Guild Wars 2

Sup guys!

So we’re doing this 5-man Mesmer team weekly now, and I was wondering if anyone had some ideas on some good compositions. Obviously there is no one perfect team to deal with every situation, so having a few backup strategies is always good. Some ideas for successful tpvp builds:

- Power Shatter Mesmer (Instant heavy AoE bursts and boonstrips / Single-target interrupts)

- CI Lockdown Mesmer (AoE Bursts & Boonstrips / Single-Target shutdown / AoE Interrupts)

- PU Condition Mesmer (Far-Point Assault / Semi-Bunker)

- Boonshare Mesmer ( Projectile Reflects / Boon Support / Semi-Bunker)

- Mantra Heal/Support Mesmer ( Low Damage / Rapid AoE Heals / Condition Cleanses / Bunker )

Thus, I charge thee! What is your most ideal 5-person Mesmer team (for PvP) and why?

Some ideas I’m thinking (all off the top of the dome without too much thought):

• 2x Shatter Mesmer, 2x Mantra Support Mesmer, 1x Lockdown
  With the Lockdown Mesmer roaming, a Mantra Mesmers entrenched on home/mid with a shatter supporting, I’m thinking this could make an ideal setup for being able to hold two points or aggressively assault a point if needed

• 2x Mantra Support Mesmer, 2x PU Condition Mesmer, 1xShatter Mesmer
  Defend and troll. Never leave those two points.

• 2x Boonshare Mesmer / 3x Shatter Mesmer
  Boonshare can do some pretty decent damage, as well as providing plenty of support and cover. Combined with the hyper-aggressive shatter Mesmer, I could see some heavy point-sweeps depending on the opponent setup.

Reserved to list others’ ideas —-

Well if we look at a top team comp from EU what we’re looking at is generally Warr / Guard/ Ele / Mes/ Thief. 1 Bunker, 2 bruisers and 2 roamers.

So what I’m thinking is we take 1 mantra support Mesmer but with more emphasis on the healing, with sceptre and sword for blocks.

A CI Lockdown Mesmer alongside a Phantasm mesmer (knights 24350).

Then two shatter mesmers with one being GS/Staff with boon strip and the other being sword/ torch with +20% damage.

I like the idea with the 2x boonshare with 3x shatter. I forget if you use CI in your boonshare build. I’d suggest a full-on CI-Lockdown to keep enemies pinned down for the shatter people to land their combos, plus it helps more with landing stomps.

I also have a troll-like theory that a PU phantasm build would be stellar in defending a trebuchet…

Tealots.6095:

I also have a troll-like theory that a PU phantasm build would be stellar in defending a trebuchet…

It’s not, you want a standard full offense phantasm build for that. The idea isn’t to piddle around the treb, the idea is to kill someone attacking it fast. The treb forces them to make the choice between killing it and killing your phantasms. If they kill the phantasms, they don’t kill the treb and if they kill the treb, they get dunked by your phantasms.

Khylo is the only map I’ll run a full offense phantasm build on when soloing.

Could I get the builds for the Boonshare and Mantra heals? I’m new to the class and the idea of running support sounds fun.

Added links to most the builds, will finish shortly.

@Benjamin: That is very interesting, and I’m more than willing to try that out. Out of curiosity, why the Phantasm Mesmer?

@Tealots: I do use CI in the boonshare build, I still feel like CI is the best trait to pair with Sword/Focus + Staff because of how well it synergizes with the phantasms (and, of course, control is another form of support). 2x Boonshare / 1x Lockdown / 2x Shatter is an interesting idea and worth a shot.

And like Pyro says… yeah for that you may as well run full Phantasm. PU/Phant will get ignored by most who come for the treb, like Warriors.

@Pyro: what comp ideas do you have?

If you guys are really serious about actually trying to win I would suggest you bring a full tank guard and 4 mesmers. I know you are doing it for fun but 1 guard would help so so much.

Personally I would have to say you need to drop pu from a team as a point decaper. Or even far assualt, sure it’s kinda tanky but it cannot hold a point thanks to its defence. It’s also lacking for peels for all other teammates.

