Guild Wars 2

Actually, at least my shatter build is getting a nerf by not being able to take Illusionary Invigoration and Illusionary Elasticity at the same time :/

<- still running power shatter only

Scepter suggestion: Add .5 seconds of chill to the third auto attack. On its own it’s not much, but once you have three clones out, it starts to apply some serious CC pressure.

Iavra.8510:

Actually, at least my shatter build is getting a nerf by not being able to take Illusionary Invigoration and Illusionary Elasticity at the same time :/

<- still running power shatter only

Right. Mine is too… forgot about that because I already switched out of Illusionary Elasticity (to Precise Wrack), so that I could get used to it.

Power only shatter here, as well … and it’s our own kitten fault for not giving up on it.

I’m late to the party, but I will give my 2cents anyway.

Scepter

AA: I’m in the camp of adding a condition to the first chain, simply because it would make the clones not completely useless.
Every other clone is useful in some way.

Staff clones a are awesome, they deal both conditions and boons. Easily the best for high clone production/condition builds.
Sword clones aren’t super useful, but they can put on a fair bit of Vulnerability and attack reasonably quickly, as well as AOE.
Greatsword clones don’t have a condition, but their laser hits multiple times on multiple enemies, making it a prime candidate for Sharpened Images.

Scepter clones have none of this. They are slow, and have no additional effect.
Outside of condition on death, they server no purpose, and you can do that just as well with just about any other clone type anyway.

So my suggestion is putting 1 stack of Torment on the AA with a short duration, taking into account that clones will be doing this also. Maybe that’s OP, but it sounds fun, and has some interesting counter play options.

I would also drop the clone production for the AA chain 3 all together, and put something else, like AOE torment or something. And offset the clone production to the number 2 skill slot, changing it completely since it’s never been very good, and moving torment over to the AA instead would free it up to being changed.

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What I would like to see for the no.2 skill is a short ranged blink, like Phase Retreat, but directional, and of course creating a clone. That at least would have some deceptive value. But then maybe it’s too much like the Staff then huh?

Maybe it could be a straight up block, like Mimic or something. Actually I love Mimic with a passion, so if the no.2 skill work much like Mimic does now with the reflection, that would be awesome. Say, drop a clone at the start, 2 second reflection/block, then it swaps you back with your clone at the beginning. Or just ending with a clone, either or.

If you could augment you reflection skills to get another second out of them, that would a nice trait with this kind of skill.

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Mimic

Speaking of which, I love this skill.
Namely the 4 second reflection it gives that no one ever seems to notice, awesome.
And while I love love love that functionality, honestly it seems to me that would make a better no.2 Scepter skill.
That would put it on par with the Sword’s Blurred Frenzy easy.
Maybe just no 4 seconds long, maybe 2 or 3.

As for Mimic itself, I somehow would like it to be deception based.
Like, every clone you have turns into a reflection of what you are, conditions, boons, the lot.
So if they were sword clones and your now using your staff, they are all staff clones now.

And Echo swaps you randomly with one of your clones. Maybe this is the part that should swap around conditions/boons. So the one you swapped with now has your what you had, and vice versa.
And anyone targeting you, is now targeting the clone you swapped out with.

Maybe just give your boons to all of your clones, then swap with one of them. Shrug.

It would seem thematic if your clones were to mimic you.

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The only thing left I would like to touch on is Crippling Dissipation. I always found it odd that it’s in the Domination line.
I mean if you want all three on clone death traits, you need 10/25/10 at least.
So half of your points are going to just these three traits. It’s seems a bit much.

Honestly it seems to me that it would be more at home in the Dueling line.

Thou that might be because the Domination line isn’t very good. It’s mostly based around on Interrupt, which there is a chronic lack of. Or rather the ones you have tend to have very long cooldowns. Maybe if the Mesmer had some more regular access to Daze, maybe then it would be worthwhile investing in it.

If Confounding Suggestions was a Daze of clone death, maybe that could work, or be entirely OP.
Or if they had a main hand pistol with a daze on it, that could do it. Dual pistols would look awesome.

• Inspiration IV – Mender’s Purity. Now removes 2 conditions.

Am I the only Mesmer that finds this to potentially be a bit.. over the top? I already have quite excellent condition removal through Mantra of Recovery alone, a healing skill that allows me to basically keep myself topped off throughout an engagement (Note: I am also using Inspiration X – Restorative Mantras.)—It’s a skill I use as a Condition removal as well as a heal, with it only having a 10 sec CD to it. It allows me to not only heal for roughly 7000 HP (2600 benefiting my allies), but a skill that can additionally remove 3 Conditions in the process (removes one on preparation, and once per charge).

Am I basically going to be running around removing 6 conditions every 10 seconds now (with the ability to stealth while waiting for the CD to be nearly over with)? I would almost suggest to keep this change for all heals but the Mantra of Recovery heal. Otherwise I find that I would have way too easy a time to strip pretty much any condition that hits me. Seems a bit unbalanced. Good for me, not so much for the builds focused around condition damage.

