Guild Wars 2

I’ve been playing GW2 for less than 2 months. I am inching my way through Maguuma trying to get Hero points to become a Chronomancer (one of several personal goals).

I use a GS (Sigil of Air & Stamina) and Sw (Sigil of Stamina)/Sw (Sigil of Air) and wear Berserker gear with Rune of Centaur. I have Dueling 1-1-3, Illusions 1-1-2 and Domination 2-3-1. Keys 6 to 0 are Signet of Ether, Signet of Inspiration, Mirror Images, Signet of Illusion and Time Warp.

On Veterans and difficult enemy, I usually start with GS 1-4-2, dodge, shatter, change weapons, 5-3, dodge, shatter, 8 dodge shatter, change weapons and start again. On regular enemy, I usually 1-4-2, dodge, shatter and only 8, dodge, shatter if needed (usually not). Time Warp is if I get in a sticky situation, I create 3 random copies, Time Warp and run.

Also, I have a Berserker Conch of Stamina and a Berserker Quarterstaff of Air in my bank from when I was trying out different builds.

Any suggestions or improvements regarding equipment or play style would be greatly appreciated. I don’t have a lot of gold but can save up if something might help. At this point I am thinking (hoping) it just comes down to getting out there and doing what I’m doing until it becomes automatic.

Might consider dumping offhand sword for the focus. I like your choice of stamina sigil, is underrated.

I second the idea to take focus over offhand sword. It gives you swiftness (allowing for something like 98% uptime on swiftness when combined with SoInspirations), but more importantly it has a pull that is extremely useful for cleaving enemies with GS3 or SW1 and 2. It also has iWarden, which will absorb projectiles, incredibly useful against the frogs with bows (shadowleapers).

For your GS opening, I wouldn’t open with GS1 as it needlessly aggroes the mob early without doing substantial damage. Instead I would go GS4-2-3. All 3 skills should land at about the same time, as well as have a nice (well nice for a mesmer at any rate) AoE burst from the bounces on GS2 and from Mindstab. With mainhand sword, don’t forget to use BF for cleave and as an evade.

Honestly, I’d just equip Scepter/Shield + Greatsword and jump into doing the group events. You can unlock the full Chronomancer trait line in an evening by following the Hero Point trains. Just make sure you’re playing at a reasonable time of the day, and announce in map chat that you’re about to start/need help with a certain HP challenge.

The Verdant Brink and onwards hero point challenges award 10 points instead of the usual 1.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try the Focus. The reason I’ve been using Sword offhand is because I liked the option of Illusionary Repost and I sometimes mess up when trying to place the Temporal Curtain. So Sword just seemed like the better option offhand when I panic and start mashing keys. lol

The Scepter/Shield is a whole new playstyle for me which I will try when I am out doing map completion in the other parts of Ascalon on days I have free. It means reworking my trait line and I like being able to jump on and off when I have time to play.

I use GS1 when trying to take a group of enemy one by one but will try the 4-2-3 on solo enemies.

Thanks again. I appreciate the input and ideas.

I’m switching between doing Scepter/Shield and Sword/Shield, depending on whether I’m at range or in melee while soloing around in Berserker/Assassin gear. I’ve found that MoP with Harmonious Mantras gives me the tagging I need.

The Focus and Shield were pretty good and I will try them again (I am keeping alt weapons in my inventory). I haven’t tried Mantras because of the mixed reviews but will try them tomorrow. Thanks again!

Mitern.1563:

The Focus and Shield were pretty good and I will try them again (I am keeping alt weapons in my inventory). I haven’t tried Mantras because of the mixed reviews but will try them tomorrow. Thanks again!

if you do mantra of pain you will probably want shield for the quickness to recharge, or maybe the trait https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Seize_the_Moment .

Mitern.1563:

The Focus and Shield were pretty good and I will try them again (I am keeping alt weapons in my inventory). I haven’t tried Mantras because of the mixed reviews but will try them tomorrow. Thanks again!

The idea with Mantra of Pain is that it’s instant AoE tagging. Mesmers are notoriously bad at quick AoE tagging when there’s a lot of players running around, since there’s either a delay with our wells, or projectise speed with our ranged skills. The scepter is a single target ranged weapon, the sword is melee range and the shield 5 has a projectile delay. MoP can be clicked once or twice to tag mobs as you run up to them with your sword/shield, so you don’t miss kills.

It’s also really handy for taking out swarms of small things, like raptors.