Guild Wars 2

And it’s a struggle. This was a sword/sword melee build I enjoyed in PvE.

In the old system there weren’t any GM traits I cared too much about. I dipped into domination for empowered illusions and chaos for illusionary defense but didn’t want anything higher up in those trees. But you can’t do that anymore.

So what’s the current thinking on phantasm builds?

I’m leaning towards Dueling and Inspiration and maybe Domination. That seems to push me towards interrupts and maybe mantras..?

Mr Snotty Pants.3980:

And it’s a struggle. This was a sword/sword melee build I enjoyed in PvE.

In the old system there weren’t any GM traits I cared too much about. I dipped into domination for empowered illusions and chaos for illusionary defense but didn’t want anything higher up in those trees. But you can’t do that anymore.

So what’s the current thinking on phantasm builds?

I’m leaning towards Dueling and Inspiration and maybe Domination. That seems to push me towards interrupts and maybe mantras..?

I empathize. I never used to use any GM traits either – they just didn’t seem to fit the playstyle of phantasms. Either they focused on interrupts, or shatters, boon stripping…but nothing phantasm related.

Sadly, this last patch has made me give up my phantasm build. What with the high burning and the numerous new dangerous traits (both offense and defense) given to other classes (like heightened focus on warrior), I’m no longer able to keep up. Not to mention that shatter mesmers themselves got a huge boost and with something like PU, simply attritioning them takes too long and allows them ample time to set up their burst.

However if I had to go phantasms, my lines would depend on my weapons. I preferred sword/focus + scepter/pistol, so I would take Dueling, Inspiration, and chaos. The Chaotic Interruption GM trait is the closest thing to useful for a phantasm build since I get two interrupts via my focus and pistol – but really, my build wasn’t built for interruption so it was a bonus if it occurred. Very sad that we’re now forced to take useless GM traits when there’s nothing good for phantasms.

The Inspiration line at least has a good GM trait where you get regeneration from phants and this coupled with the chaos line that gives you 3 secs protection when you gain regeneration (15s ICD) synergizes nicely.

But I’m afraid it’s really not just viable anymore. Anet has done a good job of making shatter so much stronger that phantasms are just pushed out of the equation. All the complaints you hear about mesmers on the forums are not directed towards our phantasms, but towards shatters.

So while I tried to make my phantasm build work (and it didn’t do too badly – after all, I’ve been using it for a long time, and I know how to work it), I just felt too crippled by not taking shatter – which I hate to do because I don’t like bursty (literally!) playstyles.

So I’ve just rolled a necro now to suit my attrition style of play . I wish it wasn’t like this. In my heart, I love the mesmer playstyle best – I think it suits me better than any other. But Anet (and others on this forum) think that Mesmer = shatter, and as long as that mindset is prevalent, and as long as Anet continues to buff shatter and show special treatment towards it, using phantasms is just too much of an opportunity cost over shatter builds.

bhagwad.4281:

But I’m afraid it’s really not just viable anymore. Anet has done a good job of making shatter so much stronger that phantasms are just pushed out of the equation. All the complaints you hear about mesmers on the forums are not directed towards our phantasms, but towards shatters.

Your problem is that you’re defining the idea of a build too narrowly.

What makes the current crop of “shatter” builds powerful isn’t that they’re stacking a pile of shatter traits. It’s that they can combine shatter bursts and CC, or shatter bursts and great stealth access, et cetera.

For example, you can do the same with a phantasm build that almost never shatters. Heck, you can take a Chaotic-Interruption-based build and play it as a phant build or a shatter build.

You just need to start from the position of “Any time I can do something and do it amazingly well, I should do that.” There aren’t gobs of traits for just standing there casting phantasms in this game because that’s not enough to hang a whole build on, just like “swap weapons a lot” isn’t in and of itself a concept for a complete warrior build.

I was using shatters with my old build — I’d wait until the summons refreshed, shatter, and summon again. I had the old Shattered Conditions and will take the new Restorative Illusions.

Sounds like I’ll go with Domination as my 3rd – see if the vulnerability stuff works well with sword’s vulnerability and combine Harmonious Mantras with Mantra of Distraction to provide the interrupt/daze triggers.

How’s Mental Defense? I actually used Phantasmal Defender before, so maybe this frees a skill slot for another Mantra.

Mr Snotty Pants.3980:

I’m leaning towards Dueling and Inspiration and maybe Domination. That seems to push me towards interrupts and maybe mantras..?

These trait lines along with mantras synergize well for a power Sw/Sw build.

My GS full dmg phantasm : Domination, Dueling, Inspiration. All signets, all phantasms, some mantras.

Inspiration + Chaos if you want more support and boon. Lots of traits synergy.

I think you should go for sword : Dueling, Inspiration/Domination, Illusion. Phantasmal Haste works with iSword.

Mental Defense and Ineptitude work great with Sword mainhand.