Guild Wars 2

I’m currently running a power shatter Chronomancer. It’s amazing to have shatters work for me and hit.

What has been found to work for chaining shatters? I’m running Dom/Duel/Chrono with illusionary reversion and the phantasm shatter trait. Sword/shield and Greatsword.

Related question; Is there a method or sequence of skills that’s been found to maximize Alacrity?

Related; I’ve aquired some of my first gear with Concentration qualities. Is a build known or being tested for boonshare?

For a power shatter build, chaining shatters is really not all that helpful. In a condie build, every shatter causes a substantial amount of pressure from torment/confusion. In power shatter though, it’s mind wrack for damage, diversion for interrupt, distortion for defense, CS for…things…, and cry of frustration only if your fingers are feeling bored and want to press a button.

In any shatter build, your goal should be to generate illusions for the purpose of shattering when you want to shatter, not shattering just because you have illusions up. It does so happen that taking DE, IR, and chronophantasma ends up giving you a ton of illusions, but you still need to set your shatters up with cc or immob or something, just as before.

Sw/sh+gs does give you some good opportunities to set up burst. You can combo sh5 into sw3 for a very difficult to avoid stun/immob combo that you can burst into. You can also ofc just use sw3, or if you’re taking confounding suggestions you can use MoD or diversion to proc a stun for a shatter burst. Gravity well, if you can land it, provides a leisurely window to unload all the burst you want.

Maximizing alacrity without regard to build uses traited wells. In my opinion, this isn’t really suited well for a shatter Mesmer because it forced you to stay more or less immobile while the wells are ticking. Shatters do give alacrity though, as do the shield phantasms. To maximize that uptime requires traiting improved alacrity, which boosts the duration of alacrity by a full 50%. This does require you to sacrifice IR though, and that’s a tough trade off. In power shatter, I usually pick IA over IR, and IR over IA in condie shatter.

Boon share was already sorta a thing in PvE pre-HoT. It’s less of a thing now because chrono can specialize into much more powerful utility. In PvP, there were already some builds utilizing boon share, it’s hard to say whether the addition of concentration really makes a huge difference for them. I know kentigem has a bunker build using concentration that maximizes prot/resistance uptime with boon share, though I can’t personally speak to its effectiveness.

Ithilwen.1529:

Related; I’ve aquired some of my first gear with Concentration qualities. Is a build known or being tested for boonshare?

Keep in mind concentration and expertise stats are currently bugged in PvP amulets (they don’t extend boon/condition duration). I’m unsure if this is relevant to similar PvE gear with those stats, but it may be.

skcamow.3527:

Ithilwen.1529:

Related; I’ve aquired some of my first gear with Concentration qualities. Is a build known or being tested for boonshare?

Keep in mind concentration and expertise stats are currently bugged in PvP amulets (they don’t extend boon/condition duration). I’m unsure if this is relevant to similar PvE gear with those stats, but it may be.

Update – the boon and condition duration from these runes is now working. It must have been a very recent stealth fix.

As they said, in power build it’s about the setup and big burst.

If boon strip is traited, it’s useful to use F2 for boon removal and blinds.

You can also use F2 to fake the big burst and cause an enemy to waste crucial defences – then quickly pop some new illusions and deliver the real nuke while they’re exposed.

Also you can when going in for an F1 burst, hit F2 as well to increase the damage – especially with chrono illusion traits giving you instant illusions back. It could be that little difference between killing a player or leaving them with say 10% health.

F3 should be used more smartly than in condition play. Sure you can setup huge vuln stacks and then unload the killer nuke, but I personally prefer to save it for alternative situations – it’s such a useful interrupt/daze it’s a shame to waste it all for damage unless you’re in a 1v1 or the situation is favourable while F3 is on cooldown. Anything from interrupting a thief’s combo to preventing a stomp on an ally and securing a res, it’s just too useful to waste purely for damage unless entirely necessary and the kill is certain.

