Guild Wars 2

I’ll attempt to write better tomorrow if i get some time.

Why IP is better than MtD for Condition Shatter builds.

1 Synergy

MtD seems like an obvious winner here but lets look at it objectively. The main source for conditions on mesmers comes from Clones. More accurately, clones that stay alive or get recklessly murdered by aoe and cleave. Both Shatter traits don’t hold much Synergy with a condition build but …

IP holds more synergy by association. IP allows for higher confusion stacking which hurts spam classes with no cleanse more than torment can. IP also enables 0 clone shattering for moments when you really need that daze or Invuln to GTFO of a kitten storm.

IP basically helps to cover what building a Condition Shatter so heavily ends up missing out on which is self sustain and versatility.

2 Pressure

MtD looks like it’d be great for adding pressure or a final spike but let’s remember that Conditions will always be DoT, 1s per tick. Conditions are extremely hard to spike with unless you can apply a lot of them at once or can apply about 15 stacks of just one extremely rapidly.

look back up to #1, remember that most of your condition pressure isnt coming from you, but from your clones and all of it is on very low timers. Shattering these might mean 3 stacks of torment but it also means you need to rebuild momentum by producing more clones so they can start doing the heavy lifting again.

IP is more geared for damage spikes, which is something you will lack without bringing it to a shatter build. No, they wont be magnificent 7k bombs but having at least 1 mediocre spike is usually better than having none to finish someone off in a clutch moment.

Remember that IP can mean up to 4 hits, and even if those hits are only 500dmg that’s 2k in 2 to 3s that have to be dodged or blocked, freeing up new clones to more quickly stack their conditions. Mind you they may have dodged your MtD shatter but after a few of these many players quickly learn not to fear them and just burn a cleanse instead.

3 Vulnerability

I touched on this slightly above but I’ll do it again here. Picking between these traits opens you up to a downside on either hand.

MtD Shatters become a last minute or right moment type of idea with this trait in play, you may even find yourself hesitating to hit F4 just in case you might pull through without it, with MtD you cannot use your clones in a semi-combo of a 1-2 punch. Torment application becoming more important than actually forcing your foes to back down or panic and slip up. While an impending shatter with this trait can still do that, its often long into a fight when its already been decided who is going to win / die / run away. This trait mostly discourages the use of shatters than it does promote them.

IP doesn’t bring a lot of conditions to a condition fight, confusion is the best you’ll get but you can get a lot of it. Confusion is a lot more situational than Torment is but it can also be more effective on the right enemy at the right times. Take a bite out of a Heal or a Cleanse for example and its less work you have to do going further into the fight. IP also offers opportunities to burn a shatter when you are in a bad spot and need to do a little more damage or get off a heal. This can happen very quickly in 2v1 situations with aoe heavy classes.

4. Gear Options

Rabid or Carrion, most people will instantly tell you Full Rabid or Dire is the best option and for pure condition damage that’s mostly true. In a low end or roamtastic condition ruled field, this can be the completely wrong set to grab as well.

Toughness hinders direct DPS, it can help mitigate that 7k Thief burst to a 6.5K. Toughness does not, however, cancel out Condition Damage. Only high health can eat up conditions comfortably if you lack removals.

Both MtD and IP allow for you to bring either set pretty comfortably without seeing too much variation in play style. however IP will allow for more of a hybrid feel with carrion when it comes to shatter bursts.

Disagreements, arguments, etc, post them below.

bump as it’s done ish..