Guild Wars 2

After the patch, it seems that the majority of PvE mesmers (and I do solely PvE) aimed at utility run a build of the sort:

(10-20)/(20-30)/0/(20-30)/0

I’ve found shattered conditions to be lackluster; and also that I mostly stand in melee when I can (so I prefer not to take GS mastery, as Skoteinos does), so I run 15/30/0/25/0. (With empowered illusions in domination; DE,BT, and phantasmal fury in dueling; and then the glamour mastery and warden’s feedback traits in inspiration.)

So on a boss, I can pop a GS clone, produce a GS phantasm, produce a clone with sword 3, do an f3 shatter after the GS phantasm attacks, use TW, and if I have it on my bar, use signet of inspiration and then start pumping sword 1,2, and focus 5 (when up). This way the group has vulnerability for TW and the extra boons from SoI, in addition, I provide the group with a good amount of burst at the start of a fight. I also have the bonus of the grandmaster minor trait in inspiration for the phantasm damage.

I replace my GS with double swords if I know I won’t need any range, e.g., i’ll have greatsword out for backup on someone like mossman, and double swords for, say, son of svanir shaman on snowblind fractal)

However, I was wondering what other people have found successful. While I probably f1 shatter more than the typical phantasm build calls for (I’ll often shatter right before the cooldown to another phantasm is up), I only see the use of the extra 5 points in domination at the start of a boss (since I really only f3 when I have TW up) which almost feels like a waste.

So I am considering switching to 10/30/0/30/0 (because I simply love DE) and taking temporal enchanter for longer feedback and null field. What do you other PvE guys run and why? Do you get more synergy with something else?

This is what I’m currently running…

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAR8dlwzipHVzqGa9IypHJ3yNdkKoalegbXIvB

Still testing it out, haven’t decided if I like Shattered Conditions or not. It can be nice, but it sucks when the illusions die before they get to the target. I like providing better utility to my group, though.

This is the build I’m using at the moment in PvE, however I don’t tend to shatter at all, especially against bosses. I usually aim to keep as many phantasms up as I can (the huge HP buff helped a lot for this, which also buffs the additional 20% HP trait). I also keep my GS with me most of the time, especially since the iZerker fix, so I will always keep the 20 points in Dom for the lower cooldowns.

http://gw2buildcraft.com/calculator/mesmer/?4.0|1.1g.h1j|c.1g.h1j.d.1g.h2|1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7|2s.d1e.2s.d1e.3s.d1e.2s.d1e.3s.d1e.2s.d1e|k3a.k24.0.u258.0|55.7|31.39.38.3d.3q|e

This is what I’m gunning for: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgEQRAra8dlwzKq3UzgGbNJipCBHaGXX1RqQpVmBudhA-jUzAItioRTBApKBj8ATfgIRIpQB1coyYVsIasaIMV6iq1xAeEGtaA-w

Also check out the discussion thread about this build here: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/condition-build-The-Clone-Spammer/first#post2320607

@keenlam
your build is definitly not a non-shatter.

@starburst
yours is kinda similar to mine

@bumbler
I also rarely shatter. Mainly when the mob is about to die, I wanna get rid of my illusions (change of aggro) or coincidently I have all my illusion summoning skills ready to recast them again. But for the last, beware, that “on illusion death” does not trigger there.

My build is
http://gw2buildcraft.com/calculator/mesmer/?4.5|1.1g.h2|c.1b.h1f.d.1o.h9|1g.71h.1n.71h.1n.71h.1g.71h.1n.71h.1g.71h|21k.d1e.21k.d1e.21j.d1e.31k.d1e.21k.d1e.2s.d1e|a3.u17b.0.u4a8.0|54.8|32.3i.36.3d.3q|e
10 (III)/ 30 (I, VII, XI)/ 0/ 30 (IV, X, VIII)/ 0
focussed on damage and insane amount of healing from mantras. On certain bosses, I can change to full reflect (reflect on rev, -20% CD on glamour, focus).
As for deceptive evasion … previously I also loved this ability. Probably from playing alone, but in a party where you barely even shatter, you don’t need it. Since I use mantra for healing, I reduce its CD from 10s to 8s. And as grandmaster I passively receive +8% (/12%) damage.

Nretep.2564:

@keenlam
your build is definitely not a non-shatter.

