Guild Wars 2

I’ve been helping test StickerHappy’s build and I can confirm it’s originality.

Just a quick question:

Would it be okay to make an edit on the build thread before judging? I just noticed I made a slight mistake on my build’s setup.

Arikyali.5804:

Just a quick question:

Would it be okay to make an edit on the build thread before judging? I just noticed I made a slight mistake on my build’s setup.

You can make slight changes to your build until the end of Stage 1 but definitely not some big changes that totally remake the build.

Build: 4-Signet Phantasm Warrior
Originator: Me, Handin
Testing Partner: The great Zen has graciously accepted to help test!
Link: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/BUILD-4-Signet-Phantasm-Warrior/

Have fun! The 4-signet mesmer seems to always be underestimated, but it does really really well!

As it fell off the bottom of page 2 a few days back,

I had a look at;
StickerHappy’s Phantasmic Interruptions
Bunda’s The Shmantra-er
Dekk’s Merry Mantras
I did a bit of digging around our build lists and recent builds posted around, and from my own terrible memory of what I have seen posted around (I find myself at least taking a look at pretty much every build that gets posted here) and as far as I could tell, these builds originality are fine and should be good to go.

@Handin, I would like to request that you hold off and wait until the next BOTM contest to submit your build, we already have 10 in the running right now, and its going to leave us strapped for time to have them all tested appropriately.

If you really do want to submit your build for THIS months contest, have a talk with keenlam and the other ORB members. I, Personally, believe you should wait. However if the others agree, there shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

I’m actually in favor of keeping it to the original 8 submitted builds, and pushing everything else to next time. 8 builds is a ton just by themselves.

keenlam.4753:

Arikyali.5804:

Just a quick question:

Would it be okay to make an edit on the build thread before judging? I just noticed I made a slight mistake on my build’s setup.

You can make slight changes to your build until the end of Stage 1 but definitely not some big changes that totally remake the build.

It was just to change one item that I accidentally put in the build editor. Nothing major.

Build Name: The (Cor)Rupter
Originator: Me Games Ma.8426 / Lys Mindblossom
Testing Partner: Maei Era Subdolo (maei.7295)
Build The (Cor)Rupter

Hey keenlam, Id like to remove my 3 bonus points (for having a tester). Some people dont have the time/schedule for a tester and Id rather not have any advantage.

keenlam, for builds currently going through testing/refinement, what is the lock date? I was thinking it was the end of stage 1 but wanted to validate. Also you can put me down for tester on StickerHappy’s build.

Yeah, I know it’s totally lame, but I’d love to swap my mantra build for my 30/30/0/10/0 mantra that I’ve been using recently. Totally understand if its late, and I admit that this is a lame request, but I’d be more than happy to compensate testers with a (reasonably priced) exotic of their choice to make up for it. If not, happy to wait until next contest, and also happy to help anyone test theirs if they need help.

Sorry, I just so want to make a viable mantra build, and I think I may finally have something. Really appreciate everyone’s work on this.

@ skcamow: yes, lock date is end of stage 1, 30th December.

@ Bunda: Sorry Bunda, I’m afraid that if replace your build with a new one now, the new build will be treated as a new registration and we will have to defer the build for the next contest. Also, based on your previous post, your build has been withdrawn from the contest.
Having said all that, I’d love to see you stick around in this contest and help out fellow mesmers as a tester, that would be much appreciated.
You can always submit your new mantra build in the next contest.

@ All:
Hi guys,

So far we have received 12 builds entering this contest. My big thank you for your particular interest and immense support.

However, due to the time restraints, we are implementing a cap of how many builds can actually enter this month’s contest; 7 out of the 12 builds have been shortlisted (based on a first-come-first-serve basis) as follow:

• Chaos’ Shatterlock
• Ross Biddle’s The Holy Hell (Advanced Scout)
• Messiah’s Pooff Gone Retaliate V2
• Arikyali’s The Mesmerizing Army
• Dondagora’s The Smurf
• StickerHappy’s Phantasmic Interruptions
• Dekk’s Merry Mantras

Other builds have been deferred and reserved for next contest. I hope you guys understand for this inconvenience. Also, if any of you still want to take part in this contest, how about being an angel and sign up as tester to help other originators with their builds?

ANNOUNCEMENT:
Now that registration is closed, voting is now available.
Please check the FINALIZED SCOREBOARD and let’s get the votes going guys.

