Q: condition damage help
Hello, need a little help,
I have always played a power build or an illusion play style. I now won’t to try my hand condition damage play style. I am hoping you can help me with the following questions.
1. The basic condition PVE build. Not really looking for the best cause I will eventually change it to suit my play style.
There is none. Conditions are abysmal in PvE. Don’t even bother with it. You’ll do no damage, have little support, and overall be useless. Condition Mesmer is in the ‘kick on sight no questions asked’ tier for dungeon parties.
That been said, I still want to know how to play condition and please answer the questions and not say it is no good.
But… no one can tell you have to play condition in PvE because no one in their right mind play with it :/
The answer to 2 I cant give because I do not understand the question. The answer to 3 is precision.
The answer to 1 is… whatever. You want the scepter trait and that’s about it (not that you want a scepter in PvE but hey I’m trying to work with something here). You cant build around confusion (mobs barely take any damage) so that’s fairly pointless. You’ll have poor shatter damage on a condition build so little point in focusing on it. No point in building for phantasm damage either. So I have absolutely no clue.
That been said, I still want to know how to play condition and please answer the questions and not say it is no good.
I can’t in good faith give you advice instructing poor play. Additionally, I won’t do it because then you’ll take that build into a dungeon and force some poor team to carry you because you’ll be completely useless.
Step 1) Select some traits. It doesn’t matter.
Step 2) Equip Scepter/Whatever and a Staff.
Step 3) ???
Step 4) Don’t profit.
In all seriousness though, Fay and Dawdler aren’t being mean or whatever – they’re right. Conditions in general aren’t great for PvP and Mesmers in particular are terrible at them. All of that equals out to mean we are really bad at doing something that is pretty bad to start with.
Let’s just pretend Anet created a new area with “armored” enemies so condition builds are only effective.
The PU condi build (Blackwater build) is the go to build for most people but this is for PvE so you don’t need that much defense. I would suggest using greatsword and scepter/pistol to take advantage of sharper images as much as possible. For stats I would use rabid (Condition dmg, precision and toughness).
Here is something I threw together as a hypothetical build:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAR7ansISDa2pGOqB1aGp0YQZZzRyASo0nkS5A-TByCABAcQAwS5nQ7Pcp6PS8EA0T3wYKBn+CAQIgFrBA-e
So it is really that bad. I still want to give it a go.
Also thanks for the advice.
So it is really that bad. I still want to give it a go.
Also thanks for the advice.
Let me just restate what I said though. Do not attempt to use this in dungeons. It’s all well and good to muck about in open world being useless, but the moment you join a party you’re now punishing them for your poor choices.
Something like this might work out quite okay (not for dungeon speedruns, but for casual runs and open world PvE): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAW7alknpTtNqxINUrNCuxY2JCBl/MUZD4XA-ThSAABUcBCET5HAPAgQV/pjDCwFHABOOCA9s/Ah6WaTJIhAWsGA-e
The idea is that you generally spawn an iDuelist on the target (if it’s something that doesn’t die fast) and maybe also cast scepter 3; then you go in with staff and get two clones up in melee range. Stay there, dodge when you feel you can afford it (or of course if you need to) and make sure you’re always at the maximum amount of illusions. With iDuelist, staffclone-attacks, your own staff-autoattack and clone deaths, you can get some decent condi-damage. Chaos Storm/Armor is nice to have too. If you need some breathing room, switch weaponsets, get the scepter block off, get some range between you and the target, spawn another iDuelist, use pistol 5 and scepter 3, switch back to staff and range until you can go back in melee-range (do so asap). Your utilities are to be used whenever needed.
