Guild Wars 2

I understand it is all PU or phantasm.

Share your builds with the updates from DEC 10.

I think I am running a phantasm 10/15/0/25/20 (GS/sword/pistol) right now. It works quite well, although I might go a more offensive phantasm/PU spec tonight.

I think our OP build atm revolves around the new heal combined with a hybrid of phantasm/PU.

Will tell you of results though.

Yeah I’ve seen more and more PU Mesmer spilling into PvP… and I’m really not liking it; I just don’t see the need. In WvW I can understand PU’s importance since the battles tend to get much larger and PU is great for what Pyro has coined “zerg-tickling” but for sPvP? Seems like a waste. Most PU builds rely on the opponent not understanding the mechanics of the build or being not very good in general rather than skillfully outplaying. So many serious PvPers barely consider a PU Mes worth their efforts, ESPECIALLY condition Mesmer.

I personally feel that PU in sPvP is for people that either really love the playstyle or are relatively new to the Mesmer class and need the survivability to learn the ropes. Otherwise running up 30 in Chaos for all that defense is frivolous when it could go to other things. Having stealth and Blink AND torch should be more than enough defense to handle most situations as a Mesmer.

PU Mesmers lose so much effectiveness in group fights that they’re practically nonexistant. Suddenly the clone deaths aren’t nearly as potent and you have to rely on Torment and Confusion for damage, both of which can get easily cleansed. PU Power Mesmers are just weaker-than-average Phantasm Mesmer that, while effective in some 1v1 cases, also seem like they’re gimping themselves for all that silly defense.

I agree that the Signet is actually a slight exception to that, though. Sacrificing your heal for Phantasms for a half minute can be a ballsy and dangerous move, PU and stealth help mitigate this. I’m not sure exactly how difficult it is to pull off, but two GS and a Pistol Phantasms in an instant is hella dangerous.

At the end of the day though, I think it really just boils down to how powerful stealth is. It gives you an offensive initiative advantage AND you can’t be targetted. PU or not that’s very powerful, especially when summoning doesn’t Reveal you (which, with all this PU business happening, I can see that being the next Mesmer nerf: “Summoning Phantasms Reveals you”

As for myself? I’ve been making use of the buffed Illusionary Invigoration (which is now a really awesome trait) and Confounding Suggestions in a Shatter/Lockdown build.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/PvP-WvW-Lockdown-Shatter-Shatterlock

Chaos Archangel.5071:

I personally feel that PU in sPvP is for people that either really love the playstyle or are relatively new to the Mesmer class and need the survivability to learn the ropes.

Guilty on both counts.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

Otherwise running up 30 in Chaos for all that defense is frivolous when it could go to other things. Having stealth and Blink AND torch should be more than enough defense to handle most situations as a Mesmer.

Depends on what you’re trying to do.

A defensive PU setup allows me to bunker a point against most enemies; nothing else I have tried does. The stealth means I occasionally do lose control of the point, but in most cases I can drive off the enemy without dying or being forced to flee. I can even sometimes hold on in 1v2 or even 1v3 situations for a while. All of the defense matters for this use.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

PU Mesmers lose so much effectiveness in group fights that they’re practically nonexistant. Suddenly the clone deaths aren’t nearly as potent and you have to rely on Torment and Confusion for damage, both of which can get easily cleansed. PU Power Mesmers are just weaker-than-average Phantasm Mesmer that, while effective in some 1v1 cases, also seem like they’re gimping themselves for all that silly defense.

I think this applies to the classic Blackwater variety. A hybrid PU build that combines phantasm damage with defense can do a fair bit more.

Personally I’m not going to feel guilty for a PU playstyle – shifted to that and had been playing since before the ridiculous additional boon refresh every second buff in the summer (needs to be reverted IMO), heavily inspired/influenced by Seven’s videos/playstyle, despite that being wvw and this being pvp.
I play it because I love the playstyle of dropping into stealth and opening with mini-bursts – it just feels right for me and my personality.

I’m looking forward to a minor nerf to PU, to spread out build variety and shift the focus away from this. Would be interesting if summoning caused you to decloak there and then, and certainly the rate and duration of protection at the moment is too much.

Current hotjoin pvp build is this: http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQRAsf7clwzipHUzoGb9IipHEXwBckUoavWJF82FC-T4Ag0CnIqRVjrGTNyas1M+Y9x2ijITLeiA
But I’ve only started playing again recently, so still trying to get my head into combat and definitely needs some tweaks – once I feel my fingers are doing the right things.

Yeah don’t ever feel guilty for playing a spec the game allows (a lot of folks disagree with this, whatever).

PU certainly has some nice staying power in PvP but you’ll rarely if ever see it in team play (especially as a bunker) due to the stealth heavy play style. Can’t hold those points if you’re in stealth. That said, you see it hot join/solo que because it’s such a strong trait and fun to play. Goes without saying, it’s more fun when you’re not dying as much.

