Guild Wars 2

Basically what the title says, overall, damage, fun to play, level of skill to play, spvp, WvW etc…

Definitely Mesmer!
I have a Level 80 Ele and it’s so boring! Mesmer will be 80 soon

Comparing Mesmer: Sword/Focus & GS 10/30/0/0/30 vs. Ele: D/D or Staff 0/10/0/30/30]

• Damage: I think Mesmer’s dmg is better. Both sustained and burst!
• Fun to play: Definitely Mesmer, Ele has only (imo) two reliable & fun weapons, D/D & Staff. Also it’s lots of fun confusing people in WvW etc.
• Level of skill to play: Mesmer, but it depends where you use the class. Like in normal PvE it’s just button spamming. In fractals though, you need to know when to dodge/use your invulnerability
• sPvP: Both but Mesmer is more useful in tPvP {TW, Portal}, though Ele can tank like 2+ enemies
• WvW: If in a zerg, Mesmer at any rate {Portal, Focus #4 Pull}. Watch this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1LQq_Dd1qQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player When alone I think Ele, because it can tank 5+ Noobs
• Utility (mostly about PvE): Mesmer all the way!! Mostly in Fractals, Ele compared to Mesmer is so useless!
• Projectile Absorb/Reflect Ele has only 1 Projectile Absorb, Air Focus #4. Mesmer has — Utility Projectile Reflect
  -- Focus 5 untraited absorb, traited reflect [untraited pretty useful against bosses which projectiles you can’t reflect but absorb (i.e. Old Tom)]
• Invulnerability Mesmer has a lot and also better on-demand invulns! {Shatter F4 (up to 4 sec, 45-60 sec CD), Blurred Frenzy (2 sec every 8 sec!), Mimic when used correctly}. Ele is a lot worse {Mist Form (3 sec duration, 75 sec CD), Earth Focus #5 (4 sec duration, 50 sec CD)}
• Stealth Running through trash, Veil (& MI), gg
• Portal/TW Nothing to say, Portal/TW>ALL

I’ve made the mistake to make a mesmer this late (had already 80 guardian & ele)

Also the biggest argument mesmer wins: Style & Animations… Nothing to say :P

Inoence.6907:

Definitely Mesmer!
I have a Level 80 Ele and it’s so boring! Mesmer will be 80 soon

Comparing Mesmer: Sword/Focus & GS 10/30/0/0/30 vs. Ele: D/D or Staff 0/10/0/30/30]

• Damage: I think Mesmer’s dmg is better. Both sustained and burst!
• Fun to play: Definitely Mesmer, Ele has only (imo) two reliable & fun weapons, D/D & Staff. Also it’s lots of fun confusing people in WvW etc.
• Level of skill to play: Mesmer, but it depends where you use the class. Like in normal PvE it’s just button spamming. In fractals though, you need to know when to dodge/use your invulnerability
• sPvP: Both but Mesmer is more useful in tPvP {TW, Portal}, though Ele can tank like 2+ enemies
• WvW: If in a zerg, Mesmer at any rate {Portal, Focus #4 Pull}. Watch this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1LQq_Dd1qQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player When alone I think Ele, because it can tank 5+ Noobs
• Utility (mostly about PvE): Mesmer all the way!! Mostly in Fractals, Ele compared to Mesmer is so useless!
• Projectile Absorb/Reflect Ele has only 1 Projectile Absorb, Air Focus #4. Mesmer has — Utility Projectile Reflect
  -- Focus 5 untraited absorb, traited reflect [untraited pretty useful against bosses which projectiles you can’t reflect but absorb (i.e. Old Tom)]
• Invulnerability Mesmer has a lot and also better on-demand invulns! {Shatter F4 (up to 4 sec, 45-60 sec CD), Blurred Frenzy (2 sec every 8 sec!), Mimic when used correctly}. Ele is a lot worse {Mist Form (3 sec duration, 75 sec CD), Earth Focus #5 (4 sec duration, 50 sec CD)}
• Stealth Running through trash, Veil (& MI), gg
• Portal/TW Nothing to say, Portal/TW>ALL

I’ve made the mistake to make a mesmer this late (had already 80 guardian & ele)

Also the biggest argument mesmer wins: Style & Animations… Nothing to say :P

So you recommend Mesmer over Ele then :P

I’ve got both at 80. Thus …

Basically, once the gents at ANet give Ele’s other weapons a looksee, Ele’d come out strong on defense (focus, some from D/D or Staff … let alone those traited Cantrips).
They’re also hardcore on healing. IIRC, their healing power stat scales MASSIVELY well.