But then, that’s a fairly sPvP-centric view, no? In WvW, purging 6 conditions every 10s really isn’t all that much, you need to find the right moment to get rid of them.

I’m more of a WvW player, in guild raids, I don’t even really need to clear my own conditions as there’s plenty of cleansing going on, the little I need to self-cleanse is not really worth mentioning, and when roaming, I already feel that one healing skill with the combination of the traits is enough to keep most conditions off me. A majority of condition builds are centered around specific conditions as well, or overall few in total. With the combination of stealth to make it harder for enemies to give me conditions, I can’t say I struggle too much from what can otherwise be annoying on other professions.

I just find it to seem a bit too good if I am able to just click it once to remove those two conditions I tend to get on me at a time. I already don’t feel like I suffer from facing condition-heavier builds.

Then again, I guess not that many Mesmers tends to run Mantra of Recovery. I rarely see it used, and most people dismiss it as something that’s sub-par to Ether Feast, when it really isn’t far behind when traited.

This update if nothing else is added or changed will give me a tiny increase to Condition Damage :/ I like the build i have and i very much doubt this update will make me want to change that.

Has it ever been suggested to make signet of illusion reduce damage that illusions take instead on increasing HP. For wvw play it would help shatter and phantasm mesmers to have illusions last more then a few seconds and for builds that want you to kill clones it would change nothing since they don’t have to slot it.

Xaylin.1860:

Your suggestion is wildely overpowered. Blind on AA.

Engineers apply blind on critical hits with a rifle when traited

Guardians apply chill on critical hits with a hammer when traited

And if we include venoms, thieves (and allies, if traited) can apply weakness, chill and immobilize on AA.

<sarcasm>It’s really only when mesmer does it that it’s overpowered, though.</sarcasm>

Aneirin Cadwall.9126:

Xaylin.1860:

Your suggestion is wildely overpowered. Blind on AA.

Engineers apply blind on critical hits with a rifle when traited

Guardians apply chill on critical hits with a hammer when traited

And if we include venoms, thieves (and allies, if traited) can apply weakness, chill and immobilize on AA.

<sarcasm>It’s really only when mesmer does it that it’s overpowered, though.</sarcasm>

You might want to take the context of my whole post into account. Not one seperated sentence which does not appropriately display my statement .

I didn’t critisize the chill but only the blind on AA. Your Engineer example is in no way comparable due to the mechanics of an Engineer. There also is a 10s internal cooldown. While the effect can trigger off an AA it can’t be spammed. It also is an additional trait. Listing a whole set of utilities of a different class (Thief) to justify a suggestion feels a bit inappropriate.

I agree with you, actually. That was only subtly conveyed by my reply, though. No profession should have powerful status effects available without a cooldown, and in my big book of games development, the thief (or rather the way stealth and initiative are implemented) is ArenaNet’s greatest sin.

Absconditus.6804:

• Inspiration IV – Mender’s Purity. Now removes 2 conditions.

Absconditus.6804:

Am I basically going to be running around removing 6 conditions every 10 seconds now (with the ability to stealth while waiting for the CD to be nearly over with)?

Don’t think so, unless they are changing that in the patch. Currently, I’m pretty sure you don’t actually remove conditions on charging the mantra, only on spending the charges. Also see this:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/bugs/Mantra-of-Recovery-Mender-s-Purity

So… it’s a maximum of 4 conditions every 12.75 secs (approximately) + time time it takes to discharge the mantras back to back (which is not instantaneous). Of course, you typically start the fight with them loaded (which makes it better), but then you can’t just spam recharge or you’ll get interrupted by anyone with any skill (which makes it worse). Right now it’s two conditions in the same time frame. Three in a little more if you trait for three mantra charges.

I’ll let you decide if the buff is OP.

One thing about mesmers is intelligent players will easily pick out the real one even with all clones out. You just have to look for the one with the food buffs!

Never thought I would ever go Mantra mesmer but these buffs…

wait – there are mesmers who don’t make use of mantras at the moment?

Idea!!!
Mimic – Copy the last used utility or “Elite” skill from a target or an ally for x duration :P
OP OP

From enemy, utility skill. Would actually think that would be a good skill for mesmer tbh. OP? nah, at least it requires you to know the other class’ skills.

oh well.. if u dont think it’s OP.. there’s another idea to make it so :P

A trait which improves mimic on it’s copy functionality granting the copied skill to inherit all it’s trait buffs.
for example : copy grenade kit comes with +1 grenade, + explosion dmg, explosions bleed etc etc.. lol if only.. such a thing gets implemented, it’d be very similar to how “arcane larceny” or “arcane mimicry”

Aneirin Cadwall.9126:

I agree with you, actually. That was only subtly conveyed by my reply, though. No profession should have powerful status effects available without a cooldown, and in my big book of games development, the thief (or rather the way stealth and initiative are implemented) is ArenaNet’s greatest sin.

