Guild Wars 2

After playing my Phantasm Mesmer, I’ve noticed the only change I want is a solid, ranged, main-hand weapon for a Phantasm build. The off-hand Phantasms are incredibly useful: a fast attacker with a leap finisher on every attack, a rapid, ranged DPS, a reflecting, powerful AoE, and a ranged, condition/boon applicator. But as it stands, only one of the two present main-hand weapons are viable for Phantasm builds: Sword.

Scepter has a huge problem with Phantasm builds. Its basic combo ends with Ether Clone, a skill that forces a Clone to spawn. If a Mesmer has all three Illusions as Phantasms, Ether Clone (and Clones in general) will replace a Phantasm with a Clone. A Phantasm build wants to have Phantasms, but the basic attack chain ruins this. Even if a player were to interrupt the third hit of the attack chain with another skill, the Scepter’s chain operates differently from other weapons as it does not reset the chain to the first attack when interrupted making it impossible to avoid unless the player chooses not to attack (and defeating the purpose of combat).

I have three solutions in mind, and each will have its own drawbacks (as any change would):

1. Ether Clone no longer creates a Clone if all three active Illusions are Phantasms.

• The Scepter is a solid weapon on non-Phantasm skills. Even removing the Clone effect from Ether Clone leaves this weapon as a pretty solid condition weapon when factoring the Phantasm traits in HoT (Bleed on crits, Confusion on crits). While unlikely a player would have three Phantasms and still want Clones over Phantasms, it is possible this change would affect a number of Mesmer players.

2. A Phantasm trait gains a new effect: Phantasms cannot be replaced by Clones.

• While this wouldn’t affect non-Phantasm builds, it could break existing Clone skills. Illusionary Leap -> Swap wouldn’t have the swapping effect (although I assume Immobilize would still occur). I’m not sure how this change would affect Clone skills overall, but this would restrict the effect to Phantasm Mesmers. This effect would most likely be added onto a trait in the Inspiration specialization as it offers the most Phantasm bonuses.

3. Mesmers gain a new main-hand weapon.

• I don’t really see this happening either. With recent artwork, Mesmers appear to be receiving the Shield as a new weapon. From what I understand, professions will not be able to use these Elite Specialization weapons outside of the specialization anyway. Adding a new weapon (other than the specialization weapon) would show favor to Mesmers over other professions begging the question why other professions do not receive an additional weapon as well. If I were to choose a weapon, I would vote either Pistol or Axe (because of the Phantasmal Duelist and Warden respectively).

I would personally lean toward the first option. It does change the Scepter if a Mesmer would happen to have three Phantasms out, and having Clones shouldn’t be the intention of anyone with three Phantasms active. The second option risks breaking a number of skills, but restricts the change to Phantasm builds. The third option would pull favor toward Mesmers, but would not break any existing skills. I’m sure Thieves would love to snipe with a Rifle and Warriors want to swing a Staff around.

Anet really just needs to remove the clone from the third hit of the AA chain and speed up that third hit a bit. Then add the clone to counterspell so we can proc a clone through scepter #2 either with the block or blind depending on the situation.

Mikkel.8427:

Anet really just needs to remove the clone from the third hit of the AA chain and speed up that third hit a bit. Then add the clone to counterspell so we can proc a clone through scepter #2 either with the block or blind depending on the situation.

I actually like the fact that Counterspell does not create a Clone. Mesmers have Blinding Befuddlement in the Illusions specialization (along with other Phantasm-related traits) which would support a Phantasm build quickly popping Counterspell (to avoid a Clone) and maintaining its utility. Adding a Clone to both Illusionary Counter and Counterspell defeats the purpose of removing the Clone from Ether Clone. If a Phantasm Mesmer cannot use the basic chain without creating a Clone, why would a Phantasm Mesmer ever use Illusionary Counter if it still creates a Clone on Counterspell?

You cant interrupt the scepter AA chain with another ability though… your going to get that clone if you like it or not. Unless you just don’t use your Auto attack (or turn off AA, only swing twice, then hold off long enough to reset), but that’s self defeating. I could easily choose to just not use my scepter #2 IF i had 3 phantasms up while not negatively impacting my DPS. That is the difference, I would have control of when i spawn that clone if and when i wanted it.

Edit: The block is also not reliable enough for shatter builds… so we would need an easier way to produce clones if we removed if from the AA. Hence, adding it to counterspell… balanced for more than one type of build (imo).