I mean, sure you could just smash F1, F2, F3 but then you need to guarantee the kill or have a kitten good reason and survival plan. Using F5 you can smash them all without consequence…

well with duel + chrono you can pretty much shatter none stop and don’t have to worry about running out of clones.
I mostly start with f5 then lunch into a f1-3 shatter. by then your f5 is up and you can do another f1-3 hatter. Pretty fun .
I don’t think dom adds much to shatter build. You might want to try illusions for more damage or insp for more defense.

Mogar.9216:

I don’t think dom adds much to shatter build. You might want to try illusions for more damage or insp for more defense.

lol. Seriously?

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mental_Torment

Like, even if the rest of your post wasn’t exactly super sensible, it got blown away by those 2 sentences.

Technically it’s now Mental Anguish.

Fay.2357:

Mogar.9216:

I don’t think dom adds much to shatter build. You might want to try illusions for more damage or insp for more defense.

lol. Seriously?

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mental_Torment

Like, even if the rest of your post wasn’t exactly super sensible, it got blown away by those 2 sentences.

lol typical Fay post. living in a world of paper builds. Try playing a few matches before proclaiming you know everything.
20% damage vs massive condi cure and heal from insp or virtually endless shatter from iullsions and extra effect for every shatter. It’s not even close.
Unlike you I only give out advice after I have played a build for at least 10-20 matches instead of just memorizing every ability and draw your conclusion based on some spread sheet.

The main thing for me if not taking Domination is losing boon strip which is a lot of utility in pvp.

Sure in wvw it’s not a necessity so more room to use the other trait lines

PB or MA is a toss up depending on choice of weapons/skills and utilities (ie double ranged or using Shield, or gravity well etc perhaps PB is more useful, using torch and fewer cc skills then MA is more useful). Then you’ve got all the vuln which helps with the damage.

Curunen.8729:

The main thing for me if not taking Domination is losing boon strip which is a lot of utility in pvp.

Sure in wvw it’s not a necessity so more room to use the other trait lines

PB or MA is a toss up depending on choice of weapons/skills and utilities (ie double ranged or using Shield, or gravity well etc perhaps PB is more useful, using torch and fewer cc skills then MA is more useful). Then you’ve got all the vuln which helps with the damage.

I agree losing boon strip is a big deal. From what I experienced in matches the new meta has really made almost every class hit as hard as pre hot mesmer. There is no time to setup a giant burst anymore because you are just getting hammered so hard by everyone. To me at least the counter play is shatter as much and as often as possible. This has 2 advantages, 1 you are keeping everyone blinded all the time. 2 you are stacking alacrity like crazy. which make you shatter even more and the bonus of your stealth skill recharge super fast. So I guess what I’m saying is lots of shatters seem to play better in the new meta than setup 1 giant shatter.

Mogar.9216:

Fay.2357:

Mogar.9216:

I don’t think dom adds much to shatter build. You might want to try illusions for more damage or insp for more defense.

lol. Seriously?

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mental_Torment

Like, even if the rest of your post wasn’t exactly super sensible, it got blown away by those 2 sentences.

lol typical Fay post. living in a world of paper builds. Try playing a few matches before proclaiming you know everything.
20% damage vs massive condi cure and heal from insp or virtually endless shatter from iullsions and extra effect for every shatter. It’s not even close.
Unlike you I only give out advice after I have played a build for at least 10-20 matches instead of just memorizing every ability and draw your conclusion based on some spread sheet.

I never said that inspiration is bad for sustain, it’s quite strong in that way. I said that your statement of illusions being stronger than domination for damage is absolutely absurd. Domination has mental anguish, but it also has CS for landing the damage, boon strip for stripping stab/prot, more vuln, and more damage from that vuln. Everything about dom is geared towards dealing more and landing more damage.

Additionally, randomly spamming shatters will have the same result as it ever has: very little. Random low pressure attacks doesn’t do anything. If you’re running power burst, you’ve got to do the burst, or you’re doing nothing.

