Guild Wars 2

Most of the newest condition builds I see use staff and sword/shield. So the only condition-applying attacks are from staff 1 and 5. Then there are the shatters which can apply confusion (and torment if you trait for it). Being that staff 5 can’t be counted on for pvp, is this really enough for a ‘condition’ build?

Are you talking about PvP? Because for PvP that’s actually a good condi build. You trait your shatters to apply confusion and torment if you want to take domination. Then you load up the enemy with shatters. Staff has a built in low CD stunbreak and clone generating skill with phase retreat that is perfect for this. Then you kite and outsustain with shield and BF while the confusion and torment stacks take enemies down.

So the main focus is on the shatters not on weapon skills? If so, then what is the difference between a shatter build and a condi build? Or is a condi build just a subset of shatter builds?

When you say shatter build a lot of people will think power shatter builds. Those are completely different and revolve around trying to down someone before they can react, but then they are vulnerably until their skills come off CD. I don’t see many people play it anymore because it doesn’t offer enough reward for the high risk involved with it.

And yes the main focus in PvP will be on shatters because of how PvP plays out. Its quick fights with people that will react to your actions. In PvE where attrition is more important, the focus would be on keeping condition based phantasms out and not shattering, to keep the stacks high. But that isn’t feasible in PvP because of how long it takes to get 3 condition phantasms out, and it would just drag fights on forever.

In the past builds used to “major” in a few different things – either Shatters (power and or condi once things like mtd became a thing), interrupt, phantasm, clone death, etc…

Now everything shatters (pvp).

All you have to clarify now when describing a build is what type of damage are you focusing on – power, condi or hybrid. Aside from that you will be spamming shatters on pretty much every build.

So most damage (power and condition), healing, condi clear, boon strip, blind, boons, alacrity, etc… (depending on traitlines) will be on shatters. Weapons are used to supplement damage and survival, support and control between appropriately timed use of shatters.

Note, this doesn’t include pve where it’s a case of repetitive application of supportive boons/effects through other skills.

Well you do need weapon skills to get illusions for shatter. But yeah the main pressure will be from shatter, while weapon skills and sigil (on swap) is mainly covering condition. That’s why you see metabuilds mostly run signet of illusions. Once shatter is on CDs and opponent cleansed it all you basically have no pressure.

There are couple other smart uses for weapon skills though, such as phase retreat actually generate clone right before teleport you backward so if you combine that skill and shatter fast enough you get 2 hits. Additionally summoning iWarlock also gives out auto from you so you can quickly set up your cover conditions if fast enough.

As for sword shield. Its weapon skills are mainly for setups or defense, but offensively Tides of Time (and cancel-cast) is probably the only more reliable way you can land moa now. Not saying guarantee hit but by this stage most people can tell a 1s cast.

Condi mesmer is slowly phasing out of meta in terms of roaming, but portal is still essential in generating team advantages.