Guild Wars 2

I’m working on a hybrid celestial MtD shatter build for solo roaming and looking for some constructive criticism. Here’s the tentative build: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQJARWlknpMttpxRNcrNSpBZyfcEUXGNlkBAA-TViFABKcIA4TJokq/AwDAI49HoS53Z6CS4CAcwRAgQAK2CA-w

Traits: The trait setup is 40406, so no deceptive evasion. Instead, we’ll be relying on Illusionist’s Celerity and the CD reducing traits for greatsword/staff to keep up clones/phantasms. With Chaotic Dampening/Greatsword Training, you can put our two phantasms per weapon rotation. Crippling Dissipation punishes foes that try to cleave down our illusions and synergizes well with our double-ranged weapon setup. I am currently leaning towards Greatsword Training over Shattered Concentration and Illusionary Elasticity over Illusionary Invigoration.

Weapons/Sigils: Energy is on GS due to 6s Phase Retreat. Hydromancy provides a little extra damage while filling a similar role to Crippling Dissipation. Scepter may be too strong to pass up in the future, not sure.

Runes: Tormenting runes works well with MtD and has a heal-proc CD that lines up perfectly with Ether Feast. I use Traveler’s on my power set, but I could also see that working well if there are points in Dueling for Sharper Images or if we have Debilitating Dissipation. I don’t think mesmer can capitalize well enough from Nightmare runes for it to be worth using over Traveler’s.

Armor/Trinkets: Ascended Celestial gear is relatively easy for me to obtain because I run fractals. Every armor box that drops from bosses has an option for a Celestial piece. Running Dire armor and Zerk trinkets will also get you 90% of the way there, but you miss out on a lot of extra stats save ~150 power.

Nourishment: Super Veggie Pizzas bring up our torment and confusion duration to 89% and 101%, respectively, before runes/defensive food. I went with sharpening stones to buff the direct damage side of things, as precision and condition damage wasn’t really a concern.

Main Concerns: This build might be more effective as a phantasm build. Limited condition removal means that perfect arcane thievery execution is required.

Losing 4 into Dueling is so very hard to drop for a hybrid build. Outside of the obvious DE, you lose vigor and illusion bleeds on crit. I think you have to go 4 there, and then choose where to put the other 4.

Lol, in the title I thought with CC you meant Crowd Control^^

But following this misconception. Why not make it a CC build?
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQJARWlknpMt1oxRNcrNitBZyOEBUPkjsySGghB-TViFABKcIA4TJokq/AwDAI49HoS53Z6CS4CAcwRAgQAK2CA-w

My changes:

• Chaos X to Chaos VIII + Mantra of Distraction —> might stacking
• Illusions VII —> more bounces from staff #1 and GS #2 means better might stacking and significant + easy dmg increase
• moved 4 points from domination into dueling for Sharpener Images (bleeds) and DE (clone production)

The weakness in my changes:

• no condition cleanse
• less power and condition duration

If you can manage to stack some might with shatters and interrupts, you will get some nice damage in your target. But it’s gonna be difficult. On my MtD shatter build I usually stack around 4-5 Might in “idle mode”. Where I just let staff clones attack… Shatters + bountiful interruption might allow for some nice might stacking.

I’m curious, have you actually tried to run this yet? I’m asking because I’ve on occasion attempted to make a build that relies heavily on illusions (such kittenter or clone-death) without DE. After a few minutes of testing though, it becomes extremely clear extremely rapidly that it just doesn’t work. Even with IC and cooldown traits, you just can’t get the illusion production that you really need. It’s possible to run, but it just seems to end up with little to no pressure and/or presence in a fight.

As was mentioned elsewhere, losing sharper images is also a huge hit. Most mesmer hybrid builds rely significantly on that trait to add the condie side of the hybrid damage on anything that uses illusions. Without sharper images, you’re pretty much limited to staff clones and Maim. Staff clones (in this build) can only pop up once every 5 seconds minimum (less considering weapon swaps) and maim is going to be a bit unreliable when you can’t generate illusions as fast as a DE build can.

Overall, I’d recommend putting this in a similar fashion in PvP and actually trying it out. I have a feeling you’ll find pretty quickly that no DE in an illusion-based build is really just a no-go.

Edit: Also, ditch arcane thievery, it’s just an awful condition removal. Take the mantra or pDisenchanter instead. pDisenchanter can be potentially unreliable because of the whole phantasm thing, but it has an unbelievably high rate of strip/removal. The mantra is…a mantra, but it’s got 4 aoe removals whenever you need them on a 20s cooldown. Both are infinitely better choices than AT.

