Guild Wars 2

@Gaiawolf, drop only as I understand, still new patch soon so who know what will come.

@Blainers, forgot to mention, for a 1 vs 1 when you strugge cause enemy play a boon heavy spec (regen class) you can always change the 15% phantasm dmg in the hybrid for boon strip on shatter. Combinded with a daze is make wonders. Get 1 staff clone up, then a sword phantasm and a sword clone, hit swap(leap) do a daze+ mirror immage and sword blur. dodge ut and hit mindwrack.

Boons stripped, enemy dazed witch prevent alot of defenses, crippled and take big dmg, 20 + vuln stacks many confusion and a burst of mv dmg. Its lightningfast and as your clones and phantasm is at different range when you hit daze they hit in a chain, meanng long daze uptime. Same tactic but without boon strip is the common hybrid attack varied in different ways, see latest 2 vids for more tactic info about daze + burst combos with phantasm dmg mixed in.

/Osicat

D/D ele just so OP…
killed me, my tank friend (mesmer), and a 67 warrior friend…
… YES 3v1, should be no problem, but kitten this

Just doing something wrong I guess…

im currently running on tanky mesmer and had one nice fight with d/d ele today
fighting cca 5 min
couldnt kill each other

cheers Xixsa

******* Uppdate *****

Intruduction Gude for the Shatter Cat Heavy spec

Pros Cons, it also illustate that the spec have hard kill/catch tank classes who dont want to fight you. Several fights is 1 vs x but end with the enemy after lost 1-3 players deccide its not fun fight a Heavy Shatter cat and leg it.

Spec is best in team with a burst direct dmg player in team, a thief or a shatter burst mesmer. This let you preassure enemy and your friend to deal big dmg.

/Osicat

Would be cool if you could write up a little guide on your opinion of how is best to level a mes in PvE (traits, gear type etc). Not everyone enjoys powercrafting each tradeskill!

Seems a bit daunting for new mesmers to understand the class from the start, I think a lil write up would be great!

Ash

Hey Bud i Love you build and videos, Keep up the amazing work.

@Ash, will have a look at this, I started a project for lvling a while back but lost it inthe blurr or projects I have around the mesmer builds.

@Raiga, cheers mate

@All, I keep get PM,s asking for the stats for the builds. I rather give recomendations on what to aim for rather than claim you need a sertan exact stats. I will list my Phantasm hybrid stats thu as I get so many questions about em.

My gear and current stats for Phantasm Hybrid Shatter Cat 2013-01-27

With food and oil:

Power 1990
Crit chance 50% (with preci stacking sigil I get around 60-62%)
Crit dmg 100%
Toughtness: 1249 (2168armour)
Heath: 15800~ (with server buff 16500-17k~)

/Osicat

Mmm did you see the frac rings that give all stat, what you think about them? still prefer the berserker?

@Reyzhen, Hi. The al stats is best for d/d eles in my oppinion. Of the fractal rings there is one set that beat everything else for Shatter mesmers. Its the 8% crit, tough and power. I use 2 of those for 16% crit dmg and 206 tough 164 power.

http://dulfy.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ascended_ring1.jpg

/Osicat

@Osi ye i remember u found that this was ring really needed but tought u would’ t have 2…that s explain ur 1200+ tought =P i’ ll wait to see what u think about the new amulets…and ye agree d/d eles doesn t really care about which stat get up since i think the more stats they get, the better xD

Osicat.4139:

@Ash, will have a look at this, I started a project for lvling a while back but lost it inthe blurr or projects I have around the mesmer builds.

@Raiga, cheers mate

@All, I keep get PM,s asking for the stats for the builds. I rather give recomendations on what to aim for rather than claim you need a sertan exact stats. I will list my Phantasm hybrid stats thu as I get so many questions about em.

