Mesmer Newb Help (Wall of text)
From my experience you will provide a ton of utility while having high combat mobility and fairly low but still functional dps. I generally ran a shatterer and the chronomancer only made that better with phantasms remaining meaning you get the phantasm shatter cooldown buff twice, plus alacrity on each shatter. If you are pinned down without any illusions you will really be in a bad situation, but usually you can distortion out of it. You also are viable in all content and there is a decently high skill floor and cap. It’s a very interesting class.
(edited by Matticus.9105)
Hey Adjust!
I thoroughly enjoy my mesmer, it’s one of the more interesting classes in the game, in my opinion. It’s possible to play it both Power-based and Condition based, and both are fairly viable (no matter what people say).
Chronotank (build can be found on Metabattle) is fairly high in demand for Raids, as we can provide excellent quickness, along with alacrity boons, and other boonsharing.
In PvP, the Chronophantasma Shatter build (Metabattle) is a great start for a strong build, which you may want to adapt based on the team composition.
In open world PvE, anything really goes, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Condition Chronomancer lately, after the Confusion changes and Scepter buffs.
One tip I like to pass on is to remember that Split(F5) can be cast while channeling, so if you cast Split just before a a phantasm, or a well, finishes casting, then when you return to normal timeline, that skill will still be available.