Thou pu might make a better on point support for mantra heals and such

Condi shatters that run a more beefy chaos line build might also make better bunkers if used in a multiple of two, staff bolts bouncing and spreading high tick conditions over the other team that cannot clear them quickly enough

The issue with a 5 mesmer composition is the lack of a solid bunker. Mesmer has the potential to last long but a lot of the defenses available to mesmer work against holding a point (Stealth, distortion, phase retreat). I think, ideally, it would be best to have a team composition that favors ending fights quickly and allows high mobility. This would allow quicker rotation to support whoever is bunking a point.

I would run a bunker-like mesmer, 2 power shatter, a CI lockdown and either a boonshare or mantra heal/support.

Support and lockdown can run portal each, allowing back and forth rotation between 2 points. Lockdown would co-ordinate with shatter to quickly burst enemies. If the bunker is overwhelmed, the composition can split shatter/CI and shatter/support to hit the other 2 points.

vincecontix.1264:

If you guys are really serious about actually trying to win I would suggest you bring a full tank guard and 4 mesmers. I know you are doing it for fun but 1 guard would help so so much.

This. A guard can provide consistent boons whereas signet of inspiration is more like a one off thing. But its going to be a heck of a job to stay alive for that guard though since he’s pretty much guaranteed to be targeted throughout the team match.

A 5 mesmer team is unorthodox, therefor you’re unlikely to fit them into the standard tpvp setup. So looking to Mesmers strengths is the best approach. Anarchy had some good suggestions, including a well thought out strat for portal use. You could very easily create the ability to zerg points to clear them, and portal back, even multiple times with more portals on hand. But that could get very advanced. Keeping it simple is often better than not.

That said, a PU’s ability to harass a point and tie up multiple enemies isnt something to be ignored. Left to a 1v1 an enemy team can lose a point meaning more resources drawn to deal with the lone PU mesmer. It shouldn’t necessarily be dismissed.

NICENIKESHOE.7128:

vincecontix.1264:

If you guys are really serious about actually trying to win I would suggest you bring a full tank guard and 4 mesmers. I know you are doing it for fun but 1 guard would help so so much.

This. A guard can provide consistent boons whereas signet of inspiration is more like a one off thing. But its going to be a heck of a job to stay alive for that guard though since he’s pretty much guaranteed to be targeted throughout the team match.

Yup though a support/bunker guard is best class to handle the focus. Would allow mesmer to stealth more freely and kill there target b4 the guard goes down.

I really wanna see you guys do well.

I really appreciate the suggestions, I’ll be doing some experiments and posting my findings. I specifically wanna talk about the Bunker Guardian thing, but before I do I want to make sure I have my facts straight on what a bunker guard and bring and what a bunker Mes can bring.

There are some issues with full mesmer teams, but there are also strengths. I believe that once you sort out all the strengths and weaknesses, you should focus purely on playing on the mesmer’s strengths and give up on the weaknesses. Like, let’s say, a bunker mesmer. You can use PU, but it’ll be hard to hold a point like that. Instead, maybe use a Lockdown as a stopper, simply stalling the enemy and have those at mid leave a port at home and thus be able to go home all the while the CI Mesmer is keeping it steady.

Though, on the topic of Bunker Mesmer, there might be something I’d like to try… Maybe a 0/4/6/4/0?

Actualy, utalizing stealth and PU, two mesmers could rotate to duel bunker a point. So long as one is always out of stealth and on point, it’ll hold.

Ross Biddle.2367:

Actualy, utalizing stealth and PU, two mesmers could rotate to duel bunker a point. So long as one is always out of stealth and on point, it’ll hold.

The issue with this is that it puts you at a numbers disadvantage. You now have to dedicate 2 players to hold a point against enemies that may or may not appear to take a point. This means that on another point, if 4 or more players show up, the main group will be at a significant disadvantage.

With a bunker mesmer, it’s ideal that the mesmer does NOT use any stealth. At least, stealth usage should be minimal. If the enemy is capable of decapping the point from a bunker, it works against the team. Small amounts of stealth like decoy are OK because the duration is short enough that the point won’t be decapped. Also, you can buy more time with stealth by forcing opponents off point.