Fixed it for you. Check out the discussion thread to understand why.

I’ve switched to:

http://gw2buildcraft.com/calculator/mesmer/?4.1|c.1g.h4.d.1g.h1|c.1g.h1.c.1g.h1j|1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7|2s.d19.1g.67.1g.67.2s.d19.1g.67.1g.67|a3.u24a.0.u158.0|55.7|31.38.3m.3d.0|e

Which is essentially #Starburst’s build, but with no GS. However, I’ve been playing with the fixed iZerker and it’s very nice, and might make me switch to 20/20/0/30/0. The tradeoff, though, is: more ranged damage (phantasm) when the group does a ranged-only portion/boss versus the added melee survivability with deceptive evasion.

#Nretep, I have never been a fan of mantra’s, and with your build you would lose 2 trait slots for the mantras. However, I can see where the added healing can bring a not-so-synergized group through a fight. I’ll have to try them at some point (since all I have to do is switch out traits).

#LordByron claims that a 0/20/0/25/25 is, overall, a better build, stating the added DPS from the 20% cooldown of IC on both trash and bosses is better damage over the 15% phantasm damage loss from the domination tree. Although, is that using Precise Wrack and Compounding Power? I can’t test it atm, but I thought I read that only 2 of weapon specialization, IC, and Phantasmal Haste will work in phantasm cooldown reduction. Is this true?

I’ll be testing #LordByron’s suggested build later to see what I think!

keenlam.4753:

This is what I’m gunning for: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgEQRAra8dlwzKq3UzgGbNJipCBHaGXX1RqQpVmBudhA-jUzAItioRTBApKBj8ATfgIRIpQB1coyYVsIasaIMV6iq1xAeEGtaA-w

You use this in PvE? Do you run with a group that has all of the other reflects and utility needs covered? What is it about this build that makes it useful to a group in PvE (since condition damage is lackluster in PvE)?

@Bumbler: I solo champs with this build. I recently switch from Ether Feast to Mirror for the nice reflect, the smaller heal doesn’t matter me much since the illusions are the ones that get beat up not me. Can you be more specific about ‘other utility needs’?
Just want to be clear here.

1) If you want further explanation, here’s my sincere reply:
- condition is not lackluster in PvE. Confusion is, it’s only one type of conditions. And this build does not rely on Confusion for main DPS. It’s there just for some nice bonus.
- this is a condition/crowd control build, you don’t have great burst DPS. So what you bring to a group then :
+ Permanently slow and even lock down mobs
+ Distract mobs with your clones (100% uptime)
+ Wear down mobs over time with your own conditions + conditions from illusions’ deaths.
- as for other utilities, you can always swap out any of the 3 default utility skills for a specific skill when the situations demand, be it Null Field, Portal, Veil, etc.) the build still works fine. Utility slot skills are very flexible for this build, and for Mesmers in general.

I hope that answers your questions in a satisfying manner.

2) If you’re setting us up for an argument:
Then please disregard my post since we will not waste each other’s time here and I promise will not post in the thread again.

Nevertheless, I see that you already have your pick. Enjoy and have fun in the game.

keenlam.4753:

2) If you’re setting us up for an argument:
Then please disregard my post since we will not waste each other’s time here and I promise will not post in the thread again.

Nevertheless, I see that you already have your pick. Enjoy and have fun in the game.

I was genuinely curious. Almost everywhere I have read, condition builds are crapped on, so naturally, I decided not to run one. However, someone in my guild (who I don’t normally run with, so I do not often see it in action) loves his scepter/pistol and staff build for PvE, and then you, also, recommend a condition build. I have not tried a condition build, therefore I cannot speak to its validity in a PvE setting. I just wanted to know how you use the build in case I decide to try it and test out using conditions for myself in a dungeon setting. So thanks for the input!

Maybe 10 in Illusions would benefit you more than going 30 into Dueling for Deceptive Evasion. You could take Compounding Power for a 9% increase in your auto-attack chain and Blurred Frenzy rather than keep overwriting your 3rd phantasm with a clone when you dodge.

@Bumbler: in that case, my apologies for being a bit defensive. By all means, try it out if you’re interested, I used to run shatter build too and I can assure you condition builds like mine have quite a different and refreshing flavour to them compared to shatter builds.