My gear and current stats for Phantasm Hybrid Shatter Cat 2013-01-27

With food and oil:

Power 1990
Crit chance 50% (with preci stacking sigil I get around 60-62%)
Crit dmg 100%
Toughtness: 1249 (2168armour)
Heath: 15800~ (with server buff 16500-17k~)

/Osicat

I use a very similar build (20/20/…/30), wearing all berserker except for 3 pieces i have 82% crit dmg, with food thats 92%. My issue is that i dont want to go full zerker to be able to achieve the 90% crit dmg mark (to be at the +100% crit dmg with food). Ive done the math and IF i go full zerker ill have 91% crit dmg, this will gimp my surv a LOT (was using full soldier set with orbs + full zerk jewely and felt that my dmg was rather meh but i have ok surv, this set up on the other hand grants 2,3k power and 17,5k hp but im not sure if that makes up the loss of precision and crit dmg)

@Reyzen, yes I use 2, I offensive infusion 1 deffensive infusion.

@Tortimer, I agree you not should use full berzerker, tbh in no of my guides do I recomend this. Still you able to reach high crit dmg without give toughness away, you using the rings I discuss wit Reyzen? As you see my toughness is rather ok, 1249 and still have high dmg stats, may I wonder what uour toughtness is with 82% crit dmg?

/Osicat

Osicat,

First of all the vids your’e posted are realy nice to see. Sadly for me I have not the skill yet to perform that. (more experienced thief) Never the less, nice to see a skilled player like this.

Now my question, I watched you’re movie about the “Cat thingy”

Swiftness > lock on target > blink beside it > then it becomes very excited for me… The skill Phase retreat has to be used. And here things go wrong for me.

After the blink things for me goes wrong, when use Phase retreat i Blink back.
Not forward? I watched youre movie multiple times and realy looked the skills when to use. And tried it for 2 hrs with no succes. So where does it go wrong for me?
Is there a setting that needs to be changed? Please help me.

Also I don’t get the damage output i see on you’re movies. Even all gear is what you have. Crit hit Blurred Frenzy is max 2,9k and shatters do 2,6k so is it changed or nerfed or something? Because the burst attack I did downed nobody. Maybe it is just being Noob in Mesmer? And being Thief al the time make my vision on other proffs blurry?
Please if you can PM me so I can get some advice to learn the way of the Mesmer! I would be very thankfull.

Thanks in advance

@Osicat,

I just wanted to thank you for this guide and all your video’s. I leveled a mesmer up to 80 and loved every moment of the class until I started playing a few sPvP matches. With every team, it felt like they were just full of GS mesmers and so I quickly got tired of the “unique” feel the class had when I first started. As I had no idea about this shatter style you listed, I quickly got bored with the class and quit.

After reading your guide and watching your video’s, you’ve renewed the love I had for this class and given me back my excitement for playing it! It’s funny too because your style of play is so much like how I used to play my warlock from WoW. Half the time, people would just get tired of trying to kill me and run away. They of course, didn’t get to run too far….

Anyways, thanks again for posting this!

Opacus.4390:

Now my question, I watched you’re movie about the “Cat thingy”

Swiftness > lock on target > blink beside it > then it becomes very excited for me… The skill Phase retreat has to be used. And here things go wrong for me.

After the blink things for me goes wrong, when use Phase retreat i Blink back.
Not forward? I watched youre movie multiple times and realy looked the skills when to use. And tried it for 2 hrs with no succes. So where does it go wrong for me?
Is there a setting that needs to be changed? Please help me.

I recall Osi mentioning he bound a key to instantly turn the camera 180 degrees. If you hit this right before triggering Phase Retreat, you should blink towards the target, assuming you were facing it before. You can hit the key again to turn around.

@FinalPatriot, cheers mate, Il keep work on the guides and vids to keep it uppdated.

@Opacus, The cat leap have confused some ppl, I try explain it in text. The basic mecanics it uses is 1 swiftness buff from rune of air, 2 blink, 3 staff skill phase retreat 4 sword leap and optional 5 pistol stun.

The phase retreat ALWAYS portal you away from your target, this make its usfullness when fully understand its mecanic huge. Its one of the best incombat mobility tools we have and can be used to climb walls (see the elementalist video if you kissed it, 1 st page), it can be used to propell you towards a hunter by mark the hunters pet, place yourself between the pet and hunter and hit staff.

Same go for the so hated sword leap, I love the ability and often use it in experemental ways to climb rocks, shatter a clone and keep the position as a leep escape etc.

To do the “Cat Leap” thu as showed in the guide this is how you do.

Start with mark target, if you solo skipp this.

