Guild Wars 2

great videos! im a sub and loving your uploads!
make me want to rebuild and change my play style!

Was that your normal confusion build (except running Pistol) or was that a Glamor confusion build? Still using carrion weapons for confusion?

Entertaining, as usual, Seven :-)

Thank you and keep it up!

I’m curious. Obviously from the condition numbers popping up you were wearing rabid gear, why were you sporting the pistol this time instead of the torch? For the superior phantasm? (? Duelist bleeds > Image confusion ?)

Or just screwing around with different weapons, as usual? :-p

Also, have you found any answers to chasing someone as a condition mesmer? I find it abysmal, lol. I think my grandmother could escape my condition mesmer if she wanted to :-) … though if she stuck around to fight … lights out granny! :-p

I would suspect that pistol helps somewhat with the running away part.

Xavi.6591:

I would suspect that pistol helps somewhat with the running away part.

More so than focus or torch? Pistol is going to stop 1, maybe 2, people from you for a very short bit. Focus can slow any number of people and pull several as well. Torch gives stealth which breaks targeting which can be quite huge.

Excellent videos =).

Keep them coming! Great gameplay too!

Sebrent.3625:

Xavi.6591:

I would suspect that pistol helps somewhat with the running away part.

More so than focus or torch? Pistol is going to stop 1, maybe 2, people from you for a very short bit. Focus can slow any number of people and pull several as well. Torch gives stealth which breaks targeting which can be quite huge.

Focus would work well but torch doesn’t stop runners.

I thought we were talking about running away, not catching ;-)

Grimms.9016:

update – [04/11/13]

Resurrection – Here we go… Some entertainment for yays… Hopefully this will distract you from your desk job for 15 or so… :P

Ironically, I was just having lunch at work wanting something to watch and randomly though ‘I wonder if Seven has uploaded anything new… lets check his Youtube Channel’. Wasn’t dissapointed.

Awesome video mate, the cinematic quality really works. Your hybrid build is interesting, was considering running something with a mix of knights and carrion gear so it has both power and condition damage, while remaining somewhat tanky.

Hey! great video!
Can you explain in details your build, armor, sigil ??
tank you

Grimms.9016:

I’m a firm believer that any build on any class can dominate in the right hands.

Ah well, I’m afraid you lost a good amount of credibility in there.

Love that messing round with the staff, lol those opponents didn’t have a clue what was going on. Its a bit different with tier 1 opponents, but still works great. with the staff kiting and sword torching i can get a lotta DPS, and stay well protected.
Since I love two of the fantastic builds, I combinded them as a sword/torch – staff mesmer. All my armor is knights gear, and my trinkets are the new exotic karma gear power tough crit. To maintain okay health, I put crest of the soldier in my trinkets, and changed the traits to: 0/20(I,X)/30(III/X/XII)/10(II)/10(VI) Also, changed my utilities a little, I use decoy, Veil, and null fied for some cond removal and additional chaos armor <- mentioned earlier, and mass invis. The trait II in inspiration will help me with surving more, as it reduces two important combo field skills’ cooldowns.
Both are great builds, I had to use them together to become ultimate. I also put earth runes in my armor because centaur runes arent needed when I can gain it from my chaos storms and chaos armor.
I used to use all power tough vit gear with 100% boon duration, but now I find these builds are a little more tougher to kill, and i have much more damage.
Some proof:
Before: Loss to another mes, slight win on ele, loss to necro, loss to warrior, win to thief, loss to engineer, loss to condition ranger, draw with guardian.
After: Crushed another mes, owned an ele, smashed a necro, destroyed a thief, won to a warrior, crushed an engineer, shot down a condition ranger retreating, and out lived a guardian.

Its a great success! Now I just need time to improve even more!

Ran into Seven last night for a sharp lession in mesmering. Very respectful individual.

Love the the videos brotha, keep up the good work.

Had a chat with 7 the other night… One of the nicest and most helpful folks I’ve ever met in an online game.