Even then, Mesmer wins on two factors: Style (Hello, purple butterflies? Death-Rays from Greatswords? Absolute Mindkitten?). And Weapons. What other caster spec rocks dual-sword mojo, pistols, and Greatswords. Let alone that while Ele is Master of AoE Staff-hits, our Staff is pure RNG wackiness.

Note: some of the weapon biz is arguable. D/D Ele feels like a frigging fighting game character. The problem is that it’s Ele’s only weaponset that flows that well. Especially for PvP/WvW. Staff for them can work, but it’s not great for multiple in-close attackers.
Mes Staff is functionally the opposite, in that it works better in close combat, so as to proc more boons from WoC/slap more conditions on enemies.

Inoence.6907:

Definitely Mesmer!
I have a Level 80 Ele and it’s so boring! Mesmer will be 80 soon

Comparing Mesmer: Sword/Focus & GS 10/30/0/0/30 vs. Ele: D/D or Staff 0/10/0/30/30]

• Damage: I think Mesmer’s dmg is better. Both sustained and burst!

true

Ele has less damage but more Aoe and support

• Fun to play: Definitely Mesmer, Ele has only (imo) two reliable & fun weapons, D/D & Staff. Also it’s lots of fun confusing people in WvW etc.

exactly the same…
One class is more about moving (ele) the other is more about positioning (mesmer)

• Level of skill to play: Mesmer, but it depends where you use the class. Like in normal PvE it’s just button spamming. In fractals though, you need to know when to dodge/use your invulnerability

Ele id definitely better in solo pve unless u use staff on ele that is bad……

• Utility (mostly about PvE): Mesmer all the way!! Mostly in Fractals, Ele compared to Mesmer is so useless!

Ele is build dependant….
Can support OR damage or be balanced.
A balanced ele will spam LOT of might stacks and heal with decent AoE crowd control.
A support ele will also gives reflect fury and swiftness for a short duration.

Mesmer has portals (everybody can have with karma portal gun) but has also nice reflect/absorb ability for the party….
The point is mesmer can dish damage while doing that….but suffers the lack of good crowd control skills compared to ele.
Mesmer has

1. Projectile Absorb/Reflect Ele has only 1 Projectile Absorb, Air Focus #4. Mesmer has — Utility Projectile Reflect
   -- Focus 5 untraited absorb, traited reflect [untraited pretty useful against bosses which projectiles you can’t reflect but absorb (i.e. Old Tom)]

Ele has earth elemental……to cover one side….
Also its not true what you say….ele has 2 shields as cantrips/traits and one skill in staff he can pass to the Whole party….

1. Invulnerability Mesmer has a lot and also better on-demand invulns! {Shatter F4 (up to 4 sec, 45-60 sec CD), Blurred Frenzy (2 sec every 8 sec!), Mimic when used correctly}. Ele is a lot worse {Mist Form (3 sec duration, 75 sec CD), Earth Focus #5 (4 sec duration, 50 sec CD)}

Ele hands down…..wins for inv spells.
Despite long CD you can access many available at will…
And not with a half second cast time for 2 seconds while stuck at short range…..

I have both….
Ele is a better profession for difficult dungeons, lack of dps is a problem…..also being forced in short range

Mesmer for PvE suffers the necessity of a glass cannon build…..(imho)

They are 2 similar professions quite opposite in playstyle….

I’d say it limits to a question for PvE:
I have both and i use both.

Both requires skills and knowledge….possibly the 2 top ceiling skill professions.

I’d go ele if ou like VERY fast thinking <=== and reacting plus mobility paired with some support (also teach you to evade very well)

I’d go mesmer if you like strategy, careful positioning and DPS.

If first profession i’d choose ele because its better for farming moneys (unless u farm cof1) and then id exp a mesmer with craft (exping mesmer is boring as hell….).

I play both. In terms of effectiveness in pvp and WvW they are about same. 1 v 1 same. It comes down to play style. Ele play like a melee class and Mesmer play like ranged DPS.

I play both mesmer and elementalist. My mesmer is sort of glassy however I use Valkyrie armor for extra health. 30/20/0/0/20. I love the dps I get out of my mesmer. She’s my general PvE/WvW character and cof farmer. I typically use my elementalist for harder dungeons and fractals due to her higher survivability, though her dps isn’t as good. As for skill, I think they both require a lot of it.

I have lots of fun with both… Can’t say which is better!