed a range damage, won’t-die-every-five-seconds and not a Guardian…
I know, roll a Necro, thanks.
Just a question that many probably want to know…
Are you still playing the game and if so, what are you playing?
Thanks.
Not keeping all IT jobs here is a major reason IT is so bad HERE. 33y IT 10y IT Security
It’s been 3 months since the last update… What is everyone’s thoughts on viability? I’m still debating between empowering my interrupts or doing a passive confusion stacking build.
The nerf to vengeful images killed this build unfortunately. It hasn’t been viable for many moons. Which is sad cause I loved it and my favorite gear combination is on my set for it.
It’s been 3 months since the last update… What is everyone’s thoughts on viability? I’m still debating between empowering my interrupts or doing a passive confusion stacking build.
Yeah, my build is no longer viable unfortunately. I explained this a bit more in-depth in my post several months ago.
This build was designed around the mechanic of retaliation amplification, and that just isn’t possible anymore in a viable way, despite trying several ways to get it functioning again.
I’m sorry if my questions have already been answered but I don’t want to go trough all the article. So I discovered this build when I created my mesmer and I decided then my mesmer would have this build. It’s unfortunately only now that I see all the comments saying it’s not an effective build anymore…
My question is simply why ? I did realize (I think) that the amount of damage given back by retaliation is always the same…Is it that? I thought that the more you had power, the more retaliation would hurt…was I wrong? I really liked this build so if anyone knows good and effective mesmer builds that I could use, please, share with me.
Takes some getting used to which is a challenge