Props to him, now to watch the video

Seven, I always enjoy your vids and builds. Your playstyle is what I’ve always felt to be how I want to play this game too.

I’ve been using your sword/torch and swordmans builds extensively and I really love them. I would say I’m effective in most cases except for when I find two kiting specs: p/p thief and shortbow ranger. Especially with the swordsman spec, it seems very difficult to bind them down and unload the dps.

What would you recommend against kiters? And, keep up the great work!

Erithus.1649:

Seven, I always enjoy your vids and builds. Your playstyle is what I’ve always felt to be how I want to play this game too.

I’ve been using your sword/torch and swordmans builds extensively and I really love them. I would say I’m effective in most cases except for when I find two kiting specs: p/p thief and shortbow ranger. Especially with the swordsman spec, it seems very difficult to bind them down and unload the dps.

What would you recommend against kiters? And, keep up the great work!

I agree with you. I always have a hard time when fighting guys who kite and/or are running away. For instance, fighting a runaway guardian is a pain.

Even though I use the swordsman build, I don’t have yet all the ascended trinkets but I also have a hard time when I try to run away. When I’m alone and I see a huge (really really) zerg, it seems like I’m always caught with no difficulty. Aren’t there any more sources for speed and swiftness buff? I mean, I think our mesmers should have more mobility other than the focus one. I also think that the stealth isn’t enough when trying to escape from a large group or when we want to kite and re-engage. We have veil, mass and also the torch but I don’t know. Perhaps I’m not doing it right but I wanted to ask Seven how he does it.

Also, what is exactly the “Karka Shell Earring” you talk about in the first page of this thread? I was trying to find it but I can’t. Isn’t it available anymore? I’m aiming now for the Triforge Pendant, it’s really hard!

Thanks for the video Seven, keep ’em coming!

The Karka Shell Earring is a ‘celestial’ type accessory that was available during a one-time event in South Shore (south sun cove or w/e the name is). It is no longer available.

Xavi.6591:

The Karka Shell Earring is a ‘celestial’ type accessory that was available during a one-time event in South Shore (south sun cove or w/e the name is). It is no longer available.

This is incorrect.

Please see the wiki entry:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Ancient_Karka_Shell

Sebrent.3625:

Xavi.6591:

The Karka Shell Earring is a ‘celestial’ type accessory that was available during a one-time event in South Shore (south sun cove or w/e the name is). It is no longer available.

This is incorrect.

Please see the wiki entry:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Ancient_Karka_Shell

Thank you very much! 1000 karka shells, too hard to get! I’ll try… :P

You’re welcome.

You could always just get 12 guild commendations and buy the ascended version.

They have different stats I think… But I’ll check it out.

Sebrent.3625:

Xavi.6591:

The Karka Shell Earring is a ‘celestial’ type accessory that was available during a one-time event in South Shore (south sun cove or w/e the name is). It is no longer available.

This is incorrect.

Please see the wiki entry:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Ancient_Karka_Shell

Oh didn’t know you could still get one. Regardless, the Ascended items are better anyways.

Seven, have you ever run a build where you had both torch and focus? I’ve been curious what that would look like. It seems to me that the focus and torch are two off-hands which each have an effect that affects “infinitely many” foes via stealth (torch) and temporal curtain (focus).

I’m also curious if you’ve played around with a mix of rampager and that new unnamed gear that gives Precision w/ Power + Toughness.

Sebrent,

No I have never seen those weapon combinations, maybe I’ll run that for a while! Sounds fun.

update – [04/26/13]

Kinda trollsy vid, was a ton of fun, though. Enjoy

Grimms.9016:

Sebrent,

No I have never seen those weapon combinations, maybe I’ll run that for a while! Sounds fun.

Excellent
My thinking was that of all our weapons, those two have the largest impact when fighting against large numbers of opponents.

