Hello! You need not read further than the Detailed Build Information below, the wall-of-text serves as a guide to new mesmer players! (if there is any). And the videos for proof of this build. If you have questions/concerns please feel free to ask (check the FAQ below though)!
Purpose:
To fight 1 vs X, more than one person, to run away and have the utilities to out juke any sized zerg. Realistically when played well, you can stomp up to 3 players, however the limitations are to more than one terrormancer or more than one thief running shadow refuge. But since you have the ability to get away, save your stacks!
Detailed build information:
This website lists stats, utilities, traits, gear and food buffs
All Exotic: http://tinyurl.com/plsdontexpire0
With Ascended Trinkets*: http://tinyurl.com/plsdontexpire
*Note See “Ascended Trinkets Upgrade” for more information.
FAQ (will update depends on questions you ask):
- Why didn’t you go crit bleed or on-dodge-clones?
On dodge tend to give away your position in stealth and bleed crit builds lack vitality that dire gives for that extra tanky goodness for 1 vs X.
- Why use buildcraft? It’s outdated as kitten!
On this particular build it isn’t that inaccurate, apart from the rune of speed they have.
Plus I find this website easiest to flash-tab and see stat changes.
Traits:
Chaos: 30 (V/X/XII)
Inspiration: 10 (IV)
Illusions: 30 (V, VII, XI)
Gear:
All Dire Everything, traveller/speed runes x6
Superior Energy Sigil on Staff, Corruption and Bursting for Scepter/Torch.
- Cheap Exotic Gear
Jatoro’s x6 with superior runes of speed for that +25% run speed.
- Travellers Runes Upgrade (from speed)
After you’ve got comfortable with your capabilities, try investing in travellers.
It gives you 10% more condition duration, makes your boon duration go up 15% more, making it 45% total boon duration. Plus an extra 30 condition damage! However you lose about 100 points in vitality.
Ascended Trinkets Upgrade (from exotic Dire)
- Dire/Rabid Amulet and Rings
(jade wind orb, Passiflora Karkinata and Ancient Karka Carapace to be specific.) - Rabid Backpiece
- Apothecary Accessories
(Relena’s and Vassar’s)
Your condition damage increases by 3 points! Losing 100 points in vitality.
You gain >200 points in healing power to compensate, and gain roughly 100 more points in toughness. Apart from that, not much is changed.
I found no Dire stat ascended gear and had to compensate between healing power and toughness for the lack of vitality, because rabid gives too much precision, apothecary is mixed in there.
Weapons:
- Staff with Superior Sigil of Energy, helps dodging while getting chased to avoid crippling conditions, but this is a wildcard sigil, useful for me, may vary with your playstyle.
- Scepter/Torch with Superior Sigils of Bursting and Corruption, the Corruption is good for boosting your ego, showing off how long you’ve survived while helping condition damage. While the Bursting is generally a better choice for a well timed burst, chosen over condition duration. You already have about 43% confusion duration.
Traits in detail:
Apart from the obvious stat benefits, these are the reasons why the traits work with the build.
- 30 In Chaos
V (5) in Adept is for those cleave classes that want to end your reign by killing your clones. Instead it annoy them with more conditions!
X (10) in Master is for 5 second phase retreat, very useful in comparison to the old 8, although range is not increased, this gives you an optional free clone and gain you some distance when running away.
XII in Grandmaster, Pee Eww, that’s the bread and butter of your survivability, Aegis, Protection, Regen along with 45% more boon duration and total of 358 healing power after the ascended trinket upgrade.
- 10 In Inspiration
IV (4) in Adept is for your main condition removal, of two stacks of anything, use this wisely. See food and utilities section below for further condition decreasing options.
- 30 in Illusions
V (5) in Adept is for the extra condition duration for confusion, it lasts just enough with the extra 10% condition duration you get from Traveller runes.
VII (7) in Master is for the boon upkeep and condition stacking if you’re fighting a single target, you can keep up to 10 bleed stacks via staff auto, and RNG proc burning half the time. Plus it helps track stealth-heavy targets, just keep autoing!
XI (11) in Grandmaster is for the most important survival trait in your kitten nal. The ability to self-Distort, although it’s very short, it prevents a CC if a zerg comes in to burst you. It also helps bursting in melee range for extra confusion stacks, and that clutch melee ranged interrupt for an enemy’s heal.
Part 2 In Follow-up Post, 5001 Char Reached.