So, we all know that Mesmer got hit pretty hard this patch. We never received some promised fixes (iWarden/Illusionary Elasticity) and the majority of our new Grandmasters aren’t GM-worthy in the slightest or can’t compete with current traits. However, if there’s one surprising shining light, its Power Block.
Power Block, in it’s current bugged form, is a very good trait that isn’t quite overpowered. It’s not OP in PvP due to Mesmer’s lack of reliable AoE interrupts and relatively long CC cooldowns. It’s also not OP because as it turns out, not many skills are able to be put on a 10 second cooldown, and of those skills even fewer are WORTH interrupting..
So why hotfix it? Yes, it isn’t matching it’s original functionality but lets be honest.. The original incarnation of Power Block would be garb and entirely inferior to Confounding Suggestions and Chaotic Interruption.
In it’s current state, Power Block interrupts thieves, rezzing & stomping, interrupts bosses through Defiant, and puts even auto-attacks on a cooldown. This is how the skill should work!
Mesmer are in a bad place right now in all game modes. We’re not very desired in PvP, or WvW raids, and by switching Empowering/Harmonious Mantras you nerfed/broke our dungeon potential to the point where people have to wonder if taking a Mesmer is worthwhile at all. Power Block could potentially remedy that, especially with how it works on bosses currently. Hendo, a very experienced dungeon runner lays it out perfectly:
The new grandmaster domination trait is busted as hell, incredibly fun to use and very reliant on twitch reflexes for PvE.
We were able to score actual interrupts on Lupicus and it was hilarious yet weird to play in since it meant breaking our traditional patterns. Apparently works on the imbued shaman, berserker abomination and subject alpha too, so having a mesmer to interrupt dangerous skills so that other players can perform their skill rotations seems pretty solid. Plus their traditional reflect utility is good for fractals.
We’re thinking 30/30/0/0/10, 30/10/0/20/10 or maybe 15/20/0/25/10 might be pretty legit builds, more so the 30/30.
So… yeah. Mesmer might still honestly have a place in the dungeon meta despite getting its reflect damage hit slightly.
BUT IN ORDER TO KEEP IT IN CHECK…
Right now Power Block is one of our potential saving graces. PLEASE don’t be in a rush to hotfix and forget about it. Study the trait in it’s current form and if anything, patch it stoppign rezzes/stomps and maybe slap a 5 second ICD (10 seconds may make it rather trash again). Shave it, as you did warriors and watch for the results. Please don’t leave us with another useless trait…
(Any Mesmer who agrees, please show your support in the comments)
Learn 2 Play Mesmer Here! || Lookit! Gots me a youtube!
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(edited by Chaos Archangel.5071)