@skcamow
Thanks for the nomination, I took a little break from GW2 because of finals and have now returned to play once again. I see it is to late to enter the contest but I appreciate your nomination non the less and will enter next month. I am excited to see all these new builds I don’t recognize compete in this months contest. Good luck to all competitors

If I had known that you’d only take the first x builds I wouldn’t have tested it a few days before posting it. :<

Me Games Ma.8426:

If I had known that you’d only take the first x builds I wouldn’t have tested it a few days before posting it. :<

If you’d read the thread, you would have seen it…

@Osi: For next months competition, feel free to enter whatever build you want to.

As a reminder for everyone, the voting period for the contest is underway! Voting is a bit different than the last contest. Instead of up-voting, just post a “+1” here in this thread, the build name and why you are up-voting it (if you wish to comment). Official voting instructions here:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/OMFG-Build-of-the-Month-Contest-December/first#post3330333

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone!
And don’t forget to vote

+1 for Merry Mantras.

Merry christmass :D

Hi guys,
Just a quick reminder that Stage 1 is ending soon on the 30th. There are 8 builds competing, and so far we’ve got … 1 vote from Bunda.

Only 3 builds with highest score will move on to Stage 2. However, it will be hard if all builds share the same 0 score.

@ ORB members:
Could each of three of you pm me by 30th Dec (3 separate pms) your “votes” on the 8 builds, something like an example below:

1 = i like it and i think it’s viable
0 = doesn’t seem like a solid build to me

• Chaos’ Shatterlock ⁰
• Ross Biddle’s The Holy Hell (Advanced Scout) ¹
• Messiah’s Pooff Gone Retaliate V2 ⁰
• Arikyali’s The Mesmerizing Army ¹
• Dondagora’s The Smurf ⁰
• StickerHappy’s Phantasmic Interruptions ¹
• Dekk’s Merry Mantras ⁰

Thank you.

I noticed that builds are already being reserved for the next contest. I was thinking of posting my build for when it actually happens, but I’m going to put it here now just in case.

Build Name: Ominous Reflections
Originator: GreenLentil.3927/Zoran Fern
Testing Partner: N/A
Build Thread: Ominous Reflections

+1 Chaos Archangels Shatterlock. Strong build and definitely my new favourite pvp build.

+1 for Chaos shatterlock. Testend in wvw Single Roaming,the vulnerability stacking is awesome

Going to be trying some of these out tonight

+1 Ross Biddle’s The Holy Hell (Advanced Scout), tested in WvW, strong performer.

Thanks for voting guys.
Since I can’t wait further for the ORB results, I will proceed and announce the following builds to enter Stage 2 based on popularity votes:

• Chaos’ Shatterlock ⁵
• Ross Biddle’s The Holy Hell (Advanced Scout) ¹
• StickerHappy’s Phantasmic Interruptions ³
• Dekk’s Merry Mantras ¹

Voting will of course continue until the contest ends on 15th January 2014.
In Stage 2 starting from today, the ORB will be testing all these 4 builds thoroughly and by the end of Stage 2, each build will have its final score.

My vote was in PM but as requested I post in the thread. Osi,s vote is Chaos’ Shatterlock +1, so far most viable/adding of the builds I in the list that I tested. I also love crazyness in the idea of not taking “clone on dodge”.

The others work ofc but so far it feels like its mostly if you “force” them to and not cause they better than other stuff.

/Osicat

Although a bit late, Alissah, as one of 3 ORB members, has provided me her own opinion on the builds as follow (note that 1 vote from an ORB member = 3 pts):

• Chaos’ Shatterlock 1
• Ross Biddle’s The Holy Hell (Advanced Scout) 1
• Messiah’s Pooff Gone Retaliate V2 0
• Arikyali’s The Mesmerizing Army 0
• Dondagora’s The Smurf 0
• StickerHappy’s Phantasmic Interruptions 1
• Dekk’s Merry Mantras 0

This, along with Osicat’s vote, doesn’t change Stage 1 results but will count towards the score for Stage 2.

anndd.. bump!

Just got back from a short vacation.
Bump so people know this contest is still ongoing.

Only 1 week to go before the contest ends.
Keep on voting guys.

+1 for Shatterlock

Oh Keenlam, I dunno if you saw but I’d requested my 3 bonus points for having a tester be removed. I dun wanna have an advantage over anyone else who was unable to retrieve one.

keenlam.4753:

———————————————————————————————————
Chaos’ Shatterlock
Link to build thread
———————————————————————————————————
StickerHappy’s Phantasmic Interruptions
Link to build thread
———————————————————————————————————

I like both of these builds a lot.