I’ve leveled from lvl 1 to 80 as a condi-Mesmer (back then with Staff and Sword/Focus and Carrion gear and without any points into Dueling); I’ve done my dungeon master title as well as fractals up to lvl 15 or so with condi-Mesmer as well. Also when Queen’s Gauntlet was up first, I’ve beaten everything with my condi-Mesmer (except Liadri; I started doing the content too late and got her to 1% HP twice before the next patch did hit haha). Nowadays I run full zerker for anything PvE (I’ve also beaten Liadri this time around mwahahaha xD) and actually currently in WvW too, but as far as condi goes, I think the build I’ve posted above would pretty much be the most viable (PvE-)option. Viable as in “as viable as a condition build for Mesmers in PvE can be”.
Edit: Exotics work too of course.
(edited by Saturn.6591)
Something like this might work out quite okay (not for dungeon speedruns, but for casual runs and open world PvE): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAW7alknpTtNqxINUrNCuxY2JCBl/MUZD4XA-ThSAABUcBCET5HAPAgQV/pjDCwFHABOOCA9s/Ah6WaTJIhAWsGA-e
You’ll still have that slight problem that confusion in PvE is completely pointless. You even pick 5 points in dueling for confusion combatants. Why? In PvE, your phantasms and clones dont generally die so fast and even then… a mob barely have the time to attack once during that confusion. Really, they attack so slow that the last time I tried to use my scepter against a mob (hey I logged off after WvW and was dropped on a mob when logging in the next day, had little choice) he attacked me, I raised block to smack 5 torment stacks on him (weeee) and… The block is over before the next attack comes only resulting in several awkward seconds of me staring at the mob and the mob staring at me. Mobs arent players. They dont use skills, they’re just plain dumb. If you’re lucky, a confusion stack will tick once.
(edited by Dawdler.8521)
Something like this might work out quite okay (not for dungeon speedruns, but for casual runs and open world PvE): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAW7alknpTtNqxINUrNCuxY2JCBl/MUZD4XA-ThSAABUcBCET5HAPAgQV/pjDCwFHABOOCA9s/Ah6WaTJIhAWsGA-e
You’ll still have that slight problem that confusion in PvE is completely pointless. You even pick 5 points in dueling for confusion combatants. Why? In PvE, your phantasms and clones dont generally die so fast and even then… a mob barely have the time to attack once during that confusion. Really, they attack so slow that the last time I tried to use my scepter against a mob (hey I logged off after WvW and was dropped on a mob when logging in the next day, had little choice) he attacked me, I raised block to smack 5 torment stacks on him (weeee) and… The block is over before the next attack comes only resulting in several awkward seconds of me staring at the mob and the mob staring at me. Mobs arent players. They dont use skills, they’re just plain dumb. If you’re lucky, a confusion stack will tick once.
I mean, all that can be said has really been said. If you use that build in a dungeon party, you’re just being a jerk to the rest of your group. Conditions are horrible in PvE for mesmers, and nobody should ever do them. If for some reason you have an unrelenting desire to play badly, then go for it, but don’t punish people in dungeon teams for your foolishness.
Something like this might work out quite okay (not for dungeon speedruns, but for casual runs and open world PvE): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAW7alknpTtNqxINUrNCuxY2JCBl/MUZD4XA-ThSAABUcBCET5HAPAgQV/pjDCwFHABOOCA9s/Ah6WaTJIhAWsGA-e
You’ll still have that slight problem that confusion in PvE is completely pointless. You even pick 5 points in dueling for confusion combatants. Why? In PvE, your phantasms and clones dont generally die so fast and even then… a mob barely have the time to attack once during that confusion. Really, they attack so slow that the last time I tried to use my scepter against a mob (hey I logged off after WvW and was dropped on a mob when logging in the next day, had little choice) he attacked me, I raised block to smack 5 torment stacks on him (weeee) and… The block is over before the next attack comes only resulting in several awkward seconds of me staring at the mob and the mob staring at me. Mobs arent players. They dont use skills, they’re just plain dumb. If you’re lucky, a confusion stack will tick once.
I mean, all that can be said has really been said. If you use that build in a dungeon party, you’re just being a jerk to the rest of your group. Conditions are horrible in PvE for mesmers, and nobody should ever do them. If for some reason you have an unrelenting desire to play badly, then go for it, but don’t punish people in dungeon teams for your foolishness.