I agree, PU is kind of lame and irritating.

My current pvp build:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/DirtyBird-s-TPvP-Condi-Mesmre-Build/first#post3401893

skcamow.3527:

PU certainly has some nice staying power in PvP but you’ll rarely if ever see it in team play (especially as a bunker) due to the stealth heavy play style. Can’t hold those points if you’re in stealth.

Are there better options for making a bunkery mesmer? Stealth has the obvious drawback, but most of our other mitigation tools also have problems: blink takes you off point, staff #2 the same, and so forth.

This is prompting me to try to come up with a bunkery build that makes less use of stealth. But I still can’t see dropping PU if I’m going 30 in Chaos, and with a bunker build, I probably am. Even if I only use it for Decoy, it’s just worth taking, seems to me.

skcamow.3527:

Yeah don’t ever feel guilty for playing a spec the game allows (a lot of folks disagree with this, whatever).

PU certainly has some nice staying power in PvP but you’ll rarely if ever see it in team play (especially as a bunker) due to the stealth heavy play style. Can’t hold those points if you’re in stealth. That said, you see it hot join/solo que because it’s such a strong trait and fun to play. Goes without saying, it’s more fun when you’re not dying as much.

One of the main things I still struggle with on occasion is the targeting system in this game – coming from a TPS/FPS background, without having to hold right click for mouse look.

Stealth for me sometimes gives the time to pick the right target before initiating a new attack.

Also as with any character in a game that “dumps aggro” on teammates through means of some sort of cloaking device/invisibility, I feel the need to make up for it by doing something useful – in this case focusing damage on one target so as not to be a burden. Perhaps I’m just trying to play too much like a thief! But thief doesn’t have pink butterflies and more of itself to talk to.

Qaelyn.7612:

skcamow.3527:

PU certainly has some nice staying power in PvP but you’ll rarely if ever see it in team play (especially as a bunker) due to the stealth heavy play style. Can’t hold those points if you’re in stealth.

Are there better options for making a bunkery mesmer? Stealth has the obvious drawback, but most of our other mitigation tools also have problems: blink takes you off point, staff #2 the same, and so forth.

This is prompting me to try to come up with a bunkery build that makes less use of stealth. But I still can’t see dropping PU if I’m going 30 in Chaos, and with a bunker build, I probably am. Even if I only use it for Decoy, it’s just worth taking, seems to me.

I’ve seen a couple here and there, maybe Pyro will post his some day
I’ve posted a build called the utility wizard which works decent, even better seemingly with the new heal signet in my limited testing. That one doesn’t run blink. As for phase retreat, you learn to use it at the far end of the circle so you appear at the opposite edge. There are some other really nifty phase retreat tricks you can do in PvP, just search youtube.

Can the +600 toughness on mantra cast be utilized defensively? I keep wanting to make that trait work, but haven’t yet found a way.

On builds, I still honestly think 20/25/0/25/0 phants is the best build around. add in centaur runes and portal and it has great mobility. weaknesses = condis and thieves opening on you, but the burst is insane.

I’ve been playing with some PU builds for fun in competitive tpvp and solo and do find that it has a specific purpose (back point, 2v2’s and even 3v3’s on occasion). there also seems to be a lot of variety on builds (tho i think 0/20/30/20/0 is most common) which at least gives us some space to experiment a little.

i’ve been trying to implement the signet and find PU to be the only build that you can get away with it (at top levels).

skcamow.3527:

I’ve seen a couple here and there, maybe Pyro will post his some day
I’ve posted a build called the utility wizard which works decent, even better seemingly with the new heal signet in my limited testing. That one doesn’t run blink. As for phase retreat, you learn to use it at the far end of the circle so you appear at the opposite edge. There are some other really nifty phase retreat tricks you can do in PvP, just search youtube.

Thanks. I’ve tried them and not had much luck. I’m just too dependent on the stealth I think.

I feel a bit lost in mesmer-land right now. I can feel the limitations of my PU/phantasm hybrid but nothing else works for me. I’ve had some success with a berserker-type phantasm build, but I die too quickly and.. I really hate dying. Maybe that’s why I always end up playing defensively.

I’m sure a good lockdown/shatter build would be effective. The learning curve though…

Bunda.2691:

Can the +600 toughness on mantra cast be utilized defensively? I keep wanting to make that trait work, but haven’t yet found a way.

Not really. Ultimately if you’re in a bunker build, you’ll probably have around 3000 armor, which means that 600 toughness is only a 20% reduction in damage. In order to get that though, you need 20 points in dueling, you have to take a mantra, and you have to actually charge it with the intention of facetanking things instead of dodging or blurred frenzy or anything really.

So still experimenting with the condi clearing mantra, null field and the disenchanter. Problem is it’s hard to judge the relative effectiveness because of how different each match is. I liked null field at first, but the extremely long CD is a bummer. Trying to give the disenchanter a fair shake now, since it has other advantages as well.