StickerHappy’s Phantasmic Interruptions is a very solid build and well rounded; also I simply cannot ignore that 102% condition duration and the 2300 toughness, which is a big deal as a Mesmer. The weapon choice of Scepter/Sw and Sw/P are great choices for this build. This is a fun build.

Chaos’ Shatterlock has a higher damage output and very aggressive and the sacrifice on survivability is not crippling since things dies rather fast. The weapon of choice is great in this build too. This build is rather serious, too serious.

It’s a hard choice but the deciding factor for me is which build is easier for me to build that I can actually use on my Mesmer. Chaos’ Shatterlock is easier on the pocket but bring in devastating results. So if I can vote, I’d give the my +1 to Chaos’ Shatterlock.

@ Sir Vincent III: you can vote for both, fyi.

keenlam.4753:

@ Sir Vincent III: you can vote for both, fyi.

Then,

StickerHappy’s Phantasmic Interruptions +1

Chaos’ Shatterlock +1

:)

Thanks for the votes everyone, there’s a few days left in the contest. Vote if you haven’t!

+1 to Phantasmic Interruptions
It’s a fun, solid build to play. Phantasms being a strong active offensive and interrupts being a strong defense that mingles really well with the phants. Overall a nice build to play as a beginner and developed mesmer.

I was quite torn on chaos’s and sticker’s, but my vote goes to phantasmic interruptions. I’m a sucker for conditions, so a 4 second immobilized is glorious and it seems slightly more adaptable to many vs many due to the effect on interrupt rather than daze.

Hi guys,
Thanks for all the votes so far. I really like how you provide your own insight into the builds you vote for.

Just a couple of days until the contest ends, so again, keep on voting.
And to our ORB members, please don’t forget to post the test scores and your comments on the builds before the contest ends.

Cheers,

PS: Scoreboard is updated with new votes.

Alright folks, tomorrow is the last day of the contest. Let’s get a final push of votes in! Remember you can vote for more than one build if it’s too difficult to choose.

Shatterlock

Overall Impressions

An interesting and rather versatile build. It requires more care to play than standard shatter builds due to the limited illusion production, and will be getting nerfed significantly with the Chaos Storm fix. It has good damage though, and strong aoe lockdown potential. Basically has all the good stuff of a standard shatter build plus a bit on the side.

WvW Potential

This build simply isn’t optimized for either very large fights or the nasty 1v1s encountered while roaming. Chaos Storm is a very potent aoe lockdown skill, but it does suffer from a 5 target cap and long cooldown. The low illusion production also makes it difficult to do any real damage in a big fight. However, it does have a great place as a control/damage role in a small havok team or slightly larger group even.

6/10

PvE
It’s really not a good build for PvE. Shatters, interrupts/lockdowns, and lack of reflects all combine to make it very suboptimal. Thankfully, it’s not designed for PvE at all.

N.A./10

PvP
This build is a strong addition to an organized team. It suffers from the normal drawbacks of a shatter build, and draws from the same strengths, but has a unique aoe lockdown potential. It can be devastating in team-fights, but it won’t work nearly as well in an unorganized group due to the need for team effort to capitalize on that lockdown.

8/10

Overall: 7 points awarded. A strong build for what it is designed, but does come with some caveats.

Holy Hell: Advanced Scout

Overall Impressions

This build is an interesting hybrid mix of offense and defense. The choice of PU and a boon stacking rune mix is a strong defensive choice, but the weapons and stat choices are highly offensive. It has deceptively high damage potential combined with some non-negligible condition pressure for an overall effective build.

WvW
This is where the build really shines, but it does have a limitation. It has very limited potential to scale up into a large-scale fight, but that’s one of the only limitations. It has strong defense for surviving nasty 1vX engagements, as well as good aoe output for rapidly clearing camps. Focus and double traited blink make for excellent mobility. It is a versatile roamer and a strong addition to a havok group.

8/10

PvE
Similar to Shatterlock, this build really is not designed for PvE, and it shows. Hybrid, high defense, it really doesn’t work effectively.

N.A./10

PvP
This build is interesting in PvP, not least because of the limited stat distributions. However, despite that drawback it’s still a strong build. It has very limited teamfight potential, but the aforementioned very high mobility make it an excellent roaming build. It can rotate quickly and effectively, seize opportunistic back-caps, and doesn’t have too much to worry about from an enemy in a 1v1 fight on point. Overall a build that does well in less organized groups, or groups that are specifically using its mobility potential.

