Guild Wars 2

Hello there!

I am Sascha Yudin!

I am currently a level 80 Mesmer.

I wish to get feedback on my current set up and advice in improving to making a top dmg Mesmer, perhaps a zerg Mesmer.

In concern to my traits, I am 30 Illusions, 30 Domination and 10 Dueling. My gear is all Rampager – With the three stats of Power, Precision and Condition Damage. I begun to realize there is barely no point in having precision with high chances of getting a critical strike if my critical strike dmg is only about 10%, perhaps I would be crit %. Anyways, I am wearing the Exalted Set for my Rampager gear. I have Runes of the Afflicted with plus bleed, poison, power and condition damage. I have the sigil of Corruption, increasing my Condition Damage.

For my weapons, I usually use sceptor/torch and swap out with staff. And I usually sumon Mirror Images & Decoy for my phantasms to attack. My elite skill is summon Druid Spirit and I also use Seed Turret.

In my traits, I specialized to Rending Shatter, to increase vulnerability to enemies /// Empowered Illusions to increase 15% dmg from them /// And Mental Torment to increase Mind Wrack dmg by 20% (that is all for Domination)

For Dueling, I specialized in Phantasmal Fury

For Illusions, I have specialized in *Master of Misdirection with 33% more duration of Confusion /// Compounding Power with 3% more dmg of each active Illusion // And Cry of Frustration will allows retaliation + more dmg + more vulnerability

All my trinkets like rings, necklace and amulets are Precision/Power/Condition Dmg, even my cloak is.

So currently, I do alright damage, not really in WVW but in dungeons. I like the gameplay of Staff and ranged attack abilities but I like melee as well. I like to duel wield a lot, whether it is pistol/torch or sceptor/pistol or sceptor/torch and focus for pvp or sword/sword or sword/pistol. The two hand sword is alright, I find the staff more fun but dueling the most fun above all.

I just need advice in how to making the most damage output as I can for my Mesmer and really would appreciate feedback, thank you.

Well, it looks like you’ve got the raw numbers to do damage. It’s true the precision is somewhat wasted on the lack of crit damage. Not a complete waste, since you’re still multiplying a healthy stack of power.

If you’re having damage issues, I’d say it could be from a lack of focus in the build. It seems like you’re trying to do a little bit of everything. Strong phantasms, strong shatters, strong confusion damage. Diversity is good, but it will come at a cost when your traits aren’t synergizing towards common goals.

Edit: Sorry, that was a very brief response. My bus came and I had to dash. Continuing, here’s some idle thoughts…

I feel like the phantasm boosting traits aren’t really doing you a whole lot. Your torch phantasm doesn’t really benefit from them very much, leaving mostly your staff. The staff phantasm can hit like a truck, but I’m not sure he’s worth a two trait investment by himself.

With 30 in Illusions, you’ve got the backing for some solid shattering. A lot of your traits support that as well, so that’s something to look at. The boiler-plate response to that is to go 20 in Dueling and get the ability to churn out clones with dodges. You’re not Flavor of the Month and I like that, so I’m not going to encourage that.

One trait I would consider looking at though is Imbued Diversion at Illusion 30. You already pop vulnerability on interrupt, daze and shatter, and have a +30% condition duration before gear and food. Turning Diversion into an AoE could really turn that up a notch. Halting Strike in Domination does respectable damage and could add some random burst damage to that combo as well.

If precision is something you’d consider forgoing, since you’re not really stacking crit damage, 10 in Inspiration might be an alternative. Vigorous Revelations and Mender’s Purity are both great traits. But that’s just one of many options.

You have hybrid armor, but it seems like you’re trying to run two builds at once (power shatter / condition shatter) rather than one hybrid build.

Mesmers have the ability to make good hybrid damage builds with the trait, “sharper images” – which makes illusions cause bleeds on crits. This is why precision is a good stat for a mesmer condition/hybrid build. Phantasms take good advantage of power, and with good crit-chance, they will cause a lot of bleeds, as will your clones.

I would recommend looking at some of the condition builds on here that could work as hybrid.

20/20/30/0/0 is one nice set of stats especially since you’re already running torch – though I’d recommend sword mainhand over scepter for a hybrid build. https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/BUILD-The-Blackwater-Mesmer-WvW-Condition/page/2#post2409191

There are also some hybrid builds in this thread that can also work well with rampager’s armor, especially when using pistol offhand, focus or greatsword: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Build-ChillRuption/first#post2444310 )

One other thing to note: if you are playing a hybrid or condition build in PVE you need to be careful partnering with other condition/hybrid builds because you will interfere with one-another’s damage (since there can only be 25 stacks of bleed on a guy).

I personally thin the Scepter is a better weapon for a Condition build, sure the Auto attack clone chain is to long but Torment owns and it works well with pretty much any offhand.

Sword might be better based on Gameplay, if you like to be up close in your face but Scepter is better if you prefer a ranged approach.

Very, very great feedback, I extremely appreciate it. So with my playstyle, I probably would consider the hybrid condition build. I like my phantasms and debuffs on my enemies. My question would be if I should transfer to Berserk gear with the stats of Power/Precision/Crit % because having that low Crit dmg is worrying me, I have good chances of high crit but waste of it is only 10%.

I also wanted to know if I should go with the Runes of Afflicted with poison/bleed/power/condition effects

Condition Hybrid would be better with a mix of Rampagers and Rabid. I personally run with Undead runes due to the high toughness added into Condition damage

Alright, now for just the trait setup. I am thinking 20/20/0/0/10

My condition/Phantom build is:

20/20/30/0/0

Dom: V, X
Dueling: II, X
Chaos: IV, V, XII

Weapons: Scepter+Pistol/Focus and Greatsword
Utilities: Sig of Dom, Decoy, Feedback(during zergs), Mantra of Distraction(solo/small groups) Mass Invis as the Elite

Alright, saw a lot of nice stuff with 20/20/30/0/0 and how it helps condition dmg. So You think it would be wise to run have Toughness/Power/Cond gear and half Power/Precision/Cond gear or ? Like Comparing Knight’s to Rampager’s

I am currently running full Rabid, i will be swapping some out for Rampager’s most likely. The damage is good for a condition build but think a few changes and it could be better.

Yeah, was just looking to compare toughness with precision because precision is nice for my clones but toughness helps out my condition dmg

Aw snap just found that Rabid has Preci/Tough/Cond the 3 most beautiful stats haha

You have been beyond and immeasurable help to me sir, thank you very much!

That’s okay, if you feel that you dont do enough attack damage, you can always swap out a few items for Rampager’s.

Sigils wise, i run with Poison and Corruption on Scepter/Pistol and been switching around the Greatsword on, thinking about going with a on Swap one as earth which i was using can proc and stop Doom procing if you switch weapons at the wrong time.

I am thinking maybe another Doom Sigil, other then that Battle would be nice if it wasnt so expensive lol

The good thing about this sort of build is that by changing the Traits and utilities around you can find the perfect gameplay style without doing to much damage to the actual spec.

Mate, check my signature for a hybrid build based on high crit chance (rampager) and plenty of bleeding stacks. Enjoy :P