1 hit heal for swiftness

2 mark a npc, a rabbit, moscito, enmy player or what ever you can find ( this is why you shoud have name playes up on everything as a mesmer).

3 blink pass the target

4 hit staff phase retreat, now it proppels you from the rabbit towars the enemy.

5 If marked hit T, if not mark enemy,

6 use sword leap

7 leap to target.

8 optional, for the Shatter cat original build you use a pistol stun before sword if range is big, this spec is best mobility of al 4 specc my guilde include.

@Exavion, Yes I use 180 degrees turn to staff leap but thats to mark a npc/enemy/target behind me, then I hit staff 2 insta leav wiev and change target, I do this wery wery fast thu. Also, sword leap work backwards, so if chased by a thief, you can turn camera 180, mark theif, hit a sword leap who will cripple him, then change to staff blink away from the now crippeled thief and then use blink for even longer distance. This can be done stealthed aswell.

Hope this helped a little.

/Osicat

Hmm, never tried the escape version, but the leap with blink and phase retreat is very good, comes in handy almost every time for me, hopefully I will try this leap/escape from thief or another enemy, think I may have done the thief escape thingy, in pvp, but not sure, but I definitely use blink and phase retreat in close order, to confuse a lot, I blink, then instant phase retreat, to make clone, and evade, or phase retreat and then blink behind them

@ Exavion, Osicat,

Thanks for the advice and the how to do.
Think the 2 hrs where not enough for me to get this working for me.
When at home I will try to test it again

But i realy got the feeling that when blinked past targeted creature and phase retreat I just teleported back towards the creature.

Still i am optimistic and willing to learn the way of the mesmer
(This old thief, needs some practice to do)

@All, reguarding 28/1 patch.

Not any game braking news. I will not alter any of the 4 builds atm, will have a look at new gear obtained thru monthly and give a update if its any “need to get”.

One interesting change, the duelist do good dmg again so the “Shatter Cat Original” build got a buff. Always good, was unsure if this was a nerf or bug, still feel I might grab my knight pistol and do some roaming tomorow after I sleept.

/Osicat

Osicat,

As a new level 80, do you have any advice on how/what gear I should be working towards? I assume that running dungeons is my only real method of getting better gear, correct?

I’m interested to know if anyone has interesting Staff Sigil ideas for the Phantasm Shatter / Hybrid spec, after you stack the Sigil of Perception. It’s a wasted sigil at that point once you get 25 stacks, so I have no problems carrying another staff — Accuracy, perhaps? Or maybe one of the more fun ones like Energy or Fire. I’m still getting used to being squishy in this build, so I can’t make a good call on this. I am used to carrying around a host of weapons (that’s how I take my Guardian through dungeons). WvW is less flexible since many battles occur without warning, but it would be nice to stop using the stacking sigil once it’s complete. What works for all of you guys who roam in small groups out there?

@FinalPatriot, If I gave any recomendations here it would be something like : Buy a rare set mix of knight and bz, craft the weps, run fractals for gold and mats. Try get somone to craft the exotic cloth for you (Mats you get from fractals). If you spend any gold do it on exotic nec and assesosaries, if not start save for this.

@Exavion, Well tbh if you swap something in after 25 stacks are up best would be something that benefit from the fact you now have 62-67% cri (depending on base gear). So a Fire aoe sigil would serv you well.

If you feel squishy in the phantasm hybrid try the heavy some. The dmg is still superb but you have so many defensive cd,s + ~1,6k toughtness. Its a true Spartan warrior spec where you can storm into the enemy army spreading havoc aroud you.

/Osicat

@Osicat, Thanks for the advice.

You’re my hero now. My Mesmer is going to name her 1st born after you…

@** Uppdate** @

Mesmer group video.

It show advance team tactics with mesmer abilitys.

/Osicat

@Osi awesome video as always =P anyway i was wondering about new laurel s nec, since there are still p/t/crt dmg what do u think if you get this nec same stat ring, and other zerk trinkets but whit 5 zerk / 1 knight(coat) as gears..?^^ i would like to get all 3 accessoryies whit p/t/crit but still feel i need a bit of prec from them too and the one get from the new zerk piece of set seems not enough ( for me that don’ t always run whit 20+ prec stack=P)

Ok, not sure what I’m doing wrong but when I explode my clones, my damage to the target is fairly minimal. They average about 500 points each. What am I doing wrong?