That spam shatter probably could work with condi build with illuison line.

Fay.2357:

Mogar.9216:

Fay.2357:

Mogar.9216:

I don’t think dom adds much to shatter build. You might want to try illusions for more damage or insp for more defense.

lol. Seriously?

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Mental_Torment

Like, even if the rest of your post wasn’t exactly super sensible, it got blown away by those 2 sentences.

lol typical Fay post. living in a world of paper builds. Try playing a few matches before proclaiming you know everything.
20% damage vs massive condi cure and heal from insp or virtually endless shatter from iullsions and extra effect for every shatter. It’s not even close.
Unlike you I only give out advice after I have played a build for at least 10-20 matches instead of just memorizing every ability and draw your conclusion based on some spread sheet.

I never said that inspiration is bad for sustain, it’s quite strong in that way. I said that your statement of illusions being stronger than domination for damage is absolutely absurd. Domination has mental anguish, but it also has CS for landing the damage, boon strip for stripping stab/prot, more vuln, and more damage from that vuln. Everything about dom is geared towards dealing more and landing more damage.

Additionally, randomly spamming shatters will have the same result as it ever has: very little. Random low pressure attacks doesn’t do anything. If you’re running power burst, you’ve got to do the burst, or you’re doing nothing.

you fail to realize every time you shatter you are getting alacrity which get you to the next f1 faster and at the same time your gs2 and stealth skills are recharging faster not to mention your elite well. Just go chrono + duel and start spamming shatter in a match. It’ll become clear right away just how ridiculously crazy it can be.
See my post above, I agree losing boon striping is big but in the new meta boon striping isn’t as important, as everyone is spaming their crazy high damage attack rather than taking time build up boons . illusions sync well with shatter because it makes clone generation even faster as well as making your 2 stealth skill recharge like crazy . I haven’t timed it, but it seems even without pu you can have a stealth ready almost all the time when you shatter like mad. Now I just hope they don’t nerf this little gem I found.

Mogar.9216:

Curunen.8729:

The main thing for me if not taking Domination is losing boon strip which is a lot of utility in pvp.

Sure in wvw it’s not a necessity so more room to use the other trait lines

PB or MA is a toss up depending on choice of weapons/skills and utilities (ie double ranged or using Shield, or gravity well etc perhaps PB is more useful, using torch and fewer cc skills then MA is more useful). Then you’ve got all the vuln which helps with the damage.

I agree losing boon strip is a big deal. From what I experienced in matches the new meta has really made almost every class hit as hard as pre hot mesmer. There is no time to setup a giant burst anymore because you are just getting hammered so hard by everyone. To me at least the counter play is shatter as much and as often as possible. This has 2 advantages, 1 you are keeping everyone blinded all the time. 2 you are stacking alacrity like crazy. which make you shatter even more and the bonus of your stealth skill recharge super fast. So I guess what I’m saying is lots of shatters seem to play better in the new meta than setup 1 giant shatter.

Hmm, that is interesting – I’ll take your word for it and can certainly see why it may work in that way now.

I confess I ceased playing power shatter with the June 23rd patch – which seems funny because the day they supposedly “buffed” mesmer is the day I got totally turned off power shatter for several reasons since then (ease of use, PU, stun spam, stat boosts, bandwagoning, iElasticity loss from mirror blade, etc).

But I will try what you’re saying and see if a sustained power dps is possible with the current meta, compared to all in on one big burst in the past. So Duelling/Chrono and then which one out of Insp, Chaos or Illusions?

Curunen.8729:

Mogar.9216:

Curunen.8729:

The main thing for me if not taking Domination is losing boon strip which is a lot of utility in pvp.

Sure in wvw it’s not a necessity so more room to use the other trait lines

PB or MA is a toss up depending on choice of weapons/skills and utilities (ie double ranged or using Shield, or gravity well etc perhaps PB is more useful, using torch and fewer cc skills then MA is more useful). Then you’ve got all the vuln which helps with the damage.

