Guild Wars 2

Hi,

I’ve been searching through these forums for a little while trying to find a nice build(s) post-patch. I’ve experimented a bit and read a lot, and haven’t found the perfect thing yet, so I figured I’d just ask.

My priorities, in order:
1. Equips focus. I have The Minstrel, ankitten ever unequipping it :p

2. “Carry” power. I often play with people who don’t have my level of experience. So, I’d like to be able to make a big contribution even when the rest of the team isn’t optimized. It also means I do a lot of rezzing.

3. I like “flashy” traits like Prismatic Understanding and Deceptive Evasion, and neat little things like Might/Chill foods or on-crit sigils.

Can anyone suggest a PvE and WvW build for me?

Thank you!

Edit: Bonus hardmode question: is there any reasonable way to fit Focus and Torch into the same build? PU is so cool… but I don’t see any way to effectively use Scepter, Torch, Sword and Focus into the same stat set.

Top thread on this forum, sticky even:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Guide-WvWvW-Pve-Shatter-Cat-Updated-7-7/page/23#post2275686

I also run a version of Shatter Cat heavy and i have never been disappointed up to this point. I’m using knight gear + cavalier trinkets and end up at 2k power and 1.9k toughness so i’m quite tanky while still doing good damage (Granted, i have the base 15k hp but i played guardian for 1500+ hours so i’m used to low hp pools ^^).

Iavra.8510:

Top thread on this forum, sticky even:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Guide-WvWvW-Pve-Shatter-Cat-Updated-7-7/page/23#post2275686

I also run a version of Shatter Cat heavy and i have never been disappointed up to this point. I’m using knight gear + cavalier trinkets and end up at 2k power and 1.9k toughness so i’m quite tanky while still doing good damage (Granted, i have the base 15k hp but i played guardian for 1500+ hours so i’m used to low hp pools ^^).

I’ve tried something very much like this, and thought it was ok, if not thrilling. I hate to lose Warden’s Feedback, but it is fun to duke it out. I tried it before the interrupt trait buffs, so maybe I’ll get more excited now that Bountiful Interruption is a legitimately flashy trait.

You can be both supportive and flashy without sacrificing much damage depending on your traits and utilities.

The INSPIRATION trait line is the only tree filled with abilities for assisting allies, including Medics Feedback, which creates a reflective bubble everytime you rezz. (Inspiration I, 10 sec cooldown.)

Sticking 20 points into Inspiration both significantly buffs your focus and allows you to grab one of many traits to help your team. Glamours like Feedback and Nullfield are great for all aspects of the game and are some of our flashiest moves in addition to being combo fields.

The support Mes guide in my sig teaches how to craft a Mes with support in mind and offers a variety of build samples for inspiration. Most of the builds listed there can be used with any gear

This build
is essentially what I currently use in pvp. I use divinity runes though. Signet of inspiration works well too in place of feedback.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

Sticking 20 points into Inspiration both significantly buffs your focus and allows you to grab one of many traits to help your team. Glamours like Feedback and Nullfield are great for all aspects of the game and are some of our flashiest moves in addition to being combo fields.

The support Mes guide in my sig teaches how to craft a Mes with support in mind and offers a variety of build samples for inspiration. Most of the builds listed there can be used with any gear

I’ve run with 20 in inspiration a lot. I’m always tempted to go for the 25-point phantasm damage, but Warden’s damage isn’t so hot, so I’m hesistant.

I don’t love boon-support builds when carrying, since I find they rely too much on skilled teammates. In particular, there’s this huge difference in effectiveness of the build between teammates who can ride a Signet of Insp. boon dump and people who are x% likely to be down, fleeing, targetting the wrong guy, etc. when the boons hit.

Well, I actually wasn’t referring specifically to boon sharing. Though boons becomes a lot easier if you tell the group to gather on Chaos Storm and they see the Sig of Insp. results consistently. That also helps train less skilled players to stick together, learn to combo off eachother, and pay more attention to eachother’s skills. The best form of support is helping someone learn and improve.

Between reflects (Feedback, traited focus), boon sharing (Sig of Inspiration), Mantra heals (Inspiration X), Condition Removal (Phantasmal Disenchanter, Null Field, Shattered Conditions), and damage/death prevention (Phantasmal Defender, Illusion of Life) You’ve got all kinds of hand-holding options for your allies. And you can do most of that without much sacrifice to whatever is your favored playstyle. I’d advise going 0/0/20/20/0 for whichever build you make, that way you get an upgraded focus and a way to trait into any of the above support options. Oh, make sure to drop Chaos Storm on downed allies while you rezz them if you’re using a staff.

… Question, how is Prismatic Understanding flashy if it requires you to be, uh, invisible?

Hah, well PU is at least very obvious, since you’re constantly popping in and out of stealth.

Here’s a condition option

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Build-Poisoned-Apples/first#post2381371

Ross Biddle.2367:

Here’s a condition option

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Build-Poisoned-Apples/first#post2381371

Man, that’s a cool build. Super flashy, at a bare minimum. I’m now debating between Immortal Mesmer, Poisoned Apples, and Shattercat Heavy.

Condition builds in party PvE are usually a bad idea.

Condition stacking remains a roadblock to their proper utilisation – between 5 players it’s easy to stack bleeds to cap after which further damage is shrugged off. Much of that cap is frequently taken up by incidental bleeds from power mesmers, engys, warriors, rangers etc. leaving very little room for your boosted bleed damage (The real bread and butter of most condition classes) to actually stick and deal damage.

I’d love to recommend a condition build – they have a great synergy with support builds since they leave your hands free for healing and buffing; but they punch far far FAR below their weight as long as condition cap is a thing.

Ryuujin.8236:

I’d love to recommend a condition build – they have a great synergy with support builds since they leave your hands free for healing and buffing; but they punch far far FAR below their weight as long as condition cap is a thing.

I agree, and it sucks, but that’s actually makes Poisoned Apples more appealing. There’s no bleeds on it, just poison/burn/confusion/torment.

Now, whether that’s enough dps to matter in a PvE setting, I don’t know.

Why not take what you like from the builds and theorycraft yer own? That way you can get more specific input on tailoring something special for you and yer crew