Guild Wars 2

This is not an exhaustive test. I wanted to get a quick “feel” on the phantasm changes in this patch. In general, it feels pretty much exactly like it did before the changes started two patches ago with a couple nice improvements.

• Duelist damage is unchanged (patch note stated it increased to fix a bug).
• Berserker damage is back to normal — duelist note likely intended for berserker.
• 250ms summon delay feels like the old “instant” summon+damage.
• Mage (Torch) damage increased ~100%. This is still 5x lower than other off-hands.
• Signet of Inspiration now gives a new, but unreliable source for swiftness.
• Signet of Illusions is still buggy (applies up to 10s post-summon).
• Illusionist’s Celerity still stacks with CD-20% traits; tool-tips still don’t show it.

The last point, Signet of Inspiration, is really funny. The signet is still completely pointless, but now it gives you it’s buffs out of combat, too. As a source of swiftness, it’s absurd. I was chatting in vent for a very long time (felt like about 5m) before it finally randomly gave me swiftness.

I really wonder what ArenaNet meant by “more reliable swiftness”; 10s becoming 12s for focus is relatively meaningless. It’s nice to see a slight buff, but the CD is 25s (20s traited) and still requires you to equip focus. He couldn’t possible have meant the SI change, which is an extremely unreliable source of any particular buff.

So, net result of the past 3 patches (the two nerf/buggy ones and this one) is that our traits now work and the rest feels more or less unchanged. I’m actually rather pleased at the current state of mesmer.

Beserker is still broken. I thought it was fixed the first time I tried it after this patch as well, but then I noticed it was 100% missing it’s second attack chain. Then I noticed it is often still missing some of it’s first attack chain as well.

they’ve made such a stupid decision with signet of inspiration its just lol. Okay let say i have it equiped and i’m in LA waiting 2 hours for fractals over 30. Just while standing i get annoying sounds from all kind of buffs i don’t want to hear but can’t do anything about it. THIS IS HOW THE SIGNET SHOULD’VE BEEN. While you’re IN COMBAT all its buffs randomly applies to you. While NOT IN COMBAT its only swiftness. WHILE NOT IN COMBAT AND NOT MOVING no boons are applied. The sec you start moving and are NOT in combat, only swiftness applies. If you start moving because you’ve taken damage and IS IN COMBAT all boons randomly applies to you……………………….. so hard to give mesmers a useful sig hee?

Keep it to one topic. You have yet to have that confirmed in your own topic about it, and several people are arguing against your claim. Don’t spread rumors you don’t know are facts.

Warkupo.1025:

Keep it to one topic. You have yet to have that confirmed in your own topic about it, and several people are arguing against your claim. Don’t spread rumors you don’t know are facts.

Well that guy is actually right his second chain actually does miss the first few attacks its sad really and it happened to me in the middle of a match i had that darn ranger in my hands and he was saved by the bug x.x and he stealthed and got away..

It’s definitely weird.

So I’m LOVING any shatter-heavy build. The might stacks from the 25-illusions trait are insane (12-20 stacks constantly). Having berserker ‘back’ has meant huge improvements to my GS weapon. Signet of Inspiration is a keeper. My team LOVES me for sharing 15+ stacks of might.

Mantras are really cool now. Solid effect for a reasonable cast time. I’d love for 3s even and a small passive effect, but I’m happy for now to toss one or two on my bar.

All in all, super solid. Would love to see some buffs to condition damage and support-oriented builds in the future.

The 2 extra seconds on swiftness is barely noticeable, and the change to signet of inspiration is ironically extremely unreliable.

If anything after all the other profession’s speed buffs, we are now actually relatively slower than before.

Kelthien.8593:

My team LOVES me for sharing 15+ stacks of might.

Mantras are really cool now. Solid effect for a reasonable cast time. I’d love for 3s even and a small passive effect, but I’m happy for now to toss one or two on my bar.

Basically, mesmer is now officially the minstrel. (;-_-)
Decent for support
Mediocre in terms of direct damage capability
Average-below average in defense

I hated Bard in Final Fantasy XI and this is what mesmer feels like in a shatter/share/mantra build. I want my Red Mage/Ninja style of play that I had in BWE1-3 back, please. ;|