The BIG problem with a shatter build without DE is that even the stupidest warrior generates a NIGHTMARE of a time for you due to the fact that the few clones you do proc (in the slow process to get 3) so easily get destroyed by mindless cleave.

Add a couple more of any class into the scenario and you might as well call GG.

Also no DE means you will get off your 3 clone shatters, but the time between them is awful.

I am currently running a hybrid shatter build exactly like what you are looking for.

You need to go 4/4/0/0/6.

I am on my phone right now so I will keep this short…

I use staff and sword/torch.

Take the 20% damage boost to MW and boon strip on shatter in domination.

Sword cd and DE in dueling.

In illusions take either the 3% damage per illusion or 33% confusion duration traits (preference), extra bounce trait and of course MTD.

In PvP I use celestial ammy and traveler runes. You can try other runes to boost damage but I hate running in slow motion…. besides you will be doing insane damage anyways.

Decoy, mirror images are mandatory. The 3rd slot you can take whatever you feel like… Blink/portal/condi cleanse etc. I personally use signet of domination mostly to boost condi damage because I find I have no need for a cleanse. Between sword 2, torch 4, F4, decoy and mass invis you really should not be gettimg hit much at all with some practice… while dealimg insane AOE pressure.

I have been planning to do a proper writup and build thread for this type of “celestial” Mesmer build but havent got around to it. Trust me though it KICKS kitten . Thieves are no problem… in fact I never lose 1v1 against any class unless outside influences disrupt the fight.

It works great for roaming in WvW too with some modifications to traits and gear.

Turbofan.4569:

I am currently running a hybrid shatter build exactly like what you are looking for.
…
I have been planning to do a proper writup and build thread for this type of “celestial” Mesmer build but havent got around to it. Trust me though it KICKS kitten . Thieves are no problem… in fact I never lose 1v1 against any class unless outside influences disrupt the fight.

I’ll help you out some then Turbo! I’ve been running a very similar build for a while I haven’t said anything since most of the forums tend to shoot down cele mesmer, but if it helps the OP get a build he/she likes, its worth it!

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAsfWlknpTtlpxINcrNCrBh6sslfSyBEgSGirB-TpQSQAg9H2lBAA

Shatter timing is key. If you throw out all your shatters they will just get cleansed – instead bait out cleanses/dodges then set up your condi burst. (Don’t forget as a hybrid, your MW does some good burst damage).

—Decoy Option—
With staff and t4, you don’t need extra invis to kite and survive. But if you can’t live without decoy, you can remove your cleanse for it. I highly recommend that you don’t do this tbh. Decoy is not needed with staff+sw/t survival.
————

The build is pretty stable and can hold out for a long while. It obviously cannot do the insta-gib damage as a full burst build but you do add up a good bit of might through a fight and once you bait out your opponent’s cleanse…they melt. The complaint about healing power being less useful is still warranted but it does scale with Ether Feast pretty well.

I normally use this build when I want a change of pace from power-shatter/interrupt or want to punish teefs enjoy!

EDIT: for rune choice, I’d recommend a power rune, otherwise power damage feels pretty low to me. If you really want movespeed then I’d choose centaur. However, as Turbo mentioned, he likes traveler runes and does well, so play around and see what you like!

Alright, so after some pretty extensive testing in unranked, duels, and roaming over the weekend, I’m reporting back with my findings. I wasn’t able to test out Torment runes, but between sPvP and WvW I did try Strength, Hoelbrak, Traveler’s, and Nightmare runes.

Here’s the updated build: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQJARWlknpMtFpxTNcrNipBZ6bUkYg6xcmlSqAA-TVCEABQcIAsb/BBVCip6PE8AA0S5Xb6CA4IA8wFAgQAK2CA-w

1. If you pace yourself, the lack of Deceptive Evasion isn’t really a huge deal in a 1v1, especially if you swap out decoy for Mirror Images. Play the build like a phantasm spec but use your shatters to punish them if they overextend.

2. Chaotic Dampening & Illusionist’s Celerity make a huge difference in survivability. 6s phase retreat is amazing and saved me on numerous occasions versus thieves.

3. Might generation and duration is surprisingly strong with this build. Maintaining 12 stacks during a fight is not that difficult. I was able to hit 22 stacks of might in sPVP by slotting in Strength runes. I will need to do more testing with boon duration food.

4. Crippling Dissipation isn’t very effective without Deceptive Evasion. I would argue that Debilitating Dissipation is more effective here because of its longer condition durations.

5. Mantra of Resolve is better than Arcane Thievery in 90% of the cases.

6. Not having Shattered Cincentration is too much of a liability against D/D eles. If you’re dueling one, take two points off of Chaos to grab the trait.