Focus because it hinders “infinitely many” foes movement as well as projectiles (if traited), and the pull if quite nice as well. The Warden, equally, does the same to “infinitely many” projectiles.

Torch because it drops target on you for “infinitely many” foes. Too bad its phantasm isn’t as “up to snuff” as the rest of them.

Sword’s blurred frenzy fits into this as well as you are technically invulnerable to “infinitely many” attacks for those 2 seconds.

Obviously staff is a great defensive weapon, but a 33% dmg reduction from protection only scales so much. Phase Retreat is always nice too … but let’s be honest, most of us use the staff a majority of the time … gotta change it up from time to time

Grimms.9016:

update – [04/26/13]

Kinda trollsy vid, was a ton of fun, though. Enjoy

It was fun to watch too

update – [05/02/13]

“Bullet Train”

Yeah buddy, a look into mesmer after confusion nerf…

From a sub, another great vid. Whats the load out on it?

hey Ryno thanks! As far as the load out… I dun know how to check. :<

Anyone able to use one of the build that’s more friendly with a GS as main weapon?

Seven, I can confirm you are one kitten clone. Even the clones of your kitten clones would be kitten.

Though I fear the outcome – please don’t make them nerf clones.

(Filters make this sound so wrong lol)

Filters made that post hilarious…

Love the vids! Which builds are you using in the bullet train video? Any particular gear with it too? (ie purchased from tp?)
Thanks man.

Hey Seven, gratz on another great vid!

Though, sorry but I have to ask you. Can you post the new updated build you’re using? I’m having problems with the new confusion nerf and I’m not quite sure which way to take but I guess this is it. Once again you teach me a lesson and showed me the way.

So, if you don’t mind I would appreciate it. Thanks a bunch

From watching the video:

• 12s cd on Phantasmal Duelist and clone on dodge roll … so has 30 in Dueling and at least 5 in Illusions
• 6s cd on Phase Retreat … so at least 20 in Chaos and at least 5 in Illusions
• 30s cd on Blink … so not taking faster recharge on manipulations
• No protection/aegis/regen from stealth … so I bet it’s not 30 points in Chaos as I’ve never seen Seven take 30 Chaos and not take Prismatic Understanding
• 40s cd on Feedback … so not taking faster recharge on glamours
• 57.25s cd on Distortion Shatter … so 5 points in Illusions
• Seems to gain regeneration from Phantasms … so 15 points in Inspiration

So my bet for his build would be:

• 00 Domination
• 30 Dueling (?, IX, X)
• 20 Chaos (?, X)
  • Not (III).
  • My guess is (IV)
• 15 Inspiration (?)
  • Not (II) nor (IV)
  • Not sure what to guess here.
• 05 Illusions

In your most recent vid (bullet train) are you still using 0/20/25/0/25? I’ve been using that in sPvP and I still have a blast with it even after the patch. BTW lol’d at the commentary (hard to find the ctrl key and the 1 key to turn off auto attack). I run the 0/20/25/0/25 build using Staff::Sw/Pistol with Rabid and Geomancy / Agony on my weapons. Only time I ever get killed is when I have a persistent Thief that I didn’t get the jump on, or if I find myself surrounded by the entire opposing team.

I’m liking the amount of threads revolving around survivability/damage mixtures rather than full glass cannon at the moment. I used to have the same problem with blowing people up and then eating dirt myself.

Here’s something I’ve been thinking about..
This is a 0/20/20/0/30 build, I commonly see it used as a defensive one in wvw.