Amazing videos, amazing thread, you are an incredible mesmer Osicat.

And do you know what could make you even more incredible?

A Quaggan Backpack.

Yes, definitly

Hey Osicat,

Been following the forum for a couple of weeks now and absolutely love how involved you are with it. with that, I’m having difficulty figuring out what spec to play. I usually run a gs/staff power build which is fun (I’ll include the link below) but it doesn’t really take advantage of shattering, which I feel is a real advantage to our class. I try running the original shatter cat with all of your recommended gear and I feel as tho I’m a lot more vulnerable because I get up close in combat. Furthermore,when I’m using the sword I don’t feel like I can do anything when I’m out of melee range and have a the cool down to switch to staff. I just continue to evade and get clones. Any advice?

Also, I’d like your thoughts on the gs/staff build.

Here’s the link:

http://www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/68752-greatswordstaff-dps-utility-mesmer/

Ps- I usually run solo in WvW or with a partner or two.

@Reyzhen, I hade not had time theorycraft the new gear yet, I promice you and the folowers of the guide to do a uppdate on the gearrecomendations as soon as I done that. Working 70+ h this week thu and have the guild raid to attend to so I cant promice it will be done instantly, Im at work atm and the weather atm give us alot to do so cant do alot about it today, had 3 allarms already.

@FinalPatriot, check your traits, u got 20% extra dmg on mv? You got 3% dmg /clone, you got 5%dmg sigil etc? Tbh my cry of frustration hit for 500-1,1k so not sure how you get so low numbers, can you add a video of your burst mabye I can help?

@Nausicca, yeah deff but just the name of the " Infinitice Cat potion" make my hard bead at dubble pace, would make me happy Osicat to get one.

@Rabbit, yes you be close, but tbh most targets is more vulnebal than we are up close. We deal best dmg and have best defense if we go " in their face". What we not want thu is to stay there, try experement with juking in and out of npc,s some. go in and do a 2-3 sec burst, then even if its not needed juke out get some range before hit again. Then try same at enemy players.

Best recomendation I can give if you feel fragile in normal spec or hybrid is test the Shatter Cat Heavy spec but in same gear as hybrid. Its a even more bursty heavy, you get 1550~ toughtness hut keep 100% crit dmg and high crit chance.

I will have a look at you gs spec later today or tomorow morning, cant see it at the pc I use atm as its a work pc and dont like links.

/Osicat

new wid up:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxpydARmmDQ

@Osi don t worry, i just did the question before it go out of my mind =P the time isn’ t a problem also becouse will need like 3 weeks before get that nec ^^

@Osicat
Thank you so much for your indepth build! Your videos inspired me to play GW2 again.
A quick question: I see in your guide you recommend 4/6 berserkers and 1/6 knights and 1/6 Valk

Would the knight and valk pieces be the chest and leggings?

@Rickems, Knight = ckest, valk is depending on what stat you personaly value most, if you favour vitality pants=valk if you favour prec boots = valk.

/Osicat

First of all, thanks, thanks for the vids, the build, the answers you give… everything. You are doing an amazing job

I just want a little advice. I’m still reading all the 14 pages, I didn’t have enough time to read it all yet

I play usually with a big group in WvW. Which of your builds would you recommend for that playstyle? I’m thinking about your hybrid build, but I wanted to ask you first, I have to buy some gear and I can’t afford buying everything, I’ve tested 3 or 4 full exotic gears and I can’t afford spending many more gold…

Would it be a good choice? I now usually play with GS and Staff but it doesn’t convince me, I did that choice for support but I’m not happy with my build

Hey Osi,

I was just wondering if you had the opportunity to review that build I posted to you a few posts back? I’m very interested to hear your input. Thanks!

@Nymer, cheers mate glad you find the guide and answers usefull. What spec to run with in group play is a important question. It basicly come down to how organiced and skilled your guild team is. If you run in a random zerg, smal organicd team 5-8/10 players or mid size raid team 12-16/18 ppl.

My ressponsibility in the guild raids is to setup a good and effective range backbone + handle the mid range stormtroopers. How I setup this team I will explain in next video/guide for guild wvwvw gaming, it should be ready in a few days.

