I’ve gotten a load of complements on my mesmer build over the past few days so I’ve decided to write a guide to it.
Build overview: Here|
This build relies on power, toughness, and vitality, as well as holding as many boons as you can during combat. The power is what gives retaliation its edge on the field. toughness reduces damage you take and vitality ensures that you can take hits. All in all, soldiers armor is the way to go for this build.
Weapons
Staff is your primary weapon and you will be using this the majority of the time. Alternatively, Sword and Focus will be your backup.
Traits
Domination – 15
[ VI Signet Mastery – signets recharge 20% faster ]
Dueling – 10
[ III Retaliation Shield – gives 3(s) of retaliation on blocking an attack ]
Chaos – 20
[ IV Illusionary Defense – Damage taken reduced by 3% per each illusion summoned ]
[ X Chaotic Dampening – +50 toughness using staff, staff skills recharge 20% faster ]
Inspiration – 20
[ V Persisting Images – Phantasms have 20% more health ]
[ VIII Warden’s Feedback – focus skills reflect projectiles, recharge focus skills 20% faster ]
Illusions – 5
Armor
All soldiers armor
Superior Rune of Lyssa (x6), alternatively you could use runes that increase boon duration, but I like to use Time Warp + Lyssa runes for all boons, then use signet of inspiration to transfer all boons to nearby allies (also applies to illusions) This gives a major damage increase and is useful for dungeons.
Calculations
At level 80 using this build and full exotic/ascend equipment the following stats should be approximately:
(no boons or food)
Power – 2161
Attack – 3272
Toughness – 1844
Armor – 2825
Vitality – 1844
Health – 25050
Retaliation Damage – 354 per tic
( Superior Sharpening Stone – 6% of toughness and 4% of vitality are added to power
Dragon Fish Candies – 6% of toughness is added to vitality
x25 Sigil of bloodlust- +10 power per stack
x25 Might )
Power – 3630
Attack – 4741
Retaliation Damage – 470 per tic
Game Play and Strategy
The objective is to keep boons on yourself, especially protection, regeneration, retaliation and occationally Aegis (for blocking), while applying boons and having your illusions bash the **** out of everything with retaliation [I will explain this in a moment].
Phantasmal Defender is you BEST FRIEND! Heep him on the field as long as possible! +20% health to phantasms (inspiration V) and Signet of Illusions helps accomplish this. Your best friend takes half of the damage from you, and every ally (your illusions included) near him. Combine this guy with Vengeful Images (retaliation to phantasms inspiration subtrait 1) and you have yourself a lethal killing machine. Any hit taken from you or anyone near you will be transfered to the defender (who has retaliation) which will damage the enemy who struck it.
So, If you have 2 Phantasms (one of them the defender) and the non defender is struck, the enemy is damaged from the initial phantasm retaliation, and then again from the defenders retaliation.
If you have 3 Phantasms (1 defender) and you all are struck from the same attack, thats 6 hits of retaliation per hit (nearly 2000 damage).
DoTs (damage over time conditions) also apply these retaliations. It adds up to be some massive damage. the most retaliation tics ive done in a second was about 20 to 25 with me and 3 phantasms standing in a trap that caused bleeding.
In addition to these retaliations, you will be doing massive hits from all the power you have, and you most likely will not die if you keep boons up, with all the toughness and vitality you have. I’ve taken on armies of level 80 risen and lived to tell the tale. Though there were some close calls with having less than 100 health.
skill rotation
Chaos storm
chaos armor
Phantasmal Defender
Phantasmal warlock
(cast a few winds of chaos)
[switch weapons)
Phantasmal Warden
Blurred Frenzy
Temporal Curtain
(stand in temporal curtain) Illusionary Leap [applies retaliation]
Into the void [pull enemy / knock down]
(attack a few with sword 1 skill)
(Switch back to staff)
—repeat—
PS: /dance
(edited by Novamatrix.2569)