Here it is with full soldier gear, +pwr/vit food and +pwr sharpening stone which scales off vit/tough.
http://gw2buildcraft.com/calculator/mesmer/?4.0|c.1c.h4.c.1c.h14|6.1c.h4|1c.73.1c.73.1c.73.1c.73.1c.73.1c.73|2u.0.2u.0.3u.0.3u.0.2u.0.2u.0|0.k4a.k30.0.u13b|2m.1|33.34.39.3d.0|e

And here it is with full cavalier gear, prec/crit dmg food and +prec maintenance oil which scales off vit/tough.
http://gw2buildcraft.com/calculator/mesmer/?4.0|c.1n.h4.c.1n.h14|6.1n.h4|1n.73.1n.73.1n.73.1n.73.1n.73.1n.73|2v.0.3v.0.2v.0.3v.0.2v.0.2v.0|0.k4a.k30.0.u13b|39.7|33.34.39.3d.0|e

Soldier:
Effective Power 2695.21
Health 23062
Damage Reduction 33.57%
Effective Health (EHP) 34719

Knight/Cavalier:
Effective Power 2827.5
Health 15082
Damage Reduction 40.79%
Effective Health (EHP) 25473

What’s the point of all the fuss around knight/cavalier if soldier gear gives you very almost the same amount of damage and a great deal more survivability?

Fadeaway,

Nice stuff man those are some really interesting numbers. Nice post.

Sebrent,

You know your stuff man, great detective work! (He is almost spot on) I will update thread with all my current gear + sigils/runes + food and trait breakdown today.

I really love scepter/torch even post confusion nerf…. The build I am using revolves around lots of confusion with some good retal mixed in… I can still take out most players… just not as fast… full on rabid is how I make up for the lack of toughness from not going into chaos but the torch trait is good… Plus it leaves me with a reduced CD on sig of midnight (more blind more confusion!)

I run 20/20/0/0/30 with everything to do with confusion or blind….. The most stacks I have spiked was around 20 with no glamours…. When that goes on CD I use mimic and it procs one of my staff clones and then I can get about 15-20s retal… Its a pretty nice balance….
http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAsfRlwzKqHWzmGb9IipH9WwBckUoavWJF42FC-TEAAzA

jp,

What kind of damage numbers are you getting with this setup post patch?

Grimms.9016:

jp,

What kind of damage numbers are you getting with this setup post patch?

In tourneys I can still get around 3k at 15ish stacks on tougher opponents. And I’ve had gcs nuke thenselves from full to zero. Only downside is you have to watch ur timing on blinds. and between the staff and the blinds and shatters I can keep constant 5 stacks up. In wvw . Imagine ill do better. (still working on dungeon armor)

Mesmerized the Mesmer focused podcast (brought to you by sittingonacouch.com) had the pleasure to interview Grimm’s this weekend, stay tuned for the release of the podcast this week and get to know a whole new side of the Seven Mirror mastermind!

Click here for GW2 podcasts!

fadeaway.2807:

Soldier:
Effective Power 2695.21
Health 23062
Damage Reduction 33.57%
Effective Health (EHP) 34719

Knight/Cavalier:
Effective Power 2827.5
Health 15082
Damage Reduction 40.79%
Effective Health (EHP) 25473

What’s the point of all the fuss around knight/cavalier if soldier gear gives you very almost the same amount of damage and a great deal more survivability?

Theres 1 thing thats probably not considered there and that its on crit effects like Sigils, Sharper Images, Critical Infusion….

Also id love to if that “Effective Power” and “Effective Health” are accurate. Idk, seems a lil weird that full knights have less DPS than full Soldier. Well, im too lazy to do the actual testing anyways :P

Dess.4391:

fadeaway.2807:

Soldier:
Effective Power 2695.21
Health 23062
Damage Reduction 33.57%
Effective Health (EHP) 34719

Knight/Cavalier:
Effective Power 2827.5
Health 15082
Damage Reduction 40.79%
Effective Health (EHP) 25473

What’s the point of all the fuss around knight/cavalier if soldier gear gives you very almost the same amount of damage and a great deal more survivability?

Theres 1 thing thats probably not considered there and that its on crit effects like Sigils, Sharper Images, Critical Infusion….

Also id love to if that “Effective Power” and “Effective Health” are accurate. Idk, seems a lil weird that full knights have less DPS than full Soldier. Well, im too lazy to do the actual testing anyways :P

Knights gear main emphasis is on precision then toughness… Power is a minor thing in that set up.

