Guild Wars 2

So, my Mesmer is in the 40’s now. I feel like I have a good idea of how the Mesmer plays at this point. I’ve tried a dozen builds in the mists and can’t find any that make me feel like I’m anything more than a chaos field twice a minute robot. Pretty much every weapon has at least one lame skill that either requires me to block or overrides my phantasms with clones that deal 0 dmg.

Shattering sounded cool on the char creation page, but in practice it just has me blowing up my already mostly useless clones/phants for mediocre “burst”. I think I’m regretting putting the effort into this character. I’m calling it Mesmorse. I will play him to 80 so I can at least have an end game farming character, but I hope he gets some changes inc so I feel like I’m more than just an afterthought on the battlefield.

Mesmer does get better, but it’s very reliant on multiple traits to get there and even with traits, the shatter mechanic can feel lackluster compared to other classes that may only have to push a single button to get the same effect.

Opposed to shatter builds, phantasm builds instead capitalize on keeping them around and using them as the main source of damage. I have personally have gone the route of clone factory/death in lieu of shatters since you can explode them one at a time at the 3 illusion limit rather than all at once and it lets me keep my phantasms.

Aryc.3875:

I have personally have gone the route of clone factory/death in lieu of shatters since you can explode them one at a time at the 3 illusion limit rather than all at once and it lets me keep my phantasms.

Anytime I use a shatter, all my clones/phantasms go suicidal. How do you get them to go one at a time?

Good question !

Your clones will never overwrite a phantasm. Phantasms can (do) overwrite clones however. Phantasms are only overwritten by other phantasms. If you experience otherwise, that is a bug and repeat/test then report.

Also if you have 3 illusions up and hit shatter you can immediately start summoning more illusions while the original three are still up and running to their deaths. The new casts will simply fill up the newly vacant slots. Once you hit shatter your 3 slots are marked as “open.”

Vexor.3640:

Also if you have 3 illusions up and hit shatter you can immediately start summoning more illusions while the original three are still up and running to their deaths. The new casts will simply fill up the newly vacant slots. Once you hit shatter your 3 slots are marked as “open.”

This is an important aspect of shattering, and I think many Mesmers don’t actually know about this. Generally speaking depending on your weapon range you can have 2+ Illusions back up by the time your shatter kills the previous ones.

Vexor.3640:

Your clones will never overwrite a phantasm. Phantasms can (do) overwrite clones however. Phantasms are only overwritten by other phantasms. If you experience otherwise, that is a bug and repeat/test then report.

Not entirely. If you have 3 phantasms up and summon a clone, the oldest phantasm will be replaced. As long as you have at least one clone up, it will always be the first thing replaced though.