Guild Wars 2

As someone who casually plays all game modes, I was really looking forward to (and still am) Mirage for PoF. It has some flashy new mechanics and animations and the feel of a jumpy, slippery Mesmer is what I enjoy. I like that you have tons of condis popping out and that you can trait for some denial type gameplay (interrupts) if you wish.

However, I’ve noticed a major drawback to the spec that should be addressed: when playing with the emphasis on clones and their generation (which could be emphasized more tbh), there seems to be no reason to casting phantasms. For instance, in traiting for condi shatters and using your clones as interrupts, there is no place for Phantasms.

My suggestion: Bake Infinite Horizon into Mirage Cloak as a mechanic. Then, using the “flavor” of current Phantasms (Mage applying burning, etc.), cause all phantasm skills to turn into Mirrors upon one cast of their basic ability. Either that or allow Mirrors to be traited for some area control (much more brief than Scourge). These changes will allow the spec to have an identity. Something it does uniquely – numerous evades with heavy reliance on clone generation.

Frankly I feel this problem exists since the core Mesmer.

And as such, should be fixed there, too.

What I would do:

• Phantasms ignore shatter commands.
• A Phantasm counts as a “fourth” illusion, you can only have one at a time.
• Rebalance phantasm numbers accordingly.
• Using the same skill on an already-spawned Phantasms (say, casting Phantasmal Duelist while there’s one up already) will make that phantasm re-target and set it’s remaining attack CD to 0 (fires again immediately).
• Signet of the Ether also causes the next phantasm cast after use to be invulnerable for 14 seconds in addition to its current effects.

There needs to be a trait that spawns a clone for every phantasm you shatter. Phantasms and shatters have no synergy with mirage. There needs to be at least something.

Phantasms will generally still do better dmg compaired to clones tho at least power wise.

zealex.9410:

Phantasms will generally still do better dmg compaired to clones tho at least power wise.

In all of my testing this weekend, traited Pistol Phantasms were out DPSing axe clones. This was WAY closer than it is for scepter clones, but it was still better to use the phantasms.

Knox.8962:

zealex.9410:

Phantasms will generally still do better dmg compaired to clones tho at least power wise.

In all of my testing this weekend, traited Pistol Phantasms were out DPSing axe clones. This was WAY closer than it is for scepter clones, but it was still better to use the phantasms.

That speaks to the severe lack of synergy between Mirage and the rest of the class. Mirage is all about ambushes, but you get better dps from not using them…

Well yes, it makes 0 sense for Mirage to even have the shatter buttons. Should have used it for a better mechanic instead.

And frankly the Phantasm problem needs a core mesmer solution. Phantasm as a fourth illusion, ignores shatter, only one at a time, buff them. Done.

Xenon.4537:

Knox.8962:

zealex.9410:

Phantasms will generally still do better dmg compaired to clones tho at least power wise.

In all of my testing this weekend, traited Pistol Phantasms were out DPSing axe clones. This was WAY closer than it is for scepter clones, but it was still better to use the phantasms.

That speaks to the severe lack of synergy between Mirage and the rest of the class. Mirage is all about ambushes, but you get better dps from not using them…

Phantasms are the actual damaging illusion tool. I don’t think that mirage should totally invalidate those.

What axe clones are really good for is rapidly ramping up damage which is one of the Achilles heels of core mesmer.

Knox.8962:

Xenon.4537:

Knox.8962:

zealex.9410:

Phantasms will generally still do better dmg compaired to clones tho at least power wise.

In all of my testing this weekend, traited Pistol Phantasms were out DPSing axe clones. This was WAY closer than it is for scepter clones, but it was still better to use the phantasms.

That speaks to the severe lack of synergy between Mirage and the rest of the class. Mirage is all about ambushes, but you get better dps from not using them…

Phantasms are the actual damaging illusion tool. I don’t think that mirage should totally invalidate those.

What axe clones are really good for is rapidly ramping up damage which is one of the Achilles heels of core mesmer.

Before you both jump the ship. Dont forget pve wise at least torment and confusion where changed to deal bleed base dmg.

zealex.9410:

Knox.8962:

Xenon.4537:

Knox.8962:

zealex.9410:

Phantasms will generally still do better dmg compaired to clones tho at least power wise.

In all of my testing this weekend, traited Pistol Phantasms were out DPSing axe clones. This was WAY closer than it is for scepter clones, but it was still better to use the phantasms.

That speaks to the severe lack of synergy between Mirage and the rest of the class. Mirage is all about ambushes, but you get better dps from not using them…

Phantasms are the actual damaging illusion tool. I don’t think that mirage should totally invalidate those.

What axe clones are really good for is rapidly ramping up damage which is one of the Achilles heels of core mesmer.

Before you both jump the ship. Dont forget pve wise at least torment and confusion where changed to deal bleed base dmg.

I think this thing is going to be nasty in a PvE DPS role. I’d be shocked if it doesn’t parse 15-20% higher than the current condi mesmer builds.

I also think this will drastically improve the ramp time that causes issues for PvE mesmer outside of a few fights today.

Overall the pvp focus of mirage seems to be to replace or be an alternative to daredevil with added perks like the portal.

zealex.9410:

Overall the pvp focus of mirage seems to be to replace or be an alternative to daredevil with added perks like the portal.

Replace or alternative to daredevil? You must be kidding me.

Any ambush skill compared to backstab is just a joke.

All the teleports we get compared to shadow step or steal are jokes.

We do get interesting dodges. But how can they be even compared to dash.

Exciton.8942:

zealex.9410:

Overall the pvp focus of mirage seems to be to replace or be an alternative to daredevil with added perks like the portal.

Replace or alternative to daredevil? You must be kidding me.

Any ambush skill compared to backstab is just a joke.

All the teleports we get compared to shadow step or steal are jokes.

We do get interesting dodges. But how can they be even compared to dash.

Im speaking about power mirage coupled with jaunt and blink. The mobility is actually insane.

Sword ambush is a great skill. It might bot be as high in power as backstab but it rovides some nice utility.

zealex.9410:

Exciton.8942:

zealex.9410:

Overall the pvp focus of mirage seems to be to replace or be an alternative to daredevil with added perks like the portal.

Replace or alternative to daredevil? You must be kidding me.

Any ambush skill compared to backstab is just a joke.

All the teleports we get compared to shadow step or steal are jokes.

We do get interesting dodges. But how can they be even compared to dash.

Im speaking about power mirage coupled with jaunt and blink. The mobility is actually insane.

Sword ambush is a great skill. It might bot be as high in power as backstab but it rovides some nice utility.

Yup sword ambush mobility is good but you still don’t replace daredevil with that. SB5+dash+perma swiftness makes their mobility unparalle.

Not to mention power mesmer still gets hard countered by DD. If your team play power mesmer vs enemy team with DD, you are just gonna get farmed. I am not even taking team stealth into consideration here.