I agree losing boon strip is a big deal. From what I experienced in matches the new meta has really made almost every class hit as hard as pre hot mesmer. There is no time to setup a giant burst anymore because you are just getting hammered so hard by everyone. To me at least the counter play is shatter as much and as often as possible. This has 2 advantages, 1 you are keeping everyone blinded all the time. 2 you are stacking alacrity like crazy. which make you shatter even more and the bonus of your stealth skill recharge super fast. So I guess what I’m saying is lots of shatters seem to play better in the new meta than setup 1 giant shatter.

Hmm, that is interesting – I’ll take your word for it and can certainly see why it may work in that way now.

I confess I ceased playing power shatter with the June 23rd patch – which seems funny because the day they supposedly “buffed” mesmer is the day I got totally turned off power shatter for several reasons since then (ease of use, PU, stun spam, stat boosts, bandwagoning, iElasticity loss from mirror blade, etc).

But I will try what you’re saying and see if a sustained power dps is possible with the current meta, compared to all in on one big burst in the past. So Duelling/Chrono and then which one out of Insp, Chaos or Illusions?

I like insp. Because I solo que so I really have to cure condis myself. Insp gives me heal and condi cure on shatter as well as condi cure on heal. The extra phantasm from dodge also works well to make more things to shatter. I tried a few matches with iullsions it works too but I really had to be careful not get condi bombed , I find 2x range shatter worked better with illusion since you can deal out more damage from range ad avoid the condi bombs.

Mogar.9216:

you fail to realize every time you shatter you are getting alacrity which get you to the next f1 faster and at the same time your gs2 and stealth skills are recharging faster not to mention your elite well. Just go chrono + duel and start spamming shatter in a match. It’ll become clear right away just how ridiculously crazy it can be.

Contrary to what you seem to have assumed, I’ve played pretty much all of these builds fairly extensively. I’m well aware of what alacrity does. That doesn’t change the fact that randomly spamming shatters that will miss due to zero setup is going to accomplish nothing.

Mogar.9216:

See my post above, I agree losing boon striping is big but in the new meta boon striping isn’t as important, as everyone is spaming their crazy high damage attack rather than taking time build up boons .

Wow uh. You clearly haven’t played much pvp since HoT. Tempests fart boons constantly, DHs get insane boons both from normal guardian stuff and their traps, heralds are essentially walking boon totems, scrappers have insane upkeep on a ton of boons, and fighting any thief means you’re gonna be dealing with tons of boons because of consume plasma.

Yeah, it’s pretty clear that you’re not fully apprised of the current situation in pvp, at all.

Fay.2357:

Mogar.9216:

you fail to realize every time you shatter you are getting alacrity which get you to the next f1 faster and at the same time your gs2 and stealth skills are recharging faster not to mention your elite well. Just go chrono + duel and start spamming shatter in a match. It’ll become clear right away just how ridiculously crazy it can be.

Contrary to what you seem to have assumed, I’ve played pretty much all of these builds fairly extensively. I’m well aware of what alacrity does. That doesn’t change the fact that randomly spamming shatters that will miss due to zero setup is going to accomplish nothing.

Mogar.9216:

See my post above, I agree losing boon striping is big but in the new meta boon striping isn’t as important, as everyone is spaming their crazy high damage attack rather than taking time build up boons .

Wow uh. You clearly haven’t played much pvp since HoT. Tempests fart boons constantly, DHs get insane boons both from normal guardian stuff and their traps, heralds are essentially walking boon totems, scrappers have insane upkeep on a ton of boons, and fighting any thief means you’re gonna be dealing with tons of boons because of consume plasma.

Yeah, it’s pretty clear that you’re not fully apprised of the current situation in pvp, at all.

lol fine, you are right, I have no idea what’s going on, this is a terrible way to play mesmer so everyone just move along nothing to see here.