Yeah I think the reason is that power is the main dps stat, far more valuable than prec or crit dmg in terms of theoretical dps. That’s why soldier is up there for dmg compared to knight.

However as soldier warriors may be able to atest… theoretical sustained probably isn’t as good as the surprise burst from builds like this and osis, because that’s what will catch people off guard and allow the kill.

At least that’s my take on it after thinking about it for a couple of days.

Been looking for you in WvW this week Seven. Dueled one of the ele’s in your guild several times.

Thanks, Seven.

Have you had a chance to play around with builds using both torch and focus? I’m very curious to see what someone with your APM and comfort with the Mesmer class can do with both of those.

Random sidenote: I swear that one of my guildies is your vocal doppleganger in TS.

shimmerless.4560:

Sebrent.3625:

Thanks, Seven.

Have you had a chance to play around with builds using both torch and focus? I’m very curious to see what someone with your APM and comfort with the Mesmer class can do with both of those.

Random sidenote: I swear that one of my guildies is your vocal doppleganger in TS.

I’m not sure if he’s ever fielded both at once, but there are separate instances of Seven using Torch and Focus, and he’s amazing to watch with both. I think he’d agree that both are very strong weapons in WvW because of the degree of control they give in an environment where you can’t guarantee balanced encounters.

I think bringing both would be tough considering that they are very different playstyles. Also when I bring the focus I always always always trait for it no matter what build I run… The reflects are just too good…. Same with the torch always trait for it because of the condition cleanse that we lack other wise.

shimmerless.4560:

jportell.2197:

shimmerless.4560:

Sebrent.3625:

Thanks, Seven.

Have you had a chance to play around with builds using both torch and focus? I’m very curious to see what someone with your APM and comfort with the Mesmer class can do with both of those.

Random sidenote: I swear that one of my guildies is your vocal doppleganger in TS.

I’m not sure if he’s ever fielded both at once, but there are separate instances of Seven using Torch and Focus, and he’s amazing to watch with both. I think he’d agree that both are very strong weapons in WvW because of the degree of control they give in an environment where you can’t guarantee balanced encounters.

I think bringing both would be tough considering that they are very different playstyles. Also when I bring the focus I always always always trait for it no matter what build I run… The reflects are just too good…. Same with the torch always trait for it because of the condition cleanse that we lack other wise.

if you play a lot of WvW and you’re ~30 into illusions, try this trait. it’s my new favorite thing. because it procs off the distortion shatter, you’ll always clear all clones and it almost guarantees you’ll get at least someone who’ll AA away at your back for the full duration.

That plus wardens feedback, plus mirror= rangers worst nightmare. lawls.

jportell.2197:

Dess.4391:

fadeaway.2807:

Soldier:
Effective Power 2695.21
Health 23062
Damage Reduction 33.57%
Effective Health (EHP) 34719

Knight/Cavalier:
Effective Power 2827.5
Health 15082
Damage Reduction 40.79%
Effective Health (EHP) 25473

What’s the point of all the fuss around knight/cavalier if soldier gear gives you very almost the same amount of damage and a great deal more survivability?

Theres 1 thing thats probably not considered there and that its on crit effects like Sigils, Sharper Images, Critical Infusion….

Also id love to if that “Effective Power” and “Effective Health” are accurate. Idk, seems a lil weird that full knights have less DPS than full Soldier. Well, im too lazy to do the actual testing anyways :P

Knights gear main emphasis is on precision then toughness… Power is a minor thing in that set up.

Actually Knights main stat is thoughtness if i remembe right.
But my point was that the calculator doesnt take into account the on crit effects to calculate your effective power and health. So, for example, if you use a sigil of air in your wep your effective power its higher than it shows. Also its kinda hard to calculate and add a number to how much perma vigor helps.

update – [05/11/13]

One vs. Many, gladiator style.