About the mesmer setup thu in this team this is what I dont run without in a 12-16 man team.

1 support mesmer with glamour sepc, staff +x/focus. utilitys null, feedback and x timewarp.

2 shatter mesmers with high burst and incombat mobility. veil feedback and portal on this 2 , 2x mass invis.

I generaly play one of this, and favour the hybrid or a fully dps geared Shatter Cat Heavy. If we are zerg hunting and I lead the burst team I run with a mark on me, I generaly run into the enemy zerg with al defenses immunitys and stability up, team focus aoe and dmg on my mark. For this I use Shatter Cat Heavy spec as Im in the spearhead. If I not leading the assult I play Shatter Cat Hybrid as Im not getting focused so hard plus If I die/downed its not so big loss for the raid.

To better understand how we play I will post a vid in a few days as I said and add how a basic zerg bust look.

For the smal team 5-8/10 I generaly use the Shatter Cat Hybrid spec. We play more of a secret ops team ala SAS with this numbers, go fast and stealthy, everyone in high dmg spec exept 1 support mesmer and a support stability guardian. Here burst is everything as if you hit you do it with full force burn al cd,s and then out.

@Rabbit, I had a look. First when I read it was ags/staff build I was abit worried. Seen so many ppl link GS glass cannon builds and wanted oppinions about etc. It turn out you accualy have a plan from first trait to the last, planned gear and build to synergice. You also have a plan for how to survive in a GS build, something most ppl forget.

I like the fact you not build condition just cause you apply em, conditions for mesmers are best used as a tool to cc/weaken the enemy and to controll the battle. I also like you not picked IP when you lay with 2 ranged weeps. I like you go for passive defense gear and traits, you understand you want range for GS so you get cripple spam and staff retreat. Many ppl would used berzerker gear with this setupmand first s/s mesmer they find would blow em up as fast as it take to say mind wrack.

If anything I would sit down and plan a little around your sigils, precision is strong as you cause alot of bleeding, hwo do you best se this? Do you need more energy for extra dodges? etc. Also to make the build not only a theorycraft I would love see a vid or 2 , both group and solo/duo.

/cheers osicat

Hey Osi,

Thanks for looking through the post. It’s not my post and I didn’t make the build I just run those traits. I do use the same armor/weapons setup, however the sigil/runes I use are different. I have the superior sigils slotted in my sword/staff, the ones that stack power (GS) and precision (Staff) after kills. Since I’m at range most of the time these seem to stack fairly often and they stay a while, as I don’t die to often. The only thing I have an issue with is deciding what to use for Runes in the armor. I feel like using something that stack vitality/crit, as the berserker accessories/weapons are my only crit. My power and attack are high (Just over 2k/power) and my precision is about 1,800. I’d like a bit more survivability. I usually run blink/decoy/null field. I do switch out the null field for portal or feedback depending on the situation. I took some of the evasive and play style tips from your guide, as evading should be the main defense for a mesmer.

Again thanks a lot for the input. If you have any suggestions for a Rune let me know. Thanks!

@Osicat

Thanks for answering. I’m very interested in your next guide, that “support mesmer”. I usually play with a big team, 15-20-25 people more or less, so I think in this situations my burst won’t be so importan, so I would need to center on support, I don’t know if I’m right

Usually I’m the unique mesmer in the group, or there are one or two more sometimes

I’ve seen 2 videos of “Red Guard” guild mesmers, and I would want to know your opinion. The don’t show the build, but the first thing I see is that they have 27.000 health.

What kind of build would be the best one in that kind of situations? (like in the video I mean).

I will use your hybrid build when I go in small teams, for roaming, but I want to do a big group oriented build. Your next build will be of this kind?

Thanks again for helping, awesome job! (I leave here the video links to take a look)

nymer,

i only watched the first video but that was awesome to watch! the music and the audio.

@Nymer & Rabbid, I usualy play Shatter Cat Heavy in that kind of situations. Here is a movie of Judge bigger scale fights. We dont have the numbers of Red Guard but we got some fighting spirit aswell We rely heavy on burst and movment, survival passive / acctive and teamplay.

/Osicat

Great guide and tons of helpfull tips, but why did you blocked all your videos on tablets?