I know what you all mean, but i just want to get my head around the play style for two reasons
1. Get used to it for easy transition to PvP and WvW.
2. I do believe there will be changes made soon to condition damage. So am getting myself ready for that.
The game is constantly changing, and when this change comes, I want to be on the front roll ready when it happens.
I won’t be planning in using it in a pve team game more of a solo game to get use to it.
Thanks everyone for the advice and build, I shall give it run.
Something like this might work out quite okay (not for dungeon speedruns, but for casual runs and open world PvE): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAW7alknpTtNqxINUrNCuxY2JCBl/MUZD4XA-ThSAABUcBCET5HAPAgQV/pjDCwFHABOOCA9s/Ah6WaTJIhAWsGA-e
You’ll still have that slight problem that confusion in PvE is completely pointless. You even pick 5 points in dueling for confusion combatants. Why? In PvE, your phantasms and clones dont generally die so fast and even then… a mob barely have the time to attack once during that confusion. Really, they attack so slow that the last time I tried to use my scepter against a mob (hey I logged off after WvW and was dropped on a mob when logging in the next day, had little choice) he attacked me, I raised block to smack 5 torment stacks on him (weeee) and… The block is over before the next attack comes only resulting in several awkward seconds of me staring at the mob and the mob staring at me. Mobs arent players. They dont use skills, they’re just plain dumb. If you’re lucky, a confusion stack will tick once.
I mean, all that can be said has really been said. If you use that build in a dungeon party, you’re just being a jerk to the rest of your group. Conditions are horrible in PvE for mesmers, and nobody should ever do them. If for some reason you have an unrelenting desire to play badly, then go for it, but don’t punish people in dungeon teams for your foolishness.
“Clones don’t die that often in PvE”… that’s why you go melee with Staff and trigger clone deaths manually (Deceptive Evasion) if they don’t get killed by mob-AoE/cleave already (which happens more often than you’d think). The confusion on clone death is a little extra which adds some extra-damage every now and then. Also, if you time scepter 3 right (and I’m not saying that you should use it on cooldown; just when you’re at range and in that weaponset anyway), you WILL get at least one tick of confusion damage… more if there’s multiple mobs to hit with the beam.
And as I said… I would NOT bring that to speedclears (not like I’d do speedclears anyway). Or to groups full of elitists. But for casual runs, it’s decent enough as long as you play it aggressively. Not optimal (that’d be full zerker), but a decent alternative if you really want to go condi in PvE.
“Clones don’t die that often in PvE”… that’s why you go melee with Staff and trigger clone deaths manually (Deceptive Evasion) if they don’t get killed by mob-AoE/cleave already (which happens more often than you’d think). The confusion on clone death is a little extra which adds some extra-damage every now and then.
It doesn’t matter how many clones you kill, your damage is still horrid. One in 3 clones does bleeding, and 1 stack of confusion does no damage to speak of. You can blow up clones all day long, I’ll still out-dps you by afking in a zerker build.
Also, if you time scepter 3 right (and I’m not saying that you should use it on cooldown; just when you’re at range and in that weaponset anyway), you WILL get at least one tick of confusion damage… more if there’s multiple mobs to hit with the beam.
Golly, one tick of confusion damage. We’ve got some serious dps over here!
And as I said… I would NOT bring that to speedclears (not like I’d do speedclears anyway). Or to groups full of elitists. But for casual runs, it’s decent enough as long as you play it aggressively. Not optimal (that’d be full zerker), but a decent alternative if you really want to go condi in PvE.
No, it’s not a decent alternative at all. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the speediest of speedruns or the most casual of casual clears. This build is useless and you will be getting carried by your party. You do no damage and you have no utility. It doesn’t matter what type of party you’re in, those 2 facts won’t change. While a casual party wouldn’t kick you on sight, you won’t be any more useful just because you’re allowed to participate.