That’s a bad PU build chaos, if you’re gonna list one, list this: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNArfWlknpMtFqxRNcrNSpxY6cO6GSGQFlckyB-TJRHwAw2fIZZAAnCABPBAA

Rude! I was only off by a trait and runes.

And how about sharing some composition ideas chief!?

Chaos Archangel.5071:

Rude! I was only off by a trait and runes.

And how about sharing some composition ideas chief!?

Also utilities.

I’ll think about some later :p

Was thinking today, it’s obvious but hasn’t been mentioned. All Mesmers should be same race, same look, with same armor. Yes, experienced players are going to spot the Mesmer, but there is a noticeable difference between playing “spot the mesmer” in a 1v1 when you have a clone or two, a phant running around, and the obvious Mesmer, and when you have 4 – 9 clones amidst three mesmers who may or may not be trying to minimize their true self. An enemy will undoubtedly spend extra seconds scanning more clones on average to find the real one, and even then he’s less likely to find the one he was previously targeting before a target drop.

Oh, and similar confusing names.

bahaha love this suggestion. What Ross suggests is visual crowding and it’s scientifically shown to affect object perception at peripheral vision. People are shown to perceive the wrong visual information even if they prepare for it. So it messes up your mind even if you know mesmer mechanics. Though its more about peripheral vision so it works best when you’re on the side of opponent’s LoS.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3070834/

Thought about this a bit more today, more often than not the meta builds and teams focus on sustain in team fights. whomever can sustain the longest generally wins the point.

Mesmers kinda .. suck total kitten at long periods of sustain … alteast a lot of mesmer builds tend to suck.

So it may be more prudent to just avoid trying to bring high sustain and insted refocus on above expected bursts to the “support” aspects on the opposing side. and then sever punishment for group ressing once it goes down.

With that in mind perhaps try a 2 shatter 1 lock 1 boon share/support mantra thing and then something else random, maybe PU if someone is absolutely refusing to run anything else, or some kind of Phant or pestering build to cause problems elsewhere.

Or just try a full 5 Shatter team and see what happens. that much burst on a target on a point and something is bound to die right?

even if its a 4v4 and one of their side goes down, even 2 or 3 full shatter bursts on a resing blob should put them in a serious panic to throw out all the stops right then and there.

Swish.2463:

Thought about this a bit more today, more often than not the meta builds and teams focus on sustain in team fights. whomever can sustain the longest generally wins the point.

Mesmers kinda .. suck total kitten at long periods of sustain … alteast a lot of mesmer builds tend to suck.

So after we did the tournament, we lost one person and did some 4manning of team queue. At one point we decided to all just go tanky condie builds (various different types). We randomly ended up with a turret engie as our 5th man and proceeded to absolutely wipe the floor with a couple teams. It was pretty nasty.

i would go with
2 shatter
2 condi pressure
1 interrupt

pu is bit useless and cant hold as he needs stealth

my build for the condi would be
0,4,4,2,4 with staff+sc/p
2,4,2,2,4 with staff+sc/t
they can do nicely 1v2 and hold points long enough while their illusion do huge dmg

interrupter would be
6,4,0,0,4 condi staff+sc/p or zerk gs+s/f with mantra and signet

split:
1 condi go far – as he can hold points longer the middle can get help sooner from the shatter home which would be maybe 4v3 with more burst dmg

1 shatter go home and then middle

the other 3 go middle while having condi pressure , aoe interrupt and burst dmg while their clones when die doing nice pressure on the point

vincecontix.1264:

Fay.2357:

Swish.2463:

Thought about this a bit more today, more often than not the meta builds and teams focus on sustain in team fights. whomever can sustain the longest generally wins the point.

Mesmers kinda .. suck total kitten at long periods of sustain … alteast a lot of mesmer builds tend to suck.

So after we did the tournament, we lost one person and did some 4manning of team queue. At one point we decided to all just go tanky condie builds (various different types). We randomly ended up with a turret engie as our 5th man and proceeded to absolutely wipe the floor with a couple teams. It was pretty nasty.

Where was the turret engi most of the game and what way did he impact the match?