@Xiciu, Its youtube who block em not I, Im sorry for this but you can see em thru the forum if you click the play symbol in the forum on the tubnail vids. Th link only thu you need a computer to show.

/Osicat

Latets Vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqz-dynj15k

I don’t usually post on forums but you made me login just to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

I play mesmer for about 2/3 month and in only ~1 hour (reading your posts and watching your videos) I learned much more than all that time playing!
I’ll start to think out of the box next time I play WvW thanks to you!

I have a little problem however. My firewall don’t let me see your trait build links and I don’t know any way to go around this problem. my firewall doesn’t like tinyurl links it seems :/

Thank you one more time and keep the videos coming!

EDIT: Problems solved. I reversed thee tiny url to its original url

@Moderat, cheers mate, glad it solved.

@All, uppdated the video section a little, added group play vids, and will clear the most outdated vids out exept guides. Important to keep this guide up to date al time.

New soloplay video incomming soon. Also working on find the best setup reguarding what neclese to use of the new. Im leaning towards the with base berzerker stats but with some vitality in second. It give crit dmg, preci power and a little vitality to stand conditions a little better.

/Osicat

PS If you ppl want a sertan guilde or wich it was made ask for it. if I have time I try add in next. I try make videos who include what ppl find hard, example the How to thief guide or the how to D/D guide.

Osi if you want to solo combat my thief or ele in Spvp to demonstrate I will fight you to the death

@Chanser, any day have to have a look in your ele guide aswell for my alt.

All ******** UPPDATE @ **************

Latest Osicat mesmer video:

/enjoy Osicat

osi u’re the best..really..i use a sc hybrid now, but i can’t choose if use s/s or s/p with staff and if take 20 point in power (with the +15% illusion damage) or 30 in precision (with the pistol range 1200)..:/ any suggestion?

You’re a real beast O.O
I had some very nice 1vx fights last night and I was very proud of me, but when I see your last video, hahaha, I think I have to improve a lot more to be as good as you.
Simply amazing !

Madara.3126:

osi u’re the best..really..i use a sc hybrid now, but i can’t choose if use s/s or s/p with staff and if take 20 point in power (with the +15% illusion damage) or 30 in precision (with the pistol range 1200)..:/ any suggestion?

yah I have the same dilemma :/

I think osi plays s/s most of the time in his videos so it’s probably his favorite/most useful comb.
I find s/p slightly more useful, just because illusionary leap has only 600 range and most of the time it harms me more than helps me (sometimes I’m within range and the illusion doesn’t show up and others, when it shows up, it stops halfway to the target, making it impossible to 3-3-2 relatively fast if needed).
It is easy to change the weapon comb when needed but I can’t say the same about the traits.

Osi, what you think about s/s vs s/p (and the corresponding trait points), in what situations to use one or the other and the current illusionary leap state?

@Nausicca & Moderat. Im Off to sleep now so I answer longer tomorow, will setup a tactic thread in short and remake the guide a little. In short, s/s offers betetr defensive setup but less range. With a s/s setup I can spec higer dps and keep high survival.

I play s/s in group not for its high dmg setup but for its survival let me keep preassure up and puch. For solo as it keep me alive vs thiefs same time as i can specc enought dps to down a guardian easy or preassure a d/d ele.

Both viable in different ways. If u go pistol thu I reccomend higher survival passive stats.

also for shatter cat heavy you want the 20 for staff cd,s. Fro phantasm you want vuln stacking and 15% phantasm dmg. With s/s a single trait (sword) give cd loweing on whole wep setup. In Hevay you have al your weps (staff and s/s) if u go s/s, pistol is doable thu in heavy and reccomend it in guide as you have the passive survival. I changed the heavy to give optional s/s thu with more offenive gear. I have 100% crit dmg and 50% crit chane same time as tought is 1500 in heavy setup.

/Osicat

yesterday i have run all the time s/s and it’s how u speak, s/s has more survivability and it’s better to fight with multiple enemy and/or a single staying in melee..pistol is to catch someone and have a little more control on enemy..so for now i’ll trying s/s continuated (but swap to pistol if group/situation needed)
thk for your answer osic ;p
(ps @moderat try s/s with 20 point in power +15% idamage and continue try it..4 me is the optimal now ;p)