Guild Wars 2

It’s not a secret in this subforum that I love mirage and will definitely make that my main spec when xpac goes live. But even still, I have to tell you that mirage is not the solution to having to summon new clones for every mob with a short life.

A new expansion is the best time to add new skills to the game. I don’t think you should miss this opportunity. So I just wanted to take this time to reintroduce an earlier idea I posted to greatly improve the QoL of mesmer.

New Elite Mantra

Mantra of Command
Meditate, charging a spell that will command illusions to attack a new target. Gain swiftness when this skill is fully charged.
Number of Casts: 2
Recharge Time: 5 seconds
Activation Time: 2.5 seconds
Range: at least 900

The difference between this skill and Illusionary Ambush and Axe#3 is that clones and the caster don’t shadow step to the new target. When used, illusions attacks are interrupted and they run over to the target the normal way. The caster also has to move him/herself to the target because there isn’t a shadowstep. The swiftness will make moving from mob to mob easier. The biggest difference is that all mesmers will have access to it. That is the point.

I expect this elite to be most used by most mesmers in any event that doesn’t require them to bring strong CC or timewarp, which are both on 3 minute CDs, such as open world events and doing personal/living story, as well as some other boss encounters. In pvp some may use it, but like in PvE, depending on the situation and a person’s style of play, the other choices may be more attractive.

I don’t believe this skill competes with Axe#3 or Illusionary Ambush either. Those two skills are only available on mirage, while Axe#3 is only available for condition builds in Mirage. Secondly, Axe#3 is on a short cd and does solve the issue of retargeting illusions, but only for condi mirages. Power mirages and all other mesmers simply won’t be using an axe. Illusionary Ambush is a good skill has situations it’s good in, but the long CD means the skill has missed the purpose for needing to retarget clones. Mesmers need to be able to retarget clones for mobs that die quickly. A 30 sec cd just doesn’t cut it in world events, and personal/living story, farming, or anything really that involves switching to mobs that don’t live long.

You know that weird interaction where the Phant target disappears and the Phants remain without a target, so they just pick a new target and attack?

But when that new target dies, they don’t disappear because they’re still “latched” to the older target?

I think a better idea would be for them to be “unchained” for 10s. If you use it right before you kill a target, they would remain without a target. When the 10s ends, they will remap to their current target. This lets you have “pets” for a short duration, if micro’ed properly.

Hot Boy.7138:

Mirage is not the solution

I’d go one further:
If Mirage is the solution, I want my problem back please.

The correct solution is to actually give Mesmer an elite spec with new mechanics like every other elite spec they are adding with PoF.

Levetty.1279:

The correct solution is to actually give Mesmer an elite spec with new mechanics like every other elite spec they are adding with PoF.

What, you mean they can’t just do a condi version of daredevil with half the stuff missing?

A new mantra would be neat. But in fractals/raids the only part where illusions matter are the boss fights. In open world pve you dont even need to summon just bust out the gs and burst everything.

Maybe in 2 or 3 more expansions they will finally start listening to us and actually fix the problems with our class mechanics… First they “fix” the issue with shattering being too punishing to our DPS with the Chronomancer through Chronophantasma and Illusionary Revision… and now they are “fixing” our problem with not being able to retarget illusions with Mirage through Axes of Symmetry and Illusionary Ambush…

Seriously ArenaNet… stop this already and fix the Mesmer class properly…

I honestly think that mechanic could be perfectly added to Mirror Images:

Mirror Images:
Your illusions change focus to the targeted foe. If no illusions are active, summon two clones.

I don’t know if they will actually add more skills for core mesmer. This is simple, yet effective.

Pollux.3247:

I honestly think that mechanic could be perfectly added to Mirror Images:

Mirror Images:
Your illusions change focus to the targeted foe. If no illusions are active, summon two clones.

I don’t know if they will actually add more skills for core mesmer. This is simple, yet effective.

Would be great with charges.

They could always rework Phantasms to stay like Necro minions but I guess that would be too OP.

Refia Montes.3205:

They could always rework Phantasms to stay like Necro minions but I guess that would be too OP.

A thief might die! In PvP! That’s heresy!