Guild Wars 2

Hello. I’ve played the hell out of Necromancer and Engineer and am looking to try something new. I’ve been enjoying the Mesmer so far and just noticed the wealth of great information you guys have stickied up top. So far I have just toyed around with a Sword/Torch Greatsword 4/4/0/0/6 Shatter build and have had alot of fun.

However, I find that I often become an easy target and don’t put out as much damage as I potentially could be. This is sPvP hotjoin btw. I normally pop two clones and daze the enemy followed by some greatsword clone/phantasm attacks then dodge roll and shatter. Use Blurred Frenzy when I can. I run Zerker ammy and have tried various runes and sigils but always use at least Energy Sigils on each weapon set.

Any advice?

Greatsword is a ranged weapon, and you do more damage the further away you are. Up close, get the sword.

Clones don’t do great damage by themselves – they’re mostly shatter fodder. Phantasms are the damage dealers of your illusions.

I’d suggest maybe going for a condi-based setup instead of power. Use the staff instead of the greatsword, perhaps?

20/20/30/0/0 rabid, nightmare runes, scepter/pistol + staff is what i use

block them to apply torment, summon duelists, dodge for clones and trigger on-death clone procs to apply condis, chaos storm for vuln (cover condition for bleeds, burn, torment)

you should be able to 1v1 like anyone

Good on you for starting out with a shatter build – that will certainly force you to get comfortable with all our active defence and timing of skills.

I assume you’re not using mirror images (taking condition cleanse or something else instead, which is better IMO)? In any case, I know vulnerability on daze is nice, but don’t go blowing your diversion shatter just to stack up vulnerability in order to follow up with a mind wrack nuke. I’d only do the one-two punch if you’ve already got a couple of illusions up and at least half endurance plus a weapon swap (energy sigils) available – to quickly pop out at least 2 clones for the nuke.

Diversion has a lot of uses, from reviving downed allies (preventing a stomp) to interrupting enemies while you heal – a shame to waste the cooldown purely on trying to maximise your burst.

As for getting focused – use one of your stealths to break target (assuming prestige, and mass invis at he least, or decoy if you use it), blink away to create distance, use evades (blurred frenzy, distortion) to avoid incoming damage. Also it is good to think offensively while trying to avoid damage – because you have good burst, it is easy to turn the tables vs squishier targets (ie thieves or some eles) with one good hit. Position your illusions, dodge back at them and mind wrack for example.

There are no strict rotations – you’ve got to go with the flow and do what feels best at the time. Do not always do the predictable ileap/dodge/swap/BF+MW, because everyone and their grandma will see that coming.

The common GS ranged shatter combo is izerker – throw mirror blade – mind wrack immediately after the mirror blade hits the target (2 illusions up) – mind stab (if safe to do so) at target tocation. Edit: If you’re closing the gap by running at the enemy or blink right behind them, then dodge overhead before mind wrack for a full 4 illusion shatter (it also looks sexy, but only on asura). But again, mix it up depending on ally and enemy position. Most of it comes from knowing how your illusions work – where they will spawn and how to force the enemy to be hit by your shatters (waste their defensive skills, force their position, etc). Missing your damage repeatedly = you will die or be forced to retreat.

But seriously – keep going with this build, especially in pvp. You’ll get a lot better, and it will feel much more rewarding.

Please carry on learning shatter, it will teach you how to play the class in the best possible way and supports your team more than any other build, oh and it promotes skill rather than sitting in stealth at max range while your phantasms do their work.

Yeah, I’ve been running decoy, mirror images, and the signet that recharges shatters on use for my utilities. And I definitely want to keep up with the shatter build, just trying to learn tips for better survival and burst. So I’m guessing I should swap out the signet for blink? I was using the signet because I play Engi alot and so my ground targetting is set to quick click thing and it throws me off moving my hand over to hit a 6-8 key for blink and then getting back to movement keys quickly.

Shaogin.2679:

Yeah, I’ve been running decoy, mirror images, and the signet that recharges shatters on use for my utilities. And I definitely want to keep up with the shatter build, just trying to learn tips for better survival and burst. So I’m guessing I should swap out the signet for blink? I was using the signet because I play Engi alot and so my ground targetting is set to quick click thing and it throws me off moving my hand over to hit a 6-8 key for blink and then getting back to movement keys quickly.

Put blink on a key close to your hand, or even on your mouse if you have thumb buttons.

It’s too useful to be without, better than signet of illusion IMO.

Curunen.8729:

Shaogin.2679:

Yeah, I’ve been running decoy, mirror images, and the signet that recharges shatters on use for my utilities. And I definitely want to keep up with the shatter build, just trying to learn tips for better survival and burst. So I’m guessing I should swap out the signet for blink? I was using the signet because I play Engi alot and so my ground targetting is set to quick click thing and it throws me off moving my hand over to hit a 6-8 key for blink and then getting back to movement keys quickly.

Put blink on a key close to your hand, or even on your mouse if you have thumb buttons.

It’s too useful to be without, better than signet of illusion IMO.

the signet of illusions is useless. its only used for its passive in phantasm builds, dont use that, kittenter mesmer u will ALWAYS want to have blink, anyway, instead mirror images u can take power cleansee(the mantra condi cleansee) or null field, i prefer mantra cause its instant cleansee tho, u can use the mantra during other actions as well, null field is good if u got a more organized team