5/10

Overall: 6 points awarded. This build performs very well in WvW solo/havok roaming, but once you take it out of that comfort zone it loses effectiveness rapidly.

I’m going to bed. More to come in the morning.

Just letting you guys know ill post up my impressions, notes and scores for each of the builds sometime tomorrow morning (my time) (around 16 hours from now)(I don’t have enough time right now to do it)

Phantasmic Interruptions

Overall Impressions

This build is quite interesting actually. The phantasms give it a quite strong damage source, and the interrupt traits provide some surprising lockdown potential. While you won’t manage to proc chaotic interruption every time, even a single proc can easily compound into a nasty chain of interrupts while the phantasms chew on you.

WvW
Like many phantasm builds, this build doesn’t perform well in a Zerg. However, it does work very well in solo roaming, and also fits into a havok group nicely. It has very strong 1v1 ability, has the offense to take out camps reasonably quickly, and when working with friends, just 1 successful interrupt can easily be converted into a kill.

7/10

PvE
Another build that’s pretty heavy on interrupts. Interestingly though, interrupts still work in PvE, while lockdowns don’t (an important distinction to make). While obviously not optimal (i.e. colesy would probably kick you from his party), it definitely works.

5/10

PvP
This is a tough build to run in PvP. All phantasm builds are varying degrees of difficult to use effectively, and this one is no exception. It has very limited mobility, but it does make a good impact on a fight, especially with the interrupts. Interrupting ressing/stomping/other important actions is a very strong boost to this build. Additionally, chaotic interruption actually provides a very strong decap if you land the interrupt with illusionary wave, pretty much guaranteeing a decap between the knockback and the immobilize, especially if chained into another interrupt.

7/10

Overall: 7 points awarded. This build is a bit more versatile than the others, due to its workability in PvE. It has the normal strengths and weaknesses of a phantasm build in PvP, but the interrupt traits give it a bit more added utility, providing for a few more tricks than usual.

Merry Mantras

Overall Impressions
This build is generally just a slightly defensive take on a standard mantra nuker archetype. There are a lot of drawbacks to it; having very limited defensive options, and once the mantras are discharged, there’s a really awkward time where you’re trying to get them back up. Certain classes/builds can really capitalize on this time to a nasty extent (lockdown builds anyone?). While the stability mantra helps protect the recharging, ultimately a build this fragile can’t afford to tank through hits while trying to recharge.

WvW
This build is pretty reasonable in a Zerg situation actually. The mantras allow the greatsword autoattack to do quite decent long range damage, as well as mirror blade. That being said, being locked into mantras makes it suffer greatly in the group utility aspect, being unable to take the general glamour set that is most effective in large fights.

In roaming and smaller fights, it has a few more problems. In a 1v1 situation, the greatsword attacks really won’t cut it for all aspects of a fight. Unfortunately, since it lacks both mental torment and empowered illusions, neither phantasms nor shatters will do particularly high damage, although shatters will benefit from the mantra damage boost. In general though, it really lacks the damage and defense to spar effectively with something like a thief/PU Mesmer/engineer or other strong roaming builds.

5/10

PvE
While the mantra boost is very nice in PvE, the offhand torch, reliance on greatsword, and lack of projectile reflection make it quite substandard.

3/10

PvP
This build actually suffers from some interesting problems in PvP. It has low mobility, although high long range damage, and that damage can be really helpful in a team fight. However, the mantras actually end up causing an interesting effect. Mantra based mesmers are known to be very fragile, having gone deeply into the offense trait lines. Even if someone doesn’t know the specific reasons, most people know that a mantra Mesmer will squish rapidly (obviously this doesn’t exactly count bunker mantra builds). What this ends up meaning is that fast moving kill classes (usually thieves, or another Mesmer, or even the occasional ele) will specifically target you as a good way to get a fast advantage in a fight. With your limited defensive capabilities, this really cripples the potential effectiveness in a team fight.

4/10

Overall: 4 points awarded. While doing decent long range damage, that’s pretty much all this build does, ending up with little to no defensive options, and suffering greatly because of it.

