Guild Wars 2

I’m not sure how this will work balance wise, but at least to me, it makes sense. Just, on block, create a phantasm that auto-attacks and does damage, rather than…not doing damage.

It sticks with the whole idea of making shatter fodder with the scepter, benefits from the traits that affect phantasms, and it helps the scepter deal damage all in one. It also makes the scepter (with an offhand) able to make 2 phantasms with one weapon set.

Of course, this doesn’t fix the other problems the scepter have, and I have no idea how balance works, but as long as the phantasm is comparatively weaker than the other less spammable ones…

Or they could make scepters usable on the offhand, give us two new skills, one being a new phantom.

Or a pistol main hand, since sceptre is a utility weapon really.

I like the scepter as is. People who don’t like the scepter don’t understand how to use one.

I like scepter with sword OH. The 2 blocks work great against melee classes, spawn your phantasm beforehand and let him (her) whittle away while you create clones. If you’re out of blocks, shatter and regroup. Plus confusion stacking with Scepter #3 is just splendid.

Scepter block creating a Phantasm gives the problem that Phantasms are off-hand spawned. Having three seperate damaging Phantasms available on a single weapon swap is a little lopsided.

That said, considering how hard both the Scepter and the Sword-Offhand blocks hit, I’m not sure it needs a Phantasm.

Problems with Scepter: It lacks Confusion in the 1-chain (which was originally put up there to compensate for its lower damage, removed early on in beta because “conditions are OP I don’t bring removal but I die FIX PLZ ANET”). It spawns clones in melee. And the attack speed it has in melee should be the same attack speed it has at range. Fix these, and the weapon starts to feel a little more whole again.

The actual reason that the confusion on the 1chain was removed, was because it was on the first attack, meaning mesmers could keep upwards of 18-20 stacks of confusion on a target at all times, since the clones would spam confusion as well. Therefor, the removal was perfectly justified.

…unfortunately they kittened it up by removing it altogether, instead of just moving it to the second attack in the chain so that clones wouldn’t proc it.

Pistol Main hand, in turn for that Scepter off hand? That’d be quite unique.

The funny thing is, Confusion is still listed in the third attack of the Scepter’s chain:

Shoot out a third bolt of energy that confuses your target. Summon a clone that casts Ether Bolt.

So, did they just forget to put it back into the chain? Or…?

Soyboy.3548:

I like the scepter as is. People who don’t like the scepter don’t understand how to use one.

It is more that is bugged. Nothing works with any traits besides the #3 and if you want to run a shatter build and you clons come slower out then they should so that you can reach the same clone genration with a 2h sword why bother with that thing?

I like the scepter as is. People who don’t like the scepter don’t understand how to use one

Or they don’t like how our single ranged 1 hand weapon is only usable with one very ineffective condition based build.

Why do you think main hand pistol is such a popular request?

The actual reason that the confusion on the 1chain was removed, was because it was on the first attack, meaning mesmers could keep upwards of 18-20 stacks of confusion on a target at all times, since the clones would spam confusion as well. Therefor, the removal was perfectly justified.

I’m not buying that at all. Trident clones cause confusion and attack faster and they can only stack up to 10-12.

It would be too much. Phantasms are all on off hands or two handed weapons. Having two phantasm skills between scepter and off hand of your choice would not make sense. I think what it really needs if for that auto attack to do something other than damage. They didn’t like confusion on the clones, maybe retaliation instead?

Pyroatheist.9031:

The actual reason that the confusion on the 1chain was removed, was because it was on the first attack, meaning mesmers could keep upwards of 18-20 stacks of confusion on a target at all times, since the clones would spam confusion as well. Therefor, the removal was perfectly justified.

…unfortunately they kittened it up by removing it altogether, instead of just moving it to the second attack in the chain so that clones wouldn’t proc it.

Or they could’ve, you know, just reduced the duration so you can’t stack as high.

2s Confusion. Sceptre Clones finally do something useful.

Levetty.1279:

I like the scepter as is. People who don’t like the scepter don’t understand how to use one

Or they don’t like how our single ranged 1 hand weapon is only usable with one very ineffective condition based build.

Why do you think main hand pistol is such a popular request?

The actual reason that the confusion on the 1chain was removed, was because it was on the first attack, meaning mesmers could keep upwards of 18-20 stacks of confusion on a target at all times, since the clones would spam confusion as well. Therefor, the removal was perfectly justified.

I’m not buying that at all. Trident clones cause confusion and attack faster and they can only stack up to 10-12.

You forget that with the unmodified scepter, your own autoattacks were also applying confusion, and you additionally have confusing images to stack it up further, neither of which are available in the water.

However, in the 2nd(third?) BWE, the autoattack from the trident DID apply confusion, and that was removed, presumably for the same reason, except it bounced, so you’d get 18 stacks of confusion on everything in the area.