Guild Wars 2

Hi guys,
With the new runeset Perplexity, I just figure I revisit a Glamour build for mesmer.
I’ve never run a glamour build before since I started playing Gw2 after the confusion nerf so any suggestion/advice is really appreciated.

Here’s my glamour build (pretty standard i think): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNArdWlwzSoHVzqGa9IxpHMX6LH1jrb9qTqgrB-j0xA4MBRaBI1JQpwomDHyo6GTHTEVLEwi1A-w

Note: the build calc does not have perplexity runes yet but keep in mind this build uses the runeset.

I make use of the blind-confusion synergy for both offense/defense. This build is for group fight and support. I don’t think it can do well in 1v1 dueling situation but glamour veterans feel free to judge.

Cheers.

Edited: As I feel the build posted here is not very effective (at least to my playstyle), I have updated with different variations, please check posts below. Thanks.

Honestly, you’re missing an ability considered a staple of most Glamour-focused builds. Namely Domination 20: Confusing Enchantments. IIRC, I do believe Kylia’s Triforce spec (a successor to Glamour-spec) runs 20/0/0/30/20. It uses Warden’s Feedback/Cry of Frustration/Masterful Reflection to apply more ways to “backfire” an opponent’s attacks.

One I’ve played with recently is 20/0/30/0/20, where I forgo the Warden’s bit in favour of Bountiful/Chaotic Interruption. It works reasonably well, the slower Glamour application is offset by additional toughness/boons/condition application. Not to mention a bit of extra damage from Halting Strike procs.

Looks pretty good. The only thing that bothers me slightly is the Signet of Midnight. I understand its use, but I think Blink or Veil would be a better choice. Obviously this is personal preference.

If you wanted, you could try a variant of this build where you drop 0-10 out of Dom, and 10-20 out of Insp to go 20 deep into Chaos for Bountiful Interruption. With the amount of interrupts you’ll be putting out with Focus/Staff, in a zerg situation you could easily maintain 25 stacks of Might(35 cond dmg a stack for a total of 875@ 25).

This would boost your confusion damage through the roof, as you could use Focus #4 pull and/or Staff #5 in the middle of the zerg to hit the might cap, then throw out your Glamours for max damage.

However to achieve all this you’d lose Signet cds, and/or 1/2 of your weapon specials.

(Theorycrafting inc; feel free to skip to the end for TL;DR sum-up)

/theorycraft start

If you perform this combo for 25 might and end in Scepter/Focus, you’d have 2653 cond dmg meaning 264 dmg per stack, and since your interrupt confusion applies 5 stacks, that would tick for 1320 dmg a skill.

Note: If you drop Scepter trait you’d lose 200 cond dmg (Equivalent to ~5-6 Might stacks), meaning confusion would do 249 dmg a stack (Interruptions causing 5 stacks doing 1245 a skill; 75 dmg difference)

/theorycraft end

>>>>>>Tl;DR: Currently your Confusion is doing 183dmg a stack in Staff, 198 in Scepter meaning you’ll be gaining at best 66 dmg a stack, and at worst 51 dmg a stack by making these changes.<<<<<<<<<<<<

P.S: Base might duration for Bountiful Interruption is 10 seconds (In reality 12 because of 20 points in Chaos). With all your +cond duration, your confusions will last anywhere between 1 stack of 8.5 sec confusion(blind) to 5 stacks of 21 second Confusion (interrupts)

P.P.S. Sadly, the runes are immensely stronger than our Glamours are T_T… That hurts Anet.

Thanks for your prompt feedback guys

@Advent: I assume Confusing Enchantments only applies 1 stack of Confusion per movement (enter/exit glamour field). That’s the reason I prefer traited Scepter with lower CDs and a solid condition damage bonus. The trait is too good to pass up.

@Aquilus: I always have at least one stunbreak on my utilities, so either Decoy or SoM synergizes well with the build. But I like the idea of interrupt and enhanced defense by going 20 into Chaos. Will give it a go.

Here’s the variation: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNArdWlwzSoHVzqGa9IhJFB33nUw8lj6x1te1B-j0xA4MBRaBI1JQpwomDHyo6GTHTEVLEwi1A-w

Hi guys,
I have been testing the build (shown in original post) in WvW in zerging, skirmishing, and even dueling settings.

The glaring weaknesses I’ve found with this build are:
- next to zero burst dmg to finish off enemies
- lack of CC to snare enemies for team mates to burst them down if you cant finish them off by yourself.

This is the new variation, or rather a complete remake of my idea of a glamour build to make up for those weaknesses. Note that the build (either version) still uses perplexity runes for stacking confusion. Also, keep in mind this build serves as a support build so it works best in group fight.

Pistol version: http://tinyurl.com/kl9l9z6
- more burst, better CC with pistol #5

Focus version: http://tinyurl.com/mz5cspq
- more versatile with swiftness buff and mass interrupt, also more tanky

Playstyle:
Lay down your glamours, combo with your phantasms to stack confusion, let enemies eat confusion dmg then shatter to finish them off or stack even more confusion if they’re still alive. The build is somewhat a shatter build since you have no problem producing so many clones in a short time frame and all shatters have short CDs. However, you need to time and chain Mind Wrack & Cry of Frustration to maximise burst potential.

If enemies are smart and handle confusion well, switch to staff and maintain condition pressure with burning and bleeding like normal condition playstyle.

The key to success with this build is how to use your glamour both offensively and defensively, know when to stack confusion and time your shatters.

One more thing, while the build is WvW-oriented, the focus version is really good in PvE for both tagging mobs and for utilities in dungeons.

Please discuss guys. Any feedback is much appreciated.

First of all, this is related to the Pistol version.
I think that Dazzling Glamours (VIII; Illusions) and Blinding Befuddlement (IX; Illusions) are just crap after the nerf. Both together only apply one stack of confusion every 5 seconds. Which is even lower than Scepter #3… Not even mentioning the rune (which is overpowered anyways).
I’d suggest putting 20 points out of Illusions into another line (Yes, you’ll lose IC, but I don’t think it is superior in this build, mainly because you spam your clones through Deceptive Evasion)
20 points in Chaos would be great, imo. You could take Debilitating Dissipation and Chaotic Dampening/Bountiful Interruption (which even compliments the perplexity runes).

All of the utilities are fairly mandatory, but I’d like to take the Mantra of Distraction instead one of them, so we have 2 additional interrupts, which are instant and almost impossible to avoid. The hard choice is to choose the utility we’d lose.

• Decoy, no (superior for survival)
• Null Field, maybe, but lose condition removal
• Feedback, probably the best choice cause not every class uses projectiles a lot, and it ‘only’ lasts for 6 seconds.

At the moment you only have 3 skills which interrupt, namely Chaos Storm, Magic Bullet, and Diversion.