Shatterlock
7/10
My impressions:

• Overall, a higher skill based take on a typical shatter build, combining in interrupts to lockdown/disable your opponents, however, when looking at it from a shatter point of view, I found that the clone generation was slightly lower than I would have liked, and a lot of the time, leaving me unable to keep up the pressure. However, once the shatters get going, combined with the interrupts the performance greatly improved.
• Lacking in PvE situations due to the nature of the build and the nature of PvE, somewhat effective in a WvW situation, in smaller groups/solo playing, and losing a lot of its effectiveness in larger scale fights. This build, however, when played properly will do quite well in the PvP area, being a solid edition to teams, and also doing reasonably well in hot-joining.

The Holy Hell Advanced Scout
7/10
My impressions:

• Overall, an interesting take on a PU stealth build, the boon duration is an interesting addition to the build, and while offering a high amount of defence, the offensive capabilities are also quite solid. I will not that I found the focus highly lacking, only being useful for the swiftness, and the phantasm is still less than favourable to use save for fodder.
• Lacking in PvE situation due to the nature of the build and the nature of PvE, mostly effective in a WvW roaming/havoc situation, and provides a high level of mobility, where the prismatic builds really shine, however, still losing effectiveness in large scale fighting. For PvP, this build is slightly less than optimal to use, where the PU and stealth are immensely useful in WvW, they very quickly become worthless in many PvP situations, as you will lose your capture points, and although you may win the battle, you would most likely lose the war.

Phantasmic Interruptions
8/10
My impressions:

• Overall, an interesting phantasm build that incorporates a high amount of lockdown/disable, offering solid phantasm damage whilst your opponent is shut down and unable to avoid the damage. As with all lockdown builds, a higher level of skill is needed to play effectively, and proper timing is required to receive the maximum benefits of the interrupts.
• Sub-optimal in PvE, however, more viable then the other builds because of the phantasms and their damage, even without being able to properly utilise the interrupts. For WvW, this build is a solid choice for roaming and havoc groups, however, like the other builds, quickly loses effectiveness in large scale fighting. In PvP setting, I found that the lockdowns, combined with the phantasms offered great potential in an organised group, and also in a hot-join setting, but slightly lacking on the mobility side of things, however the shutdown potential balances that out.

Merry Mantras
6/10
My impressions:

• Overall, whilst being an interesting idea, mantras are severely lacking in most aspects of the game. Acceptable amounts of damage, however, the charge-up times are too long to be properly viable, and once the initial charges are out, you start losing a lot of your defensive capabilities and quickly start losing effectiveness.
• I found this build less than optimal in PvE, due to the weapon choices, and lack of utility, and trying to charge mantras in PvE, like any other area of the game, will get you killed. In a WvW setting, providing average damage, it does, as expected of a mantra build, provide a less then optimal situation. As for PvP, the build suffers just as much as in PvE and WvW, the mantras take too long to charge, and leave you wide open and defenceless, you are also inherently squishy without the defences offered from other builds, leaving you providing less damage and contributing less to the team.

Pyroatheist.9031:

Merry Mantras

In roaming and smaller fights, it has a few more problems. In a 1v1 situation, the greatsword attacks really won’t cut it for all aspects of a fight. Unfortunately, since it lacks both mental torment and empowered illusions, neither phantasms nor shatters will do particularly high damage, although shatters will benefit from the mantra damage boost. In general though, it really lacks the damage and defense to spar effectively with something like a thief/PU Mesmer/engineer or other strong roaming builds.

5/10

I don’t believe this to be accurate. Empowered Mantras is another ~10% damage for shatters. And while there is no mental torment (20%), halting strike + Diversion typically results with atleast 2 interrupts. So both Mind Wrack and Diversion get the bonus of 10% damage or however you want to look at it. If you do it correctly using Diversion first many players think you just used your mind wrack, stacks of vulnerability + damage, and then use mind wrack. Also Ive fought many backstab thieves and boon spammers are more of a pain.

But yeah, you need to switch out torch for pistol.

I just thought I might chime in here;

The BOTM for this month has finished, and the scores will/should be tallied up, and a winner announced within the next few days (I assume)

It was a shame Alissah hadn’t been around (Reasons unknown) and because of that Skcamow, as far as I could tell, was unable to fill in properly, and neither have scores/summaries/thoughts about the builds. (I assume)

Thank-you to everyone who entered builds, tested and helped to refine said builds, voted on their favourite builds, and everyone else out there who took the time to have a look at this months BOTM, and Sorry for all of the delays, some lacking communication, and any inconveniences this month!

I hope to see you all up and ready for next months BOTM (if continued in February, or perhaps waiting until March) and until then, do enjoy yourselves!