Ross Biddle.2367:

A 5 mesmer team is unorthodox, therefor you’re unlikely to fit them into the standard tpvp setup. So looking to Mesmers strengths is the best approach. Anarchy had some good suggestions, including a well thought out strat for portal use. You could very easily create the ability to zerg points to clear them, and portal back, even multiple times with more portals on hand. But that could get very advanced. Keeping it simple is often better than not.

That said, a PU’s ability to harass a point and tie up multiple enemies isnt something to be ignored. Left to a 1v1 an enemy team can lose a point meaning more resources drawn to deal with the lone PU mesmer. It shouldn’t necessarily be dismissed.

PU harassing someone on point doesn’t work againt good player. A good player knows trying to kill the pu mesmer is kinda a bad idea. 1 play on a celestial spec can easily hold a point from a pu mesmer.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

I really appreciate the suggestions, I’ll be doing some experiments and posting my findings. I specifically wanna talk about the Bunker Guardian thing, but before I do I want to make sure I have my facts straight on what a bunker guard and bring and what a bunker Mes can bring.

Bunker guard can hold a node and fight outman on point the best out of all profs. Lots of group stability, heals, might, some cc(line of warding/5shield), condi clears, and projectile mitigation (shield, sanc bubble). In addition guard is the best prof to res down players.

Guard could hold mid point all match leaving mesmer free to roam and assault other nodes. With portals would be easy to aid guard on mid if needed. Also would allow mesmer to stealth more freely.

What do you think about this build Chaos Archangel?
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAsdWl0npEtNqxANcrNytxYyKe40l8SOlMggB-TJxHwADeCALLDUe/BAnCAA

Kind of like a mixed of boon share, AoE healing and AoE condition cleanse bunker. Just noticed shatter condition is a 600 (!) range skill so it might be useful for teammates during chaotic battles.

- Mind wrack for constant condition removal, cry of frustration in case someone got burst conditioned. Not as fast as shout guard but quite a lot already. However sword clones are very easy to die so I’m thinking about scepter just to draw some distance between opponent and clones…as hideous as it may sound lol.
- 5xmight+other boons from diversion/focus pull/staff interrupts and fury/3xmight from altruism heals. Mights from sigil of battle just for a little more might boons. Then boon share to give burst boons to nearby allies.
- Mantra of pain and mantra of healing for constant heals. Probably use this over shatter if teammates or yourself only have one or two conditions.

This build have every little things tied into one build though not as dedicated into each of them. Also need to kite and evade a lot due to lack of stun breakers.

vincecontix.1264:

vincecontix.1264:

Fay.2357:

Swish.2463:

Thought about this a bit more today, more often than not the meta builds and teams focus on sustain in team fights. whomever can sustain the longest generally wins the point.

Mesmers kinda .. suck total kitten at long periods of sustain … alteast a lot of mesmer builds tend to suck.

So after we did the tournament, we lost one person and did some 4manning of team queue. At one point we decided to all just go tanky condie builds (various different types). We randomly ended up with a turret engie as our 5th man and proceeded to absolutely wipe the floor with a couple teams. It was pretty nasty.

Where was the turret engi most of the game and what way did he impact the match?

Turret engie went straight to mid and stayed there. As it turns out, it’s pretty much impossible to dislodge a turret engie + a couple condie mesmers from a point, and we were able to rotate pretty rapidly between mid and home to keep them both locked down very tightly the whole match.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

I specifically wanna talk about the Bunker Guardian thing, but before I do I want to make sure I have my facts straight on what a bunker guard and bring and what a bunker Mes can bring.

Well the list of priorities, from best to least (but certainly not negligible), a bunker guard can do are the following:

They are the go-to person to stomp and res, and can give everyone else the ability to stomp/res in a pinch.
They provide mass condition clear.
They provide sustain for the whole team through heals and regeneration (staff empower + virtue of resolve is a 1.2k range AoE 5k heal).
They protect others by peeling for them with skills like shield 5, staff 3 & 5, mace 3, focus 4, etc.
They can stand on a point and have a tough time dieing.

Tbh though, I like the double portal zerg point idea.

Chaos, you overcomplicate things. Just run 5 moas. Easy game, easy life.
/thread