I’m a little confused by your comments. How are Thief venoms “powerful status effects available without a cooldown”, if that’s the inference you’re making? They’re utilities—so equipping them requires sacrificing more versatile skills, like deceptions—and they each of a base cooldown of 45 seconds.

Oh my god, I didnt even realise shatter got nerfed :/. Theyre buffing Illuisonary invigoration, but also make ot compete with elestacity, which I use for mirror blade >__<.

Maybe we can let the shatter skills change slightly depending on traits?

Edit: just realised we have 4 Mesmer builds… And 4 shatters. Maybe each trait can just
affect a single shatter?

1. Shatter: improves Mind Wrack damage and shatter recharge rates (like it alreay does)
2. condition: Cry of frustration triggers on-death traits.
3. lockdown: diversion also applies chill 2s and blindness 3s
4. Phantasm: distorion doesn’t destroy phantasms, but instead gives them distortion (phantasms still count as a resource for the amount of distortion gained)

(This was before the edit above, and probably a bad idea. Every style changes every shatter)
Phantasmal strength/empowered Illusions:

1. Mind wrack: same effect as before. shattered phantasms are put on 1hp instead of dying, and permanently gain quickening zephyr (cannot heal)
2. Cry of frustration: same effect as before. Shattered phantasms permanently gain very high stacks of confusion.
3. Diversion: same efect as before. Shattered phantasms are stunned for 3 seconds, and are permanently chilled
4. Distortion: same effect as before. Shattered phantasms take damage whenever the Mesmer takes damage (but doesnt reduce damage on the Mesmer), and are permanently weakened.

Comfounding suggestions/Furious Interruption/Chaotic interruption:

1. Mind Wrack: also applies 1s cripple per shatter.
2. Cry of Frustration: also applies 2s weakness per shatter.
3. Diversion: also apply blindness ( or maybe chill?)3s per shatter.
4. Distortion: also gives the mesmer Chaos Armour for 3s per shatter.

Debilitating-/crippling dissipation.

1. also… Actually, I cant think of anything wed use. Maybe put clones on 1hp instead of dying? That way theyd still go close to your target, and be easy prey to trigger deaths.
2. on death traits are also triggered of a single shattered clone.
3. same as mind wrack
4. on death traits are tiggered of all clones.

Something like that, anyway.

It’s always a bit weird for me to talk about balance ideas because IMO, the best thing would be a fairly substantial overhaul of our clone/phantasm/shatter balance where we end up having most of our damage and defence come from those three:

• Clones would be very strong and have full HP, they’d also actively use all weapon skills, utilities, everything. Ofc, nothing they do has any effect at all (I’d remove the existent effects, too), but figuring out the real one becomes more difficult. No more inter-attack delays, either.
• Phantasms are fragile and easy to spot, but do consistent damage. I’d remove most of the inter-attack delay, give each one a specific utility (think cripple on berserker), and balance their damage so they are our “steady” damage.
• Shatter becomes very strong (our attacks should be weaker in turn, ofc).

So basically, our defence relies on powerful Clones. We can trade slots between steady DPS Phantasms and defence Clones. And we can sacrifice both for burst offence.

This’d lead to a very weird balance ofc because we ourselves would be extremely weak. But I sort of think that for a class dealing in trickery, that’s a good balance goal.

Artereis.1260:

I wish they’d at least talk to us about movement speed. I mean, our only on demand swiftness puts us in combat if anything happens to stumble through the curtain. The continued silence is really frustrating. Open a dialogue and let us know their side of things, at least.

I would love to have a signet like this:

Signet of Speed:
Passive: Grants 25% increase in movement speed.
Active: Teleports you in the direction you are moving. When standing still, you teleport backwards. Also breaks Stun.
35 sec CD. Range 900.

I would like this signet very much.
Or mantra of speed insted of mantra of pain. 5 sec of swiftness per charge.

Azathoth.2098:

Artereis.1260:

I wish they’d at least talk to us about movement speed. I mean, our only on demand swiftness puts us in combat if anything happens to stumble through the curtain. The continued silence is really frustrating. Open a dialogue and let us know their side of things, at least.

I would love to have a signet like this:

Signet of Speed:
Passive: Grants 25% increase in movement speed.
Active: Teleports you in the direction you are moving. When standing still, you teleport backwards. Also breaks Stun.
35 sec CD. Range 900.

Are Mesmer’s and Guardians the only ones without a +25% speed signet? I know warriors don’t, but they can trait for +25% while carrying a melee weapon at least. I know the main arguments are always Mesmer’s can blink and tele here and there etc, but my God a +25% would be nice, especially since all the characters I play (4 total, including Mes) have the 25%, then when I do play my Mesmer I feel sooo slow getting around.

Just in case some people were not aware of it yet, everyone now has the ability to get 25% passive movement speed due to the upgraded Rune of Speed. Not saying it’s a perfect solution, but the option is there.

Speed of Rune isn’t very good, nothing like Traveler’s Runes. And to add, a lot of classes are ditching their Speed Signets and replacing with Traveler’s Runes